How do i get my band on tour

[steve-o]

alright me and my band mates plan on leaving after school lets out(we are graduating) to play the east coast. we are putting a studio quality demo here in a month or two.
what should we do to get shows. and where do we find places?
we are playing in jan. with some band from NJ. we copied there shcedule, and planed on calling those places.
a van and a u-hal trailer.
do you think we would be avle to pay for everything while on the road? or should we save up as much as possible.
we plan on sleeping with family or the van.
but what are we missing?
we play 80's covers(but not all of it)
we are actually really good.(not being big headed)
we play everything and anything they want. does that help.
well i guess i have rambled enough.

steve

[rabid_granny]

I've never toured before but here's what I think, as an accountant (I'm not trying to look smart but I gotta use this university education somehow!!!):

Develop a business plan - in other words, think out the entire tour before you even leave home.

a) Figure out where you can play and how much money you could realistically earn at each show. Figure out how much it will cost to actually go there (ie. gas, insurance, food, lodging, emergencies, U-Haul rental, etc.). Subtract the costs from the gig money and figure out which venues would be profitable.

b) Call the venues and try to book some gigs. You'll have to ask someone else about the specifics of performance contracts. Maybe you could check out the Promo Pack Help thread too. Perhaps the band with whom you are touring can give you some contacts and offer a letter of recommendation.

c) Schedule your departure times, arrival times, set-up times, sound-check times, playing times, tear-down times, sleep times, eating times, washroom times, leisure times and travel times. Make sure you can get to the venues on-time in a safe manner. I would use Excel for this.

d) I would work small and grow from there. Once you've carved out a niche on a local level you can branch out regionally.

e) Go out and have fun...if I haven't killed your enthusiasm already.

Heh heh. And you thought you rambled on...

MAN!!! I NEED A BAND!!! BADLY!!!!

[SMASH]

Originally posted by rabid_granny
... gig money ...

= $0.00 for an unknown band that's "touring".

Unless you can hook up with a "real" band or are part of a good D.I.Y. scene, expect to get paid nothing while playing to some disinterested regulars sitting at the bar with their backs to you on a Tuesday night + maybe some friends who came to see the local bands on the bill but keep looking at their watches because those bands suck and these people have to work in the morning.

Factor in equipment cost$ too. Strings, blown amps, stolen gear.

Unless you're looking for a hard (possibly fun) way to see some neighbouring cities, you probably shouldn't tour until you are at least established at home. Becoming known locally would be a much better use of your resource$, IMO.

But if you must tour, copying a similar bands schedule and calling those venues is a good way to go. Same thing works locally too.


Granny : "Releasing Yngwie's fury." !??! LMAO !!!!

[Turock]

What kinds of gigs are you talking about? In many places you have to be 21 to get in the clubs.

[jondog]

Do NOT rent a Uhaul for an entire tour. Buy a used trailer.

[ThePez]

I agree with SMASH. You gotta establish a local fan base at home first. And if you live in a small town, move to a bigger market, get day jobs, and establish your band there. Other wise after a few weeks of your "tour", you'll be broke, and LIVING IN A VAN...DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!

[evilbrian9]

i have been trying to plan a tour for my band BPW. i have told them and they dont think that we can do it. we are all in high school and plan on it for spring break. we are from roswell new mexico and plan on going as far as el paso and lubbock TX and santa fe and albuquerque NM. i have thought about where to sleep (in the van and with our friends in the bands we will play with, possibly campgrounds and motels), what to eat (cheese sandwiches), where to play (local all ages clubs), and how to get there (one van with a trailer). is there anything that im missing? this is our first tour, we have a show coming up for a festival in a city about an hour away coming up and im hoping this will give us some travelling experience. what else?

[thrash_jazz]

Merged with moparpunk's thread.

Have a nice day