Sound Advice for Touring Musicians

02.28.2017

What does the King of Rock and Roll have to say about advice from the industry?

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When the king of rock and roll speaks – you should listen. The above video is from the movie Follow That Dream starring Elvis Presley. The lyrics are great for any burgeoning musician – watch the advice that you get, particularly from people who want to be your boss.

When musicians enter the touring scene, ingrained industry mentalities of how it all is supposed to work seem to make sense on the surface. You are told that venues always get the first cut, booking agencies are guaranteed a commission, tour managers are often paid before the tour and the big bus you were told that you needed is always pre-paid. How else is this tour going to work or happen, this is just how it works.

The dirty little secret is that everyone wants to make sure they get paid before the artist. In fact, most artists barely scrape by or even operate at a loss when all is said and done. But is this how it really has to be?

Digital Music News did a really detailed look at an internet sensation turn touring group, Pomplamoose’s budgeting after a 28 day tour, and found that despite $135,000 being brought in from various income streams, Pomplamoose as a band still lost almost $12,000! Many of these large shows are money losers for bands that have “made it.”

As Elvis sang “They say that you’re getting sound advice, but there’s one thing i’m betting, it ain’t wise, it ain’t nice.”

The good news is the entire music economy is shifting with new creative ideas surrounding what a live show could be and how musicians should be paid. Living room shows are popping up out of necessity. They have lower costs, are often easier, and often match the artists revenue from a big club. This is a new exciting way to make money – plus fans love it!

As a company, TinyGig seeks to be an advocate for artists – we are a platform that allows musicians to lower their overhead and work directly with their fans. With TinyGig all bookings have a rate set by the band and that is paid on the day of the event, with only a small booking fee. This means the bulk of the cash goes straight into your pocket.

Now how’s that for advice?

TinyGig is Live Music Everywhere

TinyGig is a live music marketplace that connects professional musicians with ordinary folks who want to host live music at their private events. Through TinyGig, users can find and book musicians based on their personal preferences while musicians can showcase their talents, availability and set their own price. Learn More

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