How is would it be possible for a musician to live and work in europe?

Question

Ok, so here's my deal. I am a top rate musician living in NYC right now. My life just took an unexpected turn and I dont have many ties to the city right now. I can easily move between jazz clubs, songwriter cafes, and dance and rock clubs. I've always heard that working musicians can make a decent living over there and would really like to try it out. I guess I'm asking:

1) How possible is it for an american musician to find paying work out there?

2) How difficult is it to find an apt for a few months?

3) What city do you think the best place would be for a blues/jazz/soul project over there?

4) Is this whole idea logistically insane?!?

Thanks.

Answer 1

It is possible, they fly planes back and forth.

Answer 2

I think Berlin is a great city to start playing in.  It's also a good place to run into people that will fund your career considering your background.  Start by taking CD's of your music and hitting clubs that pay people to play live there and get your feelers out for other places that will book you.  Germans like people who are very assertive and it pays to go to good places, even where live music is not presented, and ask to play a few songs. Tell the club/bar owners they can throw you out if they don't like you, but they'd be making a mistake. After you play a few songs, there will be people interested and your networking has begun. Then you could expand to Switzerland where there is great money for musicians.

To start, you could stay in some bed and breakfast places and if you are the good musician you are saying your are, then people will ask you to stay with them and put you up- quite often.

I used to play music, years ago, in clubs, restaurants, bars, on TV, radio in France, Germany and Switzerland. Also in Asia.

You should be able to network fast.

Don't know if this is still allowed, but in Bern, Switzerland you can play on the streets with no permit needed if you are a musician.  That's also a great way to make contacts and if the people like you, you'll make great money doing that, too.  

It's not at all insane, a number of people do this!  It's a lot of fun and a great way to tour Europe.

When you get a ticket to Europe, buy an open ended ticket, round trip (avoids visa problems). Then you can travel easily and pleasantly via train or check boards at Uni's,  at hostels, in papers for people looking for financial contribution towards gas to fund their trip.  At borders, you can say you are travelling to the country after the one you are entering and stay for a long time without a visa.

I lived in Europe for ten yrs without visas except when I lived in Berlin and there was still the wall around it.

I got a visa for a few years there, via singing contact.

You will meet so very many interesting people. Sometimes it's great to hook up with other musicians and split costs and income.