Amigo the Devil – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the dark folk artist, Amigo the Devil, gives you his top tips for being on tour. You can check out his tips and stream his newest single, Cocaine and Able, after the break.

There’s nothing in the world to me like touring. First “tour” I ever went out on (with different bands) was at 15 around FL and then at 16 was the first time I’d see at least ¾ of the country so it’s been a lot of miles, a lot of mistakes and a lot of learning from those. The best part to me is that there’s no right way to tour, just your way, whatever is most comfortable to you and those around you so these tips are simply pieces of info that have helped us greatly along the way and hopefully will lighten the load for you a little bit the next time you’re out.

1. Points
Don’t miss opportunities to get points anywhere you can. It usually takes a little bit to sign up and most people I know are lazy with it but rewards programs for gas, hotels, airlines, credit cards etc. are a huge help once they start adding up. Join the program for every chain you stay at but more importantly, find one that you like a little more than others and be loyal to them! For example, out of the 110 hotel nights, we stayed in last year, 43 of them were free because of how many extra points and perks we get as “diamond” members now. Credit cards are another one…find cards with incentives and make them work for you. The last card we applied for had a special where we earned $600 in travel after spending a certain amount within 4 months. That’s free money for spending what you were going to on merch, gas, and expenses either way. Use the card as cash and pay it off right away… don’t rack it up and ignore it! Just do a little work, research who’s giving our double, triple points and take advantage of it.

2. K.O.A.
Truck stop showers work just fine and they usually have laundry as well but if you want the same experience with beautiful scenery and in the summer months a little bit of fun, KOA (Kampgrounds of America) will usually let you buy a day pass to the grounds for close to nothing. Usually, if you’re nice to them, they won’t charge you at all. This gives you access to showers, laundry, Wi-Fi, usually pools and a generally peaceful area to hang out in and recharge. These are usually better the more “middle of nowhere” they are but that’s where they’re the most helpful…on those long drives through nowhere with nothing else to do. Just pull over and hang out for a bit…clean up your life in peace.

3. Casinos
The middle of nowhere casino is extremely beneficial here, starting with the fact that they’re almost all open 24 hours. They always have sparkling clean bathrooms, free coffee and usually, safe parking lots to crash in. Another perk at most of them is the player cards which usually have incentives, like a free buffet. This is nice when funds have been low for a bit and you’re looking to gorge yourself for pennies on the dollar. If you’re pulling in for the night between cities, a lot of states still allow free drinks as long as you’re gaming and this includes the penny slots. For a dollar, get a handful or two of beers and do some people watching before curling up into a ball in the van…or in our case for years, a Prius. We’re out of the Prius now but damn, those were some crazy times.

4. Sightseeing
Tour is hectic, busy, rushed and never the vacation your friends and family think it is…but you already know that. Unfortunately, so many people I know get absorbed in that chaos and forget the perks. Maybe you don’t have time to do the things you know about or want to do, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other things around to take advantage of. Carve out time, even if it means sacrificing a little rest and find out what’s around you. Don’t be lazy on days off and make stops…go float down a damn river, see a stupid rock, check out a museum…it keeps the brain moving. This obviously won’t be possible every day of the tour, just don’t be lazy when you can sacrifice a little to make it work.

5. National Park Annual Pass
This is an $80 investment that has been one of the best we’ve made. It’s exactly what it sounds like. It gives you unlimited access to National Parks (+ some bonus places) and covers everyone in the vehicle. It makes it so easy to pop in and see all of these amazing places before they get destroyed. Once the investment is paid off (only takes a few park visits), it’s basically free entertainment the entire tour. This goes with the paragraph above where yes, some parks are out of the way like Carlsbad Caverns but goddamn is it worth adjusting the drive time for it. If you’re thinking “well that’s extra gas”, you’re right…but if you’re using the triple point gas cards it’ll pay itself off. It’s all one big ecosystem that once in place, takes care of itself.

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Upcoming Tour Dates:
North America
10/14 – Sacramento, CA @ Monster Energy Aftershock Festival – Discovery Park
10/14 – Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post (aftershow party for Aftershock)
10/18 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
10/19 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links
10/20 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
10/22 – Mesa, AZ @ The Nile Theater
10/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
10/24 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
10/25 – Tustin, CA @ Marty’s on Newport
10/26 – San Francisco, CA @ Three Parkside
10/27 – Los Osos, CA @ Sweet Springs Saloon
10/28 – Las Vegas, NV @ Beauty Bar
10/30 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
10/31 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
11/1 – Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
11/2 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
11/3 – Hamtramck, MI @ The Sanctuary
11/4 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
11/5 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Pete’s Concert Venue
11/7 – Millvale, PA @ The Funhouse at Mr. Small’s
11/8 – Rochester, NY @ Flour City Station
11/9 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott
11/10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus
11/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
11/13 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
11/14 – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
11/15 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
11/16 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
11/17 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Purgatory
11/18 – Orlando, FL @ Soundbar

Europe
12/04 – Paris – La Boule Noire
12/05 – Amsterdam – Melkweg
12/07 – London – Borderline
12/08 – Nottingham – Bodega
12/09 – Newcastle – Think Tank
12/11 – Glasgow – Stereo
12/12 – Manchester – Deaf Institute
12/13 – Bristol – Thekla
12/14 – London – Oslo