One of the most time consuming and physically demanding jobs for a band or artist is going on a tour. Musicians may tour the a country, several countries or the world and perform concerts and make TV and other event appearances. So why is it so important to go on tour?Going on tour can mean different things to in different situations. As an up and coming artist, getting the chance to go along on someone else’s tour to open shows is good promotion, it gets their name out to the thousands of event attendees. The extra band awareness comes without the high cost of advertising as fans are paying to attend the concert. Also, touring with well known bands gives lesser known artists an automatic status increase.
For headlining bands, touring is all about bringing their music to their fans while doing what they love and making a living. Ar
tists will often embark on a tour to promote the release of new music. Well executed live performances get consumers excited about the music and makes the artists album a ‘must have.’
It is one thing to see your favourite rock stars on TV but it’s not very often that fans get to see them in person. Fans look forward to and appreciate when the artist comes to them. It’s sort of a mutual ‘thank you’ from the artist who makes a living from their fans and the fans who enjoy the entertainment value from the artist.We cannot forget though, that in the end, concerts and tours are money making events.
They are building blocks for the artist who through the extra entertainment value of a live concert can influence attendees to buy their latest album or other merchandise.
Arguably, the ease of access to an emerging artists works through digital media, the internet and new methods of distribution such as iTunes has reduced the prevalence and emphasis on the tour in the mind of younger artists'.
ReplyDeleteI know that whilst my friend and i are wishing to produce our own musical act, our first promotional work and our music will most likely be heard over the net and in people's ipods before it is ever heard live.
Perhaps also, we should look at the tour aesthetic in terms of a shifting trend in the market. Whilst many artists tour to become known for their own sound, many whose music is digitally produced even in the rock genre have found it hard previously to access the live music scene in Australia which has been dominated by the pub rock and Aussie rockers for decades.