Spider Bites, Busted Axles and Personal Space

TOURING TIPS FROM FOUR YEAR STRONG GUITARIST/VOCALIST DAN O’CONNOR

- Adam Kovac

THE ROAD IS a magical place in the imaginations of aspiring rock stars. Piling into a van with your friends, spending your days traveling to new cities and your nights playing in front of adoring crowds, all fueled by nothing more than cheap beer, cheaper food and whatever illicit substances you can scrounge together? Who needs frat parties when you can live that life while getting paid literally dozens of dollars every single night?

Of course, that’s just fantasy. Touring is a complicated business, where creature comforts can be few and far between, finances are tight and every great show can be canceled out by a night playing to just the bartender. All that while trying to keep your rig in working condition can drive a guitarist insane.