Moving to a new city or a new country is surely one of the most challenging transitions a person can undertake. Whether that move is motivated by that individual’s career, relationship, or perhaps the need for a change of scenery, the dual strain of leaving a life and loved ones behind as well as starting a new one from scratch can be quite overwhelming.
Having been in that position on two separate occasions over the last three years, I can confidently say that relocating your existence is one of the most exciting, frustrating, fun, taxing, tiring and truly wonderful life changes you will ever go through. And, of course, a quick Google search will expose a magnificent amount of websites devoted to this subject; forums where people seek advice, bloggers who tell of their own experiences, lifestyle magazines outlining the do’s and dont’s of moving abroad.
Everybody’s story is different. What makes mine unique is that I am, first and foremost, an independent musician.
A tremendous part of any artist’s livelihood is contingent on the community they belong to. Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, amidst such a famously exuberant and booming scene for independent music was a great privilege. I, along with several of my childhood friends, entered into it together, somewhat seamlessly, cutting our teeth and growing our skills as performers and writers. We’d meet musicians at gigs and ask if we could support them at their next show. We’d put bands together and find players through the recommendations of friends of friends. I eventually wound up studying jazz voice at university level which exposed me to yet another circle of musicians, some more academically driven, some driven by the prospect of working a session musician or on the corporate circle. There were also others, like me, who wanted to be on the stage playing their own material.
I suppose, this first chapter of my musical adult life occurred very organically. I wasn’t completely aware of the way in which I was forging my place among a community of artists because it was, for the most part, an entirely natural progression.
With a couple of self funded albums behind me, I eventually became very preoccupied with touring. I always had a love of performing, and it seemed that playing in just one city wasn’t enough to build up the following I hoped to have. I spent time performing up and down Australia’s East Coast, I toured through parts of Europe and the UK. But, for reasons I can’t entirely explain, it was my first foray into Southeast Asia where I felt I finally found an audience for the music I had been making.
And then, of course, I met a girl.
I’d met her while performing in Singapore and we decided to partner up pretty quickly after that. For a while, I was back in Australia and she was based in Vietnam. We were roughly five months into the test of endurance that is a long distance relationship, when she found out she would be shipping off to Bangkok, Thailand, for a work project.
Not too long before all of this, I had met a drummer at a jazz club in Bangkok during a previous tour of Asia. I reached out to him and, by chance, the club needed a singer. So I decided to move to Thailand.
Fast forward three years, and I’m now in the process of relocating to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This time to pursue another career writing and producing music for film and television.
One thing that was on my mind throughout both my move to Bangkok and my recent move to Kuala Lumpur, was what toll relocating would take on my identity as a musician. When you are comfortably nestled in a scene or community, certain things are just that little bit easier. You are on the radar of other musicians. Booking shows is easier because you are known to venue owners. Your phone fills up with the names of instrumentalists who you can call to session for you on a record, or to play a last minute gig. More importantly, as a musician, many of those people are likely to be your close friends.
Getting to that point in any city will take time. I feel that I learned a few things moving to Bangkok that have helped me a great deal as I settle into life’s next chapter in Kuala Lumpur.
It is probably pretty obvious, but the very best thing a musician can do when they are finding their feet in unfamiliar surroundings is to track down local musicians. The best way to do that, I have always found, is going to shows.
Most cities will have a handful of well known music venues. A bit of research online and you’ll find out which venues specialise in what genre of music. Supporting your fellow musicians is one of the most important things you can do. Especially when you consider that most of an independent artist’s following will be comprised of other artists.
Going to shows is also a great opportunity to speak with venue owners and managers. Even if it means a brief exchange of business cards and a promise to email through some links to your website, those little seeds can sprout very quickly and unexpectedly. And while we’re on the subject of business cards…
...ALWAYS have yours with you. It’s amazing how many opportunities I missed early on because I simply didn’t have my contact details readily available to pass onto other people. And there are plenty of occasions where keying your number into somebody else’s phone just isn’t a practical thing to do. I now habitually keep 20 cards in my wallet (minimum) at all times. You never know who you might meet when you’re out and about, so be prepared.
Another underrated avenue to make great contacts and get yourself known is to go to open mic nights. By the time I was 24 years old, I’d sworn I would no longer play at open mic nights in Melbourne. I had been there and done that.
Although open mic nights are generally geared towards beginners or hobbyists, there are always some exceptions. And these are also people who will be able to tell you about any hidden secrets in your city that you might not be able to find out about any other way than word of mouth - underground venues, special events. The people who play at open mics are often some of the most knowledgeable when it comes to the local music scene. Not only that, but you’ll get seen by the staff at the venue which might be a foot in the door toward booking a gig.
Another thing that all musicians should be aware of are there rights and permissions to perform in any country they visit. It will surprise nobody that there are plenty of bars across the world that will pay you cash under the table thereby sidestepping the need to recognise you as a lawful employee. Likewise there are establishments that will adhere very strictly to visa requirements and will do everything strictly by the book. Whatever the case, if you are playing music live, it’s well worth being aware of the laws of the country you’re staying in. Being aware of your rights and being prepared for the worst case scenario could potentially save you a lot of grief. Musicians do what we must to get by, but if we are taking any risks at all, it makes sense to at least be aware of what those risks are. This is as true in Asia as it is in any other part of the world.
A final piece of advice I can offer is this: be genuine. Sincerity is crucial in the music community. Following through on promises, adhering to any commitments you make, turning up at the agreed upon time, honouring the contract, helping your fellow musicians when they ask for it. That advice need not only apply to musicians. I confess I’ve gone through periods where I haven’t stuck to this rule as adamantly as I ought to have, and the consequences have ranged from damaging relationships or missing out on opportunities to entering into great long ruts of no productivity whatsoever. When you are sincere, the community recognises it and responds. And when you’re a newcomer, it is a great advantage to earn the right reputation from the get go.
If, like me, music is your true calling, then your life will revolve around it. You’ll have to make tough decisions and be prepared to adapt to ever changing circumstances. You will do anything it takes to ensure that music is at the forefront of your existence. You’ll make sacrifices, you’ll have hard times, but you’ll always persevere and you’ll always find a way to make music work. Wherever that takes you and however things may pan out, keep an open mind, be willing to go with the flow and take chances. Moving cities is just one of an endless list of challenges you might face on your musical journey. But it is also one of the greatest sources of inspiration I’ve happened upon so far.
Having been in that position on two separate occasions over the last three years, I can confidently say that relocating your existence is one of the most exciting, frustrating, fun, taxing, tiring and truly wonderful life changes you will ever go through. And, of course, a quick Google search will expose a magnificent amount of websites devoted to this subject; forums where people seek advice, bloggers who tell of their own experiences, lifestyle magazines outlining the do’s and dont’s of moving abroad.
Everybody’s story is different. What makes mine unique is that I am, first and foremost, an independent musician.
A tremendous part of any artist’s livelihood is contingent on the community they belong to. Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, amidst such a famously exuberant and booming scene for independent music was a great privilege. I, along with several of my childhood friends, entered into it together, somewhat seamlessly, cutting our teeth and growing our skills as performers and writers. We’d meet musicians at gigs and ask if we could support them at their next show. We’d put bands together and find players through the recommendations of friends of friends. I eventually wound up studying jazz voice at university level which exposed me to yet another circle of musicians, some more academically driven, some driven by the prospect of working a session musician or on the corporate circle. There were also others, like me, who wanted to be on the stage playing their own material.
I suppose, this first chapter of my musical adult life occurred very organically. I wasn’t completely aware of the way in which I was forging my place among a community of artists because it was, for the most part, an entirely natural progression.
With a couple of self funded albums behind me, I eventually became very preoccupied with touring. I always had a love of performing, and it seemed that playing in just one city wasn’t enough to build up the following I hoped to have. I spent time performing up and down Australia’s East Coast, I toured through parts of Europe and the UK. But, for reasons I can’t entirely explain, it was my first foray into Southeast Asia where I felt I finally found an audience for the music I had been making.
And then, of course, I met a girl.
I’d met her while performing in Singapore and we decided to partner up pretty quickly after that. For a while, I was back in Australia and she was based in Vietnam. We were roughly five months into the test of endurance that is a long distance relationship, when she found out she would be shipping off to Bangkok, Thailand, for a work project.
Not too long before all of this, I had met a drummer at a jazz club in Bangkok during a previous tour of Asia. I reached out to him and, by chance, the club needed a singer. So I decided to move to Thailand.
Fast forward three years, and I’m now in the process of relocating to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This time to pursue another career writing and producing music for film and television.
One thing that was on my mind throughout both my move to Bangkok and my recent move to Kuala Lumpur, was what toll relocating would take on my identity as a musician. When you are comfortably nestled in a scene or community, certain things are just that little bit easier. You are on the radar of other musicians. Booking shows is easier because you are known to venue owners. Your phone fills up with the names of instrumentalists who you can call to session for you on a record, or to play a last minute gig. More importantly, as a musician, many of those people are likely to be your close friends.
Getting to that point in any city will take time. I feel that I learned a few things moving to Bangkok that have helped me a great deal as I settle into life’s next chapter in Kuala Lumpur.
It is probably pretty obvious, but the very best thing a musician can do when they are finding their feet in unfamiliar surroundings is to track down local musicians. The best way to do that, I have always found, is going to shows.
Most cities will have a handful of well known music venues. A bit of research online and you’ll find out which venues specialise in what genre of music. Supporting your fellow musicians is one of the most important things you can do. Especially when you consider that most of an independent artist’s following will be comprised of other artists.
Going to shows is also a great opportunity to speak with venue owners and managers. Even if it means a brief exchange of business cards and a promise to email through some links to your website, those little seeds can sprout very quickly and unexpectedly. And while we’re on the subject of business cards…
...ALWAYS have yours with you. It’s amazing how many opportunities I missed early on because I simply didn’t have my contact details readily available to pass onto other people. And there are plenty of occasions where keying your number into somebody else’s phone just isn’t a practical thing to do. I now habitually keep 20 cards in my wallet (minimum) at all times. You never know who you might meet when you’re out and about, so be prepared.
Another underrated avenue to make great contacts and get yourself known is to go to open mic nights. By the time I was 24 years old, I’d sworn I would no longer play at open mic nights in Melbourne. I had been there and done that.
Although open mic nights are generally geared towards beginners or hobbyists, there are always some exceptions. And these are also people who will be able to tell you about any hidden secrets in your city that you might not be able to find out about any other way than word of mouth - underground venues, special events. The people who play at open mics are often some of the most knowledgeable when it comes to the local music scene. Not only that, but you’ll get seen by the staff at the venue which might be a foot in the door toward booking a gig.
Another thing that all musicians should be aware of are there rights and permissions to perform in any country they visit. It will surprise nobody that there are plenty of bars across the world that will pay you cash under the table thereby sidestepping the need to recognise you as a lawful employee. Likewise there are establishments that will adhere very strictly to visa requirements and will do everything strictly by the book. Whatever the case, if you are playing music live, it’s well worth being aware of the laws of the country you’re staying in. Being aware of your rights and being prepared for the worst case scenario could potentially save you a lot of grief. Musicians do what we must to get by, but if we are taking any risks at all, it makes sense to at least be aware of what those risks are. This is as true in Asia as it is in any other part of the world.
A final piece of advice I can offer is this: be genuine. Sincerity is crucial in the music community. Following through on promises, adhering to any commitments you make, turning up at the agreed upon time, honouring the contract, helping your fellow musicians when they ask for it. That advice need not only apply to musicians. I confess I’ve gone through periods where I haven’t stuck to this rule as adamantly as I ought to have, and the consequences have ranged from damaging relationships or missing out on opportunities to entering into great long ruts of no productivity whatsoever. When you are sincere, the community recognises it and responds. And when you’re a newcomer, it is a great advantage to earn the right reputation from the get go.
If, like me, music is your true calling, then your life will revolve around it. You’ll have to make tough decisions and be prepared to adapt to ever changing circumstances. You will do anything it takes to ensure that music is at the forefront of your existence. You’ll make sacrifices, you’ll have hard times, but you’ll always persevere and you’ll always find a way to make music work. Wherever that takes you and however things may pan out, keep an open mind, be willing to go with the flow and take chances. Moving cities is just one of an endless list of challenges you might face on your musical journey. But it is also one of the greatest sources of inspiration I’ve happened upon so far.