Touring: Respect the regional

There’s no doubt that touring is the most integral part of being a musician. Sure, the music is what you’re toting out on the open road, but ultimately, if you aren’t putting it in front of anyone’s face, then what’s the point?

Since musicians have existed, so has an audience. It all starts with the capacity of one until you develop the ideas and figure out just where you want to head. It’s then onto touring venues; hitting the road. Putting yourself in front of a crowd of strangers is where teeth are cut and you’re on the road to sealing a career in music. What often gets overlooked is the importance of exploring every avenue - literally - available. Bottling it up and down the motorways between major cities will no doubt spread the good word of your music - as testified by scrappy indie band Sports Team's homage to the M5 - but it’s out in the smaller, regional towns that the true relationships between fans and artists are crafted.

Coming from a regional town devoid of any real cultural impact myself, it’s unquestionable that the major cities are where the industry lives. However, in these smaller towns, particularly coastal, there’s a dearth of originality, instead, the main focus of music comes from cover bands that see phenomenal success. While this is in part due to the closed-off nature of these places, particularly pining for the ‘good ole days’, it can’t be overlooked that they succeed simply because they’re there.

When you’re a band trying to make your way through the thorny world of music, the best weapon you can have - aside from an arsenal of banging tunes - is a fanbase. With the internet now the No.1 A&R tool, especially Tik-Tok and the like, it can be easy to think that a career can manifest this way. While the various lockdowns indeed amplified this idea, now is the best time to strike since audiences have been devoid of a year and a half of live music. The threshold for what’s good and what’s great is vulnerable and ready to be reset.

It’s no coincidence that both The Rolling Stones and The Beatles have books dedicated to their touring years. Two of the biggest bands to ever exist did it by any means necessary. While the days of touring Europe with ease seem to be - hopefully temporarily - over, it shouldn’t be discounted, but since the UK has always been a forbearer of musical talent, having an ardent fanbase here spreading the good word online will in no doubt mean the hassle of exploring Europe will provide a payoff.

Admittedly, the world isn’t currently set up to be particularly kind to new bands. With the aforementioned EU issues, prices of petrol skyrocketing, expectations versus reality with audiences wanting The Next Big Thing to sound like they’ve had numerous Top 10 albums and a wealth of experience, if you can navigate these minefields, you’re guaranteed to find some gold at the end of the rainbow in some format.

There’s also the burgeoning concern around theft on the road. The one piece of advice that can’t be overstated enough is investing in wireless tracking devices (Apple’s AirTag’s et al). Having to tough it on the road is bad enough, especially when in strange towns, without the added heartbreak of having to start up again. Recently, US rock band Citizen managed to locate their stolen equipment and recover it, with little to no hassle. Though, when tragedy does strike, having carved your way through the country will in doubt mean that you’ve built up another key ingredient in the bubbling stew of a career - community.

It’s on the road, in these regional places, that bonds can be formed. In these Petri dishes, small scenes adopt travelling bands, welcoming them into a way of life that can give new depth and meaning to what you’re doing. It can expose you to a new opportunity, and most of all it can be where you find understanding. The road can be lonely after all.

Even the venues themselves can be a treasure trove of information. Pinning the string to a board of opportunity; promoters know promoters, even landlords know landlords, and as you begin to connect these dots the rest will follow.

In this year's documentary from Dave Grohl, What Drives Us (essential watching for any musician), its spotlight on bands from Metallica all the way through to burgeoning rock act Radkey, proves that - generally - all touring experiences are the same. The magic of hitting the road with your friends, or even being a solo act finding new depths of introspection, can’t be replicated anywhere else, nor will anyone else truly understand it. In what other aspect of life do you get exposed to vast crowds of strangers in such a vulnerable state, while doing something you truly love? There’s no other career that allows you to burn rubber up and down the country playing at venues from pubs, clubs, and depending on the scene you find yourself belonging to, house parties, or anywhere that’ll take you.

That’s the most important rule that ties in with expanding your fanbase. Play anywhere. Certainly, the scope for a band to just hit the road and live off of music is dwindling, it’s a different industry than when Grohl found his footing, but where there’s a will there’s a way. The most valuable thing you can gain is a new fan, and since the internet’s a sea of new chancers and talents - taking your music to the people is still the most tried and tested way.

Truthfully, none will be more grateful for the exposure to something new, and something original than those that don’t have access to a packed out gig listing around every corner. The regions have their own small cultures that are bound to impact you in some format. It could be in empty rooms or a packed pub on a Saturday, but it’s all a part of the puzzle that eventually makes sense. And who doesn’t want to have cool road stories from every town on this fair aisle?