I had the pleasure of asking a few people who have been touring for a considerable part of their lives.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Preparing for Your First Overseas Tour
I had the pleasure of asking a few people who have been touring for a considerable part of their lives.
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This article caught my eye originally because of how much I like learning about reincorporation. Most rap uses a huge about of demos and cuts from other songs, but this article is special because of how many songs this small snippet is used. I was shocked to hear the snippet, and how at different speeds it sounded like different songs. Based off of my listening I wouldn’t guess that the drum break was forty seven years old, it seems too modern. I know I’ve heard this drum break everywhere, from commercials to songs and even video games. It’s crazy that this tiny little piece of music has been kept and reborn into so many other pieces. This was an interesting article, and I’ll definitely be more aware of this drum break when I hear it in the future.
I was interested in this article because I worked at a road house for three years during undergrad. We got a ton of touring shows every season, and there was always a huge difference between an experienced road crew and an inexperienced one. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to try to do an on time load in with someone who doesn’t speak the same language as you. I liked the mention of the Pilot, the in-ear translator that translates in real time through an app on your phone. I like that the article took three different perspectives of experienced road technicians, they covered all their bases by comparing information. It seems like each other of them have contingency plans for different scenarios like not having your technology and the technology of the host theater not syncing up and having to scramble to fix everything before the show goes up.
I liked how right off the bat they talked about being humble, having a good attitude. There is nothing quite like being trapped around people who make others miserable for a long and strenuous amount of time. I found the little things like power converters and debit cards to be something a seasoned traveler, like me, would have overlooked as basic knowledge if I were to explain to someone. Now I have it in the back of my mind as more of a prioritey if I ever have to give traveling tips. The last bit about blowing out equipment is so important, imagine bringing your gear all the way to a show so you could avoid the confusion of other gear and suddenly not being able to use the familiar equipment you went through such a hassle to bring. What a mess. I can't imagine a first time touring band with a non-seasoned crew, I would be nervous being part of the crew in this situation.
Clearly I have never been on tour, but it seems like a cool thing to do at some point in my life. I feel like the most important thing to do on tour is to be very prepared for many situations and have a lot of back up plans. It is hard to predict exactly what is going to happen at every venue because they are different sizes and if you go international then there is different equipment and electrics. The advice about learning a few words in the native language is a very good idea because it will show the people that you are working with that you have put in an effort to learn something about their culture and you want to communicate with them. Knowing as much as you can about a venue is extremely important and it will be helpful if any problems arise. Packing extra gear and adapters will be very useful in an emergency.
This article provided awesome insight to the tour life. Hopefully at some point in my career i will be able to tour. Like sam said, on tour you must be prepared for many situations. Being a stage manager/company manager can be extremely difficult on tour because of the constant time restraints. It has always fascinated me how quickly touring crews are able to strike and load in a set (especially so efficiently). I would love to see the difference between touring with a band and touring with a production. I am also curious about modifications tours need to make depending on variables in each particular venue (Sight lines, capability, etc). I am also intrigued by the marketing that needs to go around in every town. Overall, I love tours and hope to go on one.
When reading this tour I got extremely excited about the future. At some point I want to tour. One thing that surprised me was how nice the person sounded. They talked about being humble and learning some phrases from another country to be polite. This is an amazing practice to continue with. It will show that you are kind and want this to be the best process it can be.Also packing for efficiency is very smart because when you have so much stuff to bring what you it will slow you down. One thing I wish they talked about was the major differences from touring locally to going over seas. And how much of a difference the crew life has.
I think everyone at some point wishes to tour, at least i do. it mixes two of my favorite things: theater, and traveling. I liked this article because they sweated the small stuff like being humble, kind, and conscious of the culture around you. likewise it talked about the hassle of power conversion, and understanding that where you are traveling may not have the same setup. This applies not only for international travel, because every theater is different, whether it uses twist-lock or stage pin plugs, or if the size of the stage is different from the stage the set was built for. there must be a myriad of considerations that go into touring a show, and i wonder how different that would be between a band and theater company. I think the big theme for this article was to pay attention to the small stuff, which may seem pointless, but in the end will actually be crucial to the success of the tour.
I would agree with everything said in this article, although I have a different perspective. For me all the equipment was always traveled with us. I never though about having to get new equipment everywhere I go. At least when it came to the show. I know for me personally I had to buy a electric razor that worked in different countries. I would also say bring your toiletries. Chances are if you going somewhere foreign with a completely different culture they will probably have the same kind of products like shampoo and soap and toothpaste. It’s just a good idea to bring enough with you for the length of your trip. Also would say you want to invest in a up to date VPN. If you have a bunch of tv shows on Netflix or anything like that it will be worth it. You’d be surprised by home much the tv options differ even if this the same service provider.
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