With the technoligical advancements seen over the last several years, the music industry has drastically changed in terms of both social networking on the Internet and the ability to record albums on computer programs. Bands are able to independently produce grassroots campaigns in order to gain popularity long before they even consider or are offered contracts from record companies. The ability to reach a mass audience with a minimal amount of funding is now a possibility, and Toledo native band Turophile has taken full advantage of this opportunity. ‘Twenty years ago, the only thing you ever knew about a band was if you saw them live or heard them on the radio,’ Turophile bassist Matt Gruenwald said. ‘It’s not so much about getting signed now, it’s more about making connections and networking.’ Turophile, who will be performing at Howard’s this Saturday to celebrate the release of their first full-length album Aromatic Black, use their MySpace page to market their music. ‘You can get so many contacts and meet people and tell people about your shows and keep them up-to-date,’ Gruenwald said. Currently on the band’s MySpace page, fans can listen to six songs off the new album, watch two music videos and view a self-made documentary about their March tour that led up to their performance at Austin, Texas’s South by Southwest festival. ‘It seems like music is going more towards independent rather than the major labels,’ Turophile Vocalist and Guitarist Mark Poseler said. ‘And that is simply because anyone can grab a laptop and record a full length album of professional quality in their own bedroom space if they wanted to.’ Aromatic Black was recorded by a sound engineer in a living room. ‘He just came to our house, set up his laptop and had a few compressors to put it through and it turned out sounding like a professional studio,’ Poseler said. Turophile chose to host their album release party at Howard’s because it’s a familiar atmosphere. ‘It’s the premiere place to play in Bowling Green,’ Poseler said. ‘It’s home for us, really.’ Howard’s bartender Charlie Sittnick said the band had performed well at Howard’s in the past and are fine musicians and individuals. The show begins at 10 p.m. on Saturday and Hazard Perry and The Matt Truman Ego Trip will also perform. There will be a three dollar cover at the door.’ ‘ ‘