Lengthy tours. How do they do it?

[chrisle]

I'm not a huge fan but was just checking out Journey's Escape (81/82) tour dates (http://steveperryfanclub.homestead.com/EscapeTourSchedule.html). I get exhausted just thinking about all of those dates. I must be old...

Can you suggest any other lengthy tours?

[stratasaurus]

Iron Maiden's World Slavery Tour 84/85 has got to be one of the most grueling schedules I have seen. 193 shows in 331 days playing in North America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia?, some other areas I might have missed too. I know there have been longer tours but they are usually broken into legs with big breaks in between. Maiden's tour was non-stop and covered such huge distances with such an impressive stage and lighting set as well.

[SGNick]

Geez... I played ONE 4 hour night on Friday and fingers took till monday to recover!! haha!

[Willnova]

How about the Dead 67-95. That was a pretty long tour : ) : )

[Willnova]

On a serious note, U2 Zoo TV tour was a couple of years. I don't have all of the stats, but it was indoor, the outdoor then Europe, Australia and Japan. They actually put out Zooropa in the middle of it as an excuse to give the tour more legs : )

[enocaster]

At that level of success you have access to massages, good meals, luxury busses, etc. I'm sure they have to do a certain amount of promotion in each town, but for the most part they can sleep in, and relax most of the day without having to cook, clean, run errands, etc. Plus, the rush of playing to a huge arena of adoring fans has got to be energizing.

[art_z]

Ramones .. another big long tour from 76 to 96. 2,300 shows in 20 years.

[GerryJ]

as above, at that level of success......it sure beats workin' for a livin'! ;)

[shane88]

didn't u2 once claim that they could basicly tour forever?

[Bobby D]

we had a booking agent in the southeast during the 80s named JOHN TITAK.

he would book the most IMPOSSIBLE sets of dates you can imagine.

his gigs were known at the TITAK TORTURE TOURS. i did a few of them, but i was in my 20s then...

[JCM 800]

Metallica's tour after the black album went on for about 3 years non stop. Pretty brutal.

[Ed Packer]

On the Stones' HBO special (I think) Mick was asked about the rigors of touring, and he allowed that it really wasn't that hard, as they were "well taken care of".

[Gas-man]

I'm not a huge fan but was just checking out Journey's Escape (81/82) tour dates (http://steveperryfanclub.homestead.com/EscapeTourSchedule.html). I get exhausted just thinking about all of those dates. I must be old...

Can you suggest any other lengthy tours?


Is that what fried Steve Perry's voice?

I seriously cannot imagine singing like he did for 29 days out of a month or that many in a row.

[todd richman]

The Black Crowes have essentailly with a few months off been out for the past four years since March 2005.

[Tonealicious]

I played 5 nights out of 7 last year, as well as working 9 hour days and it nearly killed me. I turned up at the singers house to pick him up and he was at the show already. When the drummer clicked those sticks together 4 times, everything fell into place.

[bkd_guitarist]

At that level of success you have access to massages, good meals, luxury busses, etc. I'm sure they have to do a certain amount of promotion in each town, but for the most part they can sleep in, and relax most of the day without having to cook, clean, run errands, etc. Plus, the rush of playing to a huge arena of adoring fans has got to be energizing.

This.

In 1991 and 1992, I was in a Christian rock band that averaged 250 shows a year. Our longest tour was 10 months. On that tour there was one stretch where we played 22 nights in a row, traveling to a new city every day. And that was schlepping our own gear, riding in vans, sleeping in crappy hotels or church basements, and doing most of our own PA setup work (we had a road crew of two people). THAT is a hard way to tour. I was in my late teens / early twenties then...no way I could do it now.

Not saying the Journeys and Iron Maidens of the world aren't hard working bands, but their financial success makes life on the road a lot easier.

[Gas-man]

I played 5 nights out of 7 last year, as well as working 9 hour days and it nearly killed me. I turned up at the singers house to pick him up and he was at the show already. When the drummer clicked those sticks together 4 times, everything fell into place.

You were working a full time job AND playing 5 nights a week?

WHOA!

That would kill me (and my marriage).

[re-animator]

Celine packed her own stadium 6 nights a week for 5 years.

BB King played over 300 gigs a year for 30 years.

The worst day playing music beats the best day of working.

[squeally dan]

You were working a full time job AND playing 5 nights a week?

WHOA!

That would kill me (and my marriage).

I wokring full time with wife/kids and playing gigs 2-3 nights/week. Thats hard enough.