Posted: Aug 12, 2013
Category: Show Booking
show booking tour booking touring touring plan touring strategy touring tips
**As featured in Indie on the Move's Touring Tips Section, a "how to" on planning and executing a successful music tour, from building a tour itinerary and route to selecting appropriate markets and music venues...
Whether you’re planning a two-week mini tour or a two-month tour (+When am I Ready to Tour), first and foremost you should sit down and write up a mock itinerary. This will include the cities you plan to hit and the dates you plan to be in each city.
With gas prices as high as they are, try to line up cities in the most logical way possible to limit driving time and distance.
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Use anchor dates (cities that you have a developed fanbase/friends in and market contacts established) as your Friday and Saturday night shows since those are your money makers, and try new cities on off nights like Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. For example:
R 1/8 – Boston, MA
F 1/9 – Middletown, CT
S 1/10 – Philadelphia, PA
Su 1/11 – Pittsburgh, PA
M 1/12 – OFF
T 1/13 – Cleveland, OH
W 1/14 – Columbus, OH
R 1/15 – Indianapolis, IN
F 1/16 – Frankfurt, IN
S 1/17 – Chicago, IL
Su 1/18 – OFF
M 1/19 – OFF
T 1/20 – Cincinnati/Louisville
W 1/21 – Nashville/Murfreesboro
R 1/22 – Birmingham, AL
F 1/23 – Knoxville, TN
S 1/24 – Morristown, TN
Su 1/25 – Atlanta, GA
M 1/26 – OFF
T 1/27 – Columbia, SC
W 1/28 – Charlotte, NC
R 1/29 – Mt. Pleasant, SC
F 1/30 – Fayetteville, NC
S 1/31 – Raleigh, NC
Su 2/1 – DC
Note: This will probably change quite a bit as you start the booking process and see what dates are available at each targeted music venue/city.
From our experience, the actual tour has never followed the initial schedule, but it's a great starting point for reference. It is also wise to have multiple options (cities and music venues) for each respective date. Sound like a lot of work? You betcha. So be sure and delegate responsibilities amongst band members.
+How To Make Sure You're Booking A Good Venue
Related Blog Posts:
+Don't Kill Your Hometown Crowd
+What's My Sales Pitch for Booking?
+Tour Sponsorship: How Creativity Can Become Dollars