The London music scene is a vibrant place filled with different genres and cultures to enjoy, if you’re looking to get involved, then you’ve picked a good time. The scene has been hit hard by COVID-19, so anyone can get involved to help support the industry.
Visiting local venues
If you’re looking to get involved within the London music scene, it’s absolutely vital that you are visiting venues to take in musical culture. Some venues will also allow you to sign up on the day to perform, depending on the availability. London remains a powerhouse of live music, with many international musicians travelling to record music, or perform.
Produce music whenever you can
With how culturally rich London is, it will be no surprise to you to hear that there are a range of different music studios that are outfitted with different purposes. Some will require you to bring your own equipment and instruments, just offering you the space, and others will have everything you need that you can hire out.
The way in which a musician writes and creates music is different for everyone. That’s why it’s useful to go to a studio to find what works for you, whether that’s just popping in for an hour, or spending the day there. Pirate’s London recording studio offers professional equipment that is provided for free, offering affordable day rates, to help you capture your creativity.
Showing your commitment within these studios will help you improve your skills, and potentially grab the attention of any agents or those involved within the music scene. You’d be surprised at who you can potentially bump into at recording studios, and you doing your own thing could be your big break.
Support grassroots music
For many, London’s grassroot music scene is where they got started. There are always small venues featuring up and coming musicians that you can get involved with, even by buying a ticket and watching. As you probably know, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the local music scene, especially those smaller ones. So, the industry needs as much support as possible.
Even before COVID-19, the grassroots scene was seeing struggles. That’s because of government cuts and bigger venues taking over. There are plans to revolutionise the scene, with multiple gigs and festivals that anyone can sign up to.
Engage with local artists and producers
On a similar note, it’s important to engage with any local artists and producers involved in London’s music scene as much as you can. This will put you in a better position to share your talent, and just support others in general.
It doesn’t even have to be musical people you’re connecting with. There are plenty of freelance videographers in the capital that are looking to connect with local artists to film their music video, helping both to benefit.
The music scene is all about connections, nobody will make it alone. This is even more important for solo artists to consider.
Understanding the trends of London’s music scene
For one to fully involve themselves into the music scene of London, you should understand the history and trends associated with the capital. The 60’s were known as the Swinging 60s, where the Rolling Stones set up as a more rough-edged counterpoint to Liverpool’s cleaner cut Beatles.
Following the rise of the Rolling Stones, more bands and musicians started to rise, such as the Who and the Kinks. The Swinging 60s is associated with ending in 1969, when the Stones played a free concert in Hyde Park in front of 250,000 fans.
The 70s saw more glam rock, with artists such as David Bowie changing the rock landscape at the time. Many famous bands started to rise here, with Led Zeppelin starting out their roots. It wouldn’t be long until Freddie Mercury led Queen to become one of the most successful rock and roll bands of all time.
The 80s ditched guitars, favouring keyboard synthesisers and drum machines. Lots changed in this era, with more of a focus on sex. Bands that rose to success here included Wham, Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses. This was also the decade that saw George Michael make it as a solo artist.
The 90s was the first instance of Britpop; the decade was dominated by a range of London-based performers such as Take That, Spice Girls and East 17. Some of these bands have music that is still regularly played on the radio today, adding to their popularity.
The noughties renewed interest in punk guitar music, as well as seeing the rise of grim and even dubstep. This was also the decade where London based Coldplay made their debut, before rising to international fame.
London today is changing year to year, with all sorts of music dominating the scene. Truthfully, there isn’t a dominating band or genre in London, but it’s hard to argue that grime and rap isn’t one of the biggest risers, with performers such as Stormzy and Dave dominating.
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