INTRO
Touring is a fairly large industry today- you see artists like Justin Timberlake, U2 and Garth Brooks doing World Tours, and most of those are year-round or longer. While not every tour is that extensive, every tour IS just as important, and requires just as much prep work. From the moment we receive the contract, to when we execute the show day, every minuscule detail has to be discussed, entered, and fulfilled.
Here at Streamline Event Agency, our initial work with our touring Artists begins when we receive the signed contracts from the booking agent. Our first step is to reach out to the Promoter, as we know that good communication is an important aspect of any show day and tour. From this initial email, we receive the necessary contact information for the Venue, Technical Director, Caterer, Volunteer Coordinator, and any other contacts we might need.
We also begin with a Preliminary Schedule, including the times for Load-in, VIP experience, Meals, Doors, Showtime and Load-out. Lastly, we discuss the tour’s Hotel and Travel needs, as these generally need to booked at least a month in advance. From there, we will connect with those other contacts, and begin advancing the details for each show.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
While we’re laying the foundation for communication with the Promoters, we’re also working on the minute details of the tour, and what the Artists, Band and Crew will need to know. We need to know who the Artist’s accompanying personnel will be (full band, trio, any openers?), and what kind of Production (sound/lights/staging) the tour will be using- do we need to rent and carry with us or use the venue’s in-house production?
This will help us determine what Crew will need to be with us. We need a fairly accurate head count, as that determines our hotel rooms, busing and catering counts. During this time, we’re creating a Tour Book, that will be given to all Tour Personnel. This will include essential information like a General Schedule, Rehearsal Info, Tour Contacts, Tour Routing, and even details like Bus/Bunk Assignments. We also create a Tour Calendar that all Tour Personnel will have access to. The information we drop in includes information specific to each show day, as well as Bus Call information. Each show day will have the Schedule, Hotel Address, and relevant Venue information like Address, Wifi Log-in and Password, and Shower details.
IT’S GO TIME!
Great communication is critical in having a successful tour. As any touring personnel should know, flexibility is key on the road- there are ever-changing details, no matter how well the show may have been advanced. We need to make sure that everyone knows where to look when information is revised, and that all personnel have the most up-to-date materials. Once all of this is established, you’re ready to hit the road!
