Being on tour and living out of a van (and trailer if you're lucky) has a lot of ups and downs. When it comes to living on the road with your band there are some tricks to make the ride much smoother. For those bands who are new to life on the road there are some things they should know before heading out. Here are 11 essentials that every touring band should have…
1. Baby-wipes - When on the road many bands won't have access to a shower for long periods of time. To combat the rashes, smell, and grimy feeling baby-wipes work absolute wonders. It's actually surprising how good it feels after taking a sponge bath using the wipes. Plus, taking a baby-wipe bath in a grungy bathroom of a venue in some random town is a true testament to life on the road.
2. Ozium - While some people may suggest using febreeze or something similar, I suggest going to your local auto store and picking up a bottle or two of Ozium. This stuff not only gets rid of odors it actually kills the bacteria in the air. If you don't like the scent of Ozium or it's other varieties then just use Ozium to clean the air and spritz after with your favorite scent of febreeze or whatever other brand you like. One thing to note is only spray after getting out of the van and let it air out a bit, do not spray while in the van.
3. Vitamins - Staying healthy on tour should be one of the number one priorities. One sick band member can cause a tour to get canceled and could also get the other members sick. I always like to have multi-vitamins and a couple others just in case, stuff like vitamin C, vitamin B-12, vitamin E, and Potassium. With the combination of little sleep, lots of energy exerted, lots of partying, and a lot of low-quality food then sitting in a confined space with 3-5 other people the majority of each day there is a high chance someone will get sick. Vitamins will at the very least help keep everyones immune systems working well.
4. Beef Jerky - Cheap food, great source of protein, doesn't need to be refrigerated, and tastes pretty good. Especially awesome for those longs trips between shows where there is little time to stop for food.
5. Physical Maps - Most bands have at least one member with a smart-phone, tablet, or some other device with gps on it. One thing that is for sure is this stuff doesn't always work. Wether it is a dead battery, bad signal, or just a shitty gps there can be something that goes wrong. Be sure to get old-school fold out maps, which you can find at AAA locations, Wal-mart, and tons of other places. These can be super handy when all the handy-dandy technology cuts-out and you are on the road with no clue how to get anywhere.
6. Pillow - This one is pretty essential unless you want to sleep uncomfortably or your band has the money to rent a room every night. Although even if you are renting a room every night there is a chance you may want to sleep on one of those long rides in the van.
7. Blanket/Sleeping Bag - Pretty much the same thing as the pillow. Some people would be surprised how some parts of the country are burning hot during the day and then ridiculously cold at night.
8. Appropriate Clothes - Before you head out be sure to check the weather for the areas you will be and have clothes that work. It seems somewhat simple to do this but you'd be surprised at how badly people get caught off guard when the weather isn't what they thought it would be. Especially when you are going through multiple regions in just a few weeks. You may be wearing shorts and a tank top one day only to find yourself freezing while wearing jeans and a hoodie a few days later.
9. Water - I like to get the gallon jugs of water for tour and usually bring a couple plastic cups. This is one of those things that some people don't bring because they think they can just stop anywhere and get some no problem. Well it does become a problem when you're on the highway and the closest stop is 30 miles away. This can be especially important if the car overheats with no extra coolant or if someone cuts them self and need to clean the wound.
10. Roadside Emergency Kit - Just like the boy scouts, always be prepared. These kits can often include a multitude of different things but your kit should always include a first aid kit, hazard lights/triangles/flares, a car jack, a lug wrench, spare fuses, jumper cables, and a flash light. Some other great items you can include in the kit are a tire gauge, tire sealant or a plug kit (not as important if you have a spare tire), gloves, towels, hand cleaner, a fire extinguisher, coolant hose repair kit, necessary fluids (motor oil, coolant, break-stearing, etc.), and about any other item you think you might need in case of a problem with the van.
11. Spare Tire - Pretty self explanatory. Don't have one of these and a tire goes flat or pops? Then you can pretty much expect to cancel whatever show you have scheduled that night.
7. Blanket/Sleeping Bag - Pretty much the same thing as the pillow. Some people would be surprised how some parts of the country are burning hot during the day and then ridiculously cold at night.
8. Appropriate Clothes - Before you head out be sure to check the weather for the areas you will be and have clothes that work. It seems somewhat simple to do this but you'd be surprised at how badly people get caught off guard when the weather isn't what they thought it would be. Especially when you are going through multiple regions in just a few weeks. You may be wearing shorts and a tank top one day only to find yourself freezing while wearing jeans and a hoodie a few days later.
9. Water - I like to get the gallon jugs of water for tour and usually bring a couple plastic cups. This is one of those things that some people don't bring because they think they can just stop anywhere and get some no problem. Well it does become a problem when you're on the highway and the closest stop is 30 miles away. This can be especially important if the car overheats with no extra coolant or if someone cuts them self and need to clean the wound.10. Roadside Emergency Kit - Just like the boy scouts, always be prepared. These kits can often include a multitude of different things but your kit should always include a first aid kit, hazard lights/triangles/flares, a car jack, a lug wrench, spare fuses, jumper cables, and a flash light. Some other great items you can include in the kit are a tire gauge, tire sealant or a plug kit (not as important if you have a spare tire), gloves, towels, hand cleaner, a fire extinguisher, coolant hose repair kit, necessary fluids (motor oil, coolant, break-stearing, etc.), and about any other item you think you might need in case of a problem with the van.
11. Spare Tire - Pretty self explanatory. Don't have one of these and a tire goes flat or pops? Then you can pretty much expect to cancel whatever show you have scheduled that night.
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