Contemplating moving to the USA - Advice Appreciated

Hey guys

After spending a couple of very musically uninspiring years in Brisbane, Australia I was contemplating moving back to Sydney when I thought - why am I even wasting my time in Australia?

All of the artists I've ever aspired to work with live in the States so why not bite the bullet and just move there for a while....

So, I thought I'd call upon my HC mates who live or have lived in the US - what IS the scene like for a full time gigging musician?

Of course, everyone here in Australia seems to go to New York - so this city has my attention. Should I be considering others?

My main playing styles are jazz/funk/latin although I also play a lot of pop/rock/rnb etc as well so I'd really be happy picking up any Corporate gig work - although my main focus would be extending my jazz/funk career and eventually playing with some big acts (examples Prince/Jamiroquai (yes I know they're British )/Roy Hargrove etc.

Anyway, I'd just appreciate any information or advice from people who are there or have been there/done that

Thanks guys!

Mike

New York is a great jazz town, lots of venues for good bands. It's expensive to live there, but you can get by. Another problem is that if you form a new band, it takes time to get a reputation. That means that you have to start in Connecticut or Long Island and work your way in.

Since you already have friends there, go for it.

well first off you do realize that the US is teetering on bunkruptcy right

but aside that, new york is just one town of many, basically any large metropolitan city has its own scene - Chicago, LA, Seattle, San Francisco, Houston (to a certain extent) and so on. So I would say try to pick one that has a lot going for it in other ways for your lifestyle...I have live in Southern Cal all my life so I would hate trying to deal with the winter weather of NY or chicago. I could dig Miami though. Take a look at the financial too...you can get work in any of these towns so I would put more emphasis on things like rent, weather, and so on.

As the poster above said (and Im sure its the same everywhere) it takes time to make money in the big areas. Last time I was gigging (10 years ago) the band I was with was making 400 bucks a night where I live (45 miles east of LA)...thought the gigs we played in LA we made squat if anything at all...you'll get the most pay where there is the least amount of competition...where there is a ton a great musicians you will have to build your reputation...at least thats my experience. good luck

Chicago is the third largest city in the US. Lots going on musically all the time... Lots of bands, lots of musicians, lots of clubs, bars, and places to play. Much opportunity with much competition.

To get a feeling for the place, see sites like this:

http://chicago.metromix.com/

http://chicago.citysearch.com/

To get a feeling for the musicians wanted/available situation, peruse the daily listings at Craigslist:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/muc/

Another good Chicago site is:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/

Cold winters, hot summers, great people, and fantastic food all await you here in the Windy City.

move to Chicago long enough to absorb the Chicago-flavoured variant of the "Midwestern Standard" dialect (or move to Peoria if you want it proper. we actually know how to pronounce "Chicago" here despite the fact that Chicagolanders think that i don't wear shoes and play a banjo instead of an hammond organ), then move _somewhere_ (not USA) and watch the gigs flow in.

seriously, it appears as though the entire world likes american music more than america. so if you play american music, why play in america? i'm fairly certain that if i was anywhere else i might be able to gig. here people just want {censored}ing retarded-ass hippie jam-rock and {censored}ing retarded-ass indie-OK twee-electroclash-glitch bull{censored}.

if you play honest American soul music no one wants to hear it, and if you do anything adventurous which involves not being really {censored}ing skinny and wearing a white belt and making {censored} music then {censored} you it seems.

i'm nearly certain you can find something better than that {censored}hole which rules the state i live in.

I spent 5 years in Chicago and would advise most musicians to avoid it like the plague............................Choose LA.....more showcases....Brooklyn over NYC proper. Good luck.

Move to Oslo, Norway... I believe its really happening there... though its more like the European cool ECM sound and nujazz...

FWIW. I'm planning to move there soon. A lot of UK and US jazz guys there.

Most of my {censored}'s in storage back in Chicago. I'll go back long enough to hit my favorite bars and pack a U-Haul, but then it's out of there for good.

that's funny. I'm conteplating getting out of this messed up, PC-licious, governmentally corrupt nation and moving to New Zealand. With global communications available today, I could write music from anywhere

Baltimore, MD has a lot of live music and is a very CHEAP city to live in.

I've played plenty of gigs here, and though I have a "real job" and do not make millions of dollars, I've had creative success.

Plus Baltimore is within easy driving distance to New York, Philly, Washington DC so it's a nice central location to other big cities.

I'm about to move away for grad school, but part of my heart will always be in Baltimore

To play jazz full time? It seems like any country in the European Union would be a lot more attractive for that endeavor than the US.

On the other hand, if your friends are all in NYC, I guess a year or two in NYC can't hurt.

I'd suspect the real question is whether a musician without confirmed work awaiting him in the US will be able to get a green card. And you do not want to try working in the US without the proper papers in the post 9/11 era.

I think the "resort" areas in the US, Europe, Caribbean, or even south Florida would be decent areas. Even the Baltimore area has the Chesapeake Bay close at hand, and there are a lot of clubs in South Carolina for the golf industry. Areas where the climate is nicer and there are actually places to PARK (read- NOT in NY city) would probably be a good place to start. You may want to do a search on the Internet for booking agents to see if you can get a foothold in a new area. I don't know if you have enough friends to help you get started in NYC, but other than San Francisco, its probably the most expensive city to live in the USA.

Mike T.

This is indeed the question to ask. I too left Brisbane, in 2002 to be exact and I am still going through the whole residency thing 6 years later and I'm married to an American. The longest you can stay here without any visa is 90 days on the visa waiver program. If you want a visa, getting an actual H1 which allows you to work is extremely hard. Maybe look at securing a full-time gig first and getting the employer to sponsor your stay initially.

Other than that, europe might be a better bet if you have european ancestry. Language barriers aside, once you are in the EC, moving to new places is easy. Some of those smoky Berlin clubs are amazing.

As for the USA, if you MUST come here to try and make a go of it I would look at Seattle and San Francisco/Bay Area over the East Coast.

It would be a hell of a commitment. You probably could only do "under the table" gigs for a while. Work visas for music are not easy to come by these days.

As pointed out:

Yeah, now's probably not the best time.:lol:

I cant work in Europe. I can only tour with American ensembles. To get an actual position there is borderline insanity. One would have to live there for a year or two WITHOUT working. Its the same here unless you are approved to work for a specific job, and music is a low priority. Again, under the table is possible, but thats going to be beer money. Major artists are being turned away due to work visa snafus.

No. Now would be the good time. The Australian currency is as competitive with the US Dollar now as it's gonna be.

This would be a GOOD time to move here.

Common sense, folks.

No. Now would be the good time. The Australian currency is as competitive with the US Dollar now as it's gonna be. This would be a GOOD time to move here. Common sense, folks.

Ummm, if he wants to work in the US, they will be paying him in US dollars.:lol: Unless he has a few hundred grand, the Dollar wont matter. It's probably a moot point, the visa thing is first.

As far as work:

In a recession, people dont have a lot of extra money to spend. HOwever, if I was hellbent on moving to the US, I would move to the South. Its cheaper, and you would be more of a big fish in a small pond. There might not be a lot of work, but the number of musicians is infinitely smaller than in a big east/west coast city.

Man, thats tasty electro work.

I'd go NYC or LA. Only you can know how much risk you want to take, but I'd look into a scouting trip to line up as much as you can, before making decisions.

Man, thats tasty electro work. I'd go NYC or LA. Only you can know how much risk you want to take, but I'd look into a scouting trip to line up as much as you can, before making decisions.

NYC or LA? Talk about expensive...I'd really look into Baltimore. It's cheap and there's plenty of gigging opportunities.

Have you considered Canada, such as Vancouver, Montreal, or Toronto?

Not a bad idea. Its a good location, and a smaller market with bigger markets in driving range. Too bad about the crime. I actually like the city, Ive played there several times at the Meyerhoff. I'm just real cynical about crime lately since my car was stolen.

I was thinking Charlotte. Better weather.

Not a bad idea. Its a good location, and a smaller market with bigger markets in driving range. Too bad about the crime. I actually like the city, Ive played there several times at the Meyerhoff. I'm just real cynical about crime lately since my car was stolen. I was thinking Charlotte. Better weather.

Your car was stolen at the Meyerhoff?

Sorry that's terrible, but WTF? That's about as nice as Baltimore gets!

Actually, most of the city is reasonably safe. Just don't go to West Baltimore. At all.

Stay in:

Mt. Vernon

Federal Hill

Hampden

Canton

Bolton Hill

Fells Point

and you should be fine.

That is not correct. There are plenty of illegal immigrants that make a good living in the US. And it is not even a requisite to speak Spanish!

...doesn't make it right though. I guess that is where the word illegal comes into place...

Your car was stolen at the Meyerhoff? .

Sorry, I wasnt clear. My car was stolen HERE, after a ballet performance in a similiar type place. Because of that, I am wary of historically crime-ridden places like Cleveland and Baltimore. Actually, someone tried to steal my wallet in Baltimore in the 90s. I put up a stink and they ran away.

The problem is not where you stay but where you work. Since music is mainly nighttime, and you are at different locations, it can be difficult.

Sorry, I wasnt clear. My car was stolen HERE, after a ballet performance in a similiar type place. Because of that, I am wary of historically crime-ridden places like Cleveland and Baltimore. Actually, someone tried to steal my wallet in Baltimore in the 90s. I put up a stink and they ran away. The problem is not where you stay but where you work. Since music is mainly nighttime, and you are at different locations, it can be difficult.

Oh. I get it. Yeah, that sucks. Fortunately, I've never had a problem with crime in the 5 years I've been here.