Tour View Step 3: Putting it all together. By Tara Tinsley
Once you have done all your research and planning (Step 1 in April’s Issue) and have figured out how you will afford the tour (Step 2 in May’s Issue), you are ready to take on the task of putting it all together. First you are going to look at the time that you allotted for the tour i.e. 2 weeks and plot it out on a map and a calendar. When doing this, think realistically about travel times. If you can’t make every city you want to because of timing, it’s ok, you can head back to the cities you missed the next time around. Plus, spending more time in one city is ideal because you not only can experience the city without having to rush off to the next one, but you can spend time in that city promoting your upcoming shows as well.
Once you’ve figured out which cities you’re going to realistically hit, start contacting the venues you researched and book firm dates. A lot of venues might be wary of an out of town act that has never played their city before so you might want to start with hopping on a show or two with a band local to that area. Also, booking your tour 2-3 months in advance will allow you enough advance prep time to solidify as many dates as possible. Venues in many cities book out months in advance so be prepared for that. If you feel it’s necessary, get contracts from certain venues confirming the date you are playing, how much you are getting paid, and any other critical details. Touring is an investment and you need to be guaranteed a return. The worst thing is showing up to a show you thought you were going to play and finding out through miscommunication or some other mess up that they booked someone else.
Next, you’re going to reserve hotels in the area or couches to sleep on if you happen toknow someone in the city. If you’re going to be traveling a lot, sign up to be a member of a hotel chain’s rewards program where you can earn points for every night you stay. That way you can build up your points to earn free nights that you can use later. Make sure to write down all the info including address, check in/out times, and any other details you need to know about the hotel because when you’re out on the road, you aren’t going to remember, your computer might crash, your phone might get dropped in a toilet or your drink. You should bring hard copies of everything even show info and contracts.
After the shows are booked, make sure you book your flights, car rentals, or solidifywhose vehicle you are taking and get all the necessary prep work done on the vehicle you are using.
All of these things are tedious tasks that have to be done in advance to free you from worry and disaster later. Step 4: Finalizing, Promoting, and Taking Off is the last step to my tour guide so stay tuned for that next month. Email me at info@taratinsley.com with any questions, concerns, or just to chat. Happy planning! You can help Tara on her USA and Japan tour www.taratinsley.com/node/247
