How indie band Walden booked their own 50 state tour on a $50 budget

Walden manager Matt Ladis and band member Eric Hangartner share their story of self-booking a successful 50-state tour on a very tight budget.

The pair talk about how the idea came to fruition and how they booked the tour with Michael Brandvold and Jay Gilbert on the Music Bioz Weekly podcast. They also share stories from the road, how they raised the money as well as the importance of selling merchandise and connecting with their fans.

When the 2020 pandemic hit, Walden was hit with some harsh realities and left with plenty of time for reflection on their past eight years together. It had become abundantly clear there was no time to waste.

If they were going to create the life they wanted for themselves, it needed to happen now.

No more waiting for algorithms. The band had always dreamed of a life of travel, a life filled with adventure and people and places… and it was up to them to create that for themselves.

And so the idea was born: a tour of all 50 U.S. States on a budget of only $50. It was an idea just crazy enough to work.

Don’t be fooled by the scale of the challenge, though; the simple act of attempting this feat means Walden is living out its dream.