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Is there a metal Scene in FL?

#5
Move to Norway. The best and baddest metal scene in the world, never mind the f**kin freezing winter...
we have bred bands as Dimmu Borgir, Mayhem, Borknagar,Immortal and a bunch of other crazy bands(some of them did like to burn churches :hmm: ) It is in Europe, but it'll be good for ye :bassist:
 
#8
DirtySocks1379 said:
Hello. My bandmates are insisting that we move down to Florida, particularly the Tampa Bay area, because there is a great Metal scene down there (We play metal influenced music). Does anyone know if this is at all true? Is there a metal scene anywhere in Florida? Thanks in advance.
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I live in the Tampa Bay area. Metal and classic rock are too big in area. In fact its hard to find musicians who are willing to play anything other than that. Its quite sickening actually.

In all honesty if you're in a metal band, dont come down here. There are so many metal bands here as it is, that you'll just be another face in the crowd. IMO it'd be best to do something different than the norm so that your band would stand out. If you do the right format of music, your band would stand out more than a metal band & you'd land better paying gigs. A metal band is lucky to pull in $25 each at times. At best $50 each per night.

I dont mean to burst your bubble, hopes and dreams, but if you're seeking a record deal the chances are going to be quite remote. If youre wanting to come down here just to get gigs, IMO you're still better off stayin where you are, because the money from the gigs doesnt pay well enough to make it worth while and over all most jobs down here dont pay very well either.
 
#13
mr e said:
please recalibrate your meter!

a metal band in florida would get gigs all over the state

miami, tampa, orlando, gainesville, jacksonville, tallahassee, pensacola, panama city, daytona...

They may, (I stress the word may) be able to get gigs in any of the major cities in the state, but if its only going to pay them $25 - $50 each, its IMO and probably most peoples opinions that its not worth it.

but there is no 'el dorado;' you would not break the bank!

Thats my point. Why bother if you have to drive for 4+ hours for a gig to get paid ****.
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#14
cassanova said:
I live in the Tampa Bay area. Metal and classic rock are too big in area. In fact its hard to find musicians who are willing to play anything other than that. Its quite sickening actually.

In all honesty if you're in a metal band, dont come down here. There are so many metal bands here as it is, that you'll just be another face in the crowd. IMO it'd be best to do something different than the norm so that your band would stand out. If you do the right format of music, your band would stand out more than a metal band & you'd land better paying gigs. A metal band is lucky to pull in $25 each at times. At best $50 each per night.

I dont mean to burst your bubble, hopes and dreams, but if you're seeking a record deal the chances are going to be quite remote. If youre wanting to come down here just to get gigs, IMO you're still better off stayin where you are, because the money from the gigs doesnt pay well enough to make it worth while and over all most jobs down here dont pay very well either.
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It's the geographic band theory.

Honestly, it's better to go where there is no metal scene. Think about it. If it's just a couple metal bands in the area, you alone are catering to a large contingency of metalheads. Sure, there might be fewer bands to play with, but at the same time, that means you stand out more. More recognition and more props over a broader area, due to the limited nature of your genre's participants.

Which is why, theoretically, it'd be better to be an indie band in tampa, or a metal band in Seattle than a metal band in Tampa or an indie band in Seattle.
 
#15
There's another very serious element to consider about moving to Florida. Rentals and housing prices are soaring in Florida. Low cost housing is especially hard to find. At the same time, well paying day jobs are hard to find, too.

There is a lot of work in the service industry...hotels, restaurants, fast food, and jobs in the health industry go begging...any kind of medical work is fairly easy to find. But service jobs are notoriously low wage jobs, plus, because in Florida service work is seasonal, you may find yourself out of work in the summer.

On my side of Florida, most lawn care work goes to Hispanics and Haitians. Many jobs are available for skilled trades such as roofers, dry wall installers, plumbers, electricians, tile and flooring, hurricane shutter installers, and air conditioning installers and repair specialists. There is a huge construction boom here, both in residential and commercial real estate and in highway construction. But do you want to toil all day at a hot construction job, then play late into the night in some smokey club?

I don't know your background, training, or interests other than music. I do take it that you WILL require day jobs and a place to live. If you want to come to Florida, please check out these details first and come with enough money to cover expenses until you find work.

One good way is to read the web sites of the city newspapers you are considering. Read classified ads for jobs, rental ads, and club ads to see how many clubs there are and what type of musical acts they prefer to book. The more knowledge you can arm yourself with before you come, the more sucessful you are likely to be.

Also, know that some people come to Florida,but are unhappy because they tire of the nearly endless summer, the large percentage of "senior citizens", the traffic, no mountains or even hills, and other factors that make them homesick. Still the endless summer is exactly why others come to Florida and love it. Be aware ahead of moving that not all of your band may like it here and may not want to stay.
 
#16
josh_m said:
I don't know about tampa, but thats all those damn miami kids listen to, if you want any other type of band you have to fight to get a show.
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Pause is 100% dead on.

I just moved out of Miami after spending 18 years living there. Metal in Miami is non-existant and not tolerated. The closest I can think of is Tyrany of Shaw, but they're some kind of grind scream and kill hardcore.

Tampa has a good hardcore and metal scene from what I hear but you probably wont be able to pay rent in a coastal city just playing gigs.
 
#19
Stay where you are! There's a band around here named Caffeine, and while they're a pretty good show, they're pretty average for a funk-rock band. However, they're the ONLY funk around here, and hence, they've won every battle of the bands they've competed in and are never wanting for shows. There's another funk band near here, but they're a more of a funk-jazz type deal, and instrumental to boot, so no one here digs then nearly as much, even though they're a MUCH tighter band (they're called Razmataz and the Bassfunk Jazz, by the by). However, they're based in Kingston, a place packed with jazz. Caffeine, even though they're not nearly as tight -- they haven't had a stable guitarist since they formed, their bassist -- while a total chops monster and a kick to watch on stage -- is more of a les claypool clone than any individual voice, and their singer doesn't sing so much as...hell, I don't know what to really call it. Their CD has got to be the worst thing I've ever heard (the mixing, not the playing) and it costs $10. They sell poor quality t-shirts for $15 and they're constantly sold out of it all because everyone wants their stuff, because they're the only option. Meanwhile, Razmatazz sells pro-quality CDs for $5 with some of the best mixing and producing I've ever heard and can't even afford to make shirts, let alone sell out of them constantly. Their bassist is the picture of taste -- grooves, but can slap like a monster when he wants to. Drummer is a bit of a weak link, but both the guitarists are AWESOME. Totally killer. They take some great solos, and throughout it all, the bassist keeps it all sound tight and groovy.

KILLER band with occasional gigs and poorly selling CDs, or just-another-funk-rock band with plenty of gigs and very well selling CDs? Florida's scene is saturated with metal bands. Stay where you can monopolize the metal-heads so you can get paying gigs.
 

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