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Topics specific to the localities in America.

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#39329 by TheCaptain
Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:21 am
I'm just really trying to find an area where there are musicians interested in something other than covers and the current emo/rock, death metal trend saturating where I live. I'm interested in creating music..... An area where something different is going on would be refreshing.


amen to that man....
#39895 by JLimaFoxtrot
Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:54 pm
I live in NYC, and I have to say that as an active musician/songwriter in the "NYC scene" that I am not particuarly happy. I'm sure there are bands that would say otherwise, but here are my thoughts for what it's worth...generally speaking:

This music venues here in NYC are MONEY driven. They prefer to book bands who can draw a crowd of 20-50 at least and expect each one person to pay $8-10 cover. Talent is not a factor. Any band off the street can book (and rebook) venues if they can bring a crowd. And the thing is, the crowds are USUALLY friends paying their loyalities. So for any new musician, this is a hard fete, considering you are new and don't know alot of people. If a venue books you thinking you'll bring in a crowd of 20 and YOU DON'T, then you won't get rebooked and are banished from the venue til new management takes over. So it's a catch-22, you can't build a fanbase without playing, but you can't play without a fanbase. It's nice to have your friends attend your shows and support you, but you really can't invite them to every show...not to mention you really want a crowd of people who like your music, not just your friendship.

Regarding "the scene" I have not figured out what the "SCENE" is if there is one. There is no commraderie amongst the bands, no buddy band situations. The shows are not lined up by music genre, they are lined up by draw. I've played an acoustic set, just to be followed by a death metal band - this is not fun for the crowd who's paid a $10 cover to hear a night of music. And this has been the case at many of the venues I've performed in.

The other thing is that this city is very expensive. I work a full-time job just to afford living here (with a roommate, in Harlem). And its tough to dedicate yourself to music and performance when you work a full-time job, the motivation is not always there. Not to mention again, as a new person, you have no resources or network contacts. It costs about $50 to rehearse for 2 hours - that can add up if you plan on practicing with a band often. Not to mention the band expects to be paid some of the time - or won't play unless there's a chance to earn something.

Another thing to consider is tranporation in this city. Most people don't have cars. I don't have a car. So I learned really quick how hard it is to coordinate a full band gig in the Lower East Side and getting the drums, amps, guitar, etc. there. A cab ride from Harlem to the Lower East Side is about $25 - so $50 both ways. Unless you want to take the subway, but not all stations have elevators, so carting your all-tube marshall amp can be tedious, heavy, and risky, especially with your beloved Les Paul strapped to your back. But if you have a car - then that helps alot, eventhough parking in this city can be awful and time-consuming.

The other thing that I've noted about this city is that most live music takes place in a basement or back room. So even if you play at a bar that is jam packed, it doesnt' mean that those people at the bar will wander downstairs or to a back room (where they sometimes collect the cover) to hear you play. Then you are stuck playing an empty room.

These are just general thoughts, and I'm no authority on the music in NYC. These are just some of the challanges I've dealt with over the last couple of years. But what IS fun about this city is that you can check Craig's List at any time and find some new opportunity (for example, submitting your music for radio play at one of the major stations - legitimately, like it was no big deal).

If you are super social person with a knack for marketing and networking, then this could be ok for you. But honestly most of the bands that I've seen succeed here have been here for years and have parental sources of income (i.e. mom & dad pay rent, buy new instruments, pay for recordings).

On a more positive note - I have to say that Richmond, VA is an up and coming music town (I used to live there prior to moving to NYC, and yes, I regret it and will probably go back). There are a lot of great bands there, new venues are popping up from small to big (google The Camel, Toad's Place) built in audiences, AND its close to OTHER major cities such as Charlottesville VA, Washington DC, Baltimore MD. It's a small city, very affordable housing, job opportunities, and its pretty (google "The Fan"). It's also a college town which is great for bands.

Having been from one extreme to the next, I'd recommend deciding what your focus on music is - is it to perform as often as possible? Is it to get a record deal? It is just to write and play for fun? Or make money? Remember that networking to online radio, college radio, e-zine reviews, publishing can do alot of exposure to earn money through downloads and licensing.


www.myspace.com/jessicalfenton
www.jessicalfenton.com

#40073 by ted_lord
Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:49 pm
well as far as a healthy scene goes in the past few months I've been busy with my baby ryn (she's gonna be rocking out in a few years) and I've been ekeing my way into the scene around here and it seems to be the direct opposite of nyc despite being just a few hours north I mean sure there is the obligatory death metalaler innudating the clubs but that's the norm these days, but the cost of living is kinda outta hand for up here....hell thats all of new england to my understanding

#41201 by aspirocker05
Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:42 pm
Thanks for the very informative post Jessica. I appreciate the good advice.
I'm gonna stay put for at least another year...I plan on recording a few demos ASAP and posting them on sights such as this. I look forward to sharing my music with everyone.

#41215 by fisherman bob
Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:05 am
There's no place like home, make it happen there. And don't come to Kansas City unless you enjoy playing nothing but covers. good luck...
#44669 by Chamberlin
Sun Oct 26, 2008 12:21 pm
If anyone is considering Florida, it would be wise to consider central Florida. There are over 900 profiles of musicians on this site alone just in the Orlando area.
West Palm Beach for example has around 200 profiles on here. In reading through some of them, i see that there are more diverse musicians in Central and North Florida than South.
Moral of the story---if you want to play Margaritaville all night along with Mustang Sally, South Florida is for you.

#105062 by Geoffrey Merrifield
Fri Mar 26, 2010 7:18 pm
South Florida is so tough to find musicians!!

Been searching for a bass player and keyboard player for years. :?
#105411 by 90 dB
Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:00 pm
Chamberlin wrote:If anyone is considering Florida, it would be wise to consider central Florida. There are over 900 profiles of musicians on this site alone just in the Orlando area.
West Palm Beach for example has around 200 profiles on here. In reading through some of them, i see that there are more diverse musicians in Central and North Florida than South.
Moral of the story---if you want to play Margaritaville all night along with Mustang Sally, South Florida is for you.






If you are considering North Central Florida, think again. Few venues, short money, and you're either playing Sweet Home for drunken necks or Margaritaville for nearly-deads.

That's why we're moving. :lol:

#105422 by Starfish Scott
Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:09 pm
Prefer drunken necks to nearly deads. LOL


Welcome to Bob's Country Bunker...no music you want to hear, but great music to get drunk by and chicken wire stage to throw your empty (hopefully) bottles of beer at..


YEEEEE_HAAAWWWWWWW!!! lol

(anything is better than the blue hair brigade)

#105459 by Chris Nichols
Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:16 pm
I'd say stay away from Memphis. There are venues that you can play and will let you play originals but people don't support the music scene here very well. Trying to convince my guys to play a mix isn't easy but if we want to play where people are we are going to have to do some covers.

#108591 by ryckykay86
Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:10 pm
Bohemian BubblePunk wrote:Im in FL, South and its depressing.
Music kulture is the HoTTopiC shop at
any one of the 5000000 malls.

I just got back from Louisville and it appears to
be a GREAT music city ! Bardstown road alone has
about 7 music / guitar stores :)

This is why Im moving there !


thank u thank u lol

#112817 by FunkDealer
Sat May 29, 2010 7:46 am
I am suprised no one has mentioned Key West. There are a dozen bars that hire various acts on a givin day/night.

#112839 by Tronix
Sat May 29, 2010 3:27 pm
Tampa's scene is fairly strong, of course, I wouldn't have known that until I read most of the posts here, but for all the griping I do about our scene it looks like we have it easy...There are places to play originals or covers, and there are no shortage of venues period...the problem here, isn't the fans or lack of venues or lack of budding musicians, it's the bar owners, they know the scene is hurting everywhere else, and they are banking on it, by not paying sh*t. But finding musicians here is easy, finding gigs is easy, getting radio air play is easy, getting paid enough, on the other hand, is not.

But in all seriousness, we're close enough to Orlando, that if you combine Miami, Tampa and Orlando's scene because they are all within driving distance, you have a very large and supportive scene..Tampa was a rock n' roll/Heavy Metal hot bed in the 80's and 90's and still is in some places, from what I read, most of you would give your left testicle to have what I have outside my front door, I plan on moving out of Florida in a few years, now ya'll (to use a Florida redneck word) got me thinking twice.
#113280 by Faith Affliction
Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:12 pm
Seattle has a great music scene and has really grown over the years. Plenty of venues and plenty of bands playing originals.
#113364 by Starfish Scott
Thu Jun 03, 2010 3:05 pm
Jsmoke32 wrote:Seattle has a great music scene and has really grown over the years. Plenty of venues and plenty of bands playing originals.


It had better.

All it does is RAIN.

Everyone seems as if they are on CRYSTAL METH.

The subway smells like cat piss, as that's the side effect of using crystal meth along with your feet turning black/dark at the ankle.

So every am you go to work and you ride the trains, all you smell is cat pee and all you see is mainly tweakers.

I'd love to go back to Portland, but I don't think I could take it anymore.

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