earlier this month, blue muse magazine published an article about the agony and ecstasy of connecticut’s local music scene and its status as a tour stop for national acts. you can (and should) check the article out here: https://bluemusemag.com/2019/05/06/can-you-come-through-connecticuts-d-i-y-music-scene-survives-in-a-c-class-market-sabrina-cofer/ .
journalist sabrina cofer focuses on two subjects: the winsted band boyscott and independent booking promoter tiny box booking. both give their own accounts of what it is like to survive and thrive in connecticut’s music market. as you, dear reader, know, CT has boston just up the road and new york city just down the road. as such, it is easy for national bands (e.g., the national) to drive right through us, getting to the “bigger” markets. and while our state can’t compete with the sheer numbers of those cities, we CAN* make up for it with passion and enthusiasm for our local and touring bands. they’re already traveling through the area — we can convince them (or their tour managers) to make a stop in CT.
but how? just show up. whether you’re going to see some fancypants band at college street music hall, an intimate set at the slum house, a touring band at mac 650, or a local favorite at ng2bc, simply being there shows the artists that you care. most of the artists you’ll see didn’t get into music to make it rich. they got into it to be understood, to be heard, to communicate their inner lives. so be there. show them you’re passionate, because i know you are.
so, read the article!
* you’ll note that i broke from the stylistic choice of using all lowercase here, so you know i mean serious business.
