Summer Tour Survival 101: Musicians school AP on how to beat the heat
Even though the calendar says we’re still in the final throes of spring, let’s get real: With the rising temperatures, lack of school and reruns on TV, summer is totally here. With that in mind, we asked members of All Time Low, Yellowcard, Asking Alexandria, Man Overboard, blessthefall and I Set My Friends On Fire (just to name a few) to share their c.v. for Summer Tour Survival 101. Whether revealing their road essentials or recalling painful (or just dumb) sunburns, the following musicians are experts at beating the heat.
Telle Smith of The Word Alive
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Deodorant. It gets awfully sweaty during the summer, no sense in adding to the torture. Bathing suit, because you never know when a spur-of-the-moment swim sesh will go down. And your iPod, for all those late-night drives with the windows down, enjoying music and nice weather.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Last summer on Warped Tour, the power and AC broke on our bus for a total of almost two weeks. That was easily the worst tour experience, summer or not! We had to ride in the front of the bus, all of us in our underwear, just hoping for a breeze from the driver’s window (our only source of air). We all were super sweaty and slept like crap the whole time. But we were on Warped Tour, which ruled, so we made do.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
When I was in high school my senior class took a trip to a beach in Florida. Nice white sand… and little did we know how brutal the sun really was that day. First day of our trip, I got second-degree burns on my feet from the sun. My feet were super swollen and completely purple! I'll never make that mistake again.
How does your band beat the heat?
We usually just ride around in the van/bus naked with fans to cool our bodies. I'm kidding, kinda… Or am I?
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
On my 18th Birthday I was able to see the Cure, Thursday and Muse, three bands I love to this day. That was one of the best shows of my life.
Beau Bokan of blessthefall
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
1. Flip-flops
2. Sunscreen
3. Board shorts
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Breaking down in some super crappy random town in the middle of Texas. Not only was it the hottest place on planet Earth, but the gas station we were at had billions and billions of flies! If you opened the van door for literally two seconds at least five flies would get in.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Any sunburn is a bad sunburn.
How does your band beat the heat?
Swim, swim, swim! We find hotel pools, lakes, rivers, any place we can submerge our bodies in water. Get in and cool off!
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
Warped 1997, Irvine, California, at Irvine Meadows. It was my first Warped Tour, and I believe it was only the second year of Warped. I remember losing my mind for Blink and NOFX. Crowd surfing and circle pitting causing tornadoes of dirt. When I got home and rinsed off there was literally mud in the shower, and I was shooting dirt snot rockets. So much fun. I still have my ticket stub.
David Schmitt from Breathe Carolina
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Dry shampoo, clean socks, alcohol.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Being in Tampa for Warped ’09 and 2010, when it's pouring rain and 100% humidity, and all our merch and gear got ruined from the rain!
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Well, I wore Toms a lot on Warped, and I didn't really notice, but I got the craziest tan from where the Tom stopped to where my pants started. It was so bad, I literally still have it!
How does your band beat the heat?
We don't—the heat beats us.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
I saw Rush with my dad at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. It was just amazing, the sound and all the drunk cougars. It ruled!
Matt Kean of Bring Me The Horizon
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Beer pong, a shower and a football!
What was your worst summer touring experience?
We've never really had a bad one! Some of the earlier tours, we've slept in the van to wake up to being insanely hot and sweaty! It's not the best way to start a day! But I think every band would agree summer touring by far beats winter touring!
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Being English, I always thought sunburn was a myth, a mysterious mythical tale told by people in hot countries to keep people like us away! I think I got it pretty bad on Warped Tour the first time we ever did it—but these days I'm wise and hide away in the bus!
How does your band beat the heat?
We give in! On Warped Tour in Arizona, I think it was 120! Outside, luckily, Oli [Sykes] was away recording so we just kept out of it! Whilst hearing of other bands passing out while playing!
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
When I was younger I'd go to festivals in the UK called Reading and Leeds! I can't remember much of it—it's kinda like a drunken blur!
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
Once on Warped Tour, the first time we did it, we all had a crazy night which involved our old guitarist Curtis puking everywhere, Oli pouring a drink on my head, me kicking Oli off a BMX on a dance floor and fighting and our drummer Matt N. and guitarist getting in a car crash in a taxi and Matt N. getting found sitting in the fridge pissing everywhere… A good night!
Matt Goddard of Chiodos
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Tank tops, Gold Bond, flips.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Going a week and half without taking a shower. Balls.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Thinking, “I don't need sunscreen,” and then getting blisters on my shoulders… This has happened multiple times.
How does your band beat the heat?
Finding AC anywhere we can. If not, setting up our merch tent, laying some chairs down, putting a table up, and grabbing the cooler. Ice. Beer. Chill.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
The only summer show that comes to mind is Warped Tour 2002, and it was way too hot to be considered awesome. But I did get an awesome, “I'm wearing glasses” sunburn that year.
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
I ran into Zach Galifianakis in a bathroom in Detroit at a Warped Tour after-party. I complimented him on his show he used to do on Vh1. He was very soft spoken.
Chris Motionless of Motionless In White
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Can I answer with water for all three? Water is definitely the key to survival in the summer, as I'm sure anyone can guess. Aside from that, I'd say add my iPhone and some sunblock and I'm good to go!
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Actually, right now, as I'm answering these questions we're having a pretty horrible summer tour experience. We have an RV now, and two weeks ago our generator which powers everything decided to stop working. So we're now stuck driving in the crazy heat of the south without any air conditioner. Sweaty dudes galore.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Warped Tour is pretty much a haven for terrible sunburn. Last year I ran out of sunblock and had no other option but to wear a hoodie or I would've fried. Unfortunately that then lead to just my neck and face to be completely red while the rest of my body remained white. I looked like a red lollipop.
How does your band beat the heat?
As I mentioned earlier… Water is key in the summer, and fortunately we are all smart enough to stay hydrated. Other than that… you pretty much have no other options except to just man up and get out there.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
A few years ago I went to Ozzfest (I don’t remember the year) but it was pretty much the best lineup that ever existed. My favorite show memory of all time—never mind just summer shows—was this show. Tons of bands played all day long, but then Bleeding Through, my favorite band ever, came on and completely annihilated everything. They wore all black and makeup and went on stage and put every other band to shame. That memory motivates me more than anything to strive to do that same thing for someone watching our band.
Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
That's easy and should be a perfectly obvious answer! Sex, drugs and rock ’n roll! Are they items? If not, I guess I'll pick toothbrush, Captain Morgan’s and my iPhone—but really, you know my first answer was the better option!
What was your worst summer touring experience?
I don't remember most of my previous summers. Isn't the point of summer to get so drunk that you don't remember it?
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
A: Last year I was sitting outside at a festival, chilling with my friends and band members, and I had my tour passes around my neck, but no top on and I was wearing aviators. I was left with a fucking white rectangle on my chest and white circles around my eyes. Sexy, huh?!
How does your band beat the heat?
We are so hot ourselves that the sun actually tries to avoid us, coz it doesn't want the competition!
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
I remember when I was a kid watching Aerosmith one summer. That was by far my favorite summer show simply because it was fucking Aerosmith, one of the best rock bands of all time.
(photo by Matt Grayson)
Matt Mehana from I Set My Friends On Fire
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Facial cream (for the ladies too), vaporizer, MacBook
What's your worst summer touring experience?
Shitting on Lights' bus after eating at Target. No one knew; I stuffed my crap that I had put in a bag in-between their the inside of their garbage can. Shh.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
This one time visiting the Egyptian zoo; it got me real good. Sun was blaring, so there isn't a clue to how I got it. I should have worn all black, like the majority.
How does your band beat the heat?
We can't. Nothing will ever beat the heat. But there lots of girls in heat I'd love to beat.
What's the most awesome summer show you've ever seen?
I honestly don't think I had one. I feel bummed to say that. Perhaps I'll see an awesome one this year?
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
Fourteen-year-old girl asks me a bunch of questions at the merch booth. Last one she decides to ask: “Can I finger your butthole?” Answer: “Whoa, NO.”
Dave Strauchman, Every Avenue
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
I can’t live without my phone, my toothbrush and my acoustic guitar. All that other stuff like underwear and food… I can make do.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
My worst summer tour experience was in '08. We had to drop off a tour because I lost my voice and developed nodes, which are blisters on your vocal chords. I then had to go home and sit and not talk at all for 10 days. It sucked.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
On Warped '09 I had my laminate around my neck on a lanyard. I fell asleep outside for a bit with my shirt off and when I woke up had a little bit of a stupid laminate tan line from it. Luckily it's not hard to catch tan on Warped, so it was gone pretty fast.
How does your band beat the heat?
A: Well, we are lucky enough to tour in a bus this summer, so that really helps. The summer tours we have done in a van have been hard. Drink a lot of water and find shade and a lot of sunscreen!
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
I'd have to say my first Warped Tour experience was my favorite summer show. When I was young, I couldn't wait to go for the first time, so when I actually got to go I was so excited.
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
I'm sitting in my underwear on my couch in my place right now answering these questions.
Alex Kerns of Lemuria
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
1. Two pairs of a shoes. Always have a back-up! Wet shoes on the kick pedal and high-hat stand is very annoying. Too slippery.
2. Darn Tough socks: Best brand; they prevent smelly feet.
3. Ear plugs: Not for the show, for snorers.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
My old band The Young Ones were broken down for a week in Norman, Oklahoma in 2000, and the house we were staying at didn't have AC. There also was never a quiet moment in the house. I would stay up till the nearby campus library opened and go to sleep in a chair pretending to be an over-studied student. That same tour, my bandmate purposefully broke the driver-side window because it wouldn't roll down because he thought the comfort of the drive was more important than all the gear up front. He was also the stand-alone singer in the band.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Playing rugby with my friends outside on the first day out of high school for several hours under the sun, with no sun screen. My skin had boils in it. It was very gross. Now I have freckles on my shoulders.
How does your band beat the heat?
Coconut water, and we always attempt to hit the very hot areas of the country during the middle of winter. We're from Buffalo, so we're not very comfortable under high temperatures.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros. The Clash has always been my summer music. I love Joe Strummer’s solo work, and my heart sinks a little every time I remember that he's no longer making music in this world.
Brandon Bolmer of Chiodos
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
MacBook/Ableton, water and cigarettes.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Warped Tour 2004 in a van with a busted AC.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
In eighth grade, I came back from summer break with my entire face peeling. I got it from a three-day trip to the river. I wanted to rip my face off, until it turned into a nice bronze. I couldn't get the ladies off me… pfffffff… right…
How does your band beat the heat?
Three-point shots, Gatorade, quick passes, and gettin' them rebounds.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
The entire 2005 Warped Tour is a summer I will never forget. Great friends and no more van.
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
I once hit a person in the face with a can of Warped Tour water… I felt terrible… at least it was cold?! Oh, and my old band was said to be one of the youngest bands to play Warped at the time, kinda cool.
JR Wasilewski of Less Than Jake
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Baby wipes, baby wipes, baby wipes.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Warped Tour 1999. I was in my old band, Spring Heeled Jack USA, and we did a week and a half in our van. So much fun, but so brutal. Overnight drive from DC to Atlanta almost killed us.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
I'm a ginger, so it happens once a summer, and it usually involves me being drunk on a boat.
How does your band beat the heat?
By staying on the bus in the AC.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
To be honest, I have been on tour every summer since 1996, and prior to that I didn't go to too many concerts.
Justin Collier of Man Overboard
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
1. flip-flops
2. bathing suit
3. sunglasses
What was your worst summer touring experience?
The worst thing is waking up in the van and its like 874893454 degrees and you're sweaty and gross. Sometimes at night, I’ll get in my sleeping bag and then wake up practically burning alive. Gross.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
I rarely get sunburned, but our old band, Front Page, was on tour with a band called Lighten Up in 2006. Their drummer fell asleep on the beach in Naples, Florida, and looked like a straight lobster. They ended up dropping off the tour three days and driving home because it was so bad.
How does your band beat the heat?
We have a 2006 Ford Econoline, so it has AC. Our old van was a ’96 Dodge, and that thing was an oven.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
Summer of 2009 at Best Friends Day in Richmond, Paint It Black and Ceremony did an afterparty house show. The kids from the house had just signed their lease the day before, so they hadn't moved a thing in yet. It was a big Victorian style house, and the show was nuts. I dove off the PA speakers. I think there is video online somewhere.
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
Hmm… I'm seeing the new Harry Potter [film] this summer in England, as we will be there on tour with Polar Bear Club. I am super excited.
Jack Barakat of All Time Low
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
1. Our merch tent. We set it up outside our bus and lounge in the sun all day
2. A great lounge chair! You need something comfortable to sit in under the tent.
3. Malibu and Mountain Dew. We call it our “summer beverage.” If you could put the beach in a drink, that would be it.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
The first year we did Warped Tour, we did it for two weeks in our van with our manager. He wanted to murder us after three days! We helped set up our stage every morning and had to sneak into half the dates. We didn't get meal tickets, so we sold CDs to buy festival food and gas and barely survived the two weeks. Luckily for us, the next year we were actually on the tour, and things were much better.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
The first time we went to Hawaii, Alex [Gaskarth] didn't wear sunscreen on our first day and was a lobster the entire rest of the trip. Our show was the second day we were there and he could barely wear his guitar strap, his burn was so bad! There are pictures of it somewhere online.
How does your band beat the heat?
The less clothes you have on, the less hot you are. It's a very simple concept! Everyone should try it. We can all just walk around in our boxers and underwear all summer. It'll be great!
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
Blink-182 always toured in the summer when we were growing up, and it was always the best night of the summer. We would spend half the summer looking forward to the show, and then the other half of the summer talking about it and thinking back to how fun it was. The year they played with New Found Glory and Alkaline Trio was probably the best summer concert I attended growing up. Last year we did a whole festival circuit with them in Europe, so I got to relive those memories night after night.
Ryan Key of Yellowcard
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
My own towel that I can depend on if and when I can find a shower, an Xbox 360 with copies of FIFA 2012 and NCAA Football 2012, lots of clean socks.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
We had the most beaten-down, smelly bus in Europe in the summer of 2004. The floor in the bathroom was falling out, so you could see the road passing underneath you while you were in there. Also the driver (in Europe the drivers sleep on the bus) woke up every day wearing bikini cut animal print briefs.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
I fell asleep under an umbrella at the beach, but my feet were sticking out. I almost went to the hospital it was so bad. They turned purple.
How does your band beat the heat?
We tap the Rockies.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
I went to Warped '96, when Blink was headlining. I was 16, and it was something special to be there.
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
A: The real key to summer touring is to stay hydrated. This can be a problem for me sometimes because I think spring water tastes like spit. More often than not, we get case after case of spit. Purified drinking water, please. Thank you.
Ben Witkowski of Texas In July
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Sunglasses, sunblock, cornhole.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
A car accident a few summers ago; it was the worst day of my life. I won't go into detail.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Actually, just a few weeks ago we were at a Motel 6 in Anaheim, near Disney on a day off, which had an outdoor pool. I made a plan to wake up at a decent time and go relax by the pool for a little while. I woke up as planned, walked to the pool—iPod and towel in hand—and laid on a chaise lounge chair while jamming a few prime summer albums. At some point I nodded off and fell sound asleep. I woke up later, looking down at my bronzed body thinking I was good to go, little did I know the next four days of my life were going to be a living nightmare. I'm actually still peeling from this incident two weeks later. I'll be sure to use sunblock from now on.
How does your band beat the heat?
Depending on where you are in the world, there is no beating the heat. The most you can do for yourself is pray for some solid AC and drink ice cold water all day. Places like California, Texas, Arizona, Italy and Florida can be very unforgiving in the summer months, so you have to face the beast and make dues with it. And remember: at least there isn't four feet of snow on the ground.
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
A: Warped Tour, I don't think anything can top it. We as a band have never play/toured on Warped Tour, but I did attend the event in 2007. It's filled with great music, cool stands, and so many people. It's just generally a very well put together event. I hope to play on it in the future.
Tim Landers of Transit
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
iPod, water bottle, liquor stores.
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Hmmm. I mean, touring in the summer is always a blast, but it’s definitely a bit shitty when you’ve got seven dudes packed into a small little van with no air conditioning. It was hot, it was sweaty, and every ride was borderline miserable.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
I try to hold it down with the sunblock pretty consistently, because I’m Irish and white as all hell so sometimes burns are inescapable. I’ve gotten some pretty hilarious sunburns solely on my left arm from driving during the day. I’ll be completely normal with just one red arm.
How does your band beat the heat?
We lurk in the shadows and shade. I don’t know. One time, we pulled off the highway in the middle of nowhere and ran through a bunch of sprinklers on a golf course. It ruled. We’ve been known to hop a few hotel fences and sneak into some pools, too.
What's the best summer show you've ever seen? Why was it awesome?
Sound and Fury after-show 2010. 400 kids packed into a backyard on a rad summer night going nuts to Tigers Jaw, Foundation and Bracewar. Kids were doing front flips off the roof.
Tay Jardine of We Are The In Crowd
Three essential items you can’t live without on a summer tour?
Tanks, water, sunscreen!
What was your worst summer touring experience?
Warped Tour 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. It was about 112 degrees! We nearly passed out on stage.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
My lips always get burned! I forget to wear Chapstick or sunblock all the time
How does your band beat the heat?
We drink a lot of water and huddle around the AC. Or scout out someone with a swimming pool!
What’s the most awesome summer show you’ve ever seen?
The only shows I've ever been to in the summer were part of Warped Tour! I'll never forget watching the Starting Line in, I think, 2005.
Any random summer memories or thoughts on the season?
Girls: Wear waterproof makeup. Nothing's worse than makeup running into your eyes when you sweat!
Ace Enders
Three essential items you can't live without on a summer tour?
1. Baby wipes. They can be very refreshing when the sun is beating down on you all day..
2. My 10-year-old basketball shorts that I only wear in the van.
3. A large cooler for the van. Pack it every day with fresh ice and all is good.
What's your worst summer touring experience?
I have way too many of them. I have to say the worst was my first Warped Tour, where we flipped our first van and got the second one stolen.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
I wore a hat all of last Warped Tour and had an awesome ring on my head!
How does your band beat the heat?
Night drives and lots of water.. Long day trips in the summer can be killer.
What's the best summer show you've ever seen?
I'm gonna say all the Warped Tours I went to growing up because it was the event we waited for all year. [They [provided] lots of great memories I'll never forget.
Jeremy Bolm of Touché Amoré
Three essential items you can't live without on a summer tour?
iPod, swim trunks, shorts.
What's your worst summer touring experience?
In a band I toured in before, we had no air conditioning and we were touring in a van we bought off a gardener. Sleeping in the van in Wal Mart parking lots was super rough, but it makes you appreciate the nicer things later.
What was your dumbest (or worst) sunburn ever?
Sound and Fury 09. It was overcast and you didn't realize you were getting burned until you were extra crispy.
How does your band beat the heat?
Any chance to swim we'll go for it. If we see a lake on the side of the road and we aren't running late to a show, we'll hop in. Things of that nature.
What's the best summer show you've ever seen? Why was it awesome?
I'm not even sure… there have been so many! That's entirely too hard of a question. I can say playing Toronto for the first time with Bane / Strike Anywhere last Summer was a really good time.
