I often wonder what goes on after a performance … back to the hotel…signings…interviews…taking in the sights…typical life of a performer…
Felix
Good question Felix! I toured all over the country quite extensively over a ten year period before the pandemic hit and I can tell you touring can be quite a mix of fun, with some downtime.
Touring is essentially driving from one city to the next, setting up for a show, performing, signing merch, hanging out with fans. Then going out to dinner, hanging back at the hotel, doing accounting/spreadsheet, living out of a suite case, getting up in the morning and doing it all over again.
The best part about touring is meeting all the fans and getting to see new and different places! The worst part is the grind of being on the road. I’m such a homebody and I miss home after about a week. Which is why I try to never do more than 7-10 days at a time.
Touring can also be quite expensive. There’s airfare, rental car, hotels, meals, venue expenses etc. So unless I can keep my touring expenses low, profit margins on touring are quite small. The best ones are when I can drive my hybrid car and stay with family/friends.
For many years my wife wasn’t able to tour with me because of her own life responsibilities with work and raising a child but on the last tour I did my wife got to come with me and experience touring first hand! We even brought our dogs with us! That was a blast! My wife and I are total foodies so we had fun checking out some of the local cuisines along our tour route!
I hope to get back in the road one day! Thank you kindly to everyone that comes out to live performances!