10 Essentials for a Smooth Tour: Must-Knows and Must-Haves from the Road

Whether you’re gearing up for your first tour or your fifteenth, there are some essentials  just can’t skip. We checked in with some of our tour pro friends to put together a list of the top  10 must-knows and must-haves for a successful tour.

1. Tour Dates and Locations

You know this one, but we’ll say it anyway—dates and locations are key. Obvious? Sure. But  that’s where it all starts. Once you receive the tour’s routing, the real work begins. Determine  the mileage between cities, can you safely make the trip overnight? If you’re in a bus, will you

need to hire a co-driver to get to the next venue in time? Depending on the time of year you’ll  also want to consider travel routes; will you be going over mountain passes in the winter? If so,  keep an eye on the weather around that time.

2. Venue Specs and Contacts

Every venue has its quirks. From loading docks to green rooms, each location has unique  features that you need to know. Most of this will be covered in the Tech Pack—aka the venue’s  detailed playbook for your show. Review every detail and hit up your venue contact if  something’s missing. Attention to detail is important here. Look for red flag

Will there be stairs or small doorways that affect load-in? If you’re touring with something larg like a piano or set cart, be sure that these will fit into the venue. If not, reach out as soon a possible to discuss options.

Can you leave your vehicles parked on-site for the day, or do they need to move off-site afte load in? If they’re going off-site, your crew needs to be aware in advance so they are sure t take everything off the truck they may need, things like backup equipment that typically live on the truck or in the trailer on a standard day.

Pro Tip: Share these Tech Packs with everyone on the crew by attaching them to their  respective tour date in MasterTour for quick access!

3. Travel Arrangements and Accommodations

Touring can mean planes, trains, and everything in between. While there are travel agents who  specialize in tours, DIY’ers should confirm all hotel rooms, flights, and transportation ahead time.

Pro Tip 1: If you won’t be checking in until after the show, call the hotel to let them know you’ll  be arriving very late. Sometimes hotels release reservations after a certain time at night so they  can close out accounting for that day.

Pro Tip 2: Use a single account on Uber or Lyft to streamline ride bookings for the whole crew —this will simplify accounting and make transportation easy to manage.

4. Merchandise

Band tees, anyone? Merchandise is more than just an extra revenue stream—it’s a part of the  fan experience. Strategize around items, pricing, and placement at each venue. And remember,  a well-planned merch strategy adds to tour profitability

Pro tip: Any merch you carry through customs will be heavily taxed. If you’ll be touring out of  the country, speak with your merch vendor well in advance about having merch manufactured  in the country or countries you’ll be touring through.

5. Transportation

No surprise here: tour trucking is the backbone of any tour. However, not all trucking  companies are created equal. Many are great at what they do, but touring has unique demands  and requirements, and booking an experienced tour trucking company with concert logistics  expertise is essential (we happen to know a great one!). Don’t forget to book your buses well in  advance, and make sure there’s plenty of space for the entire crew.

6. Ticket Sales and Pricing

Ticketing platforms can make a big difference in accessibility and fan satisfaction. While that  well-known mega-ticketer might be the default, there are other solid options. Try Platform  Tickets or search for other providers to find what’s best for your audience and budge

7. Production: Audio, Video, Lighting, staging, and special effect

Know what you have, what you need, and who to get it from. Looking for vendors? Check out  PLSN, FOH, and EPD to find the right people with the right gear for your tour

Pro Tip: Label and number your road cases. By the third show, you’ll be able to set it all up in  your sleep (and by show #33, you just might have to).

8. Crew Needs

Taking care of your crew goes beyond just getting the job done—it’s about building a solid,  sustainable team. From dietary needs to mental well-being, a healthy crew is a happy crew.

Pro Tip: Financial stress is a major factor for many touring pros. Organizations like Life’s Jam and ECCHO Live are dedicated to helping with financial wellness an supporting the wellbeing of those with a career in live events. Don’t hesitate to point your crew  to resources that can help.

About ECCHO Live: a nonprofit dedicated to Education, Community, Connection, Health, a Opportunity (ECCHO) for live event professionals. Through our initiatives, we aim to empower individuals and teams to build sustainable careers while navigating the challenges of a fast paced and demanding industry.

About Life’s Jam: Rachel Bronstein helps touring music professionals get financially organize and implement strategies so they can create the future that they envision.

9. Insurance

What tour coverage do you need? From cancellations to weather mishaps, insurance can  protect you from the unexpected. Your production vendors will be sure to let you know their  insurance coverage requirements. Once you’ve received that information, chat with your  insurance rep to make sure you’re covered for everything essential and avoid costly surprises.

10. Catering

Dietary needs? No problem. Whether it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, or anything in between, make  sure your catering plan has options for everyone. Keep it balanced with healthy choices to  keep everyone fueled and ready to rock.

A Final Note. This list covers the basics, but there’s always more to consider. Whether you’re  DIY’ing in a van, or need pyro for an arena show, every tour has its unique demands. What  would make your top 10 essentials?

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