Ten Things Touring Musicians Really Want
If you’ve ever been in a band, you know that touring around the country is mostly a life of driving from place to place. Life on the road is hard, dirty, and inconsistent.
But a lot happens in the van on the way to a gig that crowds will never understand. Leg cramps, swamp crotch, and a lack of vegetables lead me to write this article about what to treat touring musicians to when they’re out on the road.
If you love a musician, before they leave for tour, throw them together a care package and they’ll be praising your name across every bar room in the USA.
This article contains Amazon links. I like to recommend high quality products that I have used and been impressed by. That being said, go for what suits your budget or what you have on hand and make it work for you.
1. A quality coffee cup and water bottle
I love the look and feel of a nice Yeti coffee cup and a hydro flask water bottle. But heck, any refillable water container will do if you’re on a budget.
When we’re out on the road, there’s nothing I hate more than trash bags full of water bottles and coffee cups piling up in the van. Some van trash is hard to avoid, but it can be cut down significantly if you and your bandmates refuel with refillable cups. Plus, it’ll be cheaper as coffee refills are less expensive and you can fill up your water at the tap.
Alone time can be hard to find, especially when you’re in a big group. If you want to take a break from the antics and tap out for a few minutes and watch a movie after sound check, you can’t go wrong with noise cancelling headphones.
Of course if you’re on a budget, any headphones or earbuds will do.
Sometimes when you’re thinking about and playing music for weeks, all you want is a long story to sink into. Books take up space in the van, so an audiobook subscription is the way to go!
Nothing worse than leaving your phone charger at your hotel or crash pad. Everyone in the band needs one, and you need an extra. Make sure to get a backup charging hub for your van and wall outlets. I recommend the 10’ cable so even your buddies in the back can charge up.
Nothing really beats a great roadside assistance program, but having a pair of jumper cables on hand helps with peace of mind. I like the set that is attached to its own battery, so you don’t even need to flag anyone down to help you out. Plus, you could be someone’s hero out there on the road if you meet someone in a bind!
6. A cooler
You can save a significant amount of money on meals when you’re traveling by stopping at a grocery store instead of a convenience store or restaurant. If you figure out what everyone likes, you can share family sized meals and eat out of a cooler in bulk. Keeping the food cold can be a challenge. I wouldn’t recommend using ice in your cooler. It will melt and cause a van disaster. Make sure to re-freeze your ice packs when you get to your hotel or crash pad.
7. A nice smelling van
Wipe up spills right away with some wet wipes. Throw a sachet into a cup holder and hope the aroma over-powers the stench. Try to budget time for showers.
8. A self care kit - lip balm, lotion, fingernail clippers, and a nail file, face, hand, and crotch wipes
9. Soap and a towel
Travelers never forget their towel. Bring one for on stage sweat, sudden outdoor shower situations, spills, gas station armpit showers, and more. A bar of Dr Bronner’s soap does wonders as well. You can use it to wash your body and hair and clean anything that gets sloshed on the road. I have some friends who have even used it as toothpaste. Bring a bar and wrap it up in a bandanna.
10. Melatonin
Sometimes its hard to come down from the high of your show, and that ground you’re sleeping on is hard as a rock. Try taking a break from drinking yourself to sleep and have a melatonin gummy on hand to help you get some shut eye.
