If you have ever been to our office, you would know that the floor is littered with old ticket stubs, drink wristbands, and parking passes from venues all around New England. We have seen shows in cities like Portland, Providence, Worcester, and of course Boston; all from shows with major headlining acts on national tours who, only for a few, hours make that city their home. But we have also seen shows in smaller towns like Manchester, Revere, Nashua, and Derry at smaller, but no less important, local shows.
What if we told you that some of our best memories are not from the shows with larger headlining acts, but from smaller local shows? The New England scene is slowly coming back and Crowdsurf Central is happy to be at the center of it.
Since our small beginning just over one year ago we have been to countless shows and done a dozen or so interviews with nationally touring acts. What many seem to forget is that every single one of those bands all started in the same place. No band becomes famous overnight. In fact, a large majority of bands never seem the fame they seek. Bands like Broadside, Reel Big Fish, Hawthorne Heights, and Hit the Lights, all of whom we have interviewed, all started by playing small local shows where sometimes the only people who show up were members of the other bands on the bill.
By going to these local shows we have created amazing friendships with many of the talented musicians in our area. They love what we do as much as we love what they do, and we do all we can to help support them. You need to remember that the bands sometimes have pre-sale tickets they need to get rid of or risk the displeasure of paying to play. You need to remember that merch isn’t free and that the band paid out-of-pocket for those shirts and must sell a certain number to break even. You need to remember that they also work jobs during the day and that most of what they make gets put into the band; whether it be equipment, show costs, or merch.
In February Real Friends announced a special headlining tour where all tickets would cost $5.00.
"We are stoked to announce "The $5 Tour." We will be playing small places that aren't traditional settings for shows. Some of the venues are skateparks, retail stores, restaurants, record stores, and even batting cages. All ticket prices will be $5. We owe everything to you. It's time to give back with not only a unique show experience, but an affordable ticket price as well. This will be fun for everyone involved. Being in a band is about having fun and there should be no rules. This will really highlight that. Tickets are VERY limited. Most of the shows have less than 150 total tickets available."
Real Friends knew the important role their local scene played in their rise to fame and wanted to give back. The tour was filled with energetic shows that created memories that will last a lifetime.
So the next time that you get an invite to a local on show on Facebook remember that all bands have to start somewhere.
