Underground shows and podcasts: The new way to discover music and the artist's that make it

Startups have been shaking things up for decades. We see them more visibly now and refer to them as startups, more prominently tech startups, but they have always been at the core of innovation in our society.

The startup is of course comprised of individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset, strong work ethic, and passion. These are our society’s disruptors, innovators, and most unique individuals.

Grand Rapids is no stranger to entrepreneurs, but the latest wave of innovators usually look towards the San Francisco Bay, NYC, or even secondary markets like Austin or Boulder. Still, even among the innovators, there is unique innovation and radical thinking.

Enter those transplants that come to Grand Rapids that thrown down roots to collaborate and innovate to fulfill their passions. This passion drives them to face failure everyday, and the slate can be wiped at any moment.

Necessity is the mother of innovation, and our city is beginning to fill with talented individuals eager to make Grand Rapids their canvas.

The concept of a house show is not new, but at its core is the spirit of innovation. Where a house show does away with the traditional venue and all the fees that come with it, and instead uses a house as the venue for a more economical and intimate production. The same is true for podcasts. With high barriers of entry for both venue shows and radio broadcasting, entrepreneurs sought ways to get out their material. In the same vein, our city has seen a growth of house shows, to the success of The Lamp Light Music Festival and the rise of more Grand Rapids based podcasts, like Super Hungry The Podcast.

Virginia Anzengruber, host of Super Hungry The Podcast, has made Grand Rapids her home base and has begun to use different ways to reach a wider audience and provide unique content.

This past weekend, Anzengruber hosted a secret pop-up show and podcast on the Southside of the city where she hosted local rapper Lady Ace Boogie of “Feel Good Music” fame. The mix of an interview and a live show was punctuated by questions from the audience and performances of unreleased material for the lucky few.

When asked about why the she used the unique format, Anzengruber replied: “I love the intimacy of house shows, and am inspired by the people of at SoFar Sounds (Sounds from a Room), who curate some of the best and most intimate shows I've ever been to. I wanted to sort of recreate that vibe with this event. The small, intimate audience brought the exact atmosphere I was hoping would organically happen. I think it really comes across in the recording.”

The show was intimate, allowing the audience to see and hear Lady Ace Boogie in ways that a traditional venue could not grant. Under the advisory of local music mainstay Thom McGuire, president of the West Michigan Entertainment Industry Professionals, Anzengruber presented a viable new formula for the growing underground music scene in Grand Rapids. With advisory from McGuire, who himself worked with the band Journey, it seems that Anzengruber’s efforts will be well guided.

Anzengruber added: “I've been to tons of house shows...I knew it was something I wanted to do, and I think Lady Ace Boogie is such a dynamically talented performer that I knew we'd be able to create something special. Having an audience's energy to pull from really makes a difference. It's like any live show—it only exists between the people who were actually there.”

Though a singular experience, Anzengruber did capture the entire event for her next episode of Super Hungry The Podcast, which will be dropping soon. With a great show in the books we asked what was next for Anzengruber as she seeks to continue to expand formats she tells us:

“I’m currently in the funding/pre-production phase for my next project, an expansion of the Super Hungry brand. While the podcast focuses on the lives of working, or "Not-So Starving Artists"; the new project, a six-episode YouTube series, is called Super Hungry: Conversations from the Kitchen and will explore the intersection of food and storytelling. Highlighting some of the best and most inspired chefs in our nation’s mitten. Super Hungry: Conversations from the Kitchen will dissect and engage the viewer in the ephemeral Art of the Meal. I'm also going to be offering my Podcasting 101: The Basics and Podcasting 201: The Details workshops again through a collaboration with Avenue for the Arts.”

Grand Rapids is mixing it up, and you will miss out if you don’t stop and smell the roses. The person next to you in the coffee shop or on the bus could be the host or creator of the city’s underground scene.

Ken Miguel-Cipriano is Rapid Growth’s innovation and jobs editor. To reach Ken, you can email [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.