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Going on tour for the first time!

#41
Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so envious. I have no idea how old you are, but my biggest regret in life is NOT the girl that got away, but the band that got away. I'd do ANYTHING to go back in time and make a different decision.

Break a leg and it sounds like you're getting a ton of great advice from those who went before you.
 
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#43
Pack more changes of underwear and socks than shirts and pants. You may have to do without laundry facilities for unknown numbers of days at a stretch. 4 days in the same pants, survivable. 4 days in the same underwear….
 
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#44
steve_ss said:
1. Beware of chicken that's been kept warm in a steam table for hours. It's not going to taste good.
2. Find out who's doing the driving. You are not a chauffeur.
3. Don't pass up the opportunity to poop in a clean bathroom. The next one might be hours away and really dirty.
4. Bring toilet paper. See above.
5. Take pictures, get autographs. Partying and time will cause the fond memories to fade away (the bad memories never leave).
6. HAVE FUN. No matter what else you do, have fun.
7. Post pictures during your tour. We want to see how you're doing.
Click to expand...

Addendum to #4. Bring baby wipes. A clean dry ass is a happy ass.
 
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#46
Ah yes, I remember my first outings...sleeping in a vans and roach motels, with doors that could just about be knocked open by a good wind... diving 300 miles or more to find the gig has been canceled or rained out, or the booking agent messed something up... having a two or three night show in the same city and having to find stuff to do to kill time... fun times!

Advice, be careful... make sure you have some kind of protection.
Keep a credit card on you. I'd take some kind of sleeping bag because you never know what your sleeping arrangements will be... you could wind sharing a room with the whole band.

Best of luck and hopefully better than mine was... but whatever happens, you'll have fun and a bunch of memories from the road!
 
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#47
Keep in mind that a lack of sleep one night might affect how you play the next. If you are sharing hotel rooms then try to pair up with someone who has similar priorities regarding sleep. It's not going to be much fun if, for example, you want to go to bed at x o'clock and your roommate comes in and wakes you up two hours later. Same for mornings. I toured with a drummer who liked to set his alarm at least half-an-hour earlier than he'd want to get up because he liked to "doze". Drove me nuts.

Also, be aware of who is driving. If someone is tired - or is simply a bad driver - do everything you can to get someone else behind the wheel.
 
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#48
Not even on a dare. I’m in the middle of our multi-zip code tour...all the hardships and obstacles but I’m home in time to catch a “30 Rock” re-run.

I’m glad there’s some value buried in what may be a total cluster-****. Make sure all the details are spelled-out to a “t” before committing.

Riis
 
#49
If you have a band rider, you might want to include some sort of bicycle for exercise and getting around to see the town. I often ask for a local tour guide, to show me some sites! every town has something interesting to see, and you won't know it unless someone takes you there! It sucks when you are in a weird town/city and you have like 7 hours to kill between soundcheck and set time. Go out, see the sites, meet some people!
 
#51
5StringBlues said:
Bring your own pillow.
Click to expand...
bette-davis-amen.gif
 
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#53
jdh3000 said:
Keep a credit card on you.
Click to expand...

I was just going to post this. Have a financial back up plan that no one else knows about. I always kept a special credit card hidden in my stuff and have had to use it. This was for just me, for when the whole situation imploded. That way bad decisions made by others don't keep you from a place to stay, a bite to eat and a way home.
 
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#54
Take (and keep) more money than you think you're going to need.

Get WHO's going to pay you WHEN and HOW MUCH down cold before you ever start packing. If it seems shady, STAY HOME.

You can party, but don't get stooooopid: This is a job.

Anytime they stop by a grocery store instead of truck stop or KwikSak, LOAD UP.

Don't know how long you're going to be gone, or if you'll be in a van or a real bus, but the biggest thing is you are going to be living on top of however many of you are in this. Have a little more consideration, a little longer fuse, and be supportive. You'll all be breathing the same air, eating in the same good or bad restuarants, going to the same awful bathrooms in truck stops, renting one room just for everybody to run in and out and grab a shower, and on and on. Otherwise, this can get really ugly really fast, and you DON'T want to go there.

And the playing may be the worst of it: You're going to be traveling in a can for a day or two or three, load in, and play the same show. Rinse and Repeat, over and over. This can get old.

Be Smart, Best of Luck, and Have a Ball.
 
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#56
OP, since you've described yourself as a "hired gun" in this situation, hold onto that first word - HIRED.

I don't know how well you know these people, but there's a huge difference in going on your first tour with 4 of your best buds versus going on your first tour with people you don't know that well.

Make sure your payment is agreed upon WAY beforehand. If they can pay you up front, perfect. If you agree to accept payment after the fact, that's your call. It is NOT your problem if the band loses money on the tour. It is their responsibility to pay you for your services & talents, and it is your responsibility to portray those talents to the best of your abilities. That's what they hired you for.

Have fun, and good idea getting prepped early!
 
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#58
As well as the advice given above, when I was touring I always took copies, photos as JPG and PDF's of all my important documents, passport, contracts, important contact numbers etc and included a photo of myself and any instruments I was carrying, travel insurance, equipment insurance. Then got a couple of memory sticks that had a lanyard and kept it round my neck. Anything happens, those formats can be read on pretty much any computer. The last time I went on tour I bought one of these USB watches. it was pretty cheap and I was able to keep all my docs on it as well as a backup on a memory stick.Link Removed
 
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#59
Great advice all around. Some hilariously "specific" tips in this thread :roflmao:

Mine's more generic stuff. Some has been already said. Try to have enough sleep (non prescription antihistamine based "sleep" pills can help "align" your clock after a number of days of poor sleep). HYDRATE (=water). Try not to eat/drink junk you wouldn't eat at home and/or in quantities/at times you wouldn't eat at home (don't let endocrine unpredictability ruin your trip). Be conscious and careful of your own aspect, hygiene AND smell.

Also be punctual whenever there's a schedule. And please, be thankful, kind, assertive, forgiving and non territorial with the rest of the entourage around you. Getting along/not being conflicting is a MAJOR part of being what people call pro. Interpersonal drama kills any sense of group achievement, IME it's the ultimate turnoff to what should be a fulfilling and fun experience. I have spent my share of years on the road, on a variety of budgets/leagues, and best I know is I have way higher tolerance for smelly feet, frequent vomiters or loud speedheads at 3AM than I have for cheats, narcissists, psychopaths and drama queens in general.
 
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