After listening to your Testament desperation, Chuck asked me to explain a few things that are beyond his & the bands control, as well as what he wants. First off, its not a decision not to come, as it is just a matter of not getting your country(Ireland) booked on the tour. Booking agents, do the booking of venues, dates, hotels, plane flights, buses, Etc..............Booking agents determine the size, of different venues in different cites, & countries. As well as the nights they play them & what order it is booked for. They start out booking the bigger more profitable(for them & the band) cities & Festivals. Example: London on a Friday, then Birmingham on a saturday, Sunday may be a travel day, or a small club in Belgium, & so on. The bigger shows tend to be on better days(Thur, Fri, or Sat), in big cities. After all the Big Dollar shows are booked(prior records taken into account, on previous tours), they book in all the filler up dates, to keep the band playing & earning money to support the tour(smaller clubs on weekdays). Now Testament can not just pick the city themself(Major bands can) , its the booking agents, they can suggest, but the Agent may have a reason of his own, example does not see the point of buying the Band, & Crews plane tickets, plus in shipping or renting gear, just for one show. It may be more profitable not doing all that & playing somewhere else alot closer of a drive, on the way to the next gig. Then to fly & enter another country, & leave the next day, this may cause them to travel 1 day getting there, 1 day playing, & another 1 day traveling out of the country(with gear). Now after the Booking Agent puts together a package, he presents it to Testament's Mangement, & they go over the numbers(money), & work out the details & sign an agreement. Now comes the part where there manger tells the band, "Hey you guys(Testament)wanted to go to Europe to support your new album, well here it is 3 weeks & these cites & festivals." The money has been settled, here are your big shows,
& the order in which its worked out." The band usually wants to go & do whatever they can, so they say yes. Not thinking of what cities & countries they miss, but more of what cites & countries they get to go to. They tend to think positively, & don't trip on everything else. Now promoters(Ireland Show Promoter), can lure bands for lumps(lots) of cash, to make a special one off appearance, but those are more major Platinum selling bands, & Testament's not in that situation.
Now maybe you can better understand(just alittle) their situation & yours. This is what Chuck did say, "We(Testament) plan on touring more than we have in along time." He & the rest of the band want to go to as many Countries & cities as they can to play. They do plan on going to some cities(US Tour), that they missed, or have'nt been to in awhile. But where you live is well, an Island, & not as easy as other cities to travel to. Chuck does want to go back there & play, but sometimes their wishes do not count......................Now lets see what Eric has to say...........I'll be getting back to you again, with his imput, thanks for holding out as well as all the Irish fans out there............If they ever do get out their, & I'm with them, I'll see to it (personally) that you get a meet & greet, & have all your Testy albums signed, or if you can make it to London or another European City, then the same thing goes................I hope that makes you feel better! This is my 666 th Post, maybe its good luck & I'll see you in Ireland................
