Sheppard – TOUR TIPS

In this new set of Tour Tips, you get the opportunity to learn how to tour from the Australian indie/pop band, Sheppard. You can check out their tips after the break.

1. Don’t get too smashed!
There’s nothing wrong with having a few celebratory drinks AFTER the show, but beforehand you’ll wanna keep your sobriety. Not only is it unprofessional, but it alters your perception, slows your reflexes and (if you’re a singer) takes away your acute vocal control. Record companies are always on the look out for a band they can tour, and a big part of what they look for is a band that doesn’t write itself off every night. Control yourselves!

2. Get some sleep!
This is extremely important. Being on tour is physically and mentally exhausting, and the best way to combat this is to get the best sleep you possibly can. It really does make all the difference. Helps you stay alert for important conversations and interviews etc, gives you energy for the long day ahead, and (again, if you’re a singer) rests your voice and gives you great control. I know sometimes you might not have a choice (we all had to wake up at 2:30 one morning), but it makes it all the more worth while when you have the time to snooze!

3. Stay humble & be nice to the little people.
If you find yourself starting to become successful, the most important thing is to keep your feet on the ground. You must always remember that your success isn’t achieved just because you’re the best singer ever or the most gnarly guitarist – its also the culmination of hard work from a whole team of people doing a million other jobs to make your show possible. Take the time to thank the sound engineer, shake the hand of the promoters, take photos with fans and sign the autographs, even thank the guy who cleaned your dressing room. They’re all working towards helping you play the best show possible, and you can never forget it. Besides, a “thank you” goes a long way in this industry, and you never know who you’re talking to – the dressing room cleaner could be the future CEO of Sony Records. You just never know.

4. Make a list of everything you’re taking, and bring a spare of everything you can!
If your guitar strings snap and you don’t have spares, your tour is over. If a lead becomes faulty and the venue doesn’t have any, your tour is over. If you soil your underpants, your tour is over. Ok, the last one was a joke, but seriously, make sure you make a thorough list of everything that you’re taking on tour, and the things you can afford to bring extras of, DO IT!

5. Always play your best show ever.
This is probably the most important of all. It doesn’t matter if there are only 10 people in the audience or 10,000, play your BEST SHOW EVER. Not only is it good to consistently perform at your peak, but nowadays, thanks to iPhones, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, if ONE person films your performance and puts it up online, it’s there for the entire world to see. Think of it that way. You’re performing on a world stage, even if you’re only performing down at the corner pub.

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