An online music website recently named Madison the second best city in the United States to attend a live rock concert.
Songkick, a live music database, formulated the list by calculating each city’s “rock score” based on rock concerts per capita in the past year.
Madison secured the second place spot with a score of 78 out of 100. The website also found the average ticket price of a Madison concert to be $13.05.
“I think that Madison’s spot as the second best city in the U.S. for live rock concerts is certainly hard earned,” Joyce Edwards, Editor-in-Chief of Emmie Magazine, said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald.
Edwards said a large draw from both local and big name bands in Madison contribute to an active music scene.
Milwaukee also made the top ten list at number six. Ticket prices are, on average, about $17.66 there.
Songkick also found a more dramatic increase in the number of tour dates for smaller acts during 2007-2010 as opposed to larger and more established bands.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said that Madison’s music scene has ebbed and flowed in recent years.
“There have been years with obituaries for the music scene because some have called it unhealthy,” Verveer said. “It’s been said that there aren’t enough venues with high capacities to add to the community’s vibrancy.”
Verveer also said most live music venues have to make money on alcohol sales as well but members of the Alcohol License Review Committee have been encouraging new liquor license applicants to consider applying for 18 and over entertainment licenses.
Edwards said Madison’s music scene provides many opportunities for music enthusiasts to see old favorites live or check out new up and coming bands.
“Most notably, live summer terrace shows on the lake at the Union host some great acts in one of the best locations in Madison,” Edwards said.
She said Madisonians in general are avid music followers with locally run blogs, newspapers, and magazines that have massive followings and function as large forums for music discussion and news.
UW sophomore Cara Ladd, however, said some concerts can be inaccessible to students either because of the obscurity of some artists or the location of many venues on the east end of Capitol Square.
“I would definitely be more apt to go if there were more concerts on State Street,” Ladd said. “There needs to be more advertisement in the area and I think live music could really take off if [local promoters] do it.”