local music scenes

[Mass Movement]

Out of curiosity I’ve been wondering what the reaction has been to electronic music in peoples’ local music scenes.

I’m from York (England) where there is a large amount of polite singer-songwriter types and metal/rock bands with little in the way of electronic acts (though there is a small dupstep scene that it is pretty cliquey) and the impression I’ve got from many people is a, at times aggressive, belief that electronic music is not ‘proper music.’ For whatever reason, most likely because York is a small city, local music is stagnant and doesn’t seem to have changed over the years.

Have others found that, particularly in the UK, there is still a lack of acceptance of electronic music, whether it is techno, house, dupstep, electro or whatever, by audiences and venues etc. even in larger cities? Does it matter and should these acts just grit their teeth so to speak and not worry about general public opinion because by the nature of electronic music it is ‘underground’?

[MacGuffin]

If you think it's bad in the UK, imagine in North America.

Electronic music not 'proper' ... ? who said that? wtf is this, the 90's?

[v0ins315]

If you think it's bad in the UK, imagine in North America.

[soultwist]

North America is a big place. In small town, USA that's probably the case. But I've never sensed any kind of hostility towards electronic music living in Toronto, visiting Chicago or New York. I think most people embraced it by now. If not trance or house, at least combined in a traditional band setting.

[MacGuffin]

Well he was talking about smaller places in the UK...
I also find that electronic music is pretty common here and accepted here, that's why I asked if this is the 90s. But I haven't lived in a small town in a long while, maybe things haven't changed in hick towns.

[AceLuby]

We have a pretty good scene up here in Minnesnowta. We have about 5-10 'electronica' bands as well as 20-30 DJ's that play around the cities, Duluth, and Fargo. Surprisingly, Fargo has a pretty good underground electronic scene. I feel pretty lucky to be able to hear lots of different types of electronic music locally.

[MacGuffin]

I think broadband internet connections have helped a lot.
10 years ago, to hear underground music you had to go to a big city with a specialized record shop or order stuff by mail. These days you can discover the most obscure experimental band in 3 seconds using google, listen to streamed mp3 music, hate it and forget it within 24 hours.

Also, I think that hip-hop dominating pop music for about a decade helped demystify the idea of making music with machines for a lot of people. Even if the aesthetics are different, it's still made with the same machines. And these days hip-hop sounds like an 808 kit with trance presets anyway, so the lines are blurred even further.

[Mass Movement]

I imagine that the US is still pretty prejudiced towards electronic music. A lot of Americans seem to want their music pop and not much else.
And as for the '90s attitude I agree completely and York is still in the year 43AD - something to do with the Romans - anyway....- the internet has changed our awareness of and exposure to electronic music so being from a small place doesn't mean you're cut off but there is still the issue of getting gigs in your local area and attitudes don't really change on a large scale when you're from a small place

[Mass Movement]

and it's interesting to hear everybody's thoughts and experiences

[8O]

Hey, I saw The Orb at York Barbican in the early 90s! Fact!

But yeah, it's mostly a pub pop/rock band scene, right? Isn't there something electronic on with all them students there - maybe there's a small underground scene to tap in to...?

Edit: try to hook up with Beaumont Hannant!

[Cryptic UK]

Mass Movement talking about local music scenes...... ok.

[UKRuss]

Make your own scene. York's begging for it.

[Guff Tong]

Pretty much spoilt for choice here in Bristol area. All genres catered for, loads of new sub-scenes too...

In the surrounding countryside its more a free party techno scene but dubtsep /breaks is bleeding into this also.

On the whole its pretty eclectic and most club nights feature a cross-over of scenes.

Loves it i do.

[Sage]

Pretty much spoilt for choice here in Bristol area. All genres catered for, loads of new sub-scenes too...

In the surrounding countryside its more a free party techno scene but dubtsep /breaks is bleeding into this also.

On the whole its pretty eclectic and most club nights feature a cross-over of scenes.

Loves it i do.

Aye, Bristol is wonderful.

No one doing electronic music in Swindon seem to make themselves known.

[dhilsabeck]

Surprisingly, Fargo has a pretty good underground electronic scene.

Really? I know someone moving there for a couple of years and they're concerned about a lack of good entertainment. You got any links or anything that can give some more info on this? Thanks in advance.