TRC Fest Aims To Break Down Barriers For Musicians In Boston

On May 2, some of the most talented and diverse performers in Boston will take the stage at The Sinclair for TRC Fest.

The lineup includes Ali McGuirk, Cliff Notez, members of Ripe the Band and Bad Rabbits, and NPR Slingshot artist Anjimile, to name a few. The show, presented by The Record Co. (TRC), will be a first for the organization, and supports their mission to remove barriers and build an inclusive community for local artists. Since 2011, they have provided access to high quality, affordable recording spaces and resources. Now they want to take it all to the next level, and build a new world-class music workspace.

We spoke with Oompa, local artist and TRC Fest host, about how the show intends on advancing that effort, and what diversifying the Boston music scene means for artists.

How would you describe the Boston music scene? How has it changed and evolved, and what do you hope to see in the future?

The Boston music scene is bubbling. All the people who were left outside of it in the past have made, or are making their own lane. It’s forcing the institutions and establishment—who were gatekeepers of the scene—to knock those gates down and invite them in to the party. Or to make the party start. As a result, I think the city has become very inclusive. It has work to do, but I think it knows that. Nonetheless, it is very rich and very dynamic, and just so incredibly diverse.

Why you are excited to be involved with the TRC Fest?

I’m excited to celebrate The Record Co. It is such a great organization that is providing a true value to the city of Boston’s arts and culture scene, and the more people that know about it the better. Also, I’m so excited for the wide range of acts on that stage.

What is special about the mission of The Record Co.? What benefit does it provide to Boston’s musicians?

The mission of TRC is special because one of the biggest barriers in the city of Boston, as a human, is access, access to space in particular. It is hard—unless you are a person who is typically granted access and resources—to find a place that you can call home, or a place you can call yours in business. The problem is no different in the music scene. Music makers are always trying to find or make space to create the work they care about, and often to no avail. Even if the space does exist, it is usually not affordable and high quality.

The other side of TRC’s mission, which is unique and interesting, is that a lot of music makers are looking for the opportunity to grow and cannot find people to slow down and provide those opportunities. TRC helps people find the resources they need. Whether that be an opportunity to perform, someone to help you do your taxes, or a connection to someone who knows something about digital marketing. I think the value is in the mission. We want a place we can do our thing, and we want to feel welcome in it. We also want a fair shot at being the best we can at it.

What kind of performers are you looking forward to seeing at TRC Fest?

This line up is truly diverse. We have everything from Pony Snot, a youth-led punk band, to Brandie Blaze, a trap feminist, to Anjimile, a self-proclaimed loverboy songmaker, all the way over to Porsha Olayiwola, Boston’s resident bad-ass poet and now the Poet Laureate. The lineup choice does a great job highlighting the range of artists in this city.

What kind of message do you hope the show sends about making music?

I think the takeaway message is incredibly reflective of the TRC main message, which is: EVERY music maker, no barriers. Every music maker—no matter who they are or where they are in their journey—deserves to have access to music making space and the development they need to continue to create the kind of work they love. Even if that’s just more performing opportunities. The music scene here is very alive and very deserving of people knowing, caring, and cultivating it.

TRC Fest is on Thursday, May 2, at The Sinclair in Cambridge. Tickets are $15 and are available here.