Post
by rudel_ic » Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:10 am
Well, speaking about the general populus, in terms of music scenes, there is no Europe, really.
Each country in the EU has its own music scene, divided into local stuff (the clubs) and national stuff (TV- and radio-propelled).
US and UK music usually plays a big role, obviously. That is where the big money goes to, even over here.
Apart from radio pop and the usual post-70s genres like metal or techno, there is stuff you won't find in the US, and that is modern music in the native tongue, which is a big deal by the numbers; and there's regional hit music for old people, which is kind of a curiosity by itself. You'd probably compare it to country music, and that's fitting at least in spirit.
You will have no issues with adapting to the music scene in the UK, that much is pretty certain, mostly because there's no language barrier. But because of the UK's history in contemporary music and its relatively small size, there is a lot of competition.
If you go to mainland Europe, it'll get much harder in terms of being accepted. For example, in France, the music scene can get very secular, which can be observed by looking at French hiphop (sort of a big deal over there). But you would have the curiosity bonus, which always attracts people (as long as you advertise with it).
In mainland Europe, assuming you're a small rock band, you will have no principal issues finding gigs in the big cities like Hamburg, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Berlin, Prague and so on (as long as you're resourceful). There's the usual contests, you can play in bars and small concert halls and all that, just as you'd expect. As soon as you go away from the cities though, you probably won't find a gig, like ever.
Summing up, it's comparatively easy to get along in the UK, although the scene is very dense. Mainland Europe is more of an adventure, really.
If I were you, I'd check city after city for good locations in your range, make the calls and set up reasonable deals with at least a few houses, then travel from city to city and let loose.
Don't expect a profit. Don't expect a blooming music career. If you want that, make yourself a name where you know how to deal with people.
And don't expect that people have been waiting for you all this time. Being accepted if you're from somewhere else takes a lot of goodwill and effort from both parties, all around the world! That's why it's so magical if someone comes to a foreign country and can integrate himself; if it was easy, it wouldn't be worth mentioning.
Expect an exciting adventure. But make sure you can afford it all. Europe can be rather expensive — prices in London, for instance, will knock your socks off.
