The making of a Tour

Published Oct. 2, 2014
By Master Sgt. Jake McCray

Washington, D.C. -- Touring around the country is an important aspect of The U.S. Air Force Band's mission. It gives the Band's Airmen musicians a great opportunity to honor our nation's veterans and to inspire all audience members to a heightened sense of patriotism. Whether it is the Airmen of Note or the Concert Band and Singing Sergeants, the logistical challenges of creating a cohesive, regional tour around the U.S. that couples maximum audience exposure with financial efficiency is often a daunting task. Concert sites and supporting sponsors must be secured, which takes a unique blending of skills when it comes to finding the right venue. There is no substitution for visiting these venues in person and making face-to-face contact with potential sponsors. These site visits are called tour advances, and, in terms of logistics, it's where the "rubber meets the road."

In late August, our principle clarinetist and concertmaster, Technical Sgt. Kristin Bowers was part of a tour advance--her first ever. Having been a part of multiple Concert Band and Singing Sergeants tours as a player, she had unique insight into the challenges and pitfalls that come with taking such a large group on the road.

Kristin and I sat down together, and I asked her about her experience, here's what she had to say:

McCray: What exactly is an advance?
Bowers: A tour advance is a "dry run" of every stop the band will make on the tour. We follow exact road directions, stay at every hotel, meet with hotel staff, meet with staff at every concert venue, and take measurements, pictures and videos of every performance hall.

McCray: Why is it important?
Bowers: One of the most important aspects of the advance is making direction connections with the marketing teams at each performance venue. We interact closely and rely heavily on local box offices to distribute tickets and fill our halls for performances. It is so easy to sit down face to face, hand over a packet of marketing materials, and talk about our advertising and distribution plans. The advance is also critical for our technical team. It's so important to map a specific place that our trucks can park, establish if they fit in a hall's loading dock, and determine how boxes of equipment will be pushed onto the stage. Most importantly, by making an advance trip, we put a face to "The United States Air Force Band." We are able to meet our sponsors and thank them in advance for all the work they will do with us.

McCray: This is the first advance you've been on; what did you think of it?
Bowers: It was a great experience. I gained a deeper understanding of how much work it takes to put on a show. On both ends, the work begins months before the actual concert date.

McCray: What was it like?
Bowers: It certainly was a ton of time in the car! Most days we hit two tour stops in one day, requiring hours of driving in the day. Of course, it was great to taste some great local food...I made a list of places I want to return to when we are on tour!

McCray: Where did you go?
Bowers: We flew into Atlanta and began making stops in Troy, Alabama. We made our way to Florida through cities such as Pensacola, Tallahassee, St. Augustine, Gainesville and Jacksonville. We finally ended up in Savannah, Georgia before heading back to Atlanta to fly home.

McCray: Did anything surprise you?
Bowers: Not really. Our operations team did a great job preparing the advance group, and I felt 100% prepared to handle the job.

McCray: Since you've been on a number of tours previously, how does that give you any kind of insight as far as designing a tour?
Bowers: It is a lot of work. I gained a true appreciation for the wonderful work that our sponsors do to fill our performance venues. A ten-day tour takes months of hard work. It's all worth it when we are able to perform for packed halls and inspire wonderful crowds.

McCray: How has the new educational outreach initiative, "AIM," had an impact on tour planning?
Bowers: The AIM initiative has had a major impact on tour planning. Technical Sgt. Sara Wollmacher has done great work connecting with band directors prior to our tour. At each stop, we confirmed that we'll have a group of students sitting in with the band to perform with us during a number in the concert. At many stops, we'll also work with students earlier in the day doing performances and masterclasses. It should be a wonderful experience for both students and professionals!

If you or your family or friends live in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, or if you'll be travelling through those areas in October, please check 'Events Calendar' on our website for specific concert and ticket information. We'd love to see you there!

Click here for the complete Fall Tour 2014 Itinerary

Technical Sgt. Aaron Paige consults meets with the Band's point of contact