Long is the tradition of packing instruments, electronics and band members into a van to trek across the nation with nothing but sunglasses, half a pack of cigarettes and a full tank of gas.But visions of glory won’t fuel a 15-passenger van, or a Camry, for that matter.With gas prices peaking at more than $4 a gallon this summer, the music industry was hit particularly hard. Big festivals like Bonnaroo and Coachella failed to sell out for the first time in years. Even big name tours like Janet Jackson and Maroon 5 suffered, according to Rolling Stone Magazine.But the hardest hit were the little guys. For new bands, touring is the key to success. Drawing steady crowds and making money from the door and merchandise sales is what keeps bands alive. With more and more money flying out the exhaust pipe, local and indie bands are forced to make drastic cutbacks on tour dates.”You’ve got to tour smarter than ever,” said Brad Ourso, University alumnus and guitarist for local band Streamline.He estimated that the band spent 20 percent more on gas this summer than last year.Streamline usually includes New York dates in its tour, since it’s most of the members’ home state. But this summer the band stayed South and only ventured as far as Austin, Texas.”We would barely scrape by or even lose money, which is hard even if you’re gaining fans,” said Ourso.He estimated the band cut its touring by half to be able to afford gas.”We have a 15-passenger van, which is pretty bad on gas mileage, and trailer with a lot of drag,” he said. “It gets 12 to 13 miles per gallon, which on a 600- to 700-mile trip adds up quick.”Ourso said the band is saving money by staying close to home this fall. This Friday they will play at the Spanish Moon, and they also have a show at The Caterie on Sept. 26.Josh Nee, political science senior, is the drummer for Man Plus Building and We Landed on the Moon!. He said that last spring We Landed on the Moon! chose to save money by scheduling the bulk of its tour in the Northeast, playing only a few southern shows on the way.”You want to tour in places that are close together so you go either northeast or to Texas,” Nee said. “We can’t afford to spend too many days hanging around in the Southeast because you’ll lose so much money staying down here where you have six- and seven-hour drives to get from city to city.”Another money-saving technique is skipping small town shows for big cities.”You have to pass up the smaller towns a lot,” Nee said. “You have to focus on the bigger cities where you know there will be a draw and you’re guaranteed to make your money back. If you have one off night, it can put a serious damper on your whole tour.”Nee said this summer the relatively new Man Plus Building stayed close to home for shows and played short weekend stints in other parts of the state and Gulf Coast.But musicians are not the only ones pinching pennies. Fans have to dig deeper into their pockets for summer concerts too.Brad Weiser, political science senior, said he missed Bonnaroo for the first time in four years.He said with high gas prices, a steep ticket price and few others willing to shell out, he decided to skip this year in favor of closer festivals like Voodoo Fest and Austin City Limits.With gas prices continuing to rise and bands gaining  notoriety through Myspace and major festivals, will touring eventually become extinct?Ourso said no. “It’s the only way to gain respect in the music industry,” he said. “I think it really helps to have a track record of touring and being able to draw numbers to clubs.”Nee said the only way for a band to distinguish itself among the sea of Myspace bands is to tour and connect with people face to face.”Ultimately nothing is going to connect with people in the way that playing live in front of them will do,” he said.—-
Contact Lauren Walck at [email protected]