moving to a new city/suburb to work at small AM shop?

I was curious to know anyones experience moving to a small AM/PE firm in a new city, where they were the only are among the only junior professionals at the firm and the age gap between you and the person senior to you was very large.

The reason why I say a new city is because a few well connected friends of mine have offered helping me obtain jobs at a few select small firms, however doing so will require me to move to a small city or suburb, where I will not know anyone, nor will I have a lively/social atmosphere at work. While I could commute from a nearby city, this will still require me to live/work in a city, where I will have to go out and find make new friends, etc. Not to mention when I go to work everyday, I will be working rather independently since the senior professionals at the firm are nearly double my age. Hence, I'm hesitating to persue this opportunity, since my friends will have to put their name out on the line, I don't want to get the job and turn it down, or move out there and quit, I will need to make a commiment.

I was curious to know if anyone can share their similar experience?
...Currently I work in consulting, in a very lively/social atmoshpere, working with a bunch of folks whom are all in their 20's - early 30's. Moving to a new city, in a very different work atmosphere, I feel, could be very depressing.

I would appreciate people's personal experiences....not some generic b.s. like join a club or volunteer.