Vespera – TOUR TIPS

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

1. Buy a gym membership.
I can’t stress how important this is, especially for musicians that have just started touring. A majority of your time spent on tour, you’re sitting or laying in your vehicle. For the sake of your mental and physical health, spend the money to go somewhere to stretch, run, and work out. Having a gym membership will keep your body in prime condition for performing, especially if you like to get as crazy on stage as I do. A big plus, you’ll have somewhere to shower almost every single day.

2. Eat healthy.
Stay away from fast food. Purchase your food at a grocery store, and plan on group dinners. Not only does it end up being way cheaper, but you feel so much better every single day you’re on tour. I remember when I first started touring, I defaulted to eating Taco Bell every single day. As delicious as it might be, a week in I felt terrible
and I noticed a significant decline in my mood and stamina. You are what you eat, so don’t eat like shit!

3. Stay clean and take care of yourself.
There is nothing worse than the moment when one person gets sick and everyone else in close proximity ends up catching the same contagious crap, especially for your singer. This can usually be avoided by staying clean and eating healthy. Unfortunately, many of us tour dogs get lazy and default to staying grimy, and I don’t know why. I can’t stress the importance of making sure your singers don’t get sick. I’ve had to sing through a flu way too many times because others chose to just annihilate their immune systems to the point where I’ve lost my voice and have had no other option than to perform. Don’t be the person to start that chain reaction, it harbors a special kind of resentment. Get yourself a gym membership or get a Flying J membership and you can get free showers when you fill up your gas tanks!

4. Be responsible.
A lot of you are going to really dislike this tour tip, but I think it’s extremely crucial. Many of us seem to think that touring is vacation. While at times it sure feels like one, you need to keep in mind that it’s extremely important to behave professionally! Everyone has their vices, but the road is not the proper place to indulge on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean you
can’t have a little bit of fun here and there, just don’t go overboard… you’ve got a job to do!

5. Be respectful.
You’re crammed in some very tight living quarters with multiple people, so don’t be the person to start a bunch of unnecessary tension because you’re unhappy. Remember, “it’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Tact is a very important quality to have when you’re on tour, and it’s borderline comedic how many people throw that rule out the window the second they start touring. We’re all on the road, away from our loved ones and our comfortable spaces, so do yourselves a favor and strive to make your environment as stress-free as possible. You’re a team, act as such!

Bonus tip: Always have baby powder and hand sanitizer in arms reach, use it religiously.

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