Support Local Music| Spreading the Word About Talented Musicians from Around the World

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How many people have heard of the band Jimmy Eat World? According to US Billboard Charts, they had one hit that made it to #5 in 2002 (https://www.billboard.com/music/jimmy-eat-world). I remember this, because I was in high school in Mesa, Arizona, which is where they are from. I was so excited to know people could ‘Make it Big’ from my ‘neck of the woods’. To be clear, I did not know them personally, but I found them inspirational.

That was the start of my love for local music. Now I know “Support Local” is whole modern craze regarding small businesses, but supporting local musicians is just as important.

When I was a young adult (early 20s), I used to go to shows at Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, AZ (https://yuccatap.com/). There I discovered some amazing artists, such as: Black Carl, Dry River Yacht Club, and What Laura Says. I suggest you check each of them out.

From there, I moved to Portland, Oregon and fell in love with some other great sounds. Home to famous bands The Decemberists, Everclear, She & Him, and Pink Martini, to name a few (https://www.ranker.com/list/portland-bands-and-musical-artists-from-here/reference). It was there that I was graced to see Nahko and Medicine for the People, at a New Years Eve Party to ring in 2013 (http://nahko.com/). Portland is close to heaven on earth (if you can afford to live there), and I was so excited that many people I met, were in a band. One of my favorite’s at the time was Chervona. Such amazing energy at their shows!!! A few years after being introduced to their music, I actually saw them having breakfast and said ‘Hey, Chervona’…like a teenaged schoolgirl, to which I received strange, bewildered faces.

The next city I lived in is world-renowned for its music and most people recognized it as the place where Grunge was born. Seattle, Washington was home to Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. Those are the big names. Some cool bands I met while I lived there were Hellbat (https://hellbat.bandcamp.com/) and Sunset Flip (https://sunsetflipmusic.bandcamp.com/). Such good vibes, I never missed a show.

When I moved to Europe, I missed the local music acts I followed back in the USA, but during my first visit to Berlin, Germany, all of that would change. In Berlin, music is a way of life. It can be found at the weekly markets, in the park, small venues, or anywhere Busking has not been prohibited. My favorite artist from Berlin is hands down Alice Hills (http://alice-hills.com/). Other incredible artists include people from all over the world who have made Berlin their home: Georgie Fisher (http://www.berlinstreetmusic.com/georgie-fisher), David Gaffney (.https://davidgaffney.bandcamp.com/), and David Stewart Ingleton (https://www.davidstewartingleton.com/).

My love for music grows even more when I am introduced to artists I have never heard of before. A great talent from Belgium, Intergalactic Lovers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intergalactic_Lovers) is so good, I once traveled four hours by train just to see them play live! This is my favorite song of theirs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTbJiYmkjSs

I anticipate which music I will discover next.