coming to L.A. - where to meet musicians

[zephonic]

To all, I should be coming to L.A. end of this month and really want to hook up with musicians there. Go to jam sessions, see where and with whom I can play, you know, the whole coming to a new town thing. Anybody know anything? Any help, advice or suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Joe Muscara]

If you throw a rock in LA, don't you either hit a musician or an actor?

[kanker.]

If you throw a rock in LA, don't you either hit a musician or an actor?

I thought that was if you smoked a rock in LA, you'd draw a lot of musicians and actors

[GuitarPlayerFL]

Any shift at McDonalds.

 

Pick up a copy of Music Connection Magazine at any Border's or Barnes & Noble bookstore. A lot of pro and semi-pro want ads for the LA area...and good articles.

 

You could check out Musician's Institute in Hollywood.

 

Also, the want ads in The Recycler which you can find at any 7-11 convenience store.

 

Prepare to deal with a LOT of flakey people....I can not over emphasize that enough.

[Geoff Grace]

Pick up a copy of Music Connection Magazine at any Border's or Barnes & Noble bookstore. A lot of pro and semi-pro want ads for the LA area...and good articles.

 

You could check out Musician's Institute in Hollywood.

 

Also, the want ads in The Recycler which you can find at any 7-11 convenience store.

These are all good sources. Also, go to any functions that promote networking -- clinics, trade shows, conferences, etc.

 

Prepare to deal with a LOT of flakey people....I can not over emphasize that enough.

People here tend to act very receptive and interested and often fail to follow through. If you form bands with musicians here, they often leave for the first bigger thing that comes along.

 

But there are people here who don't fit that mode -- dependable and loyal people. They're just in the minority, that's all.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Joe Muscara]

If you throw a rock in LA, don't you either hit a musician or an actor?

I thought that was if you smoked a rock in LA, you'd draw a lot of musicians and actors

[Phil W]

I love the Baked Potato.

 

http://www.thebakedpotato.com/

 

Not a jam session but a great venue.

[Edgar Summers]

]

People here tend to act very receptive and interested and often fail to follow through. If you form bands with musicians here, they often leave for the first bigger thing that comes along.

Geoff

 

I have a couple of friends from my LA days, I love these guys but it was (and still is) hard as hell to pin 'em down for any thing.

 

There are a lot of opportunities there, but you need to be a self starter and hungry.

 

I play more now than when I was in LA.

[zephonic]

Thank you to all.

[nmcq]

Also be careful of people who are more interested in the visual package than the musicianship. You'll see a lot of ads in Music Connection mag that prioritize things like "big hair a must" or "Goth look essential" and such. And I'll second the flake factor. There are a lot of people in LA that think if you have the right look that's all it takes. And a lot who are out to use and abuse until they get caught, moreso than other places in my 12 years of experience there. These types are everywhere, but I noticed them more by a huge factor in LA than in other places like Phoenix, Orange County, San Diego, Washington.

Neil

[Bobadohshe]

Zephonic. Cruise on out to the Viper room on a Sunday night! I'm one of two house keyboard players at an R&B jam that we have there every week. You're welcome to come scope it out and sit in if you have a desire. I trade off this gig every other week with another keyboard player. There are lots of guys coming through and checking things out and sitting in here. We'd love to have you!

 

-Bobby

 

P.S. There are indeed a lot of flaky people around here. People that say they'll come see you play, say they want to do something, and then you don't hear from. It's the lay of the land and it's kind of gross. But on the other hand it makes you a stand out kind of person when you simply return people's phone calls.

[Jazz+]

 

The Baked Potato:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baked_Potato

 

Viper Room:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viper_Room

[Bobadohshe]

The Baked Potato is a cool place as well, but you won't find yourself in a jam situation there. Still, you will cross paths with L.A.'s foremost fusion musicians, if that is your goal.

[Bridog6996]

Do yourself a favor and check out Jon Brion at Largo. He's in residency there every Friday night.

[zephonic]

Zephonic. Cruise on out to the Viper room on a Sunday night! I'm one of two house keyboard players at an R&B jam that we have there every week. You're welcome to come scope it out and sit in if you have a desire. I trade off this gig every other week with another keyboard player. There are lots of guys coming through and checking things out and sitting in here. We'd love to have you!

 

-Bobby

 

P.S. There are indeed a lot of flaky people around here. People that say they'll come see you play, say they want to do something, and then you don't hear from. It's the lay of the land and it's kind of gross. But on the other hand it makes you a stand out kind of person when you simply return people's phone calls.

 

That's great, thanks Bob! That was exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping to hear. Just got the word that the trip has been postponed until September, but nonetheless. I heard your "summertime" on Myspace, good stuff!

 

[zephonic]

To everybody else, thanks for your input. I'm sure my visit is going to be funky one :-)

 

[zephonic]

Bumped this thread, 'cos it's finally happening. By next weekend I should be in L.A.

Anybody out there want to meet me or show me around? Am a complete stranger, any help or friendship is appreciated :-)

 

[Jim_K]

Reminds me of the old joke,

 

"What do you say to a musician in LA?"

 

 

 

Answer:

 

Supersize dem fries

[KenElevenShadows]

People here tend to act very receptive and interested and often fail to follow through. If you form bands with musicians here, they often leave for the first bigger thing that comes along.

 

But there are people here who don't fit that mode -- dependable and loyal people. They're just in the minority, that's all.

 

 

I'm originally from Illinois, although I moved here when I was still in high school. I've never played with musicians anywhere else (besides traveling). But it still is a difficult adjustment to make. Someone will seem really friendly and enthusiastic, but then not show up or not return phone calls. I've actually heard some people use flakiness as an excuse: "Sorry, man, I flaked." Huh?

 

But as Geoff says, there's still plenty of people who actually do what they say and are not flaky. And we've actually had relatively good luck with auditions in the past, with people showing up on time and communicating, so it is possible!!

 

I don't really jam all that much in terms of showing up at a place and jamming, although I improvise with my band (this is how we write songs) and with friends occasionally and do some experimental improvisational gigs. So consequently, I don't know the jam spots very well at all.

 

As I tend to be more interested in independent/experimental music, I really favor clubs such as The Smell, Pehrspace, Spaceland, The Echo, and Echoplex. There's not really any open mic/jam things going on here, but if your tastes are more to indep/exper stuff, these are excellent clubs for that.

[KenElevenShadows]

Bumped this thread, 'cos it's finally happening. By next weekend I should be in L.A.

Anybody out there want to meet me or show me around? Am a complete stranger, any help or friendship is appreciated :-)

 

I'd actually be interested in hanging out, but next weekend, in all reality, is probably not going to be good. I've got gigs on Friday and Sunday night with my band, am going to the Honoring the Sea Ceremony for the ending of the World Sacred Festival of Music Event, and am going to another gig on Saturday evening. That's a full weekend, and I wouldn't want to overextend myself, only suddenly to "flake", thus perpetuating the LA musician stereotype!

[KenElevenShadows]

Do yourself a favor and check out Jon Brion at Largo. He's in residency there every Friday night.

 

This is supposed to be quite good, with a lot of good musicians dropping in to play music. Why I've never gone to this is beyond me. My girlfriend and I have talked about going to this several times.

[KenElevenShadows]

Also be careful of people who are more interested in the visual package than the musicianship. You'll see a lot of ads in Music Connection mag that prioritize things like "big hair a must" or "Goth look essential" and such.

 

It should be mentioned that most of those ads are written by high school and college-aged people, though, not necessarily seasoned musicians. Furthermore, some of those guys just completely live and breathe their music, and and are really into learning their instruments. I've played in numerous Goth or dark atmospheric bands in my 20s, and a lot of these guys were really excellent musicians.

 

And also, I should mention that the A&R guys here, as further evidenced by reviews and articles in Music Connection magazine, go out of their way to emphasize a band's need for a strong "image". So if you're a young group trying to get noticed, what are you going to do?

[zephonic]

Hi Ken, thanks a lot for that. Just got word that I shall be in Frisco over the weekend and arriving in LA by tuesday. I shall stay until October 26th, so if anything interesting comes before then please PM me. Again, thanks!

 

[KenElevenShadows]

I shall. I believe my band is participating in the Daniel Pearl worldwide music thingy on October 26th, so unfortunately, it sounds like you'll be gone on that day. Then again, you'll see us and tell everybody on this forum that I played only guitar and never busted out a keyboard and then I'll be banished forever from here.

[bluesnote]

If you're in town on October 17th I'm playing with Leo Nocentelli and the Meters Experience at the Mint. The Big Organ Trio will be opening (these guys are pretty cool!). Might be kinda fun. Sorry for the shameless plug, but it really ought to be a enjoayble show.

[Phil W]

Wish I was in LA.

[David Loving]

On Kanker's note about smoking rock, try dropping in on an AA or NA group - bound to be some musicians in there.

[Phil W]

Do check out The Baked Potato - see the link above!

[Song80s]

craigslist

 

good for cross dressers, too

[Bobadohshe]

Zeph, the Viper room jam has been moved to the Sunset Blvd. House of Blues in the smaller room. We'll be there on October 5th, a Sunday night.

 

Also let's get in touch and we can go check out some fusion or jazz if you'd like.

 

-Bobby