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02-21-2006, 10:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maine | | | Being on tour for the first time...
Who tours? What should I be sure not to forget? Lots of patch cords...check...tuner...check...arnica...check... So I've got a list going, and it seems like it's fairly complete, but I figured I'd better ask those of you who've done it before. Any/all advice is extremely welcome.
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02-21-2006, 11:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: central Texas | | | Strings, cords, maybe a spare pickup, and amp fuses (if you bring your own amp).
The best advice I can give is to carry as little as possible. There is an art (born of necessity) to recycling clothing on the road. |
02-22-2006, 12:27 AM
|  | A great man is always willing to be little. -RWE Moderator | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Mt. Zion, IL | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by ctxbass There is an art (born of necessity) to recycling clothing on the road. | While that is true...please do everyone a favor and do not do that with socks and boxers...bad idea. Our drummer thought it was a good idea...but, it was NOT! 
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I'm here to help. Shoot me a PM if you need something! |
02-22-2006, 03:53 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | Camera. |
02-22-2006, 08:19 AM
|  | Moderator Moderator | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Bloomington, IN | | | iPod--but that goes without saying...
Bring your string winder and a pencil along with your set of spare strings. Nothing deflates the smug feeling of having spares along when you break a string on-stage like the realization that you left your winder at home...Unless you don't normally use a string winder, of course. |
02-22-2006, 08:25 AM
| | | | Drink a lot of water, get tons of sleep and lay low on the partying. You can get yourself ill pretty fast. Hit grocery stores when you can and keep a cooler (or bus fridge) stocked with decent lunch-type grub. When you go into the venue, make sure to carry a large shoulder bag. Good for hauling free soft drinks and water bottles back to the ride from the green room. |
02-22-2006, 08:27 AM
| | | | Oh, also remember: You're at work, not on vacation, so act professionally if you want to be called back. This goes for the gigs as well as in between.
What kind of thing are you going to be traveling with? |
02-22-2006, 08:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: small town MN | | | Small digital recorder. Get a few shows on tape and for writing. |
02-22-2006, 08:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Old Hickory Lake, Nashville | | Ray nailed it. Try to eat healthy, fast food will wear on you after a bit. Exercise. A two or three mile walk a few times during the week really helps. Be aware of your surroundings though.
Insurance up to date on rig? Small 15-30 watt amp for groovin' down the road. Comfy kickin' back sweats, xxl t's & slip-on shoes.
Asprin, pepto, gas x (when the other band's bassist is playing a Roscoe!) vitamins, any script meds.
Have fun! 
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Last edited by Intune : 02-22-2006 at 09:01 AM.
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02-22-2006, 09:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago | | | Insurance is huge especially when you are flying. |
02-22-2006, 09:12 AM
|  | Student of Life Forum Administrator | | Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Louisville, KY | | Water, healthy food, an iPod with some decent phones (Sony V600 or 7506 sound amazing with Pods), and several good books for when you're sick of listening to music. One set of extra strings and a winder that stays in your case. If you have a sweetie back home that you'll be missing, a cell phone and a knowledge of what "roaming" means (I may be old school on this, but I've seen too many people get burned too many times). If you're really gonna be gone for a while, I'd take a laptop and some work to do (I don't have a laptop, but I envy those who do on the road). And like PREY STALKER says, easy on the partying. Sitting in a van doesn't allow you to work off the toxins AT ALL, and they build up quick.
Geez, I'm starting to sound like my mom...  |
02-22-2006, 09:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago | | I always bring my laptop. With more and more wireless internet in hotel and cafes you can visit TB even on the road!  |
02-22-2006, 09:38 AM
| | | | For the iPod, I recommend one of those FM transmitters. Mine's from Griffin, I think. I put my tunes through the clock radio in the hotel room and save on the ears a little bit (over head phones). |
02-22-2006, 10:00 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: small town MN | | | Don't forget a box of jimmys |
02-22-2006, 10:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Lewiston, Idaho | | After being on the road with 5 guys (I was the only woman) I have one VERY important suggestion: DEODERANT! Man, nothing like being trapped in an RV with 5 smelly guys... 
Also, I want to second (or third?) the suggestion for eating right and getting some exercise. "Real" food and lots of fruits and veggies will keep you "regular" which is important. It is pretty easy for your system to get out of whack when you are on the road and eating fast food, truck stop food, and bar food.
Have fun!
Shelly 
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02-22-2006, 11:02 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Seattle, WA | |
Quote: |
Originally Posted by bill h Don't forget a box of jimmys | I hope you mean, "Jimmy Hats" rather than a box of jimmys, Mr. Damer. |
02-22-2006, 12:43 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maine | | Excellent advice from all of you. Keep it coming.
I actually don't drink/party/eat fast food, so I'll be packing a bunch of healthy stuff. I also don't own a cell phone (shocking I know) so, for better or worse, no big bill for me.  |
02-22-2006, 12:53 PM
| | | | Beware hotel telephones, especially at nicer hotels. NEVER make a long distance call, be very careful with even local calls and calling cards. If you're going to be out for any length a time, a cell is a good investment. There are pre-paid phones that are pretty good deals if you're not going to use a cell phone when you get back home. |
02-22-2006, 02:17 PM
| | | | +1 on the Fruits and Vegis. I used to get really irregular traveling. Between the weird time changes odd eating times and unfamiliar bathrooms I'd need extra to keep flowing. Road constipation is unbearable.
In addition to the great comments above I suggest always making lobby call on time or early and then being in a good mood while waiting for those that are late. You'll notice that especially the next time around when you'll have the gig and the late guys will be absent.
It's a nightmare to get a whole mess of people in the same place at the same time ready to do whats next. Anything you can do to be the guy the road manager doesn't have to worry about is a good thing.
If you sleep in the bus watch your head when trying to go to the can in the middle of the night. I think I have some permanent knots from that.
It's almost impossible to do but on the rare occasion when you can get away enough to take in some local something or other please do so. I wish I had done more of that when I could. I've been to places I'll never go again. When I can meet people or see things in those places the memories of them are the things I cherish most about my time out there. |
02-22-2006, 02:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | www.happycow.net
This is a helpful resource if you're interested in finding vegetarian dining in areas with which you are unfamiliar.
Bottles of water along the way, lots of 'em. Do some walking if there's time. I love that part of touring.
Earplugs, in case of snoring roommate!
Last edited by Marcus Johnson : 02-22-2006 at 02:22 PM.
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