Small towns appeal to musicians because of their local markets and ability to provide a fan base, but large entertainment cities such as Los Angeles and New York glow with possibility and lure aspiring musicians to move and become famous.
But which is better for aspiring bands? Is a relocation, possibly across the nation, really beneficial or will a new band get lost in a sea of hopeful artists all fighting for the same big break? Musicians must face these concerns in the decision whether or not to move to a new city to pursue music.
"I just moved here from Austin with the intention of moving my music career forward," said Jonathan Nesvadba, a 28-year-old local musician on his recent move to L.A. "With so many people living here having the intention of making a career in the music industry, I think L.A. is still a good place to learn how to make it just because of all the connections you can make with like-minded people."
Nesvadba, a bass player in the Austin-based band Paul Banks and the Carousels, moved to L.A. with no job or place to live in order to book shows for his band, become acquainted with the city's venues and find more opportunities to work in the music industry.
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| Jonathan Nesvadba works in his Austin recording studio. (Paul Banks and the Carousels) |
Musicians are willing to take these risks moving because cities like L.A. offer more opportunities due to the sheer number of venues, labels and other bands concentrated in one area.
"The cool thing about L.A. is you're always going to be able to get a gig somewhere somehow, and getting face time with a crowd is always a step in the right direction," said Alec Leverette, a student living in L.A. "It's about the number of venues."
Unlike other cities, L.A. is a must for any touring band and playing the city ensures its music will be heard by record labels and fans alike.
"The music scene is pretty amazing," said L.A. singer-songwriter and student Gianni Visciano. "You can go online to your favorite band's website and you better believe they'll be coming through soon enough. And then you look up that venue's calendar and see more and more of your favorite bands are going to be there soon."
The plethora of live music keeps the city alive with a bounty of choices every night of the week. Although some see the multitude of up-and-coming bands as competition, other artists see them as inspiration and a network where young bands can help each other.
"There are so many small pre-modern theaters such as the Orpheum downtown that have great shows every night," said Visciano. "As a musician L.A. is an amazing place to see live shows and play."
Small towns provide a loyal fan base to local bands that can become popular in the city's smaller market.
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| Lindsay Rae Spurlock plays a local bar in Baton Rouge, a smaller market. (Lindsay Rae Spurlock) |
"Musicians stay local because it is comfortable, and because they believe in focusing on a familiar market before taking their business to a competitive environment like LA, Nashville, or NYC," said Andrew Saunders, a junior majoring in music industry. "I also know that a lot of bands will stay local because of a supportive environment, especially in cities like Austin, Portland, and Seattle."
Many music-centric cities appeal to bands that fear getting lost in a giant market or are more comfortable in environments that embrace the indie-music culture and are dubious of the big labels.
Although smaller local markets are attractive because of their loyal fan base, the energetic L.A. music culture can also offer fans to new bands.
"I think the reason that the music scene is so great is because the audience is here to support it and the resources ––venues, festival coordinators–– are here to expose it," said Meghan Murray, co-author of an L.A. fashion and music blog, The Rad Diaries. "It's all about the culture man, the fans are what makes the musician famous and if a few mustached, tattooed dudes with a banjo show up at Amoeba [an L.A. music store] for a free show, their audience is bound to like them."
The experience varies depending on a band's style of music, talent and determination. The right city is unique to each performer and group. Listen to singer-songwriter Lindsay Rae Spurlock share her personal journey moving through various markets and why she ended up in L.A.
