Breaking into Your Local Music Scene
Published: December 14, 2022
How to start your music career in a new town.
Whether you’re new to music, new to town, or finally getting back out there after a long break, it can be really beneficial to make solid connections in your own hometown before you try to conquer the world.
Want to build a loyal audience in your local scene?
In this episode of the DIY Musician Podcast, we’ll discuss:
- 03:52 Where to begin when you want to make music in a new town
- 04:22 “Are you terrified? That’s normal.”
- 06:34 Be a student of your new music scene
- 07:47 Music scene research checklist
- 08:52 Be a local culture connoisseur
- 09:36 Don’t ignore the music stores
- 10:34 “Remember MySpace?”
- 11:47 Contact the local “cool guy”
- 12:10 Account for the quirks
- 13:11 Big city vs. small town
- 16:15 Every genre has its own entry point
- 17:22 The wackiest popup venues!
- 21:06 “The craziest night of the week”
- 22:43 Find the club that welcomes new acts
- 25:37 What do you want from your hometown?
- 28:15 Maybe you don’t need to build a live audience?
- 30:14 How to find bandmates & other collaborators
- 33:15 Places to search for good local musicians
- 34:07 Steady band vs. hired guns
- 34:40 People still pull flier tabs
- 35:32 What does your scene expect from musicians?
- 37:36 Concentric circles: Build outwards
- 40:14 You can shape the local scene
- 41:24 Help gatekeepers solve problems
- 42:21 “Your friends are not your fans”
- 43:07 Balance between playing too often and not enough
- 43:40 Don’t count on an unrealistic draw
- 45:53 Build a reputation — with video proof
- 46:30 “Don’t forget where you came from”
- 47:53 How to get other artists to promote you
- 50:01 What other skills can you offer your scene?
- 51:29 The “unhip” publications are thirsty to tell your story
- 52:17 Making inroads with local press
- 53:00 Bad press ain’t the end of the world
- 53:29 Our worst reviews
- 57:31 Be nice to everyone
- 58:05 Not every “sorry” is a rejection
- 59:59 Basic etiquette in your music scene
Have you made inroads in a new scene?
Gotten results? Still finding your footing?
We’d love to hear your tips and perspective. Comment below!
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