Whether it’s supporting the efforts of Local First Arizona or just talking up the latest, greatest new restaurant, E.B. Lane is full of local business advocates. And not just passive backers – stark, raving fanboys and girls.
Of course, this includes the arts – especially local music. That’s why we reached out to Bobby Lerma, local music long-timer and current drummer for The Father Figures. From time to time, he’ll be sharing his musings on the local music scene and sharing the many interesting groups and venues worth checking out. Happy listening.
The Father Figures. Bobby Lerma, center. Photo credit: Jason Garcia, commcollective.com
I started playing music in the ‘80s. Back then, if you wanted to hear a new band, you picked up a local paper (actually turned a page – exercise!), figured out where they were playing next, and went to physically see them. Concert calendars – that’s what they called them.
Of course now, when we hear about a new band, all music lovers need to do is hop on the computer (the very one you’re staring at now) and that band is zapped into our living room/bedroom/office cubby. We can instantly know not only what they sound like, but what they look like, when they’re playing next, who their influences are, and even who their friends are. We can buy their music, buy their T-shirts, watch videos of them playing live, and even become their friend!
This is good. And bad. Its ultimate goal is to cultivate a fan base, sell merchandise, and get bodies at the shows, but I think this convenience breeds techno-apathy.
I just made that up, but it begs the question: Why would you go to a live show when everything is already online for you to see, hear, and purchase – even have “social” interactions with the band and other fans. In the early 1990s, I played drums in a moderately successful band (locally) called The Voice. I also went out to see live, local music at least four nights a week up to around 2001.
Now, this is anecdotal, but there’s a considerable difference in the number of people coming out to see live music these days. A bad difference. People just don’t go out and support local music anymore, and it’s not genre-specific. Personally, I’m blaming it on the Internet, but I’m choosing to do something about it. I’m playing in a band again (The Father Figures) and going out to support fellow musicans when my ridiculous, non-twenties schedule allows.
And E.B. Lane is doing something too. They’re asking me to act as sort of a musical pimp, shuffling various local artists before your eyes – flirting…beckoning…suggesting…begging. Together, we’re hoping to spark a little interest in local music via this forum. On a broader scale, they’re asking local folks to squawk philosophic on various things local to bolster attention to those local things.
So, I’ll hop on here intermittently to provide some info about local music, clubs, and events. I’ll cover a broad spectrum so as to not alienate the natives and, more importantly, to possibly broaden your musical palate. In the interim, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail (RLERMA@COX.NET) to chat about your favorite local band or solo artist and know that next time, I’ll have a virtual cornucopia of interesting local musics for you to check out.
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