National touring and massively successful musician Pat McGee recently put up a couple photos on his Facebook Page of newspaper clippings that his wonderful and proud mother cut out of the Washington Post 18 years ago. THIS one lists Pat playing with his old band "Gillian's Fun Deck" at a local venue. THIS one has even more future stars. This was a time when he was playing the same small bars and clubs that I'm currently playing now. The neat part is reading through the other local "small" bands and artists that were playing Virginia and DC back then. Names like Dave Matthews, Jeff Buckley, Hootie & The Blowfish, Edwin McCain, Doug Derryberry and John Alagia, Vertical Horizon, and more. It was an interesting peak into the past, with the knowledge that all of these musicians went on to do big things. 

A comment left on one of the photos reads "What I wouldn't give to have been living in Virginia in '94.... sigh".

My response in the comment section: "Those were amazing times 18 years ago. But 18 years from now, I'd like to think you can look back at today's Washington Post and be equally amazed. All the more reason to support local music:)"

In theory, everybody wants to catch a band before they make it big. But you can't do that if you don't support local music. It's hard to believe, but the Grammy winners of 2030 are probably playing at that BBQ joint around the corner next friday. Did you ever catch Starfish before they became Coldplay? Or Pineapple before you knew them as Fleet Foxes? Wouldn't it have been great to see Tony Flow And The Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem long before you could calle them RHCP?

Want a place to start? Check out Morgan Frazier, Gideon Grove, and Matt Duke. Because the next time you hear of them, you might not be able to get tickets.... but you will be able to brag.