In a recent The Break Down With Nath & Johnny interview, Mastodon’s guitarist Bill Kelliher didn’t hold back about the intense challenges of touring in a post-pandemic world. Detailing how skyrocketing expenses and logistics nightmares are pushing even major bands to the brink, Kelliher painted a vivid picture of the hurdles Mastodon now faces.
As he explained: "Well, honestly, it's a few different moving parts, because during COVID no one toured and a lot of places shut, and a lot of people changed careers, like techs that work for bands went into the real estate business or got regular jobs. Everyone was scrambling for money. And it was a fucking disaster. So, the trickle-down effect of supply and demand, getting places. For instance, petrol, gas, it trickles down when the price of gas… People can't get gas, there's lines, it's all economics. Everything relies on transportation, especially our band."
With the sharp rise in gas prices and shortages in drivers and equipment, touring — particularly internationally — has become far more complex. Kelliher noted that the band even "turned down a couple of tours in Europe just because we were gonna basically break even." He added that Mastodon’s extensive stage setup — its largest yet — further strains their budget. "On one hand, we have the biggest production we've ever had in our careers, which is great. But trying to pull that off in Europe is much harder. First of all, gas is way more expensive. The lorries, the trucks, they're smaller, so we'd have to get a few more trucks, double the amount of trucks we have over here. And the drivers are hard to find."
Brexit and the post-pandemic rush to recoup lost income have added even more obstacles. Kelliher noted: "Brexit happening, where… Usually we rent from the U.K., and the drivers, there were a lot of times we could find the vehicles, but we didn't have drivers, or vice versa — lots of drivers, but no vehicles. 'Cause everybody's back on tour trying to make up that lost money during COVID, and it's still happening."
While their recent U.S. tour with Lamb Of God was a "huge success," Kelliher explained that they can’t replicate that level of production overseas without taking a financial hit. "We can't have the huge production that we have in the States, go over to Europe, and not do the same thing. If you go over there with a backdrop, you could make some money, but if you bring lasers, a video wall, all your crew and techs, the fire, and all this, you can't do that. And the crowds are gonna be, like, 'Oh, what the fuck? Why don't you have that here?' And they're not gonna comprehend what I just told you… We can't go to Europe for a month and not make any money, just to play shows. Everyone else gets paid. The band is the last person to get paid."
Japan is another example of these financial strains. "I think it was two years ago in August, we went to Japan, and we barely get to Japan, either just because of the economy and the cost," Kelliher shared.
He praised the fans and the high standard of gear rentals there, noting, "If you borrow amps or rent amps there, hire equipment stuff, they're amazing. They pay attention to detail, and they're just amazing." But even with the warm reception, the logistics of playing multiple shows in Japan’s spaced-out cities remain a challenge. "Talking to people, they were, like, 'Japan just started letting people congregate in groups now.' This is two and a half years ago, whatever."
Beyond rising tour costs, Kelliher also discussed the longstanding frustration with venue merchandise cuts. For years, bands have protested these fees, but little has changed. As he explained, "It's pretty standard. We've been fighting it for years. In the contracts, we'd cross that part out. Like, 'No, we're not gonna do that. Why should we do that?' We have a merch company. We have a merch person that comes on the road with us. They're an extra body. They fly where we fly, we pay their ticket, they stay in hotels, they're an extra body, they get a per diem. You go to the venue that day, and the venue says, 'No, we have our own people that [sell the merchandise].' And we're, like, 'Hey, we have our own credit card machine.' They're, like, 'Nope. You're gonna use ours, and we're gonna charge you to use it.' So it's, like, you're just getting fucked everywhere."
For Kelliher, these post-pandemic adjustments have compounded existing industry challenges. Reflecting on his journey, he added, "People are just — they're finding different ways to make money. Like hustling. That's me. I've always been a hustler, even before Mastodon. I was, like, I don't have a college education. I never took guitar lessons. I'm just a fucking dude from the streets. And it's, like, how do we make money? Sell stuff, sign stuff, play guitar on stage, sell it. Those are things musicians are doing now."
