How to self-manage a tour. Part 4: Touring Artist Behavior

In this fourth and last post of this series, we will talk about the recommended behavior of the artist while on tour. In a previous post we had talked about teamwork, but in this one it refers more to the individual behavior of each person.

With everything organized and ready for the tour, an adventure that was planned well in advance finally begins. It will always be very rewarding to travel, meet new people, live new experiences, and of course, play live. However, the fundamental thing to understand is that THIS IS A JOB, NOT A HOLIDAY. Even though the whole atmosphere around a tour is with a lot of enthusiasm, of doing something we wish and like very much, we must not lose the perspective that we must be in good condition to perform several concerts in a row, in addition to continuing the logistical and promotional work in every aspect. And that requires rest, especially considering that many times the hours of sleep are going to be less.

That's why that old cliché of "sex, drugs and rock and roll on the road" doesn't apply in the case of a self-managed tour (nor in any kind of tour). Of course there have to be moments of recreation and relaxation, hopefully well planned and balanced, and the tone is always going to be many things to attend to, if we want everything to go well, and rest does not mean the same as "party, party and party".

All of this demands that the artist's behavior be in accordance with the context in which the tour takes place. For example, parties and alcohol after a concert, are not very recommended if the next day you have to get up very early and continue traveling to play in another city. That's why everything has to be discussed and agreed upon before starting the tour, because if the behavior of one or more team members is not appropriate, the friction and disagreements begin, along with the possibility of the live show being diminished.

Basically, you have to have a lot of responsibility to know what the limits are when it comes to behaving on tour.

I would like to mention something that comes out of the latter. What happens with some of the great artists, who show how they do crazy things and party after every concert, and still tour for months and years? Here you have to be clear that they have a staff of people who are in charge of everything, and that's why they have much more free time than a self-managed artist. And the second thing is that each one of them, independent if they are an emerging or consolidated artist or a star, knows where their own limit of behavior is, in order to deliver the best show every night and be as professional as possible.

A final reflection is that a self-managed tour is an instance that requires planning for months, along with efforts of all kinds and many people, regardless of the style and format of the artist. Therefore, a proper behavior during the execution of the tour guarantees many more possibilities that everything will go well, and also generates the possibility of making another tour in the future, perhaps of greater importance, and this allows the emerging artist to continue growing and consolidating.