Hey guys!

Traveling for concerts? As a musician that has traveled around the globe in over thirty different cities worldwide, I am very familiar with the thrills of international travel and performance, but also the trials you can go through, and I want to share some of my tips that have helped me have more of the thrills and less of the trials!

Different cities/countries, different vibes:

First of all, firstly, whether it’s another city in your home country or a totally different country and culture altogether, I really noticed that people reacted differently to my show in every city, and I don’t mean just different crowds. For example, some audiences felt comfortable jumping on stage with me and were very loud and appreciative! Some audiences had certain protocols imposed on them and were only allowed to clap. The attitudes in different countries will vary, so check it out in advance! Here’s a great article on different customs which shares a few different guides you could get to find out more about your particular destination(s) – https://www.tripsavvy.com/culture-customs-guides-for-foreign-countries-33904

Be prepared for different challenges with sound check:

Look into any special voltage adapters or power outlet adapters that your gear might need
If you’re flying, it might be cheaper to have some of your items provided when you get there- pack only the essentials! Remember it’s not just the flight, it’s getting around once you arrive as well.

Sleep in different time zones:

At first, I found this difficult. I would often fly into a city in a different time zone the day of a show, so I really had to make sure that I had either rested up in advance, or that I could rest on arrival. If my flight takes place during the night time hours of my arrival destination I will try to sleep, and on arrival, my doctor told me to get as much sun as possible! Sunlight apparently helps your body re-calibrate and realize it’s daytime and help your body clock adjust. Also, I take something like Valerian or Melatonin when it is the night time to tell my body it’s time to rest. Some exercise in the sunlight helps even more!

Different personalities and working with others

When traveling with other musicians – remember you’re a team. So try to be flexible and when things don’t go to plan try to have patience and don’t get upset. Sometimes it’s inevitable that not everything will go to plan. Be open to whatever might happen, and stick together! Remember that people get irritable when they are tired or stressed so try to have compassion for those around you!

Don’t leave things behind!

Write a pack list- not just for when you’re getting ready to leave, but when you’re packing up in each hotel room that you stay in! I used to leave things behind all the time, but taking the time to check your list and make sure you repacked it all, is a great way to keep track of items you may have forgotten, under a bed, or in a cupboard. I once left a gown in a hotel room wardrobe! So easy to do when you’re going from city to city!

Take care of yourself!

Keep in mind that you’re there to do a job, it’s not a holiday. You need to make sure that you take care of yourself and remember to pack whatever vitamins and other items you use at home, and make sure that you take the time to take care of yourself while travelling. There’s nothing worse than getting sick halfway through a bunch of dates. Speaking of health, get travel insurance! No one ever thinks anything will happen while traveling, no one believes they’ll get sick, injured, or robbed, but it does happen. Better to be prepared!

A different language?

I like to try to say a few phrases to my audience in their own language. Even if it’s just “Hi, my name is….. and I’m going to play (insert song or piece) for you” or “hey good evening!” Or whatever it is you would usually say. “Please” and “thank you” can go a long way as well.

Plan Your stage outfits in advance

Figure out what you’re going to wear at each concert in advance. There might not always be time to go shopping when you get there. Also, making sure that your clothes don’t need a lot of attention (don’t pack silk! It always crushes easily) can save you time, effort and money.

Pack clothing for days off!

If you’re going to have some days off, make sure you bring things appropriate for the location you will be, like a swimsuit or hiking clothes or whatever it is that you might want to do on that day off. Nothing more annoying that having a day off at a beautiful beach location and having to spend some of it off getting items you need…

Stay well on your flight

I always take probiotics before, during and after a flight. It’s so easy to catch something through the circulated air conditioning! Also, drink a lot (of water not alcohol) and wear compression tights. Compression tights can leave you feeling more rested. I’ve been doing it since my 20s… think about it. Nurses and people in professions where they stand a lot wear them all the time. Flights cause even more stress to your circulation, so why not- take care of yourself! You don’t have to be old to wear them! Here’s a great article on why it helps: https://www.travelchannel.com/roam-blog/news-deals/why-you-should-wear-compression-socks-when-you-fly

Taking your instrument on board

If you’re a singer, don’t worry about this one! If not… read on: Check the Baggage Policies of Your Airline and find out their attitude towards instruments so you know what’s up before you get to the airport. If you have more than one airline on the travel route, check them all. Even if they’re connecting flights sometimes they can cause some grief and ask you to check your instrument half way even if the first airline has agreed. Here’s a cool site that shows you airlines’ policies on instruments- https://www.fim-musicians.org/airlines-list

Some more tips:

• Too many details to remember?  Put Your Room Number & Hotel Address in Your Phone
• Don’t use free public wifi, especially if you’re doing online banking or anything else you would hope is secure! Because, simply, it’s NOT secure.
•  Let your Bank and Credit Card Company know of Your Travel Plans- it helps make sure your cards are always available to you while travelling and saves some headaches.
•  First aid- I always take tylenol, benedryl, lozenges, anti nausea and medication for stomach upsets especially if I’m travelling like India or anywhere you shouldn’t drink the water… and I also always take bandages/bandaids and antiseptic cream with me.
• Make sure your passport and license are current! Sometimes passports expire before we realize, so look into it before you leave, or even better, make sure you renew yours well before it expires so you’re always ready for travel.
• Take photocopies of all your important documents so you have the details if the originals get lost, and always share these with someone else, even if you’re travelling with a large group. I always send my itinerary and important document copies to family before I leave so they know where I’ll be.

OK guys so I hope this helps! If I had know this when I started traveling for concerts it totally would have helped me out!

Have any questions? Feel free to email me!

Sophie

xox