The ‘New Normal’ is here to stay, so we’re giving you five creative ways to bring back touring as soon as humanly possible.
The spread of COVID-19 has changed the music business in ways we never imagined. Fans and artists alike want things to go back to the way they were before March 2020, but that is a fantasy. The past is dead, and no amount of begging or wishful thinking will resurrect it.
We live in a new reality where the old way of doing things no longer works. We can either complain or adapt, and we at Music Biz believe change is always a positive. Discovering new ways to do things challenges us to be more creative, more inclusive, and more understanding. All of that is something we as a species could use more of right now.
The biggest obstacle the music business faces right now is touring. The vast majority of artists make the bulk of their living by being on the road. There have been no tours for the last three months, and there is only a handful currently scheduled for the fall. Those that are daring to step out and perform again do so with the knowledge their dates may be canceled when the “second wave” of COVID-19 takes the US by storm this fall.
With all the questions and concerns surrounding touring, it’s easy to understand why so few feel comfortable announcing or discussing their plans at this time. Still, the conversations around live music are ongoing, and the fan demand for talent has rarely, if ever, been higher than it is right at this moment.
In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell shares five ways touring can resume in the near future. No solution is perfect. At least one is inarguably terrible. But all these ideas need to be considered and at least attempted if we have any chance of discovering what works best for everyone.
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Touring is an increasingly important element to a successful music career, but getting on the road too early has inevitably lead many promising talents awry.
There are few things more exciting or fulfilling than being on tour. Not only are you afforded the opportunity to perform your music for people who want to hear it, but you can see the world as well. Being on the road allows musicians at every level to see how the rest of the human race lives, and through doing so, many find the inspiration to create their best work.
There is a catch, however, and it’s a big one. Artists who attempt to tour before they have the right elements of their career in place are destined for hardships and failure. You may be able to string together a tour, and you may be able to make a little money doing so, but unless you have plans in place you will, eventually, burn out before your dreams of success in the music business come to fruition. It has happened a million times already, and it will no doubt happen a million more in the future.
In this episode of Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell breaks down the five (5) things every artist and group needs to do before they consider getting on the road.
We have made it something of a holiday tradition to find a band we believe them and ask them to detail their safety tips for life on the road in the dead of winter. Bands of all sizes have contributed to this series in the past, and the latest is none of other than fast-rising rock act Civil Youth. Enjoy!
Hello everybody! Civil Youth here to tell you
everything you need to know when it comes to touring during the winter months!
Weather you’re a band or a fan, here’s a side to touring most people might not
think about when driving to their favorite group’s next show….
Smart Routing
-If you’re still an independent band or have any sort of say with your
booking agent, be smart when you’re routing in the Winter months
– If you can be “out” of the storm states as much as
possible and as financially feasible as possible, DO SO. There’s no reason to
stay only north in the states when you can circle the south and stay warm at
least half of the time…
– Look ahead before you travel. Don’t just plug in the next show via GPS
and go. Make sure you’re not taking any highways or roads that are too
dangerous for your vehicle and it’s trailer. Think “how would a trucker
navigate?”
We’ve certainly learned from experience trying to come east through Denver
during January. You run the risk of hitting a storm like we did and getting
trapped on top of a mountain in Vail, CO…
Clothes
–
Tour packing is always “as little as possible” but think about unpacking the
trailer in 10 degree weather and the venue hasn’t turned their heating on yet…
–
Bring gloves, hats, boots and those little warming pads you can essentially put
ANYwhere. They come in handy more than underwear.
–
If you’re smart with your routing and have some hot southern states, don’t
forget about those. It’s a huge jump having a tour start in Florida and end in
Colorado. Pack 80 cold / 20 warm
– Tons of blankets for your feet, if you’re sleeping in the car still, and for
the window to keep as much cold out as possible. (If you’re not idling all
night)
– socks on socks. Once your feet get cold, theres no turning back. Bring double
socks and extra shoes/boots
Van Essentials
– Make sure your vehicle is in top shape, Oil changes, transmission fluids,
antifreeze, windshield wipers and their fluids, good battery
There’s been times where our antifreeze leaked and we had no heating until we
had an off day and took the car to the shop. Waking up in Flagstaff with snow
and no heat SUCKS. We also wasted SO much money 🙁
We also had a bad battery one tour and every time we stopped I had to jump the
van which made me stay out in the cold even longer at 2 am… not fun, especially
in sketchy areas.
–
Tire tread is in good condition and you have chains. Never know what crazy
storms you can hit
– Ice scrapers because no one likes to get snow off of the window with old
boxers
– Lights you can hang in the trailer so you can see during load in. It gets
darker faster in the winter. The quicker youre out of the trailer, the quicker
youre getting to warmth.
Extra
-Coffee,
Emergen-C, Tea, water
These are usually a given, but people tend to get more sick during the winter.
Being on the road when you’re sick is literally the worse thing next to dying.
– Portable grill if you’re hardcore and like to grill in the cold like Evan. He
was a boy scout so get at us.
– Extra car fluids just in case.
– Spare tire and jack
Most importantly:
Be smart
and careful. Shows are what we live for, but if one needs to get canceled, it’s
not the end of the world. Your safety is first. Drive slow, smart, and allow
extra driving time to your next show due to weather, traffic, etc. Don’t get
trapped on a mountain like we did during a blizzard and had to call emergency
service to get us down.
The following post is a guest piece from one of our favorite industry lifers, Christopher Bianchi. Heed his advice.
When I started off playing in my friends basement, the thought of “tracking our music sales” was something that had literally never crossed our minds back then…Although it should have and I’m glad now of having grasped the concept many years later of how important it is to not only TRACK how many units you’ve sold but also to REPORT THEM with the proper outlets so they count.
Why?- There is the obvious- so the band or artist knows how many units they have sold. Then things stem further based on the situation such as: the booking agent or concert tour package. This is a way the agents and promoters all over have knowledge of your band and how it’s truly selling. From there they know how to appropriately place and book your size rooms, tours, festivals and events. That stems onward further into Record Labels. As an unsigned band- the label will see the proven sales numbers as a strong reason to invest in a partnership with your band. They can see that you’ve put in the work, time and effort to make noise and can now step in to help take things next level. This is also how you chart on Billboard with your first week and total sales.
Stemming even further from this- Endorsement and Partnerships will want to see hard proven sales numbers as a way to base there investment into that particular band or artist.
How?- This is surprisingly enough an outlet that goes unnoticed so very often with all sizes of bands. How to properly track and also register the sales you make?
You are going to need a few things in order to do so:
1. A Barcode for that particular album, single or EP. (These can be purchased often for a few dollars from numerous websites online. You purchase and register the title to that barcode- all done right on the website such as: speedy barcodes.com. From there you are on your way. They will send you a download of the barcode that you will use for registering via soundscan as well as adding to the official album back of the artwork when printing. You will use this barcode number to input the album with Atvenu.
2. Register the barcode to Nielson Soundscan. This is a VERY IMPORTANT part of the process. Soundscan are the title tracking company responsible for keeping all the numbers on file for sales. You must go to “Register A New Title” and input all of the information of your release. Album, EP, or Single. Add the release date and the barcode number with the rest of your information. Then hit submit. It takes a few days to register into the official system.
3. Atvenu– This is the platform that the artist uses to enter in all show and concert data such as: Date, Venue, Amount of Albums Sold, Cost. From here this is where on after each event you will submit the number of physical sales. The app runs a simple $10 per touring month for any artist which is WELL WORTH the investment to PROPERLY track your album sales. You simply add the album, barcode number and at the end of each show you have a line where the venue rep will sign (From any iPad,phone,etc)
Then you are able to submit easily that nights sales. The app then tracks all numbers and reports to Nielson Soundscan on your behalf every week.
Why not just report to Soundscan myself you ask?… Great question. That is because the Nielson system only accepts sales from certain special accredited sources. You must be a professional Record Label or something of the like in order to submit sales yourself. It also costs A LOT of money yearly. In order to do so independently, you must submit sales through a platform.
When it comes to digital release- these sales are automatically reported to soundscan via CD Baby, etc. However, to ensure especially in the physical department- It’s always the best bet to hand register each title.
Now PULLING official Soundscan reports are a whole different thing but luckily digital sales report to you monthly and physicals will be tracked through again the atvenu app!
Good luck and keep rocking!!
Christopher Bianchi is an Artist Manager at Mercenary Management who has been involved with the business side of music since he was just 14. Now in his late twenties, Chris lives with his wife, Kayla, in Ohio and spends his days helping artists of all sizes reach the next level(s) in their careers.
This post is the latest in our ongoing content collaboration with SonicBids.
So you’ve just spent hours cramped up in a dirt-laden, odor-soaked van along with your bandmates who happen to share those very same qualities. You’ve twisted and turned your way through the (often less than) glamorous back roads of the US and endured everything from traffic jams to bad weather, Baltimore, and that fast food meal that didn’t sit so well. Ragged and weary, you finally arrive to the venue for tonight’s gig. A faint smile gently appears on your face as you now get to escape the confines of that hellish four-wheeled environment and finally relax. Unfortunately, that’s the last thing you should be doing.
Getting to the venue means preparing for soundcheck, a ritual that all too many bands pass off as time to goof around before the show. If you’re serious about a career in music, you should know that a proper soundcheck is the essence of a good live performance. Take it just as seriously as you would the gig later that night. To make your life easier as well as the venue’s staff, there are a few unspoken rules to follow during the course of the soundcheck. Follow them, and your performance will only benefit.
1. Load your gear in quickly and efficiently
Sounds like common sense, right? Well, a lot of these unspoken rules are, yet few people manage to follow them. Whether the venue has staff helping you or not, it’s in everyone’s best interests to get your gear inside. Stop eyeing that burrito joint across the street, and don’t worry about missing happy hour at the bar. Work now, play later. Soundcheck is stressful enough without the added effect of the time crunch. More time to set up means a more relaxed atmosphere for everyone. Contrary to popular belief, relaxation is actually a good thing. Aside from good work ethic, getting your gear inside quickly is just safer. Unless you have one of these, keeping your gear in the van exposes it to theft, among other things.
2. Treat the staff like professionals
It doesn’t matter if they’re graduates from a prestigious audio school or just some pimple-faced teens from around the corner. Your sound is in their hands. They may not be onstage, but they sure can have a role in how you guys sound when you’re up there. That being said, it’s best to treat these people with respect. Without them, live music wouldn’t exist and that annoying feedback sound we all just love so much would cease to disappear. Unless you’re a huge rock star… actually, that doesn’t matter either. No matter what level in your career you’re at, it never hurts to treat the crew with respect. In fact, let’s just add treating everyone with respect to the list. How bad can it really be?
3. Soundcheck with the same song or two every night
Big-name acts have the luxury of just jamming for hours until their desired sound is accurately dialed in. However, when you’ve got 15 minutes and a few other impatient bands after you waiting to get their turn, efficiency is the key. Playing the same song or two every gig for soundcheck will help speed up the process. You’ll be familiar with how that song should sound onstage, which will allow you to hone in on your levels with lightning speed. Try to pick some well-rounded songs that exhibit both a balance of vocals and instrumentation so the sound engineer can get a feel for the music better.
Just as a side note, don’t be that guy who soundchecks at level three volume and turns it to 11 come show time. This isn’t Spinal Tap, and plus, nobody likes that guy.
4. For goodness’ sake, keep your cables organized!
This isn’t your parents’ garage where that tangled mess of cables will fly. I don’t care if your unique methodology of organization “just works, man” – be a professional about it, and wrap your cables properly. Showing up to a venue with a box of cables that has to be untangled before anything can be done is no way to go about business. You’ll save time, frustration, and the longevity of your cables’ lives if you learn how to wrap and store them properly after every gig.
For those who don’t know how, grab some popcorn, your favorite teddy bear, curl up on the sofa, and watch this lovely instructional video.
5. Figure out the backlining situation ASAP
Backlining is a beautiful moment when two bands can put aside their personal differences and share their gear, all for the sake of a smooth-sailing show. When it works well, it’s a masterpiece of artistic cooperation displayed by the seamless transition between set changes. This graceful craft is completely worthless if you wait until the last minute to discuss it, though. Soundcheck is the time to do it. Whether you’re letting someone use your gear or potentially using theirs, have a quick talk before the show so everyone will know what to do. Five minutes before your set is not the time to be scrambling around for your drum set because you thought you’d be covered.
6. Relax efficiently
Yes, soundcheck is a time to work and not relax, but there’s a way you can go about the process with a cool, calm demeanor. No need to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Just keep your head down, do what needs to be done, and play it cool. Finding that perfect balance of urgency and relaxation will not only help the soundcheck go smoothly, but will put you in the right state of mind for that upcoming performance.
As stated before, most of these tips aren’t mind-blowing secrets, but if practiced diligently and regularly, it can help make a fun and challenging career that much easier.
LINE
Anthony Cerullo is an avid keyboard player, writer, and world traveler. He has spent the past few years touring the US in bands, and now finds himself exploring the musical spectrum that various countries of the world offer.
Every year for three years running we have partnered with one of our favorite bands to share a series of tips and tricks for surviving the winter tour grind. Being on the road away family and friends is never an easy task, but there is an added degree of difficulty when those efforts are met with cold air and frozen roads. We know many of you reading this will be hitting the highway this season in hopes of furthering your reach, and we want to do everything in our power to ensure you are safe and prepared for whatever the open road brings your way.
This year, It Lies Within vocalist Zachary Scott was kind enough to write our winter tour survival tips amidst a very busy promotional run for his band’s new album, Paramount (out 1/8). You can read Zach’s advice and thoughts below. Afterwards, comment and add anything you think we may have missed.
Hey ladies and gents, it’s Zachary Scott here from It Lies Within. Im stoked to have a chance to write this section for Haulixn Daily. Touring since 2011, I hope to contribute some insight on how to survive the winter while on tour. Sit down and strap in!
Vehicle Maintenance and Paperwork
– Make sure you have a reliable vehicle
It will cost you more money and time fixing vehicles not capable of pulling a trailer full of equipment.
– Oil Change. Check fluid levels
– Check tread on tires.
Winter tires are a plus, if you can afford them. They can be expensive, but they could actually save you in the long run.
-Chains for your tires depending on where you’re traveling , plan ahead.
Make sure you check your routing for chain stops throughout the mountains.
– Make sure you have all paperwork in order
Valid Driver’s License, Insurance, Inspection and Emissions (If Needed)
Food
– Buy in Bulk
Being so cold in the trailer it’s a great way to store more food and drinks. This can save you tons of money on the road.
– Coupons
Take advantage of the internet. Look up coupons before just going to any fast food place or restaurant.
Clothing
– Everyone always over packs on tour.
Stay warm but try not to bring more than needed. Bring your favorite hoodie. Who doesn’t have a favorite hoodie right? Stay stylish, brutal and cozy!
– Bring a light coat to double up with your hoodie
Windbreakers are great for this. You don’t want to over pack or bring your largest Down jacket.
-Extra blankets
Get with your band members and make sure everyone is bringing enough blankets and or a sleeping bag. Running the van all night is not good.
Extra’s Needed
-Ice Scraper
-Windshield Wipers
-Winter Mechanics Gloves
This will save you if you need any vehicle repairs. It happens more than you would think and saves your hands.
-Lock De-Icer
-Coffee Maker
Comes in handy for a vocalist all year round. A must have. Soup, Hot Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa
Lastly and most important, allow for extra drive time.
Winter conditions can take you for a spin. Leave early and prepare for a longer drive than gps might say. Thank you guys so much for giving me the opportunity to share this. I hope to be a guest on another piece in the future. Stay safe out there!
If it’s your first tour, your mind is racing at a thousand miles an hour. You have visions of what you’re going to do while on the road, what you’re going to sell, and what the lifestyle will be like. That said, before you pack another box of CDs or pair of shoes, here are the top three things the experts advise you not to overpack to make your van a little less cramped and your tour a lot more enjoyable.
1. Merch
Yes, you want to have enough albums and T-shirts to last the entire tour, but too much merch takes up a ton of space, and can be a pain on your back and your wallet. Brooklyn hip-hop artistRabbi Darkside remembers, “First time out, I brought, like, 300 CDs. My bags totaled something like 55 kg! Paid a price, too, literally. Flew Ryanair from London to Germany and didn’t realize the luggage weight limits were so low. Ending up spending an arm and a leg to get all my bags to our first destination.”
After that experience, and touring with J-Live, he says, “I’ve studied how people pack, kept track of my own sales, and learned to bring a reasonable amount that turns a solid profit margin. I set realistic sales goals for shows, and cap the amount of physical product.” He also notes that certain items sell better in certain areas: “Having vinyl, especially overseas, has been clutch for me since 2013. I try to pack as many double LPs and seven-inches as I can, and I still can’t bring enough.”
Rabbi Darkside adds that Dropcards come in incredibly handy. “A hundred and fifty of them take up as much space as 10 CDs,” he explains, and although Dropcards retail for less, “it more than evens out because their overhead is so low.”
When it comes to merch, if you’re planning on hitting the road in the near future, start paying attention to how much you sell at shows now, and be realistic about how much you’ll need to take on the road with you.
2. Clothes
Just because you’re going to be gone for a month doesn’t mean you need to pack a month’s worth of clothing. Kristen Marie of the metal band Conquer Divide remembers this being an issue for her band, saying, “We brought way too many clothes on the first tour, and I think we’ve definitely learned how to condense down to the essentials. We also had a giant wardrobe closet in the trailer, which was nice, but took up way too much space.”
Phoenix based hip-hop artist Mega Ran starts his tours with as little clothing packed as possible. “I’ve now realized that packing more than two pairs of socks or T-shirts is pointless. A simple stop at Walmart will do fine for socks, and you’ll pick up tees from the bands you play with at the shows.”
Rabbi Darkside seconds this, saying, “Wherever you’re going, and for however long, you only need clothes for a week. Have some dedicated performance pieces and running/exercise gear.”
SpaceLAB Recordings founder Jake Palumbo adds that the one time he packed too much in the way of clothing, “it made my bags heavier and landed me additional baggage fees when it was time to fly back home, not to mention [it was] annoying carrying [it] on the crowded subway when I got back to NYC. If I’d used my noodle, I could have washed my clothes at almost any hotel we stayed at, and saved money and space.”
3. Exercise equipment
While we like to emphasize the importance of staying healthy on the road, there are smart ways of doing it, and there are cumbersome ways of doing it. Thomas Becker of Kansas City rockersBeautiful Bodies remembers one tour experience that exemplified the latter: “I am throwing my singer [Alicia Solombrino] under the bus here, [but] she decided she wanted to stay in shape on tour, so she brought a personal trampoline on tour with us. The thing took up half the trailer and knocked equipment over day after day. In the end, she only used the thing once on the tour. We now have a ‘no trampolines on tour’ rule.”
Anika Pyle, frontwoman of the Brooklyn punk rock band Chumped, adds that if you don’t already have a workout routine, on tour is probably not the time when you’re going to start one. “I bring my running shoes every time in hopes that I might motivate myself to conquer my laziness and go for a run,” she says. “Never gonna happen.”
Adam Bernard is a music industry veteran who has been working in media since 2000. If you live in the NYC area, you’ve probably seen him at a show. He prefers his venues intimate, his whiskey on the rocks, and his baseball played without the DH. Follow him at @adamsworldblog.
Hello, everyone. With the start of summer tour season right around the corner we wanted to bring back this classic piece from our friends in The Venetia Fair. A new year may be upon us, but the advice offered in this column is just as pertinent to artists today as it would be to any talent in the last ten years. The Venetia Fair tour all the time, so if anyone knows how to survive those record-setting heat waves without killing your band mates or losing your van it’s probably them.
Everything below The Beatles quote your about to enjoy was written by Mike Abiuso. We love him, and so should you. Stay tuned for more Summer survival tips in the weeks ahead.
“Here Comes the Sun and I Say It’s Alright” – The Beatles. Errrheard?
Good day everyone, Mike Abiuso of The Venetia Fair, SwitchBitch (Records/Studio/Magazine) and Behind The Curtains Media. I feel like I practically live here at Haulix, which is a good thing, so thanks for having me back team!
I don’t know if you’ve read my last “Winter Tour Survival”, but if you haven’t, let me just reiterate the essentials that go for both seasons: (If you have, you’re going to be very bored, so just follow these ZZZZZZZZZZZZ’s)
Vehicle and Paperwork must be up to date:
-Driver’s licenses are legit
-Vehicle registered
-Vehicle insured
-Vehicle inspected
-Oil change (up to date and kept up to date on the road)
-Someone should have AAA for roadside assistance
If you have a van and trailer:
-Be sure the separate breaking system is functioning
-Under stand the low and high gears for up and downgrades
-Get a ball lock for your hitch incase you need to drop the trailer to park in heavily populated cities
Touring in general:
-Try to keep the tank above ¼ tank or have and to be safe have an extra reserve gas tank
-Get reflective cones and/or flares to put out incase you breakdown
(ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz hey wake up, you still there?)
Ok, moving on to “Part ll – Summer Tour Survival”…Now that we don’t have to worry about actually freezing to death, we mainly need to focus on keeping a good amount of food and water for survival and the rest is mostly comfort or “luxury”. Water is a given…get it in bulk and go, but food is way different this season. Can’t buy frozen food and keep it in the trailer any more unless you like eating a “mushy mold, fly graveyard sandwich” which I’ve heard has recently been labeled “exclusively for vegans” as of today. It’s all about those sealed cracker snacks and canned goods, which unfortunately, the ones that taste decent are awful for you. Click here to take a look at a year round specialty of mine that I like to call “tour-derves” (judge me? – dead to me)
So what we have here is a base coat of seared (aka canned) tuna, topped with peanut butter and/or cheese filled crackers with a light glaze of Sriracha to take away from the food portion of the meal. All served on the finest store brand paper plates. You get the idea, moving on.
When speaking in terms of water, this is where luxury comes in. Now I hate drinking water, but knowing it’s an essential I found a luxurious way to get around slamming that bull-shit of a drink. Umm SodaStream! Wootwoot, sound the alarm and flash the lights cause that jam keeps me alive. We (The Venetia Fair) usually get a case of water for the van, a back up case in the trailer and I also get a gallon jug of water to pour into a sodastream container, pull the sodastream from my drawer and just BLAST it w/ CO2. (Don’t know what a sodastream is? Know what google is?). Yeah, so seltzer for days.
Continuing on the topic of drinks. Alcohol always seems to find it’s way into a musicians life. It might have to do with having 6 hours to kill at a bar after load-in, but what do I know? Well, I do know that in the summer, if you’re 15 drinks in and feel amazing passing out in the van, that in a mere few hours that same van will transform into a human incinerator, so particularly after consuming alcohol, a few things you may want to keep near your van bed (or the place you sleep when touring is: A) water (seltzer) B) a battery operated fan and C) a $.99 spray bottle of water. These things I haven’t had lately on tour, but when The Venetia Fair did Warped Tour, I definitely had that jones going on.
While on the topic of sleeping situations, it’s a great idea to keep the van doors and windows open at night to keep air flowing. While that’s a great idea it also provides a free buffet for bugs and mosquitos, so you’re going to want to grab a few cheap bud nets to throw over all openings.
Being that this is beginning to get quite lengthily and I don’t want to bore the readers that made it thus far, I’m going to close out with showering. Every musician smells like the thickest festering shit syrup all the time. To reduce this in attempts to be a part or real civilization I would suggest three things. 1) pick up a sunshower which is a bag you can fill with a spigot, set on the roof of your trailer to warm up and shower with the power of gravity. 2) pick up a camping shower which is a bit more expensive, but basically it’s a pump version of the sunshower similar to the way your grandmother fertilizes her tomatoes, but with water instead. 3) Get a planet fitness membership and shower there.
Ok folks, as always, don’t do anything anyone in The Venetia Fair would do, and hope to see you this summer!
Hello, everyone! We hope your final week before Christmas is going well. The post your about to enjoy is actually a guest piece from our friend Andrew Jones, founder of Checkered Owl Media. He helps us out from time to time, and in turn we hope you’ll check out his work. He’s quite possibly our favorite Canadian.
This site exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
No matter how you slice it booking a tour, is a lot of hard work. It requires time and dedication. However, there are certainly things you can do to make it a little easier on yourself. Here are 6 tools I use on every tour I book:
1. Spreadsheet Adding a spreadsheet to my workflow has been one of the most helpful things I have ever done for increasing efficiency on booking a tour. Many computers have software built in, if yours doesn’t you can always grab “Open Office” for free. I personally use “Numbers” from the Apple iWork suite.
I have 10 columns in mine: Date, Weekday, City, Venue, Promoter, Style (club, coffee shop, church, theatre, etc.), Pay, Confirmed (yes or no), Notes, Media Contacted
It is such a huge help to have that all sitting on one sheet.
2. Google maps
This may sound obvious but Google Maps takes an ENORMOUS amount of hassle our of routing a tour. Put in your target markets, check the distances between them if it’s over 6 or so hours, zoom in look for markets in between your targets, re-arrange until you find a solid route, use that as your template. https://maps.google.com/
3. Indie On The Move
This has probably become my most indispensable tool for booking a tour (US only). It’s super simple to search any decently sized city in the US; when you do, you’ll see a bunch of venues, click into them, see their calendar, contact info and even ratings from other bands. You can even e-mail the talent buyer right from inside their site. I can’t recommend this site enough; check it out! http://www.indieonthemove.com/
4. The Indie Venue Bible
This has long been a favourite of mine and have built several circuits from it. It requires a little more effort than Indie on the move, but includes Canada, it also costs you a few dollars. However you get a GREAT pdf directory organized by state (or province) of a ton of venues, with a small guide to what genres they book. Click on the venue and you are taken either to their web page or contact info. Make the phone calls, and make it happen. http://www.indievenuebible.com/
5. Database
Once you have interested contacts, you don’t want to lose them. A database lets you keep all your contacts well organized for future contact. Some people use the spreadsheet for this, but I find a database to be much more robust. I personally use Bento, everything goes in there, from show evaluations, to promoters, to media contacts, I even print my contracts from Bento. I think it’s well worth adding to your arsenal.
6. Hustle
Ultimately it all comes down to this, if you want to book a tour, get ready for more phone calls and emails than you have made before, don’t give up. Hustle is what separates the pros from the garage bands. If you want this, work harder than everyone else.
This post was written by Andrew Jones, editor of Checkered Owl. It originally ran on his blog, but we loved it so much we felt it deserved to shared once more on ours. If you like his work and want to read more of his writing, or if you want to be super cool and offer him full time industry employment, reach out and connect with him on Twitter.
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the first Advice column of the week. These posts usually involves lists or input from guest contributors, but today we are offering an editorial about lessons learned while watching on of the greatest living rock bands perform in West Michigan for the very last time. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
I traveled halfway across the country a few weeks back to see a concert I could have very easily witnessed in my home city of Boston. It was the opening night of Motley Crue’s final tour, however, and I could not miss the opportunity to be present for the beginning of the end for one of America’s most iconic and outrageous bands. The show was incredible, spanning more than two hours and featuring songs from across their 33-year career, but it was not a night without fault. In fact, there were so many flaws that many people in the arena started to leave. I learned a lot though, including why so many people respect a band that has prided themselves on debauchery for over three decades.
The night started out with an hour-long set from Alice Cooper that flew by without fault or failure. Cooper stuck to the hits, which worked out just fine considering he has a few dozen to choose from. Fans cheered, chants occurred, but it was all an appetizer to wet attendees’ palettes for the main event.
Shortly after nine at night the light in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena dropped. A short musical interlude played in the dark and then, accompanied by a burst of light and sound, Motley Crue appeared on the stage. Their first three songs went off without a hitch, and during their runtime the group introduced go-go dancers, pyrotechnics, and a lighting rig meant to resemble a giant pentagram. It was everything you could hope for in a Motley Crue show for almost fifteen solid minutes, but things quickly began to fall apart from there.
Just before the fourth song of the evening began, drummer Tommy Lee commented to Vince Neil that he believed he may have broken his drum kit. Fans laughed at first, but a minute later the band was still waiting for Lee to figure out what was wrong with his kit. Nikki Sixx left the stage a few minutes later, followed by Vince Neil, and the people manning the boards decided to turn on a few of the arena lights. Mick Mars stuck around for a few minutes to entertain the crowd with a guitar solo, but as his efforts neared the five minute mark he too gave up and disappeared back stage. The show had come to a screeching halt less than twenty minutes after it had begun, and the crowd of thousands who had spent the previous two hours drinking themselves into a rock and roll fit were not happy about the delays.
An additional twenty minutes passed before the band was ready to perform again. When they hit the stage, however, things quickly fell back into place and began to go off without a hitch…For about two songs.
Within fifteen minutes of starting the show a second time, guitarist Mick Mars had difficulties with his gear that required immediate, show-stopping attention. The band apologized, claimed everyone was witnessing ‘typical first night problems,’ and spent another ten minutes backstage while a sold out arena sat in silence, waiting to see if the men behind “Girls, Girls, Girls” would ever make it through their set.
The third time the show resumed I could have sworn it was going to be the last time Vince Neil would be forced to apologize for bumbling the last chance the crowd in front of him would have to watch Motley Crue perform. One song into their performance, however, Lee’s kit had a second technical setback. It was not a complete show-stopper, but the news that there would be yet another short delay sent waves of groans and drunken complaints rippling throughout the crowd. After 33 years of rocking crowds to worldwide acclaim it seemed like the members Motley Crue had never even thought to run through their farewell tour stage production before hitting the stage.
Things were so delayed by the time the show resumed a fourth time that the group was forced to shorten their set list to work with a performance curfew enforced by the host city. They did not mention this outright, of course, but instead would stop between each and every song for up to a minute of dead silence while they reset the stage (and themselves) for whatever classic track would follow next. There was no flow or consistency anywhere to be found. Eventually, after all the hits that could fit in a show with more than forty-five minutes of delays had been played, the show came to a close and people filed into the streets with a story to tell.
I’ll be the first to admit that I left Van Andel Arena after the opening night of Motley Crue’s tour ready to throw a fistful of dirt on the band’s grave. Having paid nearly $100 per ticket to witness what could best be described as half a performance I was ready to write off the “Dr. Feelgood” creators once and for all. As things tend to go, however, a few days later I began to see the events of that evening in a whole new light. Hell, I even began to respect Motley Crue for sticking it out the way they did in spite of everything that was going wrong around them, and you want to know why? It’s simple: They gave it their all.
Life is filled with unexpected events, and that goes double for anything you attempt to create and share with others on a large scale. You can practice and plan all you want, but there are some things that happen in this universe that cannot be prevented or otherwise stopped. They can, however, stop you if you are not prepared to take the blows life throws out of the blue.
Motley Crue may not have put on the best show of their lives that night in Grand Rapids, but they did pour everything they had into entertaining fans when the equipment they were working with would allow them do so. Vince Neil belted his lungs out, Tommy pounded the drums, Mick worked the guitar like it was an extension of himself, and Nikki attached a flamethrower to his bass so that he could shoot fireballs into the sky every time the crowded chanted during “Shout At The Devil.” If you could remove all the delays and downtime you would have witnessed a thrilling, albeit surprisingly short headline set from one of the greatest arena rock bands of all time. That may be harder for some to understand than others, but it’s the truth. Motley Crue gave their all and hopefully in time those who left the venue disappointed that night will realize that fact in the days and months to come.
Your band may not have the kind of elaborate stage production Motley Crue is currently taking with them on the road, but that does not mean your live show is without risk of random setbacks. It’s kind of amazing that more shows do not end in disaster. There are almost always people moving around, sweat dripping from ceiling fixtures, wires and equipment scattered across the ground, and a general ‘who gives a crap’ vibe in the air that theoretically could spell disaster at every turn. You can do your best to prepare for the worst, but the truth of the matter is that there will come many days and moments that catch you completely off guard. The best thing you can do is clench your teeth and fight through whatever troubles come your way. Play as well as you can, sing as loud as possible, and don’t walk off the stage until you have given your audience everything you have inside. The show may still be far from perfect, but they will respect your hustle. Sometimes, that means more.
