When I was in high school in 2003-2007 it was basically impossible to not know someone who was in a band. SO many guys in every local high school were in the shittiest garage bands, which kind of felt like a teen culture. I mentioned in another post that I didn't go to legit concerts in big cities when I was younger, but obviously I still went to bowling alleys or American Legion halls or wherever to pay $2 to see someone's friend's brother's band absolutely destroy the concept of music. It was basically just super loud noise & off-key yelling (bonus points for original songs of teen angst). I'm pretty sure that most of those guys knew their bands wouldn't go anywhere or ever be profitable... they were just having fun and contributing to the overall atmosphere. We just wanted a place to be.

So my question is, do teens still hang out at random band practices in someone's basement or garage or pole barn or whatever? Because that makes me so sad if that's no longer a *thing.* This current generation has so many advantages that we didn't have... the least of which is the fact that girls might be more accepted in bands now instead of being relegated to simply fans or merch girls (not that I'm bitter ha).

In the early 2000s there would be bulletin boards in the entrances of stores (or sometimes by the bathrooms) that were covered in flyers that were largely about local gigs, music instruments for sale, music lessons, babysitters for hire, pets lost/found, etc. It seems like it would be way easier to find those things now with the internet. Plus, you can literally learn an instrument online now!! You don't have to try to track down someone in a nearby town who might have some spare time to teach you a few guitar chords.

I didn't grow up in an area that had money, either. Guys would borrow guitars and drum kits from friends in other bands, rent old ones from a place an hour away, work long hours after school to buy a beat up instrument, etc. There was just this sheer drive and determination to make it work out somehow. And it didn't matter which city or state you were in... we still had this scene in common when we got to college and met other people.

And I'm realizing that I don't see flyers anymore. The American Legion halls and bowling alleys and church basements and high school gyms and former makeshift "venues" have no evidence of crappy small shows. When did this disappear? Or is it happening elsewhere? Someone please explain the current teen culture to me. Where are y'all hanging out?? I feel ancient and so very confused.