You can't sit with us.

Funny thing about nearly any local music scene: it's like a high school clique. I will always be one to push for us all getting along and helping one another succeed, but it never really seems to work that way in real life.

Not to pat myself on the back any more than necessary, but it's kind of frustrating sometimes to feel underappreciated for my talents in comparison to those around me. I always feel like the under dog- why is this band getting all the attention when all they do is bullshit people and play generic covers?

Why is the fact that I work long hard hours to invest a lot of money into my recordings a bad thing?

Why do those same disingenuous people get to play the better venues while all of the promoters in St Pete/Tampa are telling me "we don't want a girl on the bill" or "we're not really looking for the sad girl with an acoustic guitar sort of thing- maybe try a coffee shop or open mic night?".

So, the clique goes like this... There is a legitimately talented band or person who finds moderate local success for whatever reason. Then, regardless of their talent, his/her friends or brown nosers ride those coat tails, and take up all the spots on bills that other people maybe deserved a bit more.

Maybe it's just my high school experience flashing back, but I tend to go for the local under dogs in the music scene. The ones who are screaming the loudest and never heard. The ones who are fighting the hardest and never moving up.

I asked on my personal facebook for people suggest their favorite local bands in my area. I already know exactly who they're going to suggest.

It's a popularity contest.

It's the cool kid party.

I'm not invited.

The good ones never are.

I'm not bitter though, nor am I arrogant enough to believe I'm better than everyone else. I'm just confident enough in my own work to know that being a big fish in a small pond isn't really something to aspire to. I know that the guidelines I set for myself and career will push me in the right direction...some day us small fish will hit the big ponds.