Re-Ooging Redux: How to Tour A One-Person Electronic Band?

[psychic vampire.]

I just insured my pickup truck. First time owning a vehicle. I feel crazy.

BUT! i have plans to build a frame into the bed of said truck that will support a mattress on top and have a drawer/storage spaces beneath, and here's where i ask y'all: Is it insane to pare/trade my equipment to smaller, essential shit that can fit in a few bags, and go on tour like this? Because punk/something?

Anyone have stories to share of terrible tours? One time i toured with 6 people and a dog in a Ford Taurus station wagon, because punk. Thankfully we were borrowing cabs and drums on that tour.

[D.o.S.]

Of course that's not crazy, that's a fucking good idea.

[psychic vampire.]

I'm glad you think so. I don't think crazy and good idea are mutually exclusive, but i'm pretty pumped about tryna tour again.

Or were you just saying that insuring my car was a good idea, bc yeah i shoulda done it months ago.

[Invisible Man]

No, I can only assume DoS is being facetious. DoF. Ima start a thread about how the sky is blue and see how long it takes D to take the piss.

[PeteeBee]

Good idea for sure! I have never toured with music, but every skateboard tour I went on was exactly like that. It does sound like there will be some lonely times, especially depending on your personality, but that is largely avoidable and worth it for the trip I think.

[resincum]

CJ Boyd is on a forever tour. do that!

[psychic vampire.]

No clue who CJ Boyd is, but that sounds like... maybe not the drem, but definitely a drem.

Petee, funny. I was just going through old emails and found a bunch of emails with photos from an old, old ex boyfriend who used to go on a bunch of skateboarding tours like that. That might be part of what inspired me.

[lordgalvar]

Dreadlocks....everyone knows dreadlocks are what make a traveler cool...haha

I actually almost did what you are talking about 'cept I was going to dig trenches and stuff. Good use of my degrees and training.

Actually, does the word of mouth street kid network still exist? I got by on name alone for a bit...had chances to live all over the place and always had help (turned it all down but it was hypothetically there). Just gotta get trust with the old timers (the 25 year olds haha).

Oh! Just sell butt flaps and spiked socks for gas to get to the next place. I knew a dead head that did that with tie dye socks until he got enough money for a hotel...then rented the shower to the deadheads so he could buy more socks. Rode the country on a Honda motorcycle....terrible scumbag though.

Maybe talk to dudes like Appalachian Terror Unit, Cress and stuff...they have some kinda east coast secret show network going on according to Cress dude. Eh, I dunno.

If you make it out west, I could see what I could do to help.

[psychic vampire.]

I've already moved far past that time when i was 17 and thought dreads looked super cool, thankfully. My current school of fashion is transsexual anime trent reznor, which i've been told i nail. I also once did the heavy road thing for work, three years ago, i went to the west coast to be a migrant farm worker for a hefty while. It was awful and terrible and amazing and life-affirming. Relying on the kindness of strangers and friends is an intense and challenging prospect. I think you mentioned having a kid or other responsibilities now, but you should still do it if you get the chance. Why the hell not? The traveling and seeing new things alone is a major driving force for me.

Can't exactly speak to the wider word of mouth street kid network, but the network of vaguely-to-overwhelmingly gay/trans aligned weirdos doing nothing with their lives who will put up idiots on the road is strong/has been my life for years now. I don't know that there's money to be made in buttflaps, but gas is one of the easiest things to figure out.

And i haven't thought about ATU or Cress in a long-ass minute, but it's good to be reminded that there are weirdo shows still happening on the east coast. This summer - and in my life in general - west is the goal.

[lordgalvar]

California is in a weird state as far as shows are going right now. LA is very secretive as far as shows go, SF/bay is having some schism going on (the 924 Gilman fiasco), and just a fragmented kinda scene...as least as far as I can tell. The goth/darkwave/etc kinda scene is cool out here in la if that helps and they have been great to me and the wife.

I did convince here to do a bit of free form travelling this summer. I had a blast...she was kinda bored haha. I did the traveling worker thing for a while as a plumber...it wore on my health...but it was still better than retail or something. I do kinda like long periods alone but I have to have contact with people too (luckily I can kinda bullshit with anyone anywhere haha).

I think once the logistics of just keeping moving get worked out and some contacts are made, it will be a journey! Lots of places are doing kinda neat little shows, just gotta find those floating clubs (like release the bats, said masodisco, das bunker, etc here in la...they don't have venues but move around bars).

I think it will be just about meeting the right people that know other people that can hook up house parties too (like back in the book your own fucking life days...unless that is still around?).

A place like LA or certain places in Texas and stuff could be nice stops because you can play three or four shows in a small general area (like within 40 miles of each other) and have really different crowds. Like in la, silver lake, west la, downtown, and San Bernardino will be totally different...west la being the worst crowd haha. My friends that pass through for DJ sets play like 4 or 5 times a week.

DJing may also help keeping you moving too...not all places can take a p performance, but will gladly pay a DJ for an hour of work. Lots of gigs for that in la (don't know how much of a name you need though, but they really just present playlists here...nothing too elaborate).

I dunno..haha. the selling butflaps thing was more a criticism of street hippie culture than anything haha. I haven't seen a makeshift distribution in a while though...maybe they are more at house parties... secret ones!