When it comes to the local dance scene in your country , more specifically in your neighborhood , home town or city, it is so pivotal for those clubbers/club owners and/or event organizers to support their local talent. Showing support for local DJs/performers is what can create a strong backbone for your city, club , bar or event.
By supporting your local DJ/performer as an club goer , it shows the utmost love and respect from the performer to those who come out to support them . Its through this support that a performer can create a following and build on his/her brand/sound. If you love a certain DJ/performer in your area/city . Go out and support them , especially if they’re just starting out. In smaller countries , like mine, getting people to come to your gigs is very important , as the clubbing market is on a much smaller scale, club owners find this important when booking performers. Every DJ and performer has started out at the bottom , and in the beginning its the hardest part to garner support for gigs and get people to turn up . But if the ‘locals’ don’t show support for their local performers , what does this say about the area/town ? In my opinion this doesn’t reflect anything good about that town/city , it shows lacking in talent , when in actual fact their could be many performers booming with passion and talent. Club owners are also to blame , they don’t even consider where the DJ/performer is from and don’t show any support or callus for this. Event organizers and club owners , in my opinion , should always consider booking local talent before considering moving out of their city. It supports the local market and grows the local clubbing culture. I mean , isn’t that what we all want ? A city to be proud of its performers ? A city to be proud of its brand ? A city who has created an original sound/brand ?
Every town/city/area should have their own ‘clubbing identity’ , an identity that can draw in people from other parts of the country or even from all over the world. It’s a win win for everyone. Performers get recognized for their talent , clubs develop their own sound or brand. Look at cities who have developed their own original and unique sounds , such as Chicago and Detroit. They have grown their sound into something that draws in people from all over the world . It wasn’t started over night , but naturally their local DJs and performers got love and support from their local residents and club owners who pushed them , and in turn, the ‘sound of the city’ into the spotlight. On a larger scale look at countries like South Africa and the UK . Afro house has been around in South Africa for a very long time , but has become more recognized (due to artists such as Black Coffee , Culue De Song and more) in recent years and has put South Africa on the map as THE afro house nation . Same can be said about the UK with its UK garage sound .
Alas that is not the case in today’s day and age . In today’s terms , support means ‘ I ‘liked’ your facebook page’ or ‘I shared your post’ . This does show support , but its not meaningful support. Support is when someone comes to your gig to listen to you play or when a club owner books you cos he/she likes your sound and he would prefer booking you cos you’re a ‘local’ and that you deserve a chance in the spotlight. This is something that is overlooked immensely. How can a city’s music culture grow if they’re not even getting bookings from their local clubs ? How can there be 'movements’ if no one is coming to their gigs or club owners are not giving them a chance to grow ?
If you had to compare this topic to another , one way would be to consider a football club. Majority of their supporters are from their hometown . For example , Liverpool football club , the entire surrounding area around the stadium has the majority of their support . If this applies to football , they why not DJs and performers ?
There’s also something special about going to gig to show support , to a performer that you personally know from your neighborhood , or from a performer who see on a weekly basis walking on the street. Its a connection to a person whom you show support and that by doing so can make you feel good about yourself. That you have contributed to your local dance scene. That you are , whether you believe it or not , are lifting the clubbing culture/ music scene of your local area. Ask any DJ about playing in their local town and they’ll always tell you its the best feeling the world to them. Why ? because they have a connection to that town , because they have a love and respect to those who have supported them . Those who stood by them from the beginning . Same can be said about venues where they played when they first started out , cos more than likely that had the best gigs of their lives there.
It can also be said that a local DJ or performer is more likely to attend the venues that book them more so than venues that don’t. So this in turn does have a role to play. A local DJ or performer can easily come to your establishment more so and more often than someone who lives out of town , or out of the city or even out of the country. They can also bring more people to your establishment and again have the same affect on your venue/event as they would on yours. As said previously , its a win win for everyone.
So to this I say , if you know DJ or performer in your local area and like their sound or what they’re playing . Then go out and support them . Don’t just like their posts or comment on their pictures on Instagram . Instead go out and watch them live. And club owners , try investing in a local DJ or performer at your next event. You can truly create something powerful through this . A mutual respect of love, understanding and support.
