RE: [Harp-L] Hippest Musician's Towns (CT philisophical)

[Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx>]

I spent some time in South West Virginia (Used to know WVA Bob) and I was in a pretty succesful jam band.  I didn't even realize how dismal that music "scene" really was.  Bob ain't kidding.  When I moved back to central CT, I thought the blues scene stunk.  
   
  Apart from Ryan Hartt and a few others, the CT blues scene seems(d) somewhat lackluster and ailing from a sort of  lamo-RnB-black t shirts and jeans-I want to be SRV-we'd better play Mustang Sally-Muddy who?-syndrome.  
   
  I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and over the past couple of years as I've tried to scratch my way up to the level of a "presence" in the scene.
   
  I think it's a two way street.  Yes the traditional fans of this music are aging.  Yes there's a ton of competing entertainment.  But there's also a lot of cats who get up onstage and go through the motions.  The guys/girls who perhaps don't have it all worked out but get by for a gig.  Nothing against a weekend warrior, or a club who just wants 'some music'  but I think if we collectively want to ride this live music slump back to a peak, then we (the royal we) must strive to make better shows, and re-invent somehow to keep relevant.
   
  The VCR killed the Drive-In, but the movie industry survived and is flourishing.  They make movies now that you just can't help but watch on the big screen.  
   
  Blues seems to have an easy entry barrier (jams) and like the harmonica itself, there's a fairly common feeling (by the masses) that playing blues is easy. { If you're one of those guys who skims, misses the point, and responds quickly, please don't bother.  I KNOW it's not easy, but the syndrome I mention earlier isn't my imagination. } You will often hear  "Blues. . . ehhhh...awwww.... not another shuffle....boring"  from people.
   
  Nobody reads long posts (except I always seem to finish Hurricane Ramon's)  so here's my take-home:
   
  The scene is what you make of it.  Work hard, strive to entertain, and put on a "SHOW"  Learn your harp.  Be clean.  Develop tone.  Try. Work out endings, write some tunes, don't end every song with the same flourish.  Separate yourself and your band, and maybe you can make your  scene a little better;  a little hipper.
   
  Dan G
   
  www.12gageblues.com