Independents working to bypass fat cats

There are several ways local musicians can bypass the strongholds that keep us from reaching our own communities.

You see, radio is a controlled format of media that rarely plays locals, no matter where you live. Also, independent record stores that may have carried CDs by local musicians have been replaced by large chain stores that never accommodate local musicians, no matter where you live. In addition to these two crippling conditions of the music industry, and because of these strongholds, media tends to overlook locals in favor of the much more noticeable corporate counterparts who happen to have their music on the radio and their CDs in all the chain stores.

Go figure.

Regardless of these sad, but-true, facts, there are ways around this scenario. There’s the much-touted Internet, which is supposedly the savior of independent musicianship worldwide, but that could easily end with the much-talked-about regulation of the Web, which would most assuredly dismantle any true, independent music dissemination. As soon as the big guys wrestle control of this medium away from the little guys, the public will once again have its access limited by a handful of fat cats.

So the story goes.

Some local musicians, however, have discovered an innovative way to make themselves known. They are partnering with locally owned companies that share a vested interest in the music scene, but more importantly an interest in their local communities.

Time To Live, a local band fronted by Janet Metzner, was recently sponsored by a local tattoo shop, Cynful Ink and Metal. By cultivating a relationship with this local business, Janet will be able to reach a new audience that might not have heard of her or her music. By appealing to the clientele of this business, Janet and the gang are sure to make some new fans. Equally beneficial to Cynful Ink and Metal is the fact that they will be flaunted to every audience that Time To Live performs in front of for the duration of their mutual sponsorship. Considering how many performances this band has been part of in the last year, this could easily be thousands upon thousands of people. That’s the power of local business and local music working together. It’s perfect.

Cynful Ink and Metal will celebrate its first anniversary in business at the Moosehead Bar in Palmer on Saturday at 8 p.m. Of course, Time To Live will perform, along with another local band, the John Hillborn Band at 9 p.m. There will be door prizes from Valley Performance Yamaha and Bruce’s T-Shirts, raffles, ugliest tattoo contest (winner gets a free cover up), tattoo showoff, skate demo and Yamaha bikes on display. So, a local business and artist, Cyndi Ryan, owner of Cynful Ink and Metal, will have their anniversary party at a local venue, the Moosehead Bar, with two local bands performing, Time To Live and John Hillborn Band and many support businesses. That’s synergy — or should I say “Cynergy?”

Make-a-Scene!

Josh Fryfogle is a local professional musician who owns 212 Music Group and operates Make-A-Scene in Wasilla. He writes about music every Friday.