RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

You know, it occurred to me this morning that I never really answered 
this question in the way that I should've:

The best way to support [musical] artists is to go see them play, and 
drag your friends along with you. Clap & cheer for them. Go up to them 
after the show & tell them you enjoyed it. Most of the bands around 
here, at least the ones doing worthwhile music, don't seem to be all 
that hung up on the money, at least not as long as they're playing 
in-town. Touring bands are different: they've gotta make a certain 
amount per night just to keep gas in the van & food in their stomachs, 
nevermind paying all the rent & bills that are still accruing back at 
home. Buy a T-shirt from them.

The thing we've been talking about off & on for weeks is how to get more 
people out to see shows. This is partly out of concern for the "health 
of the scene," whatever that is (and I'm amazed at how many people carry 
a negative connotation for the word "scene" -- it makes them think of 
jaded exclusionary cooler-than-thou hipster cliques -- so I need to 
remember to use "community," which has its own weird connotations, but 
whatever), but partly because if we're hanging out on this newsgroup, 
it's likely because we really love the buzz we get from seeing people 
play music together, live, in real-time.

So if you want to support the artists: haul your friends out to the 
shows when you go. Make a night of it. And make a night of it more 
often: exercise what little influence you have with your friends to 
convert a plain-old night out in the bars, into a night out in the bars 
that feature live music.

And maybe you'll spend half your time standing in the back talking. 
That's OK, unless the band is so quiet that you're annoying everybody 
else. But maybe you'll spend the other half of the time watching the 
bands & remembering how much fun that can be. & then you'll do it again.

Ross