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As we wait for news on Jimmy’s 2013 tour and dig out from the biggest snow storm to hit these parts in five years, I ask....
How is a tour put together?
Does an artist throw out available dates and concert promoters grab them up, putting up the requisite guaranteed money at the same time?
(For what it’s worth, I heard through a Live Nation employee before Jimmy’s stop in Toronto a few years back that he was the most expensive artist to play the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre that year.)
Is it a flat rate or based on ticket sales?
Or am I way off?

Thanks PHriends.
Stay warm.
Pretty sure I’ve got cabin fever.

From what I have understood in the past..... I know years ago Jimmy used to get 110% of the gate and T-shirts. Anything after that is the venues. That is part of the reason why they overcharge drastically for drinks inside, and some of the venues not wanting tailgating allowed.

How Concert Tours Work

Interesting stuff, I would guess that much of what they write applies to most tours. But every act has their own demands and a certain way of doing things, too.

A tour is assembled with great difficulty. It is obviously a planning and logistics nightmare. The government could take a lesson.

all i know from working at a Theater, is the act ( promoter) contacts the venue with dates that they will be in that area, Larger venues may work differently because of demand.

Nighthawk wrote:From what I have understood in the past..... I know years ago Jimmy used to get 110% of the gate and T-shirts. Anything after that is the venues. That is part of the reason why they overcharge drastically for drinks inside, and some of the venues not wanting tailgating allowed.

Probably accurate now , I am positive in the past he got 90% of the rake at most venues, some places like the Madison SQ, and MGM Grand , were slightly less but face value tickets were higher as well.

chippewa wrote:How Concert Tours Work

Interesting stuff, I would guess that much of what they write applies to most tours. But every act has their own demands and a certain way of doing things, too.

.

Yep, his tour manager has something called a contract rider, which lays out the particular ground rules for the artist, down to the last bottle of Fiji water, Jimmy has one of the most complex ones in the business. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstage/ ... my-buffett that is a sample of what his looks like , food, alcohol, etc No Margaritas , Rum, or Cheeseburgers.

He uses a company for his tours called Sail Away Entertainment based out of Tampa, logistics, and equipment / instrument transfers are done by them. Stage setup, riggers, and venue setup are done by locals in a union.

He handles (well his personal staff) all the hotel , limo, and transportation needs , Charleston is his personal goon when he is performing I have only seen him w/o Charleston once and that was in New Orleans at a private fund raiser with about 150 people in attendance , snake is hired he runs an MMA school in North Carolina.

Everything is pretty much standard tour stuff..

I have seen that website before. I love the " parrotheads beware." If I were a multi millionaire rock star I would like certain things to. Being on the road must take its toll so why not enjoy it.

Cool site though.

Fins up!

FinsUp6835 wrote:I have seen that website before. I love the " parrotheads beware." If I were a multi millionaire rock star I would like certain things to. Being on the road must take its toll so why not enjoy it.

Cool site though.

Fins up!

I agree and If Jimmy Buffett was not there, they would not be eating at all, in regards to him eating first , lol. Cause the day he fades away, a lot of people will be looking for work I would imagine.

Well in relation to most tours I have worked on the answer to "How is a tour assembled?" would be a resounding "Poorly!".

CNSBA2 wrote:

FinsUp6835 wrote:I have seen that website before. I love the " parrotheads beware." If I were a multi millionaire rock star I would like certain things to. Being on the road must take its toll so why not enjoy it.

Cool site though.

Fins up!

I agree and If Jimmy Buffett was not there, they would not be eating at all, in regards to him eating first , lol. Cause the day he fades away, a lot of people will be looking for work I would imagine.

i wouldn't say the whole band , Tina probably , Roger Guth maybe.....but, the rest have a pretty good track record of solo projects.

I was thinking more along the lines of the army of people to put on a show at a place like the MGM grand , lightmen , sound board ops , video designers , radio mville people for the feed , dressing room and backstage attendants , wardrobe people , etc .. The band will be fine, most of them are close to or beyond retirement age anyhow . Utley , Robert , Doyle ,

I assume you are asking how tour dates are determined for Jimmy' shows each tour?

The tours are "assembled" in to five "legs" with tour beginning in April or May with each leg in a different region of the country. This minimizes the travel between shows for Jimmy, the CRB and the show crew.

Over the last few years Jimmy has started the tour in Texas followed by some shows in places such as Georgia, and The Carolina's and VA Beach. This is by design to avoid the nasty Summer heat in those areas.

The second "leg" of the tour has been over the last few years, in the Northeastern part of the country with stops at Greatwoods, Mohegan Sun, followed by Pittsburgh and then Chicago. This "leg" of the tours has been happening in mid-late June over the last few tours followed by almost a full month off before the next "leg" of the tour.

The third "leg" of which has been starting at the end of July the last few years Jimmy hits Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit and more recently Atlantic City NJ.

The fourth and last "leg" of the summer tour dates has been again over the last few tours, when Jimmy hits Camden NJ, Alpine Valley, Jones Beach, and finally labor day at Bristow Virginia.

After the fourth leg is completed there has been yet another month off with the exception of shows in Paris France, and last years mini tour in Australia.

The fifth tour leg is when Jimmy hits the Western US with shows in Las Vegas, Denver, Arizona, California, Washington and last year Idaho. This leg of the tour bookend with two Las Vegas show and the other shows in between.

Jimmy does have an appearance fee but I am not sure of the exact amount

CNSBA2 wrote:Yep, his tour manager has something called a contract rider, which lays out the particular ground rules for the artist, down to the last bottle of Fiji water, Jimmy has one of the most complex ones in the business. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstage/ ... my-buffett that is a sample of what his looks like , food, alcohol, etc No Margaritas , Rum, or Cheeseburgers.

If you want to read a great contract, check out the Foo Fighters, it's nice to see a band that does not take themselves too serious
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/foo-fighters-08

Also the music culture of your city has alot to do with the day of the week you'll see big acts play. Take the Detroit metro area for example.....many artists like Bret Michaels have openly admitted that they will never play a music crazy town on the weekend because they know they can sell out on a tuesday, they save the weekends for Cities that could care less because its a better chance to sell out on a weekend.

The only time you will see a Big time Artist drop into a big music city on a weekend is when they are playing a stadium show, like Jimmy last year or Kenny Chesney the past few years because they want the insurance of a sell out at a stadium show that a weekend date gives.