NationStates Jolt Archive

A lot of threads are about the best musical group or genre, but never about the best city. What city produced the greatest number of your favorite bands?

For your choice, feel free to say why you picked your choice, as well.

Obviously I'm blanking on something here - Slade, Black Sabbath and Duran Duran are the only major bands that I can think of who have come out of Brum.

Seattle FTW. :D

Though California has a lot of good bands going for it, too. I'm like a lot of British bands as well, but I don't really think of them in terms of "city scenes".

Naw'leans, no contest. Even if you don't like jazz, the New Orleans music scene was totally awesome. I'm afraid that it will never recover from Katrina though. Sad. Very sad. :(

Gothenburg was a pretty random inclusion, IMHO.

Los Angeles, definitely. There's really no comparison... The underground scene there is tops.

Barcelona, Spain.

Los Angeles, definitely. There's really no comparison... The underground scene there is tops.

I say Gothenburg's is better. I mean, I can name a ton of "underground" bands from LA, but not a single one from Gothenburg (um...black metal, maybe?). Therefore, it is more underground. :p

I say Gothenburg's is better. I mean, I can name a ton of "underground" bands from LA, but not a single one from Gothenburg (um...black metal, maybe?). Therefore, it is more underground. :p
Pure, untainted genius blessed with the gift of logic and reason at work here. :p

I say Gothenburg's is better. I mean, I can name a ton of "underground" bands from LA, but not a single one from Gothenburg (um...black metal, maybe?). Therefore, it is more underground. :p

A friend of mine (one I haven't heard from in ages) is from Orange County. He had CD's from a lot of bands I'd never heard of before. He told me there are literally thousands of real Underground Hardcore bands in Los Angeles. He's the one who got me into the Adolescents. :p

Yeah, there are a lot of underground bands who have sense become famous, but still, Los Angeles is massive, and there are many bands that nobody's heard of outside the city itself.

London by MILE

As a musician, I can safely say:

New Orleans, LA
Memphis, TN
Austin, TX

Seattle was great in the late 80s and Boston kicked major ass in the mid-90s.

Were I to go anywhere to break into the scene today, I'd head to Chicago. Just you wait and see.

Pure, untainted genius blessed with the gift of logic and reason at work here. :p

Hehe :D


Yeah, there are a lot of underground bands who have sense become famous, but still, Los Angeles is massive, and there are many bands that nobody's heard of outside the city itself.

That's the same with anywhere.

Nashville, TN

also known as Music City, USA

...go into any dive bar, i mean a total dive, and treat yourself to top-shelf music.

Music Row is here... really neat.

I don't go for musical scenes. You don't find Beethoven's 9th, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, or other great pieces of music in scenes.

The live music capital, Austin.
No better place for live music of all types.
Country to ska to reggae to folk.
Threadgills, the now defunct Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin City Limits and the SXSW music fesival.

I'm gonna go ahead and say Toronto...atleast for experimental music.

I guess you really gotta specify which music scene you are refering to, there are hundreds.


And claiming that being a musician makes your point more valid is pretty ridiculous :P

I don't go for musical scenes. You don't find Beethoven's 9th, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, or other great pieces of music in scenes.

You do realise that there has never been a time when that was true, don't you?

Back in Beethoven's day, you walk into a tavern and you'd hear lewd pop-esque drinking songs about drugs, sex, and shakin' dat ass.

Make no mistakes in your musical snobbery.

You do realise that there has never been a time when that was true, don't you?

Back in Beethoven's day, you walk into a tavern and you'd hear lewd pop-esque drinking songs about drugs, sex, and shakin' dat ass.

Last time I checked, Beethoven's 9th was not a lewd drinking song.

Last time I checked, Beethoven's 9th was not a lewd drinking song.

You also never heard it in a tavern or among the commoners. Pay attention to what I said.

Gothenburg was a pretty random inclusion, IMHO.
My thought exactly, I did NOT see that one coming.

Last time I checked, Beethoven's 9th was not a lewd drinking song.
Then it is quite plain, my good lady, that you are going to all the wrong bars.

I don't go for musical scenes. You don't find Beethoven's 9th, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, or other great pieces of music in scenes.

Under what definition is the classical/orchestral scene not a scene?


To address the second part of your sentence: are you seriously claiming that there are no 'great pieces of music' outside of the orchestral/classical tradition?

That's the same with anywhere.

True, but Los Angeles is fucking massive. :p

Then it is quite plain, my good lady, that you are going to all the wrong bars.

Pssst. Your good lady has a todger.

Kingston, mon.

Someone needs to mention Woodstock, NY, where NY musicians go to recharge their creative batteries and record new tunes at Bearsville studios.

Nashville, TN

also known as Music City, USA

...go into any dive bar, i mean a total dive, and treat yourself to top-shelf music.

Music Row is here... really neat.
I'm only 16.. But out of the cities I've been to, Nashville easily comes up trumps.

Obviously I'm blanking on something here - Slade, Black Sabbath and Duran Duran are the only major bands that I can think of who have come out of Brum.
There's also Cathedral, Napalm Death, Carcass, and Godflesh. Although one could argue that the existence of those three that you named from that city is enough.

Gothenburg was a pretty random inclusion, IMHO.At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity are both from there, as well as a bunch of other bands.

I guess you really gotta specify which music scene you are refering to, there are hundreds.While it's true that the choices in the poll reflect my individual music tastes, I should imagine that whichever choice anyone would pick would also reflect theirs.

There's also Cathedral, Napalm Death, Carcass, and Godflesh. Although one could argue that the existence of those three that you named from that city is enough.

Carcass were from Liverpool.

Other Manchester UK

There's basically nothing you can't see in L.A. for music.. everything comes through here. I don't really know which musicians originated here, but it's a great place to be if you like live music.

Vienna, Austria.:D

There's basically nothing you can't see in L.A. for music.. everything comes through here. I don't really know which musicians originated here, but it's a great place to be if you like live music.

I have no doubt that claim is true, but when I think of music from California, the big names mostly came from places around Los Angeles...not L.A itself. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the Stone Temple Pilots are the only exceptions I can think of (but maybe it's just my brain not working). The Orange County and San Fransisco scenes are probably just as big...

If the poll just had "California" as an option rather than L.A. (edit: or San Fransisco), i'd vote for it though.

I have no doubt that claim is true, but when I think of music from California, the big names mostly came from places around Los Angeles...not L.A itself. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the Stone Temple Pilots are the only exceptions I can think of (but maybe it's just my brain not working). The Orange County and San Fransisco scenes are probably just as big...

If the poll just had "California" as an option rather than L.A. (edit: or San Fransisco), i'd vote for it though.

Yeah, I never really bother to find out where a band is from, even if I'm a big fan.. I just like L.A. because every significant group touring the country spends at least a few nights here.. I've never even heard of anyone playing anyplace in Orange County, except maybe Irvine, where Lalapalooza was and where the theater megaplex is now, but the whole L.A. area is littered with clubs that play major headliners. I never even had to leave Pomona to see most bands I felt like seeing, while I lived here.. I'll kinda miss it, seeing as I'm moving this week. :(

Yeah, I never really bother to find out where a band is from, even if I'm a big fan.. I just like L.A. because every significant group touring the country spends at least a few nights here.. I've never even heard of anyone playing anyplace in Orange County, except maybe Irvine, where Lalapalooza was and where the theater megaplex is now, but the whole L.A. area is littered with clubs that play major headliners. I never even had to leave Pomona to see most bands I felt like seeing, while I lived here.. I'll kinda miss it, seeing as I'm moving this week. :(

Orange County has a lot of influential punk bands going for it. Probably not so much anymore, but in the 80's and early 90's I think it would have been one of the places to be.

L.A (and California as a whole) would be one of the few places in the USA i'd consider living in, though. Apart from the earthquakes, it sounds awesome. :p

The local music scene there has to be better than Melbourne, though. The local scene is a bit sucky...some good acts, but a lot of average ones. And some really bad emo. Though as for overseas acts, we do get a lot of good ones coming down, surprisingly.

The local music scene there has to be better than Melbourne, though. The local scene is a bit sucky...some good acts, but a lot of average ones. And some really bad emo. Though as for overseas acts, we do get a lot of good ones coming down, surprisingly.

That's not so surprising.. I hear it's pretty nice there.. some relatives of mine recently wound up in Perth for a few weeks on business, and tell me it was very nice, aside from looking practically identical to southern California.. :p Although that's the opposite side of the country, and I'm sure there's a lot more variety in landscape in other parts. :)

That's not so surprising.. I hear it's pretty nice there.. some relatives of mine recently wound up in Perth for a few weeks on business, and tell me it was very nice, aside from looking practically identical to southern California.. :p Although that's the opposite side of the country, and I'm sure there's a lot more variety in landscape in other parts. :)

Perth is awesome. I lived there for a few years when I was a kid, and I still think it has the best weather and general "feel" in the country. If southern Cali is anything like it, i'll have to bump it up a couple of notches on my "places to visit" list. :D

The New York scene is pretty epic, though I think it has suffered lately after The Strokes blew up and everyone began heralding New York as the new Seattle.

Has any good music ever come out of Birmingham other than Funky Moped by Jasper Carrott?

Pssst. Your good lady has a todger.
Nobody's perfect.

San Fran, easy. Produced things like Metallica.

In the abscence of DC, I voted Seattle. The bands who made it big (or "big") out of there suck, but the underground's pretty damn good.

Gothenburg was a pretty random inclusion, IMHO.

no, gothenburg is basically the creator of modern metalcore/deathcore music. tons of bands are influenced by the so called "gothenburg sound"



i say seattle. the hardcore scene of seattle is amazing. but hardcore is hard to put in one city. some of the greatest hardcore areas i can think of are: seattle, new york, and oxnard, although many cities produce amazing talent, just not tons of talent to make them specifically mentionable

In the abscence of DC, I voted Seattle. The bands who made it big (or "big") out of there suck, but the underground's pretty damn good.

oh. DC is good. minaa thweaaat

In the abscence of DC, I voted Seattle. The bands who made it big (or "big") out of there suck, but the underground's pretty damn good.I thought about putting D.C. on there, I would have done so if I didn't think it necessary to put an "other" option.

In the abscence of DC, I voted Seattle. The bands who made it big (or "big") out of there suck, but the underground's pretty damn good.

D.C. has a great club scene, plus Bob Mould is there. Good stuff.

I voted Other, for Detroit. I really like a lot of the garage-rock music coming from there lately (The White Stripes, The Dirtbombs, Von Bondies, Detroit Cobras, etc.)

I voted Other, for Detroit. I really like a lot of the garage-rock music coming from there lately (The White Stripes, The Dirtbombs, Von Bondies, Detroit Cobras, etc.)I thought of Detroit, too, for the MC5 and the Stooges.

Other Manchester UK
I was surprised not to see Manchester on the poll.

I was surprised not to see Manchester on the poll.
(same with Detroit)

I was surprised not to see Manchester on the poll.What bands come from Manchester that you would think merit its being on the poll?

What bands come from Manchester that you would think merit its being on the poll?
It's not so much specific bands per se. But a poll with "what city had the best music scene?" as one criterion would be remiss to ignore the Madchester scene of the '80s/90s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madchester

It's not so much specific bands per se. But a poll with "what city had the best music scene?" as one criterion would be remiss to ignore the Madchester scene of the '80s/90s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MadchesterAh, I had no idea so many famous bands came from Manchester, like the Smiths. Always good to learn something.

1. london
2. manchester
3. detroit

why oh why is birmingham on the poll?

1. london
2. manchester
3. detroit

why oh why is birmingham on the poll?For reasons that I indicated earlier, most especially being the birthplace of Black Sabbath, but they had other bands there, too.