Brisbane’s favourite indie rockers Aerials are riding a wave of momentum and good vibes generated from their tour supporting fellow Aussie rockers Dead Letter Circus and alt rockers Jericco on their respective tours.
The guys are now gearing up to unleash their sophomore EP, Restless, which is paired with a national tour. No strangers to hard touring, for this week’s ‘How To’ the band’s guitarist Tristan Chu has given us their practical guide to touring nationally as an indie band.
As Tristan explains “this piece is not about booking a successful tour. This piece is not about building interstate connections. This piece is definitely not about making money playing shows. I’m sure there are many articles out there by seasoned touring artists and music industry veterans to help with the above. What I’m delving into is a few basic rules (or lack of rules) Aerials stick to while we’re on the road. Follow them or find out the hard way…”
Scavenger Hunt
“Everybody knows that the airport is expensive and full of ridiculous mark-ups. The straight up robbery, however, is at the front of the complex. This stupid expense I’m referring to, is luggage trolleys.
$4 might not sound like much money, but it’s a disgusting amount for something you “borrow” to cart some gear a few meters. We easily fly with two-three trolleys worth of gear, so you are looking at $30-40 for a capital city run of shows. RIDICULOUS!
There is a solution to this mayhem and we like to make it a bit of a game. Whenever you plan to get to the airport, add on 20mins. You should do this anyway, as nothing ever goes perfectly to plan.
We usually have one person return the hire car (Rent-a-Bomb), while the other two scavenge for as many abandoned trolleys possible. It’s like a treasure hunt, but you can’t afford missing your flight. My hot tip would be waiting around the taxi rank… you’ll always find someone ditching their trolley!”
Engineer Etiquette
“Did your parents ever tell you to “treat people how you would like to be treated?” If not, don’t be a dick to the venue’s sound engineer. Why?
- He puts up with enough snotty-nosed pricks
- Being a dick to anyone is stupid
- He has the power to make or break your show
Industry people talk, especially live engineers. Last thing you want as a small touring act is having a shitty reputation and being declined by venues.
I’m not saying be a suck-up or turn up with gifts, but a simple email to touch base before the show and learning his name can go a long way. If you ever want real feedback on your live show, you can usually tell from the venue engineer and manager, as they see good bands, great bands and crap bands every week. A great sign is if either of them actually buying your merch after the show.”
Party Smart
“As hypocritical as I am, planning on who is driving each night of the tour is very important. This rule gets broken every tour, however it’s fair and safer if designated drivers alternate each night. There is no sillier band argument than who wants to get their party on more than the other.
And there is nothing more nerve-racking than leaving your expensive and sacred gear in the car on a dodgy street, because you all decided on having celebratory tequilas. While I’m at it, get your gear insured. We usually try to plan ahead and “shotgun” which cities we can party in before we even hit the road.”
Fast Food Is The Devil
“I’m not your Dad. You’re an adult now. Eat what you want. All I can say from experience, is to eat as healthy as possible, especially when you are doing long hours in the van. I’m quite guilty of the double bacon and egg muffins with extra hash browns, as it’s quite a hangover cure, but not the best after multiple days.
[include_post id=”433680″] Apparently “sitting is the new smoking”, therefore those greasy burgers and chips you smashed in Hicksville or the stale chunky pie you devoured in Bogan Town are doing extra festering in your stomach. That’s what it feels like anyway. Other than my hate for airports, I prefer driving to interstate shows, as it gives us the opportunity to stock up on fresh groceries such as fruit, veg and nuts. Eating healthy can tie you over longer than you can think. Your future self will thank you for it!”
Be Prepared To Laugh and Learn
“As mentioned earlier, things will always go wrong. Steady organisation, forward planning and checklists will always contribute towards smooth sailing, but there will always be a spanner thrown in the works. Solution? Laugh at the situation and learn from your mistake.
- Left your bass guitar in Sydney and already driven back to Brisbane? Laugh, and then remember to do a 2nd “idiot check” next bump out.
- Lost your wallet somewhere in Central QLD? Laugh, and then remember to not drink so much with the locals.
- Locked the keys inside the van? Laugh, and then stop giving responsibilities to the bass player.
- Running late to your Sydney show? Laugh, and the slap yourself for not remembering to add an extra hour for crappy Sydney traffic.
- Sore neck from sleeping on a stinky hard floor at some random’s house? Laugh, and then remember to pack a small pillow in your luggage for when you pull the short straw on bedding options.
Lack of sleep, large expenses and mishaps can contribute to tension between members and it’s best to disarm any potential conflict while on the road. Save it for a future meeting when everyone has a clear head. Laugh, learn and enjoy each other’s company, you’ll build the strongest bonds and meet some of the best people on the road. Hardly anyone is making money in this business, so you might as well make memories.”
Aerials Tour Dates
Thursday, 1st October 2015
Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich
Tickets: Oztix
Friday, 2nd October 2015
The Foundry, Brisbane
Tickets: Oztix
Thursday, 8th October 2015
Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney
FREE ENTRY
Friday, 9th October 2015
Yah Yah’s, Melbourne
Tickets: TBC
