Tim Nordwind of PYYRAMIDS – TOUR TIPS

This new set of Tour Tips was written by Tim Nordwind (from OK Go), who is half of the indie duo, PYYRAMIDS. You can check out Tim’s five tips for being on the road, after the break.

1.  Make sure you like the people who you are touring with.  You’ll have to spend millions of sleepless hours in a van, shoulder to shoulder with them.  The sound of their breathing will annoy you.  So just make sure you can get through the rough times with them.

2.  Before you play a show, make sure you know where your after show meal is coming from.  If you have to order two meals at dinner, so that you’ll have food after you play, because if you don’t everything will be closed by the time you get off stage, then do that!

3.  If you have a significant other at home and they come out on tour, have them come to the smaller towns.  The mistake everyone makes is to have their boyfriends/girlfriends/wives/husbands/mail order brides come to the big cities i.e. Chicago, NYC, LA to visit.  But it’s always the big cities that are the most hectic, filled with press and high pressured shows.  Enjoy each others company in a town like Columbus, Mo where you probably only have to be around for the show, and then you can have a leisurely date with your loved one at wherever the nice quaint and cozy local restaurants are in town.  Your servers will also probably be nicer and meals cheaper.

4.  Don’t over pack.  Come to understand and accept (especially if you are a boy) that you will wear, on average, one to two outfits over the course of a 2-6 week tour.  Bring a mid sized to small suitcase with wheels.  Don’t be the asshole with the big suitcase that takes up too much space.  You basically need two pairs of pants, a couple of soft worn out t-shirts, one pair of shoes, something in case it gets cold, and a jacket that always looks good, because if all else fails with your wardrobe, you can always rely on your jacket to cover up whatever.  Oh and lots of underwear that’s the one thing you have to switch up everyday.  Bring enough so that you never have to do laundry!

5.  Don’t get addicted to your phone.  Realizing that you probably already are addicted to your phone, it just gets worse on tour.  Your entire life is lived through that little machine.  Try to take some time every once and a while to live outside of your device and explore the towns you are in.  Meet people.  See a museum if there’s time.  Get a taste of the local flavor.  This is one area where I wish I listened to my own advice more.

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