[stephancoral]

Small towns are where music happens. I live in Western, MA - I can see music every night. If I drive out to a small town in upstate New York, I guarantee you there will be a bar with live music. Even a run down shithole like Poughkeepsie or Catskill has plenty of local bands. Some huge names in music have come from small towns in Georgia or in Ohio or in Michigan. One of the biggest indie record labels is based out of Nebraska.

If "people would rather hear the best musicians in the world than the best musicians in their household or neighborhood" than why are local acts booming in places like Portland, ME? Why are small bands filling out the bottom portion of huge festivals or starting their own?

Your post reads to me like someone who doesn't seem very aware or involved in music and mostly gets their information from online source and so called historical research rather than first-hand live experience.

[throwawaycopy]

I'm a professional musician living in Austin, TX. We are very lucky here to be living in a city that actively subsidizes live music, but this place is exceptional.

At one time there was live music in every single pub in the country, if only just some drunk playing sing-a-longs on one of the ubiquitous pianos of the era. Nowadays the vast majority of restaurants, bars and private gatherings utilize recorded music instead of a live band.

I am most definitely in direct competition with DJs for wedding gigs, and they have less costs and a greater range of song materials to choose from.

Your posts read like someone who is convinced that technological "progress" never has any negative repercussions.

[mantas]

OP may be overestimating importance of "national tour" too. I know for a fact that some supporting bands not only do not get any money fro ticket sales. They pay the main acts just to share stage with them. Some people go on expensive vacation to XYZ island, other people tour as a band...

[throwawaycopy]

I went on an extended international tour in 2006, opening up for The Shins and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and it left me broke, homeless and unknown. I was living on couches, drink tickets and a $20 per diem.

It was a fantastic experience but it made me realize I didn't really like life on the road and that I needed a more secure source of income.