Question for those who follow the Manics on whole tours

[astrababe]

Originally Posted by Archivesoftherevollover

its easy have an understanding boss and book hostels not hotels

Easier said than done, at least on the boss part!

Thanks for all the answers everyone....
UK tour is one thing (still hectic and crazy) what about going on a european tour? i venture to guess that would be a little more expensive.

The only band I have followed is the Horrors - around on their US east coast tours and I was absolutely exhausted after 5 gigs and all the late nights and many vodkas.

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

Originally Posted by harrijack

...followed by screaming at the computer when Seetickets crash, and then having to sell/try and cancel half your tickets coz Seetickets sell you double what you ordered and charge you triple the money for no apparent reason.

Or is that just me?

Nope, not just you. All that happened to me on the SATT tour and I ended up with about 4 lots of tickets for the Leeds gig and seated tickets instead of standing for the Manchester gig Thankfully it all got sorted, but it was bloody stressful at the time, especially as I had to go to lectures at uni before I had chance to cancel all the extra tickets.

I've never done an entire tour though. Multiple dates, yes, but I don't think I have the stamina or inclination to do a whole tour. But each to their own!

[Amanda]

Originally Posted by astrababe

Easier said than done, at least on the boss part!

Thanks for all the answers everyone....
UK tour is one thing (still hectic and crazy) what about going on a european tour? i venture to guess that would be a little more expensive.

The only band I have followed is the Horrors - around on their US east coast tours and I was absolutely exhausted after 5 gigs and all the late nights and many vodkas.

I think its easier probably over here as in general we get longer holiday allowances - like I get 6 weeks a year and you can do a lot with that.

And the simple answer on european tours is they haven't done one for 7 years - its just festivals which generally means the weekend so you can fly out friday night and be back for work on monday.

In terms of the band though - since the beginning they've had people doing it so I guess its probably just routine now and they say thanks and stuff and its good but at the end of the day you know you wont be able to do it forever and I'm sure someone else will take everyone who does it nows place (or at least I hope they would for the bands sake as at the end of the day thats what you need to be relevant). James I think sometimes finds it all a bit humbling, especially if they've done a bad gig. But its missing the point - you do tours cos you want to not for their benefit. If they're shit too often you'll just stop. That said though I'm easily bribed so would always encourage the random giving of lucky bags, cups of tea, their clothing, stickers, rusty badges, anything thats going really.

[Radiomanic]

I would do a full tour if the band decided to play different songs every night, dunno how i'd finance it but i'd be interested in doing it. Other than that i personally cannot understand the point in seeing a band like the Manics more than two times a tour due to mostly the same songs being done in the same order. I think i'd lose the will to live.

[Radiomanic]

Originally Posted by Archivesoftherevollover

its easy have an understanding boss and book hostels not hotels

I was in what i would call a Hostel with bunk beds in Dublin last year for Radiohead and it cost the equivalent of £40 a night! So it's not always effective, i once stayed in a lovely comfortable Guesthouse in Glasgow for the Manics 2001 Barrowlands gig and that cost me £22 (also had a £29 return train ticket from London!)

[MrsCarbohydrate]

Originally Posted by astrababe

Do you have jobs that allow you to take so many days off?

I did nine dates of the SATT tour when I was working full time, and I just took holidys (booked well in advance). Now I'm a research student, so I come and go as I please and don't have to ask for permission. My supervisor lets me have a very long leash, and was actually quite impressed that I was in the US last month.

Isn't it expensive to travel for 15+ days

Yes, but you can do some of it cheaply. Especially if you can get the megabus, have four million people in one travelodge room, book train tickets far in advance etc.

Do you buy tickets for all the dates in advance or what?

Yep. It only once went horrible wrong for me, when half the tickets got cancelled.

Do you book hotels for each evening?

On this tour we had a couple of overnight journeys, and one night we stayed at my house until 4am to get our train to Wales.

What does the band think?

I think they like it, and James always at pretends he's impressed/ concerned for our welfare. But honestly, I don't really care what they think and I don't do gigs for the sake of their ego.

[Dext37 Fielding]

i think when they tour next year, i will go to more dates, definately Cardiff and if they do a gig near Oxford, maybe Birmingham, because now i have met some more people, i can just 'go in the queue with them' lol!

[relic]

I've never done a whole tour, but I once did six dates. I'm really lucky because I'm at a time of my life where I can afford the ticket, the travel and the hotel room, and I have a job where I can take the time off. It's not always been like that though, until I was in my late thirties, we struggled so much financially that we usually only went to one or two gigs a year.

I try not to do more than two or three overnight stays per tour, but I'll do all venues that are less than two hours drive away, as I can feasibly get back home from them.

[MrsCarbohydrate]

Originally Posted by Dext37 Fielding

i think when they tour next year, i will go to more dates, definately Cardiff and if they do a gig near Oxford, maybe Birmingham, because now i have met some more people, i can just 'go in the queue with them' lol!

I've reached the stage now where I don't have to worry about going alone. I can be sure that no matter what gig I go to I will know most of the queue.

[Nicola17]

Originally Posted by MrsCarbohydrate

I've reached the stage now where I don't have to worry about going alone. I can be sure that no matter what gig I go to I will know most of the queue.

Yeah, definitely - makes it so much cheaper as well if you can share hotel rooms with people, and makes ticket buying easier if you can share it out between you. And of course, it's just much nicer is you're with other people!

[astrababe]

The queueing issue is another thing that I wanted to ask. Are you standing the in the queue outside the venue to get in the front row? Even at a festival?? That is hours spent waiting!

I am too old to wait for a band for more than an hour or two. And my feet would start hurting too much

Maybe the do it here in the States and I just never get there early enough.....

[relic]

Originally Posted by astrababe

I am too old to wait for a band for more than an hour or two. And my feet would start hurting too much

Painkillers are essential, it's true.

[Mary Chain]

Originally Posted by astrababe

Are you standing the in the queue outside the venue to get in the front row? Even at a festival?? That is hours spent waiting!

my feet would start hurting too much

The answer to the first bit is yes.

The hurting feet problem can be avoided by forsaking any appearance of class and just sitting down. Pavements aren't that bad really.

[Littlesue]

The biggest problem with me if I want to get on the barrier is toilet breaks. it means going without drinks for a whole day so I usually get seats now.

[relic]

Originally Posted by Littlesue

The biggest problem with me if I want to get on the barrier is toilet breaks. it means going without drinks for a whole day so I usually get seats now.

I've got a pretty strong bladder still, so that's not usually a problem, but a Tena pad sometimes seems like a good idea when I'm jumping up and down whilst some big bloke tries to elbow me in the back.