HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MUSICIAN IN NEW YORK CITY! 

One aspect of a major city - like NY's city that never sleeps, or the easy way of life in Los Angeles - is the millions of distractions that there are. And those distractions will eat away at your time management. You almost have to become an eccentric hermit ignoring everything else around you and just focus on the music.

I've lived in New York my whole life but only started trying to break into the local scene about a year ago. Going to local shows and just interacting with bands has been huge for me. I had no idea where to start so I just started building a circle, following the right people on instagram, and before I knew it I could name dozens of small NY bands off the top of my head. You start seeing bands are always looking for other acts to join their lineup, or show bookers are constantly posting saying "hey looking for 4 bands to play this show on x date, sound off". I've also started to realize that all of these bands that are buzzing locally really aren't that different from myself, even though I'd hardly consider myself popular in the local scene. Most of the time if you just message a band and say "Hey I was hoping to get a few acts together and play a show on this date, wanna play?" They'll almost always consider it and often will say yes, cuz they just wanna play shows too! On that note, don't bother trying to book venues on your own if you're not a big name, even smaller ones. Most talent buyers just don't have the time to pick out acts from their dozens of emails and create lineups for you. Find bands that you think would be good on a bill, get in contact with them, and approach the venue with a full lineup. They're waay more likely to respond and feel confident that you can fill the room.

"Be the best You you can be" a lifestyle

My friend, I love your videos and the advice is stellar, so I'd like to repay you a bit with this advice--DON'T MOVE TO NEW YORK. I was born in The Bronx in the '70s and saw more concerts in the city (Manhattan, Queens & Brooklyn mostly) then I can even remember and of musical styles from Hip Hop to Black Metal, and when I wasn't seeing a concert I was at a bar or club having a great time. THOSE DAYS ARE LOOOOOONG GONE IN NYC!!! Here's a short list of some of the places I saw concerts at which are now long gone: Coney Island High (it was on St Marks Place) Wetlands Tramps The Tunnel The Limelight CBGB's (Yes, THAT CBGB's!!!) LaMoures Castle Heights Roseland Ballroom The list goes on and on. NYC is just FAR too expensive for clubs to survive in and it breaks my heart to think of all that has been lost. So my advice to you if you're ready to move across The Pond...Nashville!!!!!!!!!! Look it up; EVERYBODY I hear of in music is moving to Nashville, TN. It's FULL of music & musicians (not just country anymore), labels are basing themselves there and the cost of living is--I shit you not--a FRACTION of what it cost to live in NYC. I fear that if you move to NYC now, you'll just find yourself part of the exodus that is draining the last remaining life out of there, so please look into this yourself. NYC WAS an amazing place to be in, but those days are long gone and it's never coming back. Take care my friend.

One key to getting gigs in NYC is to be able to draw an audience. To start it helps to have friends who will come out to support you, and if your band is very good and puts on a great show, then building a following. Lots of very talented musicians, vocalists, songwriters with some music scenes such as Lower East Side, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), Harlem, etc.

I've been here in NYC for 15 years. Best advice is to be as good as you can be always because chances are the next person up is better that you. Be honest with your music and the audeince. People here see through the BS fast. Work harder than the next guy, or gal. Respect everybody. Chances are you'll see the same people a lot. Smaller city then you think.

Damian! Super stoked to invite you to this beast of a town. I've been an active musician in NYC for almost a decade now, and while it definitely has its own quirks, much of your advice for other markets applies here too. You have to build your band up as a professional business, and that's how you get shows at many of the venues. For almost all of the 100 person capacity or under clubs, the booking people will have their contact info on the venue's website. Sending them professional recordings, social media with decent following/engagement (ideally at least 500+ followers and 100+ likes per post), and a live video will usually get your foot in the door, as well as guaranteeing a certain turnout. Door prices are a little steep here - usually $10 is the venue minimum - and couple that with drinks, it can be hard to get people to come out because there are so many other things in this town that vie for a potential fan's attention and dollar. Making some free drink tickets sometimes helps. Venues I'd recommend for some NYC musicians to hit up are Arlene's Grocery (amazing sound and great LES location), Piano's (same deal as Arlene's, but more hipster friendly), The Shrine (uptown but free admission and you get a good neighborhood crowd) and Sunnyvale (not such great sound but located in Brooklyn and gets people from that borough out more.) It's definitely possible to make it here, but it's just as you say - you really have to be focused and have a plan set up.

I think Nashville or Los Angeles is a MUCH better choice for folks looking to move to a big music city. Yes, we still get a much better “bang for our buck” in Los Angeles than NYC. Why? The year round beautiful weather, cheaper housing, more opportunities abound. If you are good with Uber/Lift renting cars when absolutely necessary and public transpo you don’t really need a car in L.A. Nashville is very cheap and full of awesome music, also decent weather as compared to NYC and a major hub as far as traveling/touring to the east coast is concerned. NYC is a BEAST.

I lived in NY - high standards but tons of places to play. Much better than a smaller market.

This is the best video I have seen from you!!!! :) So much information relevant to a specific situation! Great job Damian!

There’s some awesome advice. I live in NYC. This video shows me there’s still more to learn & organize Thank you, Kerry

Bro you're truly amazing ! I love the discovery, so helping

Totally agree with what you said. I have lived in Montreal, Vancouver, and now I live in Kelowna. Three different sized cities and although I think you still have to hustle in a smaller town, you have to hustle even more in a big city. It's much harder to break through the noise but the rewards for doing so are also much higher. My advice would be in line with yours from other videos: Take every opportunity you can. Play for free at first if you don't have a following but make sure you have merch and music on Spotify so that you can build a following. Look after your fans like they've never been looked after. If you do that at every gig you won't be playing for free for long.

Watching this as I am focusing on New York and Mississippi as a musician splitting my time between two different states thousands of miles apart. Considering living part time in Connecticut and perform open mic nights in NY and Connecticut, and of course Mississippi.

Grande!! and Nice and important topic!!!

I’m a solo indie folk singer songwriter in nyc, been hustling and diving into the music world for the past 2 years - I agree with you Damian, about the hustle and working hard to utilize time effectively. I haven’t busked once in these last years, but I have performed at some respected venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, Pianos, and others out in Brooklyn. I also love Philly (great music scene too) and perform there often - it’s easy to get there. There are so many opportunities here, I just think it’s harder getting people to your gigs because of higher costs and drink sales like one other commenter here said. Not a ton of truly free or inexpensive shows. However, as a folk musician/singer-songwriter in nyc, I must say I don’t feel like such a small fish in this seemingly big pond. I think I would feel that way if I were in Portland, Oregon or Nashville and it would be harder to get somewhere. My singer songwriter friends and I are working hard to make this more of an open, supportive community, because it definitely is sectioned off into certain groups here (cliques etc) and the feeling is more about unfriendly competition rather than supportive community. I’m so excited to hear you’re moving here. This is to me the greatest city in the world, and I hope to see you at some point in some fashion! I am so grateful for you and all your words of wisdom 🙏 thank you

Damian, thank you so much for your all your helpful videos. My friends and I just started a metal band called MegaDragon and we have been religiously following your music and business advice! We are a group of expats from the US, UK and South Africa and met and formed the band in Qingdao, China of all places. This situation poses a variety of unique cultural and logistical problems, but your advice and guidance has been incredibly helpful. Once we get ourselves more established, we would love to chat with you someday, but for now thank you so much for all your support and keep up the great work!

I honestly feel it would be easier to make it in a big city than in a small town. So I'm glad you sort of bring that up that the opportunity is high in places like New York. They're very small in any small town. Especially one where anywhere to gig is over an hour away or more!

I live almost 4 hrs away but I gig there enough to give my experience. Most venues I’ve played in NYC have backline. I agree, keep your rig simple and portable!

Another great video Damian! My brother used to live 1h from NYC (NJ). Unfortunately i could visit only 3 times. But the time is spend in this city was amazing ... My cousin is making a living since 20 years, and yes, it took a lot of time to get there. Still. Best wishes from switzerland!

1 MAJOR KEY : Do YOUR H.W / RESEARCH! There are many SCAMMERS and profiteers off of the DREAMS and hopes of unsuspecting artists. I've had alot of experience unfortunately with this here in NYC. Born and raised here. Be aware. ✌🏿

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately..

Great! Interesting stuff

Yoooo 😃 I didn't know you were moving to NYC! I live in New York, but upstate. It's not tough to get over to NYC tho : it would be awesome to see you play or give a talk or something !! Hope the move goes smoothly 👍👍

Hey man, I wish you and your other-half success and happiness. We all tick differently. I had an apartment for a summer in Mott St near crossing Houston St. In short, we had a great time overall but learned quickly that we would need a few millions to afford some form of weekend-breather-base in the Hamptons : ) [means: experiencing nature without the noise]. Auditioning for a busking place. Yes but no. . . NYC the only western city where the "Free hugs" movement was not working, too neurotic [just to give a picture of its mind state]. If I have to choose [I'm happy here in Somerset UK], I would probably consider Nashville before it becomes unaffordable too. It seems the balance between all things of importance is pretty right there

Been living 20 min outside NYC for the passed 10 years, my band has played almost every venue an indie band can play there, and now I’m going at it as a solo artist. I think your advice is on point.

Thanks damo!

Hey Damian. Completely unrelated to the video, but were you working at ACM in 2003 and if so did you teach on the Princes' Trust Sound live course? I have a feeling you taught me how to play that song by Brian Adams and Mel C on the bass.

Dude, you should nab one of those MarkBass combos with a DI out. Our bass player got one for smaller gigs this summer and it’s the perfect blend of getting a natural sound on stage and keeping the setup simple and the sound tech happy.

I've been wanting to be a musician/dj/beatmaker as a career and specifically freelancing and I've always wanted at some point in my life to live in NYC, the city that never sleeps, but sadly I live in a small town in the midwest and from my perspective even if I'm not rich, living in nyc seems worth it I mean unless if you live in the universe of gossip girl, most new Yorkers dont care about what type of apartment you live in, and they arent big on cars cause true new yorkers know and understand the grind of walking and hustling and taking the subway like the energy there is different than some snooty small town here in the midwest, but living as a free spirit in NYC and having a career I'm passionate about is my dream.

We went on holiday to New York, we walked around a lot, the grid system design was perfect for walking about you could never get lost and it felt safe. One note though we went to a bar/bistro for some food & drink and we was told it will be closing at 11pm we replied New York never sleeps the bar person said well we do.

May I ask what is the scene like for solo musicians in 2023 in NYC?

Great video:)

NY isn’t the hardest city in the world to make it you literally just gotta ask for gigs and next thing you know, you’re playing with people you idolized. if you’re doing all your music and marketing online right it’s easy from there.

Always wanted to know about busking in NY

I'm curious on everyone's current thoughts on NYC post Lockdown and the current state with Covid and how this has changed NYC even more so for artist/ musicians etc.

Adding to your notes about taking care of those around you, sound guys, waitresses, bar backs, etc... You never know who you are talking to. Especially in a city like NY or LA. Those people may be in touch with bigger people. Those people may be on the line for a big thing (music or otherwise.) If you make that impression of actually being a decent person, they're more likely to suggest you for something than if you were a dick. Just throwing that out there

I've heard that the musicians in NY are on another level.

How do we find these places??

Awesome video once again Damian. To answer your ending question: Buy loads of peanut butter, and make sure you have a plan B.

Come up to VT someday!

Thank you for this information Damian, I live in Los Angeles, I did not see one (a vlog) so I ask if you would consider doing a "How To Be A Successful Musician in Los Angeles." also, or would you consider the information you shared in this vlog to be about the same? Being the capital of the entertainment world, Los Angeles is a beast in itself. Cheers!

Iam an upcoming producer and rapper in Europe and want tio move too to NY, and i made too much music, iam trying to copyright it world wide, how can i do it before launching it?

Great

Also put your best self out in public! Your energy and appearance are just as important as your talent. ✅

Work your ass off! New York is the best place to work on the planet!!

Chicago says hello. yes parking sucks.....

Are you speaking to Americans? I'm a New Zealander how do residency laws and union rules apply to Musos who aren't Americanos?

I think you'll do well here based on your demeanor.

How do we figure out what would be considered appropriate compensation?

Damian. I am New York City born and bred. Keep in touch. It would be great to have 13 or 14 beers with you and go beat some people up. That's a joke. I don't remember which part of that is a joke though.

post, post, post! Also verbally let people know youre available. "If you ever need a drummer, hit me up."

Wondering why he’s got the caracol de Quetzalcoatl on his necklace

Hopefully you and Adam Neely will get on well… *BASS.*

Naturally true about NYC but applies to *any* market. I've been fairly successful (i.e. have made a living in music) in Toronto and Orlando and the hustle is the same. Some of the best musicians in the world are in Orlando (Disney) and Toronto is an incredible jazz hub. Still, you'll spend 90 percent of your time hustling and 10 percent playing and that's the same formula whether you're in NYC, Chicago, Atlanta or Austin. Nashville and L.A. are the exceptions. I don't think any amount of hustle will help you make a living as a musician in those two cities but I'm willing to be proven wrong if your experience shows otherwise

👍

Biggest thing is to find a good drummer their rare in NYC

"City that never sleeps." Fake news. After spending a month in Manhattan, it admittedly grates me rather rough whenever I hear this term applied to New York City.

$70-$130 an hour? Really?

First of all this city is very asleep, so it's no longer the city that never sleeps. There is a lot of wanna be talent here. And so many people making spectacles of themselves that audiences don't even really know what real talent is. It is so expensive to live here that many artists work waiting tables, retail etc just to pay the rents that they hardly have the time or energy to pursue what they really came here to do, much less have a career in the MUSIC SCENE while paying the rent. There are gigs right on your doorstep if you're willing to work for free or practically nothing. This city uses artists and the club owners are the worst of all. They treat musicians like prostitutes who are here to be pimped for their own monetary gain. Be prepared when you go to those places to network they wont just let you hang out there you have to spend money while at the club or restaurant. Most places have a minimum and it ain't cheap. New York was once a great place to be an artist but the cost of real estate is driving the real artists out. It all looks great and exciting on the web but it's not at all like that for real. It's gotten so crowded and yes everybody is trying to get the same work so it drives down the demand for the really talented people because clubs etc know they can get anybody for $100 a night. I don't mean to sound cynical or jaded because really I'm not. I know what the capacity is here and i get my work done. It's still a great city for "posing" and of course everyone is enamored by an established New York artist but in reality it's for more work than reward. Like Damian says be organized but have a second plan of action for virtually everything. It's easy to get sucked in here and before you know it be in over your means.

I work in TV and film here and am a hobby musician, and from what I've been told by mates in the music industry IT'S TOUGH! You're far better off working on your social media presence and living in a cheaper city close to an airport so you can tour - there's no reason to be in NYC for the sole purpose of building your music career. On that note (haha) they're rock and indie artists. Jazz is another story, this is the best place in the world for it. If you're talented and well connected, you can do VERY well for yourself.

Just messaged you on insta!