Portland, I love this city! Over the past 20 years I’ve seen a lot. Played countless shows at pretty much every venue in town. For the most part Portland is pretty amazing with so many great bands! The cost of living in this town is just crazy compared to what it used to be. That’s a negative for sure. Artists are the first to suffer from high COL. Venues do too. Too many closing all the time.
Another thing I see that concerns me about the Portland music scene is No matter if the scene is Goth or Hardcore or whatever? The same wave and ride seems to play out time and again.
Let’s use (Goth / Hardcore) as examples. Pick one
1st – (The Goth / Hardcore scene) The scene bands together in love and harmony to build something special. And The scene grows. Gets big. It is amazing. Stable and healthy for the bands and venues.
2nd Then after a while Someone or a band or ? from the (The Goth / Hardcore scene) gets their feelings hurt and decides to start their own night somewhere else. In turn half of the crowd splits between the two scenes. This also allows for lots of drama. Each scene fighting for I’m right, bigger crowd or us vs them.
3rd Then (The Goth / Hardcore) now divided scene slowly eat each other a live until there is no real (The Goth / Hardcore scene) left. Each spot is dead. No way to sustain a night for the venue & artists.
And then both die.
after a years or so the cycle starts over.
Let’s discuss ways to help make this cycle not happen? Plus build whatever scene you’re into bigger than ever before. Together is the only way. Tired of the splits, hurt people or haters bashing this or that. Only brings it all down to eventually nothing. I see some splits starting. Let’s stop this cycle.
1. Go to a show. Check out a new band or DJ you’ve never heard of. Support said band even if it’s not exactly your thing. There’s always room to network and make new friends / fans.
When was the last time you went to a show where it was just to hear a new band. Nothing drawing you except, I want to hear music tonight. Not your friend’s sisters band. Just this venue has live music, let’s go there tonight. Rarely do I see new people come into any of our shows. Either it’s a large national and fans are there to hear that one song or it’s a, my friend is the guitarist. I’m here to check out her band. Where are all the fans of live music for live music’s sake? I know I love live music. But I don’t usually go to check out a new unknown band. Maybe the cost of living plays a factor? Or my excuse. “I don’t want to wreck my ears” maybe live music is just fading away?
2. Support venues that support you. Yes, it is supporting a venue choosing to have your amazing event at said venue. Don’t take what you do to a none supporting (The Goth / Hardcore scene) venue that has never even gone an extra inch let alone extra mile for your music and scene. As in a weekly Applebee’s event I saw last month. Goth Night w/ DJ Cold Chem. On so many levels that makes me a little sick. Maybe it’s the only place that would book? But there was a bigger crowd than I would have thought there.
Just my little rant. What do you all think?
Another thing I see that concerns me about the Portland music scene is No matter if the scene is Goth or Hardcore or whatever? The same wave and ride seems to play out time and again.
Let’s use (Goth / Hardcore) as examples. Pick one
1st – (The Goth / Hardcore scene) The scene bands together in love and harmony to build something special. And The scene grows. Gets big. It is amazing. Stable and healthy for the bands and venues.
2nd Then after a while Someone or a band or ? from the (The Goth / Hardcore scene) gets their feelings hurt and decides to start their own night somewhere else. In turn half of the crowd splits between the two scenes. This also allows for lots of drama. Each scene fighting for I’m right, bigger crowd or us vs them.
3rd Then (The Goth / Hardcore) now divided scene slowly eat each other a live until there is no real (The Goth / Hardcore scene) left. Each spot is dead. No way to sustain a night for the venue & artists.
And then both die.
after a years or so the cycle starts over.
Let’s discuss ways to help make this cycle not happen? Plus build whatever scene you’re into bigger than ever before. Together is the only way. Tired of the splits, hurt people or haters bashing this or that. Only brings it all down to eventually nothing. I see some splits starting. Let’s stop this cycle.
1. Go to a show. Check out a new band or DJ you’ve never heard of. Support said band even if it’s not exactly your thing. There’s always room to network and make new friends / fans.
When was the last time you went to a show where it was just to hear a new band. Nothing drawing you except, I want to hear music tonight. Not your friend’s sisters band. Just this venue has live music, let’s go there tonight. Rarely do I see new people come into any of our shows. Either it’s a large national and fans are there to hear that one song or it’s a, my friend is the guitarist. I’m here to check out her band. Where are all the fans of live music for live music’s sake? I know I love live music. But I don’t usually go to check out a new unknown band. Maybe the cost of living plays a factor? Or my excuse. “I don’t want to wreck my ears” maybe live music is just fading away?
2. Support venues that support you. Yes, it is supporting a venue choosing to have your amazing event at said venue. Don’t take what you do to a none supporting (The Goth / Hardcore scene) venue that has never even gone an extra inch let alone extra mile for your music and scene. As in a weekly Applebee’s event I saw last month. Goth Night w/ DJ Cold Chem. On so many levels that makes me a little sick. Maybe it’s the only place that would book? But there was a bigger crowd than I would have thought there.
Just my little rant. What do you all think?