Traveling to see a live show is a unique experience, especially when it’s a band you’re a fan of – that’s the philosophy behind Travel 2 Concert, and it’s why we exist. But, how to get notified when a band is on tour?
Finding out tour dates in advance isn’t always straightforward, particularly for popular shows. This information is crucial for planning your trip, as it requires time and strategy to buy tickets at the right moment, as well as booking flights and accommodations.
In this article, I’m sharing some practical tips to help you discover your favorite bands’ tour dates with enough time to plan your dream trip.
How to get notified when a band is on tour:
- Follow the band on social media
- Subscribe to the artist’s newsletter
- Join online forums and communities
- Follow blogs and specialized websites
- Keep up with concert promoters and venues
- Use ticket websites
- Monitor streaming platforms
- Use concert and event apps
1. Follow the band on social media
Social media is one of the best tools to stay updated on the latest news from the bands and musicians you want to see live.
The most practical and effective tip I can give you here is to make sure you’re following the official pages of the band and its members on Facebook and Instagram. Also, enable notifications so you don’t miss any updates.
2. Subscribe to the artist’s newsletter
Most bands offer a newsletter that you can subscribe to through their official website. These newsletters often contain exclusive information, including tour dates and pre-sale tickets.
Here are a few tips to get the most out of this information source:
- Sign Up: go to the band’s official website and look for the option to subscribe to the newsletter. It’s usually located at the bottom of the site or in the contact section.
- Spam Check: make sure the band’s emails don’t end up in your spam folder. Add their email address to your contacts to avoid this issue.
3. Join online forums and communities
Online forums and communities are great places to share information and find out the latest news about your favorite bands.
One of the most popular platforms for this is Facebook Groups. Join fan groups on Facebook, where members often share insider info and tips about upcoming tours.
4. Follow blogs and specialized websites
There are many blogs and websites dedicated to rock music that frequently publish news about tours. If you’re already eyeing a specific country, keep an eye on local music sites, radio stations, and social media, depending on what’s easiest to incorporate into your routine.
Rolling Stone magazine, for example, is available in various countries (like Italy, France, Argentina, Australia, Japan, and others). NME also has a dedicated section for gigs.
5. Keep up with concert promoters and venues
Local concert promoters and venues are usually the first to know about tour dates. Sometimes, they announce them simultaneously with the bands.
Here are some tips on how to keep track of them:
- Venue Social Media: If there’s an iconic venue where you dream of seeing a big show, like London’s Royal Albert Hall or New York’s Madison Square Garden, make sure to follow them on social media. Here at Travel2Concert,we have a section dedicated to venues by city, so you can discover amazing places around the world.
- Promoter Websites: These can be a bit harder to find since you need to search by country or region. But companies like Live Nation (which operates in many countries), AEG Live (for North America), and Everything Is New (in Portugal) often post information about upcoming tours on their websites.
6. Use ticket websites
Official ticket sales websites like Ticketmaster and Eventim are also good sources for discovering tour dates.
Keep in mind that these sites are usually country-specific. So, for example, search Google for “Ticketmaster + [country you want to visit].”
To use them effectively, regularly check the event calendars on these ticket sales websites to see upcoming shows. Concerts typically appear on the site a few days before tickets officially go on sale.
7. Monitor streaming platforms
Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music can also be useful in your search. Often, these services collaborate with artists to announce tours.
A specific tip for this is to follow your favorite band on Spotify, for instance, and enable notifications. They often send information about new releases and tours directly to your email.
8. Use concert and event apps
There are several apps that can help you discover tour and concert dates near you. Some of the most popular ones are Bandsintown and Songkick.
These apps track tours, and you can enable notifications and alerts for the artists you like and/or the cities you want to visit. The bands themselves also use these apps as an official source to announce their tours
