Call Me Karizma – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the indie pop artist, Call Me Karizma, gives you his advice for being on the road. You can check out his tips and stream his newest single, Life of the Party, after the break.

Before I even start talking about my tour “must haves” I wanted to thank DTB for rocking with me for a few years now. It means a lot to have your guys’ support as we climb this mountain.

I am so stoked to finally get back on the road at the top of 2019 to support The Gloomy Tapes EPs. I miss being in the tour van with my boys, staying up too late and playing shows night after night.

A few of my “tips” to any newcomers to the touring world go as followed:
1. Clean socks. There is nothing worse than smelling your homie’s feet at the end of the bunk at 3am. I pride myself on not having smelly feet but we’ve all been there, so make sure you’re changing them every day or 2 (or 3.)

2. Fortnite. I don’t care if it’s on your phone, PC, or console… Make sure you have Fortnite with you on those long rides from Salt Lake City to Seattle, or wherever you are headed. Earlier in 2018, we started playing the Battle Royale game (using my phone data. Shoutout Verizon!) and I have been addicted ever since.

3. Pee bottles. I know this sounds weird, but as a guy, you have the unique advantage of being able to go to #1 while driving. Use that to your advantage. Instead of throwing away your Gatorade bottle, use it to pee in. Touring is usually a pretty strict time schedule so we don’t have any extra minutes to stop at a gas station and go to the bathroom. Save the environment (and a stop) and reuse your bottle :)

4. Gas station showers! Most venues (especially when you are starting out) won’t have showers & unless you get a hotel every night, showers are minimal on the road. Make sure to wash your face and armpits frequently in restrooms whenever you make a stop. It goes a long way for you and your tour mates!

5. Snacks are essential on tour. Luckily, my fans always bring me candy and treats so I am stocked up on goodies. But if you don’t have a die-hard fanbase yet, make sure to take all the free & cheap snacks you can find on the road. It helps get through those long drives and sleepless nights.
Hope some of these tips will help anyone planning on touring in the near future. I know I could have used some pointers before I hit the road the first time, so take my advice haha.

Thanks again for the continued support. It means the world to me to have so many people listening to my songs. Started from my bedroom (still in my bedroom) to playing shows all over North America and soon to be Europe is a dream come true. Cheers to many more years of touring and playing music together!

Your friend,
Riz ?

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