The right timing

- We talked in our first lesson on the big picture about this notion of timing and lighting, and it has particular application when it comes to touring. In general, a concert date needs something to drive interest. A new album can drive interest. A single raging on the radio can make a huge difference. But even with those elements at work, timing plays a huge part. If a band books dates right on top of that album release, that album might not have had time to really sink in with the fans. The airplay may not be at its maximum level, and as a result, a band will do less business. In that scenario, a smart manager or agent might decide to play some smaller venues early on and let the album do its work before stepping up to bigger venues once that album is embedded in the heads of those fans and radio stations. I learned a valuable lesson about picking the right date for a show early in my career as a concert promoter. One of the first concerts I ever promoted as a professional was with…