ISLAND – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the alternative band, ISLAND, give you their tips for being on tour. You can check out the feature, after the break.

Wolfe – Stock up the van with leftover rider supplies. Going back for that half crate of water and a couple of bags of crisps once you’ve just sweated out on stage for an hour and loaded the van may seem like a completely pointless endeavour (and the rest of the band would probably agree with you), but when you’re hungry, hungover and haven’t stopped for 3 hours, suddenly stocking up becomes the best idea you ever had.

Jack – Don’t leave things behind. When on tour you spend the majority of your time moving lots of things between lots of places. Losing track of things is very easy (bags with passports in, bass guitars etc), and getting things back can be hard when you only realize after you are half a continent away.

Rollo – Careful not to have huge meals just before playing the gig, which is harder than it sounds as you’re usually busy all day until an hour or so before the show. Was once finishing off a massive fish and chips when I got the call saying we were going on, had to sprint across the road and straight on stage. That was probably the sweatiest I’ve ever been which is saying something.

Toby – Don’t get ill. I was basically ill for the whole of our last UK & EU tour, and it was a nightmare. When you’re not getting much sleep & traveling long distances every day, it’s pretty impossible to shake it. Each night I’d get a huge burst of adrenaline before going on stage that would get me through the show, but bashing away at the drums also didn’t help the recovery process. So yeah, do everything you can to avoid getting ill.

ISLAND – Always bring a screwdriver.

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(Photo credit: Melanie Tjoeng)