Thinking of moving out to the US.....advice?

Well to answer your question, I don't know about LA in particular, but in most places there's a pretty active cover band scene. The problem is there is a TON of competition so playing isn't as lucrative as it was 25 or 30 years ago. But if you're a hard working band with good material you can work several weekends a month if you want to.

 

It all depends on where you want to live.
Are you thinking about Los Angeles because
of all the sunshine and stories of stars and
their wild nightlife activities?

Or LA because of all the rampant drug use and
gang affiliations? You totally fit the description,
young, bored, adventurous. The cops will love
to pull you over in Hollywood or anywhere else that
will give you a gig unsigned and no following.
Why? Because you don't fit in.

i had a gun pulled on me in Hollywood by a cop
sitting behind a Sunset nightclub. I was with my wife
ready to unload my gear and in a crowded parking lot,
this cop points his gun at my head. He thought I was
dealing drugs out of my car or something.
I didn't even flinch. Knowing LA like I do, I just let him talk
his bs and move on. Anyone else from out of town
would have gotten themselves killed by trying to
plead their case to a rogue cop.

Does this sound like you really wanna come to LA?
Have at it then, welcome.

 

If you plan to make a living from playing you'll need a "P Visa".

If not, then you'll need another type of temporary employment visa....or a wife who is a US Citizen and can sponsor you!

 

For the gigs, there are plenty of gigs to be found

For the move, I don't know what your background/professional skill level is or what your financial situation is, but my advice is to really make sure you really look into immigration rules and visas PRIOR to moving. Moving to the USA is not an easy process, not everybody can just move to the US because they want to. If you don't follow the rules, you can be kicked out of the country without the possibility of coming back for decades, even to visit… Just a friendly advice from a fellow European who lives in the US

But, If you have the opportunity and If that's what you want to do, try your best to make it happen, it's better to at least try than to live with regrets This is such a great country!!

 

LA is a really heavy scene. Like Nashville, or Austin, there's far, far more bands than gigs for them to play. It's hard to make money in those markets. Not saying it can't be done, lots of people are doing it. But man, it's tough. Those places are however, all great places to be from. They are great cities to tour out of. Don't think there's much of a scene for touring cover bands though, except the big tribute bands...

You can make a living in some smaller markets a lot easier believe it or not. Most folks around my neck of the woods would tell you that it's not possible to play music for a living in Cleveland, but I've been doing it here for many years, and I'm far from the only one. There are quite a few of us. There are markets like that all over the country.

Being versatile will go a LONG way toward keeping you busy. Being able to sing is great. Learn how to play bass as well. Honestly, the only people I've ever encountered any place I've ever lived in this country that couldn't find a ton of work playing music were crappy musicians, crappy people, or both. Great folks who can actually play well will always have work in my experience. I know some people who can't find gigs to save their lives. They are the ones always complaining about how bad the scene here sucks. They don't wanna hear that the scene is not the problem, but it's the truth.

 

Nashville. Orlando then.

I hope you do come and find a place for yourself and your family.

I hear Colorado is green this time of year!

 

Employment isn't the best right now. If you have another way to make a living than music it might work. FWIW most of my royalties for my music come from OUTSIDE the US. My "day job" (self employed) and my son's depend 95% on a CANADIAN company. Might look at this seriously before making a permanent decision.

 

I have a neighbor who moved from Scotland.

They don't call it "New England" for nuthin'. A good many Scots re- settled here over the centuries.

The bad news: The climate is a bit harsh.

The good news: The harsh climate sorts out the punters.

I can't say enough about southern New Hampshire or Maine.

The New Hampshire license plates say "Live Free or Die!" We mean it.

Maine doesn't have cool license plates. They have lobsters... like 95% of all the lobster consumed on Planet Earth comes from Maine

If you move within a half hour of the Atlantic coast you probably won't miss Scotland.

If you miss Scotland you need to move to Gouldsboro, Maine. Not much to do for work up there but it sure is pretty! A lot of people live in trailers up there with lobster boats on cribbing in the front yards.


.

 

You could always work the oil fields in North Dakota and truly relive the wild west....just kidding DON"T DO THAT !

 

he's not planning to live at your house man!

To your actual questions....

there is great advice from several guys about the proper visa etc (my daughter is about to move to the UK and we've been doing all the paperwork for school and work etc and for the duration she wants to stay... do it right! doing it wrong makes things complicated and awful.)

Some towns and cities have really great music scenes and some, not so much. Making a living as a musician only in a place like the Bay Area would be very tough... I have lots of friend musicians but don't know a single person making it on their music income. your accent is going to totally help you get gigs and jobs... it really will.. americans love that accent.. (according to research they love australian accents the most, but scotland is way up there.)

Plan to work a 'straight job'.

 

C'mon over!

Contrary to some's belief, country's fine. Just because others' dreams haven't turned out doesn't mean yours won't! Only live once, go for it.

And as usual, listen to jakedog. And getbent.

 

Again, since you are from another country, you won't be able to move to the US unless you either have:
- A solid job offer in the US (before moving), most of the time requiring a H1B visa sponsored by a company. You usually need a bachelor or Master degree to get a H1B, since the employer needs to justify that he's hiring you because of a special skill set that you have and that americans do not. There is a quota of h1B visas granted by the government per year, and the window to apply starts in April.
- Family based: you have family with green cards or citizenship already in the US, then they can apply for you.
- Lottery: the government grants green cards through a lottery process for several countries. (This is free and there is a link somewhere on the US immigration site, so don't pay another website to send your application. I remember seeing ads in the subway in Paris but most of the sites asking for money to send your application are scams).
- Refugee status
- Artist visas (usually for famous people)

You can stay in the US legally for 3 months without a visa. Want to stay longer than 3 months, legally? You need a visa. Check here for more info on green cards: http://www.uscis.gov/greencard

Is your wife american? If not, she'll have to apply for a visa too.

Figure out how to get here legally first, and don't worry too much about the gigs. You'll be able to get gigs. It's the US, there is live music pretty much everywhere.

Good luck!

 

One of my best friends just got one of these. She has dreamed of moving to the US for the past 9 years, but has gotten rather disillusioned because it's hard to find good jobs here in the arts (even for Americans). So she may not even use the visa. You need to do your research, consider your budget and be realistic in your expectations.

Aside from that - follow your dream. There are plenty of great places to live here, it's a big country and there is always room for one (or two) more.

 

Or maybe do. It is very modern wild west. Good pay but finding a room to rent is also expensive. Lots of jobs as drivers , welders and anything that supports boom town growth. Truth is immigration is a joke. Most of the agency is swamped and with how they are dealing with it its just the beginning. You could get in and probably never be thought of again. At least you'd have a fun different accent. Probably help you land a job and gigs.
At the very least you could try and visit for a few months try and get some gigs. Jump in with you here at least our diversity will be a little ........diverse

 

It ALL comes down to the paperwork !!, you must do your research, don't try and short circuit the system, with the advent of ESTA and digital ticketing its much harder to disappear and you'll just be sent straight back.
The USCIS web site can be a little daunting so if you have the time call the embassy in London and they will spell it out for you.
Sorry to be a misery but I can't stress enough about paperwork, the immigration folk here aren't daft but yeah, itis possible.

 

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding! My cousin got married in Vegas, and those of us who attended had a great time there. I don't know anything about the immigration process (my great grandparents went through that for my family), but I suspect you will be welcomed when you get here. There are certainly opportunities for cover band gigs in the cities I've lived in here. Good luck!

 

"Never mind the Bollocks". If you think you can survive here, then take a leap of faith. My brother had a good job in the Philippines when he decided to start over fresh in Chicago with his bride, back in 1969. Then he started bring us over, one by one, after he became an American citizen.
As for jobs, I still believe that Texas has the best economy going at the moment. As for gigs, any decent sized city will have a "music scene". I do have a few musician friends who are gigging just about every day. But there's a LOT of "pounding the pavement" involved with it.
BUT, you have to be 100% sure that you want to do this (gig wise or emigrate). If you're the least bit uncertain of what you might have to do, then it might be best to stay where you're at.