Setting Up a Successful Tour

By Kenny Kerner

The best way for an artist to create a buzz and sell records is to simply take his music to the people. And that, my friends, means touring.

Getting out on the road is a tradition for everyone even remotely associated with the entertainment industry. Authors go out on book tours, movie stars visit every major late-night talk show, others pop in on radio broadcasts, do print interviews to promote an opening of a play or concert, and some, those who are really hungry for success, do it all!

Touring is a very costly proposition, both financially and organizationally. It takes money to finance the travel and lots of time and planning to put it together. TAXI, in its never-ending efforts to help the performing musician, has asked me to put together some tips on how you can set up a successful tour on your own. So here we go:

Before you can even think about getting out on the road, you must first determine why it is you want to go out. What is it you wish to accomplish? Sightseeing? Partying? If that's the case, better stay home! But if you have product to promote (a new CD, maybe), then touring is a viable solution. Putting together a tour simply for the experience, is not recommended. Only go out if you are selling/promoting something that people can buy and if that tour will advance your career.

I know this might sound crazy, but begin planning your tour at least six months before you actually want to leave. This will give you plenty of time to do your research, mail out packages, make follow-up calls, book the appropriate gigs, route your tour, save some additional money, rehearse, update your equipment insurance, get the van repaired, assemble a crew, and get your sh*t together. Man, it's already starting to look like six months may not be enough time!

Once you've decided to go out on the road to promote your new independently-released CD, you'll want to decide what areas to cover. If you've never been out before, I strongly suggest staying close to home, meaning go no further than a few hundred miles away. If you live in the Los Angeles area, try booking gigs from Seattle (to the north) all the way down to San Diego (in the South). This routing will enable you to reach any venue in a day's drive and return home the next day, if necessary. Or, you can do several cities in Washington (Seattle, Tacoma), sleep over and drive to San Francisco the next day. The same theory applies regardless of where you live.

Next, you'll want to make a list of all appropriate clubs in the areas you'll be touring. Don't get lazy on this one! Do your homework. There's nothing more embarrassing or wasteful than a metal band setting up its gear on the stage of a jazz club. Get the picture?

Call the clubs and find out who is in charge of booking the talent. Mail out a neat, professional-looking package with a cover letter specifying the dates you expect to be in that area. Be sure your package includes some industry quotes, any airplay you're receiving, and the most recent reviews. AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE THAT VIDEO OR CD!

You'll want to wait at least 5-6 business days for the packages to arrive before you begin your follow-up calls. Then, once on the phone, be polite, persuasive, and direct. Understand that the club has no reason at all to book you since there are thousands of unsigned local acts that are dying to play those venues for free. So, what can you offer the clubs that they can't get for free? Here's where you'll need to do some thinking and use your imagination. Nobody said it would be easy, right?

Assuming that you're going to be successful in booking a string of 10 club dates—and always remember to get signed performance contracts that list your pay, time of load-in, sound-check, show time, and hospitality provided by the club (usually in the form of a hot meal for band and crew and drinks)—you should route these dates in one of two ways: First, begin with the club the longest distance from your home. Drive to it and schedule other dates working you way back to your home base, with the show closest to home scheduled for last. Or, begin the opposite way by playing your way out to the farthest point and then making a straight, non-stop drive home after the final show.

Do not hesitate to call your local AAA office and request a Trip-Kit package of the areas you will be touring. This will be helpful in giving you the most direct routes and the exact mileage from city to city. Having this information will allow you to more accurately budget the tour.

When you go out on the road for a short period of time (1 1/2 - 3 weeks), too many off dates can kill you. It will drain your money (when you're off, there's no income from gigs or selling merchandise) and set you up for a giant loss at tour's end. Therefore, try to book as many dates in a row as possible and only take off every fifth day, at most. But remember to use that off day for a little relaxation and a little promotion of you next gig!

Find out if anyone in the band or crew has relatives or friends in your tour area. It might just be that a friendly phone call will result in a place to stay overnight. This will save you hotel bills and food money. If you are forced to sleep in a hotel, the cheaper, the better. A bed, hot and cold running water, and a phone are all of the amenities you'll need. And guys, get used to sleeping 5-6 in a single room. Look for motels that are located within a mile or two from the club. This saves mileage and gas. The club booker can be helpful in suggesting places to stay overnight.

Always call the venue to confirm all of the information about the gig at least one day before you're scheduled to play. It shows you're professional and it gives you a last-minute chance to clear up any misunderstandings before the show.

Be certain that your performance contract specifies the number of sets you are to perform and the length of those sets. You will need to rehearse accordingly. Nothing is more embarrassing than having to perform the same 10 songs three times in a row on the same night.

Here's a helpful tip for you: Right after you arrive in the city you're playing in, check into your hotel and call the club. Tell them you're in town and make sure they're expecting you at the designated time. That's a subtle reminder for them to wake the stage manager and sound man and get them ready for work. Try getting to the club a few minutes early to hang posters and photos of your band before the doors open. Hopefully, you will have remembered to include a handful of the posters in your initial press kit mailings to the clubs.

In reality, you should plan on not getting paid at all for any of the gigs. Sometimes, out of sheer pity, a club owner will throw you $50-$100 for the night. Take it and don't look back. It will help offset your losses. Keep in mind that if you draw some people or, if you play really well, you'll be invited back again and then you can ask for some more money.

After the show, immediately get out into the audience and start handing out fan address cards and begin selling your merchandise. Here's where you can really turn a profit. CDs that cost you only about $2.50 to manufacture can be sold for $10 at clubs. That's a nifty little profit if you can move them. If you decide to go back stage to dry off and have a beer, the club will be empty when you finally get around to returning. Don't miss this opportunity.

If you are getting paid, the group member who initially spoke with the club booker should ask for the money. Take the cash, thank him politely for the opportunity, tell him you had a great time (lie if you have to), and express an interest in coming back in a few months. Chances are he'll forget who you are before your van pulls out of the parking lot.

Here's another hot tip: If you have a signed contract and the club refuses to pay you, forget it. Do not start a fight or make trouble. Fifty dollars is not worth fighting for, nor is it worth losing your equipment or your health over. Just chalk it up to life in the music business and file it away under—Road Stories! Remember, in this business, it's okay to get screwed once or twice. The trick is to always be around to tell about it!

Checklist: What to Pack
Going out on the road sounds like a lot of fun, but trust me, there's nothing humorous when your truck blows up in the middle of the desert and all you see are vultures flying above you.

Something similar happened to the band I manage just last year. On their way to Arizona, the first stop on a two-week mini-tour, their van's radiator blew up on the outskirts of Who Knows Where, California. Did they panic? No! They simply pulled out their trusty cell phone, checked their list of emergency telephone numbers to see where I was at that particular time, called me up, and asked for advice.

In a matter of minutes we determined that, with towing and time for repairs, the band would never make it to the gig on time. So, with hours to spare, I called the venue and cancelled, giving the club ample time to book another local band and, by acting professionally, assured us another opportunity to play there in the future.

Next, the band pulled out their trusty AAA-Plus card. (The Plus, which costs extra, allows for additional towing miles, which came in handy. Also, the band paid more AAA dues to cover their RV/van and not just their auto). And, still never leaving the van, the band called for someone to tow them to a nearby repair station. While waiting for the tow truck, they lit the red flares to alert traffic in the area.

Having burned his hand trying to check out the radiator himself, the band's roadie reached into their first aid kit for some cream and a bandage. All of this excitement is apt to give you a splitting headache, but fortunately, the guys remembered to pack Aspirin/Tylenol/ Excedrin/Advil (pick your favorite) and, sipping on a cool, refreshing drink, they got out of their ice-filed cooler and waited patiently for help to arrive.

If you're thinking that I made all of this up to prove my point, YOU'RE WRONG. This was a true story. It really happened. Now for the scary part: Picture the same scenario—van breaks down outside the city limits of a small, strange town. Only this time, there's no cell phone, no AAA card, no flares, no first aid kit, no emergency phone numbers, nothing to drink, no relief for your headache or burned hand. Get the picture. I sincerely hope this never happens to you—EVER!

What follows is an abbreviated list of essential items to pack in your truck/car/van before leaving home on any tour.

Don't Leave Home Without These

1. AAA-Plus Card (upgraded for RV or van towing)
2. Driver's licenses and other forms of I.D.
3. Checkbook
4. Medical insurance cards (in case of accident)
5. Prescription medicines/pills taken daily
6. Flashlights/batteries
7. Cell phone (and car adapter)
8. First aid kit (fully loaded)
9. Some food/drinks
10. Flares
11. Snow chains (if applicable)
12. Emergency phone numbers
    • Manager
    • Attorney
    • Doctor
    • Family members
    • Equipment insurance company
    • All clubs on tour
    • Booking agent (if applicable)
    • Hotels booked
13. Maps
14. Credit cards (useful for security deposits or I.D.)
15. Pens/pads
16. Expense reports (for tax purposes)
17. Emergency cash (not everyone takes a check)

Excerpted from the book, Going Pro by Kenny Kerner, published by Hal Leonard. Available at all bookstores and at Amazon.com.

About Kenny Kerner:

Discovered and produced KISS. Also produced albums for Gladys Knight, Jose Feliciano and Badfinger. As a publicist, he represented Michael J. Fox and Jay Leno. Was the former Senior Editor at Music Connection Magazine and wrote a best-selling music education book called "Going Pro" Kerner is currently the Director of the Music Business Program at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Specialties include Personal Management, Artist Development and Music Business.

Kenny Kerner
Musicians Institute
Director / Music Business Program
(323) 860-1122
Fax: (323) 462-6508
kennyk@mi.edu

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