Got a rock and roll band, got a rock and roll life..

I don't have much time right now, but I can .. start to give you an answer.

First of all, a lot of this stuff depends on just how "up and coming" they are. A lot of what I call "little bands" set up their own tours, drive around in vans with their gear in a trailer in the back, and sleep either in the van or at some random person's house. When my ex-bf's band went on a western Canada tour last winter, they brought themselves and their merch guy (to take care of t-shirts and their ep), and toured with another band (but this isn't absolutely necessary).

They'll play literally almost anywhere they can get a show, unless they feel it's contrary to the band's image (e.g. a non christian band probably won't play a show for a youth group in a church).

As for recreational drug use... tons of pot, definitely. And don't forget beer, it's not all about the drugs, haha. They'll play shows drunk (although depending on the band, some of the members might be against this).

I get the impression you're thinking of a bigger band, though, but hopefully this helped a little.
Anything else, let me know and I'll try to help out.

thanks for the speedy reply! :D

well, the thing is, they're a supporting act-- from britain. (as is the band they're supporting.) i'm under the impression it's not standard to bring along your own support acts but goldfish bowl (who they're supporting) are a bit out there and will do whatever they damn well please.

they themselves aren't a garage band or anything like that; they're signed onto a label and have a manager and have played at festivals and things. size-wise, think.. i'm inclined to say dirty pretty things, but they're not quite that big yet. air traffic? (dunno if you'll have heard of them.) the pigeon detectives, maybe..

since they're a support act they'll definitely have proper gigs signed up. goldfish bowl are pretty big that way.

thanks for the drugs help (it will come in useful)-- i haven't forgotten the alcohol, no worries, rofl.

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FUNERAL MUTES

Oooohhhh, okay, I guess I misunderstood that part of your original post (the fact that they're a supporting act). That changes, like, EVERYTHING, haha.

Judging by shows I've been to, I don't think it's that unusual for the supporting act to be touring along with the band headlining the tour, although they might not be around for the ENTIRE thing.

Um... I don't know anything else.

Well, your answer depends a fair bit on how big the band they're supporting is. With that style of music, unless they just happen to be HUGE in the US (and even if), they're most likely playing in large rock clubs that maybe can hold up to a couple thousand people. So...

The people: Their manager will be with them, as you mentioned. His wife could very well be with them but that's obviously up to her. If they're on a record label, then I'm guessing the way expenses work is that they have a per diem. The manager generally handles the money, and he'll hand it out each day as well as taking care of things like hotels, gas, etc. He'll also be in charge of counting money/keeping track of the merch (some bands that size have a merch person or couple of people who travel with them and are generally either friends or fans, but some clubs will provide an in-house person to do merch and other bands will get a different couple of fans to do it in each city - since they're British, it's probably unlikely that they're paying to fly someone over to do merch but you never know). The manager also deals with practical concerns (making sure all the band's equipment is there, making sure they have everything the club promised to provide, etc). The more organised managers I've known carry a notebook with a page for each gig that includes information such as accomodations, directions to the accomodations and to the club, soundcheck time, doors, show time, any special rules or regs, information about the venue, what's provided (mics, soundboard, etc), any other useful local information, local contacts, etc. Also travelling with the band will be their sound guy, unless they're sharing with the main act, any girlfriends or wives who come along, and *maybe* a roadie.

Practical matters: Usually if the band is staying in a hotel, the opener will be booked in the same hotel (especially if they're on the same label). The hotel will most likely be cheap (Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, etc) and often on the road or in the next town. Bands tend to leave after the show and try to get to, or as close as possible to, the next town. I'm thinking with a main act this large, they'll normally be sleeping in hotels, but a lot of the bands I've worked with don't stop and just take turns driving while the others sleep. If they have fans/friends in towns they might sleep there (again less likely with the international thing). Probably the main act will have a bus and they'll have a van. One band I worked with a lot travelled in an airport shuttle bus with a trailer on the back. Clothing? Thrown in a giant duffle and worn repeatedly. Food? Cracker Barrel and fast food are your friend on the road. Bands with eager fans might let fans take them out for lunch... every band member I've ever known has been a wh___ for free food. For dinner, the venue will often have a sort of "partner" restaurant nearby. They'll drink a lot, and might smoke pot, also coke is pretty big, unfortunately.

The tour depends pretty much entirely on the main band. A standard tour takes place in "legs" that last a month or two each. Bands that tour a lot might spend four months on the road with some week-long breaks built in. Concerts are *not* big money makers for openers, and most of the money comes from the merch, so they'll try to book a lot of tour dates. They might have some Sundays and Mondays off because those aren't big nights for gigs. Where they go depends a lot on where the main band's audience is, but a leg of a tour will generally be in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, or West. They're unlikely to hit a lot of the middle of the country. Cities are where the audiences are, but there are a lot of really random stops on most tours due to an especially cool club or a random large fan base. Often a band will have two or even three gigs in New York, DC, Chicago, or LA. In some areas, there might be several shows in adjoining cities (Baltimore, DC, and something random like Arlington or Towson). I can give you some good ideas for specific venues if you PM me. Also, an opener may not open every show, or may have a few small shows that they headline, or may do just part of the tour. Sometimes a larger city will have two openers, the first being a small local band and the second being the touring opener.

A standard day would be a bit like this:

Morning: arrive in city, eat "brunch" in cheap diner/Cracker Barrel/IHOP
Mid-morning: Sleep, if possible
Lunch: Whatevers cheap, possibly with friends
Afternoon: Arrive at the venue and set up in the green room/unload/soundcheck
Evening: Go grab dinner/imbibe
9ish: Opener plays set (20-45 minutes)
10ish: Main act goes on; after loading in opener generally watches and drinks, talks to fans, hangs by their merch booth and sign things
12ish: Main act about to finish; pack up opener's merch, give club their cut, hang out
1ish: Club closes
2ish: Main band leaves club

Please PM me if you need more, especially specifics to give your novel authenticity. If you're British yourself, I can also help you out with typical American chain hotels/restaurants, road trip trivia, terminology, etc.

2006 NaNo Winner for Discovering Duchamp
2007 NaNo Winner for The Day Before Tomorrow

Here's a bit of the less than glamorous side of touring:

First, as a supporting act, unless their label is putting any real money behind them or unless they are signed with the same label as the opening act, they will probably not be staying at the same hotel as the opening act. The label may pay for a fairly nice chain hotel for the headliners but a budget chain nearby for the openers. Managers don't always travel with bands, especially if there's no real money to be made.

Lunch is usually about 1 or 2 in the afternoon after waking up and is generally fast food, vending machine snacks, cigarettes and beer. If the band is expected to put out a new album in the near future, the afternoon may be spent on trying to write new material over squealing of the air conditioner that doesn't really cool. Band members are two to a room so then time to get ready to head out, two guys trying to get dressed with one bathroom. If they won't be leaving town right after the gig, no packing; Otherwise, get packed up and checked out of the hotel.

If they are lucky enough to have a roadie / crew, ie using the headliners guys, they will go to the venue for a sound check then out to dinner. Again, think cheap diner or maybe mid-priced chain. After dinner, back to the venue to hang out and look cool until show time, sell a few t's and try to get dates for after the show.

If the openers don't have the luxury of using the headliners crew, the afternoon will be spent humping all their gear into the venue and setting up. They won't have their own lights or anything but there's still a ton of equipment to load in, set up, EQ, and tune up.

After their part of the show is over, back to selling t's and trying to get dates. Lots more cigarettes, beer and dope if someone gives it to them. Musicians rarely buy their own drugs because there are too many people willing to provide them. And they have little money on them. If they don't have to pack up gear after the show, they'll leave the venue even before the headliners are finished. If they manage to find a date who will take them home, fine. If not, there will be the inevitable argument about which guy gets use of the hotel room first.

Finally, if no dates, you will probably find them at Waffle House of IHOP flirting with the tired waitresses then back to the hotel room alone.

If they do have to pack up their own gear, they have to hang around until after the openers are finished and then pack it all back up. Another two hours or so of work. Those dates they have lined up are probably not very interested in waiting around for that long while the gear is packed and especially once the house lights come on. What looks really good in a dark club doesn't look so great when the lights are on full force.

Touring can be lonely, boring, tedious, fatiguing, etc. Just a look at another side of things. Hopes this helps and good luck with your story.

an*no*ta*tion
http://annotatedbooks.blogspot.com/

Ugh, the dreaded double post - sorry!

an*no*ta*tion
http://annotatedbooks.blogspot.com/

oh, thank you so much. this will all come in really helpful-- i'll definitely be printing it out and sticking it up somewhere.

i don't think i need much more at the moment, but if i do, i'll definitely pm you. :D and yes, i'm british myself, so any help on that front would be great.

thank you again!

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FUNERAL MUTES

oh, thanks for the insight. :D i think i might actually have it fluctuate between the two-- nice to start off with, but decreasing exponentially from state to state..

fantastic. thank you.

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FUNERAL MUTES