Posted: Mar 1, 2021
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Gideon Waxman, a London based drummer & music educator. Originally posted on Soundfly's Flypaper.
"Although by no means a long run of shows, my band Familiar Spirit’s 2019 UK summer tour in support of American metal heavyweights Mushroomhead was an utterly insane and eye-opening experience — filled with wonderful people, great venues and an abundance of earth-shattering riffs. Having only formed a year ago, this was an opportunity that my band just couldn’t pass up, and I learned a lot from the experience. Here’s some of what I took away from the tour, and what I think young bands can do to prepare for and seize their own career-opening moments."
View Full ArticlePosted: Nov 2, 2020
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Hudson Moore, originally posted on DigitalTourBus.com.
"I’ve been a touring independent artist for 10 years. I’ve booked, advanced, produced, and promoted almost every headline show I’ve ever played. I still have a long way to go, but I’ve been fortunate to play some amazing shows to fans across the US and over the years I’ve picked up a few tried and true tips and strategies that have helped me that will hopefully add value to you as well. So without further ado..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jun 8, 2020
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Bug Hunter, a "thoughtful, self-reflective pop" singer-songwriter out of Seattle.
"It started as a plan to play a couple East Coast shows while attending our old drummer’s wedding in North Carolina. Eventually our radius got so big that we just decided: “Hey, let’s just drive out there and play a show every night along the way”. So we packed up the minivan in Seattle and drove for 15 days, playing 14 shows without any prior experience in the markets we were visiting (save for Seattle and Portland)."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 15, 2019
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Ellisa Sun, Jazz/Soul musician formerly based in San Francisco currently full-time RVing across the USA.
"100 days ago, me (Ellisa Sun) and my partner Ken Michienzi decided to leave our homes in Oakland, CA, purchase a used 30-foot Winnebago, and hit the road to play shows throughout the USA. Here’s what we’ve learned so far..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Nov 6, 2017
Category: Lodging
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**Guest post written by Andrew Tufano, Nashville based Acoustic Pop Singer-Songwriter.
"It’s not always practical to only tour in cities that you know friends with couches you can crash on, and nightly hotels might not make sense in your budget. Finding cheap or free places to sleep is one of the easiest ways to slash your expenses on the road. The following outlines what I did from age 19 to 21 to tour over 100,000 miles in 40+ states without bequeathing my life savings to the Holiday Inn."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 18, 2017
Category: Lodging
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**Guest post written by Road Bill Boronkay, Ignite Hospitality Services Blog Associate.
"For many, the "Romance of the Road" includes the finest in gas station dining. The fact that we’re making a living doing what we love isn’t lost on those who hire us, many of whom apparently think our “love of the game” can pay bills, since many pay rates have stayed flat the last 15 years or even decreased. Part of the game is getting to the stage with some money in your pocket..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 24, 2017
Category: Lodging
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**Guest post written by Matt Bacon, originally featured on IndependentMusicPromotions.com.
"There is an art to finding a place to sleep with your band for the night...The struggle is real, every day you need to make a new friend and charm someone enough to let you into their lives even just for a night...The point being: Finding places to stay is a key skill to learn on tour. Here’s what my time on the road has taught me about it..." View Full Article
Posted: Nov 25, 2013
Category: Delegate Responsibilities
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When it comes to touring independently and really maximizing success and profits along the way, it certainly helps to delegate show booking, radio/press/media promotions, and other responsibilities amongst everyone involved in the project - after all, you have to run your band like a well oiled business machine these days if you expect to make a splash and build a buzz.
View Full ArticlePosted: Jan 2, 2013
Category: Lodging
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Hitting the road and playing directly in front of your fans is one of the best ways to spread the word about your music, and is one of the most exciting aspects of the music business for many artists. Of course, it can also be downright expensive. The tour budget has to include transportation, lodging, food, and promotion. But a tour on a budget doesn't have to mean sleeping in the van or sneaking ten people into a two person room. At the same time, if you want to maximize the amount of money with which you arrive home, don’t just plan on staying in a hotel every night. Check out the following tips for low cost lodging options...
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