The metalcore community just got a front-row seat to a very public argument about money, touring, and who's got it right when it comes to surviving in this business *. Periphery's Misha Mansoor sat down on Nik Nocturnal's podcast to talk about the brutal financial reality facing touring bands right now—doubled bus costs, crew shortages, and the fact that musicians get paid dead last after everyone else takes their cut *. His solution? Diversify your income with Patreon, tab books, teaching—basically anything that isn't relying on your band alone to keep the lights on *.
Fit For a King bassist Ryan "Tuck" O'Leary wasn't having it *. He fired back on social media, calling out Mansoor for supposedly not understanding how to manage a budget and arguing that bands absolutely can make it work playing 500-cap rooms, especially since merch prices have gone up too *. O'Leary's got skin in the game from multiple angles—he's not just playing in bands, he's managing them—so he's seeing the spreadsheets from both sides *. The whole thing turned into a "your math is wrong" versus "no, YOUR math is wrong" situation that's got everyone picking sides.
Both bands have new music on the horizon, with Fit For a King dropping Lonely God earlier this year and Periphery gearing up for A Pale White Dot on May 16, 2026 *. But right now, the conversation isn't about riffs or breakdowns—it's about whether the mid-level touring circuit is actually sustainable or if everyone needs a side hustle just to keep doing what they love.