The Party After - TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, the alternative rock band, The Party After, recommends advice for being a musician on the road. You can check out the tips below:

When we as musicians develop to a point where we're enabled to go on tour, it can be one of the most exciting parts of the dream that we all are quite capable of romanticizing, but it can also be one of the most daunting parts of professional music. Here's a handful of quick tour tips from our frontman Jared to keep in mind for a smoother, healthier tour!

First and foremost, it's very important to recognize that touring is extremely hard on the body. Especially as a singer, one of the biggest tips I hope to get across is to make sure you're doing what you can to get enough sleep. It's very common to get into the hotel or to the friendly-crashpad quite late sometimes, and checkouts come fast. Being conscious of tomorrow's show, and knowing that sleep is the best thing you can do for the voice is paramount. Along with this same mindset, tip number two is to make sure that you're being diligent with drinking lots of water and eating well during the day. Oftentimes, we receive cost-friendlier meals from venues or from hosts that are usually easy and quick (pizza, fried foods, etc). As much as we all love the idea of the diet plan for The Goofy Movie, the harsh schedule and physical costs of the tour are much easier to manage with some healthy decisions in the mix. Personally, I make sure the first half of my day is when I consume fruit, veggies, and anything that may help the body bounce back for the evening's show.

The third tip I'll offer comes in defense for your mental health. The longer the tour, the harder the grind can get, so do your best to have your team (or you yourself if you're the one booking) schedule recovery days after some of the longer stretches. Being able to blow off some steam is extremely important, and one of the coolest things about touring is being able to see new places and have new experiences. You should let yourself find a way to enjoy it!

Fourthly, a tour does not come together without several attempts at cutting costs, and one of the most overlooked expenses that sneaks under the radar is also one of the biggest bummers on the road: vehicle troubles. When quoting prices for venues, don't forget that your vehicle is gonna take a beating, and gas is not the only cost that comes with the van. Start yourself a little band-emergency-fund for the just-in-cases, and learn how to put on that spare, because it very well might need to happen!

To close with our fifth and final tip, remember that touring is HARD... But it can be one of the most gratifying experiences of your life. Look at each difficult moment as positively as you can, and do your best to relish the moments that you know are undoubtedly unique to you and your experience. It takes a special person to work hard enough to be on the road to play music, and as tough as some tours seem, you've already had to work harder than that just to have the ability to get on the road in the first place. Go out and find ways to absolutely love it!

Keep up with The Party After on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.