Entertainment- I'm a musician who recently went on tour for the first time with my band, Blanket Approval.
- I faced some challenges during the tour, like keeping energy levels high and getting enough rest.
- Ultimately, I think the tour made us better musicians and friends.
I was 15 when I played my first live show. I was a bassist in an alternative rock band in Dallas, Texas. I'll never forget how I felt up there in a tiny venue packed with high schoolers and our parents. When I jumped off stage after that life-changing set, I screamed on repeat, "I wanna do this forever!"
Cut to 12 years later — you could say I'm living out my dream.
After a decade of mastering instruments and playing gigs, I think I've found my perfect role: The drummer and singer in the band Blanket Approval. We formed in New York City just under two years ago and quickly became best friends. This summer, we went on our first-ever tour.
Named after our most recent single, The Happy Alone Tour was our summer road trip in the Northeast. In about two weeks, we played our songs around five different states in cities like Baltimore, Boston, and of course, our hometown of New York.
During this time, we had new experiences that made us closer while playing in a variety of venues. Ultimately, for me, the tour confirmed the thought I'd had 12 years earlier: I want to do this forever.
At the same time, it brought to light new challenges that I know I'll continue to face in this endeavor.
Loading and unloading gear was always necessary
We took one SUV that was filled to the brim with instruments, suitcases, and activities — and don't forget those Blanket Approval T-shirts.
I didn't think about how often we'd have to load and unload the car on tour. For just one show, we would pack and unpack the car three times: at home, at the venue, and at home again.
But to keep our gear safe on tour, we also had to load and unload our gear in and out of hotels and Airbnbs. This got tiring, but I had it easy. Since I'm the smallest in the group, I carried the lightest items.
It was tough to dance all night every night
A night with Blanket Approval isn't just about the crowd — it's about all the bands on the bill. We want the musicians we share the stage with to remember us for being supportive and fun. So we show up for their sets and dance in the crowd.
This comes naturally for me for one show. But on tour, I found it more challenging to stay high-energy night after night. Don't get me wrong, one of the best parts of this experience was dancing with my best friends to exciting new music, but it was also exhausting to do for multiple days in a row. There were points when I had to take a beat and conserve my energy for my own set.
Taking time to rest and refuel was key
Around midnight after our fifth show, I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast.
I don't like to eat during the 2-3 hours leading up to a show, so on tour, I realized that I had to consciously plan out my eating times to stay healthy. Luckily, I had my best friends to help me with that.
Resting was as challenging as fueling up.
No matter how tired I am, I get an adrenaline rush after gigs and have the urge to hang out all night. When I don't have work in the morning, this is harder to resist.
But being on tour is tiring. After traveling all day and performing night after night, I realized that I needed to get enough sleep to play my best. So I had to put my urges aside and crawl into bed after shows.
Touring made me a better musician
At the final show in NYC, a crowd piled into Arlene's Grocery on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and we brought a high-energy show to the venue. I think it was the best we've ever sounded. That night, I realized that I felt more confident in myself and in sync with my bandmates than I did before the tour.
I was amazed at how far we'd come, but it made sense to me. We got so much practice playing live in venues we'd never been to. And we recorded our sets to listen back to see how we could improve.
We also spent more time together than we ever have. From shared hotel rooms to long talks in the car, my bandmates made me feel like a little kid again. Now, I've never felt closer to them.
Improved musicianship and closer relationships were the greatest treasures of my first tour. And I can't wait to get back on the road.