Want To Be a Rockstar? Coachwest’s Tour Bus Tips
Did you ever have dreams of being a rock star? In fact, do you still have dreams of being a rock star? Does the glamor of life on the road, moving from gig to gig and living out of a tour bus appeal to you?
The life of a music star is something countless people aspire to, but the reality of spending weeks, even months at a time living on even a luxury coach bus is probably pretty different from what you imagine. While there are no rockstars, at least not musical ones, at Coachwest, we did some reading up on the reality of being a touring musician.
Forget the Glamor
It’s probably easier to start off with the worst news first – you can forget about the glamor. Even the best-equipped coach bus from Coachwest can become cramped when it’s packed with band members, equipment, management, food, supplies, luggage and all the various junk that we all accumulate when we’re traveling long distance.
Living together in a small space is tough for anyone, and it’s easy to get on top of each other. Many touring musicians will take great pains to create their own space on the tour bus, allowing for peace and quiet, rather than the wild parties most people imagine.
Planning Personal Space
Having your own personal space is important to almost everyone, from the tour bus to the Coachwest showroom, and adding in the stress of being a performer, being on the road and being surrounded at all times makes that opportunity for a little bubble of zen even more important.
A lot of working musicians will use their time on the tour bus to write, while others will take some portable personal recreation with them. This can range from portable game consoles, to full-size game consoles, to books, hard drives full of music and movies, good headphones and more. Speaking of headphones – earplugs are pretty common, too.
Planning Everything Else
One of the common misconceptions we all have about performing for a living is the rebellious spontaneity of it all. Life on the road for a rockstar is surely an endless adventure, with no idea what thrill is coming next.
At least, that’s the idea. In reality, tours have to be painstakingly planned in order for them to work. Everything from venues, rest stops, mealtimes, press and interview appointments – more and more planning is needed to make everything go smoothly. The bigger and more famous a band or musician is, the more their life – on the bus or off it – has to be meticulously planned.
Know Your Driver
There are very few people involved in the successful execution of a full tour who are as important as the driver. The often-forgotten but vital cog in the vast machine that keeps the band on the road, the driver is responsible for getting everybody where they need to go safely, along with all the equipment intact, and on time.
The driver is the neglected hero of the tour bus and, just like a limo or coach bus driver, should be shown some appreciation.
Still Want to Be a Rock Star? Here’s Coachwest’s Advice
If all this still sounds appealing to you, Coachwest can streamline it all into some simple tips if you’re prepared to have your assumptions about the rockstar lifestyle shattered:
- Don’t expecting living on a tour bus to be glamorous or easy
- Stake out some personal space
- Make sure you’ve packed everything you need to make that space yours and give you some alone time
- Get ready to follow instructions and stick to a timetable
- Show your driver respect – they’re part of the team too.
If you’re looking for a high-quality coach bus to take on the road and live out your dreams of superstardom, contact Coachwest today.
