Indie summer

Posted June 6 at 08:28 AM

Sean Kingston came to Stockton on May 3 to headline a concert sponsored by one of the area's biggest radio stations. A pop star with a major label deal, Kingston was responsible for one of the biggest radio and MTV hits of 2007, "Beautiful Girls."

His concert, however, drew fewer than 200 people to the Stockton Empire Theatre.

A Skylit Drive, meanwhile, is an indie screamo band from Lodi who just released its debut CD, "Wires ... and the Concept of Breathing." The group's May 24 show at the Empire was promoted primarily through fliers and on MySpace.

It attracted a sold-out crowd of 600, making it one of the biggest events in the venue's history.

The two shows reflect how the concert industry, and the music business overall, has been turned upside-down in recent years. The musicians who draw the most fans for concerts are no longer just those who sell the most CDs and top the Billboard charts.

They're the acts with the most MySpace friends.

And this summer, those acts are more likely to perform in the Stockton and Modesto area than mainstream hitmakers.

Performers coming to the area this summer include Boys Like Girls, which is playing the Monster Big Air Summer Jam on June 29 at Weber Point; Reverend Horton Heat, performing July 2 at Hero's in Modesto; and Simple Plan, which headlines XFest on July 19 in downtown Modesto. Tickets for all of the concerts are on sale now.

Money is the reason why indie acts are more likely to perform here. Mainstream hitmakers typically are more expensive to book, and promoters still aren't sure which stars will be popular in the emerging local concert scene. It makes promoters hesitant to organize big local concerts.

Shows featuring indie acts are cheaper to produce - even though indie acts may be more popular than hitmakers in the digital music age. As a result, they offer less financial risk for the people paying the bills.

Still, this summers local indie shows should draw hundreds, if not thousands of fans. They're worth checking out. -Ian Hill / 209Vibe editor