Tour expenses. Interesting read

[timmo]

Shows an American band, with expenses and income from a tour. I found it enlightning.

http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2014/11/25/band-just-finished-28-day-tour-made-much

[Noisyjon]

Quite an article!

I love the closing sentiment - [i]"We have not “made it.” We’re making it."[/i]

Good luck to them I say.

[CPBass]

Thats a great read.
Now i'd like to see the same info for the Metallica machine.

[flyfisher]

Yes, good luck to them, but it's a tough way to scrape a living.

[JTUK]

The band/crew seemed to split $9000 a week so that is about $1500 on an equal split.
Ok..thats for 7 shows a week, but that is decent pay, in my book.

They could have been smarter, but seems like a nice gig all round.
I have no idea about the music tho..

[taunton-hobbit]

Interesting figures....there's tax adjustments of course, but this is one reason that I don't gig anymore, the earnings just didn't justify the x's and my ego don't need that amount of stroking......thank God there's still people out there who are prepared to Give It Large in pubs, stadia(?), festivals (how much did Worthy Farm charge for land hire?) and the whole music ting - I'm old(er) now, and quite happy to let others pick it up and run with it...it's important that they do........

[Lynottfan]

Great read, One of the scary things about that article it shows you how hard it is to make it out there at the moment, the investment in "talent" is now largely down to crass TV shows, the music business is even more messed up that it was.

[mentalextra]

They mention "equipment hire", so does this mean they dont use their own instruments to avoid wear and tear or damage

[Dad3353]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1417028850' post='2616402']
They mention "equipment hire", so does this mean they dont use their own instruments to avoid wear and tear or damage
[/quote]

Probably means FOH PA and console, and monitors. It would make sense to hire those.

[Drax]

Typically someone isn't happy [url="https://medium.com/@spencerlee/this-story-could-be-told-in-a-much-more-concise-way-that-leaves-the-band-looking-much-less-like-a-ce267daf11b7"]https://medium.com/@spencerlee/this-story-could-be-told-in-a-much-more-concise-way-that-leaves-the-band-looking-much-less-like-a-ce267daf11b7[/url]

[Old_Ben]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1417028850' post='2616402']
They mention "equipment hire", so does this mean they dont use their own instruments to avoid wear and tear or damage
[/quote]
Could be amps and cabs as well, a lot of touring bands will rent their equipment cheaper from endorsements, as if there is a problem they can get it swapped out pretty quickly, and if your flying, sometimes it's cheaper to rent than pay for the extra luggage costs.

[JapanAxe]

Personally I am way too risk-averse to countenance doing anything like that.

[UglyDog]

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1417031041' post='2616452']
Typically someone isn't happy [url="https://medium.com/@spencerlee/this-story-could-be-told-in-a-much-more-concise-way-that-leaves-the-band-looking-much-less-like-a-ce267daf11b7"]https://medium.com/@spencerlee/this-story-could-be-told-in-a-much-more-concise-way-that-leaves-the-band-looking-much-less-like-a-ce267daf11b7[/url]
[/quote]
His diatribe response seems to be based more on his dislike of the band and their music than anything else.

[Monckyman]

$26k on equipment in lights road cases and backline. Ok they have to have a van and trailer to get about, and lights probably aren't cost effective to buy,but cases and backline ought to be a one off expense, at least for 4 or 5 tours.
Otherwise that seems about right, on the wages as well.

[KevB]

I'll admit I only briefly scanned through the article so I might be wrong but my understanding was that the actual tour lost about $12K but then was brought back into the black by associated internet business and other income spin off as a result of the tour, so I guess it is fair to put that business in with the whole deal. However this was for a single 1 month tour where they worked pretty much every day and ended up with a net 'salary' of about $2K each. Could you really do that [i]every[/i] month? apart from it being utterly knackering i would expect the returns to diminish. Maybe you could get away with it in the USA because there are so many places to play, but in a small country you'd soon start repeating the same venues and people just wouldn't pay to see the same band multiple times a year. So as a contiuous income stream it doesn't pan out. It's easy to see why many professional musos actually have other related jobs, typically teaching, when they are not out gigging.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1417085549' post='2616871']...in a small country you'd soon start repeating the same venues and people just wouldn't pay to see the same band multiple times a year...[/quote]

One could take advantage of the benefits of EU membership to consider the whole of Europe as the theatre of operations, and tour several countries. Slightly more complex than simply going up and down the M1, certainly, but extends one's audience considerably. The French band I was with for a while had their biggest success touring Germany, for instance, and when I was part of our festival team, British, Belgian, Dutch and other bands figured largely in our shows as part of their tour. There is more to life than the UK, although it does pose some organisational challenges. Still, if that's what it takes...

[cybertect]

For a UK comparison, Fish (of Marillion fame) put together a breakdown of costs of touring on his blog last year

http://fishheads.club/2013/01/29/touring/

[TimR]

That's a fair amount of wages there for 4weeks work.

Consider they have no personal travel to pay over that time, no accommodation, the Best Western hotel will include a huge breakfast then they have another $20 a day for food on top. That's another $480 (after tax).

When I worked away from 'home' I always came back with pockets full of money. I was able to give my UK landlords enough notice that I was moving out so I actually had no 'home' in the uk so no outgoings.

When you're on the road there is very little to spend money on.

It's a strange existence, not recommended for huge amounts of time. Especially if you have a family. Most of the guys I knew who had been doing it for a long time were alcoholics on their second or third marriages.

I guess the point is they're not making millions but reduce the gig schedule to 4-5 days a week and lengthen the your to 9 months and that's a decent wage.

Edited November 27, 2014 by TimR

[TimR]

Although none of it is guaranteed at the start!

[mentalextra]

[quote name='Old_Ben' timestamp='1417032972' post='2616491']
Could be amps and cabs as well, a lot of touring bands will rent their equipment cheaper from endorsements, as if there is a problem they can get it swapped out pretty quickly, and if your flying, sometimes it's cheaper to rent than pay for the extra luggage costs.
[/quote]

I guess it makes sense, especially if you have a guitar tech to get it how you like it every time

[KevB]

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1417087637' post='2616902']
For a UK comparison, Fish (of Marillion fame) put together a breakdown of costs of touring on his blog last year

[url="http://fishheads.club/2013/01/29/touring/"]http://fishheads.clu.../01/29/touring/[/url]
[/quote]

Now this really [i]is[/i] enlightening, one part stood out;

''The lottery win of a complete sell out tour would be around 45k profit. Those numbers aren’t coming up! Half that and I would be a happy man but that’s doubtful . If it did hit say 25k there’s still the bogey man of HMRC and corporation tax at 24% taking 6k and leaving 19k. It’s still a lot of money which I would be lucky to be able to make in this day and age and which I’d be exceedingly grateful for''

A respected and well known name who's been in the business 30 years would be very grateful making under £20K take home per year and that might not take any pension contributions into account. It's not the gravy train is it? I hope he stashed plenty away when he was making (hopefully) more money. You can see why some guys start selling off loads of high end gear when they retire from touring.

[TimR]

If you read it fully, he lost his house when one tour collapsed.

[bobbass4k]

[url="https://www.facebook.com/alphamaleteaparty/posts/910351155650710"]https://www.facebook.com/alphamaleteaparty/posts/910351155650710[/url]

[KevB]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1417098321' post='2617071']
If you read it fully, he lost his house when one tour collapsed.
[/quote]

Exactly, reiterating what I was suggesting in earlier posts - this is not a stable predictable income that many of us are fortunate to have! At least he'd made enough by then to actually own a house outright he could then put up as collateral I guess but it must still be kick in the teeth to see it all go.

Edited November 27, 2014 by KevB

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1417034917' post='2616525']
His diatribe response seems to be based more on his dislike of the band and their music than anything else.
[/quote]

And also some bitterness to the fact that they spent their nights on tour in some low-rent hotels. Very odd. If I have to be on the road for work for 28 days in 1 go, I wouldn't really relish the thought of sleeping in the back of the van or on somebody's floor. Besides, when you have hired-hands, you can't really ask them to give up the bare-minimum of creature comforts - a bed.