Bury the Darkness - TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the metalcore band, Bury the Darkness, recommends advice for being a musician on the road. You can check out the tips below:

1) Hygiene!
Seems like a no-brainer, but it’s harder than you think to find the time or place to brush your teeth, shower, etc. while you’re on the road. Sometimes the only chance you get is when you get to the venue and only have a couple minutes to use the restroom before you have to load in and get ready for sound check. A simple water bottle some toothpaste and a toothbrush go along way. Do your best to keep your hygiene up because when you’re speaking with your fans, the last thing you want is to have them walk away thinking your breath smelled bad. Also to be courteous to all your band mates and crew.

2) Shower shoes
you would be surprised at how many truck stops will allow you to camp out for the night. One of the things that some truck stops have to offer besides a safe place to sleep are showers. But before you even think about how awesome it’s going to feel to be clean, is how much it’s gonna cost you. And you NEED to think about shower shoes. You have no idea how many people have stood in those showers or what kind of nasty germs linger on the floors of those bathrooms. A simple pair of flip-flops can be a major defense in catching any sort of infections or disease. What happens on the road, stays on the road: except athletes foot, that will come home with you!

3) Routing
sometimes when you receive a tour itinerary, it’s not very clear which the best route to take is. There’s times where it’s gonna be up to you to plan out the route to the next venue. Getting ahead of this before it becomes an issue can be the difference between your band playing the show or not. If there’s a tour manager, correspond with them ahead of time to make sure everything is planned out efficiently. If there isn’t a tour manager talk with the headliner to plan out the same route as them so you both show up on time.

4) Communication
as tempting as it might seem to go out and explore the local areas on your own, never go out without telling a band member or tour manager. Let them know where you’re thinking about going and what time you plan to be back. Communication is key, so communicate your plans before hand with your team so no one’s playing the guessing game on where you are. It’s easier than you think to get lost in a place you’ve never been before.

5) Have all of your finances in order!
make sure you have an LLC, a bank account, and a business credit card. It’s so important to build credit as a band (business) and use it to pay for tour expenses so it’s not coming out of your pocket. You never know when you’re going to blow up so it’s important to have a solid financial foundation to build upon!

Keep up with Bury the Darkness on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and their website.