I don't want music to ever be free. I want my artists to be able to continue their craft and keep their concert costs relatively low. I want to pay them for their goods :) The people I listen to tend to be good enough for at least a dollar a song.
You could also go to their concerts, buy their gear, go to their appearances, etc.
This is how music industry works in Korea, where most all music is given away for free
Also, I don't know about you, but the idea that you should support musicians by buying "gear" (I assume you mean stuff like t-shirts) just seems very, very mixed-up...