As exciting as it is to shoot big bands and big shows at places like Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City or Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, I still love shooting local bands at small venues.
Some of my favorite smaller venues are The Vanguard in Tulsa, 89th Street in Oklahoma City, Blackbird on Pearl in Tulsa, Vino's in Little Rock, and Revolution Music Room in Little Rock — just to name a few.
Sure, the lighting situations are more difficult typically and the working space is usually smaller, but there's something about the energy at local shows that you can't get anywhere else.
The crowd are true fans at these shows. They are there to support their friends and family. Some even show up to these smaller shows not knowing all of the bands or any of the bands and walk out a new fan. It's happened to me several times. I can still remember the first time I saw Less Than Human, Sign of Lies, Solidify, Alterblood, Locust Grove, Grind, Severmind, Fist of Rage, Dryvr, Kirra, Soul Crisis, etc.
When a local band breaks up for whatever reason, it's devastating to the scene. I remember seeing Vague Vendetta's last show at Hero's in Fort Smith and it was very emotional for everyone there. Sometimes you see a band's last show without even knowing it's going to be their last.
There are many local bands we all sincerely miss who aren't making music together anymore. There are also many local bands left to discover. As many shows as I've been to in the full year I've been in Tulsa, I have yet to make a dent in the list of local bands to see.
Part of my goal as a music photographer is to help get local bands get noticed more by shooting them at shows (often for free) and sharing the photos on social media where thousands of people could possibly see it.
Local bands are also the ones most likely to interact with and share my photos. They're almost always extremely appreciative that I came to the show, took photos, and took the time to edit and share them. I don't always get that with a bigger band.
No matter how many big names I get to photograph, I will always love going to a local show to photograph the bands there. I love seeing and making new friends and experiencing the energy and the friendship already in the room. I love the passion and the sweat they put into their music and their performance. They're giving it their all. They're still trying to make it. They've still got something to prove.
Some of my favorite music memories have been at small venues with all or mostly local musicians. I've never regretted spending my money on a ticket to a local show and $5 or $10 is a small price to pay. It's important to show up to these things and support your friends and support music and support the scene. If we don't show up, it will inevitably go away.
So go to a local show. Go mosh and head bang with your friends. Have a beer. Buy a CD or a T-shirt. Help someone's dream come true.
