Local music and film find new home at Dispatch

The already full roster of Portland based music and film publications is about to get another member with the new kid on the block, Dispatch magazine.

Although its presence today is primarily online as a regularly updated music and film blog, music editor Dylan Martin is only looking to the future of the magazine and it’s ability to provide relevant and original content to a growing audience. “This is just the beginning. The infancy,” said Martin, a former Arts & Entertainment editor for The Free Press. “I love local music and there just isn’t enough coverage.”

To say that the magazine is in its infancy is putting it lightly. Although it was founded in February of this year, the publication has already amassed an impressive online fan base and has covered multiple events across the region, despite its small staff of only two dedicated writers: Martin and film editor Krystal Kenville. Martin is a freelance music journalist based in Portland and Kenville is a local actress who has curated several film festivals across New England. “Obviously I can’t do it all, as I am the only music writer,” said Martin. “It’s difficult because there is a lot of good music in the Portland area to cover.”

As a  longtime supporter of local  and New England music, Martin said that despite the growing number of already established culture publications in the city like The Portland Phoenix and The Bollard, Dispatch will be able to provide coverage where the competition falls short, and a physically printed companion to the website is planned for release in May. “Maine just doesn’t have the resources or coverage for local bands yet,” Martin said. “How many people live in the state, and how many people know about these bands? The difference is huge.”

Today, Dispatch’s largest strength comes from its ability to cover breaking stories with relative ease, thanks in part to the connections both Martin and Kenville have within the community. This past week, the Portland-based experimental folk collective Jakob Battick & Friends announced they were going on a long-term hiatus and Martin was able to get an exclusive interview a few days after the public announcement. “Being online allows us to cover stories pretty easily,” Martin said. “Even if it is just a quick Facebook or Twitter update, it’s directing people in the right direction.”

Martin attributes a large part of Dispatch’s early success in part to its large social-networking platform which includes Facebook, the micro-blogging site Twitter and the location-based Foursquare network. While the usefulness of Foursquare is up to debate for many, Martin said he regularly updates the “tips” section of local venues with upcoming events and relevant Dispatch articles.  “There is a fair number of people who use Foursquare in the downtown area,” Martin said. “It’s going to be pretty valuable to tourists who come to Portland. The idea is to keep [Foursquare] updated with weekly events.”

With a constantly updated website and an upcoming printed issue, Martin doesn’t foresee content being an issue for the magazine and is quick to applaud the diverse quality of the local music community. “A lot of my favorite bands are from Maine, obviously not all of them though,” said Martin. “But some of these bands are actually just as good as some of the music on a national level.”

Editor’s note: The original printed version of this story incorrectly cited “Dispatch” film-editor as Crystal Kenville- when in fact the correct spelling is  Krystal Kenville. The online version has been altered to reflect this inaccuracy.