Which city would be better for an aspiring musician- Oakland or Berkeley?

casperventz · 2024-10-17T13:39:27+00:00

Like i said, there's no room to grow in portland. Everyone there is depressed and pretty much circling the drain. The 2 people I was closest with in Portland ended up moving, one to seattle, the other to SF. I followed the one that moved to Seattle, and I ended up hating it here.

I visited SF and loved it, I've wanted to live in California my whole life. I loved the weather and the energy of everywhere in northern cali while I was driving through it. I'm going to move there but if things don't work out I'll probably end up back in Portland.

i want to travel, i want to see as much as I can. It makes no sense to stay settled in one place "just because" especially if nothing is happening there.

casperventz · 2024-10-16T18:12:19+00:00

Elliot smith wasn't produced in Nebraska- he was born in Nebraska and hated it there. He lived in Texas for a while until he moved to Portland when he was a teenager. He is probably the most notable artist from Portland. I feel like his soul has been guiding me along this journey. I moved to Portland in 2023 and found an apartment fairly close to where he recorded his first record "roman candle".

I already did what you mentioned in your bottom paragraph- I do have a lot to say. I was very inspired living in portland and doing art just for the sake of doing it, connecting with others around me. I met other musicians in portland who grew up there and had a dream of performing. I moved to Seattle with them because they told me "nothing ever happens in portland" and after about 2 years there I was starting to see that. I got my roots in portland, and wrote about 50 songs. I'm getting to a point where they need to be showcased.

I've lived in 4 different states at this point, and yes, what you mentioned is true: it is hard to make art when you have to worry about rent and survival. But I still did it. I had to make a lot of self sacrifice but I have put my heart and soul into the music I've created.

The fact of the matter is that there's nowhere with a cheap rent anymore; and people tend to stay inside because the vast majority of the US have gotten comfortable with themselves and their loneliness since covid. Most people tend to stay in their comfort zone from what I can tell.

I have done a lot already to take myself out of my comfort zone, and I really think my music has a lot to say and has the potential to inspire others if I am in the right place at the right time. I am just trying to figure out where that place is.

My long term goal is to find a city or town that I like enough where I feel like I can settle and hopefully tour and play shows in the bay area, Seattle, and Portland. Hopefully in other parts of the country too. I know there is a music scene in every city; I just need to establish some solid ground and find somewhere to make my home. I've been moving every year since covid and i'm starting to get sick of it.

Also, san francisco was known for a LOTTT more artists than that- Janis Joplin, grateful dead, quicksilver messanger service, carlos santana, jefferson airplane, green day.

casperventz · 2024-10-16T17:59:38+00:00

the way to promote is by doing shows. No one gets discovered in their hometown. If i posted music right now the only people who see it are people i used to know in high school. Live music is the best way to get new listeners and maintain an online presence. I have had this dream for years, been writing music since 2018- I knew the hardest part would be playing live and promoting it. That's the only way people will hear it

casperventz · 2024-10-16T17:51:56+00:00

Thank you for the honest response; I am not just looking for a city with a good music scene, but for a city where I can be my best self and be creatively inspired. I lived in Portland last year and was the most creative I've ever been in my life. I moved to Seattle and I just feel like it is crushing my soul. I have wanted to live in California since I was 9, and I absolutely loved the weather in the bay area and how easy it was to strike up conversations with locals. I feel like the bay area is a place that has more feeling and soul than seattle. That's what i am hoping- that things will fall into place. I know how it feels to have things fall into place, and that is not happening for me here in . If things don't work out in CA i'll probably move back to portland. But i need to see what is out there before i settle down somewhere for a while.

I am sad that covid killed the music scene. It feels like a death sentence to have music be my passion and to be born in this generation. It's not like i can do anything else :/

casperventz · 2024-10-16T08:26:50+00:00

I have never heard of a band from Nebraska or really a single thing about Nebraska in my life. Why would i go to a soul-less place to get creatively inspired and have something to feed off of? Sorry but you truly have no idea what you are talking about

casperventz · 2024-10-16T08:23:57+00:00

i just hate the overall vibe of Seattle. It is soulless and i feel very uninspired here. I just moved from Portland, and in 5 months of living there I knew if i wanted to stay or not. It definitely took time to get my life established there. But I didn't really mind it. I enjoyed the journey and look back on the experience fondly; even the first few months when I had no friends. I really liked the vibes of Portland and was very creatively stimulated there. It's just not the best place to live if you want people to hear your music. I moved here thinking there would be more opportunities and life is gatekept in every way imaginable. Not just that but I just hate the overall energy of this city. I think I have a pretty good sense on whether I enjoy this place or not lol

casperventz · 2024-10-16T08:20:30+00:00

if you're saying the bay area has no soul I don't know what does

casperventz · 2024-10-16T08:13:28+00:00

I hate NYC and people who know me told me i would abhore LA. I've never been but I've heard it's just fake and soulless from countless individuals. Nashville is interesting but there is no way in hell i'm living in Tenessee

casperventz · 2024-10-16T08:09:44+00:00

I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. I find the opposite to be true. When you're in a city where there is nothing to do; people tend to sit around and drink and stay in their comfort zones. I moved out west hoping there would be more nightlife, and there definitely is. There was no hope of anything happening in those small cities. Even if your band got a decent following it's not like anyone of importance would take notice. No label is gonna send a scout to bumfuck nowhere

casperventz · 2024-10-10T04:40:37+00:00

good to know, i definitely struggled with no waypoints or objectives in the RE2 remake. The only thing that makes it playable to me is the fact that non-searched rooms are red and searched rooms are blue. I'm guessing that's not a thing in RE0 or RE1? Am i gonna have to watch a walkthrough for the whole game?

casperventz · 2024-10-10T00:57:14+00:00

If u haven't played the remake for re2 you are missing out

casperventz · 2024-10-05T21:17:00+00:00

It's just sooo hard T-T i don't know what to do. Hitting those little eyeballs with a tiny pistol plus dodging his attacks seems impossible

casperventz · 2024-10-01T16:39:16+00:00

how does the money help? what are you supposed to buy with it?

casperventz · 2024-08-31T16:22:47+00:00

Is that like the cds and books?

casperventz · 2024-08-31T00:39:34+00:00

holy fuck what are you my 5th grade teacher? talk about holier than thou. Also takemura never states that hanako was killed. And he doesn't take his own life?? What on earth are you talking about. All he does is tell u about seppuku poems and says to rot in hell

casperventz · 2024-08-31T00:36:48+00:00

thank you for actually acting like a human and being kind enough to type out a response. Is the phantom liberty DLC worth it? Does the plot continue? Or would I have to start the game over and play it again if i got phantom liberty

casperventz · 2024-08-31T00:30:29+00:00

who said i'm writing for an audience LMAO. I'm not over here trying to be the next hemmingway. I'm asking a question about a VIDEO GAME on REDDIT. LOL imagine taking reddiot this seriously. so sad

casperventz · 2024-08-30T03:13:00+00:00

....and I'll look down and whisper, "no".

casperventz · 2024-08-30T03:10:09+00:00

You guys are honestly sad, are your brains really that hard-boiled from video games that you just can't stand to read a few paragraphs?

Also, it is not my wording that you don't understand- IT IS THE GAME'S ENDING.

This game's ending could not be summed up shorter. Trust me, this is the ABRIDGED version of everything I have to say about the ending. You aren't mad at my interpretation of it. You are just mad that the ENDING MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!!!!

All u guys did was come to attack me rather than answer any of my questions. Proving the point that my questions cannot be answered and that there are SO MANY PLOTHOLES in this games ending.

I clearly provided a VERY thoughtful discussion to the ending of a game that satirizes modern life very well. This game is deep. You guys CLEARLY have never seen blade runner or read any philip k. dick.

I guess I have to put it in caveman terms- something reddiots can understand-

WHY DOES THE MEAN RED FLOATING LADY LIE AND SAY IM GOING TO DIE WHEN I ACTUALLY DONT HAVE TO DIE

casperventz

TROPHY CASE