Eggy’s 10 Tips For Touring Musicians In 2024

Touring would be an impossible undertaking to do alone. Be sure to give thanks to the people you interact with on the road, whether that be the venue staff, other bands, fans, the clerk greeting you at Love’s at 3 a.m., or your fellow band and crewmates.

Remember, if any of us have gotten anywhere, it is from standing on the shoulders of giants. Let’s exude the positive energy we wish to receive. Most importantly, let your loved ones back home know how much you appreciate their support while you are on the road; they are the true MVPs.

We often like to joke that we’re a t-shirt company that just happens to play music. But, the bottomline is that merch sales are the best way for fans to support your cross-country endeavor. This is especially true if you are on tour in support of a larger artist, where you may make more in a night at the merch table than your guarantee (and if you heed this tip, you will!)

This may seem like something your mom would tell you to do, but in fact it’s something our manager instilled in us. Your health on the road is paramount, and it all starts with good hygiene.

In addition to a nice hot shower, we recommend you try your best to “eat the rainbow”. Salad bowls tend to be the number one thing we look for when entering a new city. They’re good for you, they’re delicious, and they’ll fill you up without slowing you down. Fill your rider with healthy snacks, lots of water, and make sure to take it after the show.

Last but not least on the health front, get your body moving. Hit the hotel gym if you can, but at the very least make sure to stretch. Long hours in the van and performing every night can leave you feeling tight. Just take five minutes a day, it will go a long way.

When live shows resumed in the Fall of 2021, our touring party consisted of the four of us, plus our manager, Dan. We used to sleep the five of us in one hotel room, two per-bed and one (usually Dan) on an air mattress. When we ultimately added another person (CJ, front of house and tour manager) to our touring party the next year, we found ourselves searching for double-queen suites (the rooms with a pull out sofa). Sleeping six to a room wasn’t ideal by any means, but we were looking to save money while primarily performing as a supporting act.

After moving toward headlining shows and adding an extra hand (Nick/Ty/Evan) we’ve evolved to two rooms, and recently dare we say… three?

While we’re on the topic of hotels, it’s our great honor and privilege to share this tip; and if you take only one thing out of this entire piece, let it be this: It is possible to get two sleeps for the price of one while on the road.

Say you have a show on Tuesday in Sacramento, and you play the next day in Arcata, plan to make that six hour drive through the night. When 5 a.m. hits, start calling hotels in town to see which ones will give you an “early check-in” for a reservation on Wednesday night. It might take some trial and error to find your perfect match, but don’t give up. If you keep calling, you too can roll up to a Best Western as the sun is still rising, then sleep until load-in, play a show, and return to the same hotel to sleep (after your shower!) Two “nights” for the price of one.

This tip was generously passed down to us by That 1 Guy, the one-man-band virtuoso; and we have affectionately named our use of this practice after him. Thank you, That 1 Guy!!

Although it is inevitable that you will lose something on tour, you can reduce your chances by doing a thorough “dummy check”. After your bags are packed or the trailer door is shut, go back and make sure you didn’t leave anything behind.

We’ve lost practice keyboards, shoes, toothbrushes, countless phone chargers, multiple pairs of AirPods, guitar stands, cables, you name it. This is a lesson we’ve learned the hard way.

This principle applies at every level, but can be especially true when playing in bars and clubs. When it feels like you are throwing a party every night, remember to act as the host, and not the guest.

It’s our responsibility as the band/entertainment to make sure we can not only provide the best experience possible, but to ensure that we can contribute to the flow of the tour. We do a lot of drives through the night so as to avoid traffic, and we share driving responsibilities. Know what’s needed of you to keep the show on the road. When it’s your day off, let loose.

Touring is an inherently fun experience, but it is also a ton of work. Make sure to check-in with your band and crewmates along the way to see how they are feeling. Oftentimes someone may be hesitant to bring up discomfort at the risk of bringing down the vibe. But, don’t be afraid to express your concerns and questions as well as your excitement.

“I think I missed that cue last night, what were you trying to say?”

“Is there a way we can make our load-in more efficient?”

“I fucking love you guys and I’m so grateful to be doing this together!”

Good communication on the road will lead to a more positive mindset overall and it is reflected in the music. Express yourself.

We have so many tools at our fingertips to make the shows we play even larger than the rooms they are in. Capture your performance as best you can by recording the audio, shooting video, and hiring photographers. If you can learn video or audio editing software, even better.

Stay up that extra hour to put a clip together from the night before. Your fans will appreciate the ability to keep up with your activity and feel like they are along for the ride. At the very least, be sure to take photos of one another or hop on social media with a video just to let your fans know you’re having fun. Your good time inspires their good time, and we are in the business of “making the people smile” – to quote the great Scott Hanney.

The van is going to roll on regardless, so make sure you do what makes you feel best before you hop in. The tips above are merely suggestions for how to have a successful and enjoyable tour (aside from the post-show shower, that is non-negotiable). We’re not rewriting the book here. What’s most important is that you discover what your individual needs are on the road. People have different dietary needs, sleep needs, or health needs. Some have significant others that they want to FaceTime with, and others are looking to make new friends along the way. Be honest with yourself and prioritize your needs.

Remember, the job doesn’t end when you get off the stage. Advocating for your mental and physical well-being will ensure that you don’t burn yourself out on the road. Then when you get back home, you will have energy to share with your loved ones, and keep your spirits high as you look towards your next big idea.

It is also important that you and your band figure out to what extent you even want to tour. For us, we’ve found that three weeks at a time is the sweet spot. That’s something we realized after doing multiple five-week runs, feeling the yearn to be home with our loved ones, as well as the fatigue that can come with the constant road grind. Three weeks has allowed us to maintain a healthy balance between the home lives we leave behind and making the most of our time on the road.

If you are from Texas, this tip might not apply to you. For the rest of us, Buc-ee’s is a touring band’s Shangri-La. It’s okay to feel like a kid in a candy shop here, because in some ways, you are.

Buy that beef jerky, get a brisket sandwich, purchase that souvenir, bask in the sheer overwhelming size of this gas station metropolis. Because if you leave there empty handed, when you’re back home from tour you’ll find yourself unable to sleep, wishing you had bought something from Buc-ee’s