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Brian and I spent the day yesterday at the beautiful Planet of Sound recording studio in Hartford, CT. We were musicians playing for a secret recording project. It was an excellent day. Made me feel like a musician again. The Iron Horse show on Tuesday did that too. This week, I have felt like a musician. That may sound strange. I don't know.
I guess after a sort of break from it all, what with moving and packing and unpacking and renovating and painting and all of that, I've started to do musical things again. I've actually been working in an artistic way towards creating actual things and putting on real shows, not just sort of going through the motions of booking and promoting and all that side-show stuff. I'm trying to rebalance my priorities, you know? Music.
It's been great. Yesterday's studio experience, like Tuesday's show, was inspiring and motivating. Already I have a new crazy song developing, with some new bizarre arrangement ideas forming.
I also had a nice talk with Brian while we were driving up the oh-so-familiar post gig Rt. 91, exhausted from lack of sleep and wealth of work and travel and poor eating, and swept up in the lull of the wheels under the car (just inches from our feet). We spoke about performing. I entertained the notion of wanting to make SFTD one of those bands who put on shows in which you never no quite what to expect. I know we can do that. We can be a great, great band. The only thing holding us back is time, scheduling, and other commitments.
We talked about our town's once-vibrant music scene and how it seems to be waning. Where are all the great new performers? Do we need to start up the Northampton Music Festival again? Would there be enough acts to fill the bill? Doesn't it kind of feel like everyone is just burned out? Maybe I'm hanging with the wrong crowd. Are you the wrong crowd? Am I? Do we need a leader?
3 comments:
How about an entirely new music fest? "North By Northeast" maybe. I dunno, Henning. I try to check out the scene/bands in each of the towns my design/business travels take me, and it keeps striking me that around here we have a wealth of good acts like no other locale, but everyone's so jaded and/or burnt, that a familiar veneer of ennui has crept over us.
Hah...maybe we have to drag someone from Rolling Stone up here to write a massive and enthusiastic "Musicville USA" exposé that will put the Valley scene firmly and permanently on the map. Crowds will build like storm clouds. Venue capacities will be exceeded. The public will be supportive and excited. Music will thrive.
And pigs will fly.
I too feel the way you do about the valley music scene. Unfortunately, I've felt that way for at least 8 or 9 years. I felt that it was close minded and clique-ish. It seemed like there were 10 bands that all went to see each others bands. And those 10 bands each had at least a group of 40 friends. So at any given point you had 400 people to choose from at a show. Now, seeing that the baystate held 120 (maybe) that made for the illusion of there being a real important thing happening here. I do believe it was different in the valley back in '93-'96 but since then it seems to have completely fueled itself on this falsified formula. Creating the illusion of a scene. I was shaken and annoyed by this as well. Actually, as far as the old "baystate" scene goes I'd go as far to say that it is completely dead. What's amazing though is the vibrant scenes elsewhere. All along, actually. I was just too close-minded and jaded myself to pick up on it. The Flywheel, for instance, is hands down the shining star of bringing you local music of all sorts. Several times a month. In an environment made for music, not drinkers. Gallery TK in Northampton has started to be the little sister to the Flywheel's ethos. Putting on amazing DIY shows that are all about the art, not the show. I know it's not much your thing but the Springfield metal and hardcore scene has never been better...and has international recognition. Most of them have been big supporters of mine musically. So, in some ways...the scene has never been better.
It's interesting to hear you fellas chewing on this stuff. Of course, my first knee-jerk responses are: you're getting older, so stuff feels different & you're at the glass ceiling as far as this place can take you. So, can it still be fun to play for the same 15-50 people you can count on to be at your shows? Maybe.
It's also funny because I was disappointed I couldn't find a sitter for the Paul Simon night at Eleven's. Reading that list of players, and it didn't even include half the musicians I love, I thought: Wow, there are a lot of great musicians in this valley. And I thought it would be the feel good event of the year...
Seeing both Steamtrain and the Figments recently, I was nostalgic for the Baystate days--it was swell to see many of the old familiar faces out at both shows. Because I was seeing great music at least 3 nights a week back then, I cared a bit more and a bit less about each individual show (if that makes sense).
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