Courrier – TOUR TIPS

This new set of Tour Tips was written by Austin Jones of the band, Courrier! You can check them out after the break and make sure you pick up their albums, “Cathedrals of Color”, on March 12th!

1. Eat well
Our first few tours, we treated the road like vacation. This meant unhealthy meals and an abundance of road snacks. Needless to say, poor eating habits take a toll on your body and energy level when traveling. Nowadays, we have honed our eating habits and stick to places like Panera Bread and Chipotle where we can eat well and not feel like total pieces of trash.

2. Two drink maximum
I know the rock star ideal of drinking every night and still playing awesome shows sounds appealing, but it is just that, an ideal. Just one night of heavy drinking on tour can sap your energy for several days. It is just not worth it. Keep your drink intake down and your energy will stay up, that way you can give your fans the show they paid for and deserve.

3. Set a budget
It’s really easy when you’re eating out for every meal and hanging out in new and unexplored cities to run up a massive bill. Most indie bands (like us) just can’t afford to be doing that day in and day out, so be smart. We have fun and do what we can to see the best of each city, but having a budget helps us not break the bank in the process.

4. Work out
Again, the rock star ideal is out the door. Most hotels have gyms, but even if you’re not in a hotel, find a place to get a brief workout in as often as you can, it will pay dividends.

5. Get some alone time
I love my band mates like brothers, but even brothers need some time apart. We intentionally spend mornings apart on days off, I usually end up eating breakfast doing some reading on my own. I find that the best rest I get on the road comes from quiet mornings alone.

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