Case Study: The Revivalists' National Breakthrough
The Revivalists had the songs, the energy, and the New Orleans pedigree. What they needed was a systematic approach to scaling their live following across the country. That's where we came in.
The Challenge
Accelerate The Revivalists' touring trajectory into new markets and larger venues—without leaving empty seats or overspending on marketing.
The Starting Point
When we started working with The Revivalists, they were crushing it in their home markets but still building recognition in secondary markets. The band's trajectory was clear—the question was how to accelerate it strategically.
The core challenge was market development—building recognition and ticket-buying habit in new cities while maintaining momentum in established markets.
The Market Development Strategy
Tiered Market Approach
We segmented markets into tiers based on existing strength:
- Tier 1 (Strong markets): New Orleans, Nashville, Austin—light support, focus on upgrades
- Tier 2 (Developing markets): Denver, Seattle, Atlanta—heavy investment in audience building
- Tier 3 (New markets): Northeast, Upper Midwest—education + awareness campaigns
Each tier got different budget allocation, different creative approaches, and different success metrics.
Spotify-to-Ticket Pipeline
The Revivalists' streaming growth created targeting opportunities:
- Spotify listener data gave us precise fan locations
- We built lookalikes from streaming behavior, not just demographics
- Ad creative featured recognizable songs to trigger "I know them!" response
Festival Leverage
The band's festival appearances became marketing opportunities:
- Pre-festival ads in nearby markets: "See them at Jazz Fest, then catch the full show..."
- Post-festival retargeting: convert festival exposure into ticket sales
- Festival-goer lookalikes: target people who attended same festivals
The Execution Phases
Phase 1: Foundation Tour
First run of 15 markets focused on data collection and baseline establishment:
- Implemented pixel tracking across all ticket pages
- Tested creative variations to find what resonated
- Established cost-per-ticket baselines for each market
Phase 2: Scale Tour
Second run applied learnings from Phase 1:
- Winning creative scaled; losing creative killed
- Tier 2 markets upgraded to larger venues
- Budget concentrated on markets showing growth potential
Phase 3: Expansion Tour
Third run pushed into new territory:
- Tier 1 markets continued to grow
- Tier 2 markets graduated to Tier 1 treatment
- New markets added to expand the touring footprint
The Results
Key Learnings
- Patience in developing markets. You can't force market growth. Some cities need 3-4 visits before they "pop." The key is maintaining profitable shows while building.
- Streaming data is a leading indicator. Markets where streams were growing often became strong ticket markets 6-12 months later.
- Festival appearances are marketing events. Don't just play festivals—use them as targeting opportunities for nearby markets.
- Upgrade venues strategically. Jumping too fast leaves empty seats. Growing methodically builds momentum and reputation.
"Soundwave helped us see touring as a system to be optimized, not just a series of one-off shows. That mindset shift was as valuable as the execution."
— The Revivalists Management
The Ongoing Journey
The Revivalists' trajectory continued upward—from theaters to arena support slots to festival headlining positions. The foundation we built together during those early years enabled sustainable growth that didn't depend on a single hit or viral moment.