Hawksley Workman – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the alternative pop artist, Hawksley Workman, shares his tips for being an artist on tour. You can check out the tips, after the break.

Tour tips. Firstly, try to never have to go on the road. Try to write a song that’s so big you can bypass the line and get right to collecting fat residual cheques. The more you can stay home the longer you’re going to live. Consider making a hologram of yourself to do the big touring for you. A hologram is going to cut down on hotel and travel costs and backstage riders can be a minimal affair. The upfront cost of your hologram will, no doubt, pay for itself in the long run… not to mention your liver and lungs staying pinker longer. Win, win.

If you do end up having to take the road on yourself, try to believe in your own immortality. It’s a lie of course, but a lie you should be prepared to die believing. The road is a place where your mettle will get tested in ways they never dreamed to test it at the factory.

Don’t worry about your voice. The more you treat yourself with kid gloves, the more likely you’ll catch all the colds while you’re out there. Tour is a place for you to wear your spiritual leather outer layer. The accumulated effects of alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep and travel on a band’s sanity are beyond what science has the means to measure. Fist fights and spontaneous crying for no reason are good indicators everybody might need a night off the drink.

The road is a treadmill, that once you’re on it, you’re best to not get off until you’ve decided to leave the music business altogether. Because if you do spend any amount of time off of it, it’ll look absolutely impossible to hop back on. Don’t pick up new bad habits on the road. The road is a place for managing vices you’ve already acquired but will have less power over when you choose the perpetual discomfort of touring.

Other than that, take lots of photos. See some things, because 10 years will fly by fast and you’ll wonder what bits of fun and learning could possibly justify your blackened liver. Let the label buy all the dinners and drinks when they’ve got the card out. You don’t need to buy anything if you’ve got to steal a bathroom stop anywhere. Relief is yours so take it. Good luck out there.

Keep up with him on his website, Facebook, and Twitter!

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Jan 26 – Saskatoon, SK – Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel
Jan 27 – Regina, SK – The Exchange
Jan 28 – Regina, SK – The Exchange “A Night on Drums”
Apr 13 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
May 23 – Peterborough, ON – Market Hall
May 25 – Ottawa, ON – NAC
May 27 – St. John’s, NL – Club One
May 28 – St. John’s, NL – Club One
May 29 – Halifax, NS – St. Matthew’s
May 30 – Charlottetown, PE – Trailside
Jun 1 – Fredericton, NB – Wilmot United Church
Jun 3 – Elgin, NB – Parkindale Hall
Jun 4 – Dorchester, NB – Shepody House Dorchester

(photo credit: Dustin Rabin)