How to Support The DIY Bands You Love

When I started working on this piece, I was influenced by conversations that I’d had with both musicians and fans about the financial sustainability of being a DIY and/or independent musician. In the last week, I’ve looked back at these conversations with a totally new lens as festivals, tours, and shows have been cancelled as a result of the spread of COVID-19.

As musicians are feeling the tension of the pull between financial, physical, and mental well-being, it’s even more important to demonstrate care and compassion for the music-makers around you that you love, that have inspired you, and that may have even saved you. We have to take care of ourselves, and we have to take care of each other.

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As a musician, it can be hard to make money. With overhead costs high and streaming royalties low it’s no wonder that a lot of independent artists get tapped out early on in their careers. But still, in the throes of capitalism, many musicians are both surviving and thriving through the support of their communities and a steadfast dedication to the craft.

KC-based Stary is a three-piece indie rock band that recently wrapped up their first tour. As a band, most of their income comes from merch and ticket sales, though they often pass along their cut of the revenue at a show to touring bands. All three members, Marisa, Seth, and Adam, balance responsibilities outside of the band that help them to pay bills and fund their music. But even with additional incomes, money can be a roadblock for the group.

“We’ve been asked to open for bands out of town a lot more, and we can’t say yes every time” they say. “We love playing as much as possible but we usually lose money when we get the opportunity for a weekender or opening slot for a national act because we won't make back what it costs for gas and food.” 

To help save costs on their first tour, Stary partnered with local restaurants to save money on food. Ahead of their tour dates, they reached out to restaurants in the cities they were stopping in and asked for discounts in exchange for sharing about the food and their experience on social media. 

Back at home, Stary has been focused on building relationships with other bands and creatives in their local scene. Collaboration between photographers, graphic designers, promoters, and venues has helped them to feel empowered as a creative force within their own local community, and friendship has been an important part of their own ability to stay excited about making and sharing music. 

Amy Hoffman is one of the four members of the Boston-based Future Teens. She and her bandmates have found a lot of kindness and generosity in their community, which has helped them to keep going. For Future Teens, the kind of support that feeds them the most directly isn’t always monetary.

“It’s just a matter of which kind of support we most need at any given time,” says Hoffman. “Sometimes we need the energy of a kind crowd, other times we’re stressed about money, or maybe we don’t know where we’re staying after a show.” 

Things like showing up for gigs in the local scene and buying merch can help bands financially, especially bands that are touring and need that extra money to get to their next city. But as Hoffman says, a kind word to a band you enjoy can also make a huge difference in keeping their energy up and staying excited about their work and their music. 

“Hearing that a stranger has connected to something I’ve worked on has pulled me out of my imposter syndrome and back into a kind headspace more times than I can count,” says Hoffman.

Building a community online can be equally as important as building a community offline. With social media, bands can build relationships with fans, radio stations, promoters, and other bands all across the country, says Taylor Hughes of New York’s EXNATIONS. 

“It sounds so simple, but helping a band with their social visibility is easy yet meaningful,” says Hughes about ways that people can support DIY and independent musicians. “More eyes on content and less money spent on marketing is like a dream to me.”

Supporting the bands you love is an important part of keeping a healthy and thriving community alive, whether it be in a city, among friends who tour most weeks out of the year, or online.