UK Band/group to tour in the US - what are the problems and issues please
Posted by: Derek Wright on 03 March 2006
A friend and his band have been invited to play in the US next year.
What are the problems and solutions that a UK band will have to overcome in being able to do this.
I can foresee visa problems, equipment shipping issues as well as voltage issues .
Has any one been through this experience and can offer any tips.
Thanks
Apologies for the echo but I want to contact as many people I can.
What are the problems and solutions that a UK band will have to overcome in being able to do this.
I can foresee visa problems, equipment shipping issues as well as voltage issues .
Has any one been through this experience and can offer any tips.
Thanks
Apologies for the echo but I want to contact as many people I can.
Posted on: 04 March 2006 by manicatel
Assuming the gigs are paid, the band would have to apply for temp. working visas. I went through this, albeit a few years ago, & what with usa's changing stipulations for entry, visas, security, etc, I should think an email/phone call or better yet a visit to the embassy would be prudent.Although my band went over there on a bit of a shoestring budget, we took the minimum gear we could with us & hired the rest. ie amps, keyboards (all the heavy stuff) was hired over there, & We took stuff like guitars, snare & cymbals, & disks with all the synth programs on them. No 110/240 worries, no excess baggage costs. If you are taking a lot of stuff with you, tell the airline well in advance, negotiate the baggage costs, & check in v.v.early. We found the hire companies & PA companies professional & good to deal with, especially in Canada. Enjoy!
matt.
matt.
Posted on: 04 March 2006 by Michael Dale
Hi Derek,
We did this last year, and Manicatel's advice is on the money. Take the essentials such as specific bits of kit which are unique to the band, i.e guitar pedal boards, any keyboards which are quirky or loaded with the bands own samples, and guitars. Rent the backline or borrow it when you get there. Shipping it is very expensive and requires lots of paperwork, not to mention the time it takes the gear to get to the States and clear customs (which may be okay if the band don't have any UK commitments close to the US trip).
We had 17 pieces of excess baggage on the way out there (4 guitars, 1 keyboard, 1 bass, kick pedal, snare, various hold-alls full of pedals, cables etc, etc) and on most flights we charmed our way out of the huge airline charges. Tell em it's your first time doing this and that the budget is almost non existant. A handful of signed goodies always helps! Another very handy thing is that some of the airlines will provide an assistant to help you get through the various baggage checks, useful if you have so many cases. This costs about £60, but it saved us hundreds, cos the assistants can pull a few strings.
If you anticipate taking any domestic flights in the States and you are carrying lots of flightcases, make sure you get to the check in before anyone else! It's first come first served, and the planes used for internal flights are very small so you want your stuff in the luggage hold first! If you mess this bit up you'll find you arrive in Austin to do a show, but your gear may arrive the day after you.
If you need to hire gear in the States, book all this well in advance of your trip. S.I.R usually have whatever you're looking for and can deliver to any location. The have various depots across the States. Usually the gear is in good condition, but not always. Apparently S.I.R means "Shit In A Roadcase", and at one memorable gig the rented Vox AC30 was exactly that!
We had an amazing time out there. We played some very small clubs, and in Reno it was like a bar set up in someone's living room. We also did some decent sized shows with Snow Patrol. The whole trip was an amazing exprerience (except the hotel in New York but that's a long story). They'll have a great time! I hope to get back there very soon myself.
Best,
Mickey
We did this last year, and Manicatel's advice is on the money. Take the essentials such as specific bits of kit which are unique to the band, i.e guitar pedal boards, any keyboards which are quirky or loaded with the bands own samples, and guitars. Rent the backline or borrow it when you get there. Shipping it is very expensive and requires lots of paperwork, not to mention the time it takes the gear to get to the States and clear customs (which may be okay if the band don't have any UK commitments close to the US trip).
We had 17 pieces of excess baggage on the way out there (4 guitars, 1 keyboard, 1 bass, kick pedal, snare, various hold-alls full of pedals, cables etc, etc) and on most flights we charmed our way out of the huge airline charges. Tell em it's your first time doing this and that the budget is almost non existant. A handful of signed goodies always helps! Another very handy thing is that some of the airlines will provide an assistant to help you get through the various baggage checks, useful if you have so many cases. This costs about £60, but it saved us hundreds, cos the assistants can pull a few strings.
If you anticipate taking any domestic flights in the States and you are carrying lots of flightcases, make sure you get to the check in before anyone else! It's first come first served, and the planes used for internal flights are very small so you want your stuff in the luggage hold first! If you mess this bit up you'll find you arrive in Austin to do a show, but your gear may arrive the day after you.
If you need to hire gear in the States, book all this well in advance of your trip. S.I.R usually have whatever you're looking for and can deliver to any location. The have various depots across the States. Usually the gear is in good condition, but not always. Apparently S.I.R means "Shit In A Roadcase", and at one memorable gig the rented Vox AC30 was exactly that!
We had an amazing time out there. We played some very small clubs, and in Reno it was like a bar set up in someone's living room. We also did some decent sized shows with Snow Patrol. The whole trip was an amazing exprerience (except the hotel in New York but that's a long story). They'll have a great time! I hope to get back there very soon myself.
Best,
Mickey
Posted on: 05 March 2006 by Derek Wright
Thank you for all your comments I will pass them on o my colleague