The music industry is pretty difficult to sum up on a local level, but fairly easy to sum up as a whole. Local music is a lot more raw and open to interpretation due to the fact that it's kind of like woodshedding while you're out on the scene. On a bigger level it seems that there is a lot more emphasis on remaining in a certain mode or style, otherwise your fans will reject your work. This brings me to my next point in the local music scene; Some people play their way to the top, and some people pay their way to the top. So it can be assumed that if a musician or group is loaded with cash, they have more access and opportunities for bigger shows, venues, and paychecks. The big part of that, which I really don't like, is that it isn't fair. That it conveys a false sense of professionalism within a false economy for the artist, and keeps spiraling upwards and into the mainstream- like a drag racer with too much power in his engine and not enough suspension for the structural integrity of the car, but he's got damn good tires keeping him level on the strip.
It's hard for me not to be judgemental about these things, because it's a very steep climb to get recognition for your work in most any avenue of life- but it's extremely difficult when there are kids who have so much more of an advantage via the choices they make with their wallet.