• What are the (academic and professional) qualifications and/or experience required to enter the profession? 

There are no academic or professional qualifications that are strictly required to pursue a career as a touring musician. In fact, there are a plethora of past and current musicians who have neither of these things. Notable modern examples include industry A-listers like: Ed Sheeran, Finneas and Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift. As well as indie heroes like Steve Lacy and Sam Fender. However there are also hugely successful artists who do have qualifications in music, like Matty Healy, Black Country New Road, Phoebe Bridgers and Yard Act to name a few. However it is usually hands-on experience that paves the way for success in this field. Starting small with local shows, working your way up by networking and honing your skills through these experiences. Working with local promoters and other musicians can help you get some gigs under your belt, and contribute to your industry experience, helping you to land larger gigs in the future. By going these routes, one can become accustomed to what being a touring musician entails; knowledge of gig etiquette, travel, communication regarding the organisation of shows, as well as the organisational skills themselves, showing up prepared and on time for gigs or risking your future employability for shows. You may also have to produce stage plots or electronic press kits at a certain point which will be extremely important to you going forward in your career as a touring musician.

• What knowledge, skills and personal qualities/attributes are needed for success within the profession?

But experience isn’t everything, there are many skills, qualities, and attributes that one needs to develop in order to stay afloat in such a cutthroat industry. Discipline and organisation are crucial. You need to make sure that you arrive at venues on time for soundchecks and performances, as well as being strict with self care making sure you take care of your mental and physically health while on the road, as long stretches of tour dates can be gruelling and mentally taxing, you must ensure things like pre-gig warm up routines and periods of rest to maintain the quality of your performances as the tour progresses. You also need to be flexible and resilient, life on the road can be stressful and unpredictable, there could be various issues that arise, that you will need to be able to navigate and adapt to. Strong interpersonal skills are also required for this job, as you will have to interact with different, venue owners, staff, and technicians on each stop of the tour; these skills are also needed for networking, as a musician, the connections you make with industry insiders are incredibly important to your career. If you appear unapproachable or antisocial, it can lead to you missing out on those vital connections and thus the opportunities and experiences that come with them. This can also contribute to low band morale, which can affect the chemistry of performances, and may cause band members to think twice about touring with you in the future. So far I have discussed attributes that lend themselves to a smooth-running tour, but what about the skills required for the performances themselves? You need to have a strong stage presence, incorporating effective crowd work, with charisma and confidence. You also need to be a strong performer on your chosen instrument, with all your parts rigorously rehearsed before embarking on tour. You also need to be ambitious in this industry, it’s an attractive trait to have for something looking to invest in you as a product, and can also go down well with potential fans who can feel inspired by your own ambition.

• What are the duties and responsibilities of the profession – what does a typical day’s work involve? 

A typical day’s work for a musician on tour will usually consist of a strict routine and schedule. Here is a day in the life of a touring musician outlined by ‘berklee.edu’: “A typical day for a touring musician begins with a drive from one city to another, followed by load-in and sound check at the venue. In the afternoon, there might be a promotional visit to a local radio station or record store. Once this wraps up, and before the pre-show phase begins, touring musicians often try to squeeze in some time for exercising, emailing, sightseeing, pleasure reading, or simply catching up on rest. In the early evening, it’s time to gather back at the venue. The pre-show might involve vocal warm-ups, makeup, costuming, writing a set list, or running through some last-minute changes. After the show, the musicians usually spend time at the merch table, meeting and greeting fans. Then it’s time to pack up. Unless they are on a well-funded tour with roadies to do the heavy lifting, musicians pack up and load out their own instruments and equipment. Contrary to popular myth, hard partying is not required. In fact, most musicians hightail it back to the hotel or motel to get a decent night’s rest before waking up and getting ready for the next show.” In the modern age, artists may need to devote some time to recording promotional content for social media, as well as posts thanking audiences for previous nights of the tour, though I will delve into more detail regarding this later on.

• What are the main financial and legal issues that impact on this profession? 

Going on tour can be incredibly expensive, especially for unsigned bands. Without the backing of a label or external funding, bands will often lose money or break even following a tour. Costs of touring include: equipment, venue hire, sound and lighting technicians, vehicle hire, accommodation, advertising, merchandise, food and drink, and crew hire. Even successful bands find themselves having to work part time jobs to make ends meet. There are also legal aspects bands and artists need to take into consideration; to avoid legal issues and band falling outs, there must be contracts in place to discern fee agreements between artists, venues and labels. On top of this an interband agreement is also put in place to agree on things like fees, royalties and rules every member must adhere to while in the band. Unfortunately it is easy for young bands who are maybe somewhat naive to be taken advantage of, this is why it is important to be clued up on legal issues before signing legally binding contracts.

• What would the potential marketing and promotional aspects of this profession look like? 

If you’re a musician who has gotten to the point of going on tour, you will definitely already be accustomed to social media as a marketing tool. In the digital age, social media is the go-to way to break into the industry. Social media is the new way that labels scout for talent, with many labels requiring a certain amount of followers on socials, as proof of the band as a worthy investment. This has led to bands having to effectively utilise social media if they want to be commercially successful, a point of contention among musicians, with many believing this limits artists from being able to focus solely on their art, feeling like they have to be clued up on trends and the way social media algorithms function. The situation is no different when it comes to touring. Tours will be promoted over the artists various socials. This means that artists essentially have to become social media personalities, as well as musicians, to be able to continue doing what they do. Other than social media, playing live in local venues and festivals can be a great way to step into the scene, and establish a dedicated local fanbase.

• What are the intellectual and personal challenges presented by the profession and how might these be dealt with?  

There are a range of personal challenges experienced by touring acts due to the nature of lengthy tours. Artists can begin to experience feelings of loneliness because of being away from home for so long on tour. These negative effects tend to be exacerbated by the non-stop lifestyle, contributing to feelings of burnout. The external pressures and expectations from labels, management and large crowds each night can conjure up feelings of anxiety. Another personal challenge faced by a touring musician is the pressure of being held to a contract, while experiencing feelings of burnout from performing night after night, the artist is still legally obliged to play every date of the tour. When larger acts cancel shows, they leave thousands of people disappointed, not to mention the crew and business suffering from a hefty financial loss. With all of this pressure bestowed upon one person (or band), you can understand the disillusion that some acts feel towards touring as a whole. This challenge only presents itself after the act has reached a certain level of fame. In contrast to this, smaller acts, who are not backed by a label, are funding the tour themselves, including transport and hospitality. These bands tend to lose money by going on tour adding financial strain onto an already stressful journey. Some suggested ways to cope with the tour-induced emotional issues include; practising daily mindfulness, this can be anything from keeping a regular journal to meditation, these actions can help you in taking a step back to reflect. Scheduling regular meet-ups with family and friends can alleviate the work/social life imbalance that can arise with intense touring. If these emotional problems become increasingly taxing, it could be a good idea to seek support or guidance from objective professionals who have no personal stake in the tour. One of the most subtly effective ways of coping with these personal challenges, can be just setting some time aside for yourself among the chaos, and remembering to practise self love.

• What career-progression/development opportunities are available within the profession? 

After establishing a fanbase, a band or artist may begin to garner attention from various record labels. Under certain circumstances, this would allow the band or artist, to establish financial grounding which they can use to progress the business opportunities that come with their art. Such as: merchandise and clothing brand, or physical releases of their music. Going on tour without the support of a record label, shows determination and passion, as well as organisational skills. This would get attention from professionals in the industry, who may want to sponsor the band for future endeavours, and musical conquests (e.g a new album).

I chose to conduct research into the livelihood of a touring musician because I aspire to embark on this journey someday, once I have established a sizeable enough fanbase. This task has given me insight into the benefits of being such a position, as well as the not so glamorous yet necessary aspects that taking on a role such as this involves. This research, I feel, has prepared me for the reality of what it would be like to go on tour.