helllo excited to kick off this next isse!!! if you're interested in taking part in it, please come to this event: https://discord.gg/Jz3Cew8f?event=1033931725933391872

EQ issue 003: ‘Artist Fanbase: How to Activate Your Community Online and IRL’. This issue focuses on participation and interaction in a community. These days as an artist, it’s becoming clearer that building a community and having fans participate in your fan community is necessary to have an independently sustainable career in the industry. Since this is an issue on community, it only felt right to explore this topic with the help of our community members by kicking off our first ever community guild for EQ. This guild had full ownership and responsibility to drive the issue in a direction that they think is the best. In this issue, they established the topics, wrote the articles and conducted the interviews on building, nurturing, and engaging with a fan’s community in order to encourage active participation and build a self-sustaining community. Thank you to @​fredriko@​isadorenoir @​TKtheLegend @​blckspkz @​BARTYDARTY @​blaire.wymn @​craighamilton @​universe for all your amazing work and contributing towards a very important topic! Head to eq.house to check out the amazing contributions!

wow, that is well said. I've been trying to articulate this to friends who are frustrated that their music career is not going the way they want (i.e very profitable/can live off their art), but its a tough subject to approach. i've had it the other way around where i worked so hard on the business end of music that i stopped enjoying and listening to music. it's simple to say that it's all about balance, but finding that balance is actually the hardest thing to do!

Not sure where to put this, but it’s worth a read @​crystalpistol_ https://twitter.com/drgmusgrave/status/1510884070166777857?s=21&t=v5DXrmTJ7vKhq28OD8iOaA

this is so so great ❤️ @​WayneEverest says something similar in his audio interview for this issue, he basically says that it's ok if you fall out of love with music for a little bit or stop making music because life gets in the way.. take it at your own pace. if you love music that much, you'll always find a way to get back to it

I still get crazy happy when I get on a big playlist and when I don’t though lol.. it’s just in our nature 🤦🏼‍♂️

The advice I try and give is that it’s all about balance, and that actually the goal should be to have music as an enjoyable part of you life… if your lucky enough for it to go beyond that then by all means jump all in. This is a hard sell no doubt with all the work till you die rhetoric if you wanna be the best!.. which at times in your life I do think can work. But if enjoying music as part of you life is a goal, and you can achieve that for your whole life, then that for me is pretty amazing. Even people I know who have had an amazing 5 year period with number 1 records and made loads of money often fall out of love with being an artist, and really struggle to develop a next part of their life after that.. and the reality is not everyone can be Adele. I hear myself saying this and know it’s not massively inspiring to young people, but I think the rest is dangerous and often irresponsible when selling it to young people. It’s a massive culture shock if you go all in and rely on music for money too early, it totally changes the process.. and in reality you can’t release everything you make, so earning money from a job to invest in music for me still makes sense.. until if your lucky you can jump fully in. I have a much healthier life now I lecture 2 days a week, my music is better, my health is better, I release more music I love and I’m my own boss.. I don’t have to take any production job out of desperation, or be subservient purely to AnR opinions… granted I earn less, but I see my family and friends and I get to work at my own pace. It’s a very individual thing though, but I think finding your right balance is the one.

how do you think artists can slow down and focus on their achievements vs. thinking ahead to higher expectations?

Touring is Tough

Live performances enable music artists to connect with a community, share art, expand  reach, plus (sometimes) support themselves and their families by making a living from their craft. When earnings shift, for instance with lower streaming royalties replacing the purchasing of singles, live shows take on a more prominent role as a form of artist incomes.

The combination of the covid pandemic; inflation; the strain on artists’ physical and mental health; as well as the impact on the climate from touring; is leading artists to consider alternative ways to make an income from their music. 

The digital world opens up viable income alternatives including performances, collectibles and partnerships. By leveraging metaverse, NFT, and gaming platforms artists are able to architect unique creative experiences that unlock distinctive benefits. From live interactive events that bring fans together around the world to specific aspects of virtual identity that enable remarkable means of expression and relatability. 

**Blockbuster Digital Demand**

First mover content hubs in the online space \[such as patreon, youtube, and twitch] have unlocked incredible ways for artists to create and monetise value. As the internet has evolved, alongside the creative tools available to artists, audience expectations are shifting in tandem with a new set of experiential possibilities.  

At the vanguard, setting the stage for how such experiences are constructed, a network of platforms is emerging that has captured the imagination. 

The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) a new 'Best Metaverse Performance' category garnered 320m votes: won by Korean pop group [Blackpink](https://youtu.be/7WyHtSlvHD4). The award was introduced by global stars [Snoop Dogg and Eminem](https://youtu.be/0GW3TWBlQgE) with a metaverse performance powered by [Improbable](https://www.improbable.io/blog/an-improbable-story-accelerating-into-the-metaverse-and-what-comes-next) and [Yuga Labs](https://nftnow.com/guides/yuga-labs-an-overview-of-the-nft-company-taking-over-the-metaverse/) (behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club). 

Gaming platforms in particular have been laying the groundwork and experimenting with uncovering the potential of digital performances. 

Fortnite, the Epic Games sensation with between 2.9 to 4m concurrent players at any time, hosted a 2019 show with Marshmello attended by 10.7m fans as well as a 2020 Travis Scott show attended by 12.3m fans. Roblox, with over 50m daily active users, sold millions in customizable avatars partnering with Lil Nas and Swedish pop star Zara Larrson in 2021. The platform partnered with the Grammy Awards to host the 64th annual event in 2022. 

**Independents**

Given this demand, there has been a proliferation of independent artists and collectives building out the infrastructure to deliver digital performances that generate income through innovation alongside delighting audiences. 

Performances through avenues such as Twitter spaces and ‘Clubhouse’ have served as valuable avenues for generating interest in collectibles such as NFTs. 

To envisage the step-change in earnings potential from digital collectibles consider [Relics.xyz](http://relics.xyz) artist Glacier’s song, Warriors, generated $750 in earnings from 40,000 unique listeners streaming their song 200,000 times; the same song earned $4,975 in primary sales revenue with 25 unique fans. This is starting to happen at scale, with [Sound.xyz](http://sound.xyz) having just crossed [$4m in payouts to artists](https://twitter.com/soundxyz_/status/1597991013062057987?s=20&t=Xyq-BbaU3R1vcUfdzSNBeg).

Beyond primary sales revenue, NFTs enable artists to receive a percentage of secondary sales revenue in perpetuity - a novel innovation wherein they capture some of the benefit of any appreciation in the value of their work. Further, independent artists are going further in this new digital landscape to identify alternative intellectual property (IP) applications for their work. 

A collective of 77 musicians, engineers, developers, writers, artists, radio and podcast hosts called [Songcamp](https://songcamp.mirror.xyz/) spent 8 weeks collaborating from across the world to create 45 songs. Beyond over 500 ETH earned from collectible sales of 21,000 unique NFT packs, split across the collective, Chaos, a camp from a collective named Songcamp, has partnered with [SuperRare](https://superrare.com/) auction house to launch a custom gallery of artworks created. 

**Benefits**

Virtual worlds offer unique performance advantages beyond the income generation opportunities of digital collectibles and novel IP application innovation. Environments such as [discord](https://discord.com/), [decentraland](https://decentraland.org/), [sandbox](https://www.sandbox.game/en/), [oncyber](https://oncyber.io/), [cryptovoxels](https://www.voxels.com/) and [worldwide web](https://webb.game/) serve as accessible spaces for fans and musicians to congregate and connect. 

Artists such as Coldplay, Massive Attack and Caribou have reduced or halted touring on account of its impact on the climate. Meanwhile, inflation is similarly causing a number of cancellations with artists such as the Animal Collective, Little Simz, Anthrax & Stryker citing shipping and transportation costs amongst the factors impeding touring. Additionally, the impact of Covid-19 cannot be understated, with the existential risk of one positive result adding to the physical and mental burden of touring. 

Technical challenges remain as stakeholders learn about, and experiment with, an evolving landscape. Yet, whilst digital and virtual performances are not a panacea, they offer meaningful viable alternative means of making an income whilst attending to these concerns.

**Resources**

* <https://www.improbable.io/blog/an-improbable-story-accelerating-into-the-metaverse-and-what-comes-next> 
* <https://mirror.xyz/0x74ccDA2A4D8A086AB75C7C7A0E0D72D62A57Ba86/ScO7zU9CKL4PFHY3d24217KtVact-ymE1HGJk2XJm7E> 
* <https://musicx.substack.com/p/too-broke-to-play-how-touring-is>? 
* <https://musebycl.io/music/sound-metaverse-why-its-just-beginning-virtual-concerts>
* [www.one37pm.com/music/ten-major-artists-who-have-performed-in-the-metaverse](http://www.one37pm.com/music/ten-major-artists-who-have-performed-in-the-metaverse)
* <https://www.waterandmusic.com/3-ways-to-bring-your-music-into-the-metaverse/> 
* <https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/3/23384883/concerts-metaverse-travis-scott-charlie-puth-iheartland>

 Artists Who Are Successfully Finding Alternative Ways to Make Income

The Benefits of Digital Performances in the Digital World by Papa Jams

Despite the ever-growing number of articles and testimonies published on the ongoing touring crisis, dwelling on it does not get easier over time. As the sector continues to plunge into an increasingly deeper slump, it becomes harder to draw a concluding thought on it. When I first started tackling this topic for a four-part series I published on [MUSIC X](https://musicx.substack.com/) last month, I was hoping to not only shed a light on what was going on but also help figure out what could be done. However, although it is not hard to compile a swarm of critiques sharply aimed at the state of the live music sector, and what touring is doing to musicians [emotionally](https://musicx.substack.com/p/believe-them-when-they-say-touring) and [financially](https://musicx.substack.com/p/too-broke-to-play-how-touring-is) (not to mention its [environmental impact](https://musicx.substack.com/p/mercy-mercy-me-the-climate-cost-of)), I found myself staring at a blank screen when the time came to finish on a positive note. As touring continues to drain musicians’ wallets and push them to the brink, both mentally and physically - as well as devastating the environment - a saddening suggestion ushers in; what if it’s time to stop?

\
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It may seem extreme, but it’s a thought worth contemplating. Perhaps the most challenging is to picture what music would even look like. To ask us to imagine it without touring would be akin to demanding us to dream up cinema minus movie theaters. Be it for promotional, financial, or reasons of a higher spiritual order, musicians have been on the road for [centuries](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/in-depth-features/road-works-life-on-the-road-made-music-matter/). The way we listen to music privately may have changed, but, as a collective, we have gathered to watch musicians play for so long it’s near-impossible to visualise the crater the end of touring would leave on the industry. We got a taste of it during the lockdown, which many of us are forgetting about already. The [growing drawbacks of touring](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/live-music-is-falling-apart/) have since left many wondering whether it was worth returning at all.

\
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Next, we would need to fill the void. If we were to erase touring from the current music industry’s lexicon, what would we replace it with? After all, there is a reason why, despite everything, musicians are still hitting the road. For the time being, that may come down to [money](https://www.ft.com/content/89b30d4b-cd30-4dea-a0e8-0a41f2ce802c). In the future, musicians will likely continue to split themselves between different sources of revenue, with live performances representing a significant slice of the money-making pie. But, once those are gone, where will they go? And where do we, the concert-thirsted public, follow them?



I too crave a solution. When I planned out my MUSIC X series, I was expecting to find a way out of this maze, but I came out more lost than before. For my [last piece](https://musicx.substack.com/p/fortnite-minecraft-and-meta-too-is), I toyed with the prospect of a virtual future for live music - one in which musicians no longer need to put themselves (or the environment) through the wringer. Many have [written about it](https://pitchfork.com/features/article/the-music-metaverse-is-almost-ready-to-conquer-the-world/) with more conviction than I have. My hope is fueled by other voices echoing the need to find a way for musicians to not have to continue trudging along a broken path; it is why initiatives such as this one turn me from defeated to curious.



So returns that persistent idea; what if we quit? We’d need to figure out what comes after, and how the industry can swerve the mistakes of the past, present, and future in this next stage of being. [Lack of accessibility](https://www.ristband.co/blog/diversity-in-the-metaverse-report), for instance, is a concern to be addressed. In this virtual future, we might hold the key to something else - maybe not the future of touring, but a new reality that may replace it altogether.

What If We Quit Touring? by Beatriz Negreiros

'Touring’. The word itself seems so intimidating, we don’t even realize it’s something within reach. “Touring is something for signed musicians, musicians who have funding, and a team”, that’s the narrative at least. As we expand our technology and access to resources, this statement that was once true begins to lose its value. How can we, as self-funded independent musicians, have a tour? How do we prevent burnout? What resources, and how much money do we need to make it possible? 

First, we need to have confidence in our ability to follow through even when we are doing things that may seem irregular to the traditional systems in place. The music industry’s systems have such a large influence due to their past “success”, but with evolution comes new ways of getting to the same place. The accessibility to new tools allows artists to build a team and garner a more committed fan base. The network is our net worth, I truly believe in this statement, which means that your money lives right next door! 

**A DIY local Tour:** 

Hello, my name is Brenna (@brenna_inc), I’m an independent musician and co-founder of YouniDAO. The very first time I toured was in my hometown of Wilmington, NC with my partner Saiko (@saikochildxyz). Saiko, just like every other local musician, would do a couple local shows every couple months. When we met again, I came up with the idea of a local Wilmington tour called “Away We Go”. The name was inspired by the fact that we were leaving Wilmington, once and for all in March 2020. When we decided to do the tour, we had zero resources except maybe a couple of hundred bucks to pay for gas, some flyers, and perhaps some merch. What we did have were 10 local musicians, about 7 different bars/coffee shops, and a house party. When you’re organizing your own tour, one of many suggestions would be having at least one other person helping you.

There are a few elements that need to be handled between the both of you: 

 **1. Contacting & Finding venues/coffee shops, and bars: Coffee Shops & Bars are typically free** 

 a. Call each one at least twice 

i. **Once** to save the date & ask about what equipment they have 

ii. **Second**, within a week before the event confirm the date 

b. Open Mics are great options if you do it right! 

i. *Reference “Day of The Event” section 

c. Get comfortable with performing in uncomfortable venues 

i. We performed for every age group and every genre preference. 

1. Sometimes it was a hit, other times we barely got noticed 

ii. People may get uncomfortable, but just remember, you’re an artist and the power of art gets us out of our comfort zones.

**2. Flyers = Promo** 

a. Design one for every venue, artist, & vendor 

i. This will take time, but it’s worth it when you can get maximum publicity from the local community 

ii. Make specific fliers for each artist with their image & a short description b. On the main flier, list the musicians performing, the Date, time, & location i. Use musician's social handles to help promote them 

c. List the venue on the flier 

i. Use their logo as well so they are more inclined to post about it 

ii. When you send them the flier also send them a short description you want them to put on the post/story \*Make it easy on them\* 

3. **Social Media/Promo: Start talking about it ASAP. Spreading the word before any official post.** *\*\*\*if you have a partner, you’ll need help splitting up promo responsibilities\*\*\** a. First Official Post: ***2 Weeks before First Stop*** 

i. Details: 

1. Number of Locations 
2. Lineup 
3. Title of tour 
4. **Sponsors** 

b. Second Post: 1 Week before First Stop 

i. This is where you will highlight the specific location using the unique design you made for that spot 

ii. The # of stops you have determines the consistency of posting 

iii. For the AWAY WE GO TOUR we posted a couple fliers for one Instagram post because we were having shows back to back and people were able to make room in their calendars ahead of time 

c. DM’ing main post 

i. Using the main post you can send this out to local musicians in your area, local music shops to see if they would be willing to spread the word 

ii. Language: be genuine when you DM them, let them know your situation, that your a local musician trying to put on a tour for yourself and some other local musicians. Ask if they could help you support this effort by doing some kind of repost. 

iii. If you want to, write up a template to follow for each message and adjust according to who the person is and what you learned about them from looking at their profile. **Be personable!** 

d. In person 

i. Print flyers of main post 

1. Put a ***QR code*** on the flier of the Instagram that will be posting all 

the info 

a. *Canva let’s you make QR codes for free with designs* 

ii. Post flyers around artistic areas in town 

iii. Bring flyers to bars, colleges, shops.

1. If someone is there, ask them if you can post this flier somewhere. 

Remember to tell them what it’s about! Most people are more than 

willing to support local 

4. **Branding each venue as if it’s a stop in a new city** 

a. Giving the event a specific title or phrase to set the vibe 

i. This can be super creative or technical 

1. Creative Ex.: “The opening Act” 
2. Technical Ex.: “1st Stop” 

b. Having a consistent theme for each flier with one or two things that change at each venue. 

5. **You are the sponsor!** 

a. Design a logo to put on every flier as if you are the sponsor because you are! b. If someone helps in any way, be sure to list them as a sponsor at the bottom of the flier as well 

i. Loaning equipment = Sponsor 

ii. Connecting you with a venue/person = Sponsor 

6. **Collaboration** - If you have space, allow for other local artists to have a pop-up at your event 

a. Local clothing brands 

b. Local fine artists 

i. Live painter 

c. Pop-up tattoo artists 

For our “Away We Go Tour” we took 1 month of planning and 1 month of touring. For a local tour like this, it’s important not to overextend the experience otherwise, it gets stale. 

**Day of The Event:** 

● Thank the venue, and make contact with the person in charge before starting the performance 

● Musicians have short sets, they play no more than 15 minutes 

○ ***Looking back, I would do even shorter sets.* The idea is to get people's attention,** and it’s likely that most independent musicians are still developing their sound so it’s good to stay short and sweet. 

● Some venues were first come first serve (aka open mic lol) 

○ ***The great thing about branding is that you can turn an open mic into a tour stop*** 

○ Make sure all the musicians get there early to sign up back to back 

■ Even if they have to leave and come back, just sign up! 

○ *Verify* ahead of time with the open mic: 

■ Is there a max amount of people allowed in the space?

■ Can I make an announcement about this local tour we are putting on for local musicians? 

● Make introductions for every performer! - **Treat this like a headlining tour at Coachella!** 

○ You and your partner can make introductions for each other if you are both performing. 

● Tickets? 

○ Most of our events were not ticketed, ***remember, this is a chance to expand your network = networth*** 

○ The ones that were, gave us a percentage of bar sales or sales at the door ■ It was little to nothing after splitting it with the other performers 

○ The House Party 

■ This was $10 at the door 

● Find someone who’s willing to handle door sales 

○ Maybe your partner? 

■ It was one of the last stops, so we had gained a lot of momentum and the house got packed out! 

● ***NOTE: If you want to sell out a show, save it for the end of the tour*** 

● Technical Difficulties 

○ One thing you need to accept: THEY HAPPEN EVERY TIME!! 

○ Bring extra equipment, *especially when you’re 100% confident* 

○ Make sure to ask each performing musician what they need to make their performance a success: 

■ Do what you can to accommodate 

There you go! You’re ready to start creating your first hometown tour. Go into it with an open heart and be strong enough to push pass the bumps in the road because you’re doing something that not many people do, and that’s special! 

When we finished the ‘AWAY WE GO’  tour, people talked about it for months. Some of the musicians who toured were even so inspired by it that they did their own local tour! Look at this as an experiment and also a great way to expand the independent music scene in YOUR city. Taking pride of your city and the people in it is the best thing you can do as an independent musician, especially as you’re still developing your craft. 

I encourage you to use this blueprint conservatively. Don’t feel like if one thing doesn’t pan out according to my structure, it’s a failure. On the contrary, it’s an evolution! Take it as an opportunity to create a new branch of what a local tour looks like, and with each step of the way, don’t forget it’s truly the little things that matter.

Alternative Ways of Touring by Brenna Damatta

“Sometimes I get in my feelings and wonder if people are seeing what I’m doing, so when you say they do, I really appreciate that”. A heartfelt confession from one of my favourite music producers, DJs, innovators and all-around talented artists, the visionary Harrison First. We live in the easiest times to make music and in the hardest of times to be a musician. In order to be seen, artists have to build a strong digital presence and compelling brand because discovery, community and monetization are happening mostly online.

I talked to Harrison about all things music and Metaverse, digital performances and how they can improve the life of an artist, as well as his prophecies for what the digital future holds.



What is the digital world though? We are not yet in the [Ready, Player One](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1677720/) phase, but all roads lead to Rome. Content is king, social algorithms like TikTok made us crave instant gratification and shortened our attention spans dramatically. VR and AR technologies now allow us to see how a piece of furniture would look in our kitchen, go through every step of how a pair of Nikes is made and even immerse ourselves into fully virtual worlds of our own design. 



When it comes to music, artists and consumers live and breathe digital. Music discovery is governed by streaming algorithms or by viral content determined by algorithms and artists are increasingly being discovered on TikTok or Youtube, Justin Bieber style. The Covid pandemic pushed people to connect virtually and artists got an unprecedented opportunity to play their music in front of thousands from the comfort of their bedroom. Live streaming, Metaverse platforms such as Decentraland and NFTs are transforming what it means to be an artist. Post-pandemic, the live touring industry has suffered a painful blow because of the changing economic landscape and we may witness a transition from sold out arenas to more intimate artist-fan experiences. Digital performances are here to manage that transition.



Harrison First came across the Metaverse in 2019 and immediately understood its potential. This virtual world where people come together to listen to music, gamble, play, build or just hang out was the perfect opportunity to level up his DJ skills. A music artist and producer at heart, he “was a streaming artist favoured by the algorithms”, but touring wasn’t part of his repertoire. His first tour experience back in 2019 was the first time he performed as a DJ - and then the Metaverse became his playground for experimentation.



The Metaverse-born DJ built a feedback loop for his sets that not only keeps him continuously upgrading but also “saves some embarrassment if the set is not that good”. “I get to pre-record the set, I get to practise in front of people but not me physically being there. Then I move to a bigger stage IRL and I know it’s gonna work because the people loved it in the Metaverse”. 

During a live performance you know your music is fire when people dance, scream, cry, throw their clothes at you - you get the idea, the vibes and energies are instant feedback for an artist. In the digital realm feedback is, of course, digital and it comes in the form of chats, social posts and comments. For Harrison a sign of a great performance is when people screenshot it and post it on Twitter or if the live chat is talking about his music. “Before, there was a lot of dance music in the Metaverse and I found this gap with trap, afrobeats and spanish music, so I added those to my set. Then I saw people commenting <<Damn this is the first DJ that’s doing something not dance>>, so you can see what gets people excited”. Performing in the Metaverse helped him to level up his DJ skills and prepared him for the IRL opportunities. The key is to “say yes to everything because it’s good exposure”. 



Of course the feeling of a pre-recorded set played in the Metaverse cannot replace the adrenaline rush of a live performance. “I love to touch the people, feel the people, dance in front of the people, I wanna get that reaction in real time and see people’s energy. In the Metaverse I know that people like what I’m doing when I get all these reactions on Twitter”. 



To perform in the Metaverse as a newcomer, Harrison recommends starting with the [Cryptovoxels](https://www.voxels.com/) platform and joining buildings of artists such as himself. A big hub around the virtual block is [Frankie Needles](https://twitter.com/frankyneedles)’ Tavern in [Decentraland](https://play.decentraland.org/?position=-67%2C-114). The ethos of the crypto art and music space is openness and collaboration, it’s great practice to reach out to the people running virtual events and to engage with their community. The beauty of the Metaverse is that there is enough real estate for all artists who want to perform.

The performance setup has to be visually stimulating because the Metaverse is built on top of our visual senses. Harrison’s sets always contain good lighting, a green screen with a backdrop of a music video or his NFTs, and top notch audio using Premiere Pro. His secret formula is: find new songs, practise set, record set, listen to set, change set, repeat. 



Harrison’s take on the future of the Metaverse is an intertwined ecosystem of virtual and real opportunities. “If you can’t get things in the real world, you more so start to acquire assets and operate in digital spaces where you do have these things and have an advantage in everyday life”. 

Are you Ready, Player One?

Artists Who Are Successfully Finding Alternative Ways to Make Income

The Benefits of Digital Performances in the Digital World by Dana Herescu



1. How does touring make you feel? What emotions come to mind? 

**Arooj Aftab (AA):  I love performing live, it’s such a powerful and concentrated part of music making. The live exchange of emotion between musicians and audience. I think it fuels creativity and is very rewarding as an artist. It is also a lot of physical and mental hard work which sadly sometimes gets taken for granted.** 

2. Who is helping you plan and execute these tours? What does your team look like? 

**AA: Various team members help plan and execute the tour** 

3. You tweeted about how there is a lot of money that comes in from touring, but artists never see that money. What do you wish would change about the financial structure of touring? Do you see any ways in which money could be redistributed to allow more to go to the artist?

**AA: I’m not sure I can suggest a financial restructuring that would make more sense where the artist is not the last one paid, but I think the fairer approach is to look at the overall cost of a show and pay fees accordingly.** 

4. Is there anything that fans can do to support and advocate for their favorite artists struggling to make money from touring?

**AA:  Fans should buy tickets and come to shows, buy merch of course and buy physical copies of the records they love**

5. Is there anything else about touring that you would like to change? 

**AA:I had a pretty packed year full of touring off a successful album and a Grammy while still having to “prove myself in the market”. Hopefully I won’t have to tour like that again but the concept in general is pretty weird.** 

6. Are you thinking about alternatives to traditional touring like virtual performances or DIY shows? If so, what ideas do you have? Any platforms you are looking at leveraging?

**AA: Not really no**

7. What advice would you give to artists who are touring right now?

**AA: Are artists still touring? I thought we all quit haha. But jokes aside, my advice is to aggressively make a budget before you consider/ say yes to the tour.** 

8. What advice would you give to artists who are planning tours or restrategizing the ways they can tour?

**AA: Same as above**

Interview with Arooj Aftab on Touring 

Laura Simpson is the CEO and co-founder (along with artist, Dan Mangan) of Side Door. Side Door’s mission to create shows anytime, anywhere. The platform marketplace is built to connect artists with hosts of spaces to create shows. They make booking, ticketing and payments easy, fair and transparent, without any up-front costs to the user. Laura has spent much of her life serving the needs of artists and promoting live performance. She spent time working mostly behind the scenes at music non-profits, festivals and as a funding program officer. She has hosted house concerts (aka The Syrup Factory) since 2011. She believes experiencing amazing live art in intimate community settings leads to stronger human connection, greater empathy and improved mental health.

Side Door: Your Tool for DIY Shows

Laura Simspon Twitter

Side Door Twitter

Conventional wisdom says the two frontmen of a band shouldn’t live on opposite sides of the United States, but that's never seemed to deter Avi Vinocur and Patrick Dyer Wolf.  Goodnight, Texas is a tough-to-define folk-rock band whose strength lies in unexpected sweet spots. Tune in to hear their experience touring! 

The Challenges of Touring as an Artist ft. GN, TX

GN, TX Twiitter

Therapist Julia Willinger discusses common stressors artists have while touring and some ways to keep your mental health in check

Mental Health Tips and Advice for Touring ft. Julia Willinger

Julia Willinger Twitter

Artist Mark de Clive-Lowe discusses the challenges of touring and the structure that makes it. Japanese-New Zealander composer, jazz musician, remixer and electronic music producer, Mark de Clive-Lowe is an internationally established artist with over 20 years' experience spanning multiple genres and continents. . 

The Structure is the Problem ft. Mark de Clive-Lowe

MdCL Twitter

In this chat, head of web3 at CAA Phil Quist discusses the future of touring, web3's part in touring and much more! 

How does Web3 and Tech Play Into the Future of Touring ft. Phil Quist 

Phil Quist Twitter

Tom Gillis, founder of In The Room, discusses the platform, it's structure and how it is an alternative to live touring!

'In The Room' -- A Virtual Concert Platform ft. Tom Gillis 

In The Room Website

A conversation between artist High Tropics and Raul Guerrero who leads Insights and music strategy at UMGt 

A Conversation With Artists Who Have Had Difficulty and Success with Touring ft. High Tropics and Raul Guerrero

Raul Guerreo Twitter

High Tropics Twitter

The Stressors and Challenges Artists Face On Tour 

Mental Health Check

Taylor Johnson Twitter

Dan Pirello from SVVARMS discusses touring from the perspective of a fan going to shows  and artist 

The Challenges of Touring as an Artist and Fan ft. Dan Pirello from SVVARMS

SVVARMS instagram

Ladidai (pronounced: lah-dih-day, a web2.5 music tech professional and TK's manager, chats wtih TK about the successes and challenges he experienced while touring

ISSUE 004: Touring is Tough

JW Francis on Touring

fullscreen

Conversations on Touring

Side Door: Your Tool for DIY Shows

The Challenges of Touring as an Artist ft. GN, TX

Mental Health Tips and Advice for Touring ft. Julia Willinger

The Structure is the Problem ft. Mark de Clive-Lowe

How does Web3 and Tech Play Into the Future of Touring ft. Phil Quist

'In The Room' -- A Virtual Concert Platform ft. Tom Gillis

A Conversation With Artists Who Have Had Difficulty and Success with Touring ft. High Tropics and Raul Guerrero

Mental Health Check

The Challenges of Touring as an Artist and Fan ft. Dan Pirello from SVVARMS

A Conversation With Artists Who Have Had Difficulty and Success with Touring FT. TK and his manager Ladidai

Understanding Touring

The Benefits of Digital Performances in the Digital World by Papa Jams

What If We Quit Touring? by Beatriz Negreiros

Alternative Ways of Touring by Brenna Damatta

The Benefits of Digital Performances in the Digital World by Dana Herescu

Interview with Arooj Aftab on Touring

EQ Discord Water Cooler Talk

#eq-chat

"Lydia went off on the channels"

written 3 days ago

#eq-chat

"looool"

written 3 days ago

#eq-chat

"No lydia"

written 3 days ago

#eq-chat

"helllo excited to kick off this next isse!!! if you're interested in taking..."

written 3 months ago

#eq-chat

"EQ issue 003: ‘Artist Fanbase: How to Activate Your Community Online and IR..."

written 4 months ago

#eq-chat

"🤠"

written 5 months ago

#eq-chat

"i am also good so! good stuff"

written 5 months ago

#eq-chat

"Good, thanks"

written 5 months ago

#eq-chat

"how r u?"

written 5 months ago

#eq-chat

"good!"

written 5 months ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"wow, that is well said. I've been trying to articulate this to friends who ..."

written 9 months ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"#wisdom"

written 10 months ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"will add to the toolkit!"

written 10 months ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"this is the right place 🙂"

written 10 months ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"Not sure where to put this, but it’s worth a read @​crystalpistol_ https://..."

written 10 months ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"this is so so great ❤️ @​WayneEverest says something similar in his audio i..."

written a year ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"I love all this"

written a year ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"I still get crazy happy when I get on a big playlist and when I don’t thoug..."

written a year ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"The advice I try and give is that it’s all about balance, and that actually..."

written a year ago

#issue-01-resiliency💪

"how do you think artists can slow down and focus on their achievements vs. ..."

"Not sure where to put this, but it’s worth a read @crystalpistol_ https://..."

"this is so so great ❤️ @WayneEverest says something similar in his audio i..."