The touring landscape in 2022 and 2023 has been difficult for artists. Devin Townsend recently detailed how hard it is to keep tours within a profitable margin and explained why he goes out as an acoustic act, while Sabaton frontman Joakim Brodén recently explained why postponed shows are actually losing money for some artists. And of course there's Dino Cazares, who gave a pretty in-depth look at how hard touring can be financially these days.
Now Halestorm bassist Josh Smith is chiming in with his take on things. In an interview with Primordial Radio, Smith said the band's touring schedule is all over the map due to everyone being out on the road right now, and that logistically things are difficult.
"We're navigating the troubled waters, but logistically, it is a lot. It's different. Everything costs more. It seems like everybody's out, which is awesome, but at the same time, it makes for some tricky routing. You look at some of our routing maps, and it looks like someone was just throwing darts. And it was the same in the States.
"And also our summer tour, I feel like we haven't had a six- or seven-week tour since… We haven't toured like that since we were in our 20s… It feels like we've started over in a way, and we're working hard for it. It's incredibly humbling. We just feel so fortunate to be back out after such a hiatus."
Smith later added that he believes things will eventually adjust themselves, and that touring essentially needs to exist for both the artists and the fans.
"I think things will adjust. I hope we can keep doing it, because this is what we love to do. For us, the live show is such an important part, so to have had a taste of it over the pandemic — like, 'You can't tour' — was difficult. So I'll remain optimistic that now we'll figure this out and we'll be able to continue doing it. We need it, and I think the fans need it too. So we'll figure it out."
