Touring For Independent Artists
Tour Like A Pro! Workshop
After many years of touring and learning the hard way, Ruby Dee and Jorge Harada have decided to share this information and we have put together a presentation on touring in the United States, geared for independent artists. More precisely, the target audience is unsigned artists who’ve never toured and want to start but don’t know how, artists who have independent record deals with no tour support from the label, or artists who have been on the road before and are looking for a better, more organized way to tour and to maximize their profits, lowering costs, and keeping the band together during the tour : ) The workshop is not genre specific, and these concepts can be applied to solo performers or groups.
Since our first release, we’ve traveled a distance totaling in excess of 250,000 miles, including multiple coast-to-coast tour across the US and Europe. We believe in the DIY philosophy of artist self-empowerment and maximizing your opportunities through knowledge, initiative and organization. Course outline includes routing and mapping, booking, budgeting, publicity, health and safety, and road self-management. Topics include:
- Introduction
- Who we are and why we’re conducting the workshop
- Why Tour?
- Tour planning: Budgeting, Booking and Negotiating, Publicity
- Accommodations
- Meals and Eating
- Staying healthy
- The Tour Bible
- Preflight Checks
- Sanity Check
- Good Road Tips
- At The Venue
- Safety Tips
- Questions & Answers (this is an audience favorite – as soon as the presentation is over, Q & A starts flying fast and furious – we like to make sure that there is ample time for this)
This is not a theoretical industry panel/discussion geared for folks with connections, major or major indy label deals, a budget, or management/handlers. This is hands-on, nuts-and-bolts DIY info that’s directly applicable as soon as the attendee leaves the workshop. We tell them exactly how to do it, what they need, and help them manage their expectations realistically. We’re very dynamic presenters who’ve spent years and years in the front lines of touring – on the highway! Guaranteed that the audience will be riveted, and we love doing the presentation – it’s good for the community, it’s an excellent networking opportunity for all attendees, and it’s a great way to share information and empower artists.
If you wish to book us do the presentation, or want more information including a top-level course outline, contact us directly.
Thank you for your consideration,
Ruby Dee and Jorge Harada
Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers
Austin, TX