RICHMOND, Va. — Members of local hardcore band Without Dignity are doggedly working out the logistics of their first tour, consisting of two shows in their hometown almost a month apart, according to a friend of the band obligated to attend both shows.
“After I clicked ‘like’ on their tour announcement post on Facebook, my buddy Davis [Rivers], their drummer, messaged me to ask if they could borrow some sleeping bags,” said Scott Conlan, one of the band’s biggest fans by default. “And when I asked why a band needs sleeping bags for two shows in our own town, he asked me to be their new tour manager for this ‘Fall/Winter East Coast Tour.’”
The stress of the upcoming tour is reportedly straining band relations, as a debate over securing 21 nights of hotel rooms has split the band down the middle — with the rhythm section pushing for the more DIY route of couch-surfing around Richmond for the duration of the tour.
“Hotel costs could really eat up revenue from sales of our special-edition hoodies that list each tour date on the back — especially since we have about three weeks of much-needed downtime between the tour launch at CoffeeBeanz in downtown Richmond, and the second and final show of the tour, at the CoffeeBeanz in South Richmond,” said bassist Todd Williams. “It just makes more sense for us to crash at our new tour manager’s apartment.”
Lead singer Greg Gilmore, who booked the entire tour himself, allegedly quit his job at the downtown CoffeeBeanz after his manager agreed to book his band, but declined Gilmore’s request for three weeks off.
“It’s a small sacrifice to make to focus on the band and soak up the glories of the road,” said Gilmore. “We only have three songs, so it’s crazy we’re already getting these opportunities. Getting a tour van is a no-brainer — especially if we land this third show I’m trying to book, which would extend our tour by two weeks and take us as far as East Richmond.”
At press time, Gilmore was preparing to announce that Without Dignity had signed a recording contract for multiple albums, after receiving the latest Bridge 9 Records email newsletter and mistaking it for a contract.