Wonder why your favourite band isn't playing near you? This is probably why.
If you’ve ever been left feeling like your favourite band or artist is avoiding your area, then this article will explain to you why that might be the case.
By Scott Edwards
As one of the West Midland’s favourite bands announce their ‘All Signs Point to Britain’ tour, many fans have taken to their social networks to voice their disappointment that A Day to Remember have left the Black Country and surrounding areas, out of their autumn tour.
The nearest places the huge Floridians will visit is Nottingham’s Rock City and Sheffield’s O2 Academy. And it isn’t that the band are strangers to the West Midlands, because they announced similar dates including Birmingham earlier this year, but for some strange reason, those sell-out dates have been left out completely.
So why is this?
Well, some of you may not know this, but the main reason why a band abandons tours in an area such as Birmingham or Wolverhampton, is because of record sales.
Last year, A Day to Remember released their ‘Common Courtesy’ album, one of their best since their formation 11 years ago. The album reached Number 57 in the UK Album Chart and added to an ever growing fan base in the Midlands area alone.
Speaking to event’s organiser for the Wolverhampton Civic, Adam Lavender back in March this year, he explained to The Thread that it’s actually up to a band or artists agent on where they tour. ‘’Many people are under the impression that a band gets to choose where they tour, or us organisers apply to get them, when actually it is predominantly based on record and album sales.’’ commented Lavender.
‘’If a band sells a higher number of albums or singles in a specific area, then the bands organisers and managers will organise to get a venue there.’’.
Therefore, going along with the real understanding on how bands and artists get tour dates, there can be one of two apparent reasons to why your band or artist won’t tour in your area?
All the fans in your area have bought the album already.
‘’Fans’’ have illegally downloaded the album and your favourite band or artist hasn’t got any true figures detailing that a huge fan base is located in your area
Reflecting on reason one, you could argue that a band is alienating an area because they already have the album and cannot do anything more to gain their bands attention, which would frustrate many on how bands and organisers come together to hold a gig. Should this be changed? Or is this the only real way in today’s age to judge where to tour?
And reflecting on reason two, the ever aging argument on illegal downloads damaging the music industry, rears its head again. But now you know that illegally downloading effects tour dates, would that stop you if you do?
Please get involved and comment your thoughts and encourage others in the comments box below, we would be extremely interested in hearing your thoughts.
