Welcome back, everybody! On the show today we have Martijn Westerholt from the symphonic metal band, Delain. Martijn is here to tell us all about his experiences as a successful full time touring musician over the last two decades. We chat about his early career and former bands before discussing the set up with Delain. From there Martijn unpacks what goes into a tour for him and the band and what the process looks like from start to finish. Through the interview, our guest is kind enough to offer advice to those only starting out on this type of venture and then compare it with the more seasoned set up that he has with his work currently. Martijn offers great advice on staging a spectacle, conquering new markets and the value of having a strong team to work with. He also gets into some financial advice and the best use of earnings when trying to build a future as a touring band. For a great conversation with an experienced professional, be sure to listen in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- A little about Martijn and his current band Delain.
- The songwriting process for Delain.
- Some of the accomplishments of which Martijn is most proud.
- Planning for the future and focussing on building support.
- Thinking about the idea of conquering countries and picking the right markets.
- The importance of spectacle and putting on a great show.
- Presenting yourself appropriately on stage in accordance with the music.
- The order in which Martijn goes about planning a tour.
- Why you should find good people to sell merch and work the sound desk.
- Where to invest your earnings when you are starting out.
- Maximizing profit from live shows and cutting costs.
- Doubling down and selling more merchandise.
- And much more!
Tweetables:
“You have limited resources at your disposal, so you should make every shot count and I think it’s very important that you reached the right people.” — @delainmusic [0:06:46.8]
“You have to think about the market you’re targeting so I’m not talking about the people, I’m also talking about the countries.” — @delainmusic [0:07:26.4]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/
The Superfan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/
Martijn Westerholt — https://www.discogs.com/artist/254736-Martijn-Westerholt
Within Temptation — https://www.withintemptationrecordings.com
Delain — http://www.delain.nl
