Tag: gig bag

Gig Bag: Steve Poltz

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, singer/songwriter Steve Poltz details the items he always has nearby when out on the road.

Hey Kiddos! People don’t know this about me but I need to do the same thing over and over again. It’s probably because I’m in a different city every day. I need to feel like something is stable. Last year I was gone 285 days.

Breakfast is important. I eat the same thing every single day: Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Rolled Oats Cereal with Flaxseed. I travel with all these ingredients. These little almond butter packs are a perfect serving for stirring in to my oats. The almond butter is a good source of protein and keeps your stomach feeling full a bit longer. I like it with cinnamon and dried cranberries. I always travel with my favorite bowl. If my little hotel has a wee kitchen I cook it on the stove. If it has a microwave then I sometimes use that.

I also travel with PG Tips English breakfast tea. It’s my favorite. The water has to be boiling and I steep it for four minutes. These little milk packs are great and I always bring a bunch of ’em. I can’t have my tea until AFTER I’ve had my oats. If I have my tea first I get anxiety. Caffeine on an empty stomach makes me crazy.

P.S. I eat a pound of oats a week.
P.P.S. This regimen keeps you regular.
P.P.P.S. Healthy colon healthy life.

Marie Kondo has nothing on me. I taught her everything she knows about folding clothes.

I travel with seven pairs of undies and seven pairs of socks and seven t-shirts. They fit perfectly in this little netted ziplock bag. I do laundry every seven days unless I’m traveling alone. Then I can stretch it out a few days more. Especially in the wintertime when I sweat less. Sometimes I wear the same undies and socks and tees two days in row. Sometimes three or four. But then I notice my merch sales drop because no one wants to get close to me. So I guess it’s better to do laundry every seven days.

I wear the same boots everyday. RM Williams Craftsman Chestnut Brown. They’re Australian beauties. Some guy bought me them in Melbourne after he saw me play at Port Fairy Folk Festival. He said, “These boots will see you out.” I guess that means they’re lifetime boots. Just get ’em resoled.

Soap? Yes. Gotta smell good. I always use Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap. Hemp peppermint. This soap makes your private parts tingle. This is the best soap in the world.

I also bring one really sweet Japanese raw denim shirt. I’ll wear it for the whole tour and it’ll always break in and fade nicely.

My favorite charger to bring is called an Anker. It charges multiple things at once. Headphones, smartphones, iPads and all that crap.

I switch hats a lot for different tours but the one I always go back to is a Stetson Open Road. LBJ always wore one of these. You see ’em a lot lately but I don’t care. I still love it. You could bury me in this hat and I wouldn’t mind. Except for the fact that I’d rather be cremated. I guess I could say you could cremate me in this hat.

I always travel with only one guitar. Smokey Joe. He’s been with me for 16 years. He’s old enough to drive. So that’s cool. Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars gave me this ax. He was gonna throw it away but then he met me and felt sorry for me. So I accepted his “sort of” gift. I love this guitar. I love it so much that I put letters on the back so people know it’s mine. If someone tries to steal it, I’ll throw a bag of oats at their head.

Lede photo of Steve Poltz: Laura E. Partain

Gig Bag: Vicky Emerson

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Minnesota musician Vicky Emerson details the items she always has nearby at her shows.

Stash Bag: I found this stash bag at a vintage shop close to where I live in Minneapolis. I bring it with me on the road whenever I can because it’s the perfect size to throw all the must-have items in for a gig and wears well with dresses or jeans. The sunglasses are a must for creatively hiding your travel-weary eyes.

Journal: A journal is an essential travel partner for a songwriter. It comes in handy when there is downtime during the day before a show or a quick capture of something overheard at the airport.

Be Brave Bracelet: I received this Be Brave bracelet from a dear girlfriend in Minneapolis and it serves not only as a reminder to be brave but to also be myself.

Black Boots: I always pack a pair of black boots. Always. I found this pair of Western Girl boots in Denver and they are my new favorites to wear with just about anything.

Stuff in My Purse: Items that can be found in any purse that I have with me are healthy snacks, breath mints, tokens of love from friends and family, and the best lip gloss ever (Sephora Glossy Cherry).

Photo of Vicky Emerson: Katie Cannon

Gig Bag: Michigan Rattlers

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, the band Michigan Rattlers show us what they gotta have on the road.

Touring life is mostly made up of downtime. Usually it’s in a van or in a bar, so you have to be careful not to spend all of it staring at a phone or drinking. Books are great.

So are notebooks. There are pens and markers all over the van. Plus, Adam Reed paints and draws. He designs a lot of our merch and stuff while we’re out on tour.

The first time we ever came back from a tour with cash, we spent it right away on new gloves. Playing catch is about the only active thing we ever do. Sometimes we even get games going if we can find more players.

Seeeeds.

Wearing the same thing every day is the best way to travel.

Lede photo credit: Kris Wixom
All other photos courtesy of the artist.

GIG BAG: Beta Radio

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Benjamin Mabry and Brent Holloman of Beta Radio show us what they gotta have on the road.

Fan (Ben): All my life I’ve slept with a fan, so when we’re touring I’ve gotta sleep with something that’ll make noise and keep me comfortable. Most nights, my body runs at or near the average temperature of a neutron bomb explosion, so this is seriously one of the most important things that I own. Love this little guy.

Multi-tool (Ben): I grew up watching MacGyver, so most of the time I carry some type of multi-tool on my person to help get me out of a jam when necessary (or to spread some jam on a piece of toast when necessary). This is the Skeletool from Leatherman. It’s lightweight and slick, so I’m always prepared for whatever adventures (or fruit preserves) that may lie ahead.

Gameboy + Tetris (Ben): I’m not a gamer at all, but there is one game that I literally can’t get enough of, Tetris. This bad boy has been in my possession since 1998. It helps pass long rides, which is something there is a lot of on tour, and I seriously dare anyone to try to beat my high score of 4,070,969 points / 1485 lines. If you do, email me with proof and I may send you a prize.

Canon camera + deconstructed lens (Brent): I was a photographer before going full-time as a musician, so I love capturing life on the road with this camera and deconstructed Nikon lens. I bought the lens from a Goodwill and then took it apart. I shoot, while holding the lens in front of the camera at different angles, and it sort of acts like a tilt shift. This gets me photos with a lot of light leaks and imperfections, and over all some really interesting shots.

Cooler (Brent): I like to have cold water on the trip at all times. We are always getting lots of bottles of water and 10 lb pound bags of ice. They go in the cooler.

Cot + pillow + blankets (Ben & Brent): We take turns driving, and whoever isn’t driving gets the option to relax of this old, spring loaded, fold up cot. Every time the van hits a pot hole it sends you flying a half foot in the air. Safe? No. Luxurious? Eh, maybe.

Guitar + Tronical tuning system (Brent): I know it seems obvious to take a guitar on the road, but I don’t play this guitar on stage. This is an old Gibson archtop and it’s the guitar I do most of my writing on. I installed a Tronical tuning system on it so I could change tunings quickly. We write songs in many different tunings, so the Tronical system allows me to change tunings with a push of a button. I play this guitar when we get to a city early and I want to sit in a park and unwind and play.

Photo of Beta Radio courtesy of Nettwerk

Gig Bag: The Jellyman’s Daughter

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Graham Coe and Emily Kelley, better known as The Jellyman’s Daughter, hail from the foothills of Edinburgh, Scotland, but they’re traversing the United States this fall with a new record, Dead Reckoning. With a little peek inside their Gig Bag, we get the scoop on what they’re bringing along.

Chess Board

Our tours always involve a running chess competition between the two of us, staged in the various hipster cafes we visit along the way. One of us is better at peacefully accepting defeat than the other. So, future audiences – if you notice Emily making a suspiciously numerous amount of cutting remarks towards Graham, now you’ll know why.

Ear Trumpet Labs mic

We like to perform using our ‘Myrtle’ condenser mic when we can – it’s a delight to combine our voices in the air before sending them out through the speakers. Sometimes it’s not a delight for Emily when Graham’s cello bow flies unnervingly close to Emily’s face. But we’re working on that. It’s also great to be able to put up the mic in front of our camera in a unique location and record a little video – a tour is a wonderful way to find these epic little spots.

Tea

One of the perks of living in the UK is having easy access to proper tea. Some countries seem far more interested in having plentiful supply of what amounts to hot watery juice. On the other hand we also bring plentiful supplies of Yogi Tea’s Throat Comfort which is a wonderful concoction, even if 80 percent of its effectiveness for your throat is because it’s called Throat Comfort.

Sat Nav

Our trusty sat nav has in its time taken us from the Northwest of Scotland to the Southeast of England, across Europe from Denmark down to Vienna and across the USA and Canada. We’ve often found ourselves completely devoid of phone internet signal and bearings, feeling extremely thankful that smartphones haven’t completely replaced sat navs quite yet.

Tunes

An extremely important part of any tour is a load of great new and old music. On the longer journeys taking in a full album is the preferred medium. Here’s a few notable albums we’ve been enjoying recently:

Punch Brothers – All Ashore
Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps
Theo Katzman – Heartbreak Hits
Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight
Joni Mitchell – Hejira

Rearview mirror buddy

Sometimes on tour as a duo it’s not logistically feasible to bring a third, calming, mediating member along. So our solution is to bring a delightful little fabric friend that hangs from the mirror and commands an unassuming Zen-like presence in the car.

Photo credit: Graeme MacDonald

 

Gig Bag: Carey Ott

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Carey Ott details the items he always has nearby when out on the road.

1961 Martin 0018

I signed a publishing deal two years ago and got a decent chunk of advance money so I decided to seek out my ultimate “tool of the trade.” I went to Carter Vintage Guitars and played a half dozen old Gibsons. Nice. I played a couple newer Martins. Fine. But this 0018 kept whispering sweet nothings. This one had stories to tell. I was sweating because it cost more than my car. It was on consignment so I made an offer. They accepted and she was mine all mine. I’m still smitten. The songs they keepa coming…

Stetson Hat

My Stetson hat and I were united in San Fran on a whim trip. I wandered in not expecting to buy anything, but I saw this weird looking hat that scared me. It was on clearance and they only had one. I tried it on and it fit like a glove. Of course the lady behind the counter said, “It really suits you.” I said, “You think so?” It was intense to wear such a blingtastic hat at first. I had to gain confidence just to pull it off. But it was a good deal so I figured why not take a chance. Fast forward 8 years and I can’t even tell you how many compliments I’ve got on this dang hat. Once at a Nashville cafe, I noticed Jack White staring at me. “This is weird,” I thought. “Is that a Dobbs?” he asked with more than a tinge of envy. “Stetson,” I replied. He stared up from his table in awe, “Stetson. Huh.” That was my second run-in with Jack White he’ll never remember. The other was when I was the White Stripes’ waiter at a cafe in Chicago before a Metro show in or around 2002.

LR Baggs DI

Guitar Dave gave me the tip, he said, “With this DI you have some control over your sound. If you feel the need to scoop out some low-end, reach down and do it yourself.” Guitar Dave was right, this thing rules.

Red Adidas Top Tens

I don’t know where the red sneaker thing started. I’ve always been a sneakerhead. Shoes are important to me. I dunno what it is about bright red shoes on my feet. It keeps me young. My job as a performer is having fun. I’ve found that it’s impossible to take yourself seriously when you’re wearing funky-ass socks and bright-red sneakers. This is my second pair of red Adidas Top Tens. My faves.

Taylor Swift “Fearless” Pick

I think this one speaks for itself.

Margarita “Party” Glasses

Because you never know when a marg may happen.

Photo credit: Thomas Chadwick

Gig Bag: Reuben Bidez

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Reuben Bidez catalogs the items he always has nearby when out on the road.


Denim Jacket: It doesn’t really matter even if it’s the middle of summer, I’m gonna bring my denim jacket with me. It’s worn in and comfortable, and in the evenings I get chilly. Especially in those air conditioned venues. So, 9 times out of 10, if you come to a show, you’ll see me wearing this jacket.

Astros Baseball Cap: I’m a big baseball fan! And although I was raised a Braves fan and still am, I got pulled into the Astros by my friend Collin McHugh. He and I had been friends since his minor league days, and I got to watch him make his way up to the majors. We developed a deep friendship along the way, both loving what the other one did for a living. We both joke about having job envy for the other. He clearly has the better job though…

My Guitar: Marcella, my 12-string. This seems like an obvious thing to bring with you, but sometimes I’ll tour with just this guitar. It was given to me by a family friend and named after my ex-wife’s grandmother who had passed away. We had traveled to Rome, Georgia, for the funeral and the family was sitting around talking in the family room of a family friend named James. There were guitars everywhere and I went over and picked up this guitar. James asked if I had a 12-string, which I didn’t at the time. He insisted that I take it since he already had another acoustic 12-string. I named her Marcella that weekend. She has such a magical sound and can really fill the room.

Baseball Glove: Did I mention I’m a baseball fan? It’s best to keep a glove with you at all times. Two gloves if you have the room. There’s a lot of hurry up and wait when touring, so I like to toss the ball around to kill some time. Pictured here is my World Series ball from Game 5 this year. It was the most exhilarating game I had ever been to and has maybe ruined sporting events for me for the rest of my life…

Seinfeld Videos: What’s the deal with entertaining yourself? Yeah, I guess I do like to stay entertained. Depending on how long the tour is, you’ll need to take at least two seasons with you. It’s my favorite show of all time and instantly puts me in a good mood when I put one on. I got to meet Jerry Seinfeld briefly one night in Nashville, it was pretty surreal.

Harmonicas: The first instrument I ever played. My dad taught me how to play blues harp. Then I started collecting different keys. I like to keep one with me in the car. You get tired of the radio sometimes, and it’s a great way to create some new melodies. Just make sure it doesn’t drive your bandmates crazy…

Photo credit: Cal Quinn

Gig Bag: The Deslondes

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, the Deslondes give us a look at what they have to have handy when they are out on the road.

Sam Doores: This is my 1950s Kay acoustic guitar, DeArmond sound hole pickup, and harmonica rack. These are the only possessions I have that go everywhere I do. They’ve met my whole family and most of my friends. They’ve survived many long nights of trading tunes around the fire as well as seven+ years of touring with the band. It’s the warmest and most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played and, when plugged into a small tremolo amp, it sounds so good that it often distracts audiences from the fact that I can’t play very fancy. It’s the best $400 I’ve ever spent. I love it and can’t imagine my life without it.

Riley Downing: I usually take the same basic stuff on tour with me — socks, toothbrush, 44 Magnum/box a shells. But if I had to, I would pick my new guitar strap that my Aunt Cathy made me. I love it more than my guitar. It was like getting a quilt from grandma. She also makes some other amazing things out of leather. 

Dan Cutler: Here’s my diddy bag. I guess it’s my favorite thing to bring on tour. It’s definitely my most hygienic thing. Personal hygiene can feel like a fleeting dream sometimes on tour, so my diddy bag helps to keep me on a cleaner path. It originally belonged to my big brother, so it’s kind of a family heirloom now. Nothing special about it really, though it is pretty remarkable that I’ve managed to hang on to it all these years!


John James: This is my tour stuff — books … I’m into short stories, poetry, novellas. My bucket is the shit. It keeps everything dry and protected. It’s my seat and sometimes table. This is a rare bucket cuz it’s six-and-a-half gallons, which is the perfect height for my pedal steel and legs. It’s seen better days … notice the duct tape job. I don’t fly with it anymore. A carton of smokes is crucial, yet not ever usually enough. It’ll get me a handful of days into tour.

Cameron Snyder: I don’t have a picture, because it lives in the van, but I never go on tour without my trusty cot. It was inexpensive, it’s easy to carry around, and it doesn’t take up much space. It’s nice to have a dependable place to sleep for the nights when our accommodations don’t include enough beds for everyone. My home away from home.

Photo credit: Tamara Grayson

Gig Bag: Shannon McNally

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Southern soul rocker Shannon McNally gives us a look at what she has to have handy when she’s out on the road. 

My best merch girl. Maeve. 


A healthy handful of good stones. Turquoise from the Austin pow wow and Santa Fe, as well as red coral and moon stone.


A heaping supply of good medicine for inside and out. Body brush, turkey tail mushroom for immunity, milk thistle for liver support, a plant based multi, ashwanganda for healthy stress response, and essential oils for my mind and soul. 

Best boots ever. I bought them for $400 10 years ago, so that’s about a penny a day. I wear them with virtually everything including bathing suit and ball gowns. 

Gig Bag: Jaime Wyatt

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, we look at what Jaime Wyatt has to have handy when she’s out on the road.

Notebook: The road brings me into contact with so many characters and inspiring stories, so when I am a passenger and I have a moment to unwind in the van, I spend a lot of time working out different ideas — lyrical ideas and short stories. 

Silver boots: Thank you, Paul Kaufman, for hooking me up with the best pair of boots I have ever owned. My first pair of non-vintage, custom boots and they’re my pride and joy. They make a pair of jeans and t-shirt feel like a Prada suit. 

Vitamins: Thanks to my NorCal time, I learned about high-quality vitamins when recovering from traveling and physical exhaustion. 

Vintage Western suit: Best score I ever found in Pendleton, Oregon, on tour a couple summers ago. This one started a love affair with vintage Western suits. 

My friend Gloria Noto gave me this amazing palo santo oil from her hand-made line, Noto Botanics, and it’s incredibly soothing, when I’m stressed or need to wind down after a gig. Just rub some on your wrists, inhale a few times and kick back.

Lede photo by Olivia Jaffe. All other photos by Jaime Wyatt.SaveSave