How to Pack Like a Rock Star

Shawn Huberts wrote a book called How to Pack Like a Rock Star. He also wrote the following post...

Whether you're going on tour for 2-3 days, or 2-3 months, the idea is still the same...

While getting ready to leave on tour, there are always a couple of things that must be done first.

1. Make sure you have all your proper gear and instruments.

2. Make sure you've packed your bags for the road.

Warning: the pure joy and excitement of tour can often overshadow the latter… but don't let it! This is a very important step.

I've found that one of the best ways to help a tour run smoother comes directly from a properly packed suitcase.

You think I'm crazy? Well think about it this way... It's 2 minutes till showtime and you've just spent the entire day recovering from your exhausting drive through the night; you and your bandmates are grumpy and hungry (among other things) and the last thing you want now is a 5-minute rummage through your bag only to find out now that you didn't bring your favorite stage shirt. No one wants to go on stage with that attitude!

You say to yourself, "If you had just packed properly before you left, if you had just been a little more organized, you wouldn't be in this conundrum right now when you should be focusing on the show!”

It seems minor, but trust me, after a few tiring days, not to mention after the three-week mark on tour… this can be what puts you over the top… 

Let your suitcase be the Zen in your life…look down at it…feel the warm glow of comfort that may arise in your soul. No matter how stressful a show or tour can get, a well-packed suitcase can be a breath of fresh air. And trust me, fresh air is hard to come by when you’re crammed in a van with band mates who haven’t had the luxury of regular showers.

Ok maybe all I'm saying is this… There are enough distractions and frustrations on a even a smaller 3-date tour, so do yourself a favor and create your own source of inner peace and inspiration within the madness, and you'll be able to more freely enjoy the amazing experiences that touring and traveling has to offer.

Now here's a little advice to get you started and on your way:

1. Place the clothes in your suitcase vertically, as if you were replacing a file in a filing cabinet (see photo).


2. Fold your jeans so that the back pocket stitching is the most visible part (this allows you to easily distinguish which jeans are which without having to search through them all).


3. Fold your t-shirts in a similar manner as your jeans, but this time, have the chest of the shirt most visible (where a logo may be).

In order to make my shorts and jeans the same height (vertically in my pack), I fold my jeans in thirds and then again in half (1/6 total) and my t-shirts in half, then half again, (1/4 total), but modify it to suit your own specific suitcase. 

I don't roll my clothes because it ends up causing more wrinkles in the end… not to mention it's impossible to tell which shirt is which if you have two similar colored shirts… oh and don't even get me started on the "it saves space" argument… just think about this, are building blocks square or round? Exactly.

Comments

[Jazmine James]

This was an interesting blog. I will make sure to use these tips when I travel next month. Thank you for sharing!

[Chris]

Hello, there are women musicians who need to pack, too! And all things being NOT equal, we need to bring some looks, whatever our style.
I have a pair of killer bandstand shoes, and some stylish flats (no need to twist your ankle lugging gear) for getting around when not onstage.
AC and heat can wreak havoc, not just on the tuning of your instrument . So, a silk shawl that looks great even right out of the bag, comes in handy.
Emergency glucose tablets for that sugar low, and some trail mix bars that won't melt into a chocolaty mess. I found myself at a gig on a beach, no food for the band, off-site parking, no quick trip to a food place. Not even pizza delivery available. So have that stash for yourself and your bandmates to power up for the next couple of hours.

[Anna Lopez]

great tip, specially for me who loves to travel, it really helps, often when I go to events, talks and conventions I have this silly attitude of forgetting things a lot, even bringing not my so favorite and appropriate clothes for an event and that would lead me to rush shopping which is not that advisable to do.