EXCLUSIVE: Vices' 5 Tips For Touring Sustainably And On The Cheap

Sydney hardcore lads Vices have been around the tracks at this point, what with two full-lengths under their belt and their third record, Now That I Have Seen I Am Responsible, out today. 

The band pride themselves on being ethical, socially conscious and sustainable, so the band's vocalist John McAleer thought he'd share his tips on how to tour on the cheap — and practically — with theMusic.com.au.

GET A JOB

We have all always held at least part time jobs, and unless your band is going to be touring nine months out of the year this will take a lot of stress out of trying to use your music as a way to generate the little tokens we exchange for things like food and shelter.

bUY YOUR OWN VAN

Everywhere we have toured overseas this is very common, but for some reason in Australia most bands spend at least $1,500 per tour on hiring a van. You can buy a 12 seater for $5,000. We've owned two of them. When you're not using it, you can hire it out to other bands, or use it to drive deliveries and do odd jobs. Look in the classifieds; there's always people looking for van owner drivers. On a couple of tours we have had the other bands ride with us and they paid for petrol instead of hiring a van. Pretty good eh? And PLEASE, get roadside assistance. It's only a few hungie a year. Also, be an adult and learn how to do minor maintenance like changing the oil. Your van will appreciate you.

EAT TOGETHER & BRING COOKING GEAR

If you go to the grocery store and pick up some groceries you can feed your whole band good, wholesome food for $20-30, instead of paying $15 each for a meal. And eating together keeps it family style! Take turns cooking it up for the fam.

EAT WELL & PROSPER

Don't be that asshole sniffling and sneezing everywhere. Eat an orange or seven. If it's free or if catering is provided go hard! In Europe for example it's common to get dinner and breakfast provided; I ate a huge breakfast everyday and it easily got me through til dinner time, I don't think I paid for a meal that month.

WARM UP & MAINTAIN YOUR BODY

You tune your instruments every day but you don’t wanna warm up before you go out and start throwing face-high spin kicks on stage and ripping your neck into windmills? Come on now… Maybe it’s because I come from an athletic background, but doing some quick dynamic stretches to get things loosey goosey before your set and a little yoga after the show will keep your body limber enough to be the first one to get the double bed and wifi password when the van pulls up at the promoter's house. You’ll always win the death race to be the first one through the door.