I’m from a small-ish English town. In the early 00s it seemed like every weekend there was an alternative band playing at either the one dedicated music venue we used to have, in the civic hall or just in a pub/ working men’s club that all the local goth, metalhead and punk kids would go to.

The quality of the local bands varied a lot. Most did covers, some did their own stuff but some “big” bands came from out of town at the start of their careers. I saw Enter Shikari here one weekend then Crystal Castles the next.

We always had fun though. Well, as much fun as a goth is allowed to have and still seem cool.

Is that still a thing? It certainly doesn’t seem to be here. I still check local gig listings. The only bands who come here now are tribute acts or still 90s/ 00s nu-metal, emo and pop punk cover bands.

Some local bands play the few pubs we have left but they tend to be “Dad rock” bands, people from my parent’s generation or older covering pop and classic rock.

This post started out all melancholy but changed completely when I realised that either I’m so totally out of touch with “the kids” I have no way of finding out about gigs they’re playing or the whole concept of grass roots live music is dying out.

If so the younguns can tik their tacs and snap their chats or whatever the hell it is they do to listen to music and I’ll enjoy my admittedly more sedate mosh pits before the hip operation comes and I have to move a bit further back.

What are songs from the 50s and 60s called now?