12 Steps to Book your Band- Step 12

*Set up a sanitation system for the van. Vans are petri dishes. Be sure your travel environment is clean at all times. Empty trash in proper recepticles. Plan who will clean the van and when. Be responsible and take care of your own van space. Carry a first aid kit with alcohol, bandages, butterfly stitches, sunscreen, aloe, aspirin, etc.

12 Steps to Book Your Band- Step 10

http://soldriventrain.com

*Get family priorites in order. Make sure your relationship with your significant other is solid. It’s difficult to have relationship issues up close, much less when you are far away from home. Inform your significant other of your tour schedule, plans and days off. Be sure, if joint finances are an issue, that you have covered your part of the bills before you leave town.

12 Steps to Book Your Band- Step 9

http://soldriventrain.com

*Make sure band members are healthy and in good working order. Physically and mentally. I’m not kidding. Be sure you know if band members are on any sort of medication for physical or mental illness. I’ve had bands get in the van for a month long cross country tour, only to have a member bail four days into a two week tour because they simply cannot cope on the road physically or mentally. Plan three day tours and work your way up to longer stretches. While being on the road looks like fun and sounds like fun, it is stressful. Not everyone is cut out for long haul or even short haul touring.

12 Steps to Book Your Band – Step 8

http://wrinkleneckmules.com

*Make sure all equipment is in good working order. Have back up instruments, amps, heads, effects, etc. Be sure you have proper road cases for your equipment. Carry extra wheels and latches for road cases. Remember to have a good supply of batteries, picks and sticks. Carry extra keys for the van and trailer. UNLOAD THE TRAILER AT NIGHT AND PUT YOUR EQUIPMENT IN THE HOTEL ROOM to deter theft.

12 Steps to Book Your Band- Step 7

7. Make sure a tour vehicle is available and in good working order with proper current documentation, tags and insurance. Be sure ALL members of the band can drive. Designate a driver BEFORE you drink! Understand the blue laws in the cities and towns where shows are scheduled. Understand curfews in college towns and obey them.  Don’t let an arrest ruin your tour.

12 Steps to Booking Your Band-Step 6

6. Be sure to have merchandise and a merchandise display to take with you as you perform at clubs and festival. Many venues offer a table and a corner niche to display and sell merchandise. Ask about this as you’re booking shows. Carry a fold up table or merch display in the van. Be sure you have a plan for selling merchandise. Will the table be manned at all times or just during set breaks?  Is there a street team member you could recruit in each town to help sell tee shirts and cds? Is there a bookkeeping system in place to track sales and orders? Be sure you have stickers for give aways. Always display your business card and be sure you have a stack on your merch table and in your pocket at all times.

12 Steps to Band Booking- Step 5

5. Be sure you have a stage plot and input list readily available. A hospitality rider is advisable. Riders often elevate the pros from the novices. A stage plot, input list and hospitality rider should be part of your online press kit.

12 Steps to Book Your Band- Step 4

4. Be sure you have a clear tour plan. Be sure to note members’ days off, weddings, special occassions, etc. Nothing like lining up fourteen dates in the midwest only to discover your singer’s wife’s due date is during the tour. And you didn’t even know he was married. Or having a child. KNOW YOUR BAND- personally and legally. Be aware of legal issues before you get in the van with someone you really don’t know.

12 Steps to Book your Band- Step 3

3. Make sure you have access to funds. Remember touring does not make money and it costs money to tour. Each individual band member should be financially solvent and able to be away from a day job,without drawing funds away from the band. Getting a call that the landlord is putting your stuff on the sidewalk for non payment of rent at your apartment in Boca Raton when the band is touring in California can seriously put a damper on attitudes and performances.

12 Step to Booking your Band- Step 2

2. Compile a list of the types of venues you want to approach for shows. Remember there are nightclubs, bars, menu venues (bar/restaurants), music venues, acoustic venues, coffeeshops, singer-songwriter venues, tourist bars, college bars and other performance places. Performance opportunities could also include museums, book stores, record stores, schools, festivals and  community events. Make a list of what you hope to achieve as you play shows and that will lead you to the types of venues and opportunities to approach. For example, if your wish is to build a presence in the college market you would not want to target tourist bars. If your intention is to present music to a quiet, seated audience, a rowdy frat or college bar is not the place for you. Be very clear about the types of music venues actually book and your place within their musical format.