Are Cover Bands Killing Music Scenes? (Q&A Episode)

Drowned in Sound founder and DiS podcast host, Sean Adams answers your questions. Send Qs for future episodes to sean@drownedinsound.org.

Links mentioned in this episode

• Article: Cafe Oto at Oscars - The Guardian
• Artist Recommendation: Nina Versyp
• Artist Recommendation: TTSSFU
• Artist Recommendation: Maella 
• Video: Apple on Dolby Atmos
• Ticket App: Dice
• Link: Tim Burgess listening party
• Article: Bjork immersive album Bowers + Wilkins 
• Drink: Icelandic drink Black Death
• Venue Recommendation: Trades Club in Hebden Bridge

Music by Sound Mirror, available on Bandcamp here: https://sound-mirror.bandcamp.com/album/lake-wind-water-mountain

Your Questions:

Alex Lee Thompson: Are ”scenes” over? Unpack that question as you like

Simon Marshall: After the excellent live bands to look out for article, sponsored by Seetickets, I would be interested in your views on the ticket selling part of the music industry - as a music consumer the DICE app was and is a revelation, what is your experience, and what is the best place to buy to support artists and venues? 

Ear Protect Req: What three bands or artists should we be checking out live?

Soundmirrorworld: Will the Atmos, immersive audio bubble burst? Or keep going ’til we’re full frontal?

Alex Botten: What do you think about the hoards of zombie cover bands eating up local venues. Are they helping or hurting the scene? (I believe profoundly hurting)

Eric Weiner: Would love to hear your thoughts on the listening party. Are they ever any good? What’s the perfect album release party?

Grimes quote in full: Honestly the thing I like most about k pop is its an actual scene - reminds me Canadian punk scenes or the indie scene  back in the day where like if your integrated enough there's like a constant feed of beauty with sort of known rituals, built in community, and like a collective excitement that is contagious and life affirming. I see how music scenes function effectively as a quasi religious institutions in a secular society. The extreme corporatization of music followed by Covid was very culturally harmful imo cuz a healthy modern music scene is actually a functional religious replacement - if one assumes the mind is better served by access to a healthy community that produces art, has events, shared morality and values, messiahs haha etc. Techno and emo rap similarly ensnared me over the last decade to an extent but they seem less "all ages"