TwitteREvolution

Shouts to everyone who's found me through my rants on Twitter over this past year, as I only began to get active this past January. Prior to that, my Twitter had become a stale, abandoned wasteland of decade old 2AM drunken observations and the type of shameless self-promotional offerings that I spend most of these days railing against.

Having been a booking agent for the past ten years, I figured if there's one thing I could provide advice on, it's the live music/ touring business. Fittingly, the first thread I posted that caught traction was entitled “Touring 101”. So let's take it back to the beginning for those of you who missed it, and I'll make a some addendums for the rest of you.

Here's the original tweet that started it all.

Touring 101 Revised

Let’s call this Touring 202: The Hometown Hero Edition.

The ultimate goal for each and every artist is always to become the headliner. If not today, then soon. Have a timeline in mind. Take purposeful steps towards that goal.

Everyone wants to follow a good story, and that starts with a sell out. I don't care if only 50 people fit in the room. If it's your show, and you sold 50 tickets, you get to say you sold out. And if people can't get in the door, that's even better. It builds suspense and demand for your next headline show, after you absolutely destroy the first show.

Of course, opening for a band you love is an experience you'll always cherish, and you should definitely say yes to these opportunities at first. But keep in mind, your ultimate goal is not to have to convert other artists' fans, but to feed and grow your own community.

I remember meeting with a major booking agent at SXSW back when I was still performing, and after having opened for the majority of my heroes over a couple year span, he challenged me to stop accepting opening slots and start headlining my own shows. I give this same crucial advice to this day.

To be brutally honest, nobody in our industry cares about who you've opened for, or which publication or playlist you've been featured on, or even how dope you are really. I know-- it sounds crazy, but it's true. We care about what your fans think of you, and how committed they are to your music, story, and brand.

And yes, streams can be purchased. Press can be bought. Views and likes can be subcontracted. But you know what numbers can't be tweaked? Hard ticket sales. How many people were in the building? How much did the show gross? These are numbers that will dictate your touring career for the foreseeable future, so get to know them intimately.

Don't be afraid. Go book your own show. Take a small financial risk on a cheap venue. Maybe split the cost with a couple other artists at first, but make it happen regardless. Run your own targeted ads. Create your own expense sheet and make sure you have the ability to cover your costs. You can find booking contacts on Facebook, Eventbrite, IG, Google, etc. Don't wait. Don't ask for permission. Put yourself on!

Side note: I see a similarity between the "lifelong opening act" and the broader concept of a "shadow career", or someone who plays a supportive role in someone else's success, but is afraid to step out into the spotlight themselves. Be who you want to be. If you want to be the one in the spotlight, put your efforts to becoming the one. If you're happier backstage, that's cool too.

But when you take chances behind the curtains, nobody sees you fail. When you embarrassingly flop out in the open, all eyes are on you.

The same goes for opening shows. It's not a real risk. You get to rock in front of large crowds, but they're not there to see you, and you don't get to reap the financial rewards of selling tickets.

Of course, when you're the headliner, the buck stops with you. If people don't buy the tickets, you have to face up to that shortcoming. But who cares. Get back on the horse and do it better next time. Improve your marketing plan. Build a better bill. Practice your show. Rinse and repeat. Forfeit is the only true failure.

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