In the comments of a previous blog entry, Keith writes:
I have a question for you, though: you mention that you have noticed that there is a music scene of sorts around town. In the year or so that I've lived here, I've heard of very few shows beyond the Friday night live music at Mulligan's, and on the occasions that I've gone to Mulligan's on Friday nights, the band has always been from elsewhere (usually from Richmond). Where can one see live music around these parts? Is there a venue, and if not, do you have any idea why somebody hasn't gotten around to setting one up?Slight difference in wording makes all the difference. I mentioned I *felt* a music scene in the area. Just a nagging feeling that there had to be a bunch of bands around in their respective garages, a feeling buoyed by the fact of all the high schools and the three colleges in the area. It wasn't until I started doing the BotB that I actually *noticed* there is a scene. Had there been more venues, I prolly woulda noticed sooner.
As for venues, there's not a whole lot goin' on yet. Mulligans, the Fair, the Heart of Virginia festival, First Fridays, and a handful of private parties is about all I know of. There's a monthly bluegrass thing that goes on as well. Other nearby counties have their fairs and festivals too, but most of the organizers of all of these things tend to stay within the sure-fire (and easier to find) genres of country, bluegrass, beach music/motown, or southern rock. And most tend to look for bands that are already gigging and have some experience, which is the void I was trying to fill with the BotB. The BotB, with its preference for first-time-on-stage bands and the requirement of original tunes only is relatively unique, even among BotB's.
Nobody's gotten around to setting anything more up because promotions is a risky and scary business, especially in a small town. A simple, but professional, show can easily cost a few grand. Hiring the bands, renting the venue, sound, and lights, hiring a few staff and security and a rentacop, and don't forget insurance. Add more for advertising, and on opening night, you're sweating bullets because if you get rained out or you miscalculated the draw of the bands, you're out of the cash. So if you're into making some coin, you try to stick with sure draws, which in this area (at the moment) means southern rock or motown or beach music. That'll def get the draw, leaving only the weather as a variable. But, for me, although I love southern rock and motown and beach music as much as anyone, it kinda gets boring. I like my music a lot more mixed up than that. I wanna hear some metal around here. I wanna hear some hip hop around here. And surely somebody within 50 miles has gotta be doing some dance/trance/house tracks in their bedroom. I wanna hear that shit.
Farmville is bigger than it looks, and has successfully deceived everybody as to its nature. Everybody thinks of this town as a little podunk hole in the wall, everybody thinks the town is all conservative old people who are all straightlaced. Some of that is true. But if all the people who think they don't fit in around here knew the truth, they'd suddenly realize that there are more of them than the people they think characterize the town. THEY *are* the real character of the area. Ok, enough of that rant for now.
But I'm certain that the nascent music scene in the Farmville area is beginning to come together somewhat, and as it grows, as people realize that there's a lot of music here and, just as importantly, audiences to wanna hear it, we'll get the venues. Won't be too long before someone wakes up and realizes that a nightclub or two around here would make tremendous bux.
To help things along a little, I've created a group on here for the Farmville Area music scene. Check it out and join if you're into it:
http://groups.myspace.com/farmvillemusicscene