Fort Worth will soon be home to another music festival.
Lost 鈥檔 Sound, an initiative of Near Southside Inc., was unveiled at Hear Fort Worth鈥檚 town hall on the state of the city鈥檚 music scene.
The nonprofit hopes that the recurring series of performances can help build connections between establishments and artists as well as filling the gap in venue spaces where emerging artists can perform. The launch is planned for May 18.
鈥淭onight we heard a lot about , and , all very talented musicians, who we know by name,鈥� said , director of communications and events for Near Southside Inc. 鈥淏ut for every Lou CharLe$, there are so many musicians waiting in the wings trying to make those connections. 鈥� If you鈥檙e an emerging musician there鈥檚 this vacuum.鈥�
Venues operated on razor thin margins even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and those margins have continued to shrink as operating costs increase, meaning that few spaces can afford to take the risk of booking an unknown artist.
鈥� has been a great incubator for emerging musicians because money is not our priority. Our priority is community,鈥� Henderson said.
However the cost of stages, production and construction near the outdoor green space where concerts were held meant that Near Southside Inc. had to make a decision.
鈥淲e either have to pause Friday on the Green or inject it with steroids, and inject it with steroids was the answer,鈥� she continued. 鈥淟et鈥檚 take the concept of booking emerging artists. 鈥� Let鈥檚 create wacky bills with artists from different genres and approaches to music and put them on stage together 鈥� in a variety of unexpected spaces like art galleries and offices.鈥�
The news was well-received in a larger conversation about current issues hindering artists, potential solutions and existing resources.
In addition to higher prices for everything from venue insurance to fencing and port-a-potties, venues are also struggling with high no-show rates from ticket holders, Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a really confounding statistic that I hear from almost every venue I step into 鈥� is the no-show thing. It鈥檚 bizarre,鈥� Anthony said. 鈥淭hey can sell a room, and it won鈥檛 be full because 20% of the people just don鈥檛 show up. 鈥� It鈥檚 not like, 鈥極h, well. What鈥檚 the difference? It鈥檚 just more room for us to stand,鈥� (because if they鈥檙e not there) they鈥檙e not buying anything at the bar either.鈥�
These issues are not specific to Fort Worth, Anthony said. What is unique here is the level of support people in the city have for local music, he continued, pointing to the full showroom.
Mayor Mattie Parker, District 9 council member Elizabeth Beck and several representatives from Visit Fort Worth joined the crowd of artists and music fans gathered in the showroom at Printed Threads.
Mayor Parker noted that as one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, Fort Worth has a responsibility to maintain the culture that makes it unique.
鈥淚 think one of the No. 1 responsibilities we have as city leaders is paying attention to who made this city great in the first place,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淎nd it really is the people in this room, and the creative arts are something that sets Fort Worth apart from some of the largest cities in the world, and it鈥檚 a reason why people keep coming back over and over and over again.鈥�
Tom Martens, director of the Fort Worth Music Office and associate vice president of creative branding at Visit Fort Worth, sees musicians as an asset to the city.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a community that brings these people together and makes stuff happen,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want everyone to say, 鈥極h, that鈥檚 so awesome. That鈥檚 Lou CharLe$, he鈥檚 in Fort Worth. That鈥檚 , he鈥檚 from Fort Worth. That鈥檚 the . They鈥檙e here from Fort Worth.鈥� That鈥檚 what we want. 鈥� Because when musicians are on the road, they鈥檙e ambassadors for our city, and that鈥檚 the best thing we could ask for.鈥�
The fact that so many of the artists who made it big still make their home in Fort Worth is a big deal.
Anthony, of the Texas Music Office, emphasized that scenes tend to follow scenes, so having such energy and excitement in the local music community is a huge benefit to Fort Worth.
鈥淭here are very, very few places in the world where something like this would happen, and let鈥檚 not take that for granted,鈥� he said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 really recognize that being able to come together like this and talk about concerns that mean something to us and have been heard by people who can react to these issues and cause positive change for you is a real gift that you鈥檙e all helping invest in.鈥�
Marcheta Fornoff covers the arts for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marcheta.fornoff@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .