its weird too! i would think that fact that IFD can get fill 1000+ venues would help. I mean, people KINDA know and like the vibe at least.
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IL, US
haha, that 42 turnout was after brian from IFD shouted out our gig from one of those sold-out shows the night before ours (super nice people, that band)
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BOSTON
indeed. we've done some gigs with them in Boston and I don't care what the forums say, they are 100% awesome guys. they definitely expressed interest in doing some Chi town chip show collaboration for our next tour and I'd REALLY love to get you guys involved with that too.
just need to save up the money 
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IL, US
well, id be down, i could try and play a set that wouldnt horrify their fans too badly (or maybe just stick to visuals to be safe)
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Abandoned on Fire
What might a "typical" chip act tour consist of?
Something like: 1-2 weeks long, 7-10 dates, appearing at at least one recurring event (anything from a Pulsewave type thing to a monthly "EDM night" to MAGfest etc)
???
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BOSTON
there are very few chip acts who have done any significant touring, so "typical" is a stretch. Danimal and Rainbowdragoneyes have probably done the most significant touring and both of them tour with non-chip acts to success. Our tours have been based primarily on "scene cities", or cities where there is an established chip presence (for obvious reasons).
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Brunswick, GA USA
What if the blip festival traveled? That should give a fair idea the logistics required.
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IL, US
there are always bitches, so how about $4 dollars and some bitches?
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Abandoned on Fire
chunter wrote:
What if the blip festival traveled? That should give a fair idea the logistics required.
It wouldn't be quite that extreme would it?
More a matter of finding available/reliable venues within a certain area and then fitting the show dates and travel together like a puzzle. One (or a few) artists and many venues "should" be simpler than MANY artists and one venue? Maybe?
$$$FO' DOLLAZ & SUM BICHEZZZ$$$
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Brunswick, GA USA
egr wrote:
It wouldn't be quite that extreme would it?
More a matter of finding available/reliable venues within a certain area and then fitting the show dates and travel together like a puzzle. One (or a few) artists and many venues "should" be simpler than MANY artists and one venue? Maybe?$$$FO' DOLLAZ & SUM BICHEZZZ$$$
Well, it'd only be one nights' performers but that was also a suggestion. Put the blip festival on tour!
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Finland
egr wrote:
One (or a few) artists and many venues "should" be simpler than MANY artists and one venue? Maybe?
What little I know about organizing stuff here in Finland, I would say no.
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BR1GHT PR1MATE wrote:
Danimal and Rainbowdragoneyes have probably done the most significant touring and both of them tour with non-chip acts to success.
Have you heard of a band by the name of Anamanaguchi?
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buffalo, NY
Touring is essentially a huge depressing money pit unless you do it extremely right. Unless you're drawing people into shows like Anamanaguchi (you aren't), you're not going to survive unless you're an opener for a bigger draw.
My last tour had VERY FEW chip scene people show up, like 3 or less. And one of them was paid to be there. I realize the ticket prices weren't exactly $5 and some people were going to see me play at blip a week later, but holy crap that should be your wake up call to how many people might actually show up to these things.
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Abandoned on Fire
danimal cannon wrote:
Touring is essentially a huge depressing money pit unless you do it extremely right. Unless you're drawing people into shows like Anamanaguchi (you aren't), you're not going to survive unless you're an opener for a bigger draw.
My last tour had VERY FEW chip scene people show up, like 3 or less. And one of them was paid to be there. I realize the ticket prices weren't exactly $5 and some people were going to see me play at blip a week later, but holy crap that should be your wake up call to how many people might actually show up to these things.
Excellent point (and point taken).
There may be some misunderstanding going on here, though.
I'm not suggesting that we somehow start up a twice monthly chip showcase in a bunch of different cities since that would be nightmarish and largely pointless.
I'm hoping to figure out a general path that chip dudes who want to go on the road can follow that will already have possible show and lodging locations mapped out along with who from the scene is available for support at each stop. Ideally we could map out a "circuit" like this for East and West coast at least.
The possible show locations wouldn't necessarily be chip events. Just bars/clubs/etc that are open to booking chip acts along with their regulars.
Does that make more sense now?
Last edited by egr (Jun 4, 2012 10:31 pm)
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BOSTON
danimal cannon wrote:
Touring is essentially a huge depressing money pit unless you do it extremely right. Unless you're drawing people into shows like Anamanaguchi (you aren't), you're not going to survive unless you're an opener for a bigger draw.
My last tour had VERY FEW chip scene people show up, like 3 or less. And one of them was paid to be there. I realize the ticket prices weren't exactly $5 and some people were going to see me play at blip a week later, but holy crap that should be your wake up call to how many people might actually show up to these things.
this is probably the truth for a majority of artists, and there are a number of reasons why. One is that honestly, I think the days when new artists could survive on tour without heavy marketing or a huge following are basically over: at this point, media consumption is done mostly online, until there becomes a social element (girls, friends, cred, etc) to it. I cant tell you how many bands/artists that I thought were HUGE (online) I have seen play in *Boston* for 20-30 people, never mind whatever small-town turnouts might be.
However, we have done some (very?) successful shows in areas without an established show series via one very simple technique: introduce a social element. The reason people buy tickets to Blip isn't just to see acts, its to hang out with all their online friends and reinforce "chiptune culture". They are buying themselves into a scene. Our most successful shows have been along the same lines. Its not about "omg I am touring pay me", its "we are bringing the chiptune party to you and your friends". We find out where local peeps want to go venue-wise, we have local chip talent featured / an open mic for n00bz, we get local modders or chip/related merch vendor types involved AND we well publicize it with local media.
People will GLADY pay money to come out for an event that reinforces and enhances their social niche. Hell, I would, and do. From my perspective, thats the exact reason that videogame bands like Protomen and Powerglove are as successful as they are (or abstracted slightly further, any popular band really): people are going out to see and hang out with other people in their tribe.
So perhaps take that into consideration for future touring events (not you specifically dan, im talking everybody chip here). Its a bit more complicated, but not really THAT bad, and in the end is considerably better for everybody: artists, fans and "scene".