Zabooka wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2023 12:27 pm
How does a tour get setup?
So if a tour goes from NY, PA, FL, TX to CA, how do you select the venues?
Do you call a bunch of venues in that area until you get a date? Is there some database where venues show their availability for tour agents to select?
Do you take into account the money you make? So if you don’t make as much, do you go to venues shorter distances apart to save gas, or if you make more per show, do you go longer distances?
On the last day of the tour, do you lower the price of merch rather than take it home and let it collect dust?
""""""""""""""""""How does a tour get setup?"""""""""""""""""""
This is hard to answer... as there is not just 1 way to do this...
"""""""""""""""""So if a tour goes from NY, PA, FL, TX to CA, how do you select the venues?"""""""""""""""""
Most touring bands, ie: Warrant, Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P., or even BulletBoys and The Iron Maidens have a booking agent, who does all that legwork.
And, often, there is a promoter, say in the N.E., or Tri-State Area, who might have a lock on 10-15 venues, in 3-4 states. The agent calls him and says, "Hey, I have >insert 8-15 bands here< looking for plays in the spring and summer 2024"
The promoter (buyer) says "I want the 'Skid Row/Buckcherry' package for 3 plays, on a Fri. Sat. and Sun. ... then offers a guarantee, versus door split, or other, for 3 nights. in their region... New Jersey, Philadelphia and a New York area play. The agent looks at their calendar, and says "We have these weekends open in May and June"
The promoter then shoots a set of dates, and a money amount... the agent then takes it to the band & manager, and says "What about this, for these dates, for this money?"
And it goes back n' forth. Same applies for Texas, Florida, Wisconsin/Minnesota or Arizona/Nevada and California.
Once a date, set of dates, or tour is confirmed... a poster is made, a date is set to announce, and they move forward.
Of course, there is a lot more involved for a package like this... and weeks and months of leg-work is in order, to make 20-25 or dates happen... lots of moving parts.
For the fly-in bands, who do weekends, Casinos, County Fairs or random Festivals, often this stuff is announced in spurts.
"""""""""""""""""""Do you call a bunch of venues in that area until you get a date?""""""""""""""""""""
Today... no. And haven't in years.
In the past... YES... but, in the past we've also had an agent, who did some or a lot of this for TUFF. The same applied for us... with offers, dates, and cities, like the above noted SR/BC dates.
I rarely chase dates anymore... as Tuff is not exactly in demand on a regular basis anywhere.
It's also good to have a part-time agent, that throws our name into their pitch, for their roster, when it comes to bigger events, Festivals, the Cruise, etc...
Those buyers then have to put together their lineup, of say 20-25 bands, over 2-3 days... and they need a few "headliners" a few solid support bands, some middle of the pack bands, and then a few openers, like the 1st, 2nd or 3rd slot bands too... Tuff, JetBoy, Vain, Heaven's Edge, etc...
""""""""""""""""""""Is there some database where venues show their availability for tour agents to select?""""""""""""""""""""""
I am not a full-time agent... but... I know there are some forms of info. database, that agents, promoters, etc... likely have access to, that the general public don't see.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""Do you take into account the money you make? So if you don’t make as much, do you go to venues shorter distances apart to save gas, or if you make more per show, do you go longer distances?"""""""""""""""""
This is all pretty self-explanatory... no?
If you're in a bar-band, and a bar offers you $500.00 to play a set, and they're 10 minutes away... well, you might take that.
But... if the same money is offered, and the show is 400 miles away... you're likely going to say..."Ummm... no thanks!" Fair?
"""""""""""""""""""""""On the last day of the tour, do you lower the price of merch rather than take it home and let it collect dust?""""""""""""""""""
Me, NEVER!
Nope... I don't believe in that blow-out stuff... there will be another tour, mail-order, online sales and more.
Your questions are too hard to answer just 1 way.
Let me give you a recent scenario for me.....Re: LIMA PERU!
Promoter contacts me a few years ago via FB, says they are interested to bring me... similarly, the same has happened for Brazil, Mexico, Australia and more.
The Peru promoters and I communicated a few years ago, but it didn't work and then the Pandemic happened. Then they contacted me again, more recently in the summer of this year.
Then... the Peru guys, ALL came to Rocktember in Minnesota, and saw the TUFF show. They immediately came to the merch table after, introduced themselves, and said "We're bringing you to Peru!" And our communication went up 10 fold following that day...in short, they were very impressed, and wanted to bring me.
They then said; "We're doing a show, Dec. 7th, with a few singers, and we want you to be 1 of them!"
I then asked, "Have you done this before, and if so... with who?" and they told me "Cj Snare, Gilby Clarke, FPC, Eric Martin, Trixter" etc... and it's clear, they've done a ton of shows, and they do so, on all levels, the main guy I deal with also sorted stuff for Bhad Bunny stadium shows, arenas, festivals and more... but also do smaller club level rock shows with various 80s and 90's artists coming to Peru.
I then contacted Gilby and Steve Brown... etc... among others, I asked about these guys in Peru, and everyone gave these promoters, an A+ all thumbs-up rating. Which immediately puts me at ease.
We go back and forth, and they're trying to confirm the other artists, and at some point they tell me, it's Ted Poley and Mili from Steelheart, plus me, and a local band or two as openers.
They then tell me "We'll pay you $$$$ and supply you money for the flight, with airport pick-up, hotel, back-up band, dinners, etc..." and we go back and forth, to fine tune some details... and of course, I ask 20 questions and get 20 answers. And vice-versa.
I also go into details, about how long will I get to play, I want to know who the band are, their emails, videos of them, etc... and they tell me "The drummer is the MD, we'll put you in touch with him, and you can coordinate and communicate all with him"
Can I sell my merch, will you help supply a professional person, who can take cc, cash app, or whatever other forms of payments are most prevalent in Peru. I don't want some roadie's girlfriend trying to sell my merch, talk with her friends and worry about her boyfriend on stage... I need a qualified person to sell for me, who can also speak English too, as I will be at the table at some point, and want to be able to communicate.
Especially with a promoter out of the country, you have to be extra diligent, and at the same time, you're having to trust the person... not always easy to do... right?
Especially when you barely know them, but this is where having a point of reference (calling Gilby, Steve Brown, etc..) comes in handy.
Similarly, when Alexx of Shameless emailed me in 1998 and asked me to sing on his debut record, or go to Germany with him... he offered a pair of references, to fact check him, and it was Eric Singer and Bruce Kullick... I called both, and they both immediately said: "Oh Alexx from Germany... he's a good guy... " and it was a go.
I mean, 2 guys from KISS both giving him the "all clear" was good enough for me. I also recall talking to Corabi and Kullick about some guys in other places, and I always dig into whomever is offering, find out their history and reach out to those guys, asking what their experience was.
Same thing with other places... even in the USA... which is why... I have been harsh on promoters, club owners, and the rest, who are not honest, not fair, to the bands, nor the fans, mislead, take advantage and more. Nobody wants to be lied to or ripped off, and that includes from the top to the bottom... big bands, small bands, clubs or rock stars selling their gear on eBay and not being honest about it.
Once the promoter in Peru and I come to an agreement, there is a Pay Pal sent, or wire transfer, and the process begins.
I also will then tell the band, I want to play THESE songs... learn THIS studio version first... and send links for EACH song.. in the order, we will play it.
After a few weeks, I ask the band "Please film a rehearsal, and send me a clip in WhatsApp"... this way I can see, how good it's coming along, and if I need to point out anything good, bad or other... we go back n' forth that way.
"Send us your images, and logo" ... "I book a flight, and forward the info..." - "They supply info on the club, the hotels, and a general itinerary or events for the week"
This remains fluid, for the month(s), and weeks leading up to, and even more so in the final week or days before I arrive.
The same applies for all gigs... MORC, a festival, Thailand, Glam-Fest in Australia, M3 or other.
There is so much back n' forth... and for the most part, it could or would be very confusing along the way to some, but after doing this as long as I have, as a band leader, manager, agent and on a CEO/Owner level (as goofy as that sounds, lol) I can do most of this without issue... same with mail-order, or running the site, my label, etc...
It's a full-time job... but... I love it!
$tEvil