Last fall, I wrote an article talking about Worcester’s music scene in a negative light. I claimed that it was impossible for local musicians to grow, and that musicians have to look for work in other towns/cities. I was running based on the assumption that music had to be in the public eye, that it had to be on a flier posted on a bar’s Instagram page in order to breathe. 

This summer I had a few great experiences and met a few great people, and I’m writing now to take back what I said.

As I’ve begun to focus more and more on my music and building connections with other artists my age, I’ve found multiple DIY music houses and seen amazing bands play. One such setting, which I won’t name because I’m a terrible gatekeeper (and it’s much more rewarding to find music yourself),  is a repurposed building in the Quinsig area that has become a refuge and breeding ground for Worcester alternative music. 

Bringing in talent since the late 2000s/early 2010s, the venue has racked up an impressive and eclectic clientele. Artists such as Screaming Females (who I saw at the House of Blues last fall and has since disbanded) and Mitski have made waves at the venue before reaching critical acclaim and headlining sold out arenas.

I went for my first time with my friend Andrew Skuz, we both went in with very blank expectations and were astonished when the music hit. Walls of speakers were set up and, while there weren’t many people to absorb that noise, the energy far outweighed that of a packed Palladium. There was new music, new scenery, new air. I felt community in a Worcester musical setting for the first time in a long time.

The venue also houses an experimental art gallery, where visual and non-musical performance artists are welcome to share their work with those interested. Also provided are classes on electrical circuit bending, noise music and more. 

I figure it relevant to add that as a musician these discoveries have been of significant benefit to my tracks and performances. Being able to feel such raw emotion and to be able to talk to the artists after the fact has been amazing and really set the standard for the type of artist I aspire to be.

If you want to see live music in Worcester on a weekly, maybe even daily, basis, I advise you do some searching! There really is something for everyone, from hip-hop, rap, and R&B all the way to punk, noise, and shoegaze. And musicians, as far as you know, you could be playing those stages someday too.