This is why it takes a special breed of human being to want to be in a touring band

[nailz]

I had a chance to talk to Blackguard's singer this weekend. He said they were on the road since February and they were going back out with another (almost mainstream band) band right after the SX run. He said he was so tried and that he really wanted to go home and just sleep for like a week. I really believe that you could see this in their performance too. granted they slayed at the show with SX you could still see that they were VERY tired. they all had bags and lines in their face........ and opened again...... to a crowd that cant appreciate their music.

Why the fuck.

 

[Metal_Camden]

Why the fuck.

BUT BUT BUT,

Blackguard was purchased by Victory who have more mainstream bands like A DAY TO REMEMBER on it.... I told myself.. LOL VICTORY IS GOING TO MAKE BLACKGUARD THE NEXT LOVECHILD OF BODOM, A DAY TO REMEMBER AND AS I LAY CRYING .......making them other wise, somewhat successful over time.

low and behold....

there were 25-30 people (kids) there that ALL looked like they were there for ADTR, tight jeans and everything starting circle pits and two stepping with their small group pissing off all the prog snobs. ALL THERE FOR BLACKGUARD then left.

It was kinda entertaining. Blackguard pointed and played to that crowd for the length of their set. Kids freaking out and buying merch... Victory Records, you win by placing the "check out Blackguard" stickers on all your other big victory bands cds \m/

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Man, I hope these guys do well simply based on the fact that they got such a crappy deal on their first tour over here.

~Brian~

It's not their first tour over here.

 

[Mardoch]

I've had two of my immediate family members do tours across the US. My younger brother had lots of good stories, but my older brother basically jumped ship on the idea of music for a living after his third one.

It's not easy. And this is why, as a fan, I try to do my best to let bands know how appreciated they are. Especially for openers, if I see the guys in the crowd after their set I always try to shake their hand and compliment them. A little bit can go a long way, especially when dealing with something seriously grueling like a countrywide tour.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

ya you know that's very true! with our band I really don't think it is necessary (arguably) to play like 150-200 shows a year.... Most of the time this happens its on a single album and they hit the same market 5-6 times playing the same stuff to the same crowd.... maybe one or two more people coming each time...

That is certainly the way to get it done by the book, though. However I would rather pay out my ass and land support for BIG tours a few more times than doing it the old fashioned way, also taking time to release new albums and new material while doing so. It may take a few years more but I think this is the best way to do it and will benefit the band in the long run...... It does something for the bands morale when you see an average of 500+ people a night... I think doing this it makes the longevity of a band last since they are not so burnt out on shitty shows.....

I asked Hansi how BG did it back in the day from where were at. He said only play one area once an album cycle on a big tour and that it was very important not to over play. You want people to miss your music and demand that you come back instead of just showing up once a month. I would like to believe that he is right considering the position they are in now after years and years of work.

Don't bands like blackguard and say Holy Grail get tour support from their label by selling them the rights to the music? If so, that would explain why they are always on the road!!! sorry, not for our band.

I had a chance to talk to Blackguard's singer this weekend. He said they were on the road since February and they were going back out with another (almost mainstream band) band right after the SX run. He said he was so tried and that he really wanted to go home and just sleep for like a week. I really believe that you could see this in their performance too. granted they slayed at the show with SX you could still see that they were VERY tired. they all had bags and lines in their face........ and opened again...... to a crowd that cant appreciate their music.

Bands will choose to do one or the other, I think these days though it is imperative to really be smart and think on how to bring yourself in the happy medium of all of this and to be smart with your financial decisions as a band....at least for the beginning band longing for an eventual career like us.

Oh yeah, if there seriously was a 100% surefire model to make it big as a band life would be so much easier for everybody haha! Whatever works. Some bands like slugging it out on the road eating shit and other bands are a bit pickier.

Tour support doesn't necessarily have anything to do with giving away your publishing. There are bands that sign licensing deals with labels that still get support from the label. Tour support is really determined by the *value* of the band and if the label thinks it will be able to make a profit from that tour support. If the band is big enough and requires a certain amount of money for transportation or other things, the label will front it with the hope that the touring will increase CD sales and the invested money would be recouped.

Of course, if the label gets the band's publishing or merch, there is more incentive for the label to chip in. Many bands are not willing to give these things up because they are the only way a small band can make any money on the road.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

This is all very educational.

/takes notes

Man.. why didn't I just marry a rich old guy?! I'm a terrible decision maker.

 

[Wayniac]

Oh yeah. MANY people on tour and that you meet on a tour can be classified as "special" in some way! lol

 

[Jeremy Ray]

That was nuts. I hope I never have to experience that mess.

 

[Pellaz]

Wow, what a crappy bus situation!

Let's see... We've seen bands whose bus drivers kinda....absconded with their bus.... (Dream Theater)
...Bands whose bus driver completely vanished and ran away..... (Kreator/Destruction).....
...Bands whose full-size tour-bus (from Star Coaches) was a complete piece-of-shit.... (Ozric Tentacles)...

But I think having a bus that is potentially stolen takes the cake. Awaiting Part 2.

 

[zekeyou]

Part II of the tour vlog:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RdmQKJX2Bw&feature=youtu.be

 

[PureXul]

Wow, what a crappy bus situation!

Let's see... We've seen bands whose bus drivers kinda....absconded with their bus.... (Dream Theater)
...Bands whose bus driver completely vanished and ran away..... (Kreator/Destruction).....
...Bands whose full-size tour-bus (from Star Coaches) was a complete piece-of-shit.... (Ozric Tentacles)...

But I think having a bus that is potentially stolen takes the cake. Awaiting Part 2.

Also, didn't Opeth have a tourbus driver get arrested mid-tour on child porn charges a few years ago?

 

[AMBR]

Wow, those poor buggers. At least they got to enjoy some good times in the middle of the tour. As for El Corazon in Seattle, been there and that is one awkward place to see a show. Very horizontal room in front of a low stage and the bar is completely separate. No drinks allowed in the stage room. Just a weird set up. Also it practically sits under Route 167 and was really hard to find. The homeless that flock around there were very unhelpful.

 

[Cheiron]

That shit pisses me off.

The Ocean is a cool band.

 

[zekeyou]

Wow, those poor buggers. At least they got to enjoy some good times in the middle of the tour. As for El Corazon in Seattle, been there and that is one awkward place to see a show. Very horizontal room in front of a low stage and the bar is completely separate. No drinks allowed in the stage room. Just a weird set up. Also it practically sits under Route 167 and was really hard to find. The homeless that flock around there were very unhelpful.

Yeah, it is, but I love that place. I went to many shows there from 93 until it closed prior to reopening as El Corazon.

Iron Maiden played there on the X Factour-- very, very odd.

 

[Pellaz]

Wow, so their bus issues continued.

 

[AMBR]

Yeah, it is, but I love that place. I went to many shows there from 93 until it closed prior to reopening as El Corazon.

Sorry, didn't mean to diss your venue of happy memories. I only went there once and, after being to literally hundreds all over the world, it was in my bottom 10. I was suffering from a cold, so that probably made me grouchy.

As for Ocean, I totally thought they'd have trouble crossing the border. What's up with that? I had trouble driving back in with my son who was in the NG AND in uniform! They didn't like the fact we had the contents of his dorm room in the back of the wagon.

I'm glad they made it back, but too bad the tour crashed and burned so soon after. Not trying to put any blame on them, but I've seen too many bands pick fly-by-night transportation due to price. There should be some way to check these outfits for reliability and complaints before booking. Just saying.....