DIY Tour Management Guide (India)

DIY Tour Management Guide — India

For independent artists and managers running tours without a dedicated tour manager. Covers planning, execution, and settlement for a multi-city Indian tour.

Part 1: Planning (8-12 Weeks Before Tour)

1.1 Route Planning

India's geography makes routing critical. Poor routing wastes money on travel and exhausts the artist.

Efficient route clusters:

• North cluster: Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow
• West cluster: Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Ahmedabad
• South cluster: Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi
• East cluster: Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati

Avoid routing that requires crossing India mid-tour (e.g. Delhi to Chennai to Mumbai). Stay in one region and work it properly.

Minimum days between shows: 1 day off per 3 shows. Consecutive show nights without a day off are unsustainable.

1.2 Venue Confirmation Checklist For each city:

• Venue confirmed and Booking Advance signed
• Deposit received (aim for 50% upfront)
• Ticketing platform live (BookMyShow / Insider.in)
• Sound engineer confirmed (venue or hired)
• Backline confirmed — what is provided, what artist brings
• Show promoted on venue social channels
• Guest list process confirmed

1.3 Travel and Accommodation Book all travel and accommodation 6-8 weeks in advance for cost savings.

Flight vs. train vs. road:

• Flights: Best for distances over 800km or when time is tight. Book via MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, or directly. Budget INR 3,000-8,000 per person one-way for domestic.
• Trains: Best for distances 300-800km. Reliable, comfortable in AC classes. Book via IRCTC. 3A or 2A class recommended. Book immediately when routing is confirmed — berths fill fast.
• Road: Best for distances under 300km or when carrying heavy gear. Hire a tempo traveller for bands with equipment. Budget INR 15-25 per km for a tempo traveller.

Accommodation: Budget INR 2,000-4,000 per room per night in Tier 1 cities. Use Zostel or similar for budget, or OYO Business / Treebo for professional stays. Book near the venue to minimise load-in logistics.

1.4 Equipment and Backline Planning Create a master equipment list (see Asset Inventory Template). Confirm for each city:

• What does the venue provide?
• What needs to be hired locally?
• What does the artist carry?

Local backline hire contacts (build this list city by city): Mumbai: [Add contacts] Bengaluru: [Add contacts] Delhi: [Add contacts] Pune: [Add contacts]

1.5 Tour Budget Complete the Tour Budget Template. Key line items for India:

• Artist fees (per show net of commission)
• Travel (flights/trains/road — per leg)
• Accommodation (per night per room)
• Backline hire (per show)
• Sound engineer fee (if not venue-provided)
• Merchandise production and transport
• Per diems (INR 500-1,000 per person per day for meals and incidentals)
• Contingency (add 15% to total)

Part 2: 2 Weeks Before Tour

• All booking advances signed and on file
• All travel booked and confirmation emails printed/saved
• All accommodation booked and confirmation numbers on hand
• Tour itinerary finalised and shared with all band members
• Stage plots and input lists sent to all venues
• Merchandise inventory counted and packed
• Merch price list finalised
• Collect all deposits not yet received
• Set list finalised (have a Plan B set list for different stage sizes)
• Emergency contact list distributed — every band member has it
• Local promoter WhatsApp numbers saved by artist and manager
• Petty cash prepared: INR 5,000-10,000 in small denomination notes for each city

Part 3: Show Day Schedule (Template)

Time | Task T-4h | Load-in begins. Team arrives at venue. Manager inspects stage, confirms tech setup with venue engineer. T-3h | Soundcheck begins. Line check first, then full soundcheck. Drummer sets up first, then bass, keys, guitars, vocals. Allow 60-90 minutes minimum. T-2h | Soundcheck complete. Venue opens green room. Artist eats, rests. T-1.5h | Support act soundcheck (if applicable) T-1h | Doors open T-0.5h | Final briefing with artist — set list confirmed, stage entry plan agreed T-0 | Show starts +Xh | Artist set ends. Artist greets fans (if agreed). Manager begins settlement with promoter. +Xh+30m | Settlement complete. Load-out begins. +Xh+90m | All gear loaded. Team departs for accommodation.

Part 4: Show Day — Manager Responsibilities

Before soundcheck:

• Meet venue point of contact. Get their number if not already have it.
• Walk the stage — confirm stage size matches rider
• Check PA system is operational
• Check green room is prepared per rider
• Confirm guest list process with door staff
• Confirm show schedule with venue (any changes?)
• Confirm support act details

During soundcheck:

• Be present throughout. Do not leave the building.
• Resolve any technical issues before the artist asks — anticipate.
• Take photos/video of the setup for records

During the show:

• Be at FOH (front of house) or side of stage
• Monitor sound quality from audience perspective
• Watch the crowd — energy, size, engagement
• Note anything that went wrong for debrief

After the show — Settlement:

• Collect the full balance of the performance fee (or confirm bank transfer)
• Issue GST invoice
• Confirm ticket count if on a door deal — get written confirmation
• Collect merch float and count merch sales (see Merch Sales Register)
• Count total cash on hand

Part 5: Merch on Tour

Set up merch table at every show, ideally near the venue entrance or exit.

Merch setup checklist:

• Display items clearly — hang T-shirts if possible
• Price list visible
• Accept UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm) — most Indian audiences pay digitally. Have QR code printed and displayed prominently.
• Have a float of INR 500 in small notes for cash change
• Assign one person to merch at all times — never leave unattended
• Record every sale (see Merch Sales Register)

After each show:

• Count remaining stock
• Count cash + verify UPI receipts
• Update Merchandise Revenue Tracker

Part 6: Post-tour Debrief (Within 7 Days of Last Show)

• Final financial settlement — total income vs. total expenses
• Update Merchandise Revenue Tracker with full tour totals
• Collect all receipts and expense claims from band members
• Send thank-you emails to all venues and promoters
• Review what worked and what didn't — note for next tour
• Add all new venue, promoter, and local engineer contacts to Contact Directory
• Post tour recap content on social media
• Identify which cities should be priorities for the next tour based on audience response

India-specific Notes

GST on performance fees: If your artist is GST-registered, issue a GST invoice to the venue. The venue may deduct TDS (typically 10% under Section 194C for performing artists). Get Form 16A from the venue for TDS claims.

Cash payments: Despite digital prevalence, some smaller venues still pay in cash. Count it in front of the venue representative and sign a receipt immediately.

Safety: Share daily itinerary with a trusted contact not on tour. Hotel addresses and show venue addresses should be on file with someone at home.

Sound quality: Indian venues vary enormously in sound quality. Carry a personal monitor mix (IEM) if the artist depends on hearing themselves clearly — venue monitoring is inconsistent.

Free to use · Part of the Indie Music India toolkit · Updated September 2026