Things to bring on tour.

[KevinSop85]

GOLD BOND - GREEN

[show_mellow]

Here's my list...So what did I miss?

How do you lug all that around all summer?!?!?! I'd rethink the clothes numbers, but its different for everyone. Mostly, it's just really important to have lots of socks and underwear. Shirts are rarely even worn during rehearsal and shorts can be recycled a few times (hint...a few! thank you, contras and drumline).

Some of those items that I do fine without on tour:

air mattress and pump (but I'm on field lining, so I just like to throw my junk down and get what sleep I can)

electrical tape for gloves (I just get althetic wristbands)

sunglasses case (maybe that's why they always break, lol)

film (the pleasure of a digital)

paper (I just get a mini notebook or journal)

CD's/CD player (the mp3 player holds enough music for my needs)

bandanna

metronome

calamine (why?)

beard trimmer & cologne (well, I'm a girl. haha)

blank sheet music (but that is a great idea! thanks!)

2 towels seem to work fine, and instead of washrags, it's easier to get a little spongy thing.

I usually just have one pair of flip flops and that's good enough for all non-practice situations.

I use under armour (wal-mart brands, of course) for my shirt under the uniform. They don't take up as much space, they dry quicker, and you need fewer than 10 (unless you can muster up a good stench during a show, then PLEASE have many shirts).

But that is a very good and thorough list. Like SkyDog, I'm just one of those people that try not to have a bunch of unneccesary crap to lug around and annoy other people with. But here is a system that works for me very well! If anyone is looking to be more efficient (this is the basic gist of the system, anyway).

small duffle bag for under the bus seat

All my shower stuff

2 days worth of rehearsal clothes

1 shows worth of show items

-socks

-ladies boxers

-black bra

-shoes

-underarmour shirt

-show gloves

-wristbands

-hair gel & clips

-hair brush with hairband

horn polish stuff

Comfortable clean shirt and shorts to change into after the show (recycled every night for a few nights)

Pair of scrub pants for nights on the bus

SOME snacks and possibly a gatorade or two

Various electronics chargers and powerstrip

long sleeve shirt

atlas and tour schedule

small hanging shower bag thing

iPod

journal

contacts, case, and small bottle of solution

equipment truck key

bible

pictures

other misc items

envelopes and stamps

cell phone

laminated notecards with people's addresses on them (held together with a metal ring)

rehearsal bag

windpants

rain jacket or poncho

music binder

DCT

pens/pencils

oil and grease

asthma medicine & pain killers (I usually don't remember to take my meds first thing in the morning, so it's nice to have it with me everywhere so when I remember, I can get it during a water break or something)

inhaler & nasal spray (for emergencies)

watch

mouthpiece

gloves

horn towel

suntan lotion

28-inch or smaller duffle bag

All the remaining clothes and things I don't regularly need (like freeday clothes, extra pair of shoes, extra contacts, etc)

~large duffle under the bus all the time (unless I'm told to take it off or it's laundry day or something).

~small duffle stays under the bus seat.

~rehearsal bag goes in the overhead.

~shower bag can be put in a pillowcase that is over the back of the seat in front of you (instead of using plastic shower things that stick to the window, b/c if you have to take it in with you for some reason, it's really hard not to spill stuff while carrying lots of other stuff...besides, that gives you more room to put pictures on the window! haha).

This way, when we arrive to a housing site, I throw my blanket and my shower bag into my pillow that I use, grab my rehearsal bag and small duffle, and go straight to the gym instead of searching for my stuff in the parking lot (I used to keep my sleeping bag on the bus with me and use that instead of a blanket, but the bus was always too hot to do that last year. If your bus is hot, use a small blanket on the bus and keep the sleeping bag under the bus).

Then, sometime during the afternoon or right after I take a shower when getting ready for a show, I'll go switch out my dirty clothes with clean clothes in the duffle under the bus (the key is to get there before everyone else piles their stuff on top of the bag...haha).

Like I said, it's a little more detailed and complicated than that, but this will give you a foundation for creating your own efficient system during the summer. Hope this adds on to what TenorGuy said. Tenor, this is a good idea to start talking about this now for the rookies (and even some vets) who need to plan over time!

The key is efficiency!

EDIT: And use those vacum sealed ziploc bag things! They do wonders! :-)

Edited February 22, 2006 by show_mellow

[FrankA]

GOLD BOND - GREEN

that stuff works maricles

[harmonics101]

Some of those items that I do fine without on tour:

air mattress and pump (but I'm on field lining, so I just like to throw my junk down and get what sleep I can)

haha...im with you there...

i agree with what a lot of people have been saying- you dont really need that many clothes. Especially if you bring basketball shorts (the mesh ones) and not the cotton ones because the cotton ones get dirty and wet a lot easier. I do think however you can never have too many socks and underwear- those things are not reusable, they get NASTY! I would make sure you have a lot of show socks though, because they tend to get lost when you are changing in a hot sweaty bus after shows and the only thought on your mind is you want OFF the bus as QUICKLY as humanly possible...

i found dryer sheets are a good idea- put em in your suitcase to get rid of the smell and use em on laundry days- if you put them in a ziplock they take up literally no room at all.

Im not a two shoe person...i tend to stick with one even if they get wet because they dry like 100 times faster if you just wear them instead of letting them sit for a few days (and lets face it theres not many places to just let your shoes air dry as much as you travel.) Some have blister issues tho- im just not one of them.

Also i recommend lots of black/brown hair ties,clips and gel for girls for show hair.

oh and i know a lot of people in my corps had trouble adjusting to brand new marching shoes. People would get raw skin and blisters on the back of their heels. For this i recommend mole skin.

Most importantly: a GOOD pair of marching shoes...spend good money if you have to on these. Your feet are your life in corps so treat em good and get a good rehearsal shoe. Get insoles- those really help as well.No one wants to be out because their feet are covered in blisters and toe nails are odd colors and fall off...

[funkrocker049]

NOT advisable for most, haha. When you're in Louisiana in mid-July, you'll be regretting that decision.

4 pairs of shorts? You....contra player.

For whatever reason, I've never needed Gold Bond (and I've gone through an Orlando move-in), but I think I'm in the minority there. Just not a fan, personally.

Heh, was never a problem last season and the heat in Mississippi and Tennessee was rather ridiculous. Nevermind back home in MA for finals week.

[Krista]

2 pairs of shorts max...

if your corps does section shorts, you'll find those are the ones you wear most anyhow, and the others will become a waste of space.

also, my rookie year I used gallon sized ziplock bags to separate rehearsal shirts, shorts, socks, undies etc.... it worked really well, and kept my bag organized so I knew where everything was all at one time. :)

[Krista]

also, get a body poof. wash cloths are too much mess.

and I saw once where someone said she used baby shampoo b/c it can be use as shampoo and body wash, comes in a larger size and lasts all summer. basically condencing as much space/things as you can.

[geluf]

The importance of Gold Bond cannot be overstated.

I will therefor state it again:

GOLD BOND! FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY!

[Jared_mello]

The importance of Gold Bond cannot be overstated.

I will therefor state it again:

GOLD BOND! FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY!

::shrug::

[geluf]

Save as much space as possible.

As in, don't do what I did.

My suitcase was so massive that the loading crew officially dubbed it "The Suitcase". They made sure it was loaded first every time or problems arose. They even took a picture for posterity.