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Moving to NYC

#43
bring cash. I've been living in nyc for 45 years, & my 1st e. village pad was a 2 bedroom for $125 a month. today, people are paying $2200 monthly for a studio. also, the smaller pop-up/shoebox/storefront multi-genre downtown music joints are long gone, but there's still a big swath of places (both name clubs and bar/restaurant places) that have live music. bklyn, NJ, slightly-upstate NY, all have fairly robust music scenes so keep reliable transport in mind. there's tons to do here. be very focused- nyc's not like any other place, it tends to spit out the unprepared. good luck!
 
#44
Good luck to you, OP - glad that you are moving for a job because I'll assume that means you'll be able to afford the expense of NYC. I lived there for 55 years in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and, as a kid, Long Island.

Very close access to music generally means a popular area, which always means expensive. Luckily the subway connects everything, so if you can deal with the timing, inevitable delays and crowding you can access areas fairly easily. But there are always crowding and delays. Always.

I've read others mentioning Staten Island and other more outer borough locations, which are fine in themselves I guess but will impact your ability for easy access. A car can be very problematic depending on where you live, and almost always involves moving the car to avoid costly tickets, towing, boot. My last apartment was in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park, and I can say it was the only NYC area in which I ever dreamed of owning a car (didn't have/need one for about 40 years of my adult life)-yet in Ditmas I was able to own a car with minor (tho constant) inconvenience when it came time to find a spot. This is worsened, tho, at 3 am when you need to find a place to park after a gig and all the cars in the neighborhood are firmly in place for the night.

Yes, no car will mean you will have issues moving an amp, but they invented lightweight combos and taxicabs for that. As far as owning a car opening opportunities to earn a living at your music ... well I GUESS so … but can say that in a lifetime of gigging that possibility never presented itself - tho I sure tried :). Maybe it was the car or lack thereof.

PS: I finally fled NYC for good about two years ago. If I would have known sooner, I would have put in a good word for you with my landlord.
 
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#48
jayridge said:
I guess the title says it all. I am looking for an apartment in NYC. What are the best locations for easy access to live music? Thanks in advance.
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Questions for the OP: How old are you? Are you married? Do you want to be around young culture and current popular music? Do you want to play gigs? If so, what kind? All that might determine your best hood. If you're trying to be in a cool, young, original artsy band, I'd recommend Ridgewood or Bushwick. If you're trying to just play cover gigs, you might want to take the suggestions of these older fellows with cars.
 
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#51
I sold my car when I got to Manhattan as parking was more than my rent was in Houston, this was years ago. If you want Manhattan I would suggest Washington Heights and Inwood. When I first moved here I lived in Astoria, Queens, lower rent and nice neighborhoods. Get used to carrying all gear on the subway and get renters insurance.

Also most gigs in clubs are downtown and also some in Brooklyn. Wish you all the best!

PS: Many years of gigging full time and Im so glad I don't have a car (well except maybe the winter:)
 
#52
Joe Nerve said:
Curious what venues you play at?

That's opposite my experience. I would have missed out on about 80% of the gigs I've played if I didnt have a car.

Not being snarky or looking to argue. I honestly don't know how people can earn a living at this wothout a car, unless they have some sort of excellent paying house gig.
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I think this all boils down to what the OP wants out of his/her time in NYC. I like being part of a local music scene and I get much more out of that than picking up as many gigs as possible. I like to go to shows and see other bands in my area and get to know them and build a community. I don't play out every week, but I do go see music every week. For shows, I just do Spring and Fall tours and we rent a van for that. Music is a money losing thing for me. It always has been.
 
#53
Congratulations. I lived in NYC for most of the best 16 years of my life. Left three years ago for my wife's job, and I miss it every day. Getting around will be a hassle with or without a vehicle, but you'll adapt. Try and avoid setting yourself up for a long commute (whether by car or subway), because that gets old pretty fast. I rode a bicycle pretty much everywhere - work, shows, friends' apartments, even to rehearsal as long as I was only bringing an instrument. Best wishes and good luck.
 
#57
jayridge said:
I guess the title says it all. I am looking for an apartment in NYC. What are the best locations for easy access to live music? Thanks in advance.
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My advice, move to Hoboken or Jersey City. They're right across the river from the City and a short ride on the PATH train to where ever you want to go. Plus the rents, while still ridiculously high, won't be as bad as NYC.
 
#58
john m said:
Bed-Sty is probably your cheapest option (
(But probably not the safest).
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I just moved out of Bedstuy. Bed-Stuy-Do-Or-Die is long gone (since the late nineties); lived there for 15 years and never felt unsafe. Its super gentrified now with rents 3K and up for a 2 bedroom. You'd be better of in Washington Heights.
 
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#60
BassAssHat said:
I think this all boils down to what the OP wants out of his/her time in NYC. I like being part of a local music scene and I get much more out of that than picking up as many gigs as possible. I like to go to shows and see other bands in my area and get to know them and build a community. I don't play out every week, but I do go see music every week. For shows, I just do Spring and Fall tours and we rent a van for that. Music is a money losing thing for me. It always has been.
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I always played in all-original bands, which like in your case generally only required sporadic touring and occasional out-of-town jaunts. At the height of popularity we could only play locally like 3x month on a regular basis ... of course when touring we'd play 25 shows in 30 days.
 
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