Sufferer – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the rock band, Sufferer, give you their top tips for being on tour. You can check out their tips, after the break.

1) Keep Your Friends Close
Even the loneliest, most homesick feelings can be calmed through a good conversation with a friend on the road. They’re experiencing this journey right alongside you, and will likely empathize with exactly what you’re going through. Don’t be afraid to share; that which we have in common makes us stronger together.

2) Expect the Unexpected/Expect the Worst…or better yet…Expect nothing at all
There are bound to be schedule changes – drives will take longer than expected, esp. with those extra pee stops; vehicle maintenance can take hours; that one guy will ALWAYS wake up right before you’re about to leave, or you might forget something at the hotel/crash house. If you can accept these minor hardships right off the bat, not only will you be prepared when they come up, but you’ll have this nice bonus feeling of joy when you have a rare day where nothing goes wrong.

3) Explore!
Excite yourself by finding and exploring places that interest you. Search ahead of time, or during the drives, for restaurants/museums/coffee shops/comic book stores/landmarks/etc. When else are you going to have a chance to see these places? Take advantage of these fleeting opportunities to be your own tour guide and see the sights YOU want to see.

4) Rest. As much as you need.
On the other side of the Exploration coin is Rest. Don’t over-do it! Not every day has to involve some new excitement, some expensive meal or experience. A lot of my favorite days on tour are the ones where I’ve done absolutely nothing at all (even in really cool places!). For one, it can help alleviate some of the stress that’s likely already compounding due to the constant travel/less-than-ideal sleep/all the other bullshit that tour brings along. And for two, it gives your body/mind a real chance to recover, which is CRUCIAL to keeping sane on long trips. Remember that there are no requirements to touring (aside from the shows themselves) and that the most important thing is that you keep comfy. So go ahead, bail on seeing the sights tonight. That bathtub is calling your name.

5) Stick to the Path
Most tours/trips are circular in nature, starting in one place and ending up right back there at the end. Even if they’re not EXACTLY round-trip, there’s always a feeling of “returning home” that occurs at the end of your journey. So, while it may seem daunting to have so much driving to do, so many days left, there is a constant comfort in knowing exactly how the path is going to unfold in front of you, and in knowing that at the end of that path is Home.

I hope these Tour Tips help your next journey seem a little less daunting! Above all else, remember that nothing is more important than YOU and YOUR WELL-BEING and that Home can actually be wherever you are if you can find comfort there.

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