Another big thing that seems to be happening more lately around the Capital Region’s music scene are local bands and solo artists opening for famous national touring acts. A lot of musicians want to mistakenly believe that is the holy grail of success. Meaning, once they get that opportunity… they’ll jerk themselves off with their accomplishments by thinking that’s a huge step in the right direction to getting signed, they’ll think they’re big and successful and I can go on and on. Don’t get me wrong. Opening for a national band may sound pretty exciting but it’s really nothing all that special. Opening for a national act is not that big of a deal as I’ll just treat it like a regular local gig if I ever get that opportunity. I don’t think I would care to get something like that to begin with. If I wanted to open for a big national act… I would open for somebody who I would like and admire. Somebody who I’m a big fan of. Local bands & musicians would open for any random national act just because they are nationally famous. A local band would open for any national act even if they know nothing about them. They’ll take that opportunity anyway hoping that will help move them forward to the next level and hoping that’ll get them signed. If I get asked to open for somebody big & famous, I’m not gonna jump on the opportunity right away. I’ll want to know who I’m opening for and if I like this band’s music enough. I would turn it down if I don’t agree with it.

Opening for a national act may give you a little more exposure, yes, no doubt about that; however, you’re still a local band. That’s the thing with local musicians. They think once they get that opportunity and after they performed that gig, they’ll think they’re the world’s biggest music star or something. To be honest, you already have been successful even before then. You got success just by making the music and attracting fans who support it.

In my opinion, success in music is not getting signed to a label or opening for famous acts. Success is making the music and getting people to like it. Bands are pretty obsessed with big opportunities and you don’t have to be. Bands shouldn’t focus on trying to get fame. They need to focus on making the art for the fans who helped get them up there to begin with. They think opening for national acts means a lot to them but with me, it would be pretty meaningless. Not important.

I would enjoy it, sure, and would have fun opening for someone famous but I wouldn’t go acting like it’s the biggest thing that ever happened to me, ya know?

I’m more worried about writing the good songs and that’s all I’ll care about the most.

Kev