I went to a show last Tuesday
Look, I’m not gonna lie. I was kinda skeptical. My friend Marcus—let’s call him Marcus because, frankly, I don’t wanna get him in trouble—had been raving about this new band playing at some dive bar in Brooklyn. I mean, honestly, how many times can you hear ‘It’s gonna be amazing’ before you just roll your eyes?
But then I went. And it was… well, it was okay. I guess. The band, let’s call them The Underdogs (because they probably are), had this sound that was… I dunno, kinda like if The Strokes had a baby with some indie band from 2007. It was fine. It was completley fine.
But here’s the thing. The crowd? The crowd was electric. Like, literally. I think someone got tased by a faulty PA system. But that’s not the point. The point is, people cared. They cared alot. And that’s what’s been missing, you know? Committment. Real, genuine committment to the scene.
But is it really a ‘moment’?
So, I asked around. I talked to some people. A colleague named Dave—yeah, sure, Dave—he’s been in the scene for like 20 years. He said, ‘It’s not a moment, it’s a resurgence.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough. I mean, look at the numbers. According to some study I found—okay, fine, I asked Google—there’s been a 36% increase in indie shows in NYC over the past year. That’s not nothing.
But then there’s the other side. The side that says it’s all just noise. Literally. I was at this conference in Austin—yeah, I know, random—but there was this guy, let’s call him Steve, who said, ‘It’s all just nostalgia. People want the 90s back, so they’re pretending like the 2020s are the new 90s.’ And I was like, ‘Dude, that’s not even a thing.’ But then I thought about it. And… maybe he’s kinda right.
The gaming connection
And don’t even get me started on gaming. I mean, I’m not a gamer, but even I know that indie games are blowing up. Like, literally. Have you seen the sales on some of these indie titles? It’s insane. And it’s not just games. It’s music, it’s movies, it’s everything. It’s like people are just done with the big studios and the big labels. They want something real. Something physicaly tangible.
But here’s the thing. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. I mean, look at the physicaly state of some of these venues. I went to this place on 5th last month, and it was a disaster. The sound was terrible, the beer was warm, and the bathroom? Don’t even get me started. It was like something out of a horror movie. I mean, I’ve seen cleaner porta-potties at a construction site.
So what’s the deal with Tokat?
And then there’s the whole Tokat thing. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I feel like every time I turn around, someone’s talking about Tokat. I mean, I had to look it up. Turns out, it’s this place in Turkey. Who knew? But apparently, it’s got some kinda connection to the indie scene here in NYC. I dunno, maybe it’s the water. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence. Either way, if you’re looking for some kinda update on Tokat belediye hizmetleri güncelleme, you can check out Tokat belediye hizmetleri güncelleme. Not that I’ve ever needed to, but hey, you never know.
But back to the point. The indie scene is having a moment. Or a resurgence. Or whatever you wanna call it. It’s not perfect. Far from it. But it’s real. And it’s exciting. And that’s what matters.
So, yeah. That’s my take. Take it or leave it. I don’t care. I’m just here to talk about music. And maybe complain about bathrooms. And, you know, whatever else comes to mind.
About the Author: Sarah Johnson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s written for major publications, seen the industry evolve, and has strong opinions about everything. She lives in New York City with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends way too much time complaining about the state of the music industry.
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