The Alt Music Scene of SoCal (An Expansion Of A Discussion I Had On Reddit)

June 19, 2024

(Quick disclaimer of I've only seriously been in the music scene for about 3 years now, and am not anywhere near experienced as I'd like to be)

Last week, there was a post in r/punk that got me thinking about the music scene and how it compares to what I've heard about shows from the 90s and early 2000s. Living in Southern California, there is a lot here but for a guy who really values local shows, both for financial and community purposes, I haven't been able to find a sizable punk scene. However, what I have been able to find is screamo.

There has been a large uptick in skramz/screamo bands specifically in the Inland Empire. There's definitely a large overlap between the skramz and punk communities, and they often share the same venues. However, when it comes to regulars and familiar faces show to show, I rarely see the same punk twice, whereas there are plenty of regulars at the goth and industrial clubs in Los Angeles.

Of course, a big difference is that goths have a club scene along with live shows, whereas punk, hardcore, and skramz are almost entirely show-based when it comes to events. Additionally, with the rise of Live Nation and the Goldenvoice/AEG as the two major venue owners, and the closing of small independent venues and houses/garages/basements, smaller bands are getting pushed further into secretive pockets. With the rise of social media, I have seen more "iykyk" and "dm for address" shows being advertised, and while I know it is for safety (both physical and legal), it puts a barrier up for those not already "in" the local scene.

Having done some digging with a friend, we've found we don't really have "local" bands the way we'd like. A lot of what we can find are 2 or 3 cities over, local to the Inland Empire, but not really that close. With California traffic, it would still be a 40+ minute drive. There's a lack of active independent venues near us (2 have closed down just this year and the others we know are only semi active).

Ultimately, you have to be the change you want to see in the scene, but it's tricky to know where to start. Start your own band? Host house shows for other bands? It's hard to do with jobs and no real place of your own or apartments with noise complaints. I'm almost gonna try and set up in a field across from the house.