Every artists dream. All the tickets to all the shows already sold out even before tour rehearsals start.
Awesome.
But…
It’s hard to be a better performing artist when the tour is already sold out.
In the short term it’s not worth the time and effort. The tour is sold out. So what’s the point? Artists want to get better so that more seats are sold. But now all the seats are sold.
An already sold out tour means the money is in your hand so…
…now becoming a better performer doesn’t make you anymore money than if you just coast for the next six or twelve months.
An already sold out tour means the money is in your hand so…
…you can buy more fireworks and dancers and laser lights…the easier and more sexy additions to the show that have the power to enhance…and yet distract…Distract the crowd from how mediocre the performer might actually be.
But here’s the thing to remember. If the tour is sold out and you decide to coast all tour long…you won’t be aware of the consequences until the NEXT tour.
A great indication of how effective your show was in a city is what happens when you come back.
And if you coast because the tour is already sold out…the numbers will decrease next time and you will have to go through the even harder work of CHANGING your reputation instead of BUILDING it (which is to keep becoming a better performer all the time, never coasting even when the tour is pre-sold-out).
So when the tour is sold out and you have a pile of money…go buy all the video screens, backup dancers and hire three drummers, that would be awesome.
But most of all YOU need to be great. Never forget that.
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com