Slow Cinema – Negotiating the cost of living crisis while on tour

Mulubinba/Newcastle-based indie-rock band Slow Cinema have just released their new single Magic Potion. They tell us about negotiating the cost of living crisis while on tour:

The days of loading onto a staggeringly expensive tour bus paid for by a record label are out of reach for most of us. To make new fans, you’ve gotta tour. However, to be able to tour, you’ve gotta have money, and because you’re playing in a band, you probably don’t have money.

We’ve heard of bands engaging in all sorts of activities to survive the financial blackhole that is life on the road, busking for spare change before shows, borrowing from the bank of mum and dad (must be nice) and staying in bed-bug-ridden hostels. None of these options appeal to us, so allow us to share some of our experiences of negotiating the cost-of-living crisis whilst on tour.

Food is fuel, and we think that there’s no greater tour delicacy than the humble Dominos. However, with a large pizza now running at around twenty bones, that’s just not going to cut it. If you’re still paying full freight for authentic Italian pizzas from Dominos, you’re a sucker, no two ways about it. Couponing isn’t just for American mums looking for the best price on Dr Pepper, you too can benefit from having a look around the internet for some cheap deals. 

Bonus tip – a value range ham and cheese pizza with pineapple comes out to $7, a stunning price point.

Speaking of food, the major supermarkets are frankly out of control. Nasty tricks like bumping up prices and then slashing them so they can advertise massive savings when in reality you’re still paying more than you were last year. To avoid legal ramifications, we will be brief. When the major supermarkets replaced jobs with a machine and jacked the price of capsicums up to around $16 a kilo, what were they expecting? Get in quick on this before they roll out the facial recognition.

Moving merch is a big part of the appeal of touring, a whole new group of people who haven’t seen your loot, there’s dollar signs there, but it’s not always worth it – trust us. Take for example the unassuming stubby cooler. We know it’s appealing when getting them made comes out to around $0.78 a pop – but it is not worth it. You won’t sell them all, they will multiply, and you will be finding them in your house, car, workplace and guitar case for years to come – breeding like rabbits. 

Despite the cost-of-living crisis putting serious strains on the country’s buying power, the second-hand market is flying. From a sewing machine to a power drill that doesn’t work – try your luck, we did. A tidy $90 profit on $10 worth of sewing machine gets you a tank of petrol to drive your circa 2000 Toyota Hiace to the next run of shows (or 70.2 stubby coolers – make the right choice). It’s not all beer and Skittles though, good chance someone you know will see the post but at the end of the day you’re making cold hard cash, and they are eating rice. 

Speaking of the second-hand market, op-shops still exist. Don’t pay a 300% mark-up for a piece that supports child labour. Go to your local charity shop and find something unique and rock it or you could just raid your parents’ wardrobe before you go. You might not want to admit it, but your parents were cool in the 80’s – relive the glory days.

Famed Australian poet Bon Scott once prosed about getting ripped off, robbed, underpaid and getting sold second-hand while on the road – he was probably right. We think it’s worth it though, there’s no better feeling than playing in a room of people somewhere you haven’t been before and the crowd connecting with you. 

Far too much emphasis is placed on streaming numbers, playlist placements and social media followers, while all these are great, get out on the road and play like your dad’s band did.

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Slow Cinema have just announced their debut EP, due Friday, March 8.

SLOW CINEMA – LIVE SHOW DATES

SAT 3 FEB | HOEY MOEY, GUMAYNGGIRR/COFFS HARBOUR NSW
SAT 10 FEB | SAFE SOUNDS FESTIVAL, MULUBINBA/NEWCASTLE NSW
WED 20 MAR | MUMBO JUMBOS, DARKINJUNG/TERRIGAL NSW
FRI 3 MAY | STAG AND HUNTER HOTEL, MULUBINBA/NEWCASTLE NSW

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