MUSIC SCENE IN WILMINGTON?? coming from Albuquerque (Raleigh, Cary: transplants, apartment)

[shutdownthefed]

Hello people, I see that there is some real helpful advice on this board...so I wanted to ask some Wilmington natives and Wilmington transplants what they think..

Oringinally, I am from Maryland, right outside of Washington DC. I lived there my entire life up until a year ago. The hordes of people moving there, and the prices sky rocketting pretty much forced me to move. So I moved out here to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it is definitly not what I thought it would be. So I have decided to head back to the east coast.

I am 25 years old, and a very dedicated musician. How is the music scene in Wilmington? Are there any good music stores that sell vintage music instruments? Or any music stores at all for that matter?

Also, I have hopes of trying to get a job at the Screengems movie studio,...I majored in television production, and used to do work for BET studios, political events etc.. I want to try and get into the studio as a lighting tech, or a gaffer or any postion really. Do any of you know if its hard to get hired at ScreenGems? Or if there hiring?

I realize that one of the reasons I left Maryland was the raising cost of living, as well as the people flocking there,...which I definitly understand could possible be irritating the Wilmington natives. Is the feeling towards transplants mostly positive? or have any of you encountered any issues with this?

Lastly, I am not wealthy, far from it actually,...basically living paycheck to paycheck. Is there any affordable housing thats not in bad neighborhoods? I can't live in an apartment because I play drums, so I am looking for a house to rent or a townhouse if I could play drums in it. All I have to my name is my music gear, and if thats gets stolen I don't know what I would do.

I know everyone is moving around trying to find a better place, you know, the grass is greener philosophy. Out here in New Mexico, it seems like everyone I talk to has moved here from a different state. It seems Albuquerque has the same problem as Wilmington,...theres a lot of wealthy people that move here to retire. A mansion that would cost you 500 grand on the east coast would cost you about half that here in Albuquerque.

I thank you in advance for any comments, I would really like to here from natives and transplants to Wilmington.

[jmarquise]

if you don't like skyrocketing prices and hordes of people moving there, don't move to wilmington!!! I can relate to your situation. I grew up outside DC too, but on the VA side. fairfax county represent! as for the music scene in this town. there is music here, although I wouldn't call it a "scene." there is a cool music store downtown called finklesteins. there used to be a great place for live music called the icehouse. they tore it down and are building condos for retirees. this place is much different, and worse, than it was 10 years ago when I went to school here. I would say that there is mild hostility towards transplant here although you hardly ever see it considering there are no locals left. in the two years I have been back here, I have met 2 people that are from this area. overall, it is a better place to live than suburban DC, if you have a lot of money. jobs here pay very little, but in your case, you could find good work. not sure if screen gems is hiring. the economy here isn't great. you could find a good place to live for a low price. rents here are very reasonable. you can rent a house for $700 and up. like I said, I have been here a couple of years and am looking to move on. this place is starting to get more like NOVA jr, except the jobs don't pay. I am taking a road trip to athens, georgia to check out that town. I know for a fact that they have a music scene! I hear ya about the grass being greener. visiting a place is never the same as living there. finally, I agree with your screen name, SHUT DOWN THE FEDERAL RESERVE! GOLD STANDARD NOW!

[anonymous]

shutdownthefed,

I disagree with jmarquise. Wilmington has a good music scene. Not great, but good. Wilmington is part of a regional scene that includes Asheville, Charleston, Savannah, Athens, and Chapel Hill. Bands around here tend to be influenced by blues, New Orleans funk, and Phish, IMO. Midwestern and northern transplants seem to have imported a "punk" scene here, but.. I have no opinion on that. It is hard to find good employment here, and it is on the expensive side, but there are plenty of people "getting by" here. If you can pay $350-500/month, you can find a room somewhere downtown on craigslist.

So far, the best place to hear live music downtown that I've been to is the soapbox. I've heard some really good funk, jazz, and jam/improv type stuff there.
Untitled Document

Finkelstein's music is downtown. I don't play any instruments, so I can't help you much - but it looks 'vintage', fwiw. I see some really old instruments in the windows when I walk by. There is at least one old music shop, a few doors down from Finkelstein's. I forget what its called.

I wouldn't worry about being a transplant. Wilmington is way past the point of no return; of the people I've met, randomly, I'd say maybe 10% of them are from Wilmington, maybe 25% are from North Carolina.

[Oyster07]

I have lived in Wilmington for 13 years. Though I am not a Wilmington native, I am an NC native (grew up in Cary...2 hours from here). I would say there is a pretty strong local music scene here. As far as getting big name music artists to come to Wilmington...that really doesn't happen. You pretty much have to go to House of Blues Myrtle Beach or to Alltel Pavillion in Raleigh to go to a large concert. We used to have a great place here called the Mad Monk. They would get some pretty decent bands coming in but the place shut down about 10 years ago. You are 25 years old and there are tons of people your age in Wilmington. I think you would easily be able to find a rental house to share with someone without breaking the bank. Not sure about the hiring at Screen Gems. I think browsing Craigslist would be a good idea...I think musicians post on there too. Good luck with your move

[shutdownthefed]

thanks for the different perspectives everyone. From what I hear, it sounds like Wilmington is a nice place, maybe slightly over crowded for a small town/city, and hard to find work....is that a reasonable essesment?

All I know is, I am done with snow,...I hate it and never want to deal with it again. The weather alone is a huge draw for me to move there,...but nothing is set in stone yet. We despirately want to move from here (Albuquerque) in the next month,...we are throwing are stuff in a u-haul, and headed to either Wilmington NC, Myrtle Beach SC, or Charleston SC. It will definitly be one of those, but not sure which.

Wilmington is what I am most interested in because the ScreenGems studio is there, also there is a co-op grocery store, and eastern skate supply. Is there any places to skateboard in Wilmington?

I think overall, there is a reason there is the phrase "southern hospitality". I am hoping that people are more laid back there since it is near a beach. I hear a lot about how Charleston has very friendly people, I don't hear that as much of Wilmington.

Damn, I just dont know what I am going to do,...I feel torn between Charleston and Wilmington, and my mom and sister want to go to Myrtle Beach!! I guess if one is'nt what we thought, we could just go to another since there all relatively close. Leaving the east coast and moving to New Mexico was probably one of the dumbest things I have ever done,...I had no idea how much being land-locked would suck! Theres no lakes, ponds, etc.., and the only time it rains is monsoon season. There is no humidity at all and no mosquitos, which is good about NM though.... Ill have to get used to those damn things again if move to the coast I guess.

Is there any Ron Paul signs up anywhere in your guys state?? Hes my hero!

[jmarquise]

HAHAHA! yeah, ron paul is my boy! his signs are all over town. unfortunately the media and hollywood seem to be hand picking our front runners. it's sad. they have a skate park downtown at greenfield lake park. charleston is nice, but suffers from the same things as wilmington does. I have heard that they have a better locally run government though. I would no recommend myrtle beach. myrtle beach is only a beach. think ocean city MD. wilmington and charleston have cool downtown areas. charleston is a bit warmer than wilmington. wilmington still has some cold days, but haven't seen any snow yet. jobs are a bit hard to come by just about everywhere. there is work in wilmington, just depends on what it is you want to do. I prefer wilmington to charleston, as they aren't too different. wilmington is closer to DC and my family.

[anonymous]

Other than location, Myrtle Beach has nothing in common with Charleston or Wilmington. Myrtle Beach didn't exist until 1940. Of the three, MB comes in a distant 3rd place.

Charleston is the most desirable of the three, if you ask me. What sets it apart is the downtown: Wilmington's downtown is inexpensive, somewhat run down, and inconvenient to most of the "cool stuff" in the area. It has a lot of worthless trinket shops. Charleston's downtown is expensive, more historic, much larger, and more vibrant and fun. Charleston's music scene is also better than Wilmington's, with 5 or 6 good venues.

In your case, Wilmington may have an advantage b/c of surfing and skating. "alternative sports" - however you define that - is popular in Wilmington. You asked about a skate park; there's one in Greenfield Park.

[tiddi]

shutdownthefed
can't comment too much because i'm an englishman now living in near Raleigh NC....so we only get to visit wilimington once every few years......but just going off the 4 times i've visted....if there is any other place i want to live around here after this place.....then it would have to be wilmington NC....reason....it just looks a very nice place....very nice environment..everywhere looks clean, bright, tidy.......i've been to other places on the NC coast....wilmington is much posher and cleaner and nicer than the other places....i'd say it's a much more up-market place.

[jmarquise]

clean? it does have some nice spots but people come down here and only experience the beach and downtown. look outside the box and you will see the dirty scary secret that lies beneath! it's got good parts, but just as many bad ones!