Amy Stroup – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the indie artist, Amy Stroup, gives you her tips for being on tour. You can check out the feature, after the break.

AMY STROUP’S FIVE TIPS OF SURVIVAL FOR THE MALE OR FEMALE TOURING MUSICIANS

1. Yoga Mat + Running Shoes
The key to surviving a tour is acting like you are not on tour. On tour, the only thing that is the same is that every day is different. A different zip code, a different place you will eat, a different place that you will shower, a different building you’ll perform in, different people your band will have to rely on, and the list goes on and on. Setting a routine ahead of time has helped me stay centered and not lose myself. I love trail running and yoga when I’m home, so I take both of those activities on the road. All I need is a place to put a six-foot mat, and a pair of running shoes. Working out only takes 30 minutes to an hour, and it helps me perform better on stage and feel great when I have to sit for long amounts of time on the way to the next show. I try to work it into my daily routine.

2. Dial Up
It’s easy to unplug and disconnect from friends, family and loved ones back home, which makes going home even harder and feeling alone very real. It feels like work sometimes, but it’s so important to stay in touch. I’ve found it keeps me grounded, helps me make better long-term decisions and just plain happier. Being disconnected has caused at least a half-dozen breakups for me and makes the transition back to home life much harder…but I have been trying to get better! For me, this looks like checking in at the same time every day with someone. That’s right not texting, but actually dialing up and talking. If I didn’t have a boyfriend at the time, I found a couple of friends to rotate. Feeling connected to my people makes functioning on the road much easier. It’s usually 90% dudes, so laughing about road stuff with my gal pals back home is HUGE for my sanity. :)

3. Burgers + Whiskey
Burgers are my favorite. If I had a personal food constitution, it would have to include burgers and whiskey. Although finding the best burger in every city is actually tempting for me (it is!), I know that eating well on tour is part of the ABC’s of survival. Nutritious food helps my mood, makes me feel stronger on stage, helps me think clearer and overall just feel great. It might be obvious, but watch what you eat on tour! That backstage free stuff isn’t always worth it. One easy thing to help is to be sure your tour manager has healthy options and requests on the menu for you and your band mates’ green room must-haves. Also, find Whole Foods or Trader Joes and stock up on some greens! And go easy on the booze, just because it is everywhere doesn’t mean you need it. Keep yourself looking younger by avoiding that boozy sugar.

4. Art Museums + Spiritual Practices
My personal spirituality is important to me and keeping it up and feeling centered on the road is tough. So what I try to do is keep a healthy routine of finding time to get quiet, taking the time to experience local culture, and keeping my mind sharp by learning something. So, I do lots of walking and listening to podcasts around whatever city I am in. I take in a healthy dose from a variety of people like Terry Gross, Kristen Tidbit, the Song Exploder podcast, Henry Cloud speeches and many others. Another small fun thing I like to do is to find a local modern art museum. Specifically, I remember a couple of years ago when my band Sugar + the Hi-Lows was out on tour with Ingrid Michelson, and Andy Warhol art was everywhere! I ended up seeing different pieces of his in London, Cincinnati, and LA. It was a fun memory of coincidence that marked the tour for me.

5. Know Your Squad
One of the only variables on tour that doesn’t change is your crew and bandmates. You’re going to be traveling the globe with them, so getting along is key and it makes everything much better. My favorite tours are the ones that feel like you are at summer camp with family friends. Tours where people are moody and mean end up making it terrible for everyone. Two tips for facilitating a great tour squad are 1) ask yourself, how do people experience me? Are there any holes you can tend to? and 2) everyone takes the enneagram personality test! It’s an online or app test that you and your people can take. It’s fun to see what motivates people and what makes other people tick. The tests can even predict what everyone will disagree on. It’s scary accurate and can help you avoid conflict, appreciate people more, and you’ll learn a ton about yourself. Trust me. https://www.enneagraminstitute.com

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(Photo credit: Kelsey Cherry)