For any artist, getting to travel the world while promoting your work is the dream, but sometimes once the dream becomes reality you can find yourself scratching your head when it comes time to packing. That’s why we’ve got you covered! Below are 5 tips for packing for tour, and if you’re prepping for your first tour and haven’t figured out your travel plans, why not look into booking a U-Haul van or box truck for the tour?
The Essentials
There are certain things that you’re going to want to have on the road with you that you hopefully will never have to use, but are essential. Be sure to bring: aspirin, flashlight (your phone doesn’t count!), a small toolkit (not an all-in-one tool!), and a small first aid kit.
When It Comes To Clothes, Pack Light!
If you’re an artist that’s about to hit the road remember to pack the basics, daily outfit + pajamas but try to leave it at that. More clothes means less space. A general rule of thumb is for every week of travel, bring enough for two outfit changes. For every month of travel, bring five outfit changes.
Keep Inventory Of Your Equipment
This may seem like a no-brainer, but staying organized is quite possibly thee most important factor to a good tour. When I was a tour manager in both the U.S. and in Europe, I would make sure I had both a mobile and physical checklist of all of our gear. I would make sure to inventory before getting on the road, and after every gig. A simple daily routine will also keep incidental expenses lower.
Assess whether you’ll be using a car, van, or trailer
If you’re a traveling artist that doesn’t own a van or bus, sometimes it makes more sense to use your car or truck and attach a trailer. Fortunately, U-Haul has plenty of great options for trailers!
Plan For Downtime
If you’re touring with others make sure you bring a good book, or some good noise cancelling headphones. As much fun as it is to be hanging with your buddies and bandmates, you’re going to find that a little bit of distance makes the heart grow fonder.
Are you a musician on the road? Leave your tips for a successful packing experience on tour in the comments below, and check out the Play Too Much indie music blog!
Chris Pizzolo is a native New Yorker who has been immersed in the music industry for the last half decade. Chris currently runs the New York City based music website Play Too Much where they host a weekly videos, podcasts, and events!
