So, we all like live music, right? Whether we ourselves play an instrument or not, seeing live music – everywhere from the street corner to MSG – is fun. Playing live music is exhilarating, and having people actually support you and care about your art is the best
feeling in the world.

I’m in a band called Hopper Pond, and we’ve been together for a little under a year. In that time, we’ve written, recorded, and released an EP, filmed live sessions, played a bunch of shows, and even went on a 9-day tour back in July.

I’ve been going to local shows since I was about 14, and consider myself fairly invested in the scene, and it has become one of the most important parts of who I am. As someone deeply engrossed in
it, I want to tell you all about why you should support your local scene, and go see some live music. See what bands in your area are doing, support them, and take them seriously.

The DIY music scene is an amazing community. When supporting your local scene, you support the bands, artists of all types in the process, and oftentimes, also support amazing causes and charities.
Everyone wants their passions to be cheered on. If you’re a football player, you want people there to cheer you on, and if you do well, you want them to let you know. The same goes for music.

Within the DIY music scene, there is a very supportive community
that will help small bands get heard, give bands places to stay on the road, interview on podcasts, etc. People that care about the music care about the people that make the music. We’re here for one another.

I personally have had tons of bands crash on my couch, and whenever my band heads out of state for a show, there are always people with open arms letting us crash on their couches.

Artists want their voices heard – it’s as simple as that. Going to shows and buying merch, downloading someones music,
actually showing up to support them is super important and gives them validation.

Beyond the individuals, supporting local art and music is very important to preserving culture.

The DIY music scene is very supportive of artists of all kinds. There is equal importance and praise placed on the bands as there is the artists and photographers who document the scene and create everything supplementary to the music. When you come out to the
shows and buy merch – for example – you’re supporting the band directly, as well as the artists who designed the shirt, and the photographer whose picture is on the back.

Bands would be nowhere without graphic designers to create merch designs, album art, and tour posters. It’s all become its own art form. My band in particular has one artist that we go to – a girl from Canada named Christine Kos, for all of our designs. She does a
ton of work for the scene and has made shirts for some of my favorite bands.

Photographers, especially in the last few years, have become as integral to your tour as your actual music itself. There is incredible stress on crediting your photographers as well as celebrating and sharing their hard work and artistic visions.

The DIY scene is very supportive of social issues, seeing as most of the people within the scene are affected by these issues. A large majority of the scene is queer, POC, women, non-binary, etc. Representation is very important and no one strays away from talking about mental health.

I personally have been to tons of shows in the past few years where
the proceeds go towards Planned Parenthood. Most merch tables also serve as a promotion for some sort of advocacy group or protection agency, with bands offering informative pamphlets and things of that nature. Many nonprofit organizations have
popped up in the past few years. Many of which have been started by friends of mine.

Two of my favorites are L.E.A.D. DIY, which raises awareness of epilepsy triggers and lighting awareness in live music venues, and No More Dysphoria, which was “created with the goal of helping transgender individuals pay for major aspects of their
transition.”

Many bands advocate against sexual harassment and creating a culture of safety at gigs. The band Future Teens offers a service where if you feel unsafe at a show, or have been assaulted, you can text a number and they will help rid the venue of the issue and get things sorted out.

So I urge you, go find your local sweaty basement, see someone yell with a guitar, and make their day. When you go see a live show, when you support your local music venue, when you take your gay cousin’s acoustic project seriously, you’re supporting more than
you realize. You’re contributing to a community which makes people feel at home, where people feel safe, where they can share their art.