Been There, Scene That

Hey, let's make a scene!

Way back when, in the days when the Massachusetts/New England punk/indie/emo music scene wasn't concentrated in and around the city of Boston like it is now, there was a website called Just Another Scene. On this site, you could find every single VFW, Knights of Columbus, church basement, house, club, cafe, whatever/wherever show in the New England area, listed by date.

It was awesome.

At any moment, you could get on the JAS site and see who and what was where and then just go. Go to JAS, take six bucks and a brief car ride, arrive at a show, hear some music. It's not like that anymore... not even close. Now, in the city it's all about Ticketmaster, thirty bucks, and bunches of people who go to shows for hipster credit.

Locally, there is music, but bands always have to play in bars, so the scene becomes more about which bar has which band and which beer and which drink specials. And the schedules are set in stone, with certain bands on certain nights, because that's where bar business comes from: Consistency. And, don't get me wrong, I got love for the locals, but what about touring bands? What about new local bands? No Problemo might be the only place where "other" bands play, and bravo to the boys at NP for pullin' that off. And, Pour Farm will occasionally book different stuff, too.

I just...

I just I want my old scene back. (Pouts. Stamps feet. Crosses arms.)

New Bedford needs a legit show space. New Bedford needs a scene, 'cause it's got the makings of the old school NB music scene - bands and venues. But, they're not cohesive anymore. They don't co-exist anymore. Not since the competition of liquor sales began fueling our so-called scene, and it's a shame that that has to be the factor.

Viva la scene revolucion. Let's get it together, kids.