Best City For Gigging?

#64
L.A. sucks - WAY too many bands that are willing to play for free or pre-buy tickets (what a scam). Too many really talented musicians fighting for the few good venues. Many top touring and studio cats playing out as well, but taking to top spots. Not like it use to be, for sure.
 
#66
I live in a community where there are only a handful of great bands.
It’s not the hugest scene, but we get booked a lot and get paid a premium for our product and presentation.
Not a super busy metro traffic-wise, not a ton of overhead.
So I am happy in western New England/upstate NY.
 
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#70
I've counted as many as 117 bands playing a night in Myrtle Beach. Thats twice the Nashville average I read on here.
Don't need more musicians, just better ones.

Mustang Sally, CCR and Brown Eyed Girl is boring everyone into retirement. Or as a bar owner said, 75% of the bands share 75% of the same sets. They simply won't learn different material. Today being Sunday and a slow day traditionally, there is only 73 bands booked.
 
#71
We have a pretty vibrant scene here in Western New York, with plenty of gigging opportunities. It's nice to see the younger musicians coming up too, honing their chops in some of the same clubs. Granted, I'm a retired guy doing weekend warrior duties, but I'm as busy (maybe busier) as I want to be. And yes, I make the same per gig as I did in the 90's most of the time...:laugh::banghead:
 
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#72
Aussie Player said:
I've counted as many as 117 bands playing a night in Myrtle Beach. Thats twice the Nashville average I read on here.
Don't need more musicians, just better ones.

Mustang Sally, CCR and Brown Eyed Girl is boring everyone into retirement. Or as a bar owner said, 75% of the bands share 75% of the same sets. They simply won't learn different material. Today being Sunday and a slow day traditionally, there is only 73 bands booked.
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I do request-driven solo shows and interesting to see what gets called. I provide lists but some ask for stuff not on the list. If I don't know it and it fits my ear, I'll learn it for next time. That's how I added Taylor Swift to the book: request
 
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#73
BassBrass said:
Boston for original music, which has changed somewhat because the Rent Is Too High, but there used to be a perfect balance of young folks who stayed after graduation from whatever local college they went too, Venues at different levels (dive bars to halls to show biz), music schools, rehearsal spaces, recording studios and college radio that played your music, recorded or live. (both MIT and Tufts had live local in house performance shows). Touring was also afordable. These days for professionals and students that can afford the rent, there are Porch Fests (like open studios for visual artists) and for street band players, HONK in Davis Square Somerville, and that's a world wide draw. (my favorite street band is Rude Mechanicals from NYC, but Boston has Second Line and Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band)
I used to see Athens GA in a similar category, and NYC (although different lifestyle), in the 90s, Seatle of course.

You might consider that all to be developmental scene because a living isn't being made until you have a commercial hit. (Like the Mighty Bosstones, Dresden Dolls, Morphene, Pixies, or Amie Mann) There were no coverband venues at all, nada. I haven't seen a cover band since highschool in the 70s... But jobs in the field your degree is in are plentiful. Jobs in classical music and music education are also possible if you are in the top 2%.
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I came up in Boston and played there in the 80s and 90s, mostly original music. I found it tough to make a living just playing in Boston. Once my band started touring, it got a lot easier because we got some respect. Lots of places to play back then, although it seems that most of them are gone. Around the time I left in 1995, the Paradise was my hometown gig.

You are definitely right about no cover band gigs, at least back then. I didn't know anyone who played covers. I did a few GB gigs here and then, but most it was originals.

My first gig ever was at the Rat in 1979.
 
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#74
Dincrest said:
The places where my old band always played shows to packed houses and all were upstate NY. And not just a specific city. While, yeah, we grew a Syracuse following through playing various camping festivals, I remember playing this one show out in Ithaca (which is about 60 miles away from Syracuse; not a short distance) and the whole Syracuse crowd was there along with all the local Ithaca music fans, and other music fans from various other places 1-2 hours away. We even had fans from Williamsport, PA (where we played camping festivals) out at that Ithaca venue to see us!

Because there isn't much happening out there, whenever a bunch of bands are playing a place, people from all over converge from miles around! The Ithaca venue was one of the biggest bars I'd ever walked through, and it was packed with people rocking out hard to all the bands.

Whenever we played big cities like Philly or NYC, crowds were tiny because there's so much to do and so much competition. But when we played in upstate NY or "middle of nowhere" places, they would be PACKED! Because we were bringing a wild rock show to an under served area. That's how bands like Five Finger Death Punch built their following. By bringing the music to the people who couldn't quite get to a major city hub. And if you're a touring band, those crowds are so appreciative that you came all the way to play for them.

So I say, the best places to gig are those off the beaten path. That aren't the major cities.
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Upstate NY (and Colorado) was my bread and butter in the early 90s. Including Ithaca, Syracuse, Saratoga, and all the colleges.
 
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#76
Aussie Player said:
I've counted as many as 117 bands playing a night in Myrtle Beach. Thats twice the Nashville average I read on here.
Don't need more musicians, just better ones.

Mustang Sally, CCR and Brown Eyed Girl is boring everyone into retirement. Or as a bar owner said, 75% of the bands share 75% of the same sets. They simply won't learn different material. Today being Sunday and a slow day traditionally, there is only 73 bands booked.
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About 65 stages in Nashville, with four bands a day 10am-3am. So about 250-300 bands every 24 hours, 7 days a week.
 
#77
Calebmundy said:
About 65 stages in Nashville, with four bands a day 10am-3am. So about 250-300 bands every 24 hours, 7 days a week.
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Yep, understood that, Myrtle also has many noon, early pm, later pm and evening bookings as well. Tourist industry, lots of visitor spending. Its a good thing for bands except I'd expect the musicianship to be far superior in Nashville.
 
#78
wellshuxley said:
Cool to see Montreal on this list! What stands out to you about Montreal that makes it good for gigging?
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I've been gigging in Montreal for a little over 25 years. When I started I could already see the decline of live venues occurring, but there was still a circuit of bars and clubs that paid and could keep you relatively busy. Most of those places are closed now or, if they're still open, don't book bands anymore. I'm lucky in that I have a two night a week restaurant gig that pays decently and I also play upscale corporate and wedding gigs. What's good about Montreal is that while the cost of living is not as affordable as it used to be, it's not as bad as a lot of other large cities. And yes, the crowds are generally pretty cool (although, as with other places, the younger generations are not nearly as engaged as the older ones where live music is concerned).
 
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