Many adults will say that we teenagers are hard to understand, but one thing that seems to come natural to every teenager in the world is music. Every teen loves to listen to music, play music, or write music, and some even do it all. We all have different tastes in music; some of us listen to hip-hop whereas others choose punk rock. Some like jazz while others dance to techno. Kids may never agree as to which genre is best, but one thing is certain, nothing beats live music. Whether it’s your favorite music star playing in a packed arena or maybe even your own local band, nothing beats the energy and thrill of the blaring music and the flashing lights onstage. And here in Connecticut you will find there are some pretty cool places to catch a great show.

            The Grounds is located at the former Barnes and Nobel location at Bishops Corner, in West Hartford. You won’t hear your favorite big name band playing here, but you will hear many local acts from West Hartford and surrounding towns. According to The Grounds’ website, The Grounds “is dedicated to provide a safe, positive and drug, tobacco, and alcohol free environment for West Hartford, Connecticut high school and middle school students.” This hangout is primarily a place for students of West Hartford. Since it is rare that a student from Wethersfield High School would be allowed to enter the venue, The Grounds is best for local acts looking to play their music for whoever will listen. A step-pyramid shaped stage rises around four feet from the floor where drums, amps, instruments, and any other equipment an act may have, is set up. Their sound system includes a PA system, consisting of several microphones which plug into a soundboard. Two large speakers stand on each side of the stage. Besides live music, The Grounds also provides kids with several other activities. Teens can play rock band, foosball, and ping pong with friends, all while in a safe environment. The Grounds also holds its events in places other than the main location at 333 North Main Street . According to the Grounds Website, “Our first and second events were held at Panera Bread in Bishop's Corner in January and February, 2007...Since then, we have hosted events at Park Road Playhouse, [and] the UConn Campus in West Hartford.” Possibly one of the most easy-going venues to play a Grounds- sponsored show in is at Blue Black Square, right across the street from the Cheesecake Factory. A cool summer evening will provide an at ease atmosphere for the performers and the audience. Eddie Melendey, a junior at WHS and guitarist in the local band Driveway Intruder, has had his experience with Blue Back Square.

“I thought it was a good place to play. It’s not strictly music, but people could shop and go out to eat, while stopping to listen to the music for a bit.”

“I enjoyed playing there,” adds band mate Patrick Freeman, a Wethersfield resident and junior at Kingswood-Oxford, “I thought the idea was unique because a lot of people were exposed to the music, most who would not normally come to see the bands playing. It’s a great way to get your music out there.” You can contact the Grounds by emailing them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

            Perhaps a more beefed up version of The Grounds is the Amity Teen Center which is located on 10 Selden Street, in Woodbridge. The ATC is open to all teenagers, not just students from the Woodbridge area. Besides music, one can surf the internet on one of the computers inside their computer room, play Halo 3, play pool, and even go outside to shoot hoops at the ATC’s very own basketball court. The mission of the ATC is “to provide a creative outlet for teens, to develop awareness of community among teens,” and most importantly, “to provide a safe haven for social and recreational activities,” according to the Amity Teen Center website. Alongside the local acts that come to perform at the Amity Teen Center are several up and coming bands from all over the eastern coast. Bands from as far as Chicago have stopped by the ATC while on tour, and they have no problem playing with smaller bands. At the back of the building there is a stage that sits about a foot off the floor. A section of the stage at the back is raised about another foot where drums are set up. The rest of the large stage has plenty of room for amps and instruments. The drums and amps are amplified by microphones and are lined into a soundboard, and those are lined out to speakers pointing to the crowd. Microphones are also lined to the soundboard, with monitors onstage feeding the vocals back to the band. Through an entire set a “sound guy” will man the soundboard and make sure the instruments, drums, and vocals are all balanced cleanly. If the long drive isn’t a problem and you’d be interesting in playing at the Amity Teen center contact them at (203)-389-1154, or email them from their website at amityteencenter.org.

            The Webster Theater in Hartford was built over 70 years ago as a movie theater. Now it has been restored into a music venue where artists from all over the country have preformed. From hip-hop to soul, the Webster doesn’t just stop at rock. The main stage is where the large acts play. The 32’ X 21’ stage is raised several feet above the floor. The sound system consists of several large speakers, monitors, microphones, and subwoofers. Above the stage hang lights which flash and move while the bands are playing. In front of the stage, and separated by a fence and many security guards, is the dance floor, where the audience stands. When big names play the main stage, this place gets crowded. The temperature rises, and body’s become packed like sardines. In the summer, the temperature will become so hot, that some people find it difficult to keep the clothes that they arrived in on their bodies. If you don’t feel like being suffocated and crammed by dozens of other people around you, I suggest the back of the dance floor. The air is cooler and cleaner, and you will have much more personal space. You won’t be as close to the stage, but it’s the price you pay for comfort. Behind the audience are the soundboard and light controls, and behind that is a seating area and bar, usually occupied by people over 21. A second stage is also located in the Webster Theater, called the Underground. This 13’ X 12’ stage has a sound and light system of its own, though much smaller than the main stage. Here is where many of the local acts perform. These local acts have the chance to get paid for the shows that they play in the Underground. Their pay is based on ticket sales; the more you sell, the more you get paid. Wethersfield alumnus, and current member of Robbing the Vatican, Craig Mills has been in and out of bands for years, and he’s one who should definitely know the Webster by now. “I’ve played [at the Webster] probably around 25 times,” Mills says, and he is not a happy camper when it comes to the way things are run at the Underground. “There was always problems with ticket sales, and when they put us on for a set time. They'd overbook the show so that bands had to start playing at 3:00 in the afternoon. Who’s going to come to a show at 3 in the afternoon, especially in a no re-entry venue…they'd have to stick in that grimy place for 7 hours if they wanted to see the whole show. The Webster makes their money off of local bands selling their tickets for them. Bands have to sell tickets to get a good spot on the show. They don't get paid a cent, unless they sell over 35 tickets, they get a dollar for each ticket they sold... If you sell over 100 you get 2 dollars for each ticket... that's totally ridiculous.” Mills told of the last time he was supposed to play the Underground. The Webster had overbooked so much that Mills and his band were set to play at 11:15 at night. “None of our friends would want to stay that late, so we left and played the show at my house,” says Mills. “Now they're under new management and booking a lot of really awesome big name bands, but the local band shows still [suck].”

A lot of talk that goes into the Webster is about how safe it is. The theater isn’t located in the best section of Hartford, and many parents don’t allow their kids to go. I can honestly say that if you know how to act at the Webster, you won’t have a problem. If you aren’t bothering anyone at the show, and if you don’t start fights, you won’t have any problems, and your experience will be enjoyable. The best way, I believe, to avoid a tough situation at the Webster Theater is to always go with friends. There is strength in numbers, and most trouble makers will think twice about messing with a group of kids. And if parents still aren’t convinced, they can go with their kids to make sure that they have a safe and fun experience. They can hang out at the back near the bars with the rest of the old folk. To purchase tickets to the Webster Theater call their box office at (860)-525-5553. If you are interested in booking a show, you can email them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call (860)-246-8001.

So whether you want to catch your favorite band on tour, you’re hoping to get your own music out to the public, or you just feel like hanging out, there are plenty of places in Connecticut to get the job done.  There are plenty of places to satisfy every teen’s need for music, and it doesn’t just have to be a building with a stage. If you are interested in holding your own show, you can find a basement, a rentable hall in your church, or even your own backyard. So, get out there, kids, and go see some live music.