Members BlueStrat Posted August 1, 2011 Members Share Posted August 1, 2011 Ha ha! You're either really brave, really naive or really dedicated. This isn't a "tour", it's bunch of gigs put together with a dartboard and a map. 3 days off between Pensacola and Jacksonville? And you're going to sleep in a van? Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators BATCAT Posted August 1, 2011 Moderators Share Posted August 1, 2011 Ha ha! You're either really brave, really naive or really dedicated. This isn't a "tour", it's bunch of gigs put together with a dartboard and a map. 3 days off between Pensacola and Jacksonville? And you're going to sleep in a van? Have fun! Welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted August 1, 2011 Members Share Posted August 1, 2011 Welcome back! Thanks! I hated touring when I had a band truck with beds and a TV, plus motel rooms, one meal a day and guaranteed gigs 5-6 nights a week. I can't imagine 5-6 guys sleeping in a van in Florida in July for a week and not being ready to murder one another by the time they get back. And 3 days between gigs in a strange town when you aren't earning any money will suck. But then again, if I was young and had never done it before, I'd probably do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TrickyBoy Posted August 1, 2011 Members Share Posted August 1, 2011 Thanks!I hated touring when I had a band truck with beds and a TV, plus motel rooms, one meal a day and guaranteed gigs 5-6 nights a week. I can't imagine 5-6 guys sleeping in a van in Florida in July for a week and not being ready to murder one another by the time they get back. And 3 days between gigs in a strange town when you aren't earning any money will suck. But then again, if I was young and had never done it before, I'd probably do it. I didn't even think of that, but I can't imagine 5-6 guys sleeping for ONE NIGHT in a van down south. If you're lucky, it's 80 degrees with 75% humidity. After a week that van had to smell like utter death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fling the poo Posted August 2, 2011 Members Share Posted August 2, 2011 20+ years touring as player, manager, FOH, merch etc here's my tips: ONLY stop to poop and gas at TA, Flying J, Loves, Pilot etc. there's nothing worse than 5+ people with taco bell butt and one dirty ass bathroom. rednecks tend not to lift the seat or flush or any of that good stuff. eat as healthy as you can. i find touring is a great time to "go vegetarian" if you're playing a college town get grub there. in pensacola EAT AT SLUGGOS, tell them you're in a band and you may get extra smiles and some discount. Jacksonville has lots of great places to eat too. always a good idea to look for an inexpensive thai restaurant. eat something small for breaky and have a decent meal a few hours before show. if someone offers you a place to sleep and they aren't on meth, GO FOR IT. i've met my best friends and bandmates this way. bring some beer, offer to buy some BBQ supplies, ask where the late night swimming pool/hole is. let's see if i can count the amount of people who's houses we stayed ended up putting out records for us and v/v if someone gets laid, it's THEIR job to get back to the place you're staying for van call. get the number of the girl/guy they are staying with. it may seem rude, but it prevents one form of fighting. it also keeps 4-5 people from having to waste a possible day swimming or relaxing looking for "uhhh i'm not sure where i'm at" guy travel scrabble, multi outlet adapters for cell charging, cheap throw away or donate-able socks. during summers in the south i like bringing sandals to wear while in the van. they are more comfortable and don't stink too much. BUY A MAP, DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON GPS i really like the idea of keeping my stuff in my area and hope that others do the same. i dont want to intrude on limited space and i dont want to make others uncomfortable looking for crap i "lost" you'd be surprised how sharing a bunch of bananas, extra smokes(even if you don't smoke), holding the door open for your bandmates can make a day brighter or ease tension. meet people. i'm not saying "network" like some soulless rockstar wanna be, i mean really get a feel for where you are at. people in small towns LOVE to talk to other folks and show them their favorite bars, swimming holes, restaurants, bookstores, record stores, radio stations, punkhouses, cousins, sisters, skate spots, local breweries etc. there's always going to be one guy who blows his wad the first couple days. thats where 99% of the fights start. i'm usually that guy who buys all the beer the first few days then bums the rest of the tour. it's a bad habit i can't break if you're angry or sad or miss home. don't take it out on your bandmates, go sit in a park or take a walk as soon as the van is parked and you unload. if you see another bandmate on your walk, grab a beer or do somethign stupid like jump in a river, you may get to know them a little more than just a guy one stage. you're all in the same situation. enjoy it. it's the best life i could have ever lived. i'm heading out again in a couple days. can't wait. "Annoy The Bass Player" is the best road game ever invented. it has no rules. just a goal. oh and last but sorta new. do your best NOT to stay on the stupid phone looking at facebook the whole time. talk to your vanmates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GeraldLeong Posted August 4, 2011 Members Share Posted August 4, 2011 Great thread! Wish I saw this before I set out on my first-ever "mini-tour" to Edmonton (from Vancouver) with the band Thor. Just wondering out loud if anybody has brought up the possibility of camping during the tour, as in bringing tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, gas stoves, Coleman lanterns, etc. and renting a campsite, as a cost-saving alternative to booking motel rooms. Oh, and I totally agree with what some of you have said about using earplugs as a defence against noisy sleeping bandmates, and eating often and healthy (i.e. choosing Subway rather than McDonald's). A smartphone is a great idea, not just for checking e-mails and Facebook updates, but also to look up local restaurants, grocery stores, campgrounds / motels, etc, and also to map your route and find your way in a city or a small town, since most road maps don't show local streets. As for who controls the radio / CD player during the drive, best compromise I see is probably to get everyone to bring their personal MP3 player or Discman, and the driver gets to play whatever he wants at a low volume. Does that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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