Artist spotlight November 2023: Michael coe
For this months Artist Spotlight, we have Michael Coe. Michael Coe is a 39-year-old artist from San Diego who creates West Coast folk punk music. Coe first got into music after his high school best friend taught him to play bass when he was 16. After that, they started a tiny punk band in San Diego in the early 2000s, and the rest was history.
WHO WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?
"One of my favorite parts of playing live is performing to all different types of people at any venue and for all ages. I would like to think of my audience as inclusive, and my message of ‘following your dreams’ and ‘staying authentic to yourself’ resonates with everyone."
Tell me about your favorite live show experience.
"My favorite live show experience was playing a folk punk show at a Chilis parking lot in Bristol, CT. We sang along to each other's songs and yelled, ‘Chilis doesn't know.’ I'll always remember that show and that community."
I've heard that you currently/recently went on an open mic tour around the country. Tell me about this amazing experience!
"Yes, my goal is to play my guitar in all 50 states. I'm currently in upstate New York and have 27 states done. I'm leaving to go to D.C., then Nashville, and wherever else I end up in the south. I plan to get back in San Diego sometime in December. In total, I will have been out on the road for over three months. I left for Texas and Oklahoma on Route 66 in mid-August and have been traveling, playing random open mics since. I enjoy stopping at random open mics in different cities and states because I hear local music. When I attend random open mics, I get a feel of the unique community of creatives in each spot, which I enjoy.”
What has been your favorite part of the U.S. to play in?
"I really liked the Midwest, from small towns like St. Cloud, Minnesota, to the larger cities like Madison and Chicago. People were out and at many of the music events, from coffee shops to creative spaces to dive bars. The audiences were all so much fun in all the spots in the Midwest."
Tell me about the comedy aspect of what you do.
"Many of the topics I cover can be heavy, like being authentic to yourself, following your passions, looking at society, it’s flaws, and how that affects us all on an individual level. These complex issues and bold statements always land better when it's delivered from a comedic perspective. I started doing stand-up comedy about two years ago and learned a lot from that, and how to incorporate comedy into my music and live performances."
What are your thoughts on the San Diego music scene? Do you think there are areas in which the scene can improve or do you think the scene excels compared to other music scenes?
"I love San Diego, it's my hometown. I wrote an entire album about the city titled 'Where the Seasons Never Change' by Audio Martyr to highlight some of the rad and beautiful parts of San Diego. The album highlights the ocean and waves; the same can be said for the San Diego music scene. It moves in ebbs and flows. I've been a fan and musician in the local San Diego music scene since 2003, and I've noticed that it goes in waves. A new venue will open and become the next big spot, then slowly fade into the rest of the spots. “
“I really miss in the early 2000's scene. There were a few venues like The Epicentre, Canes, The Scene, and The Che Cafe, where every Friday and Saturday night, they had a few local bands at one of those venues with a $5 cover. We didn't know who would be playing, we just went and always had a blast.”
“When I see the current San Diego music scene, I see it more in little factions and areas, not as one united music community. I think one problem is that there are so many other large events to compete with that come through a major city, it's difficult to convince people now to go to any event they don't already know about.”
“In Connecticut, the folk-punk kids played in parking lots; in Pennsylvania, it was house parties, and in Maine, it was community/residential event spaces. I could never see any of these things happening in the current San Diego music scene, and that's a shame because those shows have been some of the best I have ever experienced and played.”
What is a dream musical artist you would love to work with?
"John Cragie"
Do you have any tips for others looking to get more involved in DIY culture?
"Play every show you can because you never know who you might meet and what door you could open from some random show in the middle of nowhere. Networking with other musicians/artists who are in the same headspace as you is the best thing you could do.”
What can fans expect from you in the future?
"I have a Christmas album coming out this year, it will be out the day after Thanksgiving. It's called "Cashing in on Christmas" By Audio Martyr. I also plan on releasing more music in early 2024.”