Setting up a Regional Tour - Initial Planning Stages

If you've decided you're ready to commit to a regional tour tour. This is a huge step. The next step is preliminary planning, probably led by your band's manager. Here are some questions to consider:

• -        In which geographic area and at what specific cities and venues do you want to perform? What is your tentative itinerary?

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• -        What specific performing needs do you have in terms of instruments and musical equipment?

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• -        What specific stage, sound engineers, and lighting needs do you have?

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• -        How much equipment will the band bring along, and how much will you need to have ready at the venue?

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• -        How many crew members will you need to have on site, and what skills or training do they need?

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• -        What's your tentative budget for the tour, including employee pay and equipment costs?

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• -        What are your limits in tour length and number of shows?

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• -        Do you have 2 or 3 more popular bands that want to come along to add to the attractiveness of the bill?

Once you have considered these basics, you need someone who can connect you with your audience. Perhaps your band has a music agent who handles your bookings. But whether you do or not, you or your agent needs to work through a concert promoter, or tour promoter, to put together a tour. Let's look next at what concert promoters do and how to work with them.