Roots of Creation – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, Mike Chadinha, of the reggae/rock band, Roots of Creation, gives you their tips for being on tour. You can check out the feature, after the break.

Roots of Creation – TOUR TIPS

In this Tour Tips segment, Mike Chadinha, of the reggae/rock band, Roots of Creation, gives you their tips for being on tour. You can check out the feature, after the break.

1. Treat everyone with respect and DON’T BE SELFISH.
These are really more of life lessons but they are especially important when you are on the road, living in small quarters and traveling to a new city every night. In a lot of tour situations, you may only get a few minutes to leave a lasting impression and you never know when someone’s uncle is the A&R guy for Sony so don’t be a dick! This list includes your band, crew, sound person, promoter, opener, headliner, tour manager, bar manager, the waitress at the diner, hotel receptionist, new fans, old fans, FANS, the guy working at 7-11 at 3am…everyone!

2. Get some sleep.
Rest can be hard to come by and is necessary for playing a good show and getting along with your mates. Going back to tip 1, if one of your bandmates is looking like the walking dead offer them the back bench so they can snooze. If you’re the one ready to keel over then don’t be afraid to ask for a more comfy spot (obviously talking van touring here).

3. Don’t drink too much.
(Don’t drink too little either, you want to have fun.) Excessive drinking can lead to tons of issues including poor performance, fighting, forgetting your gear at a venue, being highly obnoxious and it can really wear you down over the long haul of a tour. By all means, rip it up when the time is right but save yourself and others around you from nightly slop fests.

4. Eat well.
Although nearly impossible (for me) do your best to stay away from fast food especially the late night stops. It will make your tummy go crazy which is no good for you or the people you are traveling with. The game of having to constantly open the windows to release the concentrated evil that has been brewing inside of you mixed with having to stop every 30 minutes gets old quick. Pack a bag of healthy snacks with a long shelf life such as granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, crackers, etc. Your body and bandmates will thank you.

5. Get yourself a nice pair of sunglasses.
Long nights and sunny days can destroy your eyes. Remember, these sunglasses are for when it’s sunny… outside. These are not to be worn on stage in a dark club, you are not Lou Reed. :)

Roots of Creation - Tour Tips
Roots of Creation - Mike Chadinha - Tour Tips

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