Web-Exclusive: It's Called The Music Business with Damiera

Damiera vocalist/guitarist Dave Raymond tells us how to get in the van and leave the trailer behind.



































On a recent 10-week tour of the U.S., we got the vibe from most bands that pulling a trailer is expected these days. Well, I’m here to say, "NTR: No Trailer Required." Damiera drive a 2004 Ford E-350 15-passenger van, carrying two Gibson Les Paul guitars, two Gibson SG guitars, two Fender basses, two cable boxes, a Diezel VH4, a Mesa Dual Rectifier, an Ampeg SVT-Classic, a four-piece DW drum set, cymbal bag, hardware bag, 10-space production rack, two oversized Mesa 4×12 Rectifier cabs, two (yes, two) Ampeg 8×10 bass cabs and three bins of merch. Yet we have plenty of room and save a lot of money. You can, too.

MONEY MATTERS



During 2007-’08, the biggest drain on Damiera’s tour budget was a 7×14-foot trailer. Since selling it, our gas mileage has nearly doubled, while highway tolls have been cut in half by eliminating two axles. These are significant numbers when touring on a limited budget. The cost and maintenance of a trailer could be enough to drive your band into debt.

Plus, with all of the gear inside the van, the weight is nearly equivalent to carrying its expected amount of people, so the drive train, shocks, transmission and engine are all taking on less of a load. Regular vehicle maintenance is also less costly and more time-efficient when performing it on one giant machine instead of two.

MAKING SPACE


When organizing your gear in the back of the van, make sure to evenly distribute the weight. Standing up your 8×10 or stacking to the ceiling will save space. It took Damiera five hours to figure out a system. Take your time during this process because it will definitely pay off in the end. If you’re worried that your merch will not fit in the back, don’t sweat it: It’s cheaper to drop-ship merch (sending it ahead to the venues you’ll be playing) than to pull it behind you.


The front of the van is where things get tricky. While you may have lots of room (or none at all), it might be tough to decide what gets left behind. Clothes? Personal belongings? A merch person? Something like a one-bag-per-person rule can save so much space. Put as much baggage as you can under the seats and store your stuff on top of the gear in the back. If you need to bring extra people, brief them on how much stuff to bring so as to keep everything comfortable.

FREE AND CLEAR


Without the trailer, it’s a relief not worry about things like turning too hard or parking on city streets. Being able to fit in tight spaces can save so much stress and aggravation. Plus, the time you save really adds up. You can also bump that speedometer to about 75 or 80 mph [where speed limits allow, of course]. Awesome!

We know that these methods are not for everyone; some bands simply have too much gear or too many members. For those of you who feel these ideas may be useful, carefully consider your options. You may be able to save literally thousands of dollars.






"Pulling a trailer definitely kills your miles per gallon, and in a lot of circumstances, it can be more dangerous. Also, a trailer is a dead giveaway to police and thieves that you are a band. We’ve taken out all but two bench seats and built a ‘loft’ that most gear goes under or behind, and our bags ride on top of. When we sleep in the van, we have one person sleep on the loft, two people get bench seats, and one of us sleeps in the shotgun seat (not fun, we switch it up to be fair)."


NICK MILES

The Photo Atlas


"We have been touring with a van and a fairly small-sized trailer for three years now. We store almost all of our gear in the trailer, and it greatly supports our health and sanity to have more space to stretch out and relax in the van. You can, and will, frequently encounter parking difficulties when you gig with a trailer-San Francisco is the worst-but fortunately for us, our bass player is a ‘trailer maneuvering mastermind.’"


JOHN VAN DEUSEN

The Lonely Forest


"You will definitely save a lot of gas and money by not hauling a trailer. We’ve done many of our tours without one. You’ll get very good at playing Tetris with your equipment in the back of your van and making everything work. On the other hand, the extra room a trailer provides bumps up the comfort level quite a bit. So the issue is a toss up and depends on the band, but it definitely can work touring without a trailer."


KYLE O’NEIL

Fireworks


"You don’t want a trailer that is too big, because your transmission will go if your van can’t handle the weight of the trailer. Another important note for new touring bands: There’s a learning curve for driving and parking the van, especially in tight places in the city. Give yourself time to properly navigate driving and parking the van with a trailer and without. Last but not least, do not pick up hitchhikers. The last one we picked up was packing heat. But that’s another story…"


DANNY STILLMAN

Drop Dead, Gorgeous

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