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How To Setup A Tour?


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You need to rid yourself of the notion that "touring" is somehow romantic, adventurous, and lends you prestige as a band. The veteran player knows that touring is a necessary evil. It is expensive, it is risky, and it is long hours of boredom driving and boredom in motel rooms between gigs. You play, what, four hours? If that? There's 20 more to kill in a day...That said, touring without at the very least a full length CD to sell and promote and without premarketing in areas you want to play, you're doing nothing more than taking a glorified vacation. You're certainly not going to build a following or a fan base. Even with CDs to sell, it usually takes a half dozen or more times in an area, playing every 6 to 8 weeks, to even dent the market. Don't get the cart before the horse. If you can build a solid fan base in your own area and sell out your shows, it might be time to increase your range to a 100 mile radius of where you live. Until then, "touring" is just a way for young adults to still dress up and play rock star.

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Originally posted by BlueStrat

You need to rid yourself of the notion that "touring" is somehow romantic, adventurous, and lends you prestige as a band. The veteran player knows that touring is a necessary evil. It is expensive, it is risky, and it is long hours of boredom driving and boredom in motel rooms between gigs. You play, what, four hours? If that? There's 20 more to kill in a day...That said, touring without at the very least a full length CD to sell and promote and without premarketing in areas you want to play, you're doing nothing more than taking a glorified vacation. You're certainly not going to build a following or a fan base. Even with CDs to sell, it usually takes a half dozen or more times in an area, playing every 6 to 8 weeks, to even dent the market. Don't get the cart before the horse. If you can build a solid fan base in your own area and sell out your shows, it might be time to increase your range to a 100 mile radius of where you live. Until then, "touring" is just a way for young adults to still dress up and play rock star.

 

 

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

I remember my first tour. The 4 of us in the band saved up a couple thousand dollars, dubbed a ton of tapes, and set out on a 2 week excursion playing no farther than 100 miles from home at any given time. We came home with just enough money to pay for the gas needed to drive home.

 

Touring is the great test of a band. Any problems you'll ever have with band members will become painfully obvious by the time that 5th day from home comes and goes. You'll see who's serious and who's a quitter and a crybaby. A single one week tour could break a band apart by day 3 - no joke.

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I'm not sure how it is in the UK (where I think your from), but in the states I would do a totally different approach, and it has already been suggested here. Best way to get things going is to make a name local and then regionally. I am lucky, I live in a top 10 market in the US and there are more clubs here than I can even play in a year - just in a 50 mile radius.

 

You should find the closest major cities and focus on playing and promoting there - if you live out in a suburb, go to where the people are and pound them in the head with shows and promo until you get noticed. Build a street team in those areas. Local and college radio should be a priority.

 

My band could play several shows a week and just tour our home state, Texas, almost year long. But until I have name here that starts to bleed over into surrounding metropolitan areas, I'm staying home where its nice and cozy! BTW: having a a demo does not pave the road with gold. Everyband out there has a demo and theirs are better than yours. A demo will get your foot in the door and help make some fans, but you gotta deliver the goods live brother....

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