Austin musicians helped kill the live music scene

[VonBonfire]

Man this thread is a depressing read. I’m glad I never pursued music as a career, it sounds dire out there. I really feel for you guys trying to make a living out of it. Quite the indictment on an industry if you gotta make your money playing classics to retirees, that market will only get smaller.

The only way I see guys making a real living out of a "band" is if they get connected with a booking agent, who hold the keys to the festival and club circuit. At least, it more or less functions that way now for the blues community. Still not a great living. Maybe 40-60k a year and subtract expenses. There are some local agents here that hold the keys to the trash gig Kingdom and I know a couple guys who scrape by doing them.

I have a few guys in the band who are full time musicians. One is a bass player who works for me and trash gig bandleaders, the other plays keys and has some sort of commercial job writing jingles and bits for TV programs and such but still gives lessons and freelances, the last guy plays with multiple bands, gives lessons, and is always doing solo work. He's constantly going back and forth to the coast between gigs.

 

[Sixstringflannel]

I’ve been to Austin too many damn times this summer for OUTDOOR weddings. I was disappointed in all of the musicians (cellists, violinists, etc) at all of these, and even the DJ’s. It was some really piss poor work that further confirmed the downfall of the Austin music scene. One wedding a guy was just playing a violin out of tune to whatever the DJ was playing while everyone was eating. It was weird. The other wedding was the most expensive one that I have ever been to and the orchestra piece there was mediocre. 2013 was the list time I was down there and saw some cool rando bands on Rainy St. before it too became stupid. Seems like comedy is the gig work to make money in there, but could be wrong. Love the hill country though and that whole vibe, but F the city in the B.

 

[rob13v]

My experiences are similar, if bandmate doesn't have a 'normie' gig (desk job, blue collar, etc) they teach, play in multiple bands, do solo work, studio work, auxiliary stuff (Guitar Center job, stagehand, production, etc). Two of my former bandmates opened live sound/production businesses AND rent buildings used as rehearsal spaces. Even when I made a living as a 'professional musician' it included teaching (something related to music - history, production, applied lessons, whatever) from private lessons up through college courses - and that was always in addition to performing, recording, doing stagehand / live sound production, etc.

It's a rough road. I needed to find another way after I had my first kid. I still perform & record, but I don't consider myself a "professional musician" because I don't make 100% of my living doing it anymore.

 

[VonBonfire]

I’ve been to Austin too many damn times this summer for OUTDOOR weddings. I was disappointed in all of the musicians (cellists, violinists, etc) at all of these, and even the DJ’s. It was some really piss poor work that further confirmed the downfall of the Austin music scene.

It's mostly mediocre players since I've been here but there are still some sharp players among them. I had previously lived in Nashville for a short while and the bar is so much higher. Insanely high actually. Even if you are amazing on a guitar you really aren't shit in Nashville since the best guitarists in the world live there. I do suspect that bar has dropped some but I can't confirm it since it's been 20 years....

 

[Fusionbear]

It's mostly mediocre players since I've been here but there are still some sharp players among them. I had previously lived in Nashville for a short while and the bar is so much higher. Insanely high actually. Even if you are amazing on a guitar you really aren't shit in Nashville since the best guitarists in the world live there. I do suspect that bar has dropped some but I can't confirm it since it's been 20 years....

I was there a few years ago and the bar is super high in all the downtown Broadway spots. I felt like a beginner checking everybody out for a week....

I called out a few tunes to test some of these guys and was blown away they could play tunes excellently, on the spot that they never played before.... dang!

I think I'm going to focus on solo gigs from now on in So. Cal.

My last gig was one hour for $250.00 plus tips, a meal, and free drinks. I ended up with another $165.00 bucks in tips!

I'm hoping for more referrals....

 

[VonBonfire]

I was there a few years ago and the bar is super high in all the downtown Broadway spots. I felt like a beginner checking everybody out for a week....

At the time off Broadway was like that too. I never saw a mediocre player once, even at GC LOL. I'd go to random guitar shop and see the most amazing playing I'd ever witnessed in person. Next shop, same stuff. Ridiculous. A dude in Nashville saying " I'm just a couch picker" means "I'm about to hand you your ass". I went to a band tryout in a sketchy area of east Nashville once and got absolutely smoked by a guy with a cheap squier strat and a hot rod DeVille.

 

[Music&Chaos]

As a Texan, Austin has always sucked.

 

[Music&Chaos]

At the time off Broadway was like that too. I never saw a mediocre player once, even at GC LOL. I'd go to random guitar shop and see the most amazing playing I'd ever witnessed in person. Next shop, same stuff. Ridiculous. A dude in Nashville saying " I'm just a couch picker" means "I'm about to hand you your ass". I went to a band tryout in a sketchy area of east Nashville once and got absolutely smoked by a guy with a cheap squier strat and a hot rod DeVille.

Lmao same thing I used to do to people around here when I was younger.

"You play?"

"A little..."

Proceeds to play Midnight by Satriani lmao

Not that that is the most difficult track, but still threw people seeing a 19/20yo slam through it.

 

[JamesTiberiusKirk]

I would usually change out the high E to avoid breakages since I was operating with one guitar. Paging Sharvell-Dan I had my hand truck setup to haul two twin reverbs, cable/mic bag, personal bag, plus my mic stand. Park on 7th and trinity by the homeless shelter, buy a discarded parking pass from my contact in the homeless community, and hit my gigs. Sucks cause I enjoyed getting down there and seeing friends and burning one on the venue roof before the show.

Good gawd damn man!!!! TWO!? Whoa.

The only thing worse for my back I can think of is hauling an SVT or a B3.

 

[VonBonfire]

Good gawd damn man!!!! TWO!? Whoa.

The only thing worse for my back I can think of is hauling an SVT or a B3.

I was borrowing the keys player an amp until he was able to procure his own. Piece of cake compared to lugging his Rhodes piano, lol.

I made a little plywood board with a cutout for the handle so they stack nicely then used military grade webbing and buckles to secure them to the cart so they were solid. I zip tied the straps to the cart for fast use. My hand truck skills are second only to Sharvell-Dan's.

 

[GuitarVacation]

I'd imagine parts of Florida, like here in Savannah, GA, there are plenty of gigs if you play covers from the '60s - '80s for retirees. We have a small indy music scene here, of various genres. Most places with live music cater to the retirees and vacationers...no idea on the pay scale, but there are a few bands/musicians with a local rep that seem to do quite well, and can probably get 3-4 gigs a week, more if they include Hilton Head, SC and Charleston, SC

Couple of jazz clubs, one brings in regional+ acts IIRC.

I haven't been out to clubs/bars for live music for about 5+ years now...but if you search for live music in Savannah you can get an idea. Remember that local bands /musicians with history here get the lion's share of gigs. I know one local bass player who has a few bands, with different / same locals, and they switch it up...that is, they have 2-3 bands playing jazz, blues, or classic rock, and get a few gigs a week with different bands and are known to please the vacationers and have local following, so they bring in / keep the clubs full.

I know a few local musicians that are making a living playing music; two recently married in the last 5 years, and both have young kids...and can support themselves doing music here.

That’s great to hear. Savannah is one of my favorite cities to visit. You’re surrounded by really cool history and you have the art college. Such an interesting dynamic of the old and mysterious existing along with youth and excitement.

I was last in downtown Savannah 2-3 years ago and had a blast. Pretty diverse spread of live music for sure. I even wondered into a bar and there was a band playing original shoegaze type stuff.

It was crowded enough on a Saturday night to be hopping, but not like downtown N’Ville is now (way to crowded for this old man).