What's the use?

I understand the main reason for the band is getting out the message. Playing together with your friends comes in 2nd. But a band with 4.5 albums SHOULD be able to put together a 3 or 4 week tour at least once. Does it not get somewhat tedious playing to the same 35 kids at the same ALBQ club once a month? I am sure the fams would understand.

SAXON1500 wrote:

I understand the main reason for the band is getting out the message. Playing together with your friends comes in 2nd. But a band with 4.5 albums SHOULD be able to put together a 3 or 4 week tour at least once. Does it not get somewhat tedious playing to the same 35 kids at the same ALBQ club once a month? I am sure the fams would understand.

Yes, it does get frustrating for us having to play the same clubs over and over again. We would love to get outside of NM more often. We actually prefer playing out of town because we tend to get better crowds.

Problem is, with all of us working full time jobs, mortgages, families, etc., it's not financially viable unless someone was to come through with some financial backing for us. Retroactive doesn't offer any tour support whatsoever.

Mortification have offered to take us out on tour with them a few times in the past, but the finances for us would not be there. Mort would get the lion's share of the money, while we would have to supply the vehicle, trailer, backline, etc. Steve has offered to take us out on tour again in 2009. Honestly, I would love to do it at least once in my lifetime.

Better start coughing up the bucks Sax

The same 35 people?? It's more like 5 or 6.

You deserve so much better, Bronto. The ernesty, love, and passion you guys put into every album, rehearsal, show - it makes me sad.

brontotex wrote:

The same 35 people?? It's more like 5 or 6.

I can guarantee at least a 100 people for a Oregon showing....

We tend to draw larger crowds when we play outside of NM. I just think people in NM see us as a local band and nothing more.

To draw larger crowds, maybe sell beer at the shows and play a Nickelback cover song. You know, something they can dance to.

Hey Scott...

Get together with some of the other Retroactive bands and do a Retro-Fest or something like that. We used to rent high school auditoriums back in the day , as well as the old single screen movie theaters. The His Festivals and Metal Midnite shows were done that way.

Have Matt "donate" some discs by the bands participating for
door prizes. Which you print in Big Giant Sized Lettering on all advertisements. May are may not be practical ? Just a thought

edit: If you talk to Bill and Robert, you'd have three bands right there. Final Axe, Titanic, and The Seventh Power !

i remeber talking about Ultimatum on another board, and some guy was from new mexico. He said it sucks for Ultimatum, because they're a good band, and your city does even know about you guys.

spectrefate wrote:

too true.

just like me

ultmetal wrote:

We tend to draw larger crowds when we play outside of NM. I just think people in NM see us as a local band and nothing more.

Yeah, but we all still like you. By the way, have you guys ever played at Journal Pavilion?

Why havent you tried on a big label?

Schbopo wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

We tend to draw larger crowds when we play outside of NM. I just think people in NM see us as a local band and nothing more.

Yeah, but we all still like you. By the way, have you guys ever played at Journal Pavilion?

No. Never played there.

powermacho wrote:

Why havent you tried on a big label?

Easier said than done my friend. Bigger labels want a lot from their bands. They want you to tour full time. They give you a budget and you have to pay that back through your albums sales. If you don't sell enough units, you still owe the money. Touring helps sell albums. For a band of guys in their early 40's playing thrash metal, it's just not really logical. We just keep doing it because we love to do it. If we didn't we would stop.

ultmetal wrote:

powermacho wrote:

Why havent you tried on a big label?

Easier said than done my friend. Bigger labels want a lot from their bands. They want you to tour full time. They give you a budget and you have to pay that back through your albums sales. If you don't sell enough units, you still owe the money. Touring helps sell albums. For a band of guys in their early 40's playing thrash metal, it's just not really logical. We just keep doing it because we love to do it. If we didn't we would stop.

Thanks for explaining that part. I didn't know about that budget think with the units. That explains why many real metal bands don't sing deal with big labels, and why bands that do it, have to sell out.

Good thing your band still plays real metal

It gets expensive with touring abroad. hauling your gear and hoping everything turns out in the intenary/ all the bookings. It can crash and cause setbacks too easily when one item screws up. EAsier too,when the band members travel together, Not seperately. Arriving in time to do sound check,set up and checking the hardware. The more money a band makes, they can afford rentals and companies to truck their soundstage.
I know some local bands that travel to our big town from the bigger city. it's usually a trailer with all thier stuff and maybe, maybe one roadie and sound guy.
I know when Blue Oyster Cult came up to play, their stuff was held up at t he border. Everything they had didn't arrive for the show. Except for the guitarists who had their's (Guitars). They asked the prev' band performing a favor to borrow and use their hardware for their set. Talk about using a different soundcheck and feeds, BOC played cool nonetheless,despite the unknown!
Btw, I'm not in a band, I just been around the show scene for some years and listen to musician stories,the horrors,the ups and downs. I've done a few roadie gigs and helping out local bands and arrangements. You got to love the scene to keep doing it, otherwise it becomes a stressful experience. I admire anyone who keeps up the roadshow,Ultimatum,you guys rock on!

2GunBlade wrote:

It gets expensive with touring abroad. hauling your gear and hoping everything turns out in the intenary/ all the bookings. It can crash and cause setbacks too easily when one item screws up. EAsier too,when the band members travel together, Not seperately. Arriving in time to do sound check,set up and checking the hardware. The more money a band makes, they can afford rentals and companies to truck their soundstage.
I know some local bands that travel to our big town from the bigger city. it's usually a trailer with all thier stuff and maybe, maybe one roadie and sound guy.
I know when Blue Oyster Cult came up to play, their stuff was held up at t he border. Everything they had didn't arrive for the show. Except for the guitarists who had their's (Guitars). They asked the prev' band performing a favor to borrow and use their hardware for their set. Talk about using a different soundcheck and feeds, BOC played cool nonetheless,despite the unknown!
Btw, I'm not in a band, I just been around the show scene for some years and listen to musician stories,the horrors,the ups and downs. I've done a few roadie gigs and helping out local bands and arrangements. You got to love the scene to keep doing it, otherwise it becomes a stressful experience. I admire anyone who keeps up the roadshow,Ultimatum,you guys rock on!

Excellent first post!

Yeah you guys should doa little bit of touring. Even just one offs around the country!

How about a spot on my bands tour...?





...If my band had a tour....









....if I had a band...

we broke up for the betterment of mankind.