Hot Take: Should All Artists Start Their Careers In Small Venues?

Contributed by Monica Soriano

Jesse McCartney performing to a full arena, on the Greetings From Your Hometown Tour, Photography by LJ Portnoy

The music industry is constantly adapting to technological changes. Social media has become the biggest marketing tool for artists. Cellphones are being held up to record every second of a performance. With the rise of viral sensations becoming stars, not all artists can decide whether they can start in small venues or go straight into being an opening act for the biggest superstar in the world. 

There is something to be said about the preparation time those artists have before launching their careers. Many of them have not set foot on a stage before going viral. Ideally, all artists would start at intimate venues, fairs, or festivals where they can build up their confidence, find their performing style, learn how to engage with an audience, and navigate mishaps on a smaller scale.

Nowadays, every second of a performance is being filmed at different angles through cell phones. Artists don’t have the luxury of making mistakes without the fear of going viral; therefore, there is more pressure. 

Which leads us to our hot take: If all artists started at smaller-scale performances, it would take a lot of weight off the performer and make a better show for the fans as well.

Showing up for somebody and rooting for them from the very beginning has a rewarding feeling on a personal level. Watching an artist grow for the fans is exciting. To be able to attend a show and be there before they start doing arenas or stadiums must be one of the most memorable experiences in fan culture.

Early career moments become the motivators and memories when the stages grow bigger. Although where one starts does not always depend on the artist but rather labels, management teams or third parties, it is still always noticeable to the fans when the artist has been prematurely thrown into a bigger stage than they were ready for. 

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Fame Arrives Fast; Readiness Doesn’t Always Keep Up

Let’s take a recent performance by Ejae, the singing voice of Rumi in K-pop Demon Hunters. Ejae spent many years training to debut in the K-pop scene, but when that didn’t happen, she worked hard and built a career for herself as a songwriter.

 When K-pop Demon Hunters exploded in popularity, she became a superstar almost overnight in the eyes of the media. Before her debut with the other Huntrix singing voices (Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami) at the Jimmy Fallon Show, she had a panic attack. 

Her success is very much deserved, and she pulled off the performance beautifully, but this is a clear example of how suddenly being thrown into stardom can affect an artist not just in their performance but also in other areas of their life. It is possible to adapt to big productions, after all, some people just have it (a strong work ethic, a background in show business, a superstar relative, or a very well-rounded team). Many artists have at least one of those, but many have none. Especially right now, when people are being discovered on TikTok and are quickly launching their careers.

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From Tiny Rooms to Towering Arenas

For fans, getting to witness intimate concerts before stadiums and arenas is a core memory. Going to a fair or a festival and seeing a band or an artist start off their set with minimal stage production but still delivering a wonderfully crafted set. Attending a local venue to watch an up-and-coming artist and seeing them nervous or excited about their show, regardless of the amount of people attending. It’s all an experience for both parties, making it something invaluable. 

Yung Gravy performing to a smaller-sized crowd (for comparison to above photo of Jesse), shot by Madison Cozzens

Small venues are a great learning experience for an artist's development. They start learning works in their sets, what to talk about in between songs, and how to carry themselves. Making a mistake seems trivial in this environment; it is something to laugh at with the crowd.

Juxtapose that to being in a full production with in-ears, monitors, and a very large crew around. Things that need to be learned go beyond the technical stuff. For example:

•  What does an artist do during an emergency? 

• How do they handle the pressure? 

Learning how to remain calm with errors, looking at the crowd, and making sure things are going smoothly. The large number of people can be overwhelming for someone thrown into it too soon. 

Additionally, performers have to make sure that they have the stamina necessary for choreography, live vocals, wardrobe changes, and be able to communicate with the public as well as listen to the staff in their ears. All eyes are on the artist, and if something happens, they are expected to remain poised and handle the situation to the best of their abilities.

Grant Knoche performing (photo from the crowd), Photographed by Fernando Flores

 While no one can 100% predict what is going to happen, the next best thing is being able to improvise and communicate effectively.

 This could be for something as simple as mic issues, unexpected rain in an arena, or an emergency within the facilities. It is only through building the experience as an artist that things won’t feel so overwhelming. The more shows, the more confidence is built. 

It is like a regular job; the more experience, the easier it gets. Many of today’s superstars have the extensive resume that is required to headline their own shows, and most of them have been called an overnight success. In reality, those big names have had to work on their craft for years. 

Sabrina Carpenter was a Disney Channel star with many albums under her name before becoming the Sabrina Carpenter the world knows today, and before even being nominated in the Grammy’s Best New Artist category. She first started touring in late 2016 in venues with a capacity of 500-600 people. She eventually went on to open for Taylor Swift and then her own arena tour. 

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Our Hot Take: We Don’t Want to Lose the Intimacy

With the current prices of concert tickets, many people have been fondly looking back at their old memories from when seeing an artist was more accessible. Fans can reminisce about those small shows they attended and be happy they saw their favorite artist before they blew up. 

There’s someone out there telling a story about seeing Paramore perform their first-ever Warped tour set in 2005 before becoming big enough to headline in 2009 or even the massive success they are to this day. Someone somewhere has an album full of pictures from when Nick Jonas would wear full suits to perform in the summer heat during Jonas Brothers' fair performances. The accessibility to an artist that comes with a show at a small venue is priceless to some fans.

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The music industry is changing, but something that shouldn’t change is starting off at small venues. 

Not only for the person on the stage but for those off it. The artists deserve a safe place to grow, and the fans deserve the experience of an intimate show. It is a privilege to start small, be anonymous enough to make mistakes, and just enjoy the ride. 

For those who don’t have the privilege, those artists who are thrown into the big stages quickly, one can only hope they have a strong foundation for everything that is coming their way. 

When they start on a smaller stage, the concertgoers are also allowed to enjoy the journey just as much as the artists who get to make mistakes, grow, and evolve onstage. 

Cheers to the fans who show up early, stand shoulder to shoulder, and walk away with core memories built to last a lifetime.