The locals always seem to get it right

Rock nation! What up punks? I just went and got me a haircut 'cause my quaff was getting a bit rambunctious so I had to take care of it. So now i'm all cleaned up and ready to type words in this lil corner of the internet.

I'm actually pretty stoked about my evening tonight because I get to go see a show. And no it's not a major rock show like the two i'm going to next week...it's a little intimate show at 169 Bar here in NYC. A buddy of mine by the name of Shayfer James is playing his first show and man is he fuckin good. He's got himself a great voice and plays a mean piano.

And come to think of it, it's been a while since I've been to a local show. I mean aside from the shows I've played with my band. I have only been frequenting bigger shows as of late being I was always given the opportunity because of my previous status as a rock tv show host. But i've forgotten how awesome small shows really are.

You really get the sense that the artist is actually playing for you. Almost like a one on one session. That band/artist is doing everything in their power to convince you that coming to see them was the best move you could have ever made. Now i'm not saying megabands don't feel the same way but they already have it made and are guaranteed to sell out concerts without worry. But the up and comers are the ones that are really hungry for it. Even if they get only one person to come to a show, that's still one more person they can get to like what they have to offer.

Not to mention the venues themselves. I don't know how many of you have been to NYC bars that have live music. They're usually not very big. In fact getting 20 people to come see you in a city bar almost looks like you sold out the show at times. But that's the best part. The audience is literally right next to the band. They almost get to share in the experience that the band is feeling because they're right up there. I mean the drinks are expensive as hell but who doesn't complain about drink prices? There are times when you can even talk to the band when they're onstage and get to know their personality a bit. You get to know the type of band you came to see. It makes you appreciate an artist a bit more.

And then there's the discovery aspect. You can discover new music and new bands every single day! Just going into a local bar that has bands playing = possible new favorite band. And then if they strike it big, you get the opportunity to say "Yeah I remember them when they played..." and you get your own little memory to plug away at while sounding like a music buff to all your friends because you were into the band's "older stuff...you know before they sold out." Haha. I hate that phrase.

I want to hear your stories. Are there any bands or venues you went to that you absolutely loved? Did you happen to stumble upon a band that maybe later had some success? Or maybe they just became your faves?

It's little things like this that make me appreciate music. The fact that hundreds of thousands of people play it and make it everyday and it's all there for me to find out about. It's like my own little daily treasure hunt and i'm guaranteed to find gold!

You know somethin? It's thursday so tonight there should be bands playing in your town somewhere. Go see them. Doesn't matter if you know them or not. Just go do some discovering and see what you find. You could be pleasantly surprised.

Rock it out!

Sami