Luxtides – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the singer-songwriter, Luxtides, recommends advice for being a musician on the road. You can check out the tips, after the break.

Being a woman on tour is a unique challenge, and it’s super important to find ways to keep yourself grounded and centered when you’re constantly surrounded by men. On most tours I’ve been a part of, I’ve been the only woman out on the road, so here are a few things I’ve learned:

1. Take time for yourself on days off. If I’m in a cool city, I’ll go thrifting or get my nails done, or if I’m staying in a hotel, I’ll go to the gym or just hang in the room and binge reality shows. It’s so important to take advantage of that time and use it as a reset.

2. Speak up. It’s easy to get lost in the noise of what the group wants to do, but guys don’t always consider that women have different needs. If you want or need something that’ll make you more comfortable, advocate for yourself.

3. Create a pre-show ritual and stick to it. As a singer, it’s way too easy to injure your voice on tour, so always always always warm up before a performance. Some other things I do include drinking tons of water, playing with makeup looks (all the gemstones), breathing, and taking a shot of whiskey to calm my nerves. :)

4. Tip for saving money: grab pre-packaged snacks from green rooms and hotels and keep them in the van! You’ll be super thankful you did on that 18-hour drive from Seattle to Denver.

5. Don’t forget to enjoy it. It’s so easy to get swept up in the sleepless nights, the stress, the nerves, but how fortunate are we to travel the country (or the world!) playing music to new people every night? Make sure you take some time to explore new places, connect with fans, and mostly, have fun onstage.

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