Customer Reviews

Tour:Smart: And Break the Band

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading this book, it's almost painful to look back at some of the mistakes I've made and the money I've lost over the past several years, and to think about how many of them I could have easily avoided by using the advice and tips that are in this book. This book is enourmous, and every page seems to contain information that could have helped me out at least once. It's great to finally have this book available, and I can't wait to start using some of the strategies it outlines. Could not be more highly recommended for anyone in a band, with a label, or in any way involved in or interested in the music business.

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.

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.

Now I know why the failure rate is so high with bands. This book doesn't sugar coat anything. Finally, a music business book that doesn't have the "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough,.." self help mentality. All the ugly realities exposed!

It's a major reality check for anyone that wants to become a full time musician.

An essential read for anyone crazy enough to want a career in music. This thing should've been written years ago. Before you step foot in a tour van, read this book. It might save your career - and your sanity. Thanks, Martin and co., for giving all of us hopefuls the real deal - and, in some cases, a much needed reality check - on how to succeed at one of the craziest jobs in the world!!!!

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.

This book is a monster--big thick tome of information. Every band who is seriously considering leaving the garage MUST read this book. Atkins is a fantastic writer and he is able to make the boring business side of this industry entertaining. In addition to his insight, there are many testimonials from other touring artists, managers, booking agents, merch guys/gals, etc. from everything to getting laid to getting paid. The horror stories alone are worth the price of the book. Consider TOUR:SMART to be the owner's manual to being in a band that plays shows. And as always, if what you're doing isn't working, RTFM!

I purchased this to review then hand over to my son and his band who
have toured relentlessly for the last 6 years. They have been through
3 record label deals that would make even the strong bands quit and go
back to a 9 to 5. Their lives are written in Marty's pages-but Marty
gives hope. Follow the do's & don't's like those who give advise here.
If you think you can work around the proven methods of earning a living
as a touring musician you will surely learn the hard way and have plenty
of debt to prove it. There is a lot of info here and some great ideas to
keep you earning money. Thanks, Marty for your insight because you lived
it and the fine contributions from others in the industry. This is a manual to consistantly refer to as you journey through the adventurous
career of entertaining the fickle public.

This book is a must-have for anyone involved in the touring aspects of the music industry. It contains real-life stories and anecdotes from people who have lived on the road and have had the moments that the writers of "Spinal Tap" never even thought of. It covers EVERY aspect of touring, from contracts, schedules, transportation and riders, to groupies and maintaining health. The humorous and "real" tone of the book helps to make this an easy and informative read. This book should be shoved into every tour bus bunk and in every cargo van. This book is huge...the size of a textbook, and worth double what it costs. In fact, as a music business major, I've learned more from this inexpensive book than the hundreds of dollars worth of textbooks that I've bought for classes. If you're a musician, roadie or manager, this book is NECESSARY.

The most interesting and least expensive text book that you'll ever have to buy, Atkins hits on the most important yet most over looked aspects of touring. It's great that your band is the best thing since squeezy cheese, But...

Are you touring at the right time and in the right place? Are you putting too much faith in promoters? Do you know the best route to where you are going and how much its going to cost to get there BEFORE you leave?

Find out, and for god's sake.. Tour Smart!