An income form playing music?

[Dilbert]

As some of you may have seen in another post, my wife and I are contemplatng the big move.  She is a qualified nurse and already has a short term contract in southern Brittany.  I will look for work, possibly in IT, but in the UK, I earn a secondary income from playing in a showband playing weddings and functions etc.

I am interested to know what the music scene is like in France and whether it would be possible to suppliment my income playing a few gigs.  I could either join an existing band playing the usual function type music or I could play solo guitar and vocal.  I enjoy varied styles of music and listen to Dan Ar Braz, Mylene Farmer, Barbara, Florent Pagney as well as many other UK and US artists so I would be happy to play whatever was required. 

It may be that there is no call for it at all or that it is very seasonal but I thought that someone on here may have some knowledge in this area.  We will be based in southern Brittany if that helps.

David

[P.Shute]

hi..

saw your post about music... I live in dordogne as does a friend of mine. We are both very accomplished musicians and have found that there is work around on a small scale. We have not found the big wedding scene here but through the summer we can work at hundreds of bars in this area. We dont though. Instead we just do a thursday night at a lovely french bar where we have an open mic night. Locals come and sing a few songs and we have had people on holiday who have come by and played a song or two..the guitarist for Annie Lennox.. some guy from Wishbone Ash.

We do this because we like it... we dont want to work as we did in the UK. This time its for fun.

I have to say that in the winter there is nowhere to play.. not even at xmas and as for New year party... well forget it.

Good luck

phil

[Dilbert]

Phil

I appreciate your reply.  Sounds like you have quite a ball.  I really like Wishbone Ash, I would have loved to have been at that particular open mic night.  Was it Andy or Ted?

In the UK, I play a couple of times a month and I was kind of hoping for something similar or maybe 1 per week.  My wife went to a NYE do last year and there was a showband playing, hence why I was trying to get an insite.

Thanks again.

David