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Hey all,

I’m sure we all know that life on the road can be… well, unpredictable, to say the least! I’m looking for those unforgettable tour stories—the ones you end up telling over and over because they’re just that bizarre, funny, or downright unbelievable. From strange encounters to unexpected mishaps, supernatural experiences, and the downright surreal, or just a situation that left you thinking, “Did that really just happen?”—I’d love to hear about it.

Whether you’re a solo artist or in a band, drop your stories below if you’ve got any. What happened, and how did you handle it? Did it change how you think about life on the road?

Looking forward to reading what you’ve got. Thanks in advance for sharing!

Hi all, admin, please delete if not allowed, but I'd like to let everyone know I've started up a subreddit r/TourManagement specifically for tour managers to ask questions, share advice, or just chat with other tour managers about life on the road! if you'd be interested in joining please head over!

r/TourManagement

If you’re a tour manager, I'd love for you to take a few minutes to fill out a short survey. I'm keen to learn what features you rely on, what drives you nuts, and any ideas you have for making tour management easier and more efficient.

https://forms.gle/a1f4b8Ks7Pp91wVL7

I’ve just dropped the latest version of StageRadar, and it’s packed with new features! 🚀

StageRadar is your ultimate tool for finding venues for your music group and the ones you’ve rocked out at. It’s all about the community, so feel free to share the venues you know with other groups. Together, we’ll make it easier for everyone to find the perfect spot to jam! 🎶

Here’s what’s new in version 1.3.1:

🎉 Onboarding: We’ve added a quick guide to explain what StageRadar is and why it’s awesome.

📅 Date Tracker: Keep track of the venues you’ve added by marking the date they were added.

And guess what? StageRadar is completely free! 💸 The more we use it, the better it gets, so let’s spread the word and make it a community hub for music lovers everywhere! 🌍

For now, StageRadar is available only on iOS devices. You can download it here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stageradar/id6645736317

Let’s rock out together! 🤘

Hey y'all. This sub has been super helpful as I started working with The Rock Orchestra for the last year. The group has been great to work with, and I've made a lot of money while being hauled around Europe, the US, and the UK. Nothing would make me happier than sourcing a colleague here to run around the world with! Only requirement is being badass!

Vocalist Auditions – The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight

Are you ready to take the stage and bring epic rock and metal hits to life? We're looking for talented vocalists to join The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight, a touring ensemble that merges powerful symphonic sounds with legendary rock and metal anthems from the last 40 years.

About Us: A 12-piece orchestra and 2 dynamic vocalists performing unique arrangements of hit songs by iconic bands. We’ve toured extensively, delivering unforgettable performances with everything from classic rock to heavy metal, all in a stunning candlelit setting.

We are looking for a variety of vocal roles, both male and female. Current set list tunes could be re-arranged or songs added to fit your voice.

Our current setlist features:
-Female vocals in songs like Aerosmith’s Dream On, The Cranberries' Zombie, Evanescence’s Bring Me to Life, and Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters.
-Female background vocals in Guns N' Roses' Welcome to the Jungle, Queens of the Stone Age's No One Knows, and Metallica's Enter Sandman.
-Male vocals in Ace of Spades, No One Knows, Welcome to the Jungle, Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name Of, and Enter Sandman.

What We're Looking For:
-Versatile, dynamic vocalists with strong stage presence and the ability to perform in various rock and metal styles.-Experience performing live with a band or orchestra is a big plus, as is experience with in-ear monitors.-Passion for delivering powerful performances and connecting with audiences.

What We Provide:
Competitive performance, rehearsal, and travel pay, plus per diems
Tour Bus touring with single-occupancy hotel rooms on days off
100+ shows annually
Social media promotion and support
Performance photography

Audition Process:
Pre-screening round by video submission – Submit your Unlisted Youtube links by November 14th.

Finalists will be invited to a live audition in Boston on December 1st at the start of our Northeastern US tour.

What to Prepare:
2-3 rock or metal song that showcases your range and style, plus a 1-2 line biography and headshot.

Join us on our next adventure and be part of a truly electrifying live experience!

To apply: Submit your bio, headshot, and Unlisted Youtube links of your performance to trovoxauditions@gmail.com by November 14th.

Howdy, everybody. My band is going to EU/UK for the first time! Any airplane tips? Haven't been on a plane in 15 years....Thinking about getting the ENKI bass case to tag along with me, and a pelican for my pedal board with airtags inside.
Looking for any sort of advice, and anything is appreciated!

Hey yall!

Im going to try and sum this story up with only specifics.

I built a bill of 4 bands. They all said they are good to play in April of 2025. I emailed a known small venue in the area with our bill and they said we were second hold but are open for us to challenge first hold, because our bill was complete.

I challenged and won.

I let the bands know that we are booked at said venue and two out of the four bands let me know they don't like that venue for different reasons. I stand with the bands and understand where they are coming from. I have no problem booking at a different venue.

My question is.... how do I now release this hold that I friggin challenged to get without sounding like a dick? I cant email them and say "hey so you know how I challenged that hold - can you release it now because the bands say your venue has icky vibes" ...

How do I make this nicer / more professional?

Another option is I can book different bands for a show there 10 days later essentially changing the bill and show dates

Thank you for your advice!

Hello all,

My band is starting to work on booking a week long show run around the Midwest. For those with experience, do you recommend DIY or finding a booking agency to help secure shows/small guarantee?

Hello! My band beautiful freaks is back on the road for a mini tour (thank you to everyone who helped us with our national tour!!), and we had a fall through on our last tour date 11/2 Anyone know a good spot or a bill that could add another band between San Francisco and Seattle on 11/2?? Please hit me up!!

Gearing up for tour again.... can't wait.

I obvi see a bunch of venues in Salt Lake City.... but are there any venues or record shops or bars good for new wave or art rock type music in south utah?

Hey all! I’m a young guy who’s always had a habit of getting sick and just feeling like shit a lot of the time. Usually I just live with it, but my band is going on a long ass tour soon and I wanna be able to stay healthy/in shape leading up to it. Any advice for an underweight guy prepping for this lifestyle?

ALSO: if there’s any tips for preserving voice would be appreciated

On a sprinter tour. No dvd player. Anyone got any good bus games? We’ve already played “bag out the drummer” - need some fresh ideas!

Hi guys. Quick question for the up and coming artists on here. Would you guys use a solution to identify and reach venues more quickly?

If this isn't a huge issue for you, what are some of your largest pain points when trying to book shows?

Hey folks. Anyone else talking a break or retooling the approach. We have been touring heavily for 7 years now and in the last 3 have done roughly 150 dates a year through US and Canada.

Anyone else feeling a crunch of growing expeneses right now, or just stagnation in growth on the road?

Curious to what all of your experiences are like?

Hello!

I've been trying to get a line on this style of trailer. Could someone here help with the company or what it's called because the video and comments on IG give you nothing.

Thank you.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-sfGzIvQwd/?igsh=Ymw5a2d4cTliY2l3

Hi everyone. My friend and I are building a new app for tour management called GigSheets. The idea is to simplify and modernize mobile experience on tour. The app is in beta and is completely free.

We would love if you could give it a try and report if it either suits you or you can imagine feature or two for yourself.

We are oriented towards small to mid-sized bands and will be cheaper than the alternative. But more on that as the app gets polished.

Find out more at https://gigsheets.app Appreciate any feedback!

I book diy shows. I see lots of bands posting about touring and shows being double booked or dropped after being booked for months. Disorganization happens but the rate I have noticed this happening is now more like numerous times per week. I see it posted on FB Groups like DIY Tour Postings or DIY (insert city name).

Since professional venues have put all the responsibility on local and touring bands to get folks to the shows but seemingly are only going to cater to the highest bidder with the proposed biggest draw, is there a point to trying to tour with these venues anymore? I feel that less people are interested in going to a bar to see bands play anyway and with the added negative incentive that no one cares or keeps track of what shows happen on what dates, how does this make it so bands would even want to play at these establishments?

Bands used to get paid something. Bands used to get drink tickets. There was once a green room. I am not saying that I don’t love playing music, I absolutely do. But I guess if I can’t even get a show on a calendar with all the bands attached and a flyer months in advance, what exactly am I doing wrong? And even if I am not doing anything wrong, I don’t think I want to care enough to get on that professional venues’ level. I just want to play music live even in a small capacity. It was once easy. It is now endlessly complicated.

I'm starting at a backline company in a few weeks. I'll be working in the drum department. I really want to do good in this job as music is my passion in life. Ideally I'd love to transition into being a touring tech. Anyone who has worked for a backline company, or has experience as a tech before, have any advice? Do's and don'ts. I would love to hear what you have to say. Thanks in advance!

My band is looking to add a little variety to our merch display and I was wondering what everyone has the most luck selling.

Right now we have one T shirt design, cds and a 7” vinyl. We were thinking of adding another clothing option or two. Second t shirt design? Hats? Bags?

Obviously networking with other bands is one of the best ways to get in the door of new venues, but let's say that isn't an option.

What is your ice breaking phone or email pitch when approaching a new venue?

Hey there everyone,

Sorry if this has been covered before but I was wondering from folks who book their own tours for groups without a lot of built in demand, do you prefer to play bigger cities or smaller cities with decent scenes while on tour? I know a lot people like playing smaller cities because large cities can be pretty oversaturated with shows.

I guess my main question is when you are booking tours do you go out of your way to play as many big cities or do you have some other criteria when picking out where to play?

Hey folks! I am looking to replace my 2001 Chevy express 3500 next year as it is getting close to 300k miles and the headaches are getting more frequent and more expensive.

What are you folks finding to be the best affordable but not low budget touring vehicles that can last?

6x12 trailer in tow, so the van is for people, not gear really.

I’m eyeing 2006 sprinters because they seem to have a long life when maintained. I am DIY and handy enough to do most work that doesn’t require an expert mechanic.

I want to hear what you folks are touring in and see what your experience has been!

What are y’all’s day jobs? Looking for ideas on day jobs/side jobs that can be long-term. I play for an artist that has a good regional audience, plays opening slots at arenas, but does not quite pay us enough to solely do it. Especially when I want to start having a family. What do some of you do in order to make it work?? I don’t want to teach because I am sometimes gone for weeks at a time. I’ve heard of people opening small businesses and what not, or getting into real estate but I’m still not sure. I’m thinking along the lines of something that makes good money and I can do it on my own schedule.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

I’ve been touring with a hired band the past couple years but dang…is it expensive. I’m wondering if there are any women out there who have toured solo. If I was a dude I would already be doing it. I’m wondering if any other women musicians have experience touring solo and what they did to stay safe.

I'm a little way off touring outside my country just yet, but I have scope to in the future.

Basically around 7 years ago I was stupid and got into a minor altercation with door security when I was drunk (no physical violence involved). The charging officer decided a Battery charge was appropriate (again not a single punch/kick/headbutt was attempted) and I was stuck with a criminal conviction on a first offence. I'm just wondering if any artists have ever encountered visa issues when trying to tour.

Im UK based and my genre is generally bigger in the U.S, I know border control is particularly tricky there at the best of times. Does anyone know, preferably from experience, what my chances are of being able to get in?

I love this sub. It has really helped me out a lot.

I was wondering if we could automatically delete posts from people promoting their own tours? It’s like an ad. I don’t come here to see your tour poster. I can see that if this sub grows, half of the posts will just be random flyers, and not actual questions.

The exception is when a band posts their tour flyer asking for help to fill in certain days.

Am I the only one here? Or does this make sense?

Band is planning a Winter East Coast tour and I’m worried the cold weather and possible winter storms could ruin everything. It is possible to move the tour to spring/summer. Anybody have any experience/thoughts on this? Are winter tours right after Christmas worth it?