Build the Bridge: Why Just Showing Up Can Be the Best Thing You Do for Your Band

Algorithms Don’t Pour Beers or Book Gigs

Kevin McElroy
Editor, Tune Up Magazine

We always tell people: don’t burn bridges.
But maybe we don’t say often enough:
build them.

And not with demos. Not with sales pitches or Instagram tags.
You build bridges with presence. With curiosity. With just showing up—when it’s easier not to.

It Started with a Simple Decision

Johnny E and I are both a couple of ol’ cusses in our mid-50s. We’ve been around the local music scene for a good while now. These days, we’re not avoiding going out—we just have to push past the gravitational pull of the couch. Long days, early mornings, and the simple truth that, yeah, it’s just easier to do nothing.

But this past Saturday, we had no excuse.

Our friends Ed and Michele Secrest—owners of Berlin Brewing Company—were hosting a show. For years, they’ve welcomed us and supported our efforts to spotlight original bands through our radio show. They’ve gone out of their way to open their doors to local talent, and that night they were doing it again. We had the time, we had the history, and frankly, we wanted to see them. So we went.

We didn’t go to network. We weren’t working. We weren’t there to be “radio guys.”
We were just there.

And like always, that’s when the good stuff happens.

The Power of a Night Out

In just a short two-hour visit, here’s what we experienced—organically, casually, with zero expectations:

• Reconnected with Ed and Michele, who somehow still manage to pour beers and make everyone feel at home
• Saw old friends we’d made at the brewery over the years—bartenders, regulars, good people… even Danny
• Johnny got to chat gear with a respected musician Rick Criniti who’s played with national acts such as Cinderella and Blackeyed Susan
• We hung out with friend Chris Herninko of area original band, The Circus Hearts, who are currently enjoying the title of WMMR’s Local Shots Artist of the Month this July
• Met the creative director from a major TV station and was able to talk shop, if only for a few minutes
• Caught up with infamous guerrilla rock photographer, Rich Fuscia, selling copies of his book on the spot after a shoutout from Jacky Bam Bam
• Unexpected surprise seeing area rock photographer and show promoter, Melissa DeBrigida-Parent and Donn Parent of Music Matters Media Productions, LLC
• Crossed paths with a program director from one of the biggest rock stations in Phil-a-delf-I-A
• Was introduced to Megan Knight, a former American Idol contestant and up-and-coming country artist with Nashville and Muscle Shoals connections. So don’t let the genre of the hosting band fool ya!
• And of course, the whole thing was being emceed by local vampire and Philly radio phavorite, Jacky Bam Bam, who brought the energy and helped make the night feel special

And that’s just the people we happened to talk to.
We know there were others in that room with stories, connections, and music in their bones.
Six degrees of separation? Huh, I think the math goes much higher.

All of it happened because we got off the couch and showed up.

It’s Not Networking—It’s Community

This wasn’t some industry mixer. It was a cover band show at a local brewery. A very good cover band named Spectrum.
But that brewery has become a hub because Ed and Michele put in the real work.

They didn’t just build a space.
They built relationships.
They gave bands a shot. They gave local beer lovers a home. They supported people like us who wanted to do something creative for the scene. And they’ve done it all with modesty and heart.

We’ll raise a glass to them—because they’ve created something that matters.
And that something is community.

If You’re a Young Band… Listen Up

If you’re only going out when you’re playing, you’re doing it wrong.

You want to build a scene? Want people to care about your music?
Then you’ve got to care about theirs. You’ve got to care about the venues, the fans, the bartenders, the lighting guy, the regular who shows up every Friday just because he loves hearing live guitar.

Support other bands. Even cover bands. Especially cover bands.
Watch how they connect with a crowd. See how the gear’s set up.
Listen to how they handle transitions. Talk to the people working the room.

You don’t have to be the star of the show to be seen.
You just have to be in the room.

You don’t need to push anything. Wear your band’s shirt if you want. Talk about music if it comes up. But this isn’t a pitch session. This is the real-world version of social marketing—being present, being cool, being consistent.

And when you’re really doing the work—working on your craft, your songs, your sound—that commitment will show. People will respect that. People in the room will take notice, even if they don’t say it right away.

But let’s not kid ourselves. It’s never guaranteed.
There are no shortcuts. No secret handshakes.
You have to earn your place.

Don’t Be Shy. (Even If You Usually Are.)

I’m not the most outgoing guy in the room. A lot of nights, I’ve talked myself out of conversations I should’ve started. I’ve missed opportunities because I stayed in my own little bubble.

If that’s you too? That’s fine. That’s normal.

Start by going out. Observe. Be a wallflower. Learn who’s who.
Come back another night when it’s less crowded. Say hi to someone. Ask a question. Compliment the beer.

And if you need a little boost, liquid courage as they say?
Well… good thing you’re in a brewery.

One hang turns into a handshake.
One handshake turns into a conversation.
One conversation turns into a connection.
And that’s how bridges get built.

What You Do With It Is Up to You

You might talk to someone for 30 seconds and never see them again.
Or they might become the person who books your first real show.
Or they might just say something that sticks with you.

Either way—it only happens if you’re there.

So go out.
Be kind.
Be interested.
Support the places and people that are making music happen.

Because you never know who you’ll meet.
And you never know what one night out might set in motion.

P.S. The Social Side of Social Media

Even if you weren’t there—or there—take a scroll through the photos people post after a local show.
Pay attention to who’s liking, who’s commenting, who’s tagging who.
You might be surprised.

That’s where you start to see the web.
A friend of a friend. A name you’ve heard. A face you didn’t expect to be there.
Six degrees of rock and roll separation. That’s the good stuff.

These little social breadcrumbs might just lead you to a producer, a bandmate, a designer, a venue, or a photographer you didn’t even know you needed.

And While We’re at It… Know Your History

If you’re a young artist, here’s a tip: it’ll never hurt to know your local music history.

You might know a name from radio—say, Jacky. But do you know his music roots?
Do you know why he’s respected beyond the mic? Could be his collection of hats.

Do you know who played what venue before it got turned into a pet store?
Who recorded where? Who helped who?

This is where we come in.

You want to talk “social”?
The most powerful algorithm is a 55-year-old barfly with a memory like a steel trap and a heart for rock and roll.

You might not need us to help you with your TikTok.
But you just might want us around to tell you where the bodies are buried—and where the best gigs used to be.

And that knowledge?
That’s power.

Got a Story Like This?

We’d love to hear it.
Tell us about the night you almost stayed home—but didn’t.
The person you met unexpectedly.
The connection you made by just being there.

Drop your stories in the comments.
Let’s build the bridge, one hang at a time.