Pictured here, at a multi-band show at the Spinelli’s on Baxter on Oct. 29th: Thee Tabs, Pons the Band
By Anthony Riley
Louisville isn’t the first city many people think of immediately when it comes to music, though that may be changing, particularly with the recent success of rapper Jack Harlow.
Though it’s not necessarily Nashville or Los Angeles, Louisville is home to a burgeoning alternative music scene.
With limited budgets, homegrown talent, and a love of community, the Louisville “DIY” scene, largely driven by the youth generation, is re-surging in a way not seen since the 90s.
Much of Louisville’s alternative music scene can be found at local shows happening nearly every week, occupying local bars, restaurants, even outdoors at parks or even parking lots.
These photos from a show at Spinelli’s Pizza on Oct. 29th are a familiar sight to anybody in Louisville who’s been to such a show. It’s common for these multi-band shows to feature two or more bands in a single night, playing back to back.
Spinelli’s Pizza is a longtime event venue for bands in Louisville; despite the recent closure of their downtown location, which was known for its energetic and often rowdy shows, other Spinelli’s locations continue the tradition of combining food with local live music.
Other popular venues for shows, just to name a few, include Z-Bar, which is located close to U of L and is popular with students, Magnolia Bar located in Old Louisville, Huston Quin Park, and the Chapel of St. Philip Neri, an old Catholic church that hosts concerts on weekend nights. [Click the links for photos of recent shows from each venue]
The Cardinal asked a few questions to T Moore, a U of L student who’s the frontman of popular local band Thee Tabs, about the state of local music in Louisville.
A: What’s your favorite thing about being in bands and making music?
T: “Self-expression, collaboration, living within other people’s creations, and performing said creations.”
A: How do you feel about Louisville’s local music scene and where it’s headed?
T: “It is a strange community, currently not at its hottest but I look forward to the future of Louisville music.”
A: What are you working on right now that you’re most excited about?
T: “I have started a new project entitled PARKiNG and I am working on a full EP currently. I’m excited to see where that goes.”
You can follow T on Instagram @shrudd.co
T’s band Shrudd is headlining a show at the chapel of St. Philip Neri on Nov. 19th.
File Photos// Anthony Riley The Louisville Cardinal
