Write down the big events and festivals that people talk about, and see who the other popular bands are in each town. This information can really help the band on their next tour. Beyond all of these tasks, a tour manager often is the cheerleader and coach for artists who are in a different place every night. When a tour lasts weeks or months, and each night holds both the promise of future success and the unexpected difficulties of the road and a tough business, the tour manager is often supplying perspective and energy to the band and crew. A tour manager must help to keep the artist focused and the machinery of the tour driving in the direction of efficiency and success each night.
Different skills are necessary at each new stop, and the job is ever-changing.
While the band's management sculpts strategy, and the agent is hunting for shows, it is the tour manager that is actually executing the tours on behalf of the band. They are the go to person, the heart of the touring unit that captains the progress of the band. It is important to remember that the tour manager does not sculpt policy or practice for the band, but rather follows those policies through so that the strategies and goals of the band are being met. While it may be exciting, the work is never ending. This is a crazy business, and tours are a magical trip.