Artist, what is your goal?

Dear artist, what is your goal to achieve? Have you set goals for yourself and do you have a plan? The answer to this question is probably easy, or maybe not. If you're from abroad and would like to tour in Europe you have to ask yourself this question.

Touring in Europe is no difference to touring in, for instance, North America except for the distances. When you're in a certain area you can easily go from gig to gig traveling max 2 hours. This is of course if the tour is booked in the same area.


If not there are really great transportation ways to use. By train, you can get almost anywhere in Europe and it is also easy to fly or to drive. If you drive, you have to consider the amount of traffic in Europe, and also gas prices are the main part of traveling costs. Accommodations are not as cheap as you may be used to in North America. But yes, touring in Europe is fun.
So again, ask yourself the question what is my goal?

  1. Making a lot of money?  Quite possible but… that is - just like everywhere in the world - for the well-known Artists having top-40 hits in Europe. It doesn't change much if you had a hit in North America and no-one knows about it in Europe, and yes this really happens!. Publicity about your hit will certainly help to get more attention.

  2. Finding new fans and make some money by touring and selling albums and merchandise.  This one is easier, you make great music and there is an audience for your music. Here comes in the festival circuit, they are having a steady budget and most of the time a large audience to please with great live music, this could be your Band. Now budgets are not great and do not have often lots of room for International Travel costs. So the goal here should be: -  Get booked at least 3 festivals in an eight-day tour to spread costs -  Fill dates with a venue, club and living-room gigs, etc -  Try to get as much radio interviews as possible -  Interact with your fans

Festivals will accommodate the band during their stay at the festival ground, most of the time two days so six of your eight-day tour the accommodation will be covered. Most of the income will be found in the sales of merchandise. But this way you have the opportunity to play for a new audience and build your fanbase.

If you look at the costs for touring and you don't have the support from a Record Label, Grant support or started a Crowd Funding Project it's gonna be hard to go home with a profit. You will go home with a great experience and the satisfaction that you did it. You wowed audiences that never heard of you and you will see your album downloads and sales go up for a while after the tour. And after the first one - small or big - I promise you, you will be addicted to touring in the old land. When you want to tour for making big money I think that you are in the wrong business. Not that I say that you shouldn't make money but it shouldn't be your goal. Why not? because the audience will recognize this, you can't make music from the heart if your mind is only on the money. This is, of course, my own humble opinion but I'm sure that the satisfaction of you ánd your audience will lead to more fans, more sales and more income at the end.

Whoisontour Spotify Playlist

Open For Bookings