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The Unromantic Truth About Touring: Why Musicians Need to Stop Whining Online
Let’s cut to the chase: musicians, it’s time to stop posting your touring schedules online as some sort of badge of honor, or worse, a sympathy magnet. I came across a post this morning on Threads by a musician that I REALLY like, detailing the ‘grueling’ daily routine of an opening band on tour — wake up, drive, load in, soundcheck, perform, load out, sleep, repeat. It’s presented like a unique struggle, deserving of awe or pity. Frankly, it’s neither.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dismissing the hard work that goes into touring. But let’s get some perspective. You’re not special for enduring this. Countless professions face rigorous, often unpaid, early stages. Ever talked to a medical resident? Or how about startup entrepreneurs sleeping under their desks? They don’t romanticize their grind because, in their world, it’s just called ‘work.’
Consider a young lawyer at a big firm. They might work 80–100 hour weeks, dealing with mind-numbing details of a case, only to have their work scrapped or redone. They don’t post about every all-nighter or the coffee that fuels them. It’s expected. They signed up for it.
Or take startup founders. Their glamorous portrayal in the media is far from their unpaid, overworked reality, often living off savings or small investments…
