I’m With Her – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the folk band, I’m With Her, give you their tips for being on tour. You can check out the feature, after the break.

1 – Pack Light! No matter how lightly I pack, I always seem to have clothes to wear. I used to bring a “maybe I’ll feel adventurous and wear this thing I never wear.” Not anymore. Having to lug a big heavy bag around every day breaks my spirit and reminds me of the bad decision-making I did while packing.

2 – Don’t skimp on undies! Very few people will know if that dress you have been wearing every night smells like onions, if, worst case scenario you don’t find laundry options and/or are attacked by giant unpeeled onions. If you have clean undies, you can make almost anything otherwise dirty or unwearable, wearable.

3 – Don’t say everything that comes into your head. There comes a point in every tour when I just start saying every word I see. Get in an elevator and I see the word “Welcome!” So I say the word “Welcome!” Pulling in to town and I see a sign “Welcome to Iowa City!” So I say, “Welcome to Iowa City!” Don’t do this. It annoys people.

4 – Pick up after yourself. If you are traveling in a car, van or bus – clean up your mess. Put your things away. If there is no trash can, put that wrapper in your pocket. Your headphones – wrap them up and put them in your bag. All that stuff you like to spread out? Don’t spread it.

5 – Find things to look forward to. Look up food in a town that’s coming up in a couple days. Have a night off? Try to find the best billiards or bakery or pho and make an event of going to find it. These memories are the best souvenirs that you can revisit year after year. Places like Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, MI or Guisado’s in Los Angeles have become beacons of anticipation on many a tour over the years.

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(Photo credit: Lindsey Byrnes)