Touring Europe...from America (California)

one of the best ways to do it (as long as you get into the country ok i.e. permitss and shit) is to learn to live cheap, if you can get a few folk added on myspace or whatever so you have a few folk at the shows, then try and get one of them to let you guys bunk at their place...

big piece of advice from the UK... NEVER buy food or anything from a service station...

Pish, Ginsters make touring worthwhile!
 
like someone is going check you when you are standing on the street

you will be surprised.....i know for a fact that to work on the underground in london you have to have a licence..... and the likeliness if your are busking in a place with a lot of people around...e.g. tourist attractions or near them you are quite likely to be checked..so yeh it could happen
 
i know its off topic but, a friend of mine works the underground metro in the newcastle/sunderland area and he rakes in a good £300 a week during the summer and such...

that doesn't include tshirt and cd sales...
 
We only go to the USA if plane tickets are already paid (sponsors, labels...). In fact, we're looking for support in NYC and LA and everywhere to play soon because we have our flight tickets paid this year.

Here in EU, earning money from gigs is getting more and more difficult but, if you got flights solved, then everything is easier: As someone said before, ask for spot to sleep, dinner and gasmoney from tickets and MAYBE you won't spend a real lot of money.

Try to book dates as close as possible in time and space.

Money per day (minimum): Van: €150, gas: €50, food/drink: €100 (breakfst, lunch, etc). add up flights, promo, some sleep in hostels, and you have €500 daily.

Of course you can make it half cheaper if you find a friend's van and you got your flights paid, so move out for sponsors: they can advertise in your posters, net promo, banners at shows... We often try to get sponsored by hotels to get our sleep paid (and in great conditions).

hope it is useful for yer band!