DallasK – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the dance music artist, DallasK, shares his tips for other artists going on tour. You can check out his tips and stream his newest single, Recover, after the break.

1. Be Kind to everyone.
This is less of a tour lesson, and more of something that should always be practiced, however, it is especially important in the touring environment. I have made many lifelong friends and bonds with the people I’ve toured with, who have booked me and I’ve seen a lot of artists younger and older than I let their egos get in the way of that. Live music is an ecosystem that exists based around actual people and fans so cultivating a positive experience for everyone is so important.

2. The Afterparty probably isn’t worth it…
This is a tip that I don’t ALWAYS follow, but, what I will say is that as much fun as blowing off some steam after a show is, the headache on the flight the next day, or the 3rd night with no sleep in a row probably won’t help you perform at your best. Like I said, though, I don’t always follow this rule.

3. Use your downtime wisely
More often than not, you’ll find that a lot of touring is “hurry up and wait”. You rush to the airport only to sit there for two hours then get to the next city 10 hours before the show. Or you have two days off in a new city. For the first half of my career I would say I was on the “sit in the hotel room and watch movies” train, but since then I’ve realized that those down hours are some of your most valuable time. Now I bring a portable studio rig with me to most of my shows, and I make it more of a priority to go out and see the sites, meet people and check out these cities that I don’t know when I’ll make it back to.

4. Your Health is your best friend
“C’mon don’t be lazy just get up and go to the hotel gym! Go swim in the pool, go for a walk around the city. Eat healthy, don’t order a pizza.” These are definitely my quotes that I say to myself, but good advice for others as well. The first 6 months of touring I gained more weight than I ever had in my entire life. It’s easy with alcohol, dinners and room service nearby at every show. But you have to think long-term and realize that you are already putting your body through serious stress by traveling and staying up all night to play shows. Therefore, you have to be vigilant about your tour diet and exercise choices, otherwise, they will come back to haunt you.

5. Frequent Flyer & Hotel Programs
It seems like a daunting task, but just pick an airline and stick to it. The amount of comfort you’ll gain from getting upgraded and other perks is worth saving a couple hundred of bucks for that cheaper flight on another airline. Also, I’m a huge travel nerd so I like the idea that I’m getting points every time I travel, it makes the whole tour feel like a game.

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