Tour Schedule/Planner
Tour Schedule/Planner Commentary
To start planning this tour, I first had to decide what cities the band would play in. I decided on Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Dublin as these are the highest populated cities in England and Ireland. (World Population Review, 2026) More people in a city allow for a greater chance that people would come to the gig without being previously aware of the band. I then interviewed several people from each city asking for venue recommendations, as well as researching online to find the best venues that would suit the style and desired capacity for the band. All of the venues on the tour have a capacity 120-200. This is because of the bands emerging status and low following. The low-capacity venues will maximise the chance of selling out, and with more audience members filling up the venue, the atmosphere of the concerts will be elevated. (Grand Sapphire, 2025)
After thorough research, I decided on Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds, Aatma in Manchester, The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham, The Windmill in London and The Grand Social in Dublin. All of these venues tailored to the desired capacity and support the grassroots feel of the band.
I then plotted these venues on a map and drew out a route that would be most time and fuel efficient. I ended up with the route of Leeds – Manchester – Birmingham – London – Dublin. This tour makes its way from the north to the south of England which breaks up the journey and prevents back tracking and extra costs on fuel. After the London gig, the band will travel back up north to the ferry station in Holyhead in order to travel to Dublin. (Ferryscanner, n/d)
Next, I reached out to the venues and researched their venue packs and average set times. I was able to receive the venue packs from all venues except The Grand Social in Dublin but after phoning them, I got a brief overview of the cost and spec that they had to offer. After viewing the venue packs, tech spec, average set times, availability and hire costs, this confirmed that the venues would fit the band for their tour. (Appendix 1) All of the venues came with a sound engineer and box office apart from Hyde Park Book Club which charges £12 an hour for box office with minimum 3 hours which will be added to the venue hire.
The band will also need accommodation for every day of the tour except from the first day in Leeds as all band members live in Leeds. I researched online to find the most cost-effective accommodation considering nightly rate and distance from venue to minimise fuel cost and time spent travelling. (Appendix 2)
Speaking of fuel, the band needs a way to travel whilst carrying gear, so a van will be hired on the second day of the tour. This is because the van would not be needed in Leeds as all members live in Leeds and have cars to travel to the venue. A Kombi Crew 5-seater van has been hired for a midday pickup on the second day of the tour before heading to Manchester. (Appendix 3)
In order to get to Ireland, the only way to travel overseas with the van and gear is the get a ferry. After researching the different ports that travel to Dublin, I concluded that Holyhead would be the most logical due to its close proximity to Leeds (the final destination, post tour). I found that the cheapest ferry would be from 7:30 am which is to early for the day after the London gig, so I had to book accommodation in Holyhead for a day with no show. This would allow the band to rest after a long day of travel from London to Holyhead and prepare them for the final engagement of the tour. I also had to book a return ferry for the same time 2 days later in order to return to Holyhead and finally back to Leeds. (Appendix 4)
When thinking of the actual performances, I thought about support acts which would encourage people to buy tickets not only because of a longer event, meaning more value for money, but the support bands fans would also buy tickets for the gig. (Hall, M. , 2025) This would lead to higher ticket sales and possible new long-term fans if the support is of a similar genre. To increase the likelihood of the support acts following to come to each gig. I will choose a different support, local to each city on the tour. (Appendix 5) Each support will receive a fixed fee of £100.
Fabian and Friends will get £60 per diems and an initial food stock worth £100 at the start of the tour for snacks in the van and a contingency fund will be needed in the case of an emergency. (Musicians’ Union, 2026)
Insurance will be needed to cover public liability, employer liability, gear cover and travel insurance. This is crucial as if anything breaks or goes missing, or anyone gets hurt, it will be covered by insurance. (Appendix 6)
Cash Flow
Marketing and Promotional Plan
The marketing plan should begin around six to eight weeks before the first show, with the main objective being to sell enough tickets to reach the 80% attendance target.
The tour posters, venue listings and short-form video content should all use consistent branding, so the tour is memorable and feels cohesive from city to city.
The first stage should be an announcement campaign including the full tour poster, city specific graphics and short videos from the band explaining the tour and why they are doing it. Posters will be printed and put up around each city in venues, libraries, shops etc… (Do Something Good, n.d.) (Appendix 7) to encourage locals to attend the gigs and spread awareness of the tour. This will broaden the demographic of people seeing marketing for the tour such as older people who may not be on social media. (Phantom Billstickers, n.d.) A newsletter should also be introduced and fans encouraged to sign up for exclusive content. This could consist of extra updates, ticket links, questionnaires and a pre-sale of merch allowing profit to arise before the tour has even started. (Mateus, M. ,2025)
The second stage should lean heavily into content-led promotion. (ICMP, n.d.) The band should release rehearsal clips, live snippets, behind-the-scenes footage, introductions to each member and short videos showing the merch being prepared. Each post should end with a clear city-specific call to action. These posts will be boosted with Tik Toks ad management feature and Instagram’s ‘boost’ feature which allow for a greater and more specified audience reach up to around 200,000 more views on the band’s social media. (YouTube, 2025) (Appendix 8)
The third stage should be localised final push promotion. In the final two weeks before the tour, each venue should have a dedicated countdown such as “See you tomorrow Manchester!”. (Ford, M. , n.d.) Ticket sales should be checked frequently and content to be focused where sales are weak. For example, if Birmingham is below target, the band could run a more targeted Instagram campaign within a 15-mile radius of the venue, targeting fans of jazz and live music.
The most appropriate sponsors are small brands that align with the audience and can offer either cash contribution or support with the tour. Potential sponsors include independent clothing brands, rehearsal studios, music shops and student radio stations.
A music shop or rehearsal studio could sponsor equipment such as strings, sticks, rehearsal time or fuel contribution in exchange for content. A clothing brand could provide stage outfits and helping strengthen the visual identity of the band. (Music Production for Women 2025)
Technical & Logistics
Stage Plot
Channel List
Add your PDF in the file block below. Please see the exemplar channel list for reference.
Merchandising and Licensing Opportunities
Merchandising is a key part and huge amplifier for the tours financial plan. T-shirts, tote bags and stickers were the final 3 merch items that were decided on. T-shirts are the most profitable and favoured merch item by fans, with practical items such as tote bags being highly desired by audience members too. Stickers at £2 are an easy impulse purchase, especially for students and younger gig-goers. (Bandzoogle, 2025) (Appendix 9)
The projected purchase costs are £54 for 200 stickers, £600 for 100 T-shirts, and £680 for 100 tote bags, creating a total merchandise cost of £1,334. At 80% sell-through, the merch income is projected at £3,120, with a gross profit of £1,786.
It is important to ensure the merch is physically easy to transport and sell. Each item should be counted before the tour, then counted again after every show to ensure an accurate tally of the stock count. (Gates, J. , n.d.) This matters because small cash leaks across five dates can distort the final profit. A card reader is essential, but the band should also carry a small cash box for venues with poor signal.
Licensing opportunities should also be explored although they are more likely to generate long-term revenue rather than immediate tour income. Fabian and Friends should make sure their original songs are registered correctly with PRS. PRS live reporting should be completed after each show so that royalties are not missed. This is particularly important because grassroots artists can lose income if setlists are not reported correctly. (Musician’s Union, 2023)
The band should also use the tour to create licensable content. Short live session clips could be edited into an EPK and used to approach festivals and brands. A professionally captured live performance of one original track from the tour could become a licensing asset for online promotion and future booking pitches.
Potential Pitfalls
The first major risk is cash flow pressure. The 20% projection shows that the tour can lose money if ticket sales are weak so getting sales before the tour begins is crucial. If any city is below 50% capacity two weeks out, the band should increase local promotion, contact local radio stations, and create urgency through social media. Offering merchandise bundles or sales could be implemented to encourage purchases and ticket prices could be lowered to achieve more sales if needed.
The second risk would be a travel delay. The route includes extended periods of driving and ferry travel. The Dublin section is the most vulnerable because missing the ferry could disrupt the show and/or increase costs. Keeping all bookings and contacts in one shared folder would be beneficial. On ferry days, the band should arrive early, pack the van the night before and keep passports safe and easily accessible. (Robley, C. , 2022)
The third risk is artist fatigue. Five shows across six active travel days is mentally and physically demanding, especially with early starts and late nights. The rest day on 9th June is essential and should not be filled with unnecessary promotional tasks. The planner includes dinner breaks which should be protected and stuck too. Other breaks and resting periods are needed outside of dinner too to maintain stamina and charisma for each performance.
The fourth risk is equipment loss or damage. The band is travelling with instruments and merchandise across multiple cities which is why insurance is significant and included in the spreadsheet at £184.84. All equipment should be photographed before departure, keeping serial numbers where possible and it would be preferably to avoid leaving gear visible in the van overnight.
The final risk is wellbeing and interpersonal pressure. A small band in one van can become stressed quickly if roles are unclear. Responsibilities should be dispersed between members before the tour begins to minimise the chances of last-minute confusion and damaging band dynamic. One person could handle merch, one handle loading, one checks accommodation, one oversees timings (for example). (Britton, L.M. , 2015)
Overall, this tour is realistic for an up and coming, grassroots band and is financially promising if the band reaches strong ticket sales and executes the merchandise plan properly. The supporting planner gives daily structure and timings, while the cash-flow spreadsheet shows both the opportunity and the financial risk. The key to success will be constant promotion, careful settlement and strong communication between all parties involved.
Bibliography
World Population Review (2026) United Kingdom cities by population 2026. Available at: https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/united-kingdom (Accessed: 19 April 2026).
Grand Sapphire (2025) Top 10 tips to choose the right venue for your event. Available at: https://grandsapphire.co.uk/2025/05/16/top-10-tips-to-choose-the-right-venue-for-your-event/ (Accessed: 23 April 2026).
Ferryscanner (n.d.) Ferry to Dublin: information, routes, ferry companies. Available at: https://www.ferryscanner.com/en/ferry-destinations/ireland/dublin (Accessed: 23 April 2026).
Hall, M. (2025) What is the purpose of concert openers? The Trojan Record, 1 April. Available at: https://trojanrecord.com/1086/pop-culture/what-is-the-purpose-of-concert-openers/ (Accessed: 23 April 2026).
Musicians’ Union (2026) Performing and touring with featured artists. Available at: https://musiciansunion.org.uk/working-performing/gigs-and-live-performances/performing-and-touring-with-featured-artists (Accessed: 21 April 2026).
Phantom Billstickers (n.d.) Why gig posters are the best way to promote your show. Available at: https://phantombillstickers.com/why-gig-posters-are-the-best-way-to-promote-your-show/ (Accessed: 30 April 2026).
Do Something Good (n.d.) Leaflets & posters. Available at: https://dosomethinggood.ealing.gov.uk/help-and-advice/leaflets-posters/ (Accessed: 28 April 2026).
Mateus, M. (2025) Email marketing for musicians: why it still works (and how to do it right). Supertape, 9 July. Available at: https://www.supertape.com/blog/the-musicians-guide-to-email-marketing (Accessed: 23 April 2026).
ICMP (n.d.) The importance of social media in music marketing. Available at: https://www.icmp.ac.uk/blog/importance-social-media-music-marketing (Accessed: 20 April 2026).
YouTube (2025) How to make Instagram Boost actually work for your business: step-by-step guide + free toolkit [YouTube video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXE0y_BGX9E (Accessed: 30 April 2026).
Ford, M. (n.d.) Social media marketing for concert promotion: tips and tools. Prism.fm. Available at: https://prism.fm/blog/insights/do-you-need-concert-tour-management-software/ (Accessed: 21 April 2026).
Music Production for Women (2025) Sponsorships for musicians: all you need to know with SEIDS. Available at: https://musicproductionforwomen.com/post/sponsorship-for-musicians-with-seids (Accessed: 28 April 2026).
Bandzoogle (2025) 5 best merch products to sell as a musician. Available at: https://bandzoogle.com/blog/5-best-merch-products-to-sell-as-a-musician (Accessed: 21 April 2026).
Gates, J. (n.d.) A musician’s guide to selling merch. Bandsintown for Artists. Available at: https://www.artists.bandsintown.com/support/blog/a-musicians-guide-to-selling-merch (Accessed: 21 April 2026).
Musicians’ Union (2023) How to report live performances to PRS for Music. Available at: https://musiciansunion.org.uk/working-performing/gigs-and-live-performances/how-to-report-live-performances-to-prs-for-music (Accessed: 30 April 2026).
Robley, C. (2022) The 8 issues you’ll deal with on tour. DIY Musician, 10 August. Available at: https://diymusician.cdbaby.com/music-career/tour-problems/ (Accessed: 28 April 2026).
Britton, L.M. (2015) Insomnia, anxiety, break-ups … musicians on the dark side of touring. The Guardian, 25 June. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/25/musicians-touring-psychological-dangers-willis-earl-beal-kate-nash (Accessed: 30 April 2026).
Supporting Documents
APPENDICIES
Appendix 1 – Venue Packs
Appendix 2 – Accommodation
Appendix 3 – Van Hire
Appendix 4 – Ferry Tickets
Appendix 5 – Support Acts
Interview with Mellisa Douglas, Guitarist for Evergreen
Me: Hi Mel, I’m putting on a gig at Hyde Park Book Club and would love for you to support us! Its on the 5th of June and pays £100! Would you be interested?
Mel: Oh snap! I love Hyde Park Book Club, that would be epic! What’s the backline that’s provided?
Me: My band is providing the backline so there will be a drum kit, Bass amp and ill send you over the tech spec provided by the venue.
Mel: Sounds great, is there anything you need us to bring?
Me: Just a guitar amp if you need one…
Mel: How many tickets are you expecting us to sell?
Me: Just as many as you can! Capacity is 150 so even just 10 tickets would be fine.
Mel: Sweet! I can’t wait!
End of transcript.
Appendix 6 – Insurance
Appendix 7 – Posters
Appendix 8 – Social Media Marketing
Appendix 9 – Merch
