Album 4: Touring in 2015

John and Shaun will be handling this, and will work with you.

Your email of suggested festivals was very helpful. We will look to work with you to put together a very good tour schedule.

I'll ask John and Shaun to use this thread to keep you informed and to discuss plans with you.

- which festivals do you already have good existing contacts at?
 
To be honest, i don't have those good existing contacts with festivals when it comes to booking bands - all festivals i attend in summer i deal with the metal market dept. which, in most of them (Germany in particular) is handled by external company (see Wiehagen at Summer Breeze and Wacken, etc.).

I think the best thing to do is to prepare a promo-kit, including a sampler cd with selected tracks, and a cover letter introducing the band(s). Same things i did back in 2010 when Be'lakor were first booked at Summer Breeze.

I had in plans to do a sampler cd including all bands i'm still working with, say 2 tracks for each band, putting Be'lakor on top of the list. Do you think this is something that could work for you? Otherwise, i can do a dedicated mailout for Be'lakor only, using the 'Of Breath and Bone' promo-cds i still have left, and then i will make another mailout for other bands.

It's very important to know the period you're coming.

Also, if the new album is released, will Summer Breeze confirm you at 100%?

Other thing: never thought about touring in the US? Earsplit could give us some advice about this.
 
Ok, thanx for the info.

I suggest I start doing the mailout very soon, as we all know festivals have started booking 2015 bands already.

I can start sending out stuff to the following ones:

Agglutination Metal Festival, IT
Barther Metal Open Air, DE
Bloodstock, UK
Chaostraum Open Air, DE
Der Detze Rockt, DE
Getaway Rock Festival, SE
Into the Grave Festival, NL
Isola Rock, IT
Jalometalli, FI
Kaltenbach Open Air, AT
Malpaga Folk & Rock Festival, IT
Mammothfest, UK
Metal Frenzy, DE
Metal Mean, BE
Motorcultor Festival, FR
Party San Open Air, DE
Rock In Bol, IT
Rockstadt Extreme Fest, RO
Sabaton Open Air, SE
Vagos Open Air, PT
Wacken, DE

What do you think?

Also, i would take the chance and send out the stuff to the ones in the end of July - in the end, if they offer a slot and you can see you cannot make it, we just have to say 'no, thanx':

Aggressive Music Fest
Baaam Festival, DE
Bang Your Head, DE
Devilstone Open Air, LT
Dong Open Air, DE
Metal Days, SI
Ragnarok Open Air, DE
Summernight Open Air, DE

Do you have a cover letter already we can use maybe?
 
Cool, as soon as I have the cover letter i can print them and do the mailout.

Mmm...to be honest i don't agree that much about people bothering the festivals with requests about this or that band playing...festivals' organizers know bands and/or they have their plans who to book, etc. and i don't think they will change their mind and book Be'lakor because of fans asking for it...moreover, if they get many requests from fans all the same time asking for Be'lakor at the festival, the organizers easily understand these requestes are driven by the band itself in some way...so, i would skip this. Much better having someone in a high position "sponsoring" the band (like did Achim with Brutal Assault).
 
G'day everyone - Shaun here. Will be frequenting this forum now to assist with touring plans for next year.

Lorenzo, I hope all is well mate! To update you on what has happened so far, I have contacted Achim and Dave from Summer Breeze on facebook to let them know of our intention to play next year if possible, and will be forwarding an official email tonight. I will also send one to Klara and the Brutal Assault guys. Hopefully we can leverage off these guys to gain access to some contacts from the other big festivals during that period. I will copy you in the email tonight so you aware of communication.

With regard to the festivals that you have suggested, it would be really great if we could approach all of them at this stage, given that we have nothing confirmed. George will forward the cover letter to you tonight and Steve will be updating the one sheet as well.
 
The promo pack includes:
- Cover letter
- One-sheet
- 'Of Breath and Bone' promo version in cardboard sleeve

I've sent out the first few copies today to:
- Party.San
- Sabaton Open Air
- Getaway Rock Festival

letter.jpg


cover_letter.jpg
 
Other thing: i found this small indoor festival in Germany called Hell's Kitchen, it looks the turnout is 300-400 people. It makes sense if big festivals in Germany are confirmed, so you're there already and have small costs to attend this one. Feel free to choose if applying for this one or not.

If interested, they only accept application via the following online form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GCSt2O6vl1U_U8Tqwl5PQWbvLsXlyLib-YCxsuZ1GJo/viewform

Please fill it yourself as there are info like required fee, etc. that are up to you.
 
Hi Lorenzo,

Yes, we have had a "tentative" yes from Summer Breeze, and certainly hope / feel that we will be fine to get that one.

Not yet heard back from BA.

*** Lorenzo, I think it's important that we ensure that the festivals have confidence that we will be releasing the album on a date that will give sufficient promo time for it to lead in to the festivals. (as you know, the question of the new album already being released is central to decision-making for many festivals).

We are focused now on a release date, worldwide, of June 30, 2015.

If you are able to include this info in your remaining mailouts, and any further emails / discussions you have with festivals, that would be great.

(assuming of course that you are happy to agree on this official release date of June 30)

Our aim is thus to complete all mastering and artwork by March 30, giving 3 months to properly arrange for promo and distro.
 
Hi Steve,

sure - i'm adding this info in the next mailouts. 30th June is ok when it come to US, in Europe release date is Friday so we have to choose if 27th June or 3rd July.

Today i did mailout to:
Kaltenbach Open Air
Barther Metal Open Air
Metal Frenzy

Also, i got an email from Metal Mean in Belgium and they don't accept promo submissions in any form (physical / digital), since they look for bands by themselves.
 
Hello everyone.

We have now had positive confirmation from BA and SB for 2015. Fees locked in as well.

Tomas Fiala (BA) has offered to book the entire tour for us and is willing to contact Bloodstock on our behalf which is really good news. At this stage I will respond saying thanks heaps and please do contact Bloodstock.

Lorenzo, welcome your thoughts on having his company (Obscure Promotions) book the tour. Is it something worth looking at in your eyes? I won't respond to this until I get your thoughts. Anyone else having opinions on this matter?

-Shaun
 
Replied to Tomas basically saying thanks for contacting BOA for us and we will get back to him in about a week regarding booking the whole tour. We'll have a chat about this as a group and get your feedback Lorenzo before we reply.
 
Update:

Bookings so far:

Brutal Assault: 7th August
Rockstadt: 13th August
Summer Breeze: 15th August - waiting for Achim to confirm

What we want:

- A festival on the 9th August. Preferably either Bloodstock or Party San
- One more show in between 9th and 13th August