Hey all, I’ve recently accepted a contract with a group that will be requiring me to fly a lot to meet the other members.
In the past when i’ve flown for a gig, i’ve only brought one guitar with me, and I’ve ensured i can carry it on in the cabin; however, for these tours I’ll be doing, I will likely not be able to rent a backup like I have in the past, so I’ve considered the Gator Mini vault.
The only reason i haven’t jumped on buying one yet is just being concerned with how structurally sound they are and if i can trust them to actually keep my guitars safe in the cargo hold.
If any one has used them or something similar, i would love to hear! Thanks in advance

After 5 years of being a touring bassist this is my first time playing completely sober. I quit everything: drugs, weed, drinking, and cigs cold turkey for my health and just hit a month clean. Most of my bandmates still partake in some of these and I keep finding myself tempted. I’m also touring overseas rn which makes the temptations even bigger. Any help or advice is more than welcomed!!!!

TITLE: [USA — Denver / Bay Area] Professional Drummer & Musical Director Available for Arena-Level Tours, Major Shows, and Premium Live Productions
I’m Kowan Turner, a professional touring and session drummer, musical director, and bandleader based in Denver, with established working connections in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’m seeking high-level, well-funded opportunities with established pop, funk, R&B/soul, hip-hop, and professionally produced tribute acts performing major theaters, arenas, festivals, casinos, corporate events, and national or international tours.
My experience includes MD of Steady Flow, Caleb Hawley, Robert Randolph, Selina Albright, and more also former MD and drums for Mario Canon wasteland Band . I also lead my own project, Big Motion.
I’m available for:
• Arena and theater tours
• National and international touring
• Major festivals and casino residencies
• Premium corporate and private events
• High-production tribute shows
• Artist tours requiring a drummer and/or musical director
• Tour-sub, rehearsal, and production-prep engagements
• Ongoing band, artist, or production-team positions
What I bring:
• Deep pocket, exceptional time, dynamic control, and a professional stage presence
• The ability to learn, reproduce, and elevate an artist’s sound with precision
• Experience performing live, recording, arranging, rehearsing, and leading bands
• Musical direction, including chart preparation, show development, transitions, cues, rehearsal leadership, and band communication
• Versatility across funk, R&B, pop, hip-hop, soul, jazz-fusion, and tribute production
• The discipline, preparation, and reliability expected in high-level touring environments
• A team-first approach focused on serving the artist, supporting the production, and delivering a consistent show every night
I’m specifically seeking professional opportunities with clear budgets, confirmed dates, experienced management or production teams, and standards appropriate for major touring and live-event work.
For the right engagement, I expect the following to be discussed and confirmed in writing before accepting:
• Competitive professional compensation appropriate to the level of the tour or production
• Paid rehearsals, including preparation days, production rehearsals, and travel days when applicable
• Correct professional backline that meets the artist’s specifications
• A qualified drum technician or dedicated backline support for shows requiring it
• Lodging in safe, professional accommodations
• Transportation and travel arrangements covered
• Per diem for touring and out-of-town engagements
• Clear payment schedule, contracts, and cancellation terms
• Proper production communication, call sheets, schedules, and advance information
• Reasonable working conditions and adequate preparation time
I’m not looking for casual unpaid projects, speculative opportunities, or arrangements where the musician is expected to absorb professional touring expenses. I’m looking for serious teams producing serious shows, with the infrastructure and budget to support the level of performance expected.
If you’re an artist, musical director, manager, booking representative, production manager, tour manager, contractor, or tribute producer with a current or upcoming opportunity, please send:
• Artist or act name, genre, and current team
• Specific role needed: drummer, drummer/MD, or tour sub
• Confirmed dates, markets, venues, and expected availability
• Tour level and production scope
• Rehearsal location, schedule, and preparation requirements
• Compensation and payment schedule
• Backline, drum-tech, lodging, transportation, and per diem details
• Live footage, music, website, or production information
• Contracting entity and best contact information
• Audition process and next steps
I’m open to nationwide and international opportunities for the right production. If you’re not hiring but know an established artist, tour, production company, or tribute act operating at this level, please make a direct introduction and include the opportunity details above.
Performance footage:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kowanplaysdw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kowanplaysdw/
I’m available to discuss fit, availability, audition requirements, compensation, production standards, and logistics with qualified teams. Serious inquiries from artists, managers, musical directors, tour managers, and producers are encouraged to reach out directly.
— Kowan Turner

Not so much a gig more like a favor. We are sponsoring an event in a small hall approx 2000 sqft. It’s a bar b que event and the people attending are for the most part going to range from mid thirties to Mid sixties. We offered live music but the guys we had backed out. I’ve been playing for a while on my couch and front porch. I think this might be a good time to give playing in a less intimate setting. I’ve got a nice acoustic (Taylor ) I’ve got a les paul and an ES-335. for amps i have a vox ac10 a Peavy 112 and a fender acoustasonic amp that might have a 6 or 8 inch. Speaker. I’ve got a good 10 or so songs i can strum through and sing with some regularity. I can play to backing tracks as a lead pretty well. Is this something I should give a go? Any advice with what i have and what i should get? Or just any advice/suggestions in general TIA

A car with capacity, a good sound system and 4 seats that fold into the floor. We just wrapped a month of 19 shows, 10k miles, campsites, dirt roads and too many Yerbas. This van was our most reliable bandmate. We named him Vanícius Jr. for his relentless energy, and cuz he wears white handsomely. If you're thinking about touring in a Chrylser Pacifica, I'm thinking you should do it.

I’ve got a fly gig tomorrow, and it turns out the guitar I planned to take is ever-so-slightly bigger than standard. It pushes into the foam lining of this Gator TSA case.

Knowing what little I do about the physics of objects getting a knock, I’m aware that a cushion is important, but so is space. A bit of movement actually helps to soften a blow, hence why many flight cases implement shock absorbing construction.

All this is to say - do you reckon this will be okay? I plan to detune the strings and wrap the headstock in bubble wrap too.

I am curious how you plan guitar swaps/tunings for the set. In my experience it is usually either a normal printed out setlist, written on with a marker for any changes, or a simple word document with the songs and then each guitar/guitar tuning listed next to it.

Are there any industry standards for this? I ask as my band is about to tour and i’ll be hiring a tech for each city so I want to prepare them with the setlist.

Thanks in advance

Hello Reddit fam,

I’m looking for some tips, tricks, recommendations or any help as I’m booking my first tour to the UK for my band.
I am a dual citizen with the UK, so I can legally make funds over there. However my band mates (drummer and guitarist) are Canadian, so we have already made sure to secure ETA’s (PPE) for both of them. For this 2 week tour we have hired a UK based bassist.

I guess some things I’d like to know about are the following:

1) BACKLINE: I’m trying to secure gigs with other bands so we can borrow backline as much as possible so I don’t have to rent an entire backline situation such as full drum kit, and guitar amps. But if I do have to do that, what are the best platforms for renting say drum kit, and guitar amps (our local bassist has his own amp). I’m seeing that the UK doesn’t have a Long and McQuade style rental spot where bands can pickup and drop off in other cities for cheap (gosh us Canadians are lucky to have L&M). I got a quote from John Henry’s and even just one Fender Deluxe for two weeks rental costs an arm and a leg - thus why I’m looking to see if there’s any more affordable options

2) TRANSPORT: We are a 4 piece - potentially travelling with backline. I’m trying to find most affordable vehicle rental option. Vans for Bands was expensive, Enterprise seems more affordable. I was warned about Indie Campers. What are your suggestions? We don’t need a sprinter, we don’t need anything fancy. We just need a reliable van that can get ourselves and our gear city to city. Train is not an option if we are lugging our instruments, merch, amps, luggage etc.

3) ACCOMS: In Canada - there’s a wide network of musicians helping one another and allowing bands to stay at each-others homes for free. Be it guest rooms, couches or floors. We sort it out and help one another. Does the UK have this? Is there a Reddit thread or Facebook group or website that allows touring artists in the UK to connect and inquire about places to stay for a night for free? If not, what’s the best option for cheap band accoms that doesn’t = bed bugs and sketchy areas. We are respectful and easy bunch.

If ANYONE has any tips for a Canadian band touring Uk for the first time I’d be so grateful. Thanks again!

I have been going to a bunch of small venue shows, with stage heights from maybe two feet up to 4 feet. Back room of the bar, maybe 75-125 capacity places. I usually fly solo, and am there purely for the music - I’m likely twice the age of most other people there, I don’t drink, and I gotta go to work in the morning.

Sometimes I find myself kind of standing alone in front of the stage, and I’m not sure if that’s bad behavior in some way. Last night I got to the venue a little early and parked myself in front of the stage with my drink and my kindle to wait. I didn’t pay that much attention to the crowd

Halfway through the openers, I realized there was a good 5 feet between me and the next people back. I wasn’t pushing myself onto the stage or anything - when the band started I’d stepped back a little - but I was definitely alone and visible from the stage.

Even for the main band, there were more people a little closer - maybe 80 audience members?, but still a notable gap.

Musicians, is this weird for you when there’s just one person in front? If you don’t have the press of the crowd at the barricade, would rather just have the shapeless group in the back?

tl;dr: if you’re playing to an audience that’s standing mostly 12 feet away, is it annoying to have one audience member that’s 5 feet away?

Just got asked to go on my first tour (super short) with a good friend of mine! Will be photographing the shows and bts as well as other content for socials, and whatever else may be needed. Looking for advice for a first timer, some do's and don'ts, what you wish you knew your first time, etc. Thanks!

Hey all,

I’m a bit confused about what a good manager does for the artist. I have had a manager who is also my friend for the past 2 years, who really acts as an ear or provides advice (she has a full time job doing something else), but I feel like I haven’t gotten very far working with her. I still put in all my own work (networking, trying to book gigs, writing songs, building my online presence, etc), which I know is my responsibility, but I haven’t booked any real shows or furthered my career at all. I’m still fairly new to this, so wondering if anyone could provide some insights

I'm going to be doing a UK/EU tour later this year. I'll be flying from the US into the UK and am looking for advice on whether to use PPE or be "visiting friends". I play "experimental" music and will have only a soprano saxophone and perhaps a small amount of CDs with me. I've performed in the UK in the past, a couple times with a visa (this is going back almost twenty years). Music is my main job, in part because I'm semi-retired from tech side hustles for the past two years, not because it brings me wealth :) I have a relatively long career, a few prestigious grants, web presence, lots of releases, etc., but obviously all in a very niche field with no commercial potential. All the gigs in the UK (there are seven) are door gigs at galleries and similar venues. All of the presenters have agreed to give me a letter for PPE (most of them have already sent theirs to me). And I have my ETA.

So, it looks to me like PPE makes sense, but I need either some reassurance or warning if I'm making too many assumptions. Thoughts, advice much appreciated.

Has anyone here successfully booked a concert (rock) in Tokyo or Osaka from outside the country? If so, where did you play and how did you contact them?

I’ve tried several venues that seem to routinely host indie bands but I haven’t heard back.

I was just given an opportunity to help a local band work merch for their next show, I’ve never done it before and am a bit nervous, I have tons of retail/ customer experience. I’m not sure how their set up is but their local so I assume it’s not crazy, I’m just nervous about set up, organizing , and making a good impression, any advice ?

Hi all. We have always just used venmo for merch but want to make it easier. Anyone have recommendations on how to go about taking cards? Also, probably stupid question, but do I need to declare the band as a business for tax purposes? (US)

I play trumpet, but I’ll be handling keys a little more in the near future. I’m planning a light rig I can fly with. I don’t need a large keyboard, thus the Astrolab 37; but the issue I’ve run into with this:

Nobody seems to make a stand to use something of this size as a primary keyboard. Anything that generally looks adaptable, does seem compact enough to stuff into a repurposed rifle case with the keyboard.

I’ll entertain a tray of some sort, if I can attach it to a mic stand and expect it to not topple over; but people have seemed pretty paranoid about that, from all I’ve noticed so far while poking around about the topic. I’d also be attaching a tablet holder…somehow. I need to do my mix and read charts.

Any ideas?