Planning a Touring Music Concert: What You Need to Know
Touring as an artist, band, or group can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. Not only will you get to travel and perform in new places, but it’s also a great way to grow as a musician by developing your stage presence, expanding beyond your local market, and connecting with music industry professionals. But before you start booking concerts and packing your bags for the road, there are several important steps you need to take to ensure that your tour is successful. Let’s discuss what these steps entail.
Getting a Team
Assembling the right team of people is the first step in planning a music tour. Depending on the size of your budget and the length of the tour, you may need different roles filled, such as promoters, sound engineers, merchandisers, and roadies. It’s also important to have someone who has experience in booking shows—they will be instrumental in helping you find venues that are willing to host your concert, as well as ensuring that all contracts are properly filled out prior to performance day.
Finances
Once you’ve assembled your team and booked shows at venues around the country (or world), it’s time to think about how much money you actually need for this tour. There are lots of expenses involved with touring—gas money for transporting equipment from one show to another, food, lodging, travel costs, insurance, etc.—so make sure that all of these are taken into consideration when creating a budget for yourself or bandmates. In addition, it can be helpful to consider setting aside some extra cash just in case something goes wrong during the course of the tour.
Venues + Travel + Accommodation
When selecting venues for your tour dates, it’s important to look at not only what kind of crowd each venue attracts but also how far away they are from each other (for logistical purposes). You should research nearby lodging options if you plan on staying anywhere overnight or if any members of your team require accommodation after performances have ended. Lastly, make sure that all travel arrangements—however long or short—are taken care of ahead of time so that everyone can arrive safely and on schedule.
Apply For Licenses + Insurance
Many cities require bands/artists performing within their jurisdiction to obtain special performance licenses before performing in public spaces or venues. These licenses vary depending on where you will be playing, so make sure that all paperwork is submitted prior to hitting up each location so there aren’t any surprises later down the line.
Additionally, it’s important for musicians/bands/groups performing live music tours—especially those using expensive instruments—to invest in musical instrument insurance just in case anything gets broken or stolen during transit between gigs.
Planning a successful music tour takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but it can definitely pay off if done correctly. Make sure to assemble the right team; create an appropriate budget; research potential venues and accommodations; apply for necessary licenses and insurance policies prior to hitting the road; and ultimately enjoy yourself while performing around town!
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