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Here on the East Coast, it's finally starting to warm up and feel like we might actually be entering that blissful time of the year known as spring. The sun is shining, the birds are happily waking me up with their chirping at 5am, and every band is beginning to announce tours in the coming months. It’s a beautiful time of year.

Now, whether it’s your first time touring or your 50th, if there’s one thing you can probably attest to it’s that no band is immune to a little tour trouble now and then. Sometimes it’s minor, and other times it can feel like the entire tour is cursed — but the truth is, it’s just a fact of touring. Nothing ever goes as smoothly as you’d hoped, and there’s always a few bumps along the way to contend with.

That said, I’m a big believer in preparedness, which is why we’ve put together this list of common tour disasters and a couple quick fix ways to deal with them as soon as they arise.

Photo by Dominick Corrado via Shutterstock

This article originally appeared on TuneCore.

When non-musicians think of bands on tour, they typically conjure up scenes of crowded venues, indulgence in the form of sex, booze, and illegal drugs, and thriving young musicians without a care in the world.

The stereotypes associated with touring are often wrong and typically only pertain to established artists with resources and sizable followings.

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There's something incredibly powerful about a really good promo photo. The way it can capture the attention of music journalists, fans, bookers, and the industry at large — but it all depends on how much care you put into making it. The quality, the way your band comes across, and the story you're telling, all factor in. When you get right down to it, your photo is just as much a piece of your story as the music itself.

We're insanely proud that Sonicbids has long been an industry leader in bridging the gap between promoters and bands with our professional EPKs. We have connected thousands of artists with opportunities across the globe – from premier local clubs, to major festivals, to career-making contests.

Not content to rest on our laurels, we're always looking for new ways to help our Sonicbids artists succeed, so we upped the ante and revamped everything about our EPK – making it cleaner, more efficient, and better than ever! Let us give you the rundown of its highlights.

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While we may still be scraping ice off our cars in most parts of the country, it’s definitely not too early to begin planning for your upcoming summer tour. Besides the fact that it gives you something to look forward to (warmer days! T-shirts! Ice cream!), it’s actually in your best interest to start planning months in advance, so that you’re giving yourself plenty of time to properly prepare.

Simply put, there’s a lot that goes into putting together a successful tour, and you don’t want to rush it. Here are five ways you can prep for your summer tour right now.