Los Campesinos! Frontman Details the Real Costs of Touring North America as a DIY Indie Band
By
Gareth David
26d ago· 22 min readenInsight
98/100
Golden Brown
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The kind of bagel that ruins lesser bagels for you.
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Summary
Los Campesinos! frontman Gareth David provides a detailed, transparent breakdown of the actual costs involved in touring North America as a DIY indie band. The article reveals the harsh financial realities of the live music industry for most artists, using the band's own expenses — from transportation and accommodation to venue fees and merchandise — to illustrate how difficult it is for independent musicians to break even or profit from touring. It serves as both a candid financial disclosure and a critique of the current state of the live music ecosystem.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledBy now it's widely accepted that the live industry is fucked for 99% of us.
Since going full-on DIY with their seventh studio album, 2024's All Hell, the Welsh band has been remarkably straightforward about the financial side of things.
Be it artists struggling to make ends meet or fans facing skyrocketing ticket prices, the system is broken — and Los Campesinos! are pulling back the curtain on exactly why.
Beyond their reputation as one of the most consistently great indie pop bands of the past couple of decades, Los Campesinos! are also among the most transparent. Since going full-on DIY with their seventh studio album, 2024’s All Hell, the Welsh band has
