SONS – TOUR TIPS

This set of Tour Tips comes from the band, SONS. You can check them out after the break.

1. Vitamin C, no not the Girl Band – Vitamin C is your best friend on tour! No one likes to be sick, especially on tour but it happens more often than you’d think. Come on, you’re spending weeks on end in a van with other people and when one goes down they take the whole train with them. Vitamin C and tons of it will help you immensely, because this isn’t like a job or school where you can call in sick; as they say, “the show must go on!”

2. 3 Ton Hydraulic Jack – didn’t see that coming did you? How many times have you been stuck on the side of the road realizing you don’t have AAA and all you’ve got is the jack that comes stock with the vehicle your touring in? You might be saying “none” now, but I promise you the day will come. You’re not just touring in a van or a bus in some cases, you’re almost always pulling a trailer and if you’ve got a ton of gear you’re gonna want that jack. Think about it, spend $80 on a good jack or what could be a couple hundred or more to get towed and serviced.

3. Overnight Bag – When you’re crashing in a hotel suitcases are fine, but if you’re staying with friends along the way or heaven forbid you’re staying at the venue an overnight bag can save you tons of time. All your toiletries, change of clothes, laptop and other gadgets then you’re set. This means you’re not in a panic the next day because you’ve lost something and you’re going through a huge bag of items to find it. Trust me, this is a winner

4. Go To Sleep! – I know I know, it’s totally unethical to be a rockstar and actually go to sleep after a show but don’t forget about that 6 to 8 or maybe even 12 hour drive you’ve got the next day to make load-in. These are mid and lower level band problems, because in that world you’re taking turns at the wheel and no one wants to lose sleep when Johnny is popping 5 hour energies and you’re caught in between wanting to live to see tomorrow and wanting to sleep to actually be awake for the day ahead.

5. Change and lots of it – Tolls, Laundry, Gas Stations, Homeless dudes… there are numerous needs for pocket change and you’ll find one nearly every day on the road. Be prepared, when you’re driving through Chicago or Orlando for the first time and you realize all you’ve got is large bills at the change machine let’s face it – you’re screwed. And you really don’t want to piss off any crazy vagrants approaching you, trust me, have some change on you. And please, was your show shirt at least once on this tour!

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