How do you select a tour spot in an international marketplace? Everyone knows it takes more rhyme and reason than throwing darts at a map, but venue selection is so broad where do you even begin? Billboard recently ran an excellent year-end review, detailing 2009 in terms of album sales, publishing, and more importantly touring. The article touched the tip of the iceberg, but I’m here to break it down in detail with additional research and analysis. This post will seem mathematic in nature and maybe even confusing so I recommend approaching it in two ways. (1) Musicians- seriously analyze which category you fall into (this will make since in a second), and (2) Use the links following this post as a helpful guide after determining your venue market. The suggestions take venue selection 101 a step further, and discusses building blocks in venue selection → international marketing → international sales → and international promotions, all of which work hand in hand with venue selection.
Consider where you are in your career. Bands, you may playing 150+ shows a year on the American east coast, which is a nice measuring stick. Start with your domestic appeal and examine it to the backdrop of potential international popularity. You may get a few hundred iTunes downloads in German, so you can realistically call Germany a “potential” tour spot. International bands should evaluate their careers going the other direction. Whatever you think your market appeal in a new country could be in terms of concert attendance, cut it in half (and that’s liberal). Understand you’re essentially starting over in a new market. Depending on your numbers, it’s time to select the type venue in which you could excel. See where you fall on the scale:
Group A = Stadium Tours
Group B = Venues of 15,000+
Group C = Venues of 10,000 – 15,000
Group D = Venues of 5,000 – 10,000
Group E = Amphitheatres
Group F = Venues of 0 – 5,000
Group G = Festivals Tours
Most readers fall in Groups E,F,G, which will be the primary focus; but first lets look at the others. This gives an accurate overview of which countries, cities, festivals, etc..are realistic tour spots. The percentages below represent the most successful in the world in that given category.
Group A:
If you’re a band at the level of stadium tours, God bless you, as many aren’t. But as many assume the U.S. overwhelmingly has the most stadium tours in the world, you’re wrong. The U.S. does house the highest grossing stadium tour, but the allocation among countries pretty even.
20% United States (*highest grossing)
10% Mexico
10% Ireland
10% Sweden
10% The Netherlands
10% France
10% Italy
10% U.K.
10% Argentina
Group B:
In 2009 the highest grossing concerts weren’t in the United States, rather in the U.K. However, the safest bet in terms of high end touring (if your at that level) still sits in the U.S. Out of the Top 10 venues in the world, the allocation among the countries:
40% United States
20% Australia
20% Canada
10% U.K. (*highest grossing venue)
10% Belgium
Group C:
If you fall within the range of 10,000 – 15,000 attendees, consider where the top venues fall:
20% United States
20% U.K.
20% Australia
10% Ireland (*highest grossing venue)
10% The Netherlands
10% Canada
10% Finland
Group D:
The U.S. still reins heavyweight with the amount of venues with attendance of 5,000 – 10,000:
50% United States (*highest grossing venues)
10% Mexico
10% Denmark
10% The Netherlands
10% Ireland
10% Brazil
Now we move onto the real substance. Readers more than likely should be playing Amphitheaters, small concert halls, and festivals- but where? Instead of wasting time putting effort into a Greece tour, consider their venue output. You should clearly flock (or at least consider flocking) to where the successful music spots are located. High numbers essentially mean a higher percentage rate of fan acceptance, greater success, or more album sales.
Group E:
The United States has an overwhelming majority of Amphitheatre hotspots. Hell I would go as far to say, don’t even consider other countries if you’re looking to tour Amphitheatres.
90% United States (*highest grossing venues)
10% Canada
Group F:
If you fall in the range of 5,000 attendees, consider whether a European tour is even worth the effort. Just like Amphitheatres, an overwhelming majority of venues with those numbers reside in The States.
90% United States (*highest grossing venues)
10% Brazil
Group G:
The common school of thought for mid level bands is to play at international festivals. Nice reasoning, but consider where a majority of them reside:
70% United States
10% Ireland (*highest grossing venues)
10% Argentina
10% U.K.
If you don’t fall within one of these groups, no worries, as the globe is packed with great live music spots and bars that function as a springboard before playing to the masses. The below articles give direction as to finding those markets, promoting in those markets, and developing beneficial international fan appeal.
The Next Big Music Markets
Tips to Successfully Market Music Overseas
Ways to Promote a Concert Overseas
Ways to Organize an International Tour
U.S. Immigration Policies & How It Will Change Music
Essential Tools to Penetrating a Global Market
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