Tour intel for bands who book their own shows.
Routing, van money, self-release math and scene news. Plus the interviews we filmed backstage at Mayhem, Warped, Aftershock and SXSW from 2011 to 2014.
From the archive
82 interviews shot on bus steps, in green rooms and behind festival stages. Some of these bands broke up. Some got huge. The conversations about labels, money and life on the road still hold.
- The AgonistAlissa White-Gluz
- MardukMorgan Hakansson
- Upon A Burning Body
- All Shall PerishEddie Hermida
- Butcher BabiesMayhem 2013
- GojiraMario Duplantier
- Devin Townsend
- VoivodSnake + Dan Mongrain
- In FlamesAnders Fridén
- AnthraxFrank Bello
- Lacuna CoilCristina Scabbia
- John 5Aftershock 2014
Encore: 70 more
What we post
Written for the drummer doing the settlement at 1am, not for the label.
- Tour intel. Who is routing where, what is on sale, and which runs are worth chasing as a support act.
- Touring how-to. Booking, routing, van and merch numbers, borders and paperwork.
- Self-release. Distribution, Bandcamp, streaming payouts, PR and pressing vinyl, with the real costs.
- Scene and industry news. What happened and what it means for bands, aimed at ticket fees and bad deals, never at musicians.
New posts Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Instagram and Facebook. Archive cuts Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, TikTok and Reels.
Latest articles
All articles-
Touring
Visas and setlist royalties: paperwork before an overseas tour
A plain checklist for bands touring abroad: which work visas to research, why to start early, and how to collect live performance royalties.
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Money
Your band already owns more sellable assets than you think
A practical inventory of the recordings, video and art a band already owns, and the direct sales, memberships and licensing that can pay for them.
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Money
Picking the right room: break-even math before you book a show
How DIY bands can judge a venue before booking: right-sizing capacity, reading the deal, finding break-even and checking the local scene.
On the road
All tour intel- Sep 17 to Oct 24
Dying Fetus and Sanguisugabogg
Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall to Richmond, VA - The National
With Crowbar, Left to Suffer, Deterioration
The back end of a long co-headline. Crowbar sits out Boise, Riverside and Richmond.
Dates and tickets for Dying Fetus and Sanguisugabogg (opens in a new tab) - Nov 2 to Nov 19
Corrosion of Conformity and The Sword
Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom to Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
With Hippie Death Cult
14 dates of Southern sludge next to stoner-metal riff worship. Nov 7 in Wilmington, NC is a festival slot, COC only.
Dates and tickets for Corrosion of Conformity and The Sword (opens in a new tab) - Nov 5 to Dec 19
Trivium Crown In The Grave World Tour
St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live to Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte
With In Flames, Orbit Culture, Fit for an Autopsy, Frozen Soul
32 dates, five bands every night. Florida metalcore and Swedish melodic death sharing ballrooms and theaters.
Dates and tickets for Trivium (opens in a new tab) - Nov 6 to Dec 13
Suicide Silence Reminders of Hell Tour
Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium to Los Angeles, CA - 1720
With Emmure, AngelMaker, Synestia
29 dates with Emmure as direct support. Nov 14 in Orlando is a Vans Warped Tour stop, not a club show, so check the format before you buy that one.
Dates and tickets for Suicide Silence (opens in a new tab)
Underground spotlight
Independent bands working the same circuit we write about. Stream them, buy the merch, go to the show.
Casket Robbery
Wisconsin, USAHorror-themed death metal built on groove. Album: Rituals of Death.
Deprivation
AustraliaDeath metal with hardcore in its blood. We filmed them back in 2012.
Chernobyl The Secret
Texas, USAMetalcore: breakdowns up front, melody in between.
In a band and want a spot on this page? Email info@metalluminati.com with a link to your music and where you are playing next.
Mentoring for artists
One hour, one-on-one, on marketing or the music business. $75 an hour, priced for working musicians. Or start with a free band audit: send your links, get the five fixes that matter most.
Shirts
Nineteen designs, sold through our Fourthwall store. The shop opens in a new tab, so this page stays right here.
