go a band tour

EUROVISION NEWS WITH ATTITUDE

• Eurovision News

Go_A announce tour of Europe and Canada to help raise funds for Ukraine

• Posted on June 20, 2022 June 20, 2022
• by Katie Wilson

Go_A have announced a 14-country European tour over the summer, with part of the proceeds going to support Ukraine. The electro-folk four-piece represented Ukraine at Eurovision 2021, finishing in 5th place. They’ve remained firmly on the Eurofan radar ever since: Their entry “Shum” subsequently became a viral hit on TikTok, racking up almost 66 million streams on Spotify. 

In an Instagram post announcing the tour, the band spoke of their intent to support Ukraine by becoming cultural ambassadors, bringing Ukrainian music across the continent.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Go_A (@go_a_band)

“On February 24, the Russian Federation launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. The realities of war are horrifying and incredibly painful, but our music will resound despite everything, because we are fighting for our freedom to live, love and sound in our homeland. “We feel the strength to return to concert activities because by doing so we are able to raise funds to help Ukraine. We believe that our concerts draw attention to our unique Ukrainian culture and we do our best not to let people around the world forget that the war is still going on here. We are doing everything to debunk the myth that Ukraine is part of Russia. Ukraine is an original country with its own history, its own language and its own sovereign territory. So it has always been, so it is and so it will be. “We are going on a big tour. 14 countries. 28 cities. Hundreds of platforms through which we can convey our message to people around the world. We are incredibly grateful to you for this opportunity, friends. The gratitude and support is deeply felt.

“We believe that very soon we will gather you all in Kyiv to celebrate our victory. “But now we must keep on working hard on the cultural front.

“See you soon!

“Links to the tickets can be found in our “Concerts” highlights and on our website.

“Part of the profit goes to the needs of Ukraine.”

As part of the tour, Go_A are due to perform at Glastonbury , the UK’s biggest festival which attracts around 200,000 attendees. In an interview with the Daily Mirror , the band confirmed that they are “in constant contact” with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and that male members of the band have been given special permission to leave Ukraine, in order to embark upon the tour. 

Will Go_A be performing in your city? Have you bought your tickets already? Let us know in the comments! 

Related Topics

Katie Wilson

Katie Wilson is one of our UK based correspondents. She became hooked on Eurovision in 2012 and attended her first Grand Final in 2014 - at the age of 15. You can follow Katie: Instagram: @Katie.lou.wilson Twitter: @KatieLouWilson

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Either Trencin or Budapest 4 me. Hope,I’ll do it there to see Go.A

The article forgets to mention that one of them is now a Eurovision winner!

Funds from now on should NOT go to the Ukrainian government or army, they are just prolonging the war and causing more lives to be lost in the long term. The money, if donated, should go to the actual Ukrainian people, those who have lost their homes, to have them rebuilt and to feed them. They are the people who have been manipulated and are the ones who have suffered the most.

only Russian army and Russian government prolonging the war you dumb troll, Ukranian army defend people and dying for so them so they could live, with no army there would be no Ukraine already, so please shut up!

who are you to decide it? are Russians killers already left Ukraine? as I know they still there and keep killing people and ruining their homes that you are so care about, you can’t rebuild anything till war is going, till Russia keep bombing cities and killing civilians

how can you stop the biggest army in the Europe with no army and no weapons? share your wisdom with us please *big facepalm*

you are the voice of idiocy or just Russian troll which is the same thing

I knew you’re a troll.

The Voice of kremlin

Don’t eat me alive, just asking. Are boys even allowed to leave the country?

Nevermind, I just saw that

Can I just say that Ihor is such a legend, being member of two successful bands in same time Go_A and Kalush Orchestra , who curently have charity Europe tour as well

Great to see they get booked by huge festivals like Glastonbury and Pukkelpop.

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• Culture of Ukraine

Kalush Orchestra

“Kalush Orchestra” is a Ukrainian folk-hip-hop group, formed in 2021, that performs Ukrainian-language hip-hop music and emerged as the winners of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with their song “Stefaniya.” The band is embarking on their third major tour in the USA and Canada, promising an electrifying show while inviting talented Ukrainians to join them and even make their own cover versions of the band’s beloved songs, with tour dates spanning various cities on 1-26 November.

In 2022, the band raised 60 million hryvnias ($1.6 million) to help Ukraine; calculations for 2023 are still underway.

After their performance in the Eurovision 2022 song contest final, Kalush Orchestra issued a global appeal to support the defenders of Mariupol, urging assistance for Azovstal. During a live concert broadcast on YouTube, the band’s lead vocalist, Oleg Psiuk, delivered the plea: “Help Ukraine, Mariupol, help Azovstal! Right now!” This call to action was in response to previous requests within the online community to bring attention to the situation in Mariupol and at the Azovstal plant during the Eurovision 2022 event.

Later, Kalush Orchestra auctioned their glass microphone trophy and raffled off the lead singer’s signature pink bucket hat to raise funds for the Ukrainian army. This unique initiative is the world’s first auction featuring a Eurovision winner’s cup. All proceeds were directed towards the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Kalush Orchestra also canceled their performance at the Sea Dance Festival in Montenegro after the organizers declined to remove a Russian DJ from the lineup, citing their refusal to share the stage with a pro-Putin artist as the reason for the withdrawal.

Following their triumphant win at Eurovision 2022, the group embarked on two tours of American cities, featuring 18 concerts within a span of just three weeks in the autumn of 2022.

Returning to the USA for the second time, Kalush Orchestra conducted a fresh concert tour and participated in the esteemed SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, where they crossed paths with the popular American rapper Armani White; in April 2023, Kalush Orchestra unveiled a collaboration with Canadian rapper bbno$ titled “Ushme Uturbe.”

“Gates of Europe”: Luxembourgish band dedicates entire album to Ukraine’s fight

Druga Rika, a Ukrainian rock band formed in 1996 in Zhytomyr, will be on tour, starting with performances in the United States and Canada, including Chicago, Southfield, Parma, New York, Philadelphia, Montréal, and Toronto during 27 October-4 November 2023, and then moving on to Europe, with shows in Poland and Germany from 19-29 November 2023. This is a charity tour to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The band raised over $115,000 to support Ukraine’s armed forces. The band provided over $44,000 (1,331,930 UAH) to purchase 30 FPV “Bureviy” drone complexes capable of destroying Russian tanks. During their European tour, Druga Rika raised over $61,000 (1,810,006 UAH) from donations to buy seven all-terrain vehicles for Ukrainian military intelligence units. They also allocated over $11,500 (343,290 UAH) to purchase night vision and communications gear for multiple military units.

Son and brother of Valeriy Kharchyshyn, frontman of the band Druga Rika, are defending Ukraine with weapons in hand. Also, Kharchyshyn’s house in Hostomel near Kyiv had been destroyed by Russian forces in 2022. In June, the musicians released the song “Have You Heard?” dedicated to Mariupol.

“I understand that this [war] is for a long time. These are the realities. We have already been living in these realities, and we have been living in them for a long time. You just need to help your psyche, not deceive yourself. If you deceive yourself, listen to marathons, look for some fairy tales, myths among soothsayers, and convince yourself that it won’t last long – it will be harder for you, you will stretch this perception. You need to imagine that it’s forever. It’s forever. It will always be like this, it’s our life, our realities. Yes, we live like this, and yes, we will live in war. Perhaps the children being born will also be at war. That’s our neighbor,” says Kharchyshyn.

DakhaBrakha

DakhaBrakha, a world-music quartet from Kyiv created in 2004, will be on tour in North America from 1-28 November 2023, performing in various cities in the USA and Canada. They will then continue their tour in Europe, performing in England, Scotland, and various cities in the UK from 18-26 January 2024 and concluding their tour in New Zealand and the USA from 1 March-3 April 2024.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on a full scale, in the early part of the previous year, DakhaBrakha collaborated with various entities to generate funds for humanitarian relief initiatives. The money raised from their tours in Ukraine is transferred  to the Come Back Alive Foundation, which supports the Ukrainian military.

The band raises awareness of Ukrainian culture and encourages their audience to support the Ukrainian military. Between songs during their performances, the screen flashes statements like “Arm Ukraine,” “Russia is a terrorist state,” and “Come back alive.”

Marko Halanevych, a member of the DakhaBrakha band, is also raising money to purchase drones for the army by selling his artistic works.

Ukrainian music about Russia’s war: a tale of struggle, pain, power, and courage

Beyond go_a: a playlist and guide to modern ukrainian folk music.

• The secret of Kateryna Pavlenko, Ukraine’s enigmatic Eurovision singer
• Why was Ukraine’s Eurovision performance by Go_A so mesmerizing?
• Ukrainian music about Russia’s war: a tale of struggle, pain, power, and courage
• Kyiv is becoming the world’s music video capital: 12 iconic clips

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• Support Ukraine
• Ukrainian music

Ukraine launches official account on Spotify

Ukraine’s Go_A makes it to Eurovision grand final with archaic pagan tune to awaken spring

The Marley Brothers Unite For ‘The Legacy Tour’ A Historic One-Of-A-Kind Outing Celebrating Bob Marley’s Music, Influence, And Legacy

Tickets Available on Tuesday, April 16, with Artist Presales

General onsale begins on friday, april 19 at 10 am local via marleybrothers.com.

Today, The Marley Brothers – Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian – announce The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour , their 22-date run produced by Live Nation which historically marks their first outing together in two decades . The tour will commence on September 5, 2024 at Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park in Vancouver, BC then continues across the U.S. and Canada through the fall.

Bob Marley’s music endures as a beacon of strength, hope, and unity, attracting a growing global fanbase. For over three decades, his sons have each established themselves as renowned solo artists and collectively boast an impressive count of 22 GRAMMY® Awards , with Julian securing 2024’s win for “Best Reggae Album.”

Now reunited on The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour , they’ll honor their father’s worldwide impact by performing both individual hits and classic Bob Marley songs during a momentous year for the genre. As the world nears what would have been Bob Marley’s 80th birthday in 2025 , there’s no greater homage than experiencing his music live through his sons, who carry on his enduring influence across popular culture.

Tickets will be available beginning with artist pre-sales on Tuesday, April 16 . Additional presales including a Citi presale (details below) will run throughout the week. The general on-sale starts on Friday, April 19 at 10 AM local time via MarleyBrothers.com .

Citi is the official card of the The Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour . Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, April 16 at 10 AM local time until Thursday, April 18 at 10 PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com .

VIP PACKAGES:  The tour will also offer a variety of immersive VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, invitation to the pre-show soundcheck with the Marley Brothers’ band, access to the pre-show VIP lounge, specially designed VIP gift item and more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit VipNation.com .

Additionally, on April 20th, Bob Marley: One Love will expand its screenings , inviting audiences to celebrate alongside one of the most influential icons of all time. Coming off the heels of a worldwide record-breaking theatrical run and the 40th anniversary of Marley’s revolutionary album , Legend , this tour further underscores his enduring impact on the cultural landscape.

THE 2024 LEGACY TOUR DATES:

9.05 | Vancouver, BC | Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park

9.06 | Ridgefield, WA | RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

9.08 | Auburn, WA | White River Amphitheatre

9.10 | Concord, CA | Toyota Pavilion at Concord

9.11 | Chula Vista, CA | North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

9.12 |  Phoenix, AZ | Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

9.13 | Albuquerque, NM | Isleta Amphitheater

9.15 | Austin, TX | Germania Insurance Amphitheater

9.16 | Dallas, TX | Dos Equis Pavilion

9.18 | Cincinnati, OH | Riverbend Music Center

9.19 | Clarkston, MI | Pine Knob Music Theatre

9.22 | Queens, NY | Forest Hills Stadium

9.23 | Holmdel, NJ | PNC Bank Arts Center

9.25 | Bridgeport, CT | Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater

9.26 | Mansfield, MA | Xfinity Center

9.27 | Bristow, VA | Jiffy Lube Live

9.29 | Toronto, ON | Budweiser Stage

9.30 | Laval, QC | Place Bell

10.02 | Wilmington, NC | Live Oak Bank Pavilion

10.03 | Atlanta, GA | Lakewood Amphitheatre

10.04 | Tampa, FL | MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp

10.05 | Miami, FL | FPL Solar Amphitheatre

ABOUT THE MARLEY BROTHERS

About Ziggy Marley

Ziggy Marley is an eight-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, musician, producer, activist and humanitarian who has cultivated a legendary career for close to 40 years.  The eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley, Ziggy has hewed his own path as a musical pioneer, infusing the reggae genre with funk, blues, rock and other elements through mindful songcraft.  Equal parts master storyteller and motivational guide, he deftly explores issues from environmental awareness to self-empowerment, social injustice to political inequity, while returning again and again to the transformative power of love. And over the past 15 years with his own companies, Tuff Gong Worldwide and Ishti Music, Marley has complete control of his masters and publishing; alongside his charity URGE – benefiting the well-being of children in Jamaica, Africa and North America.

Official Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

About Stephen Marley

Stephen “Ragga” Marley is a world-renowned singer, songwriter, and producer whose work has earned no fewer than eight Grammy Awards. Born into a musical family, Stephen is the child of reggae legends Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He began singing professionally at 6, touring the world with his elder siblings Ziggy, Sharon, and Cedella in The Melody Makers. In 2008, he released his first solo album, Mind Control, which won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. His subsequent solo albums include Mind Control Acoustic, Revelation Part I: The Root of Life, and Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life. Stephen’s first new full-length album in more than seven years, Old Soul, was released on September 15 via Tuff Gong Collective/UMe/Ghetto Youths International. The new album is a departure from his previous Reggae repertoire, showcasing more of his bluesy, acoustic soul side, as evidenced by the first single, “Old Soul.” Stephen is also an acclaimed producer, working closely with his brother Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley on the massive crossover hit Welcome To Jamrock. In addition, Stephen continues to champion charitable endeavors centered in Jamaica as a co-founder of the Ghetto Youths Foundation, along with his brothers Damian and Julian Marley.  In 2017, Stephen established Kaya Fest, the annual music festival, which features special guests and rare family performances, all with the larger purpose of raising awareness around the benefits of cannabis, guided by the mantra “Education Before Recreation.”

About Julian Marley

Julian Marley, born in London, England on June 4, 1975, to Bob Marley and Lucy Pounder, embraced a musical upbringing, mastering various instruments as a self-taught musician. Mentored by reggae greats in Jamaica, he released his debut album “Lion in the Morning” in 1996, followed by international tours. He contributed to Lauryn Hill’s Grammy-winning album and collaborated on a Stevie Wonder tribute. His sophomore album, “A Time and Place,” showcased a fusion of reggae and jazz. Julian spearheaded the ‘Africa Unite’ performances and performed at the 2008 Olympic Games. His Grammy-nominated album “Awake” in 2009 garnered acclaim, winning ‘Best Album of the Year’ at the IRAWMAs. Julian, deeply rooted in Rastafarianism like his father, remains committed to spiritual and global messages in his music, embodying a conscious movement in reggae.

About Ky-Mani Marley 

Ky-Mani Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley and Anita Belnavis, is a Grammy-nominated artist who burst onto the scene with his 1996 debut album “Like Father Like Son,” blending reggae with hip-hop. Born in Falmouth, Jamaica, he has a diverse discography including “Many More Roads” (2001), “Maestro” (2015), and a collaboration with Gentleman titled “Conversations.” Beyond music, Ky-Mani has showcased his acting skills in films like “Shottas” (2002) and “One Love” (2003). With his soulful voice and powerful lyrics, he upholds the Marley legacy while forging his own distinctive path in entertainment.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

About Damian Marley

Multi-Grammy winning talent, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley is a highly acclaimed Jamaican singer, songwriter and producer.  He is the youngest son of the revered legend, Bob Marley. His musical style fuses reggae with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, R&B, and rock, crafting a fresh and modern sound that is uniquely his own. Damian was the first ever Reggae artist to win a GRAMMY AWARD® outside of the Reggae category. The acclaimed 2005 breakthrough disc, Welcome To Jamrock , won a GRAMMY AWARD® for Best Reggae Album, with the New York Times naming the track “the best reggae song of the decade.” In 2010, Marley teamed up with Nas and brother Stephen Marley for his Distant Relatives project, and went on to partner with Skrillex for their groundbreaking track “Make It Bun Dem,” which Rolling Stone called “a monster mash-up of dubstep and dancehall.” Which went platinum with over 1 Million copies sold in the United States alone. Following the track’s success, the reggae superstar released his fourth studio album, Stony Hill , resulting in his third GRAMMY AWARD® for Best Reggae Album. In September of 2022, Marley produced the studio album, The Kalling, for Kabaka Pyramid which won Best Reggae Album at the 65th Annual GRAMMY AWARDS®. Most recently, “Jr. Gong” released his rendition of the famed George Harrison track, ‘My Sweet Lord.’. The track got the stamp-of-approval by George’s beloved wife, Olivia, as well as the George Harrison Estate. Damian is the co-founder of the renowned Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise, which is gearing up for its 9th annual.

ABOUT LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Ziggy Marley

Michelle Rodriquez | [email protected]

Damian Marley

Carleen Donovan | [email protected]

Maddie Reitz | [email protected]

Stephen Marley

Meg McLean Corso | [email protected]

Ky-Mani Marley

Tanya Moore | [email protected]

Julian Marley

Reggie Kerr | [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts

Monique Sowinski | [email protected]

Valeska Thomas | [email protected]

Read more about

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band will be in Pa. this fall: Here’s when tickets go on sale

• Updated: Apr. 18, 2024, 12:28 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 18, 2024, 12:27 p.m.

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band will perform on Sept. 24, 2024, at TD Pavilion at the Mann in Philadelphia, Pa. Here, he poses for a portrait, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, California. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

• Deb Kiner | [email protected]

Former Beatle Ringo Starr is bringing his fall 2024 tour to Pa.

Starr and His All Starr Band will perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 , at TD Pavilion at the Mann in Philadelphia.

His All Starr Band features Steve Lukather, Edgar Winter, Colin Hay, Warren Ham, Hamish Stuart and Gregg Bissonette.

Starr is one of only two of the remaining four Beatles. The other is Paul McCartney. John Lennon was murdered in 1980. George Harrison died in 2001.

Ticket presales start at 10 a.m. on April 24. General ticket sales start at 10 a.m. Friday, April 26.

Starr’s next album, “Crooked Boy,” will be released on April 20, which is Record Store Day. The first single, “February Sky,” was released on April 12.

The fall tour also includes these performances:

• Sept. 12- The Astro Amphitheater, Omaha, Nebraska
• Sept. 14 - The Commons, New Lenox, Illinois
• Sept. 15 - Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, Ohio
• Sept. 17 - The Anthem, Washington D.C.
• Sept. 18 - Chevalier Theatre, Medford, Massachusetts
• Sept. 20 - Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut
• Sept. 22 - Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
• Sept. 25 - Radio City Music Hall, New York City, New York

The previously announced spring tour includes these shows:

May 22 - The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

May 24 - The Mountain Winery, Saratoga, California

May 25 - The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

May 26 - The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

May 28 - Yaamava Theatre, Highland, California

May 29 - The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

May 31 - The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

June 1 - The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

June 5 - Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico

June 6 - Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico

June 8 - Payne Arena, Hidalgo, Texas

June 9  - The Moody Theater, Austin, Texas

Live Entertainment

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• It’s not to late to get tickets to see rock and blues legend Bonnie Raitt in 4 Pa. concerts
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• Maren Morris adds dates to ‘RSVP Redux Tour’: Where to get tickets

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Bigger Rooms, Bigger Crowds

Idles’ first NYC show was for 13 people at Brooklyn DIY venue Flowers for All Occasions; now they’re selling out the Bowery.

No Brown M&M’s

Their rider includes green-juice ingredients, chocolate, and nonalcoholic Guinness, which Bowen calls “unbelievable” when properly chilled.

The band goes on pizza crawls searching for the perfect dollar slice. “We’ll cap it off at 12. That’s excessive,” Bowen says. “I wouldn’t eat that every day, but it’s going to give you lots of energy to burn off for the show.”

Stretching Out

To warm up for their high energy gigs, bandmates take turns hanging like bats from a back stretcher before shows.

Energy in Motion

“There’s a lot of noises as we stand up and sit down. We do everything we can to avoid injury,” says Bowen, who is a blur of energy when playing his guitar onstage.

Hoist ‘Em Up

Labelmate and Lip Critic drummer Danny Eberle takes a ride in the pit.

Drummer Jon Beavis and his mates have some unique requests at every tour stop: chocolate milk, and, for Bowen, a postcard so that he can send notes to his children from the road.

Far From Average Joe

Wild under the spotlights, frontman Joe Talbot and the band prefer to burn incense and chill behind the scenes.

Talbot distributed lyrics from Idles’ new album to the crowd.

Mane Attraction

After rocking out for two hours, Bowen and Co. forgo partying to catch up on lost sleep.

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Mechanics • 20 min read

The Mechanics of Touring: How the Live Music Industry Works

By Dmitry Pastukhov

Published April 28, 2019

The Live Music Industry: An Overview

Key players in the touring industry, artists and managers, booking agents, tour managers and technicians, festivals & venues, label & publisher, the touring cycle, 1. finding the talent, 2. building the tour strategy and producing the show, 3. booking the tour, 4. selling the tickets, 5. preparations, 6. the day x, 7. the show, tour simulation, tour gross revenue.

Touring makes up a huge portion of an artist’s life and the lion’s share of the industry’s revenues. At the same time, it is the only part of the music career that remains 99% “physical” in what is otherwise the digital-first industry. While some of the artists can easily reach millions of fans via streaming, putting together an international tour for the same crowd is an extremely complicated process.

Despite the rise of digital streaming platforms, make no mistake, live music is still the cash cow of the industry. Even though streaming revenue is expected to grow to $23 billion by 2022, by that same year the live music industry is projected to reach a whopping $31 billion in global value. Global live music revenue continues to increase (with the substantial portion of this growth attributed to the worldwide explosion of EDM festivals, which we've traced in our analyses of Chinese and Indian markets). At the same time, if we take a look at the well-established music economies, a recent Nielsen study found that 52% of Americans attend live shows at least once a year.

Nevertheless, the touring industry’s decentralized and network-based system remains a complex landscape to navigate: artists often work with dozens of local promoters, booking agents and venues in the course of a single tour. So, let’s start with the basics and identify all of the parties that are usually involved in a mid-sized tour:

Artists and their managers are the crucial elements of the live business. As we’ve laid out in our Mechanics of Management , manager’s role is to build and coordinate the artist’s team on all sides of the music industry, and that, of course, includes the concert business. The artist’s management usually takes part in the initial route planning, helps the artist pick the touring team, and serves as a bridge between the live entertainment and all other sides of the artist’s career.  

The job of the booking agent itself is very easy to define: the agent represents the artist across the live industry. Their goal is to book the tour and sell the shows to the local talent buyers, finding the venue and negotiating the price. The booking deal is usually pretty straightforward: “an artist A, represented by the agent B, commits to play an N-minute show in the venue C on the day X for a $Y. ” A good agent is the one who’s able to get all those As, Bs and Cs right — so that the venue is sold out, but there are no fans left without a ticket; the artist gets paid well, but the promoter doesn’t feel cheated, and so on. While the deal is relatively simple, it’s hard to nail all the details — especially given the fact that the show are usually booked from 8 to 24 months in advance, depending on the scope of the venue.

Promoters are the side of the live business that funds the tour and buys the shows. The landscape of concert promotion is complex, and promoters themselves come in various shapes and sizes. To make it a bit simpler, imagine that promoter is a middle-man, connecting the concert space and the artist to put together a show. You can start building that bridge from either side, however.

Tour promoters set out from the artist side, contracting musicians to perform a series of concerts, paying for rehearsals, audiovisual production, covering the travel expenses and so on. Once the show is ready, tour promoters, working closely with the artist’s booking agent, either rent venues themselves or subcontract (read: sell) the shows to the local promoters (or a mixture of both).

Local promoters, in their turn, embark from a concert space. Affiliated, or at least connected with local venues and performance spaces, they buy gigs from the agents and/or tour promoters to own the ticket sales. An art-director of a small club, a local group of party promoters, a team of the major US festival — all those event promoters of different scope would fall into that category.

In that context, the role of the agent becomes clear. If promoters are the middle-men on the side of an artist or a concert space, the agent is the middle-man between the middle-men, who builds up the network of promoters (on both fronts) and artists, serving as a liaison between all sides.

However, some of the biggest tours today can be put together without the agent’s involvement.  One of the main shifts in the live business is the consolidation of tour and local promoters under the umbrella of entertainment conglomerates, with the most notable examples of Live Nation and AEG .

Essentially, these companies have grown their operation to the point where they can build the bridge from both sides, internalizing all the processes. They both produce the concert tours and own (or, at least, establish partnerships with) a vast network of clubs and arenas, providing venues for the tour. Live Nation, AEG and alike can now create centralized international tours, offering artists 360° deals. However, touring under such exclusive promotion remains reserved for the artists of the top echelon — so most of the shows out there are still put together in collaboration between the tour promoters, booking agents and local partners.

Tour managers that stay on the road with the artist's crew are the oil that makes the wheels of the tour spin. Even a nationwide tour involves extremely complex logistics, and it becomes exponentially harder to manage the travel as the tour passes onto an international level. For the first-tier acts, staying on the road with the artist crew, technicians and 30 trucks worth of equipment can cost up to $750k per day . The goal of the tour manager is to make sure that the money doesn't go down the drain when the artist’s bus breaks down in Nowhere, Oklahoma . Getting the band from point A to point B seems to be a pretty straightforward job, but in fact, the routine of the tour manager is dealing with unexpected and solving a dozen of new problems each day — all while keeping the artists happy and ready to perform. To give you a taste of an international tour route, here's an approximate map of the Lizzo's tour in support of "Cuz I Love You" release, stretching over 64 locations and 74,575 km — and that is just the straight routs, not accounting for the actual roadways.

"Cuz I Love You" tour route, 30.04.2019 — 28.10.2019 (interactive version available here )

Tour managers also run the technician crew, and, while the technical support of the tour is often overlooked, the fact is that behind every show there’s a team that turns the performance into an audiovisual experience that the audience has paid to see. It takes hard work and expertise to assemble the stage, set up the lights and the sound system, etc. The live industry relies on the tech crew to make the show actually happen.

Festivals and venues are at the very core of the live business, providing the space and (usually) the base infrastructure for the show. As we've already mentioned, there’s often a great deal of vested interest between local promoters and performance spaces.  That means that there’s usually a local promoter “attached” to the venue, and same goes for music festivals.

Outdoor events are a distinct part of the live performance landscape. Operated by promotion groups, prominent festivals can introduce artists to new audiences, both in terms of fans and music industry executives — all while offering a fat pay-check. A major festival performance puts the artist on the map, and the promotional effect of the show itself has to be considered. It can become even more important than the immediate monetary gain — especially for independent, up-and-coming artists. That’s why the tour routing will often be structured around a couple of big music festivals — and then filled up with solo concerts along the way. A good example is Coachella: as the event takes place over two separate weekends, most of the Coachella artists also book “side-gigs” around the area during the in-between week.

Although recording and publishing industries are not directly engaged in the live business, we have to remember that the music industry is built on collaboration . By convention, most music tours follow the release of an album, and each artist has to report his set after the show to PROs so that the proper songwriters get paid. The music industry is made up of separate companies and people working on the different parts of the artist career — and, while not completely aligned, they are always interconnected.

The six key parties described above work together to bring the live show to the concert-goers. However, it’s important to mention that they won’t always be represented by separate entities. Often some of the roles will be internalized by the different sides of the touring chain: independent artists and their management might produce the tour themselves, internalizing the job of the tour promoter; conglomerate promoters, as we’ve mentioned, can now offer exclusive touring deals; and so on. That said, in the next section we will go through the tour cycle step by step to showcase how all these players interact to create the tour. As it usually is in the music industry, it all starts with the artist.

On the first step, agents and tour promoters find and sign the performer. This process is not much different from the scouting of recording or publishing A&Rs, although the criteria might differ. For some types of artists (like DJs, for example) touring can be relatively huge, while the recording revenues might stay almost non-existent. Agents and A&Rs look for different things in the artist, but the essence of scouting remains the same across the board — identify and sign the promising acts before anyone else does.

There’s another twist to talent hunting in the live industry that is probably worth mentioning. As an average show has to be booked 9-10 months in advance, tour deals are usually signed around a year prior to the actual performance. At the same time, the vast majority of concert tours follow the recording releases to build up the momentum and ride the promotion wave. That has one unavoidable implication: tour promoters and agents sign the artist to perform the material which is not written yet, which can be quite risky.

That is especially true when it comes to the debut artists, that might not even have a 40-minute set or any solid live performance skills when they get their first touring deal. There is a lot of gut feeling that goes into scouting on the live industry side — more than in the recording business at least, where licensing deals allowed labels to mediate the risks of the creative stage.

Once the artist is on board, it’s time to produce the show and define the tour strategy and routing. At this step, the tour promoter starts the preparations: building the light show and live visual materials, booking rehearsal sessions to perfect the live performance, and so on. Meanwhile, the artist, manager, agent and tour promoter work out a general timeframe and draft an approximate route of the future tour. The initial tour planning is usually done around priority shows, like major city performances or music festivals, while the rest of the route is defined in broad strokes. Unless we’re talking about the top-tier, established artists, the tour will always follow a recording release. Once the initial planning is over, the tour strategy will be defined in terms of “The artist will play a priority city/music festival in a specific area N weeks after the release”.

Ones the initial route is set out, the agent goes on to book the tour, pitching the show to local promoters and festivals. Starting with the priority shows and then filling in the details, the tour route gradually takes its final form. The agent negotiates with local promoters to pick out an optimal venue (in terms of volume, style, conditions, etc.) to host the show. As Tom Windish, a senior executive of Paradigm Talent Agency mentioned in our recent interview , picking the right venue is perhaps the hardest part of booking a tour: the material is not out yet, and there’s no way to predict the reception of the release that’s almost a year ahead. Go for a small but safe venue — and you risk losing potential ticket sales and disappointing the fans; go big, and you might end up in a half-empty room, losing on the investment and leaving every side of the deal disappointed. The agent has to make risky decisions in a situation of uncertainty, and given the venue landscape in some of the regions, sometimes that means choosing between a venue capacity of 500 and 2000 for what is reasonably a 1000-ticket show.

As for the conditions and splits of the booking contract, generally local promoters, tour promoters, and artists will split the net profits of the show. Artists might also get a flat fee to ensure they'll make some money even if all other parties do their job poorly. Usually, the more the flat fee, the less the artist’s share of the net profits (and vice versa). In that sense, the structure of the contract splits often reflects the artist's risk appetite: some artists self-produce the tour, sacrifice the flat fees and end up getting almost 100% of the net. Others might ask for a higher "safety" fee, lowering both the profits of the tour and their own stake in it.   Booking agents, in their turn, earn a flat percentage on the revenues ‘on top’ (though they might put their share back in the pot if the tour doesn’t turn out a profit). That might be a lot to take in, but don't worry, we will get back to the splits and give you a clear example with a tour simulation you can find below .

Once the tour is booked, it’s the time to promote it and sell the tickets. On paper, the ball is in the promoter’s court here, but in reality the marketing of the tour is carried out in close collaboration between all the sides — from managers and booking agents to the artists' record labels. Concert marketing is a topic worthy of a separate article, but if we were to simplify things, it could be separated into two main parts.

First is the overarching tour marketing, implemented by the tour promoter and synchronized with the record release. The tour marketing campaign utilizes wide communication channels to promote the tour in general rather than a particular show. Second is the regional marketing owned by the local promoters, which aims to boost the sales of a specific show, focusing on narrow communication channels, like radio, OOH and locally targeted digital advertising.

As far as the actual ticketing strategy is concerned, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so most teams go through long and numerous meetings to define tit There's a lot of decisions to be made when settling the details of the ticketing strategy — especially as technology has put new tools into the hands of promoters — but generally accepted sales process follows an “announcement → pre-sale → general sale” pattern. First, the tour is announced through the label- or artist-owned channels. That announcement is both a chance to communicate the tour to the wide audience and build up the artist’s CRM-base by nudging fans to leave their contacts to get notified when tickets go on sale. On the live event market, the buying intent might not realize itself on the first day — so having direct contact with fans and growing the artist's CRM-base is a key tool in the hands of the industry.

Then, the pre-sale takes place: first, reaching out directly to fans in the CRM database — after all, artist-fan relationships are one of the most important assets of an artist, and a fan pre-sale ensures that engaged followers will be able to get tickets to the show. Pre-sale strategy might also involve sales through “preferred partners”, focusing on direct sales through systems like American Express PreSales in the U.S., or even Spotify, that allows to reach the artist’s fans and followers across the tour route based on their listening habits and geo-location. Finally, to complete the pre-sale, local promoters can also use the local communication channels, like CRM-base of the venue and local airplay.

All the pre-sale strategies have two primary objectives. Firstly, based on the pre-sale figures (and historical concert attendance data), the promoter can roughly tell how the show is going to sell in general — and adjust the marketing campaign accordingly. Secondly, pre-sale through reasonably closed off channels can help to mediate the problem of the secondary ticket market. In fact, most of the ticketing strategies aim to sell as many seats as possible before putting the show on the general sale. Ticketing platforms like Songkick, BandsinTown or Seated allow promoters to reach the widest audience but they also puts the show at risk of selling out to the scalper bots in a matter of hours. This is especially true for the biggest artists out there — the more the demand for the show, the more attention it's going to get from the scalpers.

At this point, the tickets are on sale and the date is coming up, but there are still a lot of details to cover to make the show actually happen. Carrying out a 100-show tour means getting the artist and his tour team to a hundred different locations across the globe — all while staying on a tight budget and an even tighter schedule. Then, you have to make sure that every step of the way the artist has the infrastructure to do the actual show. Big tours are extremely complicated logistics, that require a lot of planning (usually carried out by the tour manager, affiliated with the tour promoters). Plane tickets, car rental, backline equipment shipping — this is just a fraction of what needs to be taken care of before reaching the venue.

The venue is (hopefully) sold out, the material is well-rehearsed, the equipment is delivered to the club — but the show is still to be done. Someone has to set up the sound, check tickets at the door, take care of the security, prepare the guest list and set up the bar. This routine can seem insignificant at times, but in fact, a solid on-site setup is a must if you want the audience to enjoy the performance. Surely all of us can remember that one concert with that hour-long queue, delayed performance and warm beer at the bar — a poor concert organization can ruin even the best of shows. Making sure that the concert goes smoothly is a group effort of the tour crew and the local promoter's team, from tour managers and technicians to local sound engineers and the venue stuff.

Finally, one year, tens of thousands of kilometers and thousands of man-hours later, the artist will go on stage. Then, the team will get back on the road to repeat steps 5 through 7 over and over again, until the final row of the tour announcement is crossed out. The artist will eventually get back in the studio and start working on the new material, while tour promoters and agents will begin planning the next tour. That’s the tour life .

To conclude the Mechanics of Touring, we want to share with you an example of how the tour budget and profits are structured. Below, you will find a somewhat simplified (yet accurate at its core) budget simulation of an averaged tour. While the actual “business plan” will be much more detailed, the data below should give you a good idea of who pays for the tour and who ends up making money on it.

Total Fixed and Variable Costs

So, the tour has fixed costs of 70,000€, which have to be covered regardless of the tour length, and variable costs of 7,000€, per show. Such costs structure means that (and this is true for practically every tour) we will enjoy the scale effect , as total costs per show (calculated as (FC+ VC*N)/N, where FC is Fixed Costs, VC — Variable Costs and N is the Number of shows in the tour) will go down as the tour grows, due to the depreciation of the fixed costs.

Total costs per show, for 10-150 concerts in a tour.

To go forward with the simulation, we will assume that the shows of the tour are all booked at the same price (which is never the case due to the difference in the local ticket prices, venue and market capacity, and other specifics). However, to simplify things, we will use the following revenue structure:        

Guarantee per show = 8,000€

Bonus if sold out = 2,000€

If we plotted the tour’s total profits as a function of the number of shows, P/L = (Revenue per show * N) - (FC+VC*N), we would get the following:

Tour P&L (overall profit/loss before splits)

As the total costs per show go down against a constant revenue, the tour turns a profit, breaking even at the 24th and 70th show for “Sold Out” and “Not Sold Out” scenarios accordingly.

Then the time comes to divvy up the profits. First of all, the agent takes a share of all revenues “on top”. In this simulation, we will use a 15% split for the agent. So, if the tour is made up of 100 sold out shows, the agent would get (10,000*100)*15% = €150,000 in fees. However, it’s not customary in the music industry for one side of the deal to make money while the rest are losing. So, usually, the agent won’t take their share if the tour doesn’t turn a profit. But what if the tour makes a bit of money, but not enough to cover the agent’s 15% “on top”?

There are a couple of roads the agent might take in that case, cutting their share down to 5% or taking a percentage of the profits, rather than revenue, but for purposes of this simulation, we will assume that the agent will take their part of the share, but won’t put the promoter back in the red. So, if the tour has made €5K in NET profits by selling out 25 shows, the agent will take €5,000 instead of agreed upon (25*10,000)*15% = €37,500.

Tour promoter will take a share of the NET profits (Total Revenue — Agent’s Share — Costs). That would mean that, although the tour itself will break even on a 24th show in the Song Out scenario, the tour promoter will start making money only after the 47th show (once the agent is fully compensated). If we assume the tour promoter’s share at 20%, on a 100-show, sold out tour they will make ((10,000*100*0,85) - (70,000 + 7,000*100)) * 0,2 = €16,000 . It might seem that the promoters get the short end of the stick here, but in fact, they will often make quite a bit of money in the venue itself on things like bar and parking. This can be a substantial or even primary revenue stream for the promoter, but we’ll have to leave it out of the scope of the simulation for the sake of simplicity.

As for the artist , they will earn a flat fee (in this simulation €1,000 per show) as well as the remaining 80% of the tour’s NET. This sum will make up the artist gross, which in its turn will be divided between the artist and the management (an average manager’s share is around 15% ). So, for a 100-show tour the artist gross will be: (100*1,000) + ((10,000*100*0,85) - (70,000 + 7,000*100)) * 0,8 = €164,000 , which would then be split 85:15 between the artist ( €139,400 ) and the manager ( €24,600 ).

Tour profits distribution, by party

Of course, the actual tour will be much more complicated than in the simulation above. However, it should give you a good idea of how the tour is structured and budgeted. That’s it for this episode of Mechanics, but don’t worry — we’ll keep working to bring you insights on other parts of the music industry. If you liked this article, take a look at our Mechanics of the Music Industry to get the overview of the topics we covered so far — and the ones we plan to cover in the future.

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Dmitry Pastukhov

Content creator for Soundcharts. Deciphering the music business so you don't have to.

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Step by step guide on how to book a tour for your band

Booking a tour is a lot of work. you should work hard if you are going to schedule a tour, and especially if this is your first time, here are some tips and tricks to make your life easier..

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Are you a band , musician or a musician’s manager planning to book a tour with your band?

Here re some tips and tricks on how to book tours.

If yes, and especially if this is your first time, then you might be thinking of how to go about it .

That is not unusual, especially in today’s music industry where musicians have to do so much to advance their careers .

Those who have toured places with their bands know that the whole process is not as easy as many would want to think.

The first rule on how to book a tour: you have to expect the unexpected , and you have to be prepared for anything .

Lack of enough finances can be just one of the things you will be dealing with and will be forced to spend nights in dingy places that you would otherwise avoid.

But the secret to reducing the stress of touring with your band is to plan it earlier .

This post looks at tour booking for a music band.

Preparing for a band tour

For a long time you have been playing your music locally with your band , and now you want to start touring various places.

Before you start to think of how to book a tour, you first need to be well prepared for it.

Below are some of the things you need to do as preparation for a band tour.

Daniel Means/ Flickr

Get enough experience from your hometown

Credibility and expertise are two key things that any band must have if they want to start touring various regions.

Without them, it is highly unlikely that any event organizer will even consider booking you.

You need to start playing music within your local hometown .

Local gigs are the best place to start , given that you will probably be entertaining people that already know about you.

It is in your hometown that you can get a chance to create the experience and credibility that you will need during national and international tours.

If you are new in the music industry and you don’t know how to book a tour, try to get as many local performances as you can , as this will build your confidence while on the stage as well as create more awareness about your music.

Create more awareness through press and media outlets

Another way to create awareness for your music is through press releases as well as media outlets.

You can start by asking for blogs , streaming services or local radios to play some of your music, especially during prime hours, when most of your audience is listening.

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare for the band tour

Step 1: decide on the date.

Booking a tour is not a mean job; it requires a lot of effort .

After being confident that you are ready for a tour, you will have to sit down and plan for it .

The first thing you will need to set is the date range; when do you want to tour?

Knowing the date that your tours will commence is crucial as it will help you prepare for it well in advance.

Note that booking a tour is tedious, and a time-frame of between 4-6 months will be reasonable.

Booking way ahead is essential as you will need time for contacting people, do follow-up work, and other related activities.

Also, there are those venues that you will have to book at least six months earlier .

Step 2: Decide on the tour route

The next thing that you need to decide on how to book a tour is the direction that you would like to go to .

This can be a tentative route, as you might want to make some adjustments later .

There are those cities that you will need to work extra hard for you to get a booking, while others might be a little easier.

When you choose the cities to play, sometimes big cities and capital cities look more attractive in the organizers’ minds, but there is a lot more competition there.

I t’s harder to book shows there and attract a huge crowd there : a lot of shows around and maybe some other more prominent bands are playing that night.

Often shows in small cities, colleges, private parties are the most exciting and fun , even you would not quote them as good on paper.

So much less competition , friendly people usually and you can be the guest star for one night and connect with other local musicians, promoters and venue owners.

After knowing everyone next time it will be easier to book another show at the same venue.

In choosing the route, you will also want to be sure of the distance that you will want to be driving per day .

The distance that you will cover will highly depend on the size of the city .

Smaller cities can be covered even within a day, but bigger ones will need more time.

If you need some days off , you can incorporate them as well.

Step 3: Contact venues or find the right local promoters

The next thing you need to do is to start contacting the venues where you will be performing.

Usually, you need to focus more on the venues that are found along your route, and only go for those outside the way if necessary.

You can find contacts for some of the venues online on websites for free.

Buying the details of these venues from reliable sources can also be the right way of getting contacts from the venues for you to book.

A mistake that most musicians do when contacting venues is to come up with one generic message and then send it to several venues .

Generic messages usually end up as spam , and thus you might end up getting minimal responses.

It’s fundamental that you also try to interact with local promoters.

Local promoters are usually the one that knows what the right venues for your kind of music are and they also know if you should use on or another Facebook group and to reach out to the right people.

At the same time, in your message, don’t try to answer the questions that might be on the mind of those who will be reading the messages.

Questions like “How will you make your money?” are irrelevant.

Discover how to book a tour with the help of LiveTrigger

Step 4: Do a follow-up on the venues

When you find out how to book a tour, you need to follow-up on the venues you had booked.

This is important because some promoters usually change their minds of the location may be due to changes in the routes .

It might, therefore, work in your best interest if you contacted the venues and confirmed the dates of your booking.

Important tip:

As a follow-up, you can also ask the venues if there is anything they need from you, things like posters and other promotional materials , or your stage plan .

Step 5: Have a back-up plan

The chances are that your original plan may not go as smoothly as you had planned when you decide how to book a tour .

Maybe a venue you had already booked will cancel the performance, or perhaps the local authorities will have issues with your performance.

Whatever the reason, you need to have a back-up plan that will help you save the situation.

Touring a city with your band is expensive , and failing to perform even on a single day will make the whole book tour a loss on your side.

If a show you had planned fails to take place , you need to think of nearby towns where you can perform quickly .

Places like Craiglist, Yelp , and Google are some of the best places to find venues for your plan B.

Booking a tour for a band takes a lot of time, and without patience, you will end up not getting any booking.

As a musician, you need to invest a lot of time from your end for the tour to be successful .

You will need to be contacting venues from time to time, make follow-ups, save money for the event, research on the venues, and all that.

But the hard work is just at the beginning .

As you start touring many places consistently, you will be able to build relationships with promoters , and you will then not need to work so hard to get bookings.

If you have found interesting tips on how to book a tour, and you like this article please leave a comment below and let us know about your experience in booking tours… or simply if you need some help.

LiveTrigger Team

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'Where Do We Go Now?:' Erie's First To Eleven hits road for East Coast tour

Erie's own First to Eleven is hosting a special show in Erie, bringing their "Where Do We Go Now?" tour home.

The Erie-based cover band kicked off their tour in April bringing their music to a number of major cities, including St. Louis, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. First to Eleven's band that performs original music without Ryan Krysiak, Concrete Castles, released their most recent album "Brand New Me" in August 2023.

"We’re doing a few more cities, a few bigger rooms and kind of hitting some markets we never touched on before," said Audra Miller, the band's lead vocalist. "Our last tour was pretty much just the East Coast and now we’re doing more of the East Coast and making our way into the Midwest a little bit."

During the Erie show April 26 at BigBar, 14 E. 10th St., the band will partner up with another Erie band, Daytona Beach, and local musician Brooke Surgener.

More: Concrete Castles (Erie's First to Eleven) touring with 1st album of originals, writing 2nd

The show at BigBar was a good fit for the band as it was scheduled close to their show in Pittsburgh.

“It kind of worked out that we already had a show booked at BigBar and it was in the tour, so I was like, 'Oh, we’re going to have to cancel that,'" said Ryan Krysiak, the band's bass guitarist. "Then I was looking at it and that was at the end of the tour and we’re in Pittsburgh the night before. It was like, why don’t we make it happen in Erie? We will keep that show and Daytona Beach has been doing really well at BigBar, as was First to Eleven, so let’s combine them and let’s go hard for this one show."

Preparing for tour and shows

Since 2023, First to Eleven has been pumping out cover songs aiming to add one cover a week to their repertoire.

These cover songs get uploaded to YouTube which help the band decide what the fans like and want to hear so they can create the setlists for tour.

More: From teen rockers to YouTube stars: Erie's First to Eleven at 1 million fans and growing

"It’s very random; it used to be top 40 songs at the beginning of our YouTube career," Miller said. "Once we started doing one cover a week it got a little easier because if one cover doesn’t do as well it’s okay because you have one coming out next week instead of a month later. So now it’s like we listen to the fans, and if there’s something they like, it’s like okay I guess we’ll try it. And if it’s a song we do that does really well we will do something in a similar genre or by a similar artist, or sometimes we will throw in random stuff that we want to try and see if it works."

From the setlist, the band then determines where the show goes from the perspective of the audience.

"For a longer bar show we will play for three hours so we have to pull out pretty much everything," Krysiak said. "That’s based off when you are at a bar you go through this process of like I’m just sitting and having my first drink like what do you want to hear during that set. Then a couple of drinks in you are feeling a little loose. What do you play then and what do you play at the end when you are ready to party."

One of their more popular songs that has done well with the audience, "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns N' Roses, gave them the idea for their next tour name, "Where Do We Go Now?"

"Brooke (Surgener) came up with it, but our most popular cover on YouTube is 'Sweet Child of Mine.' So she was like you should just take a lyric from that song and name your tour after it, so that’s what we did," Miller said.

First to Eleven has a setlist filled with popular songs from Nickelback to ABBA to Queen and more.

Sometimes bands, including Nickelback , have shared First To Eleven's videos to their social media pages.

When will First To Eleven be in my area?

To find if First to Eleven will be in your area, check out their website firsttoeleven.com . Each show will have its own ticket link.

The band also offers a VIP ticket option which will include early admission, a Q&A before the show and more.

Can’t make the Erie show at BigBar? First to Eleven will be in Erie this summer. The band mentions that if you show up to a show you could be featured in one of their YouTube videos .

The "Where Do We Go Now?" tour goes from April to late August.

Contact Nicholas Sorensen at [email protected]

'That is how you turn 60': Maynard James Keenan, Primus and Puscifer go hard in Phoenix

Maynard James Keenan was nearing the end of a freewheeling stop on his 60th birthday tour, Sessanta , basking in the afterglow of “Southbound Pachyderm” as performed by a sprawling collective of extremely talented musicians from A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and Primus, when he told the crowd, “And that, mother (expletives), is how you turn 60.”

He was technically still 59 at that point. He turns 60 on Wednesday, April 17, when he returns to that same stage with those same friends at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, just down the hill from his home in Jerome, Arizona .

But it’s doubtful many people have embraced the thought of turning 60 with a more inspired blend of self-effacing humor, undeniable vitality and unabashed artistry than Keenan.

Maynard James Keenan's Sessanta was as untraditional as promised

The night was every bit as untraditional as promised, played out on a two-tiered stage with sofas and three drum kits on the upper level and a chairlift to transport musicians from one level to another, not because they’re too old to climb the stairs but because it added to the entertainment value of the night.

And that goes double for the people playing ping-pong during “Bullet Train to Iowa” and Keenan and Carina Round of Puscifer squeezing a game of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots into Puscifer’s “The Remedy,” which features some of Keenan’s greatest lyrics (“Yes, we’re being condescending/ Yes, that means we’re talking down to you”).

The premise of this tour is that the members of A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and Primus will not only share a stage but share musicians as the night unfolds, resulting in some truly awe-inspiring feats of musical cross-pollination.

Having multiple drummers definitely added layers of intensity to the proceedings. You never knew when Les Claypool of Primus would show up in another goofy mask to join one of the other bands on bass. And Keenan gamely guested on lead vocals on Primus’ “Tommy the Cat.”

It felt like crashing a really cool party at a rock star’s house and watching the musicians let their hair down, except for one thing. You could tell they put some thought and effort into making sure it sounded right.

It was all about musicianship and friendship and the magic of collaboration.

How Keenan's Sessanta played out on the eve of his 60th birthday

The concert began with a video of Keenan in a Spam commercial driving home the zero-camera policy by warning fans that if you chose to disobey this policy, you would be asked to leave, at which point you would find yourself fed through an oversized meat grinder outside the concert, thereby becoming the secret ingredient that makes Spam such a culinary favorite of “cannibalistic cultures.”

As threats go, it was pretty entertaining.

Each band took a turn in the spotlight, starting with A Perfect Circle, who followed Keenan’s PSA with a haunting rendition of “The Package.”

At the song’s conclusion, Keenan took a moment welcome the crowd to his birthday show with “Let’s confirm what we already know… Arizona.”

The audience cheered, but not enough to satisfy him.

“Sounds like California,” he scoffed, an insult met with boos. “Let’s fix it. Arizona!"

Maynard James Keenan's Sessanta setlist: What A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and Primus played.

Maynard James Keenan weighs in on Arizona's return to 1864

That did the trick. Then, Keenan took a moment to address the local news.

“OK, so I’ve been out of town for about three weeks, out of state,” he said. “ Anything change that I should know about ? I dunno, like 1864 ? Jesus (expletive) Christ, people. Here’s my short speech, then I’ll (expletive) off. Register to (expletive) vote, please.”

Then it was back to the music with “Disillusioned.”

Each band did a three- to four-song set before rotating through the lineup two more times while changing up the order.

After bringing it all to a head with “Southbound Pachyderm” and telling the crowd this is how you turn 60, Keenan said, “I have been blessed with the privilege of working with some of the best musicians on the (expletive) planet… For my birthday, I got three new songs.”

And with that, the three bands dusted off the three songs featured on “Sessanta E.P.P.P”: A Perfect Circle’s “Kindred,” Puscifer’s “No Angel” and the Primus song “Pablo’s Hippies.”

Keenan closed his birthday celebration 'witnessing the majesty'

As the Primus song ended, Keenan joked, “Holy (expletive), you’re still here?”

Then, he brought the concert to a suitably majestic close with Puscifer’s “Grand Canyon,” singing “Witnessing the majesty.”

He’s referring, of course, to the majesty of the Grand Canyon. But it certainly applied to what we’d all just witnessed in the course of that performance.

Sessanta returns to Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on Keenan’s birthday — Wednesday, April 17.

Maynard James Keenan's Sessanta setlist 2024

Here's every song A Perfect Circle, Primus and Puscifer played when Maynard James Keenan's Sessanta tour hit Phoenix on Tuesday, April 16:

A Perfect Circle Set 1

• “The Package”
• “Disillusioned”
• “The Contrarian”

Primus Set 1

• “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers”
• “Too Many Puppies”
• “Sgt. Baker"
• "Follow the Fool"

Puscifer Set 1

• “Indigo Children”

Primus Set 2

• “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver”
• “My Name Is Mud”
• “Tommy the Cat”

Puscifer Set 2

• “Momma Sed”
• “Bullet Train to Iowa”
• “The Underwhelming”

A Perfect Circle Set 2

• The Hollow”
• “So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish”
• “Weak and Powerless”
• “The Outsider”

Puscifer Set 3

• “The Humbling River”
• “The Remedy”

A Perfect Circle Set 3

• “Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums”

Primus Set 3

• “Southbound Pachyderm”

Sessanta E.P.P.P.

• “Kindred” (A Perfect Circle with Les Claypool)
• “No Angel” (Puscifer)
• “Pablo's Hippos” (Primus with Maynard James Keenan and Mat Mitchell)

Puscifer, Primus, A Perfect Circle

• "Grand Canyon"

Reach the reporter at  [email protected] . Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter,  @EdMasley .

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Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Confirm RUSH Touring Plans With A New Drummer

• Owais 'Vitek' Nabi
• December 4, 2023
• 1 minute read

In a recent interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning,” the iconic progressive rock band RUSH, formed in the Toronto suburbs decades ago by guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, and drummer Neil Peart, explored their legendary musical journey.

With over 40 million albums sold, RUSH stands as Canada’s most revered rock band. Lifeson and Lee engaged with correspondent Jim Axelrod, discussing their unique blend of musicianship, stagecraft, and humor, as well as the profound impact of Peart’s tragic passing on the band’s dynamic.

As they pondered what the future holds without Peart, Lifeson expressed the challenge of envisioning the next chapter:

“Yeah, it’s difficult to figure out what that chapter is without him.”

When questioned about the possibility of recruiting another drummer and touring again, Lee acknowledged:

“Have we talked about it? Yeah.”

Pressed on whether it’s a definite possibility, Lee responded:

“It’s not impossible, but at this point, I can’t guarantee it.”

In contrast, Lifeson conveyed a more optimistic sentiment, emphasizing their innate drive to continue:

“It’s just not in our DNA to stop.”

Lee added a philosophical perspective, highlighting the importance of staying true to oneself:

“Do what you believe, because if you do what someone else believes, and you fail, you’ve got nothing. If you do what you believe, and you fail, you still have hope.”

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136 comments.

This would be the greatest thing. I have been with my Husband 38 years n the first day i meet him he played Rush on his Guitar for me n it was the best.

George Hickey, a legendary drummer and specialist in prog rock.

Let Alex & Geddy do the picking on who’s replacing Neil just like the Foo Fighters did,,,let’s just respect their decision if we’re truly Rush’s Fan.

too bad the fanatics will not like it i for one have questions after alex said Rush was no more. I can only hope for the future and hope then make wonderful and beautiful music.

I would be happy with Tommy Aldridge! Who disagrees?

i BET TOMMY LEE OR PETER CRISS OR EVEN JASON BONHAM COULD HANDEL THE JOB

You evidently don’t listen to RUSH.

Mike Mangini.. the only one

I can hear them now. What are these other drums for?

Meg White will come out of retirement and handle the percusions.

Don’t call it Rush or play Rush songs start fresh or don’t do it too much ego and greed

Your outta your freakin mind

?????? No sabes nada de bateristas

I don’t think so…Need someone like Danny Carey, Mike Portnoy, or Dave Grohl. That’s just my opinion…

It’s going to be Danny Carey. He’s the who played the shows they already did late last year.

I think it’s Danny Carey. Alex has been playing with them on the tool tour.

Dave couldn’t handle it…Portnoy..yes.

Mike Portnoy seems like he’s up to the task

It will be Danny but I think Mike would be a better fit seeing the catalog of Rush he played.

I would have picked Taylor Hawkins if he was still with us! Now I think I would pick Herb from Primus!

Definitely Portnoy

LOL THOSE GUYS COULD NOT HANDLE THE JOB

Tommy Lee would need backing tracks… he’s out

What about Chad Smith Phil Ehart

With Phil’s recent health issues, he is probably not a candidate, but I’m pretty certain he has the chops. I still think Portnoy would fit beautifully.

those guys are already in bands.

These are bets you would lose. Also, it’s not 1998. You should learn to type without ALL CAPS.

Neil is rolling over in his grave…. Tommy Lee what blasphemy you speak. Tommy Lee couldn’t stay in the same hotel with Geddy and Alex let alone take Neil’s place.

Only EL Estepario could maybe hang with Neil’s drumming. That’s about it. No one else could.

Agreed. El Estepario is good enough.

Give your head a shake please. Lee can’t even play with his own band let alone take Neil’s place.

Lol, not a chance of either of those drummers sitting on that stool. They’re both respectable amd good drummers but they are not that level.

You can be serious,none of these guys could remotely cover Neil. Impossible

maybe carey or thomas lang. no peter criss, tommy lee. dave grohl joke. phil ehart i don’t think so… maybe he is retired… i think if carey already played with them it would be him. tommy lee is a garbage can drummer… not even near peart. lol…

Absolutely a huge Peart fan ………..but Mike Portnoy although also older these days, could elevate the Rush repertoire over what level Neil was playing in the later years. Just saying 😉

Dave Groul would be the only option from Foo Fightees

There is no way Dave could play this…

Danny Carey, Mike Portnoy, Stewart Copeland, Gavin Harris (is that his name? Porcupine Tree) I know there are others

Peter Criss wasn’t even the best drummer in KISS. Please leave his name out of this conversation.

Tommy Lee! Seriously? That dude doesn’t have the chops to come close playing like Neil… He be better off setting up the drums for someone who can play

Ok, this is pathetic. Lee is terrible. Criss is worse.

Carey can more than handle Rush but would not leave Tool for Rush. Kind of a step down moving to band that hasn’t made anything that good in a few decades. Rush is like Def Leppard and other 80s greats living on past. I live old Rush. New stuff is formidable but nothing without old foundation.

Grohl isn’t that good but Foo Fighters are a huge band and whywould he leave that?

Dream Theater is also bigger and Portnoy has waited 13 years to get back into the band he founded.

The OBVIOUS Answer in

MIKE MANGINI who is an upgrade tp Peart.

No way… Tommy Lee isn’t good enough

Tim Alexander from Primus would be at the top of my list

Jason Bunyan is a good drummer but not for Rush. Tommy Lee and Peter Criss are washed up clowns who aren’t even in the same league as Neil Peart…

I’ve heard a Foo Fighter – DG may be a possibility

Peter Criss? Are you freakin serious? WTF is wrong with you?

Not even close!

Not even close dude. You’re gonna have to dig deeper than that.

Those drummers don’t have the chops to play Neil’s part in like 90% of Rush’ catalogue.

Ha! Not even remotely close…

Mike Portnoy the only choice

Those 3 can’t play even close to Neil. Think before giving your opinion …

as long as they don,t call whatever they do rush,i,m fine with it cause rush died with neil.

You beat me too it. Rush, for me anyway, has to include Neil. So while I hope very much Alex and Geddy continue I”d be somewhat saddened if they used the name. I’m sure they’re ever so concerned with what I think. LOL

I think they were already Rush before they picked up Neil.

Rush died when the ‘new guy’ passed away?

There was John Rutzy before Neil and there will be someone else after Neil.

Neil Peart, he was known as the New Guy by the guys. so, it is natural that they would do this. Alex has already had produced an Album and performed in many guest appearances.

The band was formed with original drummer, John Rutzy, who is on the first album. The Professor was recruited for the band afterwards.

I’ve been a big fan of RUSh since their second album.

Because of Neil, I wanted to learn to play drums. But health issues’s (Type 1 Diabeties) stopped this hopes!

I simply enjoyed Geddy, Alex and Neil’s work!

Neil was and will always be my drummer Rock God!

R.I.P. Neil

John B. Lawson Sr.

I would love to see Danny Carey or Chad Smith sitting behind Alex and Geddy. Both of them idolized and loved Neil. It would be a great tribute to Neil if the band forged ahead in his memory.

Would love to see Mike Mangini fill Neil’s spot. I think he would be a great addition to the band!!!

All the way Mike Mancini is the best fit can’t see anyone else getting the job done with honor for Neil Peart

This is a job cut out for Mike Portnoy. Pretty much nobody else.

A couple of years ago I saw Kim Mitchell in concert. He had a young drummer who was amazing, I know he could cut it.

Two words!!! DAVE GROHL

I agree!! Dave appreciates RUSH and as a previous drummer understands.

I think they will do great. Neil was the GOAT. Noone wil compare but. They can make new music and still call it Rush if they play the old stuff too!

Neil was over qualified for the job. The 40 year audition went real well but it’s time to move on. Rest in peace professor and goat

I love Rush. It’s difficult to imagine replacing Neil; he was the lyricist on all but the first album, and a legendary drummer. Will a new drummer simply mean that Rush is a cover band of themselves, or will they write new songs?. TBH, I’d go see them if they were not writing, but it is the big question I have.

I know a drummer who would make Neil proud! 😁

Honestly I think it would be healthy for them to go to the next chapter.

My pick for a replacement drummer would be Mike Portnoy He can do the job, He has a great deal of respect for rush ,(Neil) and face it Neil and Mike both are professors . Yep . That’s my take on it !.

I 100% agree, maybe even Mike Mangini or Marco Minneman

I nominate Gavin Harrison.

It’s Alex’s band. He can hire anyone he wants and call it RUSH.

Tools drummer. Danny Carey is the latest I read.

I agree, He could bring a whole different rhythm to the new stuff they could produce AND is talented enough to bring a Neil’esque build for the group on the original songs.

What would Neil want them to do??

El Estepario Siberiano could do it. Thus is the closest to Neil you will ever get. Thus guy could play anything.

He would definitely be my top choice.

That dudes a total shredder on the drums! Be nice if he took up the challenge

Please stop.. tge internet drummer makes great vids.

But stop with Neal is irreplaceable.

Danny Carey uis a better drummer.

Mangini is a better drummer

Portnoy is a better drummer.

Oeart was king once upon a time but in time the talent gets better. EVH was king now 100s of guys are better

The guy for the job no question is Tool drummer Danny Carey hands down

Danny Carey did the shows with them last year. He’s the one.

Here’s my unpopular opinion, and it’s based on what Geddy said while on The Strombo Show in January 2024. Geddy and Alex will never again “TOUR” as Rush. Geddy and Alex will never again TOUR at all! Geddy and Alex have “RETIRED FROM TOURING!” Touring is a lot of work and neither of them want to be away from their families or the “new” lives they become accustomed to! However, they have not ruled out writing, possibly recording and possibly playing a show here and there! All of this is “POSSIBLY!” Yet it is also possible that nothing will happen!!! According to Geddy, him and his wife will be going on a long post tour vacation and when he returns it is POSSIBLE that him and Alex may do some messing around. (Which means nothing may ever come of it!) Opinion: all of us Rush fans would love to hear more from them, however retirement is RETIREMENT! And they deserve to be retired with no pressure from labels, management, fans, anything. It just happens that they still live playing, so it could be as much as what is stated above or as little as the two just jamming, without going beyond that.

I’ve been a fan since the 80’s. Learned ever bass, keyboard and pedalboard part that Geddy ever played. Also EJ’s need many songs on the drums and guitar! I absolutely love Rush and miss them every day! But Rush ended when Neil retired! ……..

Get this kid. (He is 9) You guys and your drummer conversations. There are literally thousands of people that could do this. It’s much easier to copy than produce.

https://youtu.be/7XZbzweWKnc?si=uJ2Bzo8gaupKb4mZ

Waiting for some comments like “yeah, he’s good, but not exactly like The Professor.” Lol. There are many many drummers that learned through Rush. For people to say that no one “could handle it” is just head in the sand.

The only currently available drummer I could see coming close to the professor would be Mike Mangini

Only Todd Sucherman could pull it off technically

Gil Moore of Triumph would be their best fit should they do it. Great drummer, Canadian, and available. No one could ever replace Neil.

I find it incredible that no one mentions larnel lewis he’d fit right in and he’s from Toronto

Carmine Appice

Gavin Harrison or Danny Carey. These two only.

Headline doesn’t actually match article. They didn’t confirm anything other than they’ve talked about it. That is not confirming touring plans.

My guess – they will do some shows with other bands like they did for the Taylor Hawkins tribute – just sitting in for a few songs here and there with various people filling in on drums and I really like the ideas of great players coming in for 1-2 songs because it reinforces the message that one person CAN’T replace Neil.

Todd Sucherman. He is the most accurate drummer today and a worthy replacement for the incredible Neil Peart.

This guy would be able to handle Peart’s complex drumming. Jorge Garrido (a.k.a. El Estepario Siberiano) https://youtu.be/a_vD1FWP6W4?si=DpAQO1cOYKeo5aIR

This guy would be able to handle Peart’s complex drumming. Jorge Garrido (a.k.a. El Estepario Siberiano)

Danny Carey All Day would Be my suggestion..Amazing Drummer

Terry Bozzio.

I would love to see another Canadian icon at the drum kit. I think Gil Moore from Triumph would be awsome . Another amazing Canadian icon Johnny Fay from the tragically hip

Dave Grohl could do it. But NOBODY can replace the great Neil. Master.

Get Mike Mangini! And Tour Europe please!

Keeping the original roots Canadian. I would consider the drummer from Terra Cotta 2.0 Hopefully the boys will get out a couple of more times to put closure to a chapter that touched the world 🌎.

Gavin Harrison is the man for the job.

Stewart Copeland could be a good fit in my opinion.

DAvid Garibaldi

no Mike Mangine should be the one to do the job he would be perfect!

I think replacing the professor is a tall task for anyone but,I don’t think any of the modern drummers would be the answer. I’m willing to bet that there are drummers out there that can do a reasonable job

There are no drummers who can replace Neil. If the guys want to keep going they need to find a drummer who is strong enough to stand on their own. Not even try to be Neil Peart.

I’m not saying they shouldn’t ever play Rush songs again but I Couldn’t imagine putting on a traditional Rush concert without Neil Peart or Alex or Getty Some drummers are capable of playing some rush songs correct but no one can play all the songs correctly like Peart done even if someone Manages to play all the right notes ,beats and Rhythms it still wouldn’t sound as good without Peart’s unique style and personality that came across in his playing. I don’t think Geddy and Alex would settle for second best. He was a perfectionist throughout his entire Career without showing off or a bunch of flair while making the impossible look easy . Not everyone is replaceable

Danny Carey would improve Rush immensely

Not being facetious, but Omar nailed it and would have made Neil really proud…

What about Carl Palmer (ELP) ?

Carl Palmer would be able for sure. No doubt.

I’ve got a roland TR and I’m available!

Did you see when Grohl played with Rush during their induction into the rock and roll hall of Fame? Pretty impressive.

Greg Bissonette

Deen Castronovo could do it. He’s a beast, and could sing background vocals, too, not that Rush has many of those.

Please let be Stewart Coupland.

If he’s available and up for it, I’d love to see Virgil Donati fill the role.

I’m sorry… Tim Alexander has been playing Rush with Rush for years. He’s got the chops, stamina and groove that Alex and Geddy love.

It’s Gotta be Tim!

I think precision is what will count when trying to perform these masterpieces. Thomas Lang is about the only person who comes to mind for me.

Carter Beaufort could handle the job. He is seriously underrated but is a fine and creative percussionist. IMHO

Let’s not forget, Neil was not the first drummer for Rush. Why should he be the last?

What about Carl Palmer?

Tommy Aldridge! Thats all you need to know!

wHO ELSE BILL BRUFORD

Typical speculation, enjoy it or not when this project comes to fruition. Don’t have any expectations because you will be disappointed.

I’d say Rory Dolan or Kris Myers. None of the rock drummers are good enough

Correction. Neal was not a founding member, John Rutsey was the original drummer,

they need Simon Phillips

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Rock trailblazer Heart reunites for a world tour and a new song

Heart — the pioneering band that melds Nancy Wilson’s shredding guitar with her sister Ann’s powerhouse vocals — is hitting the road this spring for a world tour that Nancy Wilson describes as “the full-on rocker size.”

NEW YORK -- Heart — the pioneering band that melds Nancy Wilson’s shredding guitar with her sister Ann’s powerhouse vocals — is hitting the road this spring and fall for a world tour that Nancy Wilson describes as “the full-on rocker size.”

“I’ve been strengthening. I’ve got my trainer,” she says. “You go one day at a time and you strengthen one workout session at a time. It’s a lot of work, but it’s the only job I know how to do.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who gave us classic tracks like “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone” will be playing all the hits, some tracks from of their solo albums — like Ann Wilson's “Miss One and Only” and Nancy Wilson's “Love Mistake” — and a new song called “Roll the Dice.”

“I like to say we have really good problems because the problem we have is to choose between a bunch of different, really cool songs that people love already,” says Nancy Wilson.

Like “Barracuda,” a sonic burst which first appeared on the band’s second album, “Little Queen” and is one of the band’s most memorable songs.

“You can’t mess with ‘Barracuda.’ It’s just the way it is. It is great. You get on the horse and you ride. It’s a galloping steed of a ride to go on. And for everybody, including the band."

The tour kicks off Saturday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, and will hit cities including Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit, as well as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. International dates include stops in London, Oslo, Berlin, Stockholm, Montreal and Glasgow.

The band's Royal Flush Tour will have Cheap Trick as the opening act for many stops, but Def Leppard and Journey will join for three stadium dates in Cleveland, Toronto and Boston this summer.

Ann and Nancy Wilson will be filled out by Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar), Ryan Waters (guitars), Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals), Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean T. Lane (drums).

The tour is the first in several years for Heart, which was rocked by a body blow in 2016 when Ann Wilson’s husband was arrested for assaulting Nancy’s 16-year-old twin sons. Nancy Wilson says that's all in the past.

“We can take any kind of turbulence, me and Ann, and we’ve always been OK together,” she says. “We’re still steering the ship and happy to do it together. So we’re tight.”

The new tour will take them to Canada, which was warm to the band when they were starting out as what Nancy Wilson calls “a couple of chicks from Seattle.” She recalls Vancouver embracing Heart, and touring in one van across Canada in the dead of winter on two lane highways.

The Wilson sisters broke rock's glass ceiling in the '70s and Nancy Wilson says they only had male influences to look to, like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Moody Blues.

Now she says she looks out and loves seeing generations of female rockers. “You have boygenius and you have Billie Eilish and you have Olivia Rodrigo and so many amazing women — Maggie Rogers and Sheryl Crow, who calls us her big influence. And then Billie Eilish might have Sheryl Crow as her influence. So it’s a really nice legacy to pass along. I like to say we’re the OG — the original gangsters — of women and rock.”

Heart has made it into the Rock Hall, won Grammys, sold millions of albums and rocked hundreds of thousands of fans but Nancy Wilson has one place she'd still like to shine.

Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of their debut album, “Dreamboat Annie,” which was the same year that “Saturday Night Live” started. “So we’re actually kind of putting it out there — Heart never played on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ But what about the 50th birthday party with Heart?”

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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GO NOW! TOUR DATES AT A GLANCE

By The Barricade

How Much Money Bands Make on Tour: The Breakdown

There are always plenty of myths about how much money bands make on tour. If you ask megastars, then they’ll easily say millions. Yet, you might find a different answer from a much smaller act.

The true figures about how much money bands make on tour depend on their schedule, crew, attendance of the show, and the amount of merchandise sold each night.

What may seem like a lucrative part of the industry can be particularly misleading, and amounts will vary from act to act.

The music industry’s costs and potential earnings from touring can vary heavily. So just how much money do bands make on tour, and is it worth all the effort?

4 Ways Bands Make Money While On Tour

Considering the money bands make on tour, it’s about getting bodies in the venue.

The more people attend a show, the more money you make. What gives the band revenue streams are factors such as:

• Promoters rate
• Ticket price
• Merch sales

So let’s see how these can earn bands money when playing on tour, as they are all slightly different in how they bring in money.

1. Flat Promoter Fees

Bands first receive a flat amount for playing a tour or show from the promoter .

This fee will vary depending on the band’s place on the card and the type of event they are playing. For example, headliners of a month-long tour will be paid more than an opening act who appears at only a set number of shows.

Agents and venues will take a small amount of this fee, but most of the money will go directly to the act.

A flat fee guarantees you get something from every show you play. The guarantee often will be a minimum of $500-$800 per show, so bands playing ten shows may receive a flat fee of $5000.

2. Show Guarantees

Guarantees are a deal you can make with the venue to bring in X sales if they cut their cost by Y. If you are an established band, you might get away with this. But for those that are starting, you will need to prove that you can make this mark with your social media presence.

For example, if 8 out of 10 shows sell out, a band might receive an $800 bonus for selling out a set number of venues.

Speaking of social media – if you are signed on with a label, this is an expense that you will not have to cover yourself. Typically, most labels will do all of your promotion and social media marketing for you because this is how they make money off of you. So get them to leverage this as much as they can!

It is easy to see why the term “starving artist” exists with all of this information. The cost to initially go on tour is costly, and there are not a lot of guarantees that you can make money. Many bands will lose money before they start to make money from touring . However, you can make traveling a career with persistence and a keen budgetary eye. ALWAYS make sure you do your research.

These sorts of fees entice bands to hit the road in the first place. And it is how the big bands earn big bucks from sponsors and promoters looking to fill big venues after someone’s profile reaches new heights.

Total minimum income from promoter fees (guarantees and flat payouts): $5000-$8000

3. Ticket Sales & Gate Receipts

The other big income driver is selling the people into the venue itself. And your income from this is easy to work out. The more people at a show, the more money you earn.

Don’t get excited, though, thinking that you are going to 100% of the sales from a sold-out venue. The figure currently sits at around 75-80% of the amount.

After all, promoters, venues, and agents will take their slice of the money before you receive the income from those entering the venue.

So how much might you earn? Well, most average gig venues have a capacity of around 350 people. According to FinanceBuzz, the average price for a ticket sits at $63.54 for shows in the USA. Going by this estimate, a sold-out show would generate a base revenue of $22,239. Removing the fees from agents leaves $16,679 for acts to take.

When dividing these figures amongst the artists playing, a headliner looks to take around 60% of these figures, while support acts may receive 20%.

So going by these figures, headliners would get $10,007 from a sold-out show while two support acts would receive $3335. That is before the money is then split between individual members.

If you play in a four-piece, headlining band members would receive $2,501 per show, and those on the support bill would receive $833 each.

It shows how vital selling out venues is for everyone on the card, regardless if they are a headlining act or first on the support bill.

Total minimum income from sales/show: $800-$2500

4. Merchandise

The other big money generator is by selling merchandise. Merchandising is a big way to boost potential income, mainly if a venue is sold out.

Fans will always want to grab something from a show, and even just having a t-shirt for sale makes a big difference to your worth.

You must know you won’t get all the profits some bands get. Depending on different factors, the venue will look to recoup a decent slice of the sales numbers, which might range from 20-35%.

With that in mind, you need to set prices that are not extortionate but also allow you to recoup what it costs to make them. It’s why most bands set a minimum of $10-$20 for shirts at a stall.

Some merchandising companies will jack prices up higher if they are representing a headliner, and that’s when fees will hit $40-$50 per shirt.

If you can sell shirts to a minimum of 60% of a 350-person venue, you are looking at generally an average minimum of $3,150 in shirt sales per show.

After deducting external fees, you would receive $2,205 to share among band members. This would break down to an average of $551.25 per show for each member of a four-piece band .

It could allow members to earn at least $5510 each if they were to repeat this on a 10-show tour where each show had sold out.

Total minimum income in Merch sales: $5500-22,200

Who Gets The Most Money on Tour? Bands or Everyone Else?

Touring is a relentless beast for any act. However, it’s also a necessity. Playing show after show for weeks on end is a grueling effort, but it is the best way to boost your profile and sales of CDs.

You often see tours touted as the money maker for best-selling artists; to a degree, they aren’t wrong.

According to to live revenue aggregator Pollstar, The Rolling Stones have amassed $2.17bn through touring throughout their career, with U2 having also grossed $2.13bn over past decades.

Surely, musicians should all be touring as much as possible, right? However, that’s not quite the case.

Many major acts who perform at stadiums and arenas will have others funding much of their set. This could be through primary sponsors, promoters, and even record labels.

For bands or musicians touring in a van from town to town, it’s a much different scenario. It’s here where every little item makes a difference to the end figure you receive.

Costs to think about when on tour

When battling profits and losses, everything will impact just what you will make. This all includes:

• Travel & Accommodation
• Overall Attendance
• Third-Party Deals
• Merchandising

It’s a lot to take in, but you need to know how each of these may see you finish making a profit or sucking on a loss.

You will find that the only concrete money that comes into your pocket will be whatever the promoter pays you to complete the tour .

From there, everything else is potentially fluid. Your primary sources of income will come from the gate of each show.

The more people who attend, the better chances of making a profit. It’ll also directly drive how much you make from merch sales.

From there, the costs then start to add up. Logistics aren’t cheap, even if you stay at budget hotels and use a second-hand van for riding show to show.

That doesn’t cover paying for those with you on tour. Costs can include paying crew members for technical support and selling merch for you.

Furthermore, there are also third-party costs that may need to be factored in too. Venues often take some share of merch sales and gate receipts as well. This may not be much, but 10% over several weeks soon adds up.

When considering pure travel or rest days, everything runs closer to the break-even point (where revenue equals costs). So is it all worth it?

The 6 Highest Costs of Touring as a Band You Need To Know

Touring is very much part of the industry. It’s what drives sales and boosts star power. However, to make money, you do genuinely have to spend money.

Spending is what it might feel like your band is doing non-stop when on tour. Everything costs, and it’s not cheap to do even a month’s tour in the current climate.

Let’s take some time to break down just what you might be spending on the road.

1. Travel & Accommodation

It would be best if you worked out everything regarding logistics. Even a domestic tour of the US isn’t going to be cheap.

Just in logistics, you will frequently be spending high amounts of money on:

• Accommodation
• Means of transportation

When it comes to transportation, driving is by far the cheapest method. Yet, it doesn’t make it particularly affordable. You would be lucky to hire a van and trailer for anything less than $10000 for the tour.

Then, just fuel will drive your costs even higher. The EIA showed that the cost per gallon has skyrocketed from $1.50 in 2000 to over $5 in the 2020s.

With fuel prices rising at an average annual rate of 4%, it’s a brutal price to pay just from getting from show to show. This would mean that you may spend a minimum of $5,000-$10,000 on a month’s tour in fuel. These fuel costs significantly impact where bands must tour , so their potential earnings are worth the effort.

Then there’s accommodation. You will need to find somewhere to sleep, and you can’t spend every night sleeping in a van. You will find that most cheap hotels will set you back an average of $50 a night per person. That is a minimum of $300-$500 a night for your traveling party. If you set that back over a month-long tour, it’s another $8000 in expenses.

Total Minimum Logistics Cost: approx. $20000-25000

2. Personnel Costs (Staffing)

Another considerable expense will be paying for having any team members with you on tour. This will be an amount that varies depending on your act as a whole.

If you are a solo artist or a band, you might get away with having a manager with you on tour and a roadie to work lights/sound engineering.

The costs will expand even further for acts with an additional crew, such as merch sellers and extra musicians. But everyone still has to be paid for.

Some acts have been straightforward about these costs. Indie pop duo Pomplamoose revealed in 2014 that for their tour, they paid six tour members $8794 for a week on the road. That included four touring musicians and two sound staff. That equated to over $43,000 during that 5-week tour.

While crew costs may be smaller than what Pomplamoose paid for that tour, you will still need to pay the crew what they are worth for tours. That will be $10,000 for two or three crew members over a month.

Total Minimum Crew Costs:$10,000

3. Insurance

You can’t be on tour without being insured when on stage. This covers both yourself or injury and potential incidents with fans on stage.

You never know when a set piece might spontaneously collapse, or a stage dive might go wrong. Most policies can be split into two areas:

• Annual amount

For those playing intermittently, prices by the event may only hit around $50-$60, but tour-wide policies can stretch into the thousands.

Annual fees can be cheaper; these cover artists year-round regardless of how much they perform. With these policies starting at around $200 per performer, it can work out more affordable for those performing all-year round.

What makes insurance “expensive” is deciding not to pay for it. Getting sued because someone gets injured at your show is a reality.

Total Minimum Insurance Cost: $50-$800

4. Production Cost

Production costs are never going to be cheap. Even though you own all your instruments, you must determine what lighting and sound equipment you may need to rent.

None of this equipment is particularly cheap, especially lighting rigs and other heavy items requiring much power. This, on its own, will likely set you back several thousand to get what you need.

Throw in a couple more thousand for trailers to haul everything along, and you will likely find that production costs will reach a minimum of $5,000-$10,000.

Thankfully, it’s a far cry from what an established tour manager revealed to the English newspaper The Guardian that they spent over $750,000 daily for a significant headlining stadium tour.

Total Minimum Production Cost: $5,000-$10,000

5. Merchandise

Before earning the benefit of merch sales figures, you need to physically create the shirts and hats and make enough of them to sell at the show.

Making merchandise isn’t cheap, and there are plenty of loopholes to negotiate before you can sell it.

You need to think carefully about the average size of your venues and the type of people at those shows. This lets you determine how much you need to create and what kind of items you want to sell.

Production costs will generally start in the hundreds if you sell one t-shirt style for your act, and then it’s just a matter of the quantity.

So if you manufactured one shirt at a base cost of $3, getting 500 for a week’s worth of shows would cost you $150. It would expand to $600 if you did this for a month-long tour.

Should you expand your product line, then that will drive costs higher. For example, creating an embroidered hat would start at $12. The 500 items for a week would cost $6000 to sell alongside a t-shirt.

Thankfully, you can recoup these costs back through sales, but it still needs to be counted up when adding total expenses.

Total Minimum Merchandising Costs: $500-$3000

Food is the energy that gives your team the power to rock. Choose whole-grain sources for sustained energy. Nobody shreds like a guitarist fueled by shredded wheat.

In all seriousness, it doesn’t hurt to prioritize healthy and economical foods when you’re on the road. The temptation for gas station junk food is hard to resist, but they don’t provide the best value in terms of nutrition. A sugar crash halfway through a set isn’t ideal.

Non-perishable staples, including canned goods you can warm up in a hotel microwave, are among the most cost-effective foods for road trips. Ultimately, getting most of your food from a grocery store rather than a drive-through will save your band a great deal. Except to spend about $10 a day (give or take) per person this way.

Also, free hotel breakfasts can come in extraordinarily hand

Total Minimum Food Costs: $300

7. Fees That Come Outside of the Tours and Shows

When working out costs, you also need to consider any cuts external parties may take from overall figures. This is something you should consider a general expense.

First, you need to consider who is taking what shares from the potential income you may receive.

These amounts generally won’t change, and figures will be spread between promoters, third-party agents, and the venue. Those figures include:

• Promoters: 10% of gate receipts
• Booking Agents : 5-10% of playing fee, gate receipts
• Venue: 20-30% Merchandise sales, 20% Gate Receipts

With everyone looking to get a slice of the action, it can genuinely affect how much money bands make on tour. And your overall net income will drop as more people become involved.

Merchandise sales are hotly contested, with many venues slowly looking to get an increased share of what is sold in their venues. For example, venues in the UK increased their take to 30% in 2022 as venues themselves looked to find ways to stay profitable.

Consider carefully what you may lose in add-on figures for an entire tour. You may need to be aware of the cut everyone else is looking to take.

Total Minimum Add-On Costs: 20-30% of all incoming figures

How Much Money Bands Make On Tour – Comparing Expenses and Profits With an Example

There are often fine margins when working out how much money bands make on tour. These margins are often dictated by how many people attend a show.

It’s a big risk to take especially considering how much bands have to fork out to go on the road in the first place. As we can see from the following breakdown:

Final Breakdowns

Total Minimum costs:

• Logistics: $20000-25000
• Crew: $10000-$30000
• Insurance: $200-$8000
• Production: $8000-$10000
• Merchandise: $2400-$21000

Minimum Tour Cost: $40,600

To have to spend $40,600 just for a potential four-week tour is a massive amount for any band to commit to. And it’s a commitment with no guarantee of success.

It’s why acts hope that they can sell out shows and try to bring in as much money as possible. A successful tour can be profitable, though, as our breakdown shows.

Minimum Income (headlining act):

•   Promoter Fees: $5000-$8000
• Ticket Sales: $25000
• Merchandise: $22,000

Total Income: $52,000

For a headlining act, an income of $52,000 from a tour means the band just about comes out profitable, posting a margin of $11,600. Each band member would walk away with $13,000 from a tour.

By this estimate, bands must repeat that cycle for several months to earn a decent annual salary.

With the US Bureau of Statistics averaging the annual average salary at $54,132, bands would need to tour for four months a year for each member to hit that milestone.

That is still dependent on the shows being completely sold out. If attendances are only half or 75% full, bands risk being left in the red.

It’s why touring is not quite as glamorous as it might seem, and a lot of hard work is required to showcase just how much money bands make on tour and make it a successful venture.

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The Concert

ABBA Voyage is the long-awaited concert from one of the biggest pop acts of all time featuring a setlist of ABBA’s biggest, most popular hits – each handpicked with great care by the band.

Experience a concert like no other

Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid have created the kind of concert they always wanted, performing for their fans at their very best: as digital versions of themselves backed by today’s finest musicians.

Blurring the lines between the physical and digital, see the magic of ABBA brought to life using the latest in motion capture technology.

It’s the greatest ABBA performance the world has never seen. Until now.

Concert Times

The concert is 90 minutes long and there is no interval. Doors open 1 hour 45 minutes before the start of the concert. The performance will start promptly and latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance.

Please note adjusted performance times for Holiday, Christmas and New Year’s periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time should we arrive.

Please arrive an hour in advance of your concert start time to allow for ticket and security checks and any travel disruption on the day.

The concert begins promptly at the time as advertised on your ticket*:

REGULAR SCHEDULE Monday – 7:45pm Thursday – 7:45pm Friday – 7:45pm Saturday – 3pm and 7:45pm Sunday – 1pm and 6pm

Latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable point in the concert

*There may be seasonal variations to show times – check your tickets for correct performance start time.

What’s the concert running time? 

The run time is approximately 90 minutes without an interval – so you can enjoy as much singing and dancing as possible.

Will ABBA be at the concert? 

The concert has been carefully planned by all 4 members of ABBA. Although not physically in the Arena, they have created the kind of concert they always wanted – blurring the lines between the real and the digital to give you the best version of themselves. Find out more  here .

What time does the Arena open? 

The arena opens at the following times ahead of each concert:

REGULAR SCHEDULE Monday – 6pm Thursday – 6pm Friday – 6pm Saturday – 1pm and 6pm Sunday – 11:15am and 4:15pm

Please arrive an hour in advance of your concert start time to allow for ticket and security checks and any travel disruption on the day. The concert begins promptly at the time as advertised on your ticket* Latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable point in the concert

*There may be seasonal variations to timings

Are there any age restrictions? 

Although anyone can enjoy the music of ABBA, we recommend this event is suitable for those over 6 years old. Unfortunately, children under 3 will not be allowed into the venue, those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and may not sit in the arena on their own. The Dance Floor area is not recommended for anyone younger than 12.

View our recommended hotels.

On-site Merch

ABBA Voyage merchandise is available on site, both inside the ABBA Arena and at our shop at Pudding Mill Lane station.