As musicians and performers, we often find ourselves on the road traveling to gigs. Though we tend to think about the performance we are traveling to as the most important part, if we don’t arrive at the gig WHEN, WHERE, and HOW we need to, giving an awesome performance can be greatly affected.
Here are some tips about what to do on the road so that you arrive ready to rock:
- Be well rested. You need to be alert on the road. It’s important to look out for wrong turns and vital that you can respond quickly to obstacles.
- Leave early. Especially if you are traveling to a new gig, give yourself enough time to deal with the unexpected. The farther you are traveling, the more time you should give for possible hold-ups. CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST and ROAD CONDITIONS to help determine this.
- Take your cell phone (AND your charger) but don’t use it to text while driving. If you need to text someone, pull over and take a quick break to stretch, too.
- Bring food and water. It’s important to keep your energy up. Throw in some peppermint tea bags to put in your water if you need a little extra kick.
- Buckle up. It’s not just a law, it’s your life. Wear a seat belt to protect yourself and others in the vehicle. If you aren’t buckled in, you become a projectile.
- DON’T tailgate. Not only is tailgating impolite, but it’s incredibly dangerous. Follow the “Two-second rule“. Give yourself at least two seconds to take evasive action if the vehicle in front of you stops unexpectedly. The higher your speed, the more important this is.
- Secure your instrument in the cab. The temperature that is right for you is also the right temperature for your instrument. Avoid putting your instrument in the trunk.
- Listen to music you enjoy. Especially if you have any nerves about the gig you’re traveling to, put on music that you really enjoy.
- When you arrive take some time to stretch out and don’t forget to smile.
- Rock it out!!
Thanks for reading! (Now go practice!)