by Kevin Tiernan

Created on: July 01, 2009   Last Updated: July 02, 2009

As my car rolled up on a brisk March night four years ago, I found myself gazing at a run-down shack on the side of the road. Upon first glance, this rickety four walled fire trap looked like nothing special, but there was more to it. Point Beach Clubhouse was alive with the glory of love. I rounded the corner to meet a line out the door of kids waiting to enter the building and watch all their favorite bands play. The mood upon passing through the wooden doorway was an explosion of teenage adrenaline. The lights were dim and every single person was attentive to listen to the music. Friends caught glances from across the room and met to hug and forge a handshake. Not one single onlooker left at the end of the night without purchasing merchandise. I exited the venue at the end of the show with a smile on my face and a heart full of inspiration. Today, these memories serve as artifacts to a once prosperous music scene. Today, I play music to an empty room that was once a sea of eager teenage eyes and ears. Today, I find it almost impossible to get from that empty room to a spot on Capitol Records' roster. I have played in bands for about seven years now and I have experienced the many difficulties that musicians face. We need to do something to improve the music scene before life as a musician become physically and mentally impossible.

The local music scene is a constant struggle to get your music heard by the masses, starting from square one. The struggle begins with the initial listener. Often, our attention spans get the better of us and we find our minds wandering. This is especially apparent at local shows where friends, food, and cell phones pose the biggest distractions. It is not rare to see the front row on their T-Mobile Sidekick cell phones texting during a performance. So what causes this lack of attention span? We are human and many times our eyes and ears search for anything interesting and entertaining. In Talk TV: Tuning in to trouble, Jeanne Albronda Heatona and Nona Leigh Wilson observe that "Ancient Romans believed that people were satisfied as long as they had bread and circuses....gladiators fought to the death with beasts and with one another. Christians were thrown to the lions for entertainment. And the crowds would come back for more." (153).

Succeeding as a musician is commonly attributed to who you know. For instance, if your band is composed of the football player, the class president and the prom king, you are more likely to

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