Holds

A hold is a tentative reservation placed on a venue date before a show is formally confirmed. Holds allow booking agents to build tour routing without committing to every date — essentially saying "we're interested in this date, don't sell it to someone else yet." First hold is often displayed as 1H, second hold as 2H. When a booking agent presents routing to an artist, they'll note the hold status for each date.

How the hold system works

Holds are numbered by priority: a "first hold" means you have first right to the date, a "second hold" means another act has first priority and you're next in line. When a venue receives a competing offer, they "challenge" existing holds — giving the first-hold artist a deadline to confirm or release the date. This creates a chain reaction that can ripple through tour routing.

Holds and routing

Agents place holds on multiple dates and venues simultaneously while building a tour route. As routing firms up, some holds are confirmed into contracts and others are released. The tour manager tracks confirmed dates vs. holds in the tour itinerary to avoid confusion.