2008 Woodie Awards
Local music scene in need of student support
Joey Vonhaeger
Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: Culture
By Joey Vonhaeger
Staff Reporter
The seventh-annual CIA Music Awards will take place Saturday, Oct. 14 at Rhythm 'n Brews downtown.
The Chattanooga Independent Artists will be recognizing local bands for their hard work and dedication with over 30 different award categories.
John Rawlston, local musician and stage manager at Nightfall said, "The presence of college-age music fans is what is missing.
"The local scene needs support from young people, especially the college students in the area," Rawlston continued. "A big reason why a lot of students don't participate in the local music scene is because they don't really know of any music clubs."
Rawlston said although there aren't as many music clubs in Chattanooga as there might be in Nashville or Atlanta, there are still plenty of places that students can enjoy local music.
"Music venues such as Rhythm 'n Brews or The Local are popular places for students, but still lack student involvement," he said.
There have been several local bands comprised of UTC students in the past and there are still some today, however many students said they are not familiar with the local band scene.
James Wheeler, a Chattanooga senior, is an avid fan of local music and believes that if some clubs and bands are to survive, UTC student involvement is necessary.
"As students, we really need to get out and get involved in the local music scene," Wheeler said. "I regularly go to shows and know how much fun it can be. I just feel like a lot of people are missing out on it."
Rawlston knows that it is a fact that most UTC students go to places like Nashville, Knoxville and Atlanta to see most music shows, but urges students to realize that the music scene here in Chattanooga isn't as bad as some may think.
"A lot of people look at a city like Nashville and know that they have a larger music scene and are scared to get into the Chattanooga scene," he said.
Rawlston also said, "The CIA Music Awards are a big step towards promoting awareness of Chattanooga's music scene to local college students." He thinks the students need to become active in supporting it.
"We need UTC students to come out and go to these clubs and see these local bands," Rawlston said. "The more support that the Chattanooga scene can get, the better."
Staff Reporter
The seventh-annual CIA Music Awards will take place Saturday, Oct. 14 at Rhythm 'n Brews downtown.
The Chattanooga Independent Artists will be recognizing local bands for their hard work and dedication with over 30 different award categories.
John Rawlston, local musician and stage manager at Nightfall said, "The presence of college-age music fans is what is missing.
"The local scene needs support from young people, especially the college students in the area," Rawlston continued. "A big reason why a lot of students don't participate in the local music scene is because they don't really know of any music clubs."
Rawlston said although there aren't as many music clubs in Chattanooga as there might be in Nashville or Atlanta, there are still plenty of places that students can enjoy local music.
"Music venues such as Rhythm 'n Brews or The Local are popular places for students, but still lack student involvement," he said.
There have been several local bands comprised of UTC students in the past and there are still some today, however many students said they are not familiar with the local band scene.
James Wheeler, a Chattanooga senior, is an avid fan of local music and believes that if some clubs and bands are to survive, UTC student involvement is necessary.
"As students, we really need to get out and get involved in the local music scene," Wheeler said. "I regularly go to shows and know how much fun it can be. I just feel like a lot of people are missing out on it."
Rawlston knows that it is a fact that most UTC students go to places like Nashville, Knoxville and Atlanta to see most music shows, but urges students to realize that the music scene here in Chattanooga isn't as bad as some may think.
"A lot of people look at a city like Nashville and know that they have a larger music scene and are scared to get into the Chattanooga scene," he said.
Rawlston also said, "The CIA Music Awards are a big step towards promoting awareness of Chattanooga's music scene to local college students." He thinks the students need to become active in supporting it.
"We need UTC students to come out and go to these clubs and see these local bands," Rawlston said. "The more support that the Chattanooga scene can get, the better."
