A reliable means of getting yourself and your equipment to and from gigs is just as essential as looking after your voice and making sure you've got a decent sound system. If you break down on the way to perform at someone’s wedding you will quite frankly ruin the biggest day of their lives and will be bad mouthed by the bride, groom and all their guests to anyone who will listen - and quite rightly so.
Therefore make sure you some have decent transport or at the absolute minimum a decent road-side recovery contract with the AA or RAC that will get you to the venue if you do break down. (Worry about getting home later!!).
P.A. and lighting equipment has physically reduced in size and weight but has increased in performance over the past ten years and it's now possible to get a full stage rig in the back of most medium sized cars. However if you intend to be gigging more than two nights a week you are better off having a van. A van rigged with the best security you can afford is invaluable because it means if you have to you can leave equipment in it overnight. Obviously all equipment should be separately insured but we'll come to that in another blog later.
If you are in a band, why not club together or forgo the money for a few gigs to get a van? For a band van you will need something like a 'spitter van' which has seating for all the band and a separate compartment at the rear of the van for gear. These can also be hired from companies like: www.tigertours.co.uk
Therefore make sure you some have decent transport or at the absolute minimum a decent road-side recovery contract with the AA or RAC that will get you to the venue if you do break down. (Worry about getting home later!!).
P.A. and lighting equipment has physically reduced in size and weight but has increased in performance over the past ten years and it's now possible to get a full stage rig in the back of most medium sized cars. However if you intend to be gigging more than two nights a week you are better off having a van. A van rigged with the best security you can afford is invaluable because it means if you have to you can leave equipment in it overnight. Obviously all equipment should be separately insured but we'll come to that in another blog later.
If you are in a band, why not club together or forgo the money for a few gigs to get a van? For a band van you will need something like a 'spitter van' which has seating for all the band and a separate compartment at the rear of the van for gear. These can also be hired from companies like: www.tigertours.co.uk
Splitter bus hire or tour bus hire.
In the past my band has even hired a full blown tour bus (a converted coach with beds, living rooms, toilet, galley storage area for gear. These are great if you have a really long way to get to the gig and you want to get back over night. For example, we did a gig in Loch Rannoch in Scotland. The bus picked us up from our base near Cardiff in the morning. We arrived at around 6PM in Scotland - did the gig and got back on the bus and we were home by 8am the next morning - nice and refreshed and ready for the next gig.
Owing to the nature and location of many venues you will often find yourself pulling up outside a venue that has either no off street parking or no easy access. This can be a pain in the arse, but something you should be prepared for. I had a yellow flashing light fitted to the top of my van and many of my friends ridiculed me saying it made it look like a motorway maintenance van. But believe me it was well worth the money as it allows me pull up almost anywhere and unload equipment without hassle from the police or traffic wardens who can immediately see that you are loading / unloading. In addition I often find that I have to reverse out of side streets onto main thoroughfares, and switching the light on makes most other drivers aware that you are reversing blind. Oh and I almost forgot, switching the light on when you are on double yellow lines makes the van invisible...
Seriously, the investment in decent transport is as important as a decent P.A. system and should not be overlooked.
One final point, whatever you use to get yourself around, don't plaster your name all over the vehicle! It's a great ego boost to see your name on the side of a van but you might as well put a sign on it saying 'Steal me! - expensive gear inside.'
In the past my band has even hired a full blown tour bus (a converted coach with beds, living rooms, toilet, galley storage area for gear. These are great if you have a really long way to get to the gig and you want to get back over night. For example, we did a gig in Loch Rannoch in Scotland. The bus picked us up from our base near Cardiff in the morning. We arrived at around 6PM in Scotland - did the gig and got back on the bus and we were home by 8am the next morning - nice and refreshed and ready for the next gig.
Owing to the nature and location of many venues you will often find yourself pulling up outside a venue that has either no off street parking or no easy access. This can be a pain in the arse, but something you should be prepared for. I had a yellow flashing light fitted to the top of my van and many of my friends ridiculed me saying it made it look like a motorway maintenance van. But believe me it was well worth the money as it allows me pull up almost anywhere and unload equipment without hassle from the police or traffic wardens who can immediately see that you are loading / unloading. In addition I often find that I have to reverse out of side streets onto main thoroughfares, and switching the light on makes most other drivers aware that you are reversing blind. Oh and I almost forgot, switching the light on when you are on double yellow lines makes the van invisible...
Seriously, the investment in decent transport is as important as a decent P.A. system and should not be overlooked.
One final point, whatever you use to get yourself around, don't plaster your name all over the vehicle! It's a great ego boost to see your name on the side of a van but you might as well put a sign on it saying 'Steal me! - expensive gear inside.'
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