Ellis Ashbrook – TOUR TIPS

Here is another set of Tour Tips. This one comes from the band, Ellis Ashbrook. You can check out their five tips on how to tour after the break.

1. Don’t forget to bring a towel: Showers are scarce on tour when you don’t have the money for a hotel. Staying with a friend or a random fan who is generous enough to put up the band is usually the way to go, but if you have the kinds of friends that we do, chances are their towels are grimey (if they have any towels at all). Just bring a towel. Towels are also good for wiping off sweat during a gig.
2. Take it easy and pace yourself: Just because you’re on tour and playing at random bars every night doesn’t mean you have to get wasted on a nightly basis, even if the club is generous enough to offer free beers for the band. The excessive partying will eventually catch up to you and the music will start to suffer. A healthy lifestyle is extremely difficult while on tour but it’s worth it when you’re feeling good, playing great, and can make a great impression on a new audience.
3. Buy food at a grocery store: It’s cheaper, healthier, and there are more options. Eating at Burger King every day starts to wear away at your soul (and your bowels).
4. Communicate with your band: Even if you are angry, it is always better to try to communicate openly and honestly, especially when on tour. Passive aggressive behavior will destroy you from the inside out and you may end up taking your anger out of the music, which isn’t good for anyone. Having a calm discussion and trying to work things out so that everyone is one the same page will make a world of difference. We all go through tough times, don’t make a bad situation worse by ignoring your feelings and bottling things up.
5. Listen to lots of music: There is a lot of driving time on tour, so make sure your van is equipped with a reliable stereo system. Listening to all different kinds of music as a band on the way to the gig can create a nice relaxing environment in an otherwise cramped vehicle. It can create the illusion of space and allow you to be alone with your thoughts. There isn’t that much time or space to be alone on tour, so playing some music can inspire and rejuvenate you on your way to the next gig.

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