These are the people in your neighborhood…
May 5, 2008 by Mike Ritz
Filed under People, Perfect Pitch
Mark Anderson
This interview and the links above might give you an introduction, but the only way to really know Mark is to hear his music. Go see him perform live; he’s everywhere.
When did you come to Rhode Island?
I moved to Rhode Island in September of 2005, right after Hurricane Katrina ravaged my home in New Orleans, La. My mother had recently moved back to Rhode Island from Mississippi, where she lived for 25 years. I didn’t really have anywhere else to go and all of a sudden, there was an opportunity to move to the northeast that I couldn’t pass up. Having a hurricane destroy the city you live in gives you the chance to start over. I chose Providence because most of my family lives here and I am so close to both Boston and New York.
What did you learn as a musician about getting involved with the local Providence music scene?
One thing that really sets musicians that have gigs apart from musicians that don’t have gigs is their level of professionalism and business sense. Having talent and chops is one thing, but at any given time, there are 1,000 other musicians that are as talented as I am. Restaurant owners and event coordinators like to hire me because they know they can rely on me to present them with top notch music with a high sense of professionalism. The Providence music scene is very tight knit so as a musician, you don’t want to burn any bridges because it can ruin your network.
As a musician, the learning process never stops.
What do you think sets the Providence music apart from other cities?
Unfortunately after the Station Night Club disaster, the Providence music scene started falling apart. Many music venues have shut down due to the strict fire codes and such. So the downside is that there is an amazing lack of venues to play in Providence. This city is great for branching out into the Boston and New York scene. It’s a cheaper alternative and there are still lots of great musicians and local bands to play with.
What made you choose to live in the WestSide community of Providence?
I love the community of people. I see a very eclectic mixture of people that live in the neighborhood that reminds me of living in New Orleans. The old architecture really adds a lot of character to the area as well. Everyone is very friendly that I’ve talked to which is important for a community.
What’s good on the WestSide?
Living on the West Side gives me a strong sense of community that I didn’t experience when living on the East Side. People aren’t afraid to strike up conversation with strangers.
Bad things include the occasional crack heads, the grafitti, and the fact that we can’t park overnight on the street without getting ticketed.