There are a lot of reasons that farmer’s markets are so popular. Locally grown produce is fresher, crisper, and looks and tastes better than what you can buy in the supermarket. Overall, purchasing your produce from the local stand compared to buying it from the massive grocery store is better for you, better for the environment, and better for your community. While streaming songs online or going out to shows might be different than buying apples, most of the reasons to shop locally apply to the music industry just as they do to any other field.

So, why is local music a good thing to support? What makes it worth your time to find, enjoy, and help sustain? The first and most obvious answer to the question is that the local music scene is a treasure hunt that you can never leave empty-handed. Whether you find your new favorite song while listening to the opening band of a bigger show or by paying attention to the bands playing at your favorite bar, there’s a gem out there waiting for you to find it.

There is a misconception that the majority of local talent is a compilation of tone-deaf guitarists with poorly composed lyrics, wailing into microphones. Truthfully, nearly every major musical act started out as some form of local talent. Most of the bands who have become successful in the industry played to empty rooms, recorded in musty basements, and fought tooth-and-nail to get someone to listen to their songs. While there are undoubtedly a handful of “Phoebe Buffay”s in your area, the majority of musicians and bands are likely full of raw talent with an authentic passion for the industry.

When you take time to go to local shows, you are also helping to strengthen the community in which you live. By paying the five-dollar cover and sticking around for the three or four bands on the ticket, you are not only supporting the venue but you are giving bands the chance to do what they love for an audience. Playing for a crowd, of any size, serves to be an incentive for musicians; it makes them feel like they are being heard and appreciated. You, in turn, will get to hear some great music and spend a night making memories and feeling the contagious inspiration that comes from hearing live music.

When asked about specific reasons to support the local scene, Rush Dittbrender, a musician from Asheville, North Carolina said the following: “[if you like a band] support them so that they can continue spreading [their] music to even bigger places. Local music is important because one day it might not be local anymore.” This is the sentiment to carry with you, anytime you’re looking for expensive tickets for overexposed bands that you’ve seen live three times already. Consider spreading your search to include the underground shows for the underground bands that have not yet had the opportunity to play for you. You never know what you’ll discover.