Sumo Cyco – TOUR TIPS

This new set of Tour Tips was written by the metal band, Sumo Cyco. You can check out their tips for being on the road, after the break.

1) DON’T STINK. Bring deodorant. Also wear the deodorant. This one may seem obvious but things can get stinky and uncomfortable in the van the boys don’t follow this simple rule. It goes in part with throwing out any food right away. No one likes to discover a half eaten sandwich after it’s been in a hot van for weeks. Feet can be a big one too, so bring clean socks or throw ‘em out as you go.

2) STAY POSITIVE. Nothing is worse than being hot, tired and hungry except a person complaining that they’re hot, tired and hungry. Attitude is everything. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle living out of a van, with limited space and limited money. The crazy thing is, we choose to do this! So suck it up and enjoy the ride. Complaining doesn’t make any situation better, so if you don’t like something change it OR change the way you think about it.

3) RECORD YOUR SET. This is one tip I tell all the bands that ask for advice to improve their stage show. You may cringe at watching yourself and analyze every note and every move, but it will help you get better at your craft. Can’t change something that you don’t acknowledge. Whether you can record just the audio or the video as well, just taking the time to watch how the show went will keep you motivated to step up your game each time.

4) PREPARE FOR THE WORST. The only thing that can make the enviable unexpected mishaps easier to handle is expecting them! Make sure you at least think about all the things that could go wrong and come up with your plan B’s. Also take the extra time to get the oil change, pack the extra pair of shoes, batteries, etc. There are so many times I’ve asked myself is it worth it to pack “X” and totally thanked my past self for opting for “better safe than sorry” scenarios.

5) LABEL YOUR SH*T Serious fights can be avoided if you just know who’s phone charger is who’s! I’m telling you! Put a simple sticker or sharpie your initials on your stuff so you don’t get it mixed up. This also goes for all your patch cords, equipment etc. When you’re moving around so much on tour you can avoid a huge headache if you’re number or name is on your stuff, so if you ever loose something it can be traced back to you.

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Did you find these tips useful? Let us know in the comments below!