Hannah Gill & The Hours – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the pop rock duo, Hannah Gill & The Hours, give you their tips for being on tour. You can check out the feature, after the break.

1. (Hannah) You are what you eat!! When most people think about staying healthy on the road they think to cut back or refrain from things like drugs and alcohol. Though this is true, it is also important to watch what you put into your body in terms of food. Chances are, if you are eating on the go it is either at a chain restaurant or a truck stop. It is so easy to get swept up in the options and next thing you know you are eating cracker jacks and sour candy for lunch. (Or at least I was!) Instead opt for things like almonds, hummus with crackers, even some beef Jerky to help you get your protein. If you don’t put good things into your body you aren’t going to get good out.

2. (Hannah) ALWAYS BE NICE TO THE SOUND GUY! Trust me. This is a big one. If you are touring and playing night after night, things can start to feel stuck in a loop. You need to remember that every new venue you arrive at means you will work with a new set of people to make your show all that it is. If you are feeling run down or agitated, don’t take it out on the people trying to help you set up. It will only dampen the mood and extend setup time. Plus, no one likes a jack ass.

3. ( Hannah) I guess this last one isn’t a tip, but more of a suggestion. Bring along something to document your experience. I prefer journals. While on the road it feels like every new memory is so amazing you could never let it fade away. But after prolonged touring, those memories add up and you lose little sparks of information. Take some time when you can, to write about your day. What you ate, who you saw, song ideas that popped into your head. It is hard to explain the feeling of being on the road, and in that essence, it is hard to keep a hold on that feeling and harness the inspiration it brings. Writing about it is a great way to retain those once in a lifetime experiences.

4. Health! (Brad) Taking care of yourself is paramount when on tour. The road can get very hard and it’s easy to get into an unhealthy loop. I try and drink tons of water, get as much sleep as possible, exercise (finding hotels with a gym) and getting time to myself. There is a lot of temptations on the road to party etc.. Other bands you’re on tour with and your band often want to keep hanging out after a show and it’s very hard to say “I’m going back to the hotel.” But, having that discipline makes all the difference. Waking up without a hangover etc and feeling fresh for the next day feels so good. Most of touring is spent in a hotel or driving to the next town. I’ve found that especially when driving you want to be fresh. There have been a lot of times on tour where I have woken up hungover and/or tired and dreading the 7-hour drive to the next city. That’s a brutal place to be in.

5. Creativity (Brad) I also have found that getting out of where you live and being on tour creates an atmosphere of creativity. When I’m in a hotel room with time to spare I pick up my guitar and find a lot of different and new ideas come to me. harnessing that energy is really great and you get to try new things out at the shows.

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