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What's your local music scene like?

#181
ryognbass said:
Pardon my digression, but...

I just applied there! How easy is it to break into the Music scene at Northeastern?
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Sorry for missing your post. If you try REALLLLY hard to get to know everyone that plays here, you'll run into everyone pretty quick. It'll make more sense when you're here, but basically you just have to be in the couple of places where all the players/bands go. There's only one place here (Ryder hall, where the music department and practice rooms are) so it's not too hard.

If you want to start a band here, it's basically the same thing. Meet all the bands, go to the student groups involved with the bands, and basically just talk to everyone that goes through Ryder Hall.
 
#182
Seems odd that so many places are closing down/replacing live acts with DJs...not to knock the whole club scene or whatever, but there is nothing really like seeing a band playing live.

I feel as though I'm a bit lucky to be in a college town. There are tons upon tons of bands here trying to make it, but at the same time there's an equal amount of DJs doing the same...and of course a lot of each group can't make music worth listening to. From what my friends tell me finding a place to play is never an issue but getting paid for playing can be difficult.
 
#183
My band is located in Aberdeen, Wa, hometown of Kurt Cobain. Yet every single local band is either an obnoxious punk band or a terrible attempt at screamo or death metal. My band is one of the select few not falling in either genres. Local shows are fun though, because all the local bands are originals, no cover bands(sorry, i'd rather listen to a mediocre original band than a cover band).
 
#184
pie_man_25 said:
I live in Windsor, Ontario, and I must say, the Windsor music scene SUCKS. It's just a ton of ****** ass post-hardcore, christian, and college-rock bands going around. There are a few so-so bands, but that's about it band-wise.
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Ouch that's the town I live in. I wonder what category my band falls into. But pie man you should know you can probably book a show any night if the week in Windsor you just won't get paid. It's fine for building a following and selling merch, if your band is good enough. What band are you in anyway?
 
#185
paganjack said:
I'm in Minneapolis/St Paul
And bow howdy, I have been taking this place for granted...The music scene here is nice and diverse. There's definitely plenty of metal/hardcore/whathaveyou but there is a also huge indie scene and if you go out in the burbs or sticks there are plenty of country and cover band places. There are some punks about, a few jazz clubs and some venues play some prog rock/math rock stuff too. We have a few arena size venues too, so we get some big names from time to time. There are also more than a few festivals [out of town mostly] that cater to the hippie crowd. I am fairly certain there are some Christian bands about, but I would really have no idea.

I saw Sunn O))) on sunday (which was AWESOME) and this week I have two gigs with my "vaudecore" band. So I guess we Minnesotans have it pretty sweet. Reading through this thread has made me appreciate what a most righteous music scene I've got here.
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I'm in Minneapolis also,, and we have it good
 
#186
Vancouver, BC, CANADA

Awesome... not exactly the Richard Florida, critical mass, Rise of the Creative Class thing and everyone complains as usual about pay-to-play venues, and there should be more, more, more... but there is no shortage of music lovers and venues on all levels to perform in and countless other opportunities. I was playing in four bands (3 bass, 1 drums) until I decided to take a year off to go to music business school and to redo some technique bad habits. I can't wait to get back into the local scene again.

The music scene in Vancouver is awesome!!!

PS. The Olympics did hurt rather than help the local music scene IMHO but that's the topic of another thread. Vancouver is still awesome!!!!
 
#187
recreate.me said:
Ouch that's the town I live in. I wonder what category my band falls into. But pie man you should know you can probably book a show any night if the week in Windsor you just won't get paid. It's fine for building a following and selling merch, if your band is good enough. What band are you in anyway?
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okay, I was overreacting, I was just pretty pissed because of my previous experience with my bands, and other people's bands in the town - particularly with some magical douchey-mc.douche-band. I'm in some other band, we haven't played any shows yet, but unfortunately derpy-mc.derp-band ruined our guitarist's reputation - who used to play bass in douchey-mc.douche-band - and now we're having a rather difficult time finding bands to play with. Basically he got kicked out, for reasons I will not state, then replaced with some guy, they got a guy to play piano - from another band who we were trying to organize a show with, and they told their whole side of why he got kicked out to said pianist, and now it's gotten difficult to organize the show. To be frank, I was pissed, and I overreacted, Windsor really isn't that bad, but I suppose like anywhere there's plenty of a-holes.

There are actually a number of good bands that play, play regularly, put on stellar live shows and have great creative music. Even the guys that play the stuff I don't like are generally nice guys, but I was kinda p.o.ed about stupid drama, and generally just had a bad day.
 
#189
I am working on a documentary about a local blues band here in Indy. One of the band members said they are working all the time because there aren't any younger blues bands trying for the same gigs. He was really concerned about the lack of up and coming bands in the area, even though it means his income is pretty good.

No evidence beyond that anecdotal evidence, but I thought it was pretty interesting. Not one kid in our youth group (120 plus) is trying to learn guitar. Only one trying to learn bass--and I gave the one she owns to her.

Again, can't draw too much from that--too specific--but still pretty sad.

Too many video games...and hanging out on my lawn! Darn kids.
 
#190
central Pennsylvania (Harrisburg area) is amazing.. I can think of 7 places within 30 minutes off the top of my head. That's original music venues, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. Easily double or triple that amount if you play covers, and expand your radius to an hour or more and the list grows exponentially.


man, after reading thru this thread i think some of you guys need to come over to PA and play some shows
 
#191
the boston scene has improved but still could be better,the problem is there are way to many crappie bands to contend with. reputation,attitude,playing level is the key.In order to gig on a regular basis you have to be able to play it all. being well versed in different idioms will insure this.the competition is fierce so as a bassist, groove,feel, time,attitude and above all networking skills, this alone is a full time job. you also need to be able to play both acoustic and electric bass. If you can make it here you can make it any where cause if you cant play in this town it will eat you up.
 
#192
MNAirHead said:
Twin Cities....

Quality Country bands are commanding more attention.

Quality Theme/Tribute bands get the high pay checks.

Many Venues are requesting lower volume and earlier dates (dinner crowds etc)

----

There's a cool showcase circuit if you don't want to get paid.
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I kinda disagree with the showcase circuit thing... It's a must to get paid playing original music. You can make fantastic money playing original music in Minneapolis, you just have to pay your dues. Most of the best clubs in Minneapolis proper won't even let you play covers,,, these clubs pack with people looking for new original music.
 
#194
Southwestern Arizona- Couple Reggae bands, a few Rock cover bands, couple country bands, a blues trio, two jazz ensembles, and that's it. Every once in awhile, mariachi groups swing through, but nothing established.

There are a total of 6 establishments that cater to most genres, except the jazz guys. They end up at the dinner clubs and the art gallery, which I suppose is de rigueur.

Of course, there are private parties and weddings to keep us all busy, plus the occasional road trip.

No hardcore, no emo, no punk, no metal; unless you count the songs covered by the rock guys (us included).

Also, there are more DJs than you can shake a stick at, and they all suck. With suckorrific suckativityness.
 
#195
they call our local scene the "drunk punk scene"... And I play some kind of 70's jazzrock. The regulars just have a cosy conversation or go play pool during our sets :').

btw, our city council does everything to prohibit some venues that carry gigs. One of the venues had to close down since the police interrupted all of their gigs. They have a point, these punks really do misbehave and go pee in neighbours' mailboxes (really happened) etc...

still, it sucks being a musician in a city where there's only two regular stages without too much trouble.
 
#196
a few years ago here in Windsor i used to gig every friday and saturday playing covers. then it dropped down to most weekends.... now nothing at all. it sucks huge. there are over 60 bars here and the few that still have live music don't pay.
sucks that we are a good band, the is built of some of the best musicians in the area and we got nothing.
 
#197
my area [west virginia] has some really good legit unique local bands, but after that the high school provides a classic rock band, an emo band, a death metal band, and a thrash band. I kinda just do my own thing alone at home because the bands in my school dont fit me really well. Some of them are very talented while others are very generic, but they just arent my thing. In my area there also seems to be a shortage of drummers.
 
#198
Winder, Georgia....hmmmm.....non-existant. Athens....Lots of alternative rock and metal bands. So pretty much just alt and metal from who I've seen and know. To my knowledge, my band is the only prog-Christian band around. I guess it's good to be unique.
 
#199
Fayetteville, NC - like Tacoma, WA, the home of a zillion crappy metal bands. They're like a fungus - everywhere, and when one goes away, another takes its place.

Here it's metal, blues, country and beach. Jazz is virtually non-existent. There are some acoustic-indie folks, but they're the minority.

And if I see one more ad for a Southern Rock band, I'm going into the nearest woodline and hurt myself with a dull knife. Note to Southern Rock folks in the Fayetteville, NC area: Yes, it is possible to have heard enough Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, and Blackfoot. We don't need anymore, thank you.

For a prog/classic rock guy like me, this place is musical hell. There are some great musicians here, and they tend to dominate the scene, such as it is. Open mics come and go, and for good reason - lots of hacks come in and drive customers away (one guy was so bad they banned him). A few good bands, but more bad ones than good.

I've pretty much stopped looking for a band - not going to happen here as I've no interest in playing metal/country/blues/beach. Back to my bass room, I guess ... :(
 
#200
abngourmet said:
Fayetteville, NC - like Tacoma, WA, the home of a zillion crappy metal bands. They're like a fungus - everywhere, and when one goes away, another takes its place.

Here it's metal, blues, country and beach. Jazz is virtually non-existent. There are some acoustic-indie folks, but they're the minority.

And if I see one more ad for a Southern Rock band, I'm going into the nearest woodline and hurt myself with a dull knife. Note to Southern Rock folks in the Fayetteville, NC area: Yes, it is possible to have heard enough Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, and Blackfoot. We don't need anymore, thank you.

For a prog/classic rock guy like me, this place is musical hell. There are some great musicians here, and they tend to dominate the scene, such as it is. Open mics come and go, and for good reason - lots of hacks come in and drive customers away (one guy was so bad they banned him). A few good bands, but more bad ones than good.

I've pretty much stopped looking for a band - not going to happen here as I've no interest in playing metal/country/blues/beach. Back to my bass room, I guess ... :(
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Plug in Jacksonville, Fl and it reads the same.
 

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