The Lantern wrote Columbus music scene out of tune
Amy Hoover
Issue date: 1/28/08
Every night in Columbus, a different band hooks up its amps and pours its hearts out to bar audiences. Some might be playing for the first time, and others have been playing for years and are still considered underground. The music scene has remained static for the past 20 years, with little hype and attention. Other than a nightly announcement on the Blitz or CD101, the only way to catch a band is by happening upon a flier.
A lot of weight has been placed on the fact that, culturally, Columbus fits the dry Midwestern bill. When comparing other musical melting pots in Ohio, Brian Gardener, 53, an ex-saxophonist and local jazz musician, said “Cleveland has long, steady icons. You can go to any bar and never know what’s going to happen.” Gardener said that the same bands play at the same venues, and have for years, but a lot of new artists drop off the bandwagon once they realize that being a full-time musician in Columbus hardly pays to put food on the table.
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