Salem Music Scene:
Dead or Alive?
by Matt Rasmussen
11/15/06
Local musicians and aficionados like Sam Brown try to take advantage of any opportunities that come up
Think of hotbeds for musical talent and you might come up with Chicago, Nashville, New Orleans or even Seattle. The music scenes in Salem and Portland would hardly be spoken of in the same breath with these high profile hubs.
So what makes a place a musician's inspirational haven? Is it easier to gain recognition in a city with a well-established legacy? Sure. Is it possible to break-out in lesser-known towns? Of course. Does it take more work or more luck?
"If there is a fast-track for success in the music industry, I have most definitely not found it yet," senior Sam Brown said.
The band bo.monro is Brown's brainchild. He said he received praise and interest from a Portland recording studio wanting to record his next album.
Inspired by "Explosions in the Sky," a band featured in the Hollywood movie "Friday Night Lights," Brown's experimental music has no lyrics at all. Instead, he makes use of a loop pedal which allows him to record music in seven-second segments. The pedal repeats over and over allowing Brown to record an additional layer or just jam with the original music in the background. This distinctive approach has landed Brown numerous featured gigs at the Bistro, as well as Wulapalooza performances since 2004. Brown said that Willamette provides "ample opportunities for one to pursue their musical hobbies."
But even with the opportunity to showcase one's talent, record label executives are not going to hand out recording contracts to Mill Stream musicians. Brown said it takes diligence from the musician's end. "If one is looking to 'make it' in the music industry, it requires courage and persistence," Brown said.
Determination is one thing, while finding the right place to showcase your talent to a large audience is another. Willamette sophomore Jack McGee said that in Salem there are few bands that want to make a stop-off to such a small city during their concert tour. "That is why when I want to go see a concert, I go to Portland which has a variety of venues to choose from," he said. According to Salem concert-goers, Portland has the environment, locations and, most importantly, the population to host a music scene that caters to success.
The Ike Box, a coffeeshop by day and concert venue by night, is one of the only places in downtown Salem with a performance stage and a steady flow of concerts. "I think [the Salem music scene] is definitely growing and has bursted in the last year or two." Justin Miller, the booking and promotions agent at the Ike Box , said.
Miller and the Ike Box bring well-known bands to town, but also give local bands, like bo.monro, the opportunity to play.
"In the future we would like [to showcase] more Willamette [artists] and book concerts catering to Willamette and college students in general, as well as getting bigger bands to play," Miller said.
But a solid local music scene isn't going to sprout up overnight. Brown summed it up best when he said, "In the music industry you cannot sit and wait for the opportunities to come to you. You must seek them out for yourself."