Everyone knows how exciting it’s to see a concert or especially your favorite band live.
The singing, the dancing, the energy of the crowd… It’s a rush! What most people don’t see is what happens after the concert ends.
Some artists have to go back to their hotels, fly home the next day or decide to do something else. Their day doesn’t end when their show is over. In fact, for many, the day doesn’t even start until all the pressure is off.
If You’ve Ever Wondered What Life Is Like for Your Favorite Artists After Their Shows, Here’s a Peek Behind the Curtain
Debriefing the Performance Among Yourselves
For musicians, life after a concert isn’t just about the audience. Rather, it’s about what happens within the band itself, between the members.
A live show can involve a lot of internal tension and stress, so it’s important for bands to relieve it. That can mean talking to each other, going out together, or even going to the gym together – whatever works for them.
Right after the concert, members of a band often discuss the performance among themselves. They talk about how it went and what they could’ve improved on afterward. They also talk about what went well.
This is important because musicians can easily get caught up in the idea that anything less than perfect is a failure. It’s important for artists to remember their successes, as well as their weaknesses so that they stay motivated and play with enthusiasm.
Make Yourself Comfortable
After a concert, most artists are exhausted from the energy they expended during the performance. This is even more true for artists who run around on stage and dance like crazy.
They Need to Cool Down a Bit Before Anything Else Can Happen
After a long day on the road and on stage, the first thing most musicians do is a shower. Whether in a hotel or at home, a shower is usually the first step after a show.
Most shows take place at night, so it’s not always possible to go straight to bed. A nice, hot shower will help you relax and unwind after a long day.
Some Venues Offer Food Backstage, Others Don’t; It All Depends on the Venue
If there’s food before or after the performance, it’ll be provided either by the venue or by local restaurants. Bands may also bring their own food after the performance. If no food is provided, bands will either eat out or have something delivered to their hotel room, where they’ll likely spend the rest of the night.
Once the artists have had some time to relax, change clothes, wash up and eat with band members on the tour bus or at a nearby restaurant, they’re ready for the usual meet-and-greet with their friends who came out earlier to support them before heading off to wherever life takes them next!
Discover the Vibes of the City
When a musician comes to town for a concert, it’s usually the music fans running around trying to see as much of the city as possible.
However, some artists also like to explore the local underground scene or see the best sights in town after the concert.
For example, they go to a club, see the city outside the hotel and concert hall, or visit a local bar. It’s a great way to forget the pressure of a concert and feel like a normal person again, meeting normal people who live normal lives. It’s also a great way to get inspired.
If the artist is performing in a city they’ve never been to before, it’s the perfect opportunity to take some time and explore.
There are so many cities that have become synonymous with fun and creativity, like Nashville, New York, or New Orleans, which is known for its tasty music scene. Artists can explore all the great venues after their concert and find out what other artists are doing in the area.
Meet a Local Connection, Friend, or Family
Artists are usually connected everywhere and in many areas, they know many artists, producers, friends, and friends of friends. After a concert, some artists meet up with their friends and family at the venue, at their hotel, or somewhere in town. This is a great opportunity to see new places and meet great people.
Some artists are just outgoing and want to meet others because they have a friendly nature.
Others may prefer to meet locals with whom they can interact and keep it simple by being a normal person.
After a Concert, Some Artists Opt for a Meet & Greet With Fans
If you’re a musician and you play a concert, that’s usually the end of the show. You’ve performed, said your goodbyes, and now it’s time to head back to the tour bus or a hotel room.
Some artists take it a step further for their fans. After a concert, they go for a Meet Greet their fans. A Meet Greet is an event where music fans can go up to their favorite artist in person to talk, get autographs and take pictures.
For many fans, this is the cherry on top of the whole experience. They have the opportunity to talk to their favorite artist in person, which can be life-changing for some people. The performer learns how much their music means to people, which can be very inspiring.
Advantages of Being a VIP Guest
When you’re greeted backstage by your favorite singer, that’s your chance to shine. This is your moment.
It’s usually quiet there and there are probably drinks and food. Artists like to treat their VIP guests well because they know they can show them the way to success wherever they want to go in their careers.
And if you’re a journalist or a really important person in the music industry, someone they want to network with, you might get treated even better.
Everybody who gets this opportunity should take it because it’s fantastic. You get to see the audience and how happy the artist is when they perform for them – that’s the best part.
You will have access to the best seats during the live music performance!
For example, the Red Rocks VIP Experience includes all VIP perks such as a reserved premium seat, a signed poster, and a limited edition pin.
You’ll find the info about the VIP concert ticket price through the concert promoter (e.g: Live Nation).
For some celebrities like Taylor Swift, who often spends time in New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles, you can check online to see where the VIP hangouts are. Las Vegas also has great VIP lounges.
Some Artists Prefer to Go Back to Their Hotel Room After a Concert and Chill
Imagine you’ve been on the road for a long time and spent the whole day getting from one city to another. Some of your bandmates are sick, some are injured, and some have personal problems they need to take care of or want to spend time with their family.
After leaving the concert venue, they’ll come back to the hotel, everyone did their part in the show and it was great, but now they just want to have time to themselves and maybe spend time with their friends (because let’s face it, they may not be what we call best friends).
So it may be easier for them to say no because they don’t have pressure from others, only from themselves.
If you don’t see them and don’t get a photo or autograph, don’t think they’re being rude, just that they want their peace after a long day.
Sometimes They Get Right on the Bus to Go to the Next Destination of Their Tour
But just because the concert is over doesn’t mean your favorite band is going home to rest and relax. Those on tour busses usually get right back on the bus and head to the next city or venue where their performance is scheduled for tomorrow.
If a tour bus isn’t an option for the performer, their next stop may be the airport to catch a flight to the next stop on the tour schedule. In any case, they need to make sure they arrive in time to prepare physically and mentally for their next performance.
The Last Show of the Tour
On a tour, performers are constantly on the road. They arrive in a city and prepare for their performance that day. They make sure their instruments are tuned properly and that they’ve enough energy to impress the crowd during their show.
But just because you finished the concert doesn’t mean your favorite band is going home to rest and relax. Those on tour busses usually get right back on the bus and head to the next city or venue where their performance is scheduled for tomorrow.
If a tour bus isn’t an option for the artist, their next stop may be the airport to catch a flight to the next stop on their tour schedule. In any case, they need to make sure they arrive in time to prepare physically and mentally for their next performance.
For those who don’t travel with an entourage of people to help them, it can be very lonely on those long trips from one destination to another.
The Challenge of Being a Touring Musician
Being a touring musician is a strange job. You spend all your time either traveling or performing, and yet most of your day consists of breaks waiting for the next gig. This downtime can vary in length – there are the minutes or hours between soundcheck and gig, the days between gigs, and even the weeks or months at home between tours.
For many musicians, this time off is a blessing – during this time they can relax, recharge their batteries, and get used to life at home again. For others, however, this time off can be a lonely time when they’ve nothing else to do but focus on their psychological problems and financial worries, which are hard to ignore when they’re not busy with logistics and gigs.
Some might occasionally give a house concert and invite friends and give a small live performance for them, it’s a good way to test their new song outside concert tours. Others may do regular live streams on social media to support charities, as we’ve seen Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Elton John, or Katy Perry do.
To Have a Successful Music Career, Musicians Must Be Able to Handle Both Types of Downtime
To handle downtime well, they must have good routines for both types of situations. When they’re at home between tours, they need routines to keep them busy without burning out before the tour starts again.
When they’re on tour, they need routines that satisfy their basic needs and allow them to focus on what’s important: their performance.