How to Tour 101 – Booking agent
Your booking agent is the conduit between your band desiring to play and actually doing it. A booking agent uses his or her network of talent buyers (club owners, venue owners, festival buyers, etc) to secure paying playing gigs for your band.
A booking agent is only as good as the direction she is given. If it is only possible for you to play occassional shows, be sure your agent knows this, before he spends countless hours of time, effort and energy to secure dates for you that you cannot fulfill.
A booking agent is the most important link in bringing your band to a traveling and touring situation. A good booking agent should have an established network and a great working relationship with most buyers. He should be able to secure paying shows for you with the understanding, since you wanted to be a touring band, that some shows will be for expenses to keep you on tour. She should also have a firm backbone to stand up for you in case of discrepancies or cancelled dates.
If you have a booking agent, heap blessings on that person. Booking bands is not an easy job. Often bands forget to be grateful for having an agent’s knowledge, network , stamina and passion in their corner.
A booking agent is not a travel agent and should not have to work out every little detail of a performance. Basically, a booking agent tells your band where and when to play and how much you will make. The rest (like how you get there, etc) is up to you.
