Support for Boston’s Musical Communities

Advances in technology makes sharing a lot simpler and helps connect people from all around the world. Music is accessible through online streaming platforms and shared on social media. Musicians are able to connect with listeners and build a fanbase from the comforts of their own home. However, infrastructure and community support can just be as important for independent musicians who are looking to launch their career.

The city of Boston is home to many emerging talents, and I am interested in learning about the social and economic benefits of institutions and organizations in supporting local artists. I think Boston has provided exemplary services in supporting the growing scene of independent artists, but I also believe that the community could be doing more to support them. From my research, I highlighted the economic and social benefits of supporting local and independent artists and I hope companies and individuals will realize the importance of the cause and make a conscious effort to advocate for independent artists.

My first approach is to locate different organizations and institutions that supports independent musicians in the Boston area. My methodology involved me attending events hosted by these institutions and interviewing the organizers to better understand their mission. Through these interactions, I hoped to learn more about their initiatives and how their efforts are mobilizing independent artists. During my fieldwork, I observed the audience and the community’s impact on independent musicians. By the end of the project, I was able to learn more about the challenges and what more can be done to support local and independent artists from an institutional standpoint.

Boston is home to one of the best music institutions in the world. Berklee College of Music is the largest independent college for contemporary music with an impressive board of award-winning faculties. Notable alumni such as Esperanza Spalding, John Mayer, and many more have attended the school before shaping and marking their mark in the music industry, (Berklee, 2018).[1] The students there are incredibly talented and highly accomplished in their field.

In addition to the wonderful music program, Berklee has a student run coffeehouse that operates as a live performance space. On the last Monday of every month, The Red Room at Café 939 hosts an open mic night for students to showcase their talent. It’s the perfect opportunity for students to practice and network with one another in the community. I was fortunate enough to attend on March 25th, 2019 to see Zachary Seals, a junior majoring in songwriter at Berklee perform his original song, “Page 95”. The audience was extremely attentive and latched onto every single word during his performance. Zach’s soulful energy really captivated the audience as everyone’s attention focused on him while he was performing. He received a huge round of applause after his performance and left the crowd hoping for more by the end of the piece. It was my first time seeing him perform, and I was deeply moved by his voice and felt the intensity of his emotions throughout the song.

I asked Zach about some of the challenges that he faces as a student and independent musician, and what he thinks could be done to address these challenges. His response was:

“Definitely time management, prioritization and artistic development. Finding a balance is probably the most difficult thing to figure out. One thing I think that could help with artistic develop is if more venues in the area booking more up and coming artists. There’s definitely a disconnect between venues and artists in Boston. It’d be cool if these larger venues had new artists showcases”, (Seals,25 March 2019).

As Zach mentioned, despite the abundance of venues in the Boston area, not a lot of them allow the opportunity for upcoming artists to perform. When institutions and “venues” allow students and independent musicians the opportunity to perform, it will help them improve their stage presence. This is incredibly important for musicians who are trying to start their careers. Berklee’s open mic allows them to play in a safe space surrounded by a supportive group of individuals. Some people may be performing for the first time live, and by providing them a place to practice their craft is extremely appreciated. Not only are institutions and venues supporting independent musicians by allowing them to showcase their work, they are bringing joy back to the community by hosting music night for the audience.

Name: Zachary Seals

Hometown: Baltimore

Major: Songwriting

Year of Study: Junior

Title of Piece: “Page 95” by Zachary Seals

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/zsealsmusic/

https://twitter.com/zsealsmusic

https://www.instagram.com/z_seals/

Boston Hassle is a non-profit organization founded by Sam Portrykus. It is part of a much bigger collective that focuses on promoting and supporting local musicians, artists, and writers from the Greater Boston area. Brain Arts Organization is run entirely by a team of dedicated volunteers and composes of many projects: Dorchester Art Project, Boston Hassle, Black Market Flea, and The Boston Compass. [2]Boston Hassle is responsible for the annual Hassle Fest, a two-day event that showcases talents throughout the day at various performing spaces across the city.[3] This may include venues in Cambridge, Allston, and Somerville. The Boston Compass is a monthly zine that highlights, and features works of local artists.[4]

Portrykus saw the lack of a support system and infrastructure for people in the community and started this organization in hopes of providing resources and a space for artists and musicians to showcase their talent, (Portrykus, 13 March,2019). He felt there was a disconnect between the government and the community’s need for funding in arts and was frustrated by the lack of support. Portrykus recognized the need for a space for artistic development and helped create a place with the help of his friends for the neighborhood of Dorchester and hopes to expand to other parts of Boston.

Boston Hassle and the other projects rely on donations to stay afloat and keep their space running. Most of the volunteers are students, local musicians and artists who are involved in the scene.[5] The environment that Potrykus created allows for people to come together through a cause that they all care about. Everyone in the organization is really involved either by being super supportive of one another or upholding the company’s mission. Boston Hassle aims to support local artists by connecting them with valuable resources such as helping artists book shows. Instead of letting the lack of government support and funding stop him, Portrykus decided to take action. He wasn’t afraid to lead the change and build a community space to support his vision.

 

Allston has been the central hub of discourse communities for emerging musicians in Boston. It is rich in diversity and constantly flowing with creative expressionism from the migration of artists and musicians. This neighborhood is home to primarily college students and an assortment of music venues: pubs, concert halls, and alternative performing spaces. In the heart of the bustling college town is O’Brien’s Pub, a live music venue for both emerging and national acts. It’s been open under the name of Tim and Tim since 1984 and hosted session music, (Adgate, 1 March, 2019). In 1989, the first stage was built, and since then it turned into a live music venue operating 7 days a week (Adgate, 1 March, 2019).

I was able to talk to Ryan Adgate, the talent buyer for O’Brien’s Pub to learn more the booking process. Adgate believes in giving everyone the same opportunity and is open to booking all types of genres and styles. He is extremely responsive to local artists and always make sure they have the opportunity to perform at O’Brien’s Pub.

“We have a touring band, we work with them and their agent to make sure that we have solid local support. Uh, it’s a big thing that I take seriously because a lot of the other venues around town have left that out, which I think is a loss for the city. Because we if we have such great talent here, and we grow, and we grow, and we grow. Bands don’t have any places to go because they can’t open a show at Great Scott or Sinclair or the Middle East, because the booking agents say no”, (Adgate, 1 March, 2019).

Not only does Adgate allows locals to perform at this venue, but he also makes sure everyone get paid. The majority of smaller “venues” don’t pay musicians a wage, but rather in experience or exposure. Musicians have bills to pay, and this aspect is extremely beneficial for musicians who are from out of state or live further away. It helps them cover their expenses and allows them to gain more exposure in the Boston area. This partnership will also ensure that the act playing will hold up on their end of the deal and show up, and in return they are guaranteed to get paid at the end of the night. The positive relationship between the two entities can lead to potential repeat business and positive word or mouth to friends for the venue.

Adgate is also working with a group that helps support local artist by helping to advocate for musicians at city council meetings, (Adgate, 1 March, 2019). They go to represent the musicians and help voice out their concerns and struggles. Having a centralized support group can be empowering in letting the city know how important the cause is to the neighborhood as well as local musicians. The group can also come together and share valuable resources.

 

There are a lot of venue and performing spaces in the Greater Boston area, but independent artists still have a hard time finding somewhere to play. Most of these spaces are owned by big corporations who have their own agendas. They will continue to book popular headliners and prevent locals from opening because they want to maximize their profits. Boston Performing Arts Facilities Assessment report indicates that there is excess supply but unmet demands for venues in the Greater Boston Area because “users cannot pay the full operating or capital costs of facilities, and the market requires subsidy to adequately support facilities”, (Perez et al. 4). [6] This study revealed that the lack of affordable infrastructure is hindering local artist development in the Greater Boston area. As Portrykus and Adgate emphasized, the government should be doing more to ensure appropriate subsidies for the development of performance spaces for local artists.

Breen states that “The most enthusiasm for community music projects happens at the level where there is a close association between local government and musical production”, (Breen 314).[7] The government needs to realize how important local musicians are, and how much value they give back to the community. Supporting local and independent musicians can bring so much value to a space. Live music is wonderful, but it can also help increase awareness for the business hosting the music. From talking to the audience on various nights at O’Brien’s pub, I discovered that there are fans who came from out of state to support the acts that were performing that night. By allowing locals acts to play, they are able to help the place get more exposure, and potentially gain a larger customer base. Guetzkow talked about the importance of communities supporting the arts and how that is positively correlated to an increase in tourists and will help them generate more business, (Guetzkow 7-9). [8] When institutions advocate for local musicians, they also receiving something in return. This model incorporates an economic incentive through the generation of customers to your business, other businesses in the neighborhood, and towards the city. People might be more supportive of your business because you choose to open your place and create this wonderful space for both the listeners and musicians.

During the interview with Ryan, he mentioned that consumer taste changes and college kids weren’t showing up to O’Brien’s Pub and would rather watch Netflix, (Adgate, 1 March,2019). Venues that support local artists are on the brink of extinction if locals don’t help preserve it by attending shows. It’s not enough for small venues and non-profit organizations to try to improve the conditions that local artists may be facing. Individuals and communities should be aware of how valuable their participation is to the success of independent musicians. Seals mentioned “It varies depending on how involved you are within the community of the city of Boston itself. If you show love to the city the city will give it right back”, and the same philosophy can be applied to venues and the community. Individuals can have as much power as the city, and they need to put in the effort by showing up to shows and town halls to advocate for independent musicians. They are the ones who have the power to help preserve institutions that work together with local artists by being more involved in the scene.

Consumer’s taste changes often, and it can be hard to keep up with demands. People may be more interested in other forms of entertainment; house shows are becoming more popular amongst college kids. Maybe it’s the illegal part that makes it that much more exciting, but it’s also about being surrounded in a place with people that share the same interest as you. Instead of the typical types of venues that everyone is so familiar with, the city can invest into other “alternative” spaces. Small business, restaurants, and other entities can open their doors to allow local musicians to play and practice in front of a crowd. If it is too much work of getting a permit, companies like Sofar Sounds can be a good alternative. [9] They will help transform everyday spaces into a place for independent musicians to perform in. It’s a cheaper alternative and more realistic than getting funding and approval from the city to open a new venue that caters to independent musicians. This approach is not about the competition amongst small venue owners and alternative spaces, but rather on the unity of helping local musicians as a collaborative approach.

Special thanks to Ryan Adgate, Sam Potrykus and Zachary Seals for their willingness to be interviewed.

[1] https://www.berklee.edu/awards/alumni-grammy-winners

[2] http://brain-arts.org/

[3] http://bostonhasslefest.com/

[4] https://bostonhassle.com/boston-compass/

[5] https://bostonhassle.com

[6] Breen, Marcus. “Constructing the Popular from Public Funding of Community Music: Notes from Australia.” Popular Music 13.03 (1994): 313. Web.

[7] Guetzkow, J. (2012). How the Arts Impact Communities: An introduction to the literature on arts impact studies. 1-27. https://www.princeton.edu/~artspol/workpap/WP20%20-%20Guetzkow.pdf

[8] Perez, Christopher, et al. “Boston Performing Arts Facilities Assessment.” TDC November 2018. Web. http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/a939d1f8-42f6-4f33-b21c-e4959a45c887

[9] https://www.sofarsounds.com/about/host

 

Interviews:

Adgate, Ryan. (2019, March 1). [Personal interview].

Potrykus, Sam. (2019, March 13). [Personal interview].

Zachary Seals. (2019, April 2). [Personal Communication].

 

Links Mentioned:

https://www.berklee.edu/red-room-cafe-939/calendar

https://www.facebook.com/dorchesterartproject/

hhttps://bostonhassle.com/blackmarketflea/

https://www.obrienspubboston.com/

https://www.obrienspubboston.com/contact/

https://www.sofarsounds.com/about/host