The van is a staple of the touring lifestyle. You could even say its role on the road to musical success has achieved legendary status. But it is more than a symbol. It is a vital tool in your ability to reach and connect with audiences.
This is not to say you should just treat a van as another physical implement. After all, you’re unlikely to consider your instruments to be mere sound-making objects. You know that the way you maintain, adapt, and live with your creative tools makes a difference to your art and career — and the same goes for the choices you make when you’re heading out on the road in your van.
We’re going to run down a few tips to take onboard for various elements of touring van life. With some planning and consideration, you can optimize your ability to bring your music to loyal fans and new audiences alike.
1) Minimize Costs
Traveling in a van is certainly cheaper than taking a full bus or even a plane. This is vital as touring is a primary source of income for many musicians, particularly given the current industry tendency for low streaming payments. As such, you need to establish some more strategies to keep your van touring costs low.
Gas is likely to be one of your highest touring costs. Let’s face it: vans aren’t exactly known for their low fuel consumption, particularly if you’ve had to invest in an older model. But there are some basic methods to keep your gas costs as low as possible. Perform a little research ahead of time about the gas stations on your route offering the best prices; there are apps to help with this. Performing regular checks and maintenance on your tires and fuel system can improve efficiency too.
You should also be strict about the gear you take on tour. Every additional piece of equipment, luggage, even clothing adds weight to your van. This, in turn, translates to higher fuel consumption. Only take the absolute essentials on tour. Even if you have a roof rack, avoid using this as this adding mass here could be detrimental to the aerodynamics of your vehicle.
2) Maintain Wellness
The van touring life is not known for being advantageous to your health. You’re spending long periods of time sitting down, not to mention that between gear and personnel, there’s unlikely to be a lot of comfort space. You might also have to travel through the night to get to the next show or press appointment while simultaneously squeezing time in to get something to eat. Unless you want to get ill, it’s important to focus on your wellness.
Firstly, whether you’re traveling the world as a band outfit or it’s just you and your road tech, you’ll be interacting with a lot of promoters, venue staff, and audiences. Don’t forget that your van is pretty close quarters, which leaves ample opportunity for viruses to breed and spread.
Particularly in light of the pandemic and the more contagious Omicron variant, you should adopt strict cleaning methods. Wipe down and sanitize all contact areas of the van regularly. The steering wheel, seats, and door handles should all get consistent attention. Wherever possible, keep the windows down to circulate fresh air as you travel and replace your air conditioning filters regularly.
You should also plan your trip to include regular breaks from the confines of the van. Tensions can certainly run high after long periods crammed together in a small space. Mark your route with parks, hiking trails, and rest stops that are close to nature. Stretch your legs and take in some fresh air. This is good for minimizing strain from sitting, is good for your immune system, and helps support your mental health.
3) Consider the Environment
Most musicians aren’t able to afford an electric or hybrid van just now. However, it’s important to recognize how your touring impacts the environment. This isn’t just from an ethical and considerate perspective either. Audiences want their musicians on the road to demonstrate they’re doing what they can to protect the planet. It can also be a positive move to talk about your efforts in interviews and even post images and videos of your ecologically-friendly van travel on your social media channels.
We’ve already covered maintaining your vehicle to be more fuel-efficient. But the way you drive your van can also minimize emissions as you travel. There is some contention around whether driving in a higher gear reduces emissions; it certainly reduces fuel consumption but also causes higher engine load which is linked to emissions. Your best bet is to plan your touring routes for the shortest possible distance so you’re driving less and burning lower amounts of fuel.
Another environmentally-friendly touring approach is to opt for camping over hotel rooms. It’s not only cheaper, but it also uses fewer electrical and water resources. You’ll also find it’s a fun and relaxing experience. However, you should be sure to adopt eco-friendly behavior in your camping so you don’t negatively impact the natural surroundings. Utilize reusable implements to minimize waste. Look for green campsites with composting and solar energy charging sources on hand. Importantly, keep noise to a minimum to avoid disrupting local wildlife.
Conclusion
Touring in a van can become a staple of your career as a musician. However, it’s important to find ways to make this experience as positive as possible. Reducing costs — particularly in relation to gas — can help make your efforts more profitable. But you should also be sure to maintain your health throughout the journey and mitigate your negative impact on the environment. All it takes is a few extra points of consideration and your van can be more than just an effective tool in helping you reach audiences.
Courtesy of Indiana Lee.
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