A Local Music Renaissance
Back in 2011, when the Children’s Museum was still on Free Street and Port City Music Hall was hosting 550 person shows, The Ghost of Paul Revere was just starting out. They played wherever they could – from long-gone-but-not-forgotten venues like the Dogfish to still-beloved spots like Blue. Like many other local bands at the time, The Ghost of Paul Revere had no choice but to walk sticky bar floors while playing live shows around Portland.
Spotify was only beginning to launch in the U.S., and iTunes was easing listeners into the world of digital music consumption. Today, making a career in music looks drastically different; live performance is much less central to cultivating a fanbase. While algorithm-based platforms like Spotify and TikTok have expanded artists’ reach and helped Portland gain recognition as an established music city, they have also upended the sense of community that once defined local music scenes.
The Ghost of Paul Revere famously broke up in 2022 following the release of their final album, Goodbye, after 11 years together as a band. Since then, the members have moved to more rural areas, continued spending time together as friends, and pursued other passions and careers within the arts world.
When asked how the music scene in Maine and Portland has changed since 2011, lead singer Griffin Sherry said that “people are less present on the ground” than they used to be. He noted that there are fewer opportunities to succeed as a live original band, partly because of the rise of digital platforms like Spotify. “You don’t need people to come see you at a show to make a big impact anymore,” he said.
Bassist Sean McCarthy described the Portland scene at the time as feeling “insular… isolated from other music scenes,” whereas today it has “spread out and… become a focal point of the Maine music scene.”
The band dropped the news of their return in January, announcing two shows: one at Thompson’s Point, and the other, a VIP show at the new venue, Live at Madrid’s, to great response. Aside from selling out both shows, many people took to social media to express their excitement. One Facebook user commented, “...We all need this bright spot in our news feed today!!!” under their announcement post, while another shared that this was the “Best news in awhile!!!”
Aside from getting the blessing of their management team, McCarthy said, “It’s just nasty out there right now… just a shitty situation.” Max Davis, banjo player, vocalist, and guitarist, added that “It felt like it was supposed to happen.” He hopes the reunion will help bring back the togetherness that felt so palpable in 2011.
The uniqueness of Portland’s musical ecosystem played an integral role in creating that sense of community – a sentiment shared by all members of the band. “People are desensitized to a lot of really great music [in bigger scenes],” said Sherry.We asked Ghost if they’d be the same band today starting out in a city like LA or Nashville. This was Davis’ response: “I don’t think we would’ve. [W]e learned a lot throughout the process of growing and becoming musicians. I think there are a lot of milestones and pressures…in that scene. [W]e were able to make a lot of mistakes [in Portland].”
Whether it was fate or just good timing, The Ghost of Paul Revere is back from the dead. In a scene remarkably different from 2011, their reunion is an ode to the community that helped shape them – and a reminder of the importance of live music.
