While US is slowly opening its venues and is keen on speeding up the normalization process, European countries are under stricter and stricter lockdowns with no end in sight. This reaction, accordingly, is heavily impacting the present and future of the entertainment industry on the two continents. For those living in America, you will, more likely than not, be able to resume touring rather sooner than later. As for Europeans, hang in there and keep working on your material as to get ready for hitting the stage when all doors open again for everybody.
There’s been some major hate recently against the very classic act of touring. One of the faces representing this rather idiotic move is Russ. “You don’t need to tour to make money,” “Touring is stupid. You will go in debt!,” “The richest musicians in the world don’t tour. They make money in other ways,” are just very few of the headlines in the underground sphere.
First and foremost, mapping your career in such manner as to rely on touring as the main source of income is stupid indeed. Secondly, however, NOTHING in this world will replace or equate the value of real, in-person touring. No live stream, no digital awards, no fancy music video, NOTHING. And this is the very simple reason why: fans can not and will not connect with you on the same level as when they are literally IN THE SAME ROOM with you. You could have the sickest visuals, the dopest lyrics, the coolest brand image, but you will NEVER reach Lady Gaga or Michael Jackson levels of fandom and loyalism if you don’t tour and meet people IN PERSON.
As a matter of fact, meeting your fans in person is such a long-term career boost, that we would advise you do it even if the potential financial outcome is zero. As long as you don’t go in debt, you’re doing great.
Just think about it. Your parents STILL talk, to this, day, 40 years later, about a concert they’ve attended in the ’80s. You, yourself, have vivid memories of every single song you’ve heard when you went to a show in person. Our eyes see, our ears hear, but when our heart and body is in it too, such as it happens during a concert, we involve ALL of our senses thus we connect with that artist and his/her songs forever. Do you know what that means for you as an artist? Having fans 5, 10, 20, 50 years later. Touring is investing in your brand lifeline, in your music’s longevity, in your name’s credibility. You are much quicker to believe bad things about a person you’ve never seen than to agree with the media’s propaganda when it’s about a person you’ve met and enjoyed in real life. Human senses prevail logic. We’re all very emotional beings and going to a live concert is an emotional experience. The ONLY experience that will allow you to benefit your hard work decades later.
When the doors open, you better go touring.
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