From packing the right equipment to keeping enough gas in the tank to get home, every aspect of making a successful tour with a band is addressed in this comprehensive guide. More than 100 luminaries and leading organizations from the world of touring—among them Chris Connelly, Henry Rollins, the House of Blues, and the Vans Warped Tour, as well as club owners, tour managers, and even sex advisors—provide handy insider know-how along with insight on mistakes commonly made by novice bands. Chapters address the nitty-gritty of touring, with instructions on how to secure venues and publicity, how to stay healthy on the road, and how to keep the budget in the black. Loaded with hundreds of years' worth of collective hands-on experience from those steeped in the music business, this is a must-have resource for creating an unforgettable tour.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"An inveterate self-promoter, Martin Atkins is, as usual, talking a mile a minute. But it's hard to resist being charmed by his rapid-fire banter, because as always, he has plenty of impressive accomplishments to tout." —Chicago Sun Times
"Tour:Smart functions as an uncensored companion text to [Martin Atkins'] classroom teachings." —Chicago Tribune
"In my six years of college, Martin Atkins was the man to clarify all the other instructors' psychobabble! He prepped me for the industry in a single semester." —Michelle Cho, PETA
"This is not advice. This is the Holy Grail." —Kraze
"If you are a music business major at university, this should be on your syllabus. —Blogcritics Magazine
"Atkins embodies the entrepreneurial spirit with a unique merger of creativity and business sense"—Dr. David Herrera, Belmont University
"Having been a part of seminal bands like Pigface, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Killing Joke, and Public Image Limited, when Atkins talked about the business of music, people listen." —Richi Corelli, soundsect.com
"The ultimate touring manual. . . . Tackles every conceivable aspect of getting the show on the road in a highly readable style." —Mojo
About the Author
Martin Atkins is the owner of the record label Invisible and has been organizing multiband tours since 1995. As a professional drummer he was a member of the bands Killing Joke, Nine Inch Nails, Pigface, and Public Image Ltd. He is a member of the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association and a professor at Columbia College Chicago where he teaches the seminar "The Business of Touring." He lives in Chicago.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Man, I wanted to like this book, but I was really disappointed.
I'm in a bad that tours the country about twice a year, and has for the last few years, and I'd hoped this book would have some good advice. However, this book is aimed at bands who already play to a few hundred people a night, rather than for someone at my level. Also, it doesn't give you much advice on doing things without a big team behind you: for example, it tells you that you could book a tour without a booking agent, but doesn't give you much advice on how to actually do that.
I also felt like this book was aimed at men, and assumed that the audience it was speaking to was male (lots of sections seemed uneccesarily gendered) and HATED HATED HATED a lot of the sections about being a woman on tour. Ugh. The advice was things like "Don't pack too much makeup" and "Don't lose your keys." Srsly?
I've been booking tours and in touring bands for about 5 years now, and I felt like this was an interesting read for a peek into the life of a big band on tour, but was pretty irrelevant to a small band, and kind of insulting to female musicians.
I'm in a bad that tours the country about twice a year, and has for the last few years, and I'd hoped this book would have some good advice. However, this book is aimed at bands who already play to a few hundred people a night, rather than for someone at my level. Also, it doesn't give you much advice on doing things without a big team behind you: for example, it tells you that you could book a tour without a booking agent, but doesn't give you much advice on how to actually do that.
I also felt like this book was aimed at men, and assumed that the audience it was speaking to was male (lots of sections seemed uneccesarily gendered) and HATED HATED HATED a lot of the sections about being a woman on tour. Ugh. The advice was things like "Don't pack too much makeup" and "Don't lose your keys." Srsly?
I've been booking tours and in touring bands for about 5 years now, and I felt like this was an interesting read for a peek into the life of a big band on tour, but was pretty irrelevant to a small band, and kind of insulting to female musicians.
16 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you're leasing a tour bus and getting $1000+ a night for gigs, then the examples in this book might interest you. I found it beyond the practical level of most indie bands I know.
I was surprised and unappreciative of the level of profanity. It is possible to glean some good insights from the book, but it is more a compilation of several events and happenings in the authors life. The touring information was beyond the scope of 99% of indie bands wanting to book a tour...which is probably the audience for this book. So while it is interesting to read, it lacks continuity and misses the mark on practicality...in my opinion.
I was surprised and unappreciative of the level of profanity. It is possible to glean some good insights from the book, but it is more a compilation of several events and happenings in the authors life. The touring information was beyond the scope of 99% of indie bands wanting to book a tour...which is probably the audience for this book. So while it is interesting to read, it lacks continuity and misses the mark on practicality...in my opinion.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Musicians, Promoters, Roadies, Club Owners, Merch Teamers, Street Teamers, Tour Managers, Band Managers, Production Managers and everyone else that ever thought about having anything to do in the performance music circuit....
... meet your holy grail.
This book is AWESOME! It is an extremely thorough overview of the gears that make up the live music and touring scene. Its not all polished up and proper - but thats what I love about it. The language and narration are real with sometimes crude or cleche phrases that are direct to the point but proficient in painting a picture.
Most of all, it is evident that the information provided is backed up by tried and true experience of a rainbow of contributors organized in a way THAT MAKES SENSE. I wish all industry books were written this way. All too often I pick up a book that some random guy wrote from his basement providing tunnel vision prospective with a 2+2=4 attitude.
Arithmetic is great and common logic is important but its the experience that lies between the text that reference books fail to capture. Not this one.
Perhaps you are trying to research a specific part of the industry such as a musician's prospective or a promoter and happened to stumble upon this. GET IT ANYWAY. To understand your gear's specific role, you have to understand the entire machine and there is probably some information in here to help you.
I am an Audio Engineer. Before that I was a performing musician. I have managed a technical team on the road and now I am researching perhaps opening a music venue. Although I could have just skimmed through this book to find the information that pertains to me, I find I am glued to every page with thoughts like, "huh, why didn't I think of that?"
You get my point. Buy it and pass it along.
... meet your holy grail.
This book is AWESOME! It is an extremely thorough overview of the gears that make up the live music and touring scene. Its not all polished up and proper - but thats what I love about it. The language and narration are real with sometimes crude or cleche phrases that are direct to the point but proficient in painting a picture.
Most of all, it is evident that the information provided is backed up by tried and true experience of a rainbow of contributors organized in a way THAT MAKES SENSE. I wish all industry books were written this way. All too often I pick up a book that some random guy wrote from his basement providing tunnel vision prospective with a 2+2=4 attitude.
Arithmetic is great and common logic is important but its the experience that lies between the text that reference books fail to capture. Not this one.
Perhaps you are trying to research a specific part of the industry such as a musician's prospective or a promoter and happened to stumble upon this. GET IT ANYWAY. To understand your gear's specific role, you have to understand the entire machine and there is probably some information in here to help you.
I am an Audio Engineer. Before that I was a performing musician. I have managed a technical team on the road and now I am researching perhaps opening a music venue. Although I could have just skimmed through this book to find the information that pertains to me, I find I am glued to every page with thoughts like, "huh, why didn't I think of that?"
You get my point. Buy it and pass it along.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
THE ONLY BOOK ON TOURING PERIOD!!!
Plain and simple there is only one "complete-book" in the Touring/DIY Music field & this is it!!!
If you're band is just starting out, use this book as guide for "WHAT... Read more
If you're band is just starting out, use this book as guide for "WHAT... Read more
Published 2 months ago by joshdiymusic
Great Book!
This book is one of the best music industry books out there, I think my professor even refers to this as the "Industry Bible". I agree with him. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kylie the City Girl
Great how-to book for touring bands
This book is a legitimate how-to guide for any musical group that wants to tour. Where it fell short for me was the process of going from group of musicians with successful day... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Chris
Awesome Guide
This is the kind of book any local band should have. All tour agents should have it and learn the tricks. It is very insightful and useful.
Published 9 months ago by eyeslikeice
Great Book!
Great book that contains a ton of useful information regarding touring.
A must have for anyone who's serious about making a living performing music.
A must have for anyone who's serious about making a living performing music.
Published 13 months ago by John Gray
Amazing Book
This book has it all: stories, tips, interviews, EVERYTHING!
definitely one of the most helpful and true tour books ever.
definitely one of the most helpful and true tour books ever.
Published 16 months ago by Jordan Zimmermann
Every band should have this book...
"Tour: Smart - and Break the Band" by Martin Atkins is a must read for any and all musicians, bands or anyone in a touring industry. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Scott@detone8
Great resource!
There are so many books out there for how to get your band off the ground. If you've never toured, at all, this is probably not the book for you. Read more
Published on April 20, 2010 by dave carter
Wish I'd Had This 10 Years Ago!
Whether you're a musicmaker or someone in the arts just looking for management and organizational tips, this book will be useful to you... Read more
Published on October 1, 2009 by lhm1138
AMAZING!!!
I have read a few music industry books in the past few years and this one is the best I have ever read! Read more
Published on August 25, 2009 by Daniel Mitchem
Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
(learn more)
total mileage, budget sheet, merch person, merch booth, merch girl, merch sales, street teamers, catering rider, merch guy, vehicle mpg, tour managing, tour manager, touring internationally, merchandise booth, tour diaries, opening band, routing sheet, sound checking Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Martin Atkins, Killing Joke, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Map Point, Jolly Roger, Bottom of the Hill, San Diego, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, New Jersey, Example Budget, Total Cost, Chris Connelly, Daily Cost, Brian Brain, Evil Mothers, Curse Mackey, Damage Manual, Digital Mindy, Sun Jul, Tue Jul, Marilyn Manson, Murphy's Law Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
total mileage, budget sheet, merch person, merch booth, merch girl, merch sales, street teamers, catering rider, merch guy, vehicle mpg, tour managing, tour manager, touring internationally, merchandise booth, tour diaries, opening band, routing sheet, sound checking Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Martin Atkins, Killing Joke, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Map Point, Jolly Roger, Bottom of the Hill, San Diego, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, New Jersey, Example Budget, Total Cost, Chris Connelly, Daily Cost, Brian Brain, Evil Mothers, Curse Mackey, Damage Manual, Digital Mindy, Sun Jul, Tue Jul, Marilyn Manson, Murphy's Law Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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