Mercy Mercedes – TOUR TIPS

This set of Tour Tips is written by pop/rock band, Mercy Mercedes. You can check them out after the break!

1. Don’t start touring because it’s “cool to tour” and makes your band
look more legit. It will hurt you if you don’t have the proper fanbase
at home and is generally pointless if you’re starting out.
We see bands all the time starting up and going straight to touring
and all it did was break them up because they weren’t ready for it and
the costs that come with it.
2. When you are ready to tour, make sure you have an adequate touring
vehicle. You don’t need something flashy and brand new but you don’t
want to break down 5 states away and have to sit
in some small town for days until you are back up and running. We’ve
been there

Cancelling shows sucks.
3. Unless you have an abundance of money, pack your food with thought!
Buy cheap foods (Noodles, Cereal, Chips, Bottled Water etc…) You
don’t want to hit the Mcdonalds or Taco Bell dollar menu 3 times a day
haha. It makes you feel like death after a few days of that. Instead
eat even cheaper. Pool your money with your band mates and buy bread,
peanut butter, jelly, crackers…remember you can use gas station
microwaves so if you buy soup or need something heated up for free.
There ya go! Get creative and you will save tons of money.
4. If possible create a tour rider. Most venues will honor them and
you will have whatever food you want at the venue to take with you.
Even easier to save when it’s free! If you aren’t at a position to
send out riders to the venues you’ve booked then try it anyway! The
least they can do is not honor it. You’d be surprised how many do
though

5. If you don’t have money for a hotel room, we didn’t forever! We
slept in the van at Wal-Mart parking lots, rest areas, and peoples
houses. You can almost anytime find a place to stay either with a
friend in that town (Don’t be shy on Facebook/Myspace/Twitter) Someone
may come through for you. If not, it’s not so bad in the van unless
you have a thousand members in your band.

Keep up with the band on Facebook and Twitter!