Local music is a unique thing. I’m pretty sure most bands got started through their local scene. I personally love supporting local music, especially if they’re my friends. It gives it a more personal connection. Even if people in the band aren’t my friends, I trust my friends’ judgement. If they tell me to go see this local band, I usually will. I’ve been to two very different local shows of two of my good friends recently, and I want to share my experiences with you. I’ve asked both of them to share a statement about themselves or their band and why it is so important to support local music.

First, my friend Austin Perkins is in a band called Dino Drive. Dino Drive is a hard rock band from Parkersburg formed around late 2013. It started as just a 3 piece with lead vocalist/guitarist Zeb Dye, guitarist/vocalist Adam Sereno, and Alex Escandon on drums. The band then added another guitarist and a keytar, played by Austin Perkins. Austin told me a little of their story, “We take influence from a lot of punk and metal bands such as Nirvana, System of a Down, and Turbowolf. We started actively playing shows in September of 2015 and we’re surprised at the response we got. We were able to meet a lot of incredible people in some even more incredible bands like Horseburner, Mooney Tyson, and Jesse Smith and the Holy Ghost in a very short period of time.” Austin also told me that he thinks that supporting local music isn't really a question of “why should you,” but more of “why wouldn't you?” He also adds “anyone with a passion for music, whether they strictly a listener or are a creator, should know that their favorite huge and successful bands probably didn't make it to where they are overnight. They started out a local band probably playing in a VFW or some hole-in-the-wall bar to like 20-30 people. 20 or 30 people sounds like a fairly poor turnout for a show, but those 20 or 30 people are some of the most important people you'll play to. If those people care about the music you’re playing, they'll tell their friends and that 20 - 30 people is going to start growing, and it’s going to snowball from there.” Those were all very good points! Check out Dino Drive’s next show on November 17^th, 2016 in Athens, OH. Go check them out when you have a chance! They’re great performers and even better dudes.

My other friend Aaron is more on the softer side. He plays acoustic folk rock songs. He has been writing and playing songs since he was 16 years old (he is in his 30s now.) I’m so excited for him because he is finally making an album of all his original stuff. It is going to be titled “Permanent Tourist.” On Friday, October 28^th, I went to one of his shows on Undo’s and got to see some of his original songs that he is putting on the album, and then he played some of his favorite covers. Some of his favorite covers include playing artists like Ryan Adams, Counting Crows, and Dave Matthews. Aaron is also a member of the band Tribe; it’s a group of his friends that play around locally as well. In addition to being a solo artist and a band member, Aaron helps out the local music scene by hosting a weekly Open Mic Night at the Serenity Coffeehouse. As you can see, he strongly believes in supporting local music.

I got some videos of one of his originals and one of his covers. The video that I am posting for you guys to see is his cover of Round Here by Counting Crows. Now that I have video access (thanks Brooke!). This song is special to me because we first became friends through our shared love of Counting Crows and the way he does this is so unique.

There you have it guys! Please support your local musicians and bands. You never know who might make it from your hometown! Go to your local Open Mics, bar/club (if you're of age of course), and support that opening band for the big group you're seeing at The Basement in Columbus. You may like it and want to tell your friends, and then they tell their friends, and some local band may spread like wildfire and become famous.