Band's Strategic Shift From Touring Intensity To Sustainable Engagement
TL;DR
- The band's decision to split vocal duties among members and involve the audience in performances proved more enjoyable and effective than anticipated, enhancing the live show experience.
- Acknowledging the physical toll of extensive touring, the band resolved to limit future tours to a maximum of one show per day to prevent exhaustion and burnout.
- The band's strategy is shifting towards a more passive approach, waiting for venues to reach out for bookings rather than actively seeking gigs.
- The band prefers performing in dedicated music venues over bars, indicating a preference for environments that align better with their artistic sensibilities.
- The band recognizes the value of audience engagement, noting that energetic female audience members often lead the crowd's enthusiasm and participation.
- The band's future musical direction may explore a less "punk rock" sound, incorporating more acoustic and gentler elements while maintaining high energy.
- The band's experience highlights the importance of managing expectations, as outlier successful shows can create unrealistic benchmarks for future performances.
Deep Dive
The band's recent tour, despite its success in terms of audience engagement and venue acceptance, has revealed critical limitations in their touring model, highlighting the need for a strategic shift. While the tour provided valuable experience and proved their ability to draw crowds and adapt performances, the physical and mental toll, particularly on the lead vocalist, underscores that the current pace is unsustainable for long-term engagement. This introspection suggests a move towards a more curated approach to live performances, prioritizing quality over quantity and leveraging existing relationships rather than solely pursuing new opportunities.
The core argument is that the band has reached a point where their current touring intensity is detrimental to their well-being and potentially their long-term viability. The experience of performing multiple shows in rapid succession, compounded by illness and the inherent exhaustion of travel and setup, has led to significant physical strain. This is not merely about being tired; it's about a post-tour state of being "ineffective" and "a broken man," impacting their ability to function. The second-order implication is that if this model continues, it risks burnout and a decline in performance quality, ultimately alienating the audiences they've worked to cultivate.
A crucial second-order implication stems from their decision to stop actively seeking gigs and instead wait for venues to reach out. This signifies a shift from a growth-focused, expansionist strategy to one of earned demand. While this might reduce the frequency of performances, it strategically positions them as a more desirable act, allowing them to be selective about where and when they play. This approach also aligns with their desire to avoid an overly demanding schedule, potentially leading to more sustainable, higher-quality performances when they do occur.
The band's preference for venues that are not bars also points to a desire for a more comfortable and perhaps more artist-friendly environment. This preference, combined with a potential shift towards a slightly less "punk rock" and more acoustic sound, suggests an evolution in their artistic direction. The implication is that future performances might offer a different, perhaps more nuanced, experience for both the band and the audience, moving away from the high-impact, physically taxing performances that characterized the recent tour. This also opens the door for exploring different musical arrangements and creative avenues.
Finally, the acknowledgment that the tour, despite its hardships, was a success because venues were willing to have them back is significant. This indicates a growing reputation and established relationships within the music scene. The second-order effect is that this goodwill can be leveraged to implement their new, more sustainable touring philosophy. By focusing on existing positive connections and waiting for opportunities to arise, they can maintain their presence without succumbing to the unsustainable demands that nearly compromised them on this tour.
Action Items
- Audit tour logistics: Identify 3-5 recurring inefficiencies (e.g., travel time, setup complexity) to inform future tour planning.
- Develop a "no-gig" policy: Establish a minimum 6-month break between tours to prevent burnout and allow for personal life.
- Create a venue outreach strategy: Prioritize venues that reach out to the band, rather than proactively seeking gigs.
- Refine performance style: Explore acoustic or gentler arrangements for 2-3 songs to diversify the act and reduce vocal strain.
- Document vocal recovery protocols: Record 3-5 remedies and their effectiveness for future reference in case of voice issues.
Key Quotes
"yeah um you can hear the voice there is um we probably shouldn't be wasting it on on this uh podcast isn't there something to kind of talking and clearing it up a little bit exercising it maybe getting it warmed up all right so so perhaps um you're not gonna wear that red jacket i'm gonna wear the gold one it's already in the van maybe you should actually wear the red jacket it might look better than the gold one it's a little smaller it's tom's gotcha okay all right well we yeah we all right all right all right that's fine that's fine"
The speaker acknowledges their voice is in poor condition, suggesting it's not ideal for recording the podcast. This highlights the immediate challenge of the tour, where vocal health is compromised before the performances even begin. The back-and-forth about jackets indicates a lighthearted, informal atmosphere despite the underlying vocal issue.
"i can't sing and you can't sing pete could potentially be doing 60 to 70 of the um of the vocals tonight i was thinking it'd be cool if i made him wear the jacket when he was singing when he was singing you're gonna just keep changing back and forth and i was thinking of opening it up to the audience too yeah that's that's an idea i mean uh you know they'd have to know the songs uh the song lyrics but um most do so i guess for what what what song are you thinking like i don't know mothman or pooping my fingernails or last poop of the night i'm just making that up although tom tom should do last poop of the night that's like a it feels like that's in his uh register is his in his range yeah"
This quote directly addresses the impact of the speaker's vocal issues on the performance, indicating a reliance on another band member, Pete, to cover a significant portion of the vocals. The speaker also entertains the idea of audience participation, demonstrating a willingness to adapt and involve the crowd due to their own limitations. The humorous song titles suggest a playful approach to problem-solving.
"devastating though you know it's like we there's only three days uh of you know between between october or between november and you know next year that we needed my voice yeah exactly and this this day and and potentially we have three you know we have three more shows after today so potentially you could be o for o for um four yeah i don't think it's gonna be much better"
The speaker expresses the significant impact of losing their voice at this particular time, emphasizing the limited window of opportunity for their vocal performance. This highlights the high stakes of the tour and the frustration of having their voice fail during a critical period. The "o for four" prediction underscores a pessimistic outlook on their vocal recovery for the remaining shows.
"yeah the sniffles i had a i had a stuffy nose which is been gone but this is all that's left over yeah i i i it's it's it's tough this time of year you know though it's it's freaking freezing here too how do you live here no that's i this is crazy it's way too cold uh you know it's it's the afternoon and and it's still below freezing um and it's only december um it's not good yeah it's brutal"
This quote explains the cause of the speaker's voice loss as a lingering effect of a cold and highlights the challenging environmental conditions of the tour. The speaker expresses disbelief at the extreme cold, indicating that the weather is a significant factor contributing to their physical discomfort and vocal strain. The description of the cold as "brutal" emphasizes the harshness of the tour's circumstances.
"well it's not for the money double price for the show a quarter tank of gas to drive you home it's your turn to place the bet and you keep telling me you're all set you're all set i survived the late night fight by the rock now i can barely move i can barely talk i come to pick you up 90 minutes round trip no you can't kiss my busted lip"
The speaker reflects on the demanding nature of touring, describing the effort involved in performing and traveling. The phrase "late night fight" suggests a grueling experience, and the inability to "barely move" or "barely talk" emphasizes the physical toll. The mention of a "90 minutes round trip" and a "busted lip" further illustrates the sacrifices and hardships endured.
"well it's not for the money double price for the show a quarter tank of gas to drive you home it's your turn to place the bet and you keep telling me you're all set i'm pretty sure i'm still in my prime if i fall off a tree i get back up and i climb i keep on going in old times if i'm not over the top then i'm over with life and i'll let my departs to reach the youtubers it's better than a later if i leave sooner it's not that my welcome is overstayed it's just i'll only lay in the bed i've made"
This quote expresses a resilient and determined mindset despite the challenges of the tour. The speaker asserts their continued vitality and commitment to pushing forward, even in difficult circumstances. The metaphors of climbing after falling and not being "over the top" convey a strong work ethic and a refusal to give up. The speaker suggests a proactive approach to their career and life.
Resources
External Resources
Books
- "The Motern Method" - Mentioned as a product available for purchase.
Articles & Papers
- "The Grand American Novel" - Mentioned as a potential future writing project.
People
- Farley - Mentioned as having lost his voice before a tour.
- Pete - Mentioned as potentially singing 60-70% of vocals due to Farley's voice issues.
- Tom - Mentioned as potentially wearing a red jacket and having a vocal range suitable for a song.
- Will Siskind - Mentioned as the performer of the song "Late Night Fight."
- Grace - Mentioned as a winner of a cover song challenge, sharing prizes with Mitch.
- Mitch - Mentioned as sharing prizes with Grace for a cover song challenge.
- Casey - Mentioned as coming from Tennessee and attending multiple shows.
- Adora - Mentioned as a waitress who was excited and potentially coming back to shows.
- Seth - Mentioned as having commented on Farley's voice.
- Mrs. Peculian - Mentioned as a teacher who taught a lemonade stand game.
- Mark Wahlberg - Mentioned as starring in the movie "Rockstar."
- Jennifer Aniston - Mentioned as starring in the movie "Rockstar."
Organizations & Institutions
- Motern Media Infomercial Podcast - The podcast where the discussion is taking place.
- Buffalo Bills - Mentioned in the context of a fan attending a show.
- New England Patriots - Mentioned in the context of fans and rivalry.
- Red Sox - Mentioned in a comparison to the Yankees.
- Yankees - Mentioned in a comparison to the Red Sox.
- The Beatles - Mentioned in comparison to the band's sound.
Websites & Online Resources
- Amazon - Mentioned as a source for purchasing books at cost.
- YouTube - Mentioned as a platform where videos might be posted.
Other Resources
- Late Night Fight - A song performed by Will Siskind.
- Area 51 Singers - Mentioned as winners of a cover song challenge.
- King of Late Night - A song the band considered starting with.
- Don't Let Him Get You - A song the band considered starting with.
- I'll Be Dancing on Shattered - A song mentioned.
- I Will Dance on Shattered and the Tears - A song mentioned.
- Lemonade Stand Game - A childhood game mentioned as an analogy for touring.
- Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) - Mentioned as an analogy for putting on shows.
- Rockstar (Movie) - Mentioned as a movie recommendation.
- The Sabbath - Mentioned as a day of rest.
- Turtle Head Poop - Mentioned as a song that could be effective acoustically.