2014 Pomplamoose Tour: Epic Fail or Genius Marketing?

I tend not to get myself fired up about many issues; in fact, I would describe myself as being pretty laid back. However, over the past couple weeks I’ve found myself becoming agitated in regards to this sob story posted by Pomplamoose, an indie rock group based out of the bay area. Jack Conte, one of the group’s members, released a lengthy article explaining how the indie group ultimately ended up losing $11,819 after one of their more recent tour stints. You can read the full article here.

Now, how does an established group end up in that deep of a hole? Don’t get me wrong; it’s great this group is all about the “indie” culture but where’s the line between making smart independent decisions and throwing your whole career away? Luckily for us, Pomplamoose was gracious enough to publish their expenses incurred over this entire tour and I must say I’m baffled. More importantly, where was their manager and who was approving these costs?

Let’s start by looking at the $26,450 spent on production costs; this includes their van rental expense. 

Please see exhibit A:

Photo by Jack Conte

This is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter - the luxury in van travel. Pomplamoose decided it would be advantageous to use this as their mode of transportation. For a little fun, go ahead and Google image search the interior of one of these. Need I say more?  Let me be clear, I'm not saying to go out on tour and live like you're playing the Oregon Trail but there's far more cost effective options out there. 

I’m also positive the group could have found ways of trimming back some of their actual production expenses. If you’re going out on the road on your dime, it’s crucial to only spend on what you absolutely need.  As a small indie rock group, I doubt they needed some of the lights as well as equipment they rented specifically for this tour - a lot of venues tend to have these accommodations in house.   

Let’s also take a look at the $17,589 in hotel and food costs for eight people.  The elephant in the room is the fact that they spent money on four hotel rooms, which allowed each member of the crew to have their own bed.  If I were their manager, I would have cut this down to two rooms. My goodness, it won’t kill you to sleep with another person in a king size bed and it’s even better when you think about how much money you’re saving! Additionally, if I was managing a group touring in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, I would be sleeping in that every night and implementing the peanut butter sandwich rule. *

Needless to say, this has created quite the uproar among fellow musicians within the music industry but this article released earlier in the week has stated it may have been a marketing stunt on Conte’s part.  

Now, I’m not going to get into how this may have been a shady plug for Conte’s crowd funding company because lo and behold I'm actually talking about Pomplamoose. This group hasn’t been relevant for a few years now and if this was truly a marketing stunt, I commend this group!  If this wasn't, then they really need to hire a better manager and one who will teach them self-discipline when it comes to monetary spending out on the road.               

 

* The peanut butter sandwich rule is a must for touring bands on a budget.  It consists of a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, which allows for sustainable energy while on the road.  On those good days, be sure to add fluff or a sliced apple on the side.