As a veteran of 6 tours...I'd like to add a few tidbits.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...the bedbugs...the travel...the clubs...whatever. A tour is what you make of it, including what your living wage will be, union or non union. But on the bright side...
You get to see your own country for free...you spend down time sight seeing...Graceland...Mount Rushmore...a California sunset...SHOPPING at Mall of America...playing the same great stages across this country that every other rock star or living legend has played. There is a theater out in Palm Springs (Palm Desert?)that is COVERED in autographs of everyone from Liza, to Mancini to Bono. Playing that theater was a kick.
I also had the fortune of playing an out of town political fundraiser and have an Official White House photo hanging on my wall of my company with the Vice President. Pretty neat.
I think everyone should do at least one tour to say you've been. If you can do that, you can do anything. All of us wish we could have the perfect stay at home theater job but it's just not doable for most.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium!"