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Prototype Band Tour
and Work Schedule

by Christopher Knab - Fourfront Media & Music - July 2002


Back to Music Business 101


Most aspiring recording artists have a somewhat romantic idea about going out on tour. After years of watching tightly edited versions of band tours on MTV, few developing artists ever get a glimpse of the everyday life of a band on the road. When a tour is financed by a record label there is more to it than just showing up for soundchecks in every city you visit. The label will put their bands to work. The following fake tour schedule is based on a three-week tour schedule by a nationally known major label alternative rock act.

Read over this document closely. Read every line of it, and when it gets to the daily work schedule, remind yourself that going out on tour is really about hard work. Interviews with the press at every tour stop. In-store visits, and 'meet and greet' schmooze events, then the soundchecks, and the endless routine of checking in and out of anonymous hotels, and driving…lots of driving. As you read through this think about what kind of food you will be eating, what kind of industry people you must deal with, let alone the time you will have to set aside to meet with fans, sell your merchandise, sign autographs, get your mailing lists ready for people to sign up on.
And then, it's showtime…and you better be ON, because in every city your fans have been waiting to see you. They have spent a lot of money to come to your show, and they expect you to be at your best…every night, week-in and week-out.

Remember…this is only one, three-week tour. If you pay close attention to this tour schedule, you will notice that early-on there are many details that show hour-by-hour what the band will be doing. However, as the schedule continues to unfold, far fewer details of the band's activities are listed. This is very common because, depending on the success of the marketing plan, there may not be that much interest in a fairly new band in every city of the tour. So, labels leave things open, and can plug in new promotional opportunities as they develop. If the record is a hit, the band will go out for many more weeks and months, and along the way repeat the daily work routines. So, the band's management company will stay in close contact with the label, and alert the band for any new tour dates or other marketing arrangements that have been setup.

Now you know why that classic old Mott The Hoople song said "…it's a mighty long way down rock n'roll."



Tour Overview/Highlights

Dates City Promotional Activities Venue
june 1----detroit, mi CXOX / 92X radio show @ phoenix plaza
june 2----cleveland, oh WTXM / xstream radio show @ tower city
june 3----state college, pa crowbar
june 4----lancaster, pa chameleon
june 5----day off
june 6----old bridge, nj birch hill
june 7----philadelphia, pa WYPL / new 100 radio show @ tweeter center
june 8----norfolk, va WWWR / – the boathouse - new venue
june 9----boston, ma WBCOO / wboo radio show @ cmgi field
june10----new york, ny press
june 11----clifton park, ny northern lights
june 12----new york, ny press
june 13----new york, ny press
june 14----new york, ny tape mtv2 "rock show"
june 15----off
june 16----off
june 17----off
june 18----detroit, mi in store performance at tower birmingham
june 19----chicago, il in store performance at tower schaumberg
june 20----cleveland, oh in store performace at fye in mentor
june 21----off / travel
june 22----seattle, wa KDDN / alternative rock @ gorge amphitheatre


Daily Work Schedule Details


sat, june 1: detroit, mi: 92X radio show @ phoenix plaza amphitheatre
• promoter: clear channel cap / ticket: 6500 / all ages

*l2 pm: station will do live interview at the venue and a meet and greet for radio winners
• press: the news herald is a detroit paper - wants interview with steve at the venue
• feature to run in the real detroit (weekly newspaper)
• feature to run in the oakland press (detroit suburban daily newspaper)
• feature to run in the real detroit paper to promote the in-store and new release
• sheets: liberty hotel 1245 w. levin st. detroit, mi.
• wheels: aftershow travel to cleveland
• other acts: the dives, slimm, pasttie, simpletomes
• guest list: check local press contacts, and retail contacts

*1:00 pm: load in
*3:00 pm: doors
*6:30 pm: in-person interview with the news-herald- at the venue
*7:00 pm: in person interview with 92x at the venue
*9:15 pm: prototype on stage

after show meet and greet with station winners


sun., june 2: cleveland, oh: WTXM xtreme radio show @ tower city amphitheatre

• promoter: clear channel cap / ticket: 6000

• radio: this is the 89.3 xfest- xtreme wants a live on air interview from the venue
• press: none
• sheets: holiday inn 68597 n. columbia cleveland, oh.
• wheels: station to provide shuttles to and from hotel to venue
• other acts: fanta, zoup kitchen, town hall, almost ready, elbowroom
• guest list: check local press and retailers

*11:00 am: load in
*1:00 pm: doors
*5:00 pm: in person interview with xtreme radio
*5:15 pm: take photos with the xtreme staffers
*5:25 pm: autograph posters backstage for 15 mins
*6:20 pm: prototype on stage


mon, 6.03 state college, pa: crowbar

• promoter: concerts east

• cap / ticket: 650 / $15 / all ages
• radio: none
• press: cd review to run in the centre daily times (state college
daily newspaper) on june 3
• sheets: overnight in state college guest dorm

*1:00 pm load in
*4:30 pm soundcheck
*8:00 pm doors
*10:15 pm prototype on stage


tue, 6.04 lancaster, pa: chameleon

• promoter: stan livingston

• cap / ticket: 750 / $13 / all ages
• radio: WQQT presents - pre-show "meet and grub" with the band at the venue's downstairs bar
• press: the ‘selfless owl’s a student newspaper of tinytown college - wants interview
• wheels: overnight drive to new york
• guest list: check local press and retailers

*1:00 pm load in
*4:30 pm soundcheck
*tba in person interview with (the e-townian at the venue -
*6:00 pm meet and greet with contest winners and staffers for wqqt at the venue
*7:00 pm doors
*9:00 pm prototype on stage


wed, 6.05 off
• sheets: paramount hotel 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: overnight in new york


thurs, 6.06 old bridge, nj:
birch hill concert hall

• promoter: steve livingstone

• cap / ticket: 1350 / $15 / all ages
• radio: tba
• press: ‘palpable’magazine is a new jersey based tri-yearly arts / music
fanzine -wants interview at the venue
• sheets: paramount hotel 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: none-overnight in new york –paramount hotel again
• guest list: check local press and retailers

*1:00 pm load in
*4:30 pm soundcheck
*5:30 pm in person interview with (fan magazine) at the venue
*7:00 pm doors
*9:30 pm prototype on stage


fri, 6.07 philadelphia, pa:
tweeter center on the waterfront
• venue: @ the waterfront in camden

• promoter: clear channel 215.569-9400

• cap / ticket: 25,000
• radio: wyuu on-air interview not yet confirmed -this is the y-100 show.
station would like an in person interview at venue, station ids,
• photo with staffers, band to sign posters
• press: none
• sheets: hilton, cherry hill 8567 30th ave. philadelphia, pa.
• wheels: overnight in philly
• other acts: yanniyawn, bold face lie, transit x

*9:00 am load in
*10:00 am soundcheck (must take place before doors)
*12:00 pm doors open
*4:00 pm go to the backstage "green room" to interview, record liners, sign
*posters for staffers, etc (label rep to organize)
*5:00 pm prototype on stage (main stage)


sat, 6.08 virginia beach, va:
WRU / the boathouse
• promoter: clear channel

• cap / ticket: 2460

• station contact: pd
• radio this is the wru radio show
• press: tba
• sheets: founders inn 5641 indian river road virginia beach, va
• wheels: after show travel to boston
• other acts elephant fainting, watchoutnow, cymbol crazzy

*12:30pm load in
*9:50pm prototype on stage


sun, 6.09 boston, ma: venue: cmgi field
• promoter: clear channel

• cap / ticket: tickets on sale april 27
• station contact: pd-wboo
• radio: this is the wboo "cave-in 2002"
• press: none
• sheets: swissotel 1 avenue de lafayette boston, ma
• wheels: overnight in boston
• other acts: dwan of destruction, roach motel invaders, the sticks, h.o.d., barefoot, I-know

*11:00am doors
*3:15pm prototpe on stage


mon, 6.10 new york, ny: off day

• sheets: paramount hotel 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: overnight in new york


tue, 6.11 clifton park, ny: northern lights
• promoter: stan levinstone / concerts east

• cap / ticket: 1200 / 16+
• radio: tba
• press: tba
• sheets: paramount 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: overnight in new york

*1:00 pm load in
*4:30 pm soundcheck
*7:30 pm doors
*8:30 pm opening act on stage
*9:45 pm prototype on stage


wed, 6.12 new york, ny: press day being setup

• sheets: paramount 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: overnight in new york
• retail: in-store Tower Records midtown store (pending)


thu, 6.13 new york, ny: press day being setup

• sheets: paramount 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: overnight in new york
• radio: college radio day (pending)


fri, 6.14 new york, ny: press day being setup

• sheets: paramount 235 w. 46th street new york, ny
• wheels: overnight in new york
• retail: long island indie store (pending)


sat, 6.15: day off

sun, 6.16: day off

mon, 6.17: day off


tue, 6.18 detroit, mi: instore performance @ tower birmingham ‘new single in store!
• radio: 101x is presenting the show and doing an live weekend 6/8 and 6/9 to build up show. will be broadcasting live from the event from 4pm-9pm

• sheets: holiday inn 34952 woodward avenue birmingham
• wheels: overnight in birmingham
tba: in person interview with 101x at the store

*6:30 pm in store performance at tower recorda birmingham

aftershow meet and greet with 20 station winners at the store


wed, 6.19 chicago, il: instore performance @ tower schaumberg
• sheets: springhill suites 1550 mcconnor parkway chaumberg, il
• wheels: overnight in chicago

*6:30 pm in store performance at tower records e. golf road / schaumburg


thu, 6.20 cleveland, oh: instore performance @ fye sheets: best western 8434 mentor avenue mentor, oh
• wheels: overnight in cleveland

*6:00 pm in store performance at fye store 7850 mentor avenue mentor, oh


fri, 6.21: vancouver, day off
• sheets: holiday inn 711 w. broadway avenue vancouver, bc
• wheels: overnight in Vancouver


sat, 6.22 seattle, wa: KDDN /alternative rock-radio
• venue: the gorge
• promoter: house of blues
• cap / ticket: 20,
• station contact: pd
radioL tba
• press: tba
• sheets: west coast wenatchee 201 n. wenatchee avenue wenatchee, wa
• wheels: overnight in wenatchee
other acts: tba

*11:00 am: doors
*1 pm: prototype on stage


In Summary
I hope this gives you a little taste of indie promotion and life on the road. It's not all after-show parties and groupies--it IS hard work. Are you ready for it?

-----

Christopher Knab is an independent music business consultant based in Seattle, Washington. He is available for private consultations on promoting and marketing independent music, and can be reached by email at: chris@chrisknab.net

Chris Knab's new book,
'Music Is Your Business' is available NOW from the Music Biz Academy bookstore.

Visit the
FourFront Media and Music website for more information on the business of music from Christopher Knab.


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