Monday, July 14, 2014

Fall 2012 - Music





Students selected for this discussion were cordially invited to a dinner on
Monday, November 19th, 2012 at 7:30 PM
which featured a specially prepared menu and casual conversation with:

David Allen – Promoter/Show Coordinator

David Allgood – Manager, Bama Theatre

Mark Hughes Cobb – The Tuscaloosa News/The Tusk

Ryan Davis – Musician

Blaine Duncan – Musician

Bo Hicks – WellThatsCool.com

 McKinney – Musician

Jason Patton – Oz Music

 Craig Pickering – Musician

Ann Powers – NPR Music

Rachel Raimist – Assistant Professor, UA Department of Telecommunication & Film


To check out the blog discussion for this topic, continue reading below.

      
  1. Dinner With Strangers says:
    November 3, 2012 at 2:30 PM
    Welcome! Those of us at the Ferguson Center are excited to finally open up discussion for Dinner with Strangers! This page will be a space for the community members and selected students involved with this project to begin discussing the local music scene in Tuscaloosa, before meeting for dinner on November 19th.
    Let’s start the conversation with a few simple questions: What constitutes a “music scene”? How would you describe the local music scene in Tuscaloosa? What’s cool about it? How could it be improved?
    • DWS Brandon Skinner says:
      November 4, 2012 at 7:38 PM
      I think a music scene is simply being readily able to discover the immense talent that I’m sure Tuscaloosa has. The way that one can just take a stroll down University on any weekend and hear some quality music coming from a few different places is pretty cool. It’s apparent that there’s plenty of talent here. It’s just a shame that a lot of it is, as of yet, undiscovered. Our #1 focus should be increasing awareness of the various gigs/events in Tuscaloosa.
    • DWS Cliff Kyle says:
      November 15, 2012 at 9:04 PM
      Sorry it took me so long to reply. Had made an account and couldn’t remember what the password was. Below is my response.
      The local music scene is alive and well, it’s just a matter of creating opportunities for local talent. At WVUA-FM, one of our main goals is to cater to the needs of local artist. Any local musician that wants a chance to create exposure for themselves we provide a variety of specialty shows and events to create those opportunities.
      I think bar owners, artist, and local radio stations should really do more to help promote our local artist. DCAF helps and Tuscapalooza does a little bit to broadcast these artists, but there needs to be more collaborative effort from everyone to really see the “music scene” explode and turn into something more. One prime example that comes to mind is “Open Mic Night with Ham Bagby” at the Green Bar. I think what they’re doing is absolutely wonderful. It creates opportunities for local musicians, but it encourages anyone that would like to read poety, do a stand-up act, etc. to really participate.
      In terms of what a music scene is, I think Brandon Skinner said it best.
      “I think a music scene is simply being readily able to discover the immense talent I’m sure Tuscaloosa has.”
      With that said, there has to be a collaborative effort from the community and we should collectively want to help promote local music in the area and to see our artists go beyond the realms of Tuscaloosa.
  2. DWS Hayes Turner says:
    November 3, 2012 at 9:12 PM
    I feel like a “music scene” goes beyond just having homegrown talent performing regularly. A great music scene should have the local bands working together on collaborative projects as well as having facilities in the community to promote/sustain their local musicians.
    Tuscaloosa’s music scene is fun because you can find some hidden gems in the form of totally original music or maybe a genre you haven’t really explored yet. But the main problem I have (through first-hand experience) is the bars around Tuscaloosa don’t reward bands who try to bring something new to the table. I play in 2 different bands. 1 band plays nothing but crowd-pleasers and the tried and true songs like “Simple Man”, “What I Got”, and “Last Dance With Mary Jane”. My other band plays more quality music spanning jazz, jam bands, rock, funk, and a handful of originals.Yet, the first band who panders to the crowd gets more shows and more money than the band with better quality musicians. I’m not really sure how it could be improved, but maybe some of the follow-up comments could offer ideas.
    • DWS Shanley Carlton says:
      November 13, 2012 at 3:27 PM
      I’m from outside the state, like a lot of students here at UA these days but I’m also Tuscaloosa’s newest #1 fan, who’s wanting to take pride in her city’s music. Tuscaloosa having a music scene is the thought of me humming a Tuscaloosa original while waltzin’ down University- AND when I’m back in my-other-home Florida. What’s the name of your other band, Hayes? I’d like to sample some of those originals. I’m pretty ignorant of local artists but I want to listen and learn! Somebody point me in the right direction, please :)
  3. DWS Talia Scarpelli says:
    November 4, 2012 at 9:02 PM
    I am also an out of state student, for the most part unaware that Tuscaloosa had much of a music scene. Being from middle Tennessee, basically everybody is in a band and takes pride in listening to almost exclusively local music. Venues are plentiful and shows are constant, no matter what sort of music you like. It seems that Tuscaloosa does need to work on awareness, I never hear of shows anywhere besides a couple bars, which are generally 21+ and inaccessible to a lot of students, but I’m sure there’s other stuff going on!
    • DWS Bo Hicks says:
      November 5, 2012 at 2:17 PM
      Well I agree that there needs to be more under 21 events here in town. Bars a hesitant to do so because there is a chance someone could get a drink bought for them and the bar could get in very big trouble if an underage person gets caught. It’s just not worth the risk to them. I know event at the Bama are all age and me and “sweetdog” ( musician from here in town) have talked of having all ages shows in the Greensboro room. This however brings us to another question / problem your “Tuscaloosa does need to work on awareness” point.
      As someone who has played in bands and also booked and promoted shows today’s demographic of college kids is hard to reach. When I started playing around 2000 the best way was to get some kick ass flyers up at the inde record store and various other places. Then they closed down because of the rise of digital music. Then you really wanted get get something in the Friday entertainment portion of the t-news called the Tusk. I still think that is awesome and valuable but with how scattered people are today there is no good way to reach people. Facebook?, I know a lot of people who grew tired and canceled there account. Talia how do you think we as either promoters or performers should reach people like you?
      • DWS Allie Hulcher says:
        November 5, 2012 at 9:49 PM
        Bo,
        Just wanted to say it was pretty dang cool seeing you jam out with the Alabama Shakes last week at the Neil Young Concert!
        Being a 20-year-old junior who won’t turn 21 until May, nothing bothers me more than seeing posters up for great shows I can’t attend! This being a college town, many students looking for a good night with some live music will have to find somewhere that is 19+ — and there aren’t too many places like that in Tuscaloosa. It just frustrates me.
        I agree with what Mark said about press/hype. I’m a journalism major and I write for the Dome, an online magazine that seeks to showcase art in Tuscaloosa. Students need to have open ears to what’s going on with original music in this city, or else they’re going to be stuck listening to cover bands every weekend. But there needs to be a bigger collective “voice” that will openly and excitedly talk about the music. Trey Irby, a friend of mine, used to write a music column for the Crimson White, and he wrote a lot about local music – interviewing the bands and then seeing them play. His column was in a big outlet- the campus newspaper – and this caused an impact.
        I read an article on the Tusk once that talked about how people in this town don’t want to spend money to see a band they’ve never heard of before. That’s why the hype/press factor is important. We’ve got to expose people to a band’s music BEFORE their next show.
      • DWS Talia Scarpelli says:
        November 5, 2012 at 11:23 PM
        I feel like flyers are still effective, I see the Green Bar ones all over the place and those are pretty awesome, they make me wanna go to shows. Facebook is actually how I hear about a lot of shows and I know a lot more people with accounts than without, so I don’t think that you guys should give up with that. I think the Bama theater puts all their shows up on facebook, too.
        Scrolling down, I see Allie’s comment that people don’t wanna pay to see a band they’ve never heard of. Maybe somebody could put together a massive Tuscaloosa mix tape with songs by a bunch of local bands, put that up for people to download and become familiar with what’s out there.
        • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
          November 6, 2012 at 2:50 AM
          It’s good to know — for me at least, being in a band — that flyers still get a few people’s attention. I had almost given up on printing and hanging them around town and campus.
        • DWS Bo Hicks says:
          November 6, 2012 at 9:28 PM
          I too am glad to here posters still work. I was worried that I was the only one who looked up from the old smartphone and noticed them. I think the reason you see those all over town, and I’m not just trying to fluff David Allen, but David works hard as shit to get the word out. Now for some local bands you can do that but sometimes you can’t. I know the whole time I played in active bands (instead of just crashing sets like I do now) I worked 40 plus but still had time one night a week to get them out. This was all pre child and so forth. I think if we had some more David Allen’s to really push it would go a long way. I know he must spend most of his day booking and promoting and that can beat a man or woman down.
          I agree about Facebook being a good way but with people’s feeds being so jam packed you have to walk a line between posting about a show everyhour and people thinking you are spamming them. We at wellthatscool.com are working on a better way to get the word out ourselves. One problem we have is that we shoot on Friday and release the show on Monday so bands slack on the Facebook till week of and there is no way we can add it to the show. I want us (WTC) to have a much better calender but with all of us having 9-5′s it’s hard to really spend the time we need. We just brought in Trey Irby and a few other writers to help. I wonder if anyone at UA would work with us at setting up an internship or something.
        • DWS Talia Scarpelli says:
          November 9, 2012 at 3:37 AM
          Joined the DIY facebook group! Stoked!
          Also I love “we could certainly give Murfreesboro a run for its money”. Every other person I know in Murfreesboro is in a band, if that’s the case in Tuscaloosa, I gotta meet more people! But hey, I guess that’s what Dinner with Strangers is all about…
          Also speaking of Murfreesboro, they have this bike ride/giant music party called Tour de Fun. I’ve never been able to make it to theirs, it’d be pretty sweet to have one here. I’m sure some campus groups like Environmental Council would be all over that, too, promoting bicycling. That’s also where I got the idea for a giant mix tape, Tour de Fun had a mix tape of all the bands that performed.
          • DWS David Allen says:
            November 10, 2012 at 6:12 PM
            Woah, that’s awesome! I may have spoken too soon regarding Murfreesboro–didn’t know they had so much going on. There are certainly a lot of musicians here, and a growing number of bands–but it’s still nascent. A lot of us are in our first real bands, and are learning the ropes at similar paces.
            Tino Newman has taken to promoting “Bike Shows” lately–same idea as Tour de Fun, but with around 3 bands and houses instead of over 40.
            These three bands might be a good start to a ttown mix:
            IQ:
            Mouse Teeth:
            Necronomikids:
            • DWS Talia Scarpelli says:
              November 12, 2012 at 7:37 PM
              For sure gonna check these out. I heard Mouse Teeth the other night at Mallet which was pretty excellent. Not to be a creepy facebook creeper, but if you were the guy in the thrift dress I definitely saw you.
  4. DWS Blaine Duncan says:
    November 4, 2012 at 9:28 PM
    What constitutes a “music scene”?
    I think a music scene is a collective of original musicians, venues, fans, and recording engineers working together, and sometimes in competition with, to create diverse local music that both locals and regional fans appreciate.
    How would you describe the local music scene in Tuscaloosa? What’s cool about it?
    I would describe it a overlooked but good. I would say that it is somewhat diverse. The people I have met in the music scene that we have are almost always friendly and willing to support one another, so I’d also use the adjective communal to describe it. It’s also small at the moment, though maybe I’m out of the loop where new bands are being formed. What’s cool about it is that it’s kind of legendary if you know where to dig and look.
    How could it be improved?
    Three solutions: 1. More bands are needed. 2. More venues need to book (solely?) original music. 3. More of the general, non-musical community should feel free to support local, original bands. Now, how we achieve those three things is a little beyond me and my limited scope.
  5. DWS Ann Powers says:
    November 5, 2012 at 2:41 AM
    I’m looking forward to meeting you all! I’ve lived in many different music scenes (New York, L.A., San Francisco, my hometown of Seattle), but never in a smaller town before. I’m impressed by some of the grassroots efforts going on in Tuscaloosa, including what the musicians and community folk who are part of this group are doing. I’d love to hear from students what makes them feel part of a particular music scene. WhenI was in college, going to clubs and all-ages music venues was a central part of my life. I think vital places to hear music, make music, and explore how music intersects with other kinds of arts are central to making a great music scene.
  6. DWS Bob McKinney says:
    November 5, 2012 at 11:17 AM
    As a long-time musician and live music fan, I’ve never understood the notion that music has to start so late at night. I’ve pushed club owners for years to consider starting bands earlier. I lived in Starkville for 10 years, during which time the bars had to close at 11:45. This meant that bands typically started by 8:00. Guess what? People were there to listen. There is a mindset in Tuscaloosa that bands have to play until 1:45AM or 2:45AM, which means that they don’t start until 10:00PM or 11:00PM. For many people who love live music but who also care about their families, jobs, and/or school work, this makes it all but impossible to see bands. Guess who’s left to come out and “support.” That’s right, fraternities and sororities.
    • DWS Hayes Turner says:
      November 5, 2012 at 10:02 PM
      I couldn’t agree more with Mark here. Since bars don’t really get much business until after 10 pm, the demographic they’re catering to is mostly Greek students. And the bars already know what kind of music draws that crowd in: DJs, Country, and easy listening crowd pleasers (All fine forms of music, just not what promotes local music diversity.) With their business plan already figured out, it’s hard for an up and coming band to break the cycle.
      The only way to fix this is having a change in mindset of the people who book bands.
      I’ll close with an interesting fact I learned from a buddy of mine. He works at a bar on the strip and I asked him if I could speak to the person who books shows after getting no response from a CD I left there a few weeks prior. He said, “Nobody listens to those. We have them all stacked in the back. You’d be better off talking to so and so about that.” This pretty much sums up the Tuscaloosa attitude of having to know the right people to get anywhere.
    • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
      November 6, 2012 at 2:54 AM
      I think that David Allen and Green Bar had toyed with the idea of having one or two nights per week where they have early shows. As David is a part of this group, I’ll let him speak for Green Bar, but I wonder what happened to that idea?
      • DWS David Allen says:
        November 6, 2012 at 11:46 PM
        Blaine,
        The idea is alive and well. We’re having an early Jazz show this Thurs (8pm) with Rob Alley’s Solid Sender. Our bi-weekly comedy nights begin at 7, and any show with Henri’s Notions or Bad Brad and Sipsey Slims is guaranteed to have a start time before 9.
        Egans has also begun experimenting early shows–with both Vulcan Eejits and Mary Tylosaur enjoying early start times.
        The DIY scene, too, has been hosting early shows. Last week’s “No Shoes Show” began at 9pm, while the “Baby Haus Backyard Showzen” series has been starting at 2pm.
        • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
          November 7, 2012 at 6:05 PM
          Great! I was wondering about those early-start shows. I’m glad to know that they are developing/going.
  7. DWS Mark Hughes Cobb says:
    November 5, 2012 at 4:44 PM
    Hey y’all, I’m Mark. Longtime musician and music writer; I edit the weekly Tusk.
    A scene, it seems to me, is a circuit that breaks down without all the connections. Good music isn’t enough, nor are a few good fans. You’ve gotta have the press and bar/club/whatevervenue owner support, social media networking and buzz. Buzz is ineffable, but no band gets and keeps a crowd without it.
    I think we — musicians and music lovers — assume everyone knows what a scene is, or cares whether or not Tuscaloosa has one. The people we have to reach are those who don’t traditionally go out to hear original work.
  8. DWS Beca Maynor says:
    November 5, 2012 at 9:33 PM
    Hey everyone! Coming from Detroit, the music scene here is a world apart from what I’m used to. Since I’m only 18, I haven’t been able to really see any live bands perform because I can’t get into any of the bars downtown or on the Strip. However, I have been able to learn what some of Tuscaloosa’s anthems are. We do listen to country music in the north, but it’s mostly bandwagon country music, like Kenny Chesney, Hunter Hayes, or Jason Aldean. However, when I came here and people discovered that I had never heard of “Wagon Wheel” or “Dixieland Delight,” I might as well have been kicked out of T-Town right then and there. I think a big part of the music scene is knowing songs like those, as well as “Sweet Home Alabama,” and singing them together at the top of your lungs at games and parties. It’s just that spirit and energy that consumes you when you’re in that type of atmosphere; it’s a feeling like nothing else.
    Like I said, I wish I knew more about the live music scene, and I look forward to learning more about it when my age allows. The only improvement I can think of is having more live shows for a younger crowd like myself!
  9. DWS Rachel Ramey says:
    November 7, 2012 at 4:06 PM
    Hi everyone!
    I am from Dayton, Ohio, and I am new to the University of Alabama and Tuscaloosa. I haven’t found out too much about the live music scene here yet, but I have been looking for opportunities to find out more, so I am looking forward to participating in this group!
    I did have a really cool experience this week with the live music scene. I don’t know how many of you have been to the Tuscaloosa River Market down by the river on Saturday mornings, but if you have, you may have seen Kenneth Phillips sitting outside playing his banjo and singing. I am learning to play guitar, so I started talking to him about how long he’s been playing and what type of music he likes to play. He frequently plays on University Blvd on the corner down by Mellow Mushroom or Depalima’s in the evenings, and he invited me to bring my guitar and come down Tuesday to play with him and learn a some southern music. I went last night and played music with him and a couple other students he was teaching for about an hour, and had a great time! I learned a lot from him, and also got to experience music from a local artist.
  10. DWS Francie Johnson says:
    November 7, 2012 at 8:13 PM
    Last night, a friend and I went to the Battle of the Bands at the Jupiter. As we were watching some of the bands play, my friend exclaimed, “Wow, they’re actually pretty good; they sound like real bands!” My only response was, “Well, yeah. That’s because they ARE real bands.”
    I think that’s where a lot of our problem is. Everyone has their own preconceived notions of what constitutes a “real” music scene, a “real” band, or “real” music, and a lot of times, that definition directly correlates to how well known the artist is. Many times, these definitions can be very narrow and close-minded. Coming from Dallas as a freshman last year, I know I was definitely guilty of this. After having been exposed to not only the music scene in Dallas, but the music scene in Austin as well, I immediately dismissed Tuscaloosa’s music scene because it’s not as well known as the other two. I realize now that I made a huge mistake, and I missed out on a whole year of enjoying some really incredible local artists.
    I completely agree with you all on the fact that Tuscaloosa needs more underage shows and more shows that start at earlier times. I also think the idea of putting together a free mixtape of local bands is a brilliant idea, and I’d love to see this group actually follow through with it! Is there any way we could go about doing that?
    Another thing that I think would help the the music scene here gain exposure is if we had a Twitter page solely devoted to promoting local music (if one doesn’t already exist).
    Lastly, I just want to say that I’m so excited to be a part of this program and I can’t wait to meet you all!
  11. DWS Craig Pickering says:
    November 7, 2012 at 9:43 PM
    I think this town has much potential in terms of a “SCENE.” One problem I notice is that some bands try to be in competition with other bands. That would have to stop. I don’t see it as much as I used to. The other problem I notice is that for the most part, UA is pretty conservative. I would say we are third after Miss. State and Auburn. All of the art types in music, poetry, and art, pretty much know each other. I would say the numbers are right around 400-500 people tops. UGA and UNC Chapell Hill have more going for them in music, music, venues, art, even historic preservation. Why is that? I think because, when students finish here, a majority of them want to leave and get away. Where at UGA and UNC Chapel Hill, alot of the arty types tend to stay and improve on that culture. I am not here to start arguments, only insightful thinking about why Tuscaloosa runs kind of slim comapred to those schools in the art/music genre. Also, those towns are smaller. Something to think about it.
    • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
      November 8, 2012 at 6:13 PM
      Hey Dog! One of the main reasons I did not want to leave Tuscaloosa after I graduated was because of my band. I knew we’d never be on the cover of ‘Spin,’ but I was having fun. It was a passionate hobby, I guess you’d call it, that I didn’t want to give up. I already had a band. Moving far away would’ve changed that, at least for a little while.
      The older I get, the more I want to help develop an actual arts and music collective here in Tuscaloosa. One way I hope that I do it is by being a musician and having a band. There’s a lot more that I can do, too; things that I do as much as time will allow: I go to shows, I tell others about local music, and I buy the bands’ products, i.e. CDs and t-shirts.
      Basically I’m commenting on the idea of this place being very transient. I think I’ve said before that to be in a band around here, you constantly have to appeal to brand-new audiences every three years or so. You have to sell yourself all over again. Being a mainstay doesn’t quite cut it.
      I’m always interested in why this town is so transient and other college towns don’t quite see as much turnover. Just adding my two cents on the topic you brought up.
  12. DWS Jason Patton says:
    November 7, 2012 at 9:46 PM
    Hi guys. This is Jason from Oz Music and despite what Bo said in one post, we do actually have a local music store still. The guys at Green Bar, Bama Theatre, and even the amphitheater are constantly bringing by flyers for upcoming shows and we try to put them in the front window so people walking up can see them
    We built a stage in the back of our store about 2 years ago and have had a couple of national acts come through and play but mostly what we’ve tried to book was local/regional talent. Our goal was to give people a place to hear live music without the hassle of the bar scene. We understand that people are underage but still wanted to hear live music. We’ve actually frozen all of our bookings though because people just weren’t showing up despite the quality of acts that we were booking.
    • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
      November 8, 2012 at 6:19 PM
      Jason, I always loved those shows you guys had at Oz, both in playing and in seeing. The times were always odd for me. Sometimes they’d be at 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon and I’d just be getting home from work. It’s a shame to see that stage not being used. It is a good stage.
      Has Oz every considered taking up the mantle of having early shows, say around 7:30 P.M. or 8:00 P.M.? I realize that you all close at 8:00 on some evenings. I suppose that you would want the store to be open if a band was playing there.
      I think a consistent time and day would really help. For example, if a show happened at Oz (or anywhere) every Thursday at 7:00 P.M., more people are apt to come. I also think that it would be a really slow process. Not many people would show for a long time. Then when it becomes a staple of a Thursday night (or Friday, or Saturday, etc.), people maybe would come. I don’t know, though. This town can be so fickle. It could never catch on, and everyone’s time/money is wasted.
      Just thinking while I type.
    • DWS Bo Hicks says:
      November 9, 2012 at 1:53 PM
      Jason I ‘m so sorry I feel like a horse’s ass. I was on a tare, and probably a few cold ones and meant to connect back to OZ but sadly I did not. Taking foot out of mouth now, do you think the reason people were not really coming was it’d hard to reach people? I think I brought it up in that same ramble that with people being so scatter shot they are hard to reach. I bet those shows would have been something that would have interested DWS Talia Scarpelli and DWS Allie Hulcher. The time I saw the Bear there was awesome but very lightly attended.
      • DWS Jason Patton says:
        November 12, 2012 at 6:27 PM
        No worries Bo, I was messing with you more than anything. Blaine, I do think the times were a problem and I never liked the early shows on ANY day because it never gave the “working” person time to get home and then get here. Most of the times were dictated by the bands and their schedule too though.
        We tried an open mic night on Sunday but honestly never gave a real chance. I have heard the same thing too about having consistent days and times but the problem for us gets in to having bands that can fill those times. We are at a disadvantage because we can’t pay anyone to come in a play because we can’t charge someone to come in the store.
        We REALLY want to be a venue for local people to be able to come in a listen to good live music but as Bo said, getting the word out is tough!
      • DWS Talia Scarpelli says:
        November 12, 2012 at 7:48 PM
        Oz is great, I’ve been to some shows and listening parties there!
        In Nashville, when bands are gonna play 21+ or 18+ venues later in the night, they sometimes play mini daytime shows at Grimeys (used record store) that are free and all ages. I got to see Cage the Elephant and Ty Segall this way when I wouldn’t have been able to go to their actual shows. Additionally, people who didn’t want to stay up until 2am or whatever at the actual show could still see them. Maybe something like that could happen here? I know that Tuscaloosa and Nashville are really different, but it’s just a thought.
      • DWS Allie Hulcher says:
        November 19, 2012 at 11:03 PM
        I’m a huge fan of Oz. Met some like-minded friends there, saw a band play, and I’ve heard great things about Record Store Day celebrations there. I’ll never forgive myself for not going to see the Civil Wars play. I was at a stupid quiz bowl tournament instead. So not worth it.
  13. DWS Craig Pickering says:
    November 7, 2012 at 9:49 PM
    One thing else, Those towns that those schools are in, including Auburn, (I AM NOT HERE TO TALK FOOTBALL) have done a pretty
    good job at preserving the cool buildings in their respective downtown areas, where I see a disheartening erection of cookie cutter style buildings here in town. Which leads me to the ole Chukker and city hall.
    I am thankful that the BAMA THEATRE is not getting compromised by modern developers. I think that is important to observe in terms of those historic elements supporting the Tuscaloosa arts.
  14. DWS David Allgood says:
    November 9, 2012 at 2:33 AM
    Our series,”Acoustic Night” in the Greensboro Room at The Bama Theatre is one of very few stages in town that starts early – promptly(or so) at 7:30pm. This is an occasional event – the series is dictated by what is happening in the main auditorium. If there is a show on the main stage, obviously we can’t have a show in the bar. But when there is a rehearsal or on the rare dark night, we can schedule an AN. After 6 years now, we have a regular audience of 30-40 people who will show up – no matter who is playing. We have had a number of shows where we packed in over 100 people into The Greensboro Room. I have to admit, I’ve made this the kind of venue I would go to: starts early; original acoustic(mostly) music played at a volume level that doesn’t make your ears bleed; no smoking; quirky bar with unusual craft beers, good wine, and mixed drinks. Also, the audience is respectful of the artist – no talking during sets. If someone violates this unwritten rule, he will usually be shushed by an audience member before I can get to him. The artists really appreciate the listening room atmosphere. Hurray For The Riff Raff just played to a good house Tuesday night and raved about the room – especially the sound. We have had rising artists from all over the country and the world(most recently, Sofia Talvik, from Stockholm, Sweden).
    We depend on the Bama Theatre website and the Arts Council website and facebook to get the word out. Mark Hughes Cobb is also great about putting AN on the Tusk calendar. But, frankly, beyond going door-to-door…people are going to complain that they didn’t know about(your show here) it because you didn’t put it where they would see it. With all the competition from cable TV, DVR, Netflix, etc., it’s increasingly difficult to get people out of the house to drive somewhere for entertainment. Acoustic Night is definitely for a niche audience: people who like live, original acoustic music in a smoke-free listening room.
    • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
      November 11, 2012 at 10:53 PM
      I love Acoustic Night and I encourage all newcomers to our scene to check it out. It is really ideal for a nice, early evening. I always enjoy playing it, too.
      It seems weird with everyone having DVR now that there is still competition with the television.
      I know that when I am staying in, it usually has to do with being busy with the job.
  15. DWS Michael Battito says:
    November 9, 2012 at 10:46 PM
    hey yall- i think this DWS is a really cool idea and i’m excited to see be a part. lookin forward to seein everybody- I’m sure the definition of tuscaloosa’s music/arts community has been hard for alot of folks to put their finger on. I think that’s what makes it what it is in alot of ways though. Anyway, seeing everyone’s comments makes me glad to know people are still interested in the community. I’ve tried to associate myself with many different areas of the community in my time here, and i’m definitely attached to t-town in many ways. ‘original music’ is an interesting/confusing subject for me to wrap my head around in this town(or any). I’ve been trying to focus more on musicianship, rather writing songs/composing lately for various reasons. In turn i’ve also been guilty of playing in these late night greek filled 21+ bars. I don’t want to say I’ve compromised different parts of my musical life to accommodate to this ‘scene’ but i still have so much more to learn and people to meet. looking forward to talking more and seeing yall
  16. DWS Kevin Jones says:
    November 12, 2012 at 7:14 PM
    I’m in the Mallet Assembly, which is an honors organization that runs its own dorm. We occasionally book bands to come play in our basement, most recently Electric Moon. It’s not an ideal venue acoustically, but I think it’s a great idea because having a concert right in the dorm really encourages attendance. It also avoids the problem of most shows here being 21+. There’s definitely a large number of students here who would love to support the local music scene, and I think that thinking outside the box in terms of venues and advertising could make music a lot more accessible, especially for underclassmen.
  17. DWS Ryan Davis says:
    November 12, 2012 at 8:48 PM
    This conversation is awesome!
    Many of you have said this, but I think a music scene is what you make it. One challenge I’m having as a musician here is leveraging the band’s presence locally, which is relatively known, with my social media presence, which for the most part is not heavy in the Southeast. I’ve gained a very small amount of ground on that, but it really seems that having that solid online base locally, combined with catchy physical graphics, works well.
    A couple years ago, we could pack out a spot just from Facebook invites, but now there are so many people making FB events that those aren’t quite as effective.
    There are definitely challenges, but publicity is the way to go?
    • DWS David Allen says:
      November 13, 2012 at 9:00 PM
      Totally agree with you, Ryan.
      The Amphitheater, IMO, has the best promo in town. It’s nothing unusual or inimitable, either: posters in every shop window, posts on FB & Twitter (including paid-for FB posts that cut through the clutter), & articles in the paper.
      It doesn’t always work, but it often does. The Amp pushed Gotye as hard as they could’ve–yet the show flopped (the gig, if you recall, took place during fall break. Had the cards stacked against it). Promotion is an uphill battle, and no amount of promo will guarantee a great show. But consistent, solid work will absolutely increase the chances of nabbing a crowd.
      @Jason: If you need help getting the word out about Oz shows, I’d be glad to lend a hand–and introduce you to some others who’d be glad to help.
      Bo Hicks is pretty stellar at promotion, if last year’s Get Up is any indication. @Bo: would you have any insight on proper promotion you could share with us?
    • DWS Ryan Davis says:
      November 12, 2012 at 8:51 PM
      @Shanley: Well of course, there’s Blaine Duncan and the Lookers. There’s CBDB, Kadesh and the Perfect Strangers, Electric Moon, Baak Gwai…A LOT of groups. A lot of people on this blog convo have bands that are all great.
      • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
        November 14, 2012 at 2:12 AM
        Thanks for including our band, Ryan.
        I’ve always wanted a comprehensive, updated list of currently active local bands. There have been attempts at having that even up on a website, but as Mark Hughes Cobb has found out through his attempts at trying it for Tusk, bands just won’t add their name and/or don’t find out about it to add their name.
        Just out of curiosity once, I tried to list all the active bands that were solely Tuscaloosa based on a status on my Facebook page. We had a good list going and even talked about genre stuff, but with all things Facebook, that went away and disappeared.
        A one-click, one-stop website is ideal to find local bands, but I’m not sure if its feasible. I doubt that any small city local scene has that, but it would be so handy in a college town for students such as Shanley who want to know about local music quickly.
        • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
          November 14, 2012 at 2:19 AM
          Also, I’ll add this (rhetorical?) question: wasn’t that what Myspace was to some extent? A one-stop place for local bands and fans of local bands to have all their information in one place.
          I realize that talking about Myspace is probably the most dated and uncool thing a person could do, but I believe that really helped our little band for a brief period. Everything was there: show dates, songs, pictures, location. Granted, most of that is now on our website and was on our website then, but it just seemed quick and easy for everyone. Facebook seems to have ruined that, but that’s a whole other rant.
          • DWS Hayes Turner says:
            November 14, 2012 at 7:19 PM
            @Blaine: Our bands are guilty of falling into that category of not signing up for the list of local bands. We simply didn’t know one was being compiled. I’m in full support of a one-stop website of local music. Maybe an extension of Tuscaloosa’s city website or in partner with other already-established websites?
            • DWS Blaine Duncan says:
              November 14, 2012 at 9:28 PM
              Hayes, that would be awesome if we could get it as an extension to a larger website, which is pretty much what the Tuscaloosa News did for their online version of The Tusk. It may still be up and running, but that goes to show you how often our band updated it.
              For it to be comprehensive and up to date — which would really help people looking for local music and shows to see — bands would have to stay on top of helping to keep it updated.
              I keep our website current and constantly post on there. We don’t get a huge amount of hits on a day-to-day basis, though.
        • DWS Brandon Skinner says:
          November 15, 2012 at 10:46 PM
          I have noticed that quite a few local shows are listed on Eventful.com. This seems to be the most comprehensive list of local shows I’ve found so far. We should encourage those bands that have not discovered/utilized this site yet to list their shows here. (I must admit, I’ve never used Eventful so I’m a little fuzzy on who exactly can add shows. I think anyone can, though.)
  19. DWS Hayes Turner says:
    November 13, 2012 at 1:18 AM
    Here’s one of the few recordings my band has online if anyone wants to check it out. Any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Also, if you haven’t seen us play yet, it’s because we’ve only had one show at a bar in Tuscaloosa. The rest have been for fraternity/sorority events.
    • DWS Michael Battito says:
      November 14, 2012 at 12:41 AM
      Sweet video Hayes! r u slapping the bass? nice groove. ah good old rooster’s, miss that place..
      • DWS Hayes Turner says:
        November 14, 2012 at 7:17 PM
        Thanks Michael. No slapping in this video. We do have songs where I do slap, but I try not to overstep my role in the songs by slapping every time.
    • DWS David Allen says:
      November 16, 2012 at 12:53 AM
      Hayes–
      You emphasize that you’ve only played one non-Greek event. Have you tried booking elsewhere? It’s pretty easy to get a gig at Egans (Seriously, a dead cat could do it). Crimson Tavern, too, books a lot of jam/funk/jazz friendly stuff, and has been known to have all-ages shows.
  20. DWS Michael Battito says:
    November 14, 2012 at 12:44 AM
    I saw a super inspiring show last nite that i was not planing on going to until last nite. Had no idea this place existed or anything about any of the bands. saw a poster at Chloe’s coffee for this acoustic show at ‘Cafe 541′. I knew the group from nashville that put it on called ‘Cause a scene music’. Any way i had no idea about this place and i really enjoyed it. apparently they were on tour and should be at bottletree tonite.
    Has anyone else heard of Cafe 541?
  21. DWS Michael Battito says:
    November 14, 2012 at 12:53 AM
    Also, I think i’ll add that i feel the roots and ideals of blues, jazz, funk, reggae, etc. have come along way, and when treated with the right amount of respect, can work as the common ground between people at bars in ttown and people wanting to play honest music. This doesn’t cover the singer/songwriter or folk/etc. aspects on music in town but its part of my philosophy i suppose.
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