What happened to our scene?

[girl anachronism]

I left these boards almost 8 years ago, and now I'm back.

What happened to all the bands and musicians that were on the go back then, our scene just died.

I have kept playing in bands and going to shows, but it was like one night our city was raped of our scene.

I remember all the awesome halloween shows and christmas shows, all the parties we would have.

Has everyone grown up, and forgot who they are?

Honest to goodness! Rather than mourning for rose-tinted days of Yore above St Nicks with your scene friends, and then going on some bizarre self-indulgent internet guess who, why not get out and immerse yourself in some of the great music happening in the city at the moment and use this site to your advantage?

Sure, we all loved Drakes, and there were some mighty fine gigs in the Moshulu back room, but I honestly think I've been to more "wow" gigs in Aberdeen over the past few years (featuring both local acts and touring acts) than I can remember in a long time (Tune Yards, Laetitia Sadier and Joan of Arc to name but a few), and all power to the wealth of seriously good local bands that have been getting out and playing in other towns. There's plenty worth seeing in Aberdeen right now, in a load of different genres, why not check out the "local bands contact list" thread (you could even maybe call it the LBCL if you like, how about that!) and see what's out there. Then there's listings, review sites and online collectives like The Kiosque, Flares 'n' Seagulls, Herc. Moments and Not a Teepee that regularly feature local bands and put out samplers and things. You might actually find something you like.

See, it's not all bad is it? Their their, dry your eyes.

[Teabags]

http://www.aberdeenbands.com/

Just read about that on Facebook.

Go easy on them, Internet.

[ca_gere]

aaaand...scene

[diarmaid]

I think most musics shite (as a whole, not just locally) and subsequently (as of late) would prefer to spend my time watching Masterchef. I apologise for the part I have played in the death of our city's scene.

[Paranoid Android]

I wasn't taking this thread very seriously earlier on when I read the first couple of pages but coming home to see that the list of things being mourned has been extended to kids hanging out on st nicks roof. Fuck Me. I stopped right there.

[maud 'dib]

a gig at Captain Toms is pretty much like a gig at Drakes really, about the same size...but the wine selection is better. I don't really recall the skate punk period being much fun, I'm old and jaded and this thread is depressing.

[Lemonade]

Disagree. Most cities have major gig clashes every night. It's the options available that make a scene thrive. My problem is that I have zero interest in most bands around here.

True, but when there's only a hardcore gig-going group of about 100 people in the city and there are 3-4 venues vying for their custom every night, it ends up with bands playing gigs to 4 bored-looking punters and a drunk guy puking on himself. It gives me sads is all.

[Oedo 808]

At its heart this thread had a good point, but the status quo non-contributors shouted it down without much thought or true consideration. The simple fact is that most people on this website don't really care about local bands. People who are serious about promoting their music go elsewhere, or at the very least, don't spend too much time here.

[Swingin' Ryan]

I'm glad to have been around and gigging when I was, because, as I say, it made me a lot of great friends and made me feel like I was a part of something special, which is an amazing feeling when you're 16. There were even times when I put on gigs in Laurencekirk, picked up the phone and got these awesome bands, who were my mates, to drive down on their own steam, play for fuck all and I know a few young people there who started playing instruments because of those gigs. De Barros, Quik, Liber8, Black Atom and FeSTR at the St Laurence Hall. Lots of happy memories

This is the nail on the head for me. That particular scene of bands at that time felt really special and I have some of the best memories of my teens from gigs in Lava, Drakes, Lemon Tree etc. As much as everyone who was a part of it will look back with rose-tinted glasses it seemed incredible. Some Ska band from Nottingham would turn up in a minivan at Lava on a Friday night and the place would be absolutely packed to the rafters, crowds of acned kids with sweaty mops going absolutely batshit to a band they'd never heard before. It was brilliant.

The thing is that scene didn't 'die' for any other reason than it was such a 'right time, right place' thing. There were three main reasons -

1) Due to the huge popularity of Nu-Metal, Pop-Punk and all their variants, shed loads of teenagers in provincial cities got into 'alternative' music at the same time.

2) The internet was at that perfect stage, most people had it and could instantly find information about local gigs, but most people didn't have the ability to quickly download whole albums etc and there was no YouTube. Plus MySpace hadn't really kicked in so bands main forum for airing music was still gigging.

3) Places like Lava and Drakes etc actually having gigs that teenagers could get into meant all the kids who were hanging around St Nicks could suddenly hang around indoors, watch bands and look longingly at members of the opposite sex.

There's definitely still a scene in Aberdeen and I think it probably has more good bands than it's had for ages, PLUS a lot of the bands actually seem to be going out and trying to actually make a proper go of it. I think it would be unhealthy if everyone from that scene was still hanging about in their mid-20's/30's wearing the same clothes watching the same bands. It's best just to keep that time as a great memory and concentrate on all the good stuff going on.

[ca_gere]

At its heart this thread had a good point, but the status quo non-contributors shouted it down without much thought or true consideration. The simple fact is that most people on this website don't really care about local bands. People who are serious about promoting their music go elsewhere, or at the very least, don't spend too much time here.

This post bugs me a little. No offence. When I lived in the city this was the only thing I used to find out what gigs were on (except looking at drummonds posters I suppose). Football chat, spotify recommendations and lol pics aside, it's still the main reason I use this site. I listen to pretty much every local thing that gets posted because I still take a huge interest in the music from my area. If something sticks out I'll go out my way to foist in on other people because there's a little sense of pride in doing so. God knows how many people i've made listen to Stanley/IRL/The Little Kicks/Marionnettes/loads of other local bands I like.

I'm fairly certain i'm not alone in using this site to 'keep up' with local music activity.

[Guest]

Guys r scene wht happened 2 it??

[ca_gere]

If a Scenester falls in a city with no scene does he make a scene?

[Gypsum_Fantastic]

the status quo non-contributors shouted it down without much thought or true consideration. The simple fact is that most people on this website don't really care about local bands. People who are serious about promoting their music go elsewhere, or at the very least, don't spend too much time here.

I do not agree with this at all, what are you basing it on?

[Lemonade]

This is the nail on the head for me. That particular scene of bands at that time felt really special and I have some of the best memories of my teens from gigs in Lava, Drakes, Lemon Tree etc. As much as everyone who was a part of it will look back with rose-tinted glasses it seemed incredible. Some Ska band from Nottingham would turn up in a minivan at Lava on a Friday night and the place would be absolutely packed to the rafters, crowds of acned kids with sweaty mops going absolutely batshit to a band they'd never heard before. It was brilliant.

The thing is that scene didn't 'die' for any other reason than it was such a 'right time, right place' thing. There were three main reasons -

1) Due to the huge popularity of Nu-Metal, Pop-Punk and all their variants, shed loads of teenagers in provincial cities got into 'alternative' music at the same time.

2) The internet was at that perfect stage, most people had it and could instantly find information about local gigs, but most people didn't have the ability to quickly download whole albums etc and there was no YouTube. Plus MySpace hadn't really kicked in so bands main forum for airing music was still gigging.

3) Places like Lava and Drakes etc actually having gigs that teenagers could get into meant all the kids who were hanging around St Nicks could suddenly hang around indoors, watch bands and look longingly at members of the opposite sex.

There's definitely still a scene in Aberdeen and I think it probably has more good bands than it's had for ages, PLUS a lot of the bands actually seem to be going out and trying to actually make a proper go of it. I think it would be unhealthy if everyone from that scene was still hanging about in their mid-20's/30's wearing the same clothes watching the same bands. It's best just to keep that time as a great memory and concentrate on all the good stuff going on.

Or the same sex. Jeez, you homophobe.

[Swingin' Ryan]

Or the same sex. Jeez, you homophobe.

Haha, God you're right. Six months away from this site and I've turned into Telecaster_Sam.

[Paranoid Android]

To be fair I don't think Capdown at Lava was the top spot for a recently out of the closet young man.

However there were quite a few let's get the attention of the boys by kissing another girl girls around.

[The Milner]

They were always my fav....

[girl anachronism]

At its heart this thread had a good point, but the status quo non-contributors shouted it down without much thought or true consideration. The simple fact is that most people on this website don't really care about local bands. People who are serious about promoting their music go elsewhere, or at the very least, don't spend too much time here.

I'm intrigued, who are all these "status quo non contributors" you speak of. The vast majority of pekoe who have given the OP the time of day in the thread so far are involved in some way in the current Aberdeen music scene, be it the live circuit, contributing recorded work, promoting, reviewing, or even taking the time to keep up to date with what's happening locally, despite having left Aberdeen several years ago. Just because not everyone's reduced themselves to being a snivelling relic of the "sCeNE oF 2001" doesn't mean they don't care or don't have an interest. I think it's the sweeping generalisations made by the OP that have ruffled feathers.

[3CR816]

There still seems to be a lot of kids going to rock shows at the Music Hall, Tunnels and Drummonds, so stuff’s definitely still happening but it certainly doesn’t look like it’s meant for me. I don’t have enough neon clothing and I don’t believe band names should be full sentences. There are some really good local acts ([], Filthpact and Annoying Ringtone float my boat right now), but with a few exceptions I don’t know if we’ve got enough really special acts to get really excited about.

I find it kind of surprising that somewhere as grim as Aberdeen which is in thrall to one industry hasn’t done a Manchester and produced a Fall or Joy Division or done an Akron and produced a Devo or Pere Ubu*. I don’t even mean a soundalike band, because we’ve had those. I don’t even mean a post-punk band, that’s just my reference point. I mean a band or artist who looks at Aberdeen, goes “fuck this” and makes something that sounds like it pukes oil and paves over gardens while subsisting on a diet of salty dough. If Sheffield has a sound, then I think Aberdeen could too.

*I’m sure even famous musical cities have rubbish bar bands too. Manchester had Oasis, for example.

[Mr Owl PhD]

I'm intrigued, who are all these "status quo non contributors" you speak of. The vast majority of pekoe who have given the OP the time of day in the thread so far are involved in some way in the current Aberdeen music scene, be it the live circuit, contributing recorded work, promoting, reviewing, or even taking the time to keep up to date with what's happening locally, despite having left Aberdeen several years ago. Just because not everyone's reduced themselves to being a snivelling relic of the "sCeNE oF 2001" doesn't mean they don't care or don't have an interest. I think it's the sweeping generalisations made by the OP that have ruffled feathers.

[FOX]

I was thinking the same thing. Looked it up to see if it was a fancy idiom.

[-HH-]

I agree shows at music hall still sell very well, yet young kids don't support their local scene.

It could be down to either not knowing about the scene, or not felling welcome within it.

Need to get more young bands on bills, and get the drive going again.

[Jaaakkkeee]

Loads of young kids support their scene.

[Alkaline]

For what it's worth there is next to nothing of interest for me in the "scene" at the moment. I find a lot of the people involved in it extremely irritating and there are very few bands kicking about that i would actually part with cash to see. The only reason i stay using this website is that there may be a new band turn up that i like.

It may be nostalgia but i enjoyed the scene from 7/8 years ago more. I'd love to be in a band again but there doesn't seem to be that many kindred spirits kicking about at the moment which disappoints me greatly.

[FOX]

For what it's worth there is next to nothing of interest for me in the "scene" at the moment. I find a lot of the people involved in it extremely irritating and there are very few bands kicking about that i would actually part with cash to see. The only reason i stay using this website is that there may be a new band turn up that i like.

It may be nostalgia but i enjoyed the scene from 7/8 years ago more. I'd love to be in a band again but there doesn't seem to be that many kindred spirits kicking about at the moment which disappoints me greatly.

What genre do you like? (Gonna take a wild guess and presume it's not metal.)