The Challenge… Unite the Scenes and Share the Family!

.It’s time for me to channel my inner Hilljack and rant for a few moments! There is a movement happening on the internet right now to unite the music scenes throughout the tri-state area. I think that the AK Valley and surrounding areas have done a great job creating an amazing scene, no make that family of bands that work together for a common goal. I am so happy that the scene has allowed me to interact with them as a blogger and podcaster for over 20 years! You are not in this alone. There are many resources out there willing to help, and many of them are free to help promote the scene. What I’m trying to get at it, is USE them!

Social Media

Social media can be both a detriment and a godsend when it comes to bands. You should be posting about your band and their upcoming shows, news, cds and so on, BUT, do not rely solely on Social Media. It can help, but it isn’t the only answer. When posting on social media, I suggest tagging the other bands playing the show with you and using hashtags so that people can search the show easily. You need to have a website or some sort of online presense, you need to be posting flyers (PS Venues I’m talking to you here, too!), you need to be sharing shows and resources with other bands and people in the scenes. Together we can take our scenes to higher places.

Our Part in This

When I started AK Music Scene and the Pennsylvania Rock Show back in 2004 my goal was to help build the scene, I have some growing to do still too, BUT the scene has grown and it has began to prosper, and it will get noticed! But why not work together and speed up the process? Why not start linking some local scenes and trade some shows, you’ll make John Lane happy by doing that. John is a staunch support of the AK Valley and Pittsburgh Scenes while he’s out hitting the road in the Akron scene! Lady Jay can help us pull in the West Virginia scene, too.

Would you like to have your music played on the Pennsylvania Rock Show. We’re always looking for guests, just drop us an e-mail. Do you have an upcoming CD Release, epic event, shows, want a cd, show, or song review,  have a tip or trick to share with our scene, want to do a guest article, or just some information that you’d like to get out to the masses? We have AK Music Scene at your disposal to disperse information about our scene. If you have something you want to discuss about the local music scene, that’s where our new website/podcast, Podcast your Scene, comes in. We are also using Podcast your Scene as a home for podcasts that feature local music.

AK Music Scene and the Pennsylvania Rock Show had over 1 million hits last year alone. I’m offering that to you, for free!

Podcasting?!?

As far as my call for interaction goes, we’ve been doing a lot of that around here lately. John Lane, of The Hellfire Club, has started to kick his podcast, The American Hilljack Files into gear. We’ve helped him get it setup and into some directories. Bill has even guest hosted it with him. His podcast is a very to the point look at the OH and PA music scenes.

We have also been involved in the evolution of another podcast called, The Weekly RockBlog. It is hosted by Brian Shaffer of The Free Peanuts Band.  The Weekly RockBlog is devoted to new up and coming music from across the state and beyond. It will review new music of all genres, talk about current musical trends, offer insight into local scenes across the country and provide some tips and tricks on promotion.

First Angel Media

In the Pennsylvania Rock Show’s last episode we interviewed Jana Lee Macheca of First Angel Media. First Angel Media was founded to help promote the Pittsburgh music scene. It has evolved to photography, promotion of shows, written articles, and CD as well as show reviews. Working behind the scenes to help bands find venues as well as helping to promote a supportive and positive environment for all musicians. There is also an element for national and international bands, reviews and articles have reached across the USA and into other countries. Contact First Angel Media if you can use these services, fees stay low – it’s about the music. Jana is a staff writer at The Heavy Metal ICU and Adrenaline 101 Radio. In the coming weeks you will see her start to provide music articles here on AK Music Scene under her writing name, Lady Jaye, as well.

Let us know in the comments, how we can help you! Or let us know how you feel about this article, or even some of your own ideas to help the unification hit the ground running!

– Bill