SixStringSurfer
Joined: Sep 23, 2014
Posts: 1401
Memphis, TN
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Posted on Aug 24 2023 03:13 PM
Could you guys please give me some advice on how to go on tour? This will realistically be in the summer of 2024. It doesn't have to be long, maybe just 5-10 cities or so.
This will be for my Dick Dale tribute act. By then, I will have a website up with videos and sound clips. I will need a drummer and a bass player. I will pay each musician $200 ($400 between the two of them) per show. I will also pay for a rental vehicle, and a hotel room.
I have asked a few booking agencies, and have quickly been blown off. I have 10k set aside specifically for this, but can add a little more if needed.
I realize this is an expensive hobby, and that I will lose money on this project. I honestly don't know where to begin, and am humbly asking for your guidance. Thank you for your time.
— MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New Singles "Finish Line" and "Paradiso" on Bandcamp and website.
Last edited: Aug 24, 2023 15:42:11
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SixStringSurfer
Joined: Sep 23, 2014
Posts: 1401
Memphis, TN
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Posted on Aug 24 2023 04:32 PM
Well, I guess I am in over my head. I am getting some discouraging responses on the Gear Page. I honestly don't know how Surfer Joe and everyone else here does it. Look at what this one guy wrote:
**1. Form an LLC if you haven't already. All that money you spend should be deductible.
2. Identify the clubs that book tribute acts and contact them. Try to string together 10 gigs in 10 days within driving distance of each other. IF you are going long distances you might want to build in a day off or two. If you are younger give yourself a day off every 5 days.
Older? Once every three days.
3. Your going to need to rent a sprinter van for you and the band, and maybe a trailer how much gear you have. Make sure you can take the back couple of rows of seats our of the van so you can load gear in that space if you can't afford a trailer.
4. You might want to draft a smart and savvy friend to be your tour manager to help with the driving, hauling gear, handling biz while you are busy.
5. Use social media to promote your tour, but you should already be using it to promote your act.
6. $200 a "show" is the wrong way to look at it. You hiring musicians for the whole day if you are touring. You need to pay them a "day rate" and a per diem to cover their meals, snack,etc...most good touring musicians aka the guys you want are going to expect a minimum
of $500 a day, $45 a day per diem. And you better ask them ahead of time if you expect people to share hotel rooms on the road.
7. If you stop anywhere don't ever let the van out of your sight. Gear thieves are a real problem.
There's so much more but that's a good start. Good luck.**
I appreciate his response, but man is it ever deflating. You guys make some serious money out there on the road!
— MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New Singles "Finish Line" and "Paradiso" on Bandcamp and website.
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bigtikidude
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25592
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Aug 24 2023 04:49 PM
Plus, were you planning on playing?
— Jeff(bigtikidude)
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Bango_Rilla
Joined: Jan 06, 2019
Posts: 181
Bananas, TX
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Posted on Aug 24 2023 05:04 PM
I wouldn't say that ALL touring apes make big bananas. Depends on region and popularity.
Tribute acts (in general) CAN make a lot of money, but a Surf tribute act wouldn't necessarily have the same draw as, say, a Motley Crew or 80's Metal tribute act, at least not in this neck of the jungle. SO, logically, depending on what circumstances you are putting together, it may not match a "touring" tribute band status vs a regional band that tours.
Some of the points are valid (an LLC is good, just from a liability aspect, if you handle it right).
If you're trying to get this rolling without having the website, videos, audios and EPK, I think the struggle is going to be a steeper climb. Get that stuff together first - right now it's "I have this idea" but no, "here's my product". Show folks that you have your stuff together and it makes it MUCH easier to pitch to anyone, booking agencies, clubs, private parties, gigsalad, you name it.
— Bango Rilla!
DiPintos, Fenders and Reverb (oh, my!)
The GO-GO Rillas
Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Threads: thegogorillas | Spotify
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3811
North Atlantic
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Posted on Aug 24 2023 05:25 PM
Some of that info is good, some a bit more than you need.
The best thing to do is to contact bands that would fit the bill with you surf, rockabilly, punk, etc), and try to book a multi band show at their recommended clubs. The clubs would be more open to such a show if the local band you are playing with books the venue. This will probably require looking on the net for bands in the region you want to play. Posting here is also a good way to make contact.
Do your best to get a contract, but that will not always be the case.
Submit early to local festivals to see if they have a spot for you, and buld the other dates around those
For those who are not familiar with your band, have a concise, but catchy bio, pic, and video to give to them.
I don’t think a lot of surf bands need a van and trailer to tour. All you need to do is have room for your gear, luggage, and people. We’ve done it in a car(if we are borrowing gear from other bands…make sure this is agreed on before the shows), or renting a van if we bring our own gear.
As far as paying people, let them know your budget, and let them decide if they can do it. Try to have this together far in advance so people can book time off from their other jobs to it.
Theft of gear from a vehicle can and does happen. We always bring our gear into the hotel rooms overnight (amps, gtrs, kit).
Promoting on social media is good, but also contact local papers, blogs, college/ community radio to help promote the show. Approach them with an interesting story, and they are more likely to talk to you. They need to fill content. I was surprised how many people in bands didn’t do this, and then complained about getting no coverage. We got a ton of local coverage by approaching them directly.
Start playing around your town if you haven’t already. I suspect people will be more comfortable booking a band that has played before.
Try to keep the shows in a realistic order in terms of driving distances. Don’t be afraid to book a weekend of shows rather than 10 days.
Accept the fact that it won’t be that easy, and that things can and will go wrong. I have had to play directly into the PA through some pedals when my amp went down out of town.
Playing week days can result in low turn outs (so can weekends lol). Especially if you are unknown.
Just to reiterate, don’t neglect playing locally, or within driving distance from home. These are easier to do, and it will help to build a local following.
Touring can be fun,
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
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TheOutpost
Joined: May 26, 2020
Posts: 266
Highlands Ranch
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Posted on Aug 25 2023 08:47 AM
Hey man, I know you’re getting a lot of things from both ends. But if this is something you really want to do, I said go for it. I have a lot of experience in booking shows/ mini tours… stuff like that. I agree with REVMIKE. Depending on the amount of time you can play a set for will determine what direction you should go. If you are thinking 30 to 45 minutes finding local bands in the cities you’re going to his best. If you’re looking to do the couple sets for an hour or so, each, finding some bars, I will give you a flat rate would probably be best for that scenario.
— Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/TheOutpost/
https://www.instagram.com/theoutpostmusic/
Music
https://theoutpostmusic.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/theoutpostmusic/
Merch
https://the-outpost-merch-store.printify.me/products
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wipedoutnyc
Joined: Feb 10, 2021
Posts: 231
New York
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Posted on Aug 25 2023 10:59 AM
Hey, I think all of the advice above is good and valid. That being said, I would also say that if you haven't played local gigs yet, that's a good place to start, rather than a multi-date tour. Try setting up 1 local show. Work out your stage show, figure out who your go-to musicians are. Get a feel for local bands that you can share the stage with, how payment deals work in your area, etc. I'd probably start with bars that have live music and reach out to them.
Once you have a good handle on doing local gigs, spread out a bit. Do the same thing you did with the local show...but this time it's 50-100 miles away.
Then book 3 in row, all 50-100 miles apart.
Then 5 in a row. Now you're touring.
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MadScientist
Joined: Jan 17, 2008
Posts: 2188
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Aug 25 2023 11:14 AM
This is excellent advice.
wipedoutnyc wrote:
Hey, I think all of the advice above is good and valid. That being said, I would also say that if you haven't played local gigs yet, that's a good place to start, rather than a multi-date tour. Try setting up 1 local show. Work out your stage show, figure out who your go-to musicians are. Get a feel for local bands that you can share the stage with, how payment deals work in your area, etc. I'd probably start with bars that have live music and reach out to them.
Once you have a good handle on doing local gigs, spread out a bit. Do the same thing you did with the local show...but this time it's 50-100 miles away.
Then book 3 in row, all 50-100 miles apart.
Then 5 in a row. Now you're touring.
—
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2258
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Aug 25 2023 11:14 AM
I really wonder how Lorenzo does it. I don’t think he will share all of his secrets, but we may try)
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
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Taifighter
Joined: Oct 31, 2018
Posts: 225
Indiana
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Posted on Aug 25 2023 04:12 PM
Good insight here, nice to see folks chiming in to try and be helpful.
the Tentakills were joking about our "Summer 2023 Midwest Tour" where we play 5 gigs in 3 different states over the course of two weeks.
Week 1:
Great Lakes Surf Fest - Muskegon MI
Rebel Art Fest - South Bend IN
Central Park - Mishawaka IN
Jay's Lounge - Niles MI
Week two:
Tiki Underground - Cuyahoga Falls OH... TOMORROW w/Surfer Joe!
I guess being home in your own bed every night makes it not count as a tour hahaha.
Anyways, good luck to you, just go out and make it happen.
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chiba
Joined: Sep 02, 2022
Posts: 519
Central VA
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Posted on Aug 28 2023 12:09 PM
SixStringSurfer wrote:
I am getting some discouraging responses on the Gear Page.
Don't let that alone discourage you. Pretty much anything fun gets discouraging responses on the Gear Page. You could be opening for Dick Dale and somebody on TGP would tell you you're a loser. (Yes, I realize logistically speaking, you cannot open for DD. Just making a point.)
Do you have a lot to work out? Yes. Should that stop you? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
revmike and wipedoutnyc both gave good advice.
It's been a long time since I toured, and on the last one all I had to do was drive and play - somebody else worked out all the details. It was a great tour, too ... for me! I didn't make any money (original band) but all it cost me was 10 sets of guitar strings (changed before every show), a plane ticket and whatever I spent on food, so in the end I was out maybe $1,000, which for the amount of fun I had was well worth it.
— --
Project: MAYHEM by Hypersonic Secret now available!
Last edited: Aug 28, 2023 12:11:04
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SixStringSurfer
Joined: Sep 23, 2014
Posts: 1401
Memphis, TN
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Posted on Aug 28 2023 12:36 PM
Some awesome advice in this thread, I am going to go back and read it again a few times. I am not looking for sympathy/empathy, but damn I am discouraged.
The guys over on TGP (feel free to go read the thread yourself so you can see I am not making it up) are telling me I need to pay my musicians 500-1k PER DAY whether they work or not. I am told I will also need to pay them for rehearsal time, hotel, food allowance, etc...
I am just going to take you guys' advice, create a website, and try to piggyback on to some local shows here in Memphis. I would like to be the opening act, and just play about 30-45 minutes. Thanks again for all the encouragement, and for not being dicks about this whole thing.
— MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New Singles "Finish Line" and "Paradiso" on Bandcamp and website.
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11058
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Aug 28 2023 07:59 PM
Good luck with that 6SS. My advice is while you're the opening act, don't try to emulate DD's volume level. The other bands will not appreciate that 
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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bigtikidude
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25592
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Aug 28 2023 08:18 PM
Nobody will appreciate that.
loud is one thing, DD loud is just Silly.
— Jeff(bigtikidude)
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SixStringSurfer
Joined: Sep 23, 2014
Posts: 1401
Memphis, TN
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Posted on Aug 28 2023 09:17 PM
I'll definitely take what you guys are saying into consideration. Having said that, I am having a second 1x15 cabinet made as we speak. I want to play through two brownface Showmans, a '63 Fender reverb unit, and a 1x15 on each side of the stage (the speakers Surfer Joe did a long review on).
How is this for a compromise, I will only play through two amps for an outdoor gig. For indoor gigs, I will just play through one. I have been called "the loudest guitar player in Memphis" by several people already. If I am looking at it objectively, maybe that is not a good thing! 
— MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New Singles "Finish Line" and "Paradiso" on Bandcamp and website.
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Tikidog
Joined: Jun 23, 2006
Posts: 186
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Posted on Aug 29 2023 01:51 AM
really wonder how Lorenzo does it. I don’t think he will share all of his secrets, but we may try)
There is no secret...
Get a good picture, online demo songs, a proper website and a good logo
Then find adresses from venues, email them all with a good announcement of your tourdates. Ask other bands, check their tourcalendar, get the adresses of the venues and email them all.
Do this for a couple of years and you will get some some results. You may not be famous, but have some gigs.
If you're lucky, it gets easier after a while through contacts/interests/local bookers
A lot of times it just stays the way described above...keep doing it.
I'd forget about agencies, they might be useful when you have a certain success, but first you gotta get somewhere.
Good luck!
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PartyNerves
Joined: Aug 02, 2023
Posts: 32
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted on Aug 30 2023 05:51 PM
Instagram has also been a helpful tool for us. Follow some local venues and bands that you like, get a lay of the land. Post some photos and videos so that folks can see/hear you. Local bands will often repost folks talking about their music - local radio stations, bloggers, etc - and announcements for shows at venues that you may not already know about. It's very good for gathering information and making new friends.
— Party Nerves - Loud, Fast, and Kind of a Bummer
Instagram
Bandcamp
Spotify
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matt
Joined: Oct 18, 2010
Posts: 652
Boston, MA
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Posted on Aug 31 2023 04:25 PM
to the point about how much you need to pay other musicians--there is no hard and fast rule to that. It's really how much they feel comfortable getting. Some folks would be psyched to get $200/night, some wouldn't open a case for less than a grand. Obviously you want great players, but don't underestimate the hang as well. If you're going to be driving around in a van with these people, you don't want anyone irritating!
I certainly concur with the "local shows first" idea. good luck!
— Matt Heaton & the Electric Heaters
Boston's Premier Surf/Noir Combo
http://www.heatonsurf.com
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chiba
Joined: Sep 02, 2022
Posts: 519
Central VA
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Posted on Sep 03 2023 10:14 AM
Matt ... solid point. I'd jump at the chance to make $200 a night playing music all day long and twice on Sunday.
— --
Project: MAYHEM by Hypersonic Secret now available!
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spskins
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3781
tn
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Posted on Sep 03 2023 05:27 PM
Remember, touring is 23 hours of driving, waiting around, fixing broken stuff, eating and (maybe) sleeping all for 1 hour (or less) of fun ([f you're lucky).
— http://www.satanspilgrims.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Satans-Pilgrims/8210228553
https://satanspilgrims.bandcamp.com/
http://www.surfyindustries.com
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