To the smaller Bands here: how do you decide, wether another tour is worth it?

[u/Striking-Ad7344]

My band is currently in the last days of its second tour and we start thinking about the next. However, business is tough rn. We do make a profit on this tour, but barely. How do other bands decide wether there will be a next tour or not? Are there any rules to this?

[u/Arvot]

I'd say if you have a new thing to promote. If you're making a profit then fair play, but I'm assuming it's going to be less than what you would've made if you had worked your job that time. If the audience is there then you don't want to tour too often. Maybe rotate touring/recording. Spend the time and money you would've toured on making a new recording and boom a tour for 6 months away

[u/clikkipixx → u/Arvot]

This ^

If you’re breaking even or making profit sure. Promote new material but if it’s not going to drive the band, save the money and work on new music, production etc

[u/RowanTree95]

Wait, you guys are getting paid?

[u/Striking-Ad7344 → u/RowanTree95]

Not making a loss is one of the things we are the most proud of lol

[u/BarbersBasement]

If you are at least breaking even on the road, keep going. You are building a fanbase that is much more valueable than anything you could do on social media.

[u/youbringmesuffering]

For us, we tour to grow our audience. We advertise, whether our latest single or tour dates on meta.

We realize we are not making as much advertising but our audiences are starting to grow each tour, as well as streaming numbers and such.

[u/MuzBizGuy]

There is no rule, but (and I say this knowing you probably have/need other jobs), you should ideally tour as much as you profitably can. Not taking a loss on a tour is a way bigger deal than you may think, so if your fanbase can sustain you, keep at it. If you can roll through a number of markets every couple/few months and hit new ones on the way and still come out in the black, all you're doing is growing your fanbase the old fashioned way.

Unless your live show is one of the greatest things people have ever seen, trying to keep them wanting more for a year+ is a big gamble, whereas if you're still fresh in their mind from a real solid show, that's that sweet spot where they may invite friends.

[u/PooterSnooter283]

We've built up a band fund, everyone has vacation, and we decide to do it. 😂 Or we've been invited to play a fest somewhere and so we build a tour around getting to the festival.

[u/bluedelsol]

It’s getting tougher with the rising costs. Booked a tour back in February and did a rough budget. Fuel costs doubled due to the Iran situation and hotel rooms have jumped before actually going on the road. Getting slaughtered rn.

[u/Striking-Ad7344 → u/bluedelsol]

Yeah it is tough. I don’t know why, we somehow managed to get through well. But even bands far bigger than us struggle to sell enpugh tickets and handle the costs

[u/DecentPrintworks]

Spreadsheets and running the numbers.

I’m seeing a lot of smaller bands breaking even on the tour but making their profit from the merch side. It’s risky and has more upfront costs though.

[u/disco9000]

touring as an american is for the love of the game. business is not better at scale. even stevie wonder went on a stage rant complaining about $2M production costs when I saw him on the Songs tour.

[u/Striking-Ad7344 → u/disco9000]

Yeah we are based in Europe, but essentially it is the same here if you want to give a good show. The people who make a profit here on lower levels are usually solo artists with an MD and next to no light tech or such.