Dance For The Dying – TOUR TIPS

Here is another set of Tour Tips. This set comes from Chris Link of Dance for the Dying. You should go check out his top 5 tips after the break.

1. Pack light: You don’t have much room in the van and don’t want to be the one cramping everyone else’s space by overpacking. A few changes of clothes and clean underwear should be enough to get by and you can find some places to do laundry along the way.
2. Share gear: Contact other bands and venues ahead of time to see what they can share and what their backline situation is. It’ll give you more space and make your life easier if you don’t have to lug around a full drum kit and unnecessary equipment. Most bands in our experience are pretty cordial when it comes to sharing as long as you have your basic “breakables” (cymbals, snare, kick pedal, etc.) with you and treat their gear like it’s your own.
3. Insure your gear: it hasn’t happened to us, but I know bands personally that have had their van broken into and everything stolen. You don’t know if you’re always going to be able to park in the most secure of areas, so insuring your equipment is always a good idea. It would still suck, but the insurance will take away a bit of the sting.
4. Snack constantly and bring your own food/water: I always bring small snacks like protein bars, nuts, and trail mix to keep me energized, save money, and prevent me from starving. I also like to bring a few gallons of water so we’re not stopping the van to accommodate me. It’ll save you time and lots of money.
5. Bring a sleeping bag or inflatable mattress: Bringing your own bed means that you’ll have a comfortable place to sleep every night. I bring a sleeping bad, but some of the other guys bring inflatable mattresses. There’s no guarantee where you’re going to end up sleeping every night, and getting good sleep on the road is critical to playing good shows.

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