Where will today's upcoming bands learn their trade?

[Jonny]

Back in the day when there was a thriving band and gig scene, I used to often come home at 2.00am after playing to three people and a dog and feel invigorated. You see, with perseverance and stick at it-ness, a following could be built and stardom was just around the corner. In the event it never was - but oh how we loved chasing those dreams.

Sadly, they are rapidly evaporating for today's aspiring musicians.

Sad times

 

[BrianY]

To answer your question directly; Pennsylvania. Here, even the saddest and most decrepit places have thriving club scenes. Here in Lancaster, there are at least three or four venues so multiply that by thirty or forty.

I get it, big cities like New York can't really have this because it would be insanely expensive. But that's not everywhere. Small cities, college towns, and weekend destinations are all places where all sorts of things that are vanishing in big cities are thriving. Proof? I've just discovered that there's a Subway sandwich shop around here that opens at 10:00PM and closes at 3:00AM - a place where literally starving musicians and actors can grab something to eat before the long trip home.

 

[Jonny]

Wow, Brian. That's really heartening to hear. I think that also my native Ireland still has very many pub venues and a thriving scene.

In the late 80s and 90s I played many pub and small club gigs in London. As is evidenced in the article, sadly they are a thing of the past. Which of course chimes with your point about the big cities.

 

[MattScho]

Did the dog pay full fare?
A good friend of mine left New York in the 90s because of the club laws, when they restricted which clubs were large enough to host live music. He said the number of gigs fell from 7 a week to 4, and, well, New York City isn't cheap.
He headed back to Denver, still gigs often, travels the world for his share of gigs, occasionally even London,

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

Edinburgh, Glasgow: thriving gig scene. You're in the wrong country, mate.

 

[Jonny]

Yeah, I think you're right, Hannah. I suspect this is more prevalent here in the south of England where there seems to be almost an apathy to small live music pubs and clubs.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Wow, Brian. That's really heartening to hear. I think that also my native Ireland still has very many pub venues and a thriving scene.

In the late 80s and 90s I played many pub and small club gigs in London. As is evidenced in the article, sadly they are a thing of the past. Which of course chimes with your point about the big cities.

Wex ford used to have the most unemployed, poets, painters, musicians and actors in Ireland. Cost of living was cheap and close enough to go to Dublin for gigs and auditions. That was in 2017. Highways have been built , now Dubs are buying properties for summer houses along with the English looking for Brexit anchors.

But yes, Wexford's medieval streets rock, rattle and resound with budding musicians playing their own songs as well as covering favourites. Velvet lined fiddle and guitar cases left open to entice coinage. One thing I love about the town.
Also Palermo-I have a feeling there is a class of nomadic bard now. Following the tourist trade.