In this episode of Scene Support, Mike from Lower Worlds Booking shares how booking shows went from a ninth-grade house show to a lifetime of keeping underground music alive. We talk about the early days of calling Elk’s Lodges and art spaces off a website directory, booking basements in Boston and warehouses in Oakland, and why he still does it decades later.

Mike opens up about the realities of running shows today — balancing all-ages spaces and 21+ bars, managing backline and flyers, teaming up with friends to cover when he can’t be there, and learning when to finally say no. Along the way, we compare notes on mixed-bill shows, the return of ska and screamo, the role of flyering in a digital age, and the ways DIY culture thrives on collaboration, community, and mutual support.

Whether you’re a promoter, a musician, or just a fan of DIY music, Mike’s story shows what it takes to keep a scene going — persistence, connection, and a love for the work that never really goes away.

Lowerworld Booking

https://www.instagram.com/lowerworldsbooking/

DCxPC Live

https://www.instagram.com/dcxpc_live

https://www.facebook.com/dcxpcbooking

https://dcxpclive.com

Intro Song: "Cheap As You" By Runnamucks

Outro Song: "Life Trap" By Unseemlier

Executive Producer: Trev Allen ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/struggling_artist_record_club/⁠