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closeSo you want to be a rock star
Veterans of local music scene share advice
By Jessica Savrock
- For Blue MagazineAre you a musician looking to put together a band on the local scene? Or do you already have a group but are getting frustrated trying to find out the secret to breaking in to the local music scene?
Blue Magazine talked with a few successful local musicians who have been on the scene for a while (and were once in the beginners’ shoes) about the challenges, successes and secrets they faced in establishing a presence in State College.
A State College favorite, Spider Kelly got its start in 1997. While they’ve worked to maintain a local presence for more than a decade, the band members admit that it took a long time to get noticed.
“It took about three years and several personnel changes before we started to pull any serious crowds,” the band’s guitarist, Chris Hescox, said. Spider Kelly started by playing Tuesday nights at The Rathskellar, but eventually established weekly Friday gigs at Zeno’s and Saturdays at The Darkhorse.
“Success doesn’t come overnight,” Hescox said. “Take any night you can to get your foot in the door.”
When The Nightcrawlers began performing in State College, they were playing at Bar Bleu on Sundays “to basically chairs and staff when I joined,” drummer Steve Arnold said. Even after establishing a weekly Thursday night gig at The Phyrst, it took a semester or two to establish a regular crowd following.
“I think we were doing things a little different at that time with our material, and people responded very positively to our own music,” Arnold said. “Our first arts festival appearance was a big boost for us as well. So all of that spanned about a year’s time.”
Several veteran musicians find it surprising that younger groups hit the stage running and expect to quickly become well-known artists playing the best weekend gigs.
“Understand State College can be a tough nut to crack, so don’t get frustrated,” Arnold said. “Be yourself and believe in what you are doing. Don’t set out to conquer the world in a month; it takes time to build up a following, and a following is not handed to you.”
Not surprisingly, most of today’s successful local musicians began to get noticed at open-mike nights in the area.
“Almost everyone I know who makes money and is good at performing has done a bunch of open-mike nights,” said local solo singer/songwriter Dennis Fallon. “It is, by far, the best way to get experience and develop the confidence to perform. I played open-mike nights too.”
Fallon believes so much in the benefit of up-and-coming musicians using open-mike night events as a springboard into the local scene that he began hosting an open-mike night from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sundays at Bar Bleu.
“At Bar Bleu, they are always looking for something new to perform onstage. Instead of going looking for talent, the idea is to have the talent come to them,” he said. “It’s a way to give new performers a stage to perform on, and also allow the bar to find and hire new bands that may be having a hard time breaking in to the tough State College music scene.”
Jason de Leon, lead vocalist of The Wilcox Hotel, said his band got its start at similar open-mike events at The Brewery and The Phyrst. Even after graduating to paid gigs at local bars, the band wasn’t immediately playing the original style its members had intended, and they worked hard to get to the point where they can play what they like.
“It was about a year and a half before we started getting regular gigs where we weren’t told to play covers or turn [it] down,” he said.
De Leon, like other local musicians, stresses the importance of putting in the work up front to make a name for yourself and establishing a presence somewhere outside the downtown bars.
“Remember that this is a small town, and you are not John Lennon,” he said. “Check your attitude at the door, promote yourself, and play shows outside of State College.”
“Be different, and don’t be afraid to take a chance,” added The Nightcrawlers’ Arnold. “Promote, promote and promote some more, in case you forgot to promote. Play frats, benefits, parties as much as you can to get people talking about you creating a buzz.”
So are there any more insider secrets these veteran musicians can share with you? They have to keep a few tips close to their hearts or they’d be out of a job. But they hope their firsthand advice can help you to establish a presence, start playing for a crowd and grow your roots within the State College music scene.
LOCAL OPEN-MIKE EVENTS
Bar Bleu
9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sundays Sign up at www.dantesinc.com or at the door.
First Sunday of each month, beginning at 9 p.m.
9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Mondays
In Print
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