How To Book Your Own Tour
Photographs by Randy J Byrd
Jason Kindred of Void King
DIY tour booking is a big topic that I wonât be able to get too deep into, given the inherent constraints of the format, but one that I know you all want to know about, regardless. Iâve booked countless DIY tours since I was eighteen years old. I booked my first international tour when I was still a teenager. While Iâve definitely had struggles with this, so has literally everyone who has booked tours. Iâve booked everything from small debut runs to tours for groups like Exhorder and Wo Fat.
There Is Nothing by Void King
This stuff isnât always easy, but itâs part of the game, and vital to master if you want to reach the ever-present "next level" in the world of being a DIY band. Knowing how to book shows -- and meaningful ones at that -- is essential. Before we get into this, donât use this as a blueprint to immediately begin booking national tours. While you can indeed use it for this purpose, itâs going to be useless to tour nationally if youâre a new band. None of the fifteen people you play to in Reno will remember your band from Philly when you come back two years later. Use this to start regional, then spread your wings and go national.
Nika McKagen and Danny Shyti of Horse Culture
The first step for any sort of tour booking is finding the right contacts. A good starting point is finding the right local promoters, who will actually work to ensure shows go well. "But Matt," you may ask, "how do I get in contact with people who are almost always drowning under a constant flow of people trying to get in contact with them?" This is a great question, and underpins many of the reasons behind why Iâve always emphasized that you need to be constantly immersed in your scene. At the core, this is kind of what it boils down to.
If you donât talk to a ton of folks doing DIY music around you, then you wonât get to know the right people to talk to about getting a show in the next city over. If you donât go to DIY shows, then you wonât meet the bands from other cities who might be able to connect you with their favorite local promoters, or even play with you in order to improve the amount of people at the show. Start off by engaging deeply with your scene, and youâll create the foundation you need to be perceived as a valued part of your local community, a quality embodied by every successful DIY band.
Jake Swanson of The Astral Void
From there itâs easy. All you need to do is reach out to friends you have in relevant small cities and ask them who books cool shows where they live, six to eight months before when you want to tour. I know that sounds like a lot, but itâs what you gotta do. Odds are, friends will know who the local promoter is and might even facilitate an intro via Facebook. For the record, Iâm a huge fan of the intro message or email. Itâs a great way for promoters to see that youâre legit. If they note that someone they respect took time out of their day to hook this up, itâs often all the proof you need to get your foot in the door. Otherwise, the promoter might just feel like you were dumped on them.
Mandragora by the Astral Void
When talking to a promoter for the first time, definitely be very clear about what you want, but also be sure to ask them about themselves. If they donât want to open up and just want to talk business, itâs fine, but some are going to want that deeper relationship. Feel âem out -- sometimes small talk is key. However, small talk or no, always remember to be direct with regards to what you are asking for. So often, people will get in touch with me and beat around the bush about their requests, and it just feels weird.
So, youâve gotten in touch with a local promoter who seems reasonable and wants to actually give you a slot! Congratulations, but this is just the first step though. Chances are, the promoter will want help constructing the bill, setting up a flyer, or with other admin or promotional tasks. Iâd recommend you start with a few hours spent delving into Encyclopaedia Metallum to find other bands in the scene who could be on the show.
The Angle of Eternity by Cruthu
Furthermore, thereâs a lot to be said about the integrity of the promoter if they proactively set up a Facebook event page for your show. This means that THEY took the time to officially acknowledge the show is happening. A lot of people will try to squirm out of shows if they feel overwhelmed. Iâll admit, Iâve done this myself. Though, in my experience, usually when the promoter sets up the event page themselves, they have a bit more of an emotional connection with the show, and are more likely to ensure that it will actually happen. Otherwise, just stay in regular contact and see what you can do to help with the show. Remember what I said that other time about being a good guy? Understand that on the DIY level, the promoter is doing you a favor!
Zak Suleri of Seasick Gladiator
The final step now is just advancing the tour. About a month out from the tour, send an email to every promoter asking about all the key details of the show. Make sure you find out all the details about the opening bands, your time slot, where to park, if there will be any food offered, and all of that other stuff. This is another way to make sure that the shows are actually happening and that people arenât trying to dip out last minute.
House of Aristippus by SEASICK GLADIATOR
Inevitably, not all of your advance emails will be answered right away (or at all), yet persistence is key. If nobody responds, just follow up a week later, and make sure that you get the info you need. The advance email is a great way to collate essential data about your tour. When you have information on your side, people are going to be a lot more comfortable about whatâs going down on the night itself, making for a less stressful experience for both the band and the promoter. The more you can grease the wheels, the easier it will be.
So thatâs the less-than-a-thousand-word-Matt-Bacon-guide-to-tour-booking. I know it sounds like a lot of information, but thatâs because it is. Tour booking is really hard to figure out. Itâs the sort of thing that youâre constantly going to need to be building on and investing time in. To actually build up the network you need to meet the right people is a massive task in and of itself. However, take heart. After youâve done this a handful of times, itâs going to get easier and youâll even be able to help your buddiesâ bands with their own booking. Itâs a long term investment, but you need to be a freak to do this after all. Embrace your inner madman, be careful in your booking strategy, and invest deeply in your scene â it will pay off.
Matt Bacon (IG: mattbacon666) with Dropout Media is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Matt also co-hosts the Dumb & Dumbest podcast with Curtis Dewar of Dewar PR.
