Many budding musicians might dream of stepping out onto an enormous stage at one of the world’s most iconic (and enormous) venues. But while Madison Square Garden, Wembley, and countless other arenas might be the dream, it’s fair to say that most young musicians tend to hone their craft in much smaller venues.
The Role of Grassroots Music Venues
Grassroots venues provide a service to musicians, who can cut their teeth by regularly working at their craft. And it also provides value to audiences, who might have a chance to enjoy bolder and more experimental artists.
At a grassroots venue, moreover, it’s much easier to develop the sense of intimacy and audience connection that can make a small-scale gig so compelling. It’s partly for this reason that so many seasoned bands and performers end up returning to the smaller venues they developed in for special one-off shows.
Community and Networking
When you’re an up-and-coming band, you might need to showcase your talents in order to earn gigs elsewhere. Bands visiting from a neighbouring town might take the opportunity to invite local artists to perform there. In this way, an informal network of connected musicians can develop. By playing gigs at many different small venues, a local artist can accumulate a fan base.
Challenges and Opportunities
Getting the best from a grassroots venue tends to mean figuring out exactly what kind of experience you’re going to offer your audience. It might be that you’re going to focus on jazz, bluegrass, or punk rock, and thereby draw in punters who enjoy the music in question.
For the bands themselves, the challenges might stem from risk. Do you know that your equipment isn’t going to be damaged or destroyed by an overenthusiastic audience member? This is where public liability insurance can be invaluable.
Larger venues might have the budgets required to attract bigger artists. They might also enjoy better and more accessible locations. However, they can’t specialise in the same way that smaller grassroots venues can.
Conclusion
Grassroots venues have an important role to play in propelling budding artists along in their careers. New performers can take to the stage while their craft is still a little rough around the edges, and gain the experience and confidence they need to move on to the next stage in their careers.
With that said, grassroots venues aren’t just a stepping stone along the way to competent musicianship. They also help to make niche bands viable, and provide artists with the chance to take creative risks. You might not be able to fill an arena with devotees to your own unique brand of industrial jazz doom – but you might be able to fill a smaller venue, and earn a respectable living in the process.
