In the realm of independent music, local support is key in order for bands and musicians to thrive. The initiative behind music making is the element of fun — and Connecticut’s music community is perhaps the pinnacle of both entertainment and togetherness.
Venues in Connecticut range from the renowned Toad’s Place in New Haven, which promotes very well known bands; the underground spot known as The Space in Hamden, which helps book young and upcoming artists to any shows available; or even back alleyway show setting Heirloom Arts Center in Danbury, which has a huge history linking back to the 1850’s as a vaudevillian art theater.
Getting involved in the Connecticut scene is extremely simple. People who regularly attend shows are welcoming and are always willing to socialize with new people. Connor Griffin of the folk duo The Anarchist Pizza Society said, “I do not know where I would be without the DIY punk community. The DIY punk scene in Connecticut has pretty much taught me everything I know. Every close friend and relationship I have had has come from playing music and the Connecticut scene.”
House and basement shows provide for an intimate music setting where friends are made, and when high-energy sets are played, the mosh pits aren’t violent like stereotypical ones — they are hopping and dancing testaments to everyone’s mutual love of the band. Concert goers tend to come from not only all over the state, but the entire country in order to experience the array of bands the Nutmeg State has to offer, which is mostly due to the immediacy of the internet.
At 2012’s Bramble Jam II — a three-day New England festival of “music, fun and friends” that took place in Springfield, Mass. and Southington, Conn. — one of the attendees hailed from Seattle after having heard of the show through Facebook.
The internet has certainly helped the community, especially in the case of getting music to the public. The website bandcamp.com is a favorite of local artists who need a means to release their albums to the masses while at the same time retaining a do-it-yourself image. Unlike the polished sounds of artists featured on iTunes or Pandora, the ones found on band camp are static-ridden, basement-recorded and filled with emotion.
Griffin said that “it’s easy for passion to fade once you become extremely popular. It becomes easy to not have to care anymore — to be able to book shows and tours… you have to care. You really have to feel passionately about what you do in order to put everything… that you have into it. A lot of that gets lost when musicians become mainstream.”
From an independent musician’s point of view, the scene in Connecticut is more than ideal. The venues noted above always look for new people to play shows. In most areas, securing a five-minute set at a bar or an open-mic night is a chore. In Connecticut, this is not so.
A well-written email to The Space’s booking agents will land the most dilettante of musicians a 30-minute spot during a typically five-band show. Christina Cadorette, an employee of the Space advises artists to “be professional and polite at all times. “If you’re really having a go at this, don’t give up and keep pushing,” she said. “Eventually your hard work and professionalism is going to get noticed.”
Musicians are given a fighting chance in the dog-eat-dog world of performance, and a single show is able to skyrocket talented bands. “Connecticut builds a loyal fan base which allows some of our local bands to perform at bigger venues and events or with bigger national artists,” said Cadorette. “The Space really works to build those small bands in the local community. It’s that ‘scene’ that opens doors.”
As a whole, independent music in Connecticut is very alive and consistently active. Those involved are dedicated, and provide a fantastic home to music fans and artists alike.
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