Houston is a city of artists.

Despite its many mainstream cultural exports, it is home to a thriving underground alternative/indie scene that you wouldn’t find at the Toyota Center.

Instead, the scene thrives in smaller, more intimate venues, where unlike at larger concert halls, these spaces offer a closer-knit atmosphere where audience and performers alike can connect on a more personal level. This scene has fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and is supported by a network of passionate musician, fans, and promoters who value authenticity and the creative process over commercial success.

Recently, I was able to interview the local band, “Hollow,” they were able to give me some insights on what it means to make music in this scene, and the various responsibilities and struggles that come with it.

Interview with Hollow:

Bexx C: When was the band founded?
Ever (Singer): I think that was in 2020, like right after the Pandemic, I had just gotten out of school, and was like “let’s start it up, there’s nothing to do.”

Bexx C: How did you guys decide on a genre? What were your early influences?
Isaac (Bassist): We started by jamming out in the garage, and from there, kind of collected the sound together, all of us, playing and it’s like, four heads are better than one, kinda just played, and played what sounded right.

Ever: I also feel like all our influences are pretty similar, we all grew up on kind of that, dad music. You ever listen to 94.5 the Buzz?

Bexx C: What do you guys think makes a good show?

Isaac: Presence. Stage presence, live performance in general, callbacks, and things like that.

Ever: Definitely with the stage presence like he was saying, and also like, individuality, like anyone can get up on stage and play songs, other people’s songs too, but a lot of things that we get from our shows is people like that we have kind of a unique sound. Yeah we fit into rock, yeah we fit into alternative, but I feel like about us there’s something that other people don’t have, and I feel like that also has a lot to do with what makes a good show, you make people want to come back and see something they can’t get anywhere else.

Bexx C: What do you guys think is the best instrument for people who want to pick something up?

Ryan (Guitarist): I always tell people the instrument they should pick up first is the piano, if you can learn the piano, and where the keys are and chords on the piano, you can transfer that to the guitar so easily, it almost trains your brain to memorize everything you know? It’s all laid out in a single line… I mean it all depends on the person, if you want to do percussion yeah pick up drums, if you wanna make noises and sounds, yeah pick piano.

Bexx C: What do you think about while playing a show?

Isaac: Aw man- just like don’t mess up. Always watching the crowd too, you’re in the groove on stage it’s hard to stay in the groove and multi-task at the same time, half the time I don’t look at the crowd, I’m just trying to focus. I still try to make sure the crowd’s having a good time.

Ryan: It’s a lot of overthinking, just like think about everything, also watching the crowd making sure no one gets hurt.

Bexx C: Do you have any local bands you would like to recommend?

Isaac: Town Destroyer.

Ever: Yes! Grass, Bone Creature, and Figure Below!

Bexx C: Do you guys have any shows you’re excited to play coming up?

Ever: Yes, on November 1st we’re playing a Day of the Dead show!