International Regional and Local Music Scenes
Local Sheffield, UK Music Scene
The local music scene of Sheffield has a deep history of many artists who have gone
on to international fame. Some of the top acts from the region have included
Joe Cocker, Def Leppard, Human League, ABC, LFO, Ace, Paul Carrack, Living In a Box,
Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Heaven 17, The Dylans and Cabaret Voltaire. Sheffield has a lot
of legendary live venues such as The Casbah, The Boardwalk, The Grapes, The Harley Hotel,
West Street Live, The Cremome, New Barrack Tavern and The Runaway Girl.
Sheffield is rich in arts and education, giving it a strong cultural profile.
An organic lifestyle that focuses on better quality of life, is enhanced
by music that is driven by community spirit and empowering storytelling.
One of the best centers for developing local musical voices is the University of
Sheffield, which houses the a music technology center called USSS. The studios
are ideal for students studying electroacoustic composition. The Department of Music
conducts research that is used throughout the world.
Some of the familiar venues throughout Sheffield history where local bands play include The Greystones,
Plug, Fez Club, Bungalows and Bears and Penelopes. Widely known local bands include
Screaming Maldini, Sabella, Coyote Mad Seeds, Fallen Trees, Scrim, Population Lost
and Scoot and the Megablocks.
People can now sample songs on iTunes before they buy an album, which is turning
consumers into smarter shoppers. Instead of burning a stack of cash on albums only
to find one or two good songs on each one, people can buy one song at a time, like
back in the classic era of pop music when 45 rpm singles ruled the musical
landscape. While iTunes has been a huge success, not as many albums sell in the
millions as in the last century. People simply don't want to clutter their
computers with tons of songs they think are worthless.
A new more valuable model can be developed by Sheffield artists, following the model of
the Beatles. Sheffield's emerging generation of young talent can help craft a more
organic local scene by creating albums with lots of variety so that every song sounds different.
This concept will help an album sound greater than the sum of its parts, if the
music is written with enough imagination and performed with enough spirit. Once the
attention shifts back to songs instead of elaborate electronic productions, it
allows the truly talented musicians to showcase visionary art that amazes people.
This type of art does not need to sell in the millions. It only needs to touch
the spirit felt in Sheffield and surrounding regions.
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