UK - Sort It Out, OK?

Right, this is no longer an isolated incident, a chance occurrence, a one bad apple spoiling the barrel…

We, as a nation, are shit to touring bands.

To some this news will be about as surprising as the recent item saying ‘online computer games are addictive,’ to others it will be a call to defend your local promoter in righteous indignation. But believe me, the nice guys are the exception in this country, not the rule.

The reason I say this is because over the last year or so I have talked to many a band who have gone and done Europe, and everyone has come back with the same refrain: “they love us in Europe; we get treated like shit over here.” Even I have experienced the love of another country as opposed to the disdain of this one. You play a free gig in France, they apologise for the lack of funds, feed you, booze you, put you up in someone’s house then pack you off in the morning with a strong coffee and a hearty “salut!” Over here you get to change in a toilet, play to surly punters who wish you weren’t there most of the time, lump your equipment through the rain to your car, parked in danger of a clamping and told to piss off before the disco starts. It makes you wonder why you even bother - no wonder so many good bands in this country split up before they even start.

No, you have to run everything as a business in this country. Promoters need to make it worth their while, venues have to cover their costs… plus a bit. The annoying thing is, it doesn’t cost much to be nice. What does it cost to put on a vege curry? Some pasta? Space on someone’s floor? A few bottles of something and a chat at the end of a night? Some of you are doing this, but it’s not enough - you can’t keep treating bands in such a shoddy way and expect to get bands coming back, and a bit of TLC gets you happy bands=good gigs=happy, returning punters. You do the complex equations, bread heads, and show a little love!