A few thoughts on connection, community, and why I keep coming back to gigs
What makes a passive listener become an active supporter?
I’ve been thinking about this question for a while now.
On the face of it, things can look like they’re going well. Streams ticking over nicely, listeners from all over the world, music finding its way onto playlists. And I’m genuinely grateful for that – it still feels slightly surreal that something written on a quiet piano in a room in the North East can end up being heard anywhere at all.
But the more time goes on, the more I notice how anonymous it all is.
Streaming doesn’t really tell you who’s listening. It doesn’t tell you why they chose that piece, whether they stayed with it, or how it made them feel. It just quietly counts the play, and moves on.
And at the same time, there’s more music being uploaded than ever. Thousands of new piano tracks every day – some of them beautiful, some of them interchangeable, some of them not even played by a human being. The latest stats from streaming service Deezer says that 75,000 AI generated tracks are uploaded to their system every single day
It becomes very easy to feel like you’re just one small part of a very large, very busy stream of sound.
There’s also a whole world of advice out there about how to “break through” that noise.
Make more content.
Post every day.
Run ads.
Optimise everything.
Aim for the big playlists.
I’ve tried bits of that, like most people have. And I can see why as an artist, it appeals – it gives you something concrete to do. But I’m not convinced it’s really a strategy.
Spending loads of time making “content”, then more time (and money) pushing it, in the hope that someone, somewhere might add a track to a big playlist… it feels a bit like building everything around a door you don’t actually control.
And even if it works, I’m not sure it solves the original problem.
Because being heard isn’t quite the same as being known.
The moments that have meant the most to me over the past few years haven’t come from streaming numbers.
They’ve come from people turning up to a concert.
From a message replying to something I’ve written.
From someone saying a piece meant something to them, and actually telling me why. One person told me recently that their daughter suffers with terrible anxiety but that she felt calmer and more at peace when listening to my music. That’s really special. Those moments feel completely different. They’re actually much more meaningful than a bunch of industry stats.
So for me it’s not about trying to convert people like they are some kind of commodity where the goal is to extract the maximum financial contribution from; I’m not chasing “super fans” like a lot of the marketing advice suggests.
It’s really just about connecting to people. Writing on here, for a start.
Replying to people when they get in touch.
Sharing bits about the creative process and my life as a musician, not just finished music tracks.
And, importantly, playing live – getting everyone in the same room and letting the music exist properly for a while. It changes the whole thing – no algorithms, no scrolling, just people and sound in the same space.
It also makes me think that this shouldn’t be a one-way thing. I would love you to have your say on all of this. I’d be really interested to hear from you.
How did you first come across my music?
Do you mostly listen on streaming platforms, or somewhere else?
What is your favourite piece and why?
What makes you decide to follow an artist more closely, or come to a gig?
And (genuinely) what would you like more of from me?
You can just reply directly to this or comment below – I do read everything, and will always reply.
I have a growing sense that if anything meaningful is going to happen, it doesn’t come from chasing algorithms. It comes from building something more human, and a bit more rooted in the real world.
And if you’re reading this, you’re already part of that in some way – so thank you for taking the time.
Live dates
I’m making a conscious effort to play more in-person this year – take myself outside of the Ouseburn for a change. Beginning with Blyth this coming Monday! Oh and back in the Ouseburn…look out for the next Victoria Tunnel concert on Friday 15th May.
Monday 27th April, 1pm
Yamaha Music School Northumberland, Blyth
An Afternoon with Steve Luck
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-afternoon-with-steve-luck-tickets-1981343239967
Friday 8th May, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
36 Lime Street, NE1 2PQ
Late Shows (Free entry)
https://thelateshows.org.uk/
Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th May, 11am–4pm
36 Lime Street
Spring Open Studios (Free entry)
Friday 15th May, 7.30pm
Victoria Tunnel
Atmospherica Concert Series
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/steve-luck-music/atmospherica-concert-series-steve-luck-live-solo-piano-concert-in-the-victoria-tunnel/e-xpeoey
Monday 18th May, 5pm
Newcastle Contemporary Art Gallery
Wednesday 15th July 2026, 7pm
Berwick Parish Church
https://berwickparishchurch.co.uk/musical-events-at-berwick-parish-church/
If you’re able to make it along to any of these, it would be great to see you.
