The Pork Tornadoes Playbook: Mike Schulte on Building a Successful Band

Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

This week on Gig Gab, you’re diving deep with Mike Schulte of The Pork Tornadoes as he joins Dave Hamilton to share real-world insights on making your gigs—and your band—better. You’ll get actionable tips on using splitter snakes without frying your gear, plus a no-nonsense breakdown of how standing (or not) while singing can shape your stage presence. Mike and Dave even toss in their take on Chino Moreno and Jon Anderson’s contrasting styles. Spoiler alert: stress-free gigs start with smart planning and solid gear choices.

But the real gold? The grind. You’ll learn how Mike’s band leveled up by building superfans one at a time, saying no to the wrong bandmates, and turning every show into an unmissable event. It’s not about overnight success—it’s about showing up relentlessly, setting reachable goals, and knowing when to pull back in saturated markets. Whether you’re running the engine or riding shotgun, remember: Always Be Performing.

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 483 – Monday, March 26th, 2025
  • May 26th: World Dracula Day (and Memorial Day)
  • Guest co-host: Mike Schulte from Pork Tornadoes
• 00:02:00 Hung Up On A Dream: The Zombies Documentary
• 00:07:24 Singing vs. Standing when playing
  • Chino Moreno of Deftones
  • Aaron Lewis of Staind
  • Jon Anderson
  • Gary Cherone
• 00:11:13 Using a splitter snake
  • Mackie DL32S
  • PRORECH Splitter Snakes
• 00:23:13 Tips for using split snakes
  • Mike Hart from Seismic-Using Phantom Power with a Splitter Snake
  • Reverse from FOH for a talkback channel
  • CBI EarSplitter Split Snake
• 00:27:26 Making gig life (and life, in general!) low-stress!
• 00:29:05 SPONSOR: Rock-N-Roller. Replace 8 different carts with one: dolly, hand truck, short bed, long bed, flat bed, you got it! Code GIGGAB20 saves you 20% on all carts.
• 00:30:48 SPONSOR: Cash App. Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/0oq3t78w. Add GIGGAB to your profile, send someone $5 within 14 days, and get $10 back! #CashAppPod *Referral Reward Disclaimer: As a Cash App partner, I may earn a commission when you sign up for a Cash App account.
• 00:32:12 How do I level-up my band? Ok, how did Mike and Pork Tornadoes level up?
  • PLEASE DON’T LOOK at Urban Dictionary’s definition of a pork tornado
  • “Small moves, Ellie. Small moves.”
  • The show we’re playing is the only show that matters.
  • Befriend people before/after the show.
  • Build YOUR 2,000 superfans…one at a time.
  • It’s a grind!
  • Bullheaded Persistence
  • The number one reason: we got the right four people in place.
  • Kick out the people who are wrong.
• 00:46:58 Knowing your place
  • Have an engine! (that’s a person)
  • Set easily-obtainable goals, always have more in the can, and be consistently relentless.
  • Maintain that Next Level mindset
  • Be careful of saturation in your home market. Give up that comfort level to gamble on yourself.
  • Scarcity wins!
  • Create a special event out of EVERY show.
• 00:59:15 Feedback about Dave’s squeaky Camco (by Tama) pedal. Gig Gab t-shirts to:
  • Rob Henshaw of The Salty Strings
  • Drew McGarity
  • Steve Graves
  • Using CAMVATE Microphone Clamp on my boom arm for my Earthworks SR20gen2
• 01:02:30 Gig Gab 483 Outtro
  • Follow Mike Schulte
    • Confused Breakfast
    • The Pork Tornadoes
  • Contact Gig Gab!
    • @GigGabPodcast on Instagram
    • [email protected]
    • Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List

The post The Pork Tornadoes Playbook: Mike Schulte on Building a Successful Band — Gig Gab 483 appeared first on Gig Gab.