Nashville, the United States' very own Music City, is just an hour away from where I live. I go to shows all of the time, most of them local. You may not have the widest variety of bands and venues to choose from, but I will recommend a local show every single time.
This is why:
1. Local shows are always cheaper.
The most expensive local show I've ever been to was probably 20 dollars, but even that's expensive. The last local show I went to was only seven dollars to see my favorite band! I can go see dozens of bands for the price of one larger band. Also, local shows rarely sell out. No more buying tickets off of someone for five times the original price, just good music in good places.
2. You get to meet the bands, with no requirements.
Instead of having to pay another $20-60 to take a photo with a band member that may not even speak to you, you can have a whole conversation and take multiple photos with the local band! It's so rare that small bands are rude to anyone who wants to talk, because the attention is good for them. Word of mouth is the best way to spread the love of local bands. They work so hard to be able to travel and perform, I always do my best to help even the bands I don't like as long as they have good personalities.
3. You make friends that live in that area!
Sometimes they are even the band members themselves, but people at local shows are usually local people, which means you can meet up again at other shows or even just to hang out! I know lots of people because I danced next to them during a set or we talked about our favorite bands. Even if it just becomes a Facebook friendship, I consider it something special.
4. There's history in smaller venues.
Again, this may be something that is more true in Nashville, but when you go to a small show, the venue has a different kind of soul. It's not cold and polished like an arena or stadium or ballroom. It's warm, sometimes messy with graffiti, but even new local venues just have the feeling of good vibes because that's where real, passionate music happens.
5. You never know what to expect.
You don't have to know every band when you to go a local show. My favorite part is not knowing all of what I'm about to experience. Some times I don't like the bands, but so often I'll enjoy the show even if I wouldn't like them on record. You get to experience witty, in-the-moment dialogue, bands make mistakes, they play covers sometimes, and it's amazing. It's my favorite kind of adrenaline rush. Concerts are my happy place, and I think a lot of people could agree.
Go out and support local bands!
