Growing up in a small town outside the lower mainland, I didn’t get to see many of the big names perform in concert at places like BC Place and Rogers Arena.

Instead, I grew up watching local artists from my area play at things like the local Fall Fair and Summerfest.

With that, some of the artists I got to see perform were people that I had run into on the streets just days prior without knowing that they made music.

With those smaller communities, things are a lot more interconnected and there is definitely a sense of that community drive to go and see those local artists.

Also being from a small town, you can get random opportunities to work with artists like I did helping an artist called Scalawag with their set for a music video.

There’s also this sense when going to see locals perform that you know you’re supporting a neighbour as you would shopping at a local store.

I can get the excitement of going to a big-name concert as I have gone to a couple though going to a small-town event and being surrounded by others from the same community is on another level.