From Rose Music Hall to more intimate locations like backyards and basements, there are loud respites from the worries of everyday life throughout Columbia. It’s easy to look outside and feel hopeless, judged or even scared at how things currently are. It can be tough to find a distraction, but one place relief can be found is within the city’s live music scene.
With events like the True/False Film Fest and the many artists who consistently show up at The Blue Note, the city’s creative scene speaks loudly. Whether it’s rock concerts or EDM raves, Columbia has a wealth of live music events that can be a haven from things like rising economic insecurity, pressure from school and an increasingly pessimistic political climate. These shows can bring inspiration, community and hope, to a bleak outlook on things right now.
“In a time and in the world like this, where a lot of people are divided, I think it’s still one of those things that does bring people together,” said Ryan Seaton, a guitarist and vocalist for indie rock band Dead Jones.
The five-member band was founded in December 2024 and plays covers and original music at venues across Columbia.
“We show up wherever music is honestly needed,” Dead Jones drummer Colin Smith said. “We’ve played on campus, in people’s backyards, just anywhere where people want to hear it.”
Joe Tyler, guitarist and vocalist for Dead Jones, believes that music can bring people together in any circumstance.
“You could come from totally different backgrounds, totally different places,” Tyler said. “You can meet somebody from 5,000 miles away, and you can both agree on one thing: A song is good.”
Unity is especially important now more than ever, and live music is a place where attendees can truly be themselves while being free of judgment.
“Everyone is in one big room feeling something together, and it’s really special seeing just the crowd reaction,” Smith said.
Columbia’s rave scene reflects this too, from big venues like Rose Music Hall and The Blue Note to smaller, more underground parties. For those who prefer electronic dance music, raves are perfect for a similar type of connection.
“(EDM) is inclusive for everybody,” said Will Rable, also known as DJ Slxck. “There’s not one group that it’s meant for, and that’s why it’s so great.”
Rable has mixed for Columbia venues like Rose Music Hall and The Blue Note, playing in dark atmospheres with flashing lights. In these parties, it’s all about the music, the way an EDM DJ can mix and transition songs makes people dance and travel to a different world.
“When you hear a song you’re not like, ‘Oh, there’s this going on and this going on,’” Rable said. “You’re like, ‘I’m here, and I’m embraced by what’s happening in this moment.’”
Live music is crucial to becoming more connected with a community for both the audience and musicians. It lets them both know that despite the struggles of everyday life, nobody’s going through it alone. Everybody present is there for the same reason: to experience it with other people while freeing their minds from their responsibilities.
”It’s like the music is almost bigger than a cultural divide,” Rable said. “It gets rid of the culture and it’s more just, ‘What do you like?’ Do you like the feeling it makes your body feel? Does it make you want to dance? Does it make you happy?”
Columbia’s EDM scene encourages lifting up fellow artists and supporting listeners. Mason Heller, whose stage name is Redline, agrees with this perspective.
“The scene here is very tight, very cohesive and everyone wants to support each other,” Heller said. “And I think that’s what makes it the most special.”
Whether it’s through hopeful lyrics or a reassuring synth sound, music can calm the mind while uplifting the spirit that’s going through hardship. The power of song can bring hope and support to one another, which is what live music can deliver, even when things seem bleak. When audiences leave the venue, they feel like they can tackle the world again with a clearer and brighter mindset.
