Last week Style Weekly posted an article called “Road Tested” asking touring Richmond musicians about packing tips and lessons learned.  (The original article can be found here)  This article is especially topical for us since we just had our van broken into in New York City.  Luckily we only lost a couple of bags.  It was still a hard pill to swallow with a couple hundred dollars worth of personal items stolen.  It was an annoying amount of theft, enough to piss you off but not enough to file a claim and pay the deductible.

Steve Berlin  of Los Lobos sitting in at The Cutting Room in New York, NY – 4/20/13

This got us thinking about what we bring out on the road and how we pack.  I’m always amazed when I see musicians bringing their “babies” out on the road.  This is the instrument or piece of gear that would be virtually impossible to replace because of rarity or price.  If you love something, don’t take it on the road.  If something travels enough, it’s certain to meet one of the following fates: it’ll be lost, stolen, broken, wet (most likely soaked in beer), or it’ll meet other unseemly atrocities.  The key to happiness with touring (and life, for that matter) is simple: KEEP YOUR EXPECTIONS LOW.  You’ll be elated when you come home with half the stuff you left with.

On a recent trip to West Virginia I asked each band member to share a couple packing and traveling tips.  The number one travel tip: bring less clothes.  According to Mason and Bobby you should always bring extra boxers and socks.  Hunter, the eternal napper and writer, suggested pillows and a notebook.  Our keyboardist Andrew touted the virtues of bringing versatile clothes such as cowboy boots and a blazer.  I always have to have sunglasses and baby powder.  Other obvious good habits include getting to bed as soon as possible, bringing extra strings, and grabbing naps whenever possible.  Sticking with our low expectations theme I find it best just to let go.  Let go of the notion that you have any control over what happens when traveling.  Getting frustrated or angry over things beyond your control will just wear you out.

This attitude is what leads to great shows and happy band mates.  We’re still trying to figure it out so we can do this for many years to come.  While on most runs our nights still blend into the morning, maybe we’ll trade on less beer for one more salad the next time around.

- Josh

This is my first run back with the boys after finishing school and coming on full time. I started off the morning in Richmond servicing the band van: getting the oil changed, inspected and cleaned. Fast forward to 3 o’clock in the morning parked in Brooklyn, the van is back to its original condition littered with Budweiser cans and fast food wrappers. It was nice while it lasted.

Playing in New York City is always a logistical nightmare. This time around it went off without a hitch. Free parking at the venue and where we were staying in Brooklyn. Big score. We had an hour set at Sullivan Hall in the Village. The show was a blast with a lot of old friends coming out to support us. Getting people out on a Wednesday night is tough and coupled with playing in the city is another challenge. The sound guy was awesome and gave us a recording of the show, reportedly a $75 value according to the venue’s website. Another score. The trip up was worth it.

We finished up the night and headed to “decompress” in Brooklyn. In some sort of cruel retribution our friend Dan (who mastered our record) brought us to his ex-girlfriends house to stay for the night. A member of the band may or may not have slept walked into a roommate’s bedroom to sleep. The truth remains murky.  Long story short, Dan got out of dodge and is now on the road with us acting as de-facto manager and sound man.  His return date is uncertain.

Thursday, January 10 – Triumph Brewing Company – New Hope, PA

After grabbing some lunch and catching up with some more folks, we went and toured Engine Room Audio in Manhattan where our record was mastered. We pulled up outside and had an intern keep an eye on the van while we looked around one of the slickest studios I have ever seen. Besides having a great live room it also had a sick roof deck overlooking the city. We piled back in the van and made our way to New Hope, Pennsylvania to play at Triumph Brewing Company.

Although we had a thin crowd, we still had a great time.  The room sounded real nice and the micro-brews kept everyone in high spirits.

Friday, January 11 – The Bayou – Washington D.C.

This show was booked as an anchor for the rest of the run. Reaching out to new places means you don’t necessarily make what you normally do so its good to have a sure-fire gig that you can count on to draw people out and make some dough.

The Bayou did not let us down. I am not sure what the capacity of the room was, but I am sure that the fire marshal would not have been a happy camper if he saw this room so packed. It was a high-energy show with the whole crowd dancing and actually listening. We had a couple guys from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong come sit in which was the highlight of the night (besides the droves of beautiful DC girls).

It was a pretty great night and the cherry on top was staying at the Marriott. Clean beds and a solid breakfast was a great way to start of Saturday morning.

Saturday, January 11 – Dante’s – Frostburg, Maryland

It was a solid night with great sound and lots of free drinks. We hightailed it back to Richmond after what all of us considered a successful run. No broken gear, showers every day, and no emotional breakdowns. The highlight of the trip back home was playing twenty questions and seeing a car blow up on the side of the road.

Come join us this Friday 12/21 at The Republic in Richmond, VA as we welcome the end of the Mayan Calendar (and world?). Show starts at 10 PM and is absolutely FREE! Check out the event on Facebook and spread the word!