Invest in Your Case If you read no farther (though I don’t suggest stopping here), read this tip. The most important item to have for your tour is a solid instrument case. Guitar, bass, drums, keytar, whatever, you want to keep your instruments safe while you and your band cram into the car and hit the road. Try for hard cases for your equipment, but make sure everything is light enough to carry. Most musicians are also their own roadies, so you’ll want to make sure your gear is safe but also easy to take in and out of venues.
Don’t Leave Home Without a Reliable Ride (+ Map or GPS) You can’t play the show if you don’t make it there in the first place! This is why transportation is up there in importance with your gear. Depending on the size of your band, transportation can range from a small car to a mini-van, to a full on 15-passenger van (i.e. Chevy Express 3500). Make sure you keep the car stocked with a portable air pump, tire iron, and a spare tire, in case trouble strikes, and get the most reliable ride you can afford. Also consider signing up for AAA travel services—they’ll meet you anywhere and can usually get you back on the road in minutes. Having that reliable ride will pay off big time when you’re hustling from Asheville, North Carolina to your show the next day in Hartford, Connecticut.
Pack Some Snacks Fact: travelling makes you hungry. If you’re trying to get from point A to point B without time to spare between shows, it always helps to have some snacks in the car to tide you over. Also, not being hungry means less grumpiness and therefore a more pleasant ride for you and your band. Granola bars or PB&J sandwiches work best in my experience, but the choice is yours to make. As far as drinks, I always say go with bottled water or Gatorade to help you stay hydrated. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with the liquids or you’ll be stopping every five minutes for a bathroom break.
Dress for the Season Some of the worst times I’ve had on tour were when I had to carry gear in the rain, without a raincoat. If it’s fall or winter, pack a coat, hat, gloves, and even a blanket for the car to help ease the chill. In the spring and summer, bring a raincoat, baseball cap, and maybe even a t-shirt to change into if you get sweaty and hot. The more prepared you are with extra clothes, the better you’ll feel.
Stay Entertained You’re a musician and you’re on the road to play music, so naturally you should have a soundtrack for your tour. Bring CDs or an iPod to keep you entertained and inspired during long stretches on the road. It never hurts to listen to a band you love on the way to a gig—it helps get you pumped up to put on your best show.
Make Some Merch ( & Pack a Sharpie) Merch is so important to have at your live show. If you put on a killer show, your fans are going to want to take something home. Memories are great, but wouldn’t it be better if your fans had a t-shirt they could wear and show their friends? Couple that with the story about how great your show was and you are now slowly growing your fan base. CDs, t-shirts, and stickers are great go-to options for merch, but you can also look into making special posters/prints, vinyl, or really anything! Just make sure you have something you can give to your fans after your show, either for free or for sale.
Don’t Forget Your Camera We all know that social media drives marketing, so having a camera to document everything your band does on the road will help keep fans interested in your tour. Take pictures of everything. The band eats lunch? Take a picture. The band’s hanging in the car? Take a picture. People want to feel as if they’re part of your band, so keeping track of little things makes your band feel inclusive. Also, be sure to take pictures of you actually playing music to show what happened when you rocked the stage. That will help people who were at the show remember how great it was, and get other fans excited for upcoming concerts. Keep up with social media and your fans will keep up with you.
Find Places to Crash Sleep. We all need it and we all love it. Make sure you find places to crash. Hotels, friends’ (or strangers’) couches, or even your van—take time to sleep and everyone will be happier. If you need to get somewhere quickly but still need sleep, take turns driving so everyone can get a little shut eye. If you’re a solo artist, make sure to plan out at least a few hours to grab a quick nap so you can keep on rocking!
Start Printing Flyers & Promo Posters As I said above, you need to promote your tour and let people know what’s happening. Though social media is a big deal in promotion, nothing beats physical interaction with fans. Handing out flyers at an open mic allows people to meet you and see what you’re like when you aren’t playing music. Also, hanging posters in venue windows does wonders for promotion as people see them whether or not they enter the venue. The more effort you put into the flyer, the more people will be interested in seeing what it says. A small effort here can help bring in a few extra ‘on the fence’ or curious fans just looking for something to do on a weekend night.
Get Ready to Connect Every band should be comfortable with networking, because the importance of this skill goes beyond touring. I’ve made countless friends and fans through networking at shows while touring. I’ve met musicians I still know and work with and I’ve had the time of my life getting to know fans over a beer after the show. Knowing your audience helps you make better music, and the only way to truly meet someone is to go and speak with them in person. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but giving fans something like a card or sticker after the show can help break the ice. And think about it this way, if people stayed to the end of your set, it’s a safe bet they liked your music and would like to meet you too. So spread those wings, and get out there and start networking!
What’s on your own list of touring needs? Let us know in the comments.
Disclaimer: This post is created in partnership with TuneCore.
Kendral Schmidt, an artist, singer and a trending Internet sensation is choosing TuneCore music publishing to release his new band, Heffron Drive’s debut album and first single “Parallel”. It is not available in iTunes and has been played live at numerous showcases this month during the SXSW music festival in Austin, TX.
If you also want to release your own music, make sure to visit TuneCore.
Disclaimer: This post is created in partnership with TuneCore.
It’s summer already and yet I still haven’t gone to a vacation. I am still stuck in the office, piled up with a lot of tasks to do. Aside from the intense heat, I hope I still have other way so I could enjoy the beach while I am still in the city. And the solution would be a beach-inspired mural!
I can already imagine waking up and see this view on my wall that just would make me feel calm and relax and feel like I’ll be going to the beach anytime I want. I can stare at my wall the whole day with this!
Disclaimer: This post is created in partnership with Magic Murals.
When I was a kid my older cousin used to let me read comics that involve a cute white dog called Snoopy. Back then I still don’t know how to read so I enjoy the stories by seeing the drawings. Since then I started to love Snoopy and his friends.
My parents are fond of giving me a lot of Snoopy stuff toys but now that I’ve grown up, I should not have only stuff toys. I started looking for other merchandise at SnoopyStore. Even if I am older now, I just can’t stop from collecting stuff of this cute little dog.
Disclaimer: This post in created in partnership with SnoopyStore.
We may not be aware, but collagen and elastin production start to slow as we enter our 30s. Our skin would begin to look tired and sag. We don’t want that to happen, instead, we still want to look young even in our 30s. Worry no more, because here comes the Baby Quasar, a portable, petite and powerful medical-grade red light therapy tool that promotes collagen reproduction and builds elastin in just eight weeks. See, that just about two months only!
Baby Quasar Plus is actually a great tool to fight against wrinkles! It has effortless treatment of depleting collagen and weakening elastin around your eyes, brows, mouth, and anywhere in between. It is also designed to be used in your own comfort at home so even if you have a busy lifestyle, you still have enough time to use this at home.
And here is the better part! You will get a chance to win a Baby Quasar Plus simply by entering this giveaway! All you need to do is follow the easy instructions given in the rafflecopter below. Note: Make sure to view this post on my website itself because the rafflecopter won’t display on the dashboard.
Way back in highschool, I can still remember how my classmates are fond of making fun with mouthwash because of its burning sensation. They even do pranks about it which is funny and at the same time awful. Since then I had a not-so-good impression with mouthwash.
But of course, as time passed by, my impression is getting better because of the commercials I get to watch. However, I still don’t have the courage to try it. Until one of my friends have proved to me that there’s a mouthwash that doesn’t leave a burning sensation but instead, a refreshing one. And that is no other than Swish.
When I was given the opportunity to try the new products of Swish I had no hesitations and said 'Yes!' right away.
Swish has Surefresh that helps kill bad-breath causing bacteria and prevents plaque build-up, gum disease and tooth decay. It is alcohol-free so you won’t feel any burning sensation. There are also different variant to choose from so you decide what kind of minty fresh breath you want to last everyday. :)
If you would notice on the picture, one of the two 35ml Cinnamon Blast bottles is almost half-empty already. Well, I was too excited to try it that I forgot I haven’t taken a photo yet! Haha.
Anyway, here are the three variants I get to try: Icy Choco Mint, Cinnamon Blast and Mangosteen Mint.
It is so easy to use, like 1-2-3!
Put 20ml of Swish in a glass. (No need to add water.)
Gargle for 30 seconds. (Do not swallow!)
Have a fresh breath.
Children above 6 years old can also use this, but of course, you still need to supervise them since they might swallow it unknowingly.
I actually like how refreshing this mouthwash is (no burning sensation!), but I think the minty feeling stays on my tongue more than the whole mouth. Or maybe, I just don’t know how to gargle(?). Haha.
Of all the flavors, my favorite would be Cinammon Blast. It has the sweet minty taste that is just right for a girl like me. Its gives the refreshing feeling without giving the strong taste I might not like.
I am hoping that with continuous use, my teeth and gums would be healthier than how it was before.
To be honest, I haven’t tried tennis yet. My mama even bought us tennis rackets, yet, I haven’t had the courage to use it and play because I am really not athletic, or maybe I’m just afraid to fail.
But then after watching this video, I get motivated and I hope sooner or later, I’ll have the courage to play on the court. I’ll be watching more videos first so I’ll have ideas how to get started.
How about you, do you also play tennis? What sport do you love?
Disclaimer: This post is brought to your by Oncourt Offcourt.
Since we were kids, my brother and I loved to play around with our bikes and it has been our bonding for the both of us, and even sometimes, with the whole family. Up to now that we have grown up, we still enjoy strolling around with our bikes and sometimes even a real motorcycle that we thought at first was scary but eventually we got used to it.
But then our parents are hesitant about it because they worry about our safety. Also, we can’t afford to purchase the motor parts that we need to buy for its maintenance. That is why my brother and I are in a hunt for a shop where we can purchase affordable gears and parts. Until then, I think our parents would disagree with our motorcycles.
And our search is over when we found SoloMotoParts where they help customers repair bikes and motors with great name parts and accessories with prices that you could actually afford without sacrificing the quality! We should tell this to our parents, right? I hope they’ll let us keep the motorcycle.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by SoloMotorParts.
A friend of mine has this dream of becoming a record artist someday. She has been spending a lot of money for studio room rental just for her to practice using high-quality instruments. I totally support her with this dream of hers, and I am nothing against it so I told her I am going to help her look for frontman 15g from guitar center so she could start practicing with her own and she doesn’t need to rent anymore.
TuneCore is giving opportunities for musicians out there to get ready for their new album releases simply by pre-buying distribution credits. It is really convenient and also much cheaper by up to 14% when you make bulk purchases. Once the release is ready, the distribution credits will automatically be applied. With all that said, it is really easier and much faster kind of online music distribution! I know you are interested, so click here to know more about this offer! If you happen to know friends who are going to have their albums released, let them know about this great opportunity!
Disclaimer: This offer is brought to us by TuneCore.
Prom season is here! Have you already decided what to wear?
I’ve already featured some gown ideas for the girls, but let us not forget the guys who will also be a part of the prom. Tuxedos are one of the most popular for men during this season. Now tell me, who doesn’t like guys wearing tuxedos?
