Welcome to the Gainesville, Florida Music Scene and Here’s How to Get Involved.
For this specific article, I will be focusing on individuals who attend the University of Florida. If you are a Gainesville local who just wants to join the community. The swamp is full of various types of music and opportunities.
The first thing you need to decide is what you are interested in. Are you looking to take some awesome live event photography? Do you want to learn about the music industry from a business perspective? Or maybe you are an artist yourself, looking for gigs? There are many areas to explore when it comes to getting involved in the music scene of Gainesville. If you have no clue where to start, no problem I’ll get you right on track.
Now, if you are a student at the University of Florida, the first thing I recommend is to join a few music clubs on campus. Gator Music Industry Club (aka GatorMIC) and Swamp Records are the two biggest clubs on campus that are related to music. I recommend starting in Gator MIC. Gator MIC is an industry focused club. The club's main focus is to inform and discuss news and opportunities happening now in the music industry. The club meets once a week and does not have any big time commitments, nor does it have any dues. The club frequently has guest speakers who are professionals in the music industry. Most notable this year was James Armstrong, the Vice President of Creative Marketing at Sony Music Publishing. They will spend about an hour with the club, discussing their role in the industry and answering any questions the club has. This club is a great way to connect with likeminded people and test out the waters of working in the music industry. It is a great way to meet new people if it’s your first year at UF and it’s a great way to connect with music industry professionals early.
The next place I’d recommend for UF students is Swamp Records. Swamp Records is a student run record label in Gainesville. The club regularly signs local bands and artists to assist them with marketing, music recurring, booking, photography etc. You do have to apply and interview for Swamp Records, but it is the best place to be for anyone who wants to work in the music industry in the future. There is a time commitment for this club, as well as a small fee after entry. Although, that money goes to the events that Swamp puts on throughout the year and the required merch to wear at those events.
I am personally a part of both Gator MIC and Swamp Records and it is the best decision I have made since starting at UF. I transferred to UF in fall of 2021 and these two clubs were a great place for me to make new friends and discover my love of working in the music industry. I am personally the videographer for a local Gainesville band, who is signed to Swamp Records. These two clubs offer so many opportunities and I welcome anyone who is interested in music to join.
If you are not a student at UF, no problem, keep checking my website for more information on how you can get involved in the Gainesville music scene soon.
Author
Emma Frances Akerman