If you've been following my last several posts, it should be quite clear that I'm going on tour this fall.
In fact, the first date is just 22 days from now!
But, something this BIG doesn't just happen, it takes a lot of behind the scenes work. So, let me walk you through the process.
It All Started By Launching My CD Project...
A tour should have a purpose. That can be as simple as gaining some new fans and sharing your music with them. But, if that's truly your goal it will impact all of your decisions. (How far you travel, How many dates you perform, etc)
My Goal Is To Raise Awareness For My Album
This decision determines a lot of things about my tour.
- The Quality Of The Musicians I Bring Along (I've Got A Killer Band)
- How Often We Perform (Nearly Every Night)
- How Many Markets We Reach (As Many As Possible)
- How Much We Market (As Much As We Can Afford
And lots more...
The next step is to reach out to qualified venues who would be interested in my style of music.
I'm in a unique situation, because I've traveled for 15 years of my life singing Gospel and built a large fan base. I've got fans everywhere. But, I switched to a solo pop career two years ago and in that space I'm an unknown.
So, I have credentials and draw - but the markets don't always match up. To give you an idea, here is my bio from my EPK
"TMG recording artist Caleb Allen has been described as Meghan Trainor meets Michael Bublé. His "modern retro pop" vibe stands at the intersection of Adele and the Four Tops as The Righteous Brothers' vintage '67 Mustang smashes into Charlie Puth's '16 Corvette causing an insurance debacle that ends in an epic dance off hosted by Walk The Moon.
Caleb Allen began his professional music career at the age of 5, performing with his family, an internationally-acclaimed Gospel group. At the age of 9, he received first place in a national talent search. He also had his first original charting radio single at age 12. As a teenager, Allen wrote one Southern Gospel Top 40 and three Top 80 radio singles for his family. During his tenure with the group, they were nominated for three New Group Of The Year awards. Allen also starred in TLC’s original pilot, Home Sweet Bus, in 2013.
The transition from Southern Gospel to Pop came two years after Allen left the road life to marry his longtime sweetheart, Steffanie. In 2012, they welcomed the addition of twin boys, Jackson and Ashton into the family and in December of 2015, their third child, Ezekiel, was born. Allen’s music, heavily influenced by artists like Meghan Trainor, A Great Big World, and Walk The Moon, features a flair for crafting a creative lyric and captivating melody. With his fun-filled songs, positive lyrics, and vivacious performances, Allen’s music is an unparalleled tribute to joy, love, and hope."
The Next Step Is Contacting Venues
I enlisted the help of Indie On The Move to write a booking pitch and submit it to 500 venues across 10 major markets.
I sent them the pitch with a link to my EPK and my promo video (below):
Within minutes, I had emails and offers from tons of venues pouring into my inbox. It continued like that for several days.
Some were a quick, "no thanks". Others needed more info. Some, wanted to book me on the spot.
It was overwhelming but tons of FUN!
One Of My Major Strategies For Touring Is...
Partnering with LOCAL OPENING ACTS. I've found great local acts to hop on the bill with me in nearly every major market. This will help with ticket sales and crowd engagement.
I'm new to this audience, so let's give them something familiar.
Most local artists are happy for the opportunity and a small piece of the door (ticket sales). So, it's the ultimate win-win.
The Final Step Is Promo And Support
I've started launching a radio and press campaign in each market and will aggressively scale it up as I can.
But, advertising takes money. Something I don't have much of (that whole starving artist thing).
So, I've launched a campaign to give my fans a chance to get involved and join me on tour.
By becoming a member of the "Black And Blue Crew" (the name of my tour is Black and Blue - same as the album), my fans will have exclusive access to some really cool things.
I've crowdfunded music projects in the past, so this time I wanted to do something different - something more tangible and valuable.
So, I Launched This TeeSpring Campaign
For $59.99, my fans will get this limited edition T-Shirt
PLUS
- Access To a BTS Video Blog For The Tour
- Copy Of The Live CD and DVD (subject to minimum funds raised)
- VIP Tickets To Any Show
- Access To Practice and Concert Live Streams
- A Chance To Win Autographed Souvenirs From the Tour
- And More!
It's A Great Way For Fans To Show Their Support And Get Some Really Cool Stuff!
But, ultimately, it's about bringing people along for the ride.
I'm all about engaging with my fans in the most intimate way possible. I love going behind the music to meet real people with real struggles and help them through it with a song.
So, this helps my fans get even closer to me and my music.
If you can, come join me for this incredible musical experience! I'd love to share it with you too.
