Band Manager: The Boardgame (2016)

About this game

A card game dedicated to all the bands who haven't made it (yet) Band Manager: The Boardgame is a love letter to the music industry: players feel the pressure of becoming more mainstream to survive, and must navigate the uneasy balance between companionship and headcount in a touring band. Starting with nothing but pure passion, players go on tours to win career opportunities and fans. However, tours are expensive and risky. The risk may be mitigated by cooperating with others, but then players must split the spoils, so band members must earn their place or be left out. Early in players’ career, tours are niche; poorly promoted with obscure genres & unusual instruments (bagpipe reggae?). As the game progresses, players gain success by selling out to more mainstream music and learning how to do effective marketing. As their careers take off, the incentive to cooperate with other players fades away, leaving nothing but a desperate race for fans. Previously called: Battle of the Bands and Band Manager: Backstage Clash

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 5.
• Rules load. At 1.5/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 14 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.