The Veils – TOUR TIPS

This new set of Tour Tips was written by the London based indie rock band, The Veils. You can check out their tips for tour, after the break.

1. The Headphone-Eye-Mask Combo
As we all know, the age-old enemies of the touring musician are sound and light. Consider fashioning yourself a piece of apparatus that can simultaneously deal with both – we’ve seen everything from service stations napkins gaffa taped to the forehead to a biker helmet full of cotton buds. Use your imagination, there is no judgement here.

2. Learn a Foreign Language
I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but some places in rest of the world don’t even speak English. I know, right? People can be so selfish. Consider learning another language to better communicate with your fellow man. We have a German, an Italian and sometimes a French speaker too, though you might wish to consider learning a more obscure language to impress your friends. Might we suggest either Aramaic, Urdu, or how about Nyanja? You’ll thank us when you’re finally asked to play in Malawi and want to ask for some extra Jaegermeister on the rider.

3. Leave Your Watch At Home
Time is perhaps the greatest enemy of all. Do you really want to know how much of that last 3 month European tour was spent watching bad American action movies or staring at that skin irritation on the back of your band mate’s neck? No, no you do not. Here’s an idea: buy a broken watch and let the hands remain stationary for the duration of the tour. This will fill you with much comfort and shield you, albeit briefly, from the ensuing existential terror that the post-tour period will so eagerly provide.

4. A Band That Strokes Each Other, Stays Stroking Each Other
Those long nights on tour can be a lonely place indeed – why not just occasionally give your guitar player a little pat on the head or stroke on the chin, you’ll both feel all the better for it. NB careful not to let this segway into full penetrative sex.

5. Hustle
Our band is usually provided around US$15 per day towards expenses whilst on tour. This is never remotely enough when you have to eat out 3 times a day, generally in areas near the venue which are nearly always expensive areas. This has led to a variety of games being played in an attempt to boost your living wage and subsequently cripple your fellow band mates. Some members of our band have been forced to subsist for weeks without food or water after a particularly bitter round of Spinto Dice or Archaic 5 Card Bum Fluff. Be warned.

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