There are two good reasons to consider going on a road trip to see a band play live. The first is that (due to tour budgets and management) the band quite simply refuse to play a show in your town. In that case, the only chance you have to see your favourite band is to jump in your car and drive to the nearest town that made the cut. The other reason is if they are playing a show in your town, and also the next town over, and the next one after that too, and you are so super excited about them that you decide to go to every single show. It’s like going on tour with the band, only without an expense account or a tour manager. I’ve put together ten tips to help make the most of your musical adventure.
1. Ticket Check!
The first thing to remember is to check that everyone has their tickets (and IDs if necessary) as they get into the car. Make them get the tickets out and show you, it’s the only way to be sure! One year when we went to Southbound (3 hours drive south) we didn’t check until we’d picked up the last of our friends and I realised I didn’t have my ticket! We had to drive back to my place to get my ticket, luckily we hadn’t left Perth yet!
2. Always bring lots of spare cash!
By the time you’ve been on the road a few hours you’ll be looking forward to a great meal at a road house or a local pub, not to mention money for band merch at the show! And there are always other incidental costs that seem to pop up, a bottle of water here, a pint of beer there, and remember to give the driver a contribution toward fuel!
3. Make Road Trip Mix Tapes!
No one wants to spend four hours in a car listening to the same CD the whole time, so plan ahead and make some mix CDs. Or you could hook up your i-Pod to the car stereo and put together a playlist that will last the length of the trip. One great way to do this is to get everyone to go through the i-Pod at the start of the drive and pick ten songs each to put on the playlist, then you can just hit shuffle and have something to keep everyone happy!
4. Always bring some snacks for the drive!
Include plenty of water and something sugary to keep energy levels up. Think about the weather so you don’t end up with melted chocolate in a hot car and pick something everyone will enjoy. I always like to bake, so cupcakes are a must for my road trips, but maybe you just want a pack of chips and a bag of Skittles. Nothing too messy and be careful with things that might go off after a few hours in a warm car!
5. Bring a swimsuit!
Pack your Bathers near the top of your bag or in an outside pocket. You never know when you might want to stop off for a swim at the beach or in an enticing looking lake. This way you don’t have to unpack everything just for a quick dip before lunch!
6. Stay up late!
Don’t worry about getting lots of sleep or being too clean (depending on the length of the road trip of course). There’ll be time to sleep when you get home, enjoy your time on the road. And when it comes to showering, if you’re only away over night, it’s probably safer to wait until you get home than to use campsite or hostel showers. Or better still, just go for a swim!
7. Bring a map!
And any addresses you might need. It’s pretty self explanatory; no one wants to get lost!
8. Find somewhere to sleep!
If you’re only staying one night, don’t stress too much about accommodation. Youth Hostels and Caravan parks add more to the adventure than a room at a four star hotel. And if you can’t find anything, you can always sleep in the car. The first year my friends and I went to Southbound we didn’t have any accommodation, but someone we knew had a site at a caravan park, so we joined them, parked the car, and spent the night hanging out on a playground bundled up in our sleeping bags. Which leads me to my next tip…
9. Be prepared for anything!
I don’t mean that in the way that a Scout is always prepared, I mean, relax, go with the flow, and welcome detours and pit stops. Often the best parts of the trip are the ones that aren’t planned.
10. Look after the driver!
Make sure your driver gets to take a break every few hours, or even take it in turns driving. No one wants a tired driver on unfamiliar roads, and you all want to get there in one piece.
Hopefully these tips will come in handy. Just remember to relax and enjoy the journey along with the destination. Good luck!
p.s. I hope you enjoy the video of our road trip antics when we went to Margaret River to see The Thrills earlier this year.
