Today is the day!! I’m heading out this morning after just 4 hours of sleep to drive For Today’s (my full time band, see ABOUT ME) van & trailer down to Atlanta for tour pre-production. Google Maps says 18 hours, 4 minutes, and 1,080 miles. Not too shabby!
Only 1,000 miles? Easy!
I’ll be picking up our sound guy & tour manager, the legend himself: Brian Sankus, in St Louis, MO around 5pm. That’s about the halfway part as it’s about 9 hours from me in Iowa. He has volunteered to drive the rest of the way, or as much as possible after I pick him up, so that’s good! Fortunately, touring in a band full time for the last few years, an 18 hour drive isn’t really that big of a deal to me. Nor the fact that I’ve only been home for 72 hours, and that I’m leaving on 4 hours of sleep! I basically live out of suitcases, and I love it. I really do!
When we get to Atlanta we’ll be staying with our guitarist Mike, & his wife Susanna who live down there. We have March 4th-8th reserved at a venue in the Atlanta area for tour pre-production which basically means “rehearsal”, and in band language is slang for “make sure everything still works, & get all of your crap done before leaving for tour!”. Haha! The first day of our headlining tour, called the “Fight The Silence Tour” is March 9th in Nashville which is just a few hours north of ATL. It goes from March 9th – April 22nd and is mostly all in the States, except for 2 shows in Toronto & Montreal. Should be an awesome tour. Here’s the tour poster so you can see all of the shows and all the bands on it. (Click on it to enlarge)
Come and say hey at one of the shows!
& here’s the video trailer for the tour. It’s already at 30,000 hits, so we’re expecting the tour to be awesome!
As you can see, this is a major market headlining tour for us so there is a LOT of preparation involved. Our sound guy & TM (tour manager) has been working with our management and lighting designer on a ton of stuff, but all of the final details will be worked out this week as we work out all the kinks and get everything looking incredible. Everyone else in the band and crew are flying in on Sunday. The tour bus will be arriving with about 30 boxes of merchandise (t-shirts, hoods, shorts, cd’s, etc) on the 7th, we just received 8 new Mesa cabs with custom grills, we have new backdrops, we purchased a HUGE & crazy lighting package with LED panels & wild lights galore, anddddd since our new album is releasing May 22nd in stores everywhere, we have some new material to practice in the set list for the tour as well!! This is pre-production people! I THINK we are shooting a music video March 8th too before we head out? Haven’t heard final details from management on that one yet.
Welcome to my life, and the craziness.
I’m really looking forward to getting a few days into the tour, and being able to relax on the bus and really pound out some quality posts for you guys. I have so many stories, deals, and methods relative to free travel & adventures that I want you all to hear, and soon you shall know them all!
Until then, wish me luck on the drive, and if you’re a praying type, I heard the weather hasn’t been the greatest in parts of the States, so lift Brian & I up as we drive down there overnight!
If any readers, fellow bloggers, or fans are coming to any of the shows, leave a comment below, send me an email, post on my Facebook, or tweet at me! We’re covering just about every major USA city, so there’s no excuse! I’d love to hear from you and meet up. You can pick up tickets and find more info on our site www.fortodayband.com
Love you much, wish you guys stopped through Columbia, but I guess ill have to drive once again. Be safe,praying for safety for you and the people going on this tour!
Thanks man!!!
hey david! i’m 22 years old and a big For Today fan. despite my life being the hardest it has Ever been since i became Christian 2 years ago at college, with zero christian friends, i always feel the Spirit work in me when i listen to your music, especially on “breaker”.
i live in the Chicago/MIlwaukee area, and will probably see you at the milwaukee AND show at Mojoes in Joliet, illinois.
i know your super super busy, but i would love to see you guys. i was at the Dead Throne Tour in Milwaukee, and y’all didn’ t come out to pray with people..
anyways, Jesus bless y’all and i hope to see you on tour!!
God bless!!
Tommy
Both shows? Nice!
I remember that Milwaukee show. That was the first day of that tour which is always a little hectic. I know at least half of us came out to the Merch table that night. I did for sure.
Pumped for the Pontiac, MI date…is Brenton House going to be with you guys for this tour? He spent a few weeks in the studio with my band sosaveme this past summer so he could catch a ride to Ichthus to do merch for you guys.
I hope your trip went well, 18 hours is rough to do in such a short time.
Praying for you guys!
Oh nice, I remember him talking about that.
Yeah he'll be on the whole tour with us. He's the man. Funny thing is we actually forgot that I was going to need to get some of our lighting gear out of an old storage space, so legitimately Brenton House, Samuel Penner, & I had to drive BACK to Iowa, and then back to Atlanta… straight through. I'm going to post about it. Worst mistake ever.