Live Local Music through the Eyes of a Musician

By: Miles Baker

Greenville is home to tons of different music genres. I promise you if you want to hear a specific genre, you’ll be able to find it at one of our many spots throughout town. Some of my favorite places to catch shows are at the Radioroom, the Spinning Jenny, Scandi Tiny, Smiley’s acoustic cafe and many others. 

Greenville is a growing city with tons of new places opening up from delicious new restaurants to intriguing new venues. Along with all the new growth happening here is the growth of the local music scene. Being a musician in Greenville has been such a great experience in watching the music industry grow. As the light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines (for COVID-19) approaches, I am confident that the music scene will only grow further.

One of my favorite parts of being a student at Furman is the ability to see live shows with bands and music acts from Greenville, the Southeast, and even around the country. Greenville is located in the perfect spot for bands to visit as they move North or South from cities like Atlanta or Charlotte. Part of the draw of playing here in Greenville is that Greenville loves live music and its venues provide the chance for very intimate shows that create amazing experiences for the artists and the attenders. Although many of our venues are small, don’t let that fool you: great acts are always in town and shows sell out quickly!

Although this past year was interrupted by a pandemic and live shows were not happening as often as they typically would, I am so incredibly excited for next semester. Not only because I’ll be able to attend different shows Thursday through Saturday in Greenville but also because I’ll be able to play shows with my own band again! I am so excited to play at venues again with a packed house. It’s one of the best feelings in the world and an even better feeling when your friends are in the crowd. I know a lot of my friends and other Furman students love to go see local bands play all the time and having that as an option next Fall will be nice.

With the abundance of venues, there also comes an abundance of music happening in Greenville. It is so cool to see how much talent is in the upstate all the time and it’s incredible to be part of such a vibrant scene that has so much to offer. If you ever need to reach me, I’ll definitely be in the crowd at the Radioroom head banging to some rock or at the Spinning Jenny dancing the night away to some folk music. Hopefully I’ll see you there!