Your guide to following a UK music tour
3 min read
Seeing your favourite artist once is exciting, but following several dates of the same tour can turn a concert into a much bigger experience. It also requires more planning than travelling to a single show, particularly when performances take place in different cities within a few days of each other.
Secure your tickets and keep track of every tour date
Start by putting all your confirmed shows into one itinerary, including the date, venue, door opening time and any information supplied with your ticket. Check the entry requirements for each venue individually, as rules around bags, age restrictions and digital tickets may differ between locations.
If a date sells out, stick to official or legitimate resale platforms rather than buying from an unknown seller. The UK government has also announced measures to ban the resale of tickets above their original cost, alongside additional protections intended to tackle unfair practices in the resale market.
Keeping booking confirmations and relevant venue information together on your phone can also make it easier to find what you need when moving between cities.
Plan how you’ll travel between gigs
Look at the tour route as a whole rather than arranging each journey separately. Mapping each location can help you understand the distances involved and decide whether driving or taking the train makes more sense for individual legs.
If you’re travelling by rail, check your service again shortly before departure. Engineering works, cancellations or timetable changes could affect your journey, so avoid planning an arrival that leaves very little time before doors open.
Remember to factor accommodation into your route too, particularly when concerts finish too late for a convenient onward journey.
Make long drives part of the plan, not an afterthought
Driving can provide more flexibility when tour dates take you between cities, but long journeys need to be planned around the gigs themselves.
Check your route beforehand and identify suitable places to stop for fuel or EV charging. It’s also worth researching parking near each venue rather than trying to find somewhere when you arrive.
Before setting off, make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and that your car insurance provides the cover you need for your trip. Most importantly, account for how tired you may be after a late concert. If you don’t feel alert enough to drive safely, stay overnight or arrange another way to travel rather than pushing on to the next destination.
Check each venue before you arrive
Even when you’re following the same artist, the experience won’t necessarily be identical at every venue. Entry procedures, cloakrooms, bag policies and facilities can vary considerably.
Accessibility arrangements can also differ, so check each venue’s website in advance if you or someone you’re travelling with has specific access requirements. Look for information on accessible entrances, viewing areas and any assistance that needs to be arranged before the show.
A little preparation for each stop means less time dealing with logistics and more time enjoying the reason you planned the trip in the first place: seeing the shows.
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
