Many bands that aren’t established have the unpleasant experience of being stuck on a long, expensive tour without knowing if it’s paying off. Do-it-yourself touring can lead to unpleasant experiences. While most bands are aware of the result they desire, it can be difficult to recognize the small victories that make it possible. These three things should be happening for your band via DIY touring.
Inexperienced musicians on a tour that they organized on their own, it is sometimes very difficult to understand whether this tour bears fruit or not. DIY tours often turn into a series of trials, be it empty halls, road breakdowns, quarrels within the team, poor nutrition, or spending the night in not-so-pleasant places. First of all, a musician needs to realize why he is going on a tour. Still, sometimes it’s very difficult to recognize small but very important successes that could potentially lead to bigger successes.
There is an increase in national and regional media.
Blogs and newspaper coverage still offer artists great exposure in this age of playlists. A small-scale tour can bring a band many benefits, including increased national and regional coverage. Musicians want to reach a wider audience. Good writing in blogs or newspapers based in your cities can help you get the word out about your music. You will need to put in a lot of effort to get decent press for a small band. To bring media attention to your tour, you will also need to book a tour. A separate press campaign must be launched and maintained.
Play more songs, view more, download more, and add to your playlist
Although it might seem difficult to gauge when you are up on stage, your touring efforts may be paying off in ways that have little to do with the size of the crowd. Many people become fans and check out artists who visit their towns without ever going to a show. Your stop in town might be interesting to listeners, but they may not have the time or energy to go to the show. An indicator that a DIY tour has been successful is increased song plays, video views and social media interactions. While you might have to visit a city several times to build a loyal fan base, a key indicator of DIY touring success is the number of people listening to your music at home.
Solid venues are where you can play the shows that you want to perform.
If your band is playing in poor, unremarkable venues every night, it is an indication that you may need to return home to reevaluate your career. Although every band experiences rough nights, it is important to make fundamental changes in your tour. Touring can be difficult even under the best conditions. It’s not worth it if you don’t have the right venues to showcase your talent and work.
Don’t let your project’s lack of success on the road get in the way of its potential. Although it can take many years to gain meaningful touring momentum, that doesn’t necessarily mean your music is not promising. Artists should keep creating and tweaking until they find a solution that works.