A Day In The Life: On Tour

[@christiantucker9986]

No question. Just wanted to say that my band opened for you guys in Columbia, SC and couldn’t have had a better time. You all were incredibly kind and willing to talk to us even though I’m sure that you were exhausted. Thanks for being the best of the best in the scene dude. Means a lot!

[@halfie25]

What's the name of the band? That's pretty cool to hear!

[@Shiloh7377]

Big ups Columbia SC, I live about 2 hours away in nc, didn't know there was a music scene down there, is it a big scene?

[@dan.miller35]

Nice. Bummed I couldn't make it to that show.

[@christiantucker9986]

@@halfie25 Parris Bridge!

[@christiantucker9986]

@@Shiloh7377 Actually, yeah! There’s an awesome music scene in downtown Columbia. Check out New Brookland Tavern if you haven’t. They host so many great shows including Dragged Under’s!

[@martinvannostrand8488]

3:16 “search for wireless frequencies.” Hell yeah man, I’m a sound guy, so it’s cool to hear you shout out an integral part of the show that no one in the crowd would even consider. If we got that wrong, the crowd might not know exactly what the problem is, but they’ll know there’s a problem when your vocal goes away

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

Everyone understand that most bands DON'T get hotels every night if at all on tour. it's the van/tour bus/RV sleeping in every night. Touring is super tough and I don't recommend it for most people. Props to all the bands and crew who do it day in/day out!

[@gradientblue]

I only did one tour in my life so far and it was for just about 16 days in central europe (mostly germany) with my emo punk band back in 2014. we slept on everything: often just on the floor or the stage of the venue, sometimes on a couch at the shows promoters living room, once in a hotel with actually enough showers for all (9 people of two bands) to get fresh. toughest one was to get up at 6 am and driving the whole day til 6pm to the next venue - but driving some friends around last july, we also did the " hours drive at night and the rest after waking up" what DU did and that was a really smart move! kinda miss it and would love to sleep on some dirty stages again... :-D

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

@@gradientblue oof that sounds brutal! I guess when you are young you’ll do whatever it takes. But my back is hurting just thinking about doing that 😂.

[@alexradsby]

I feel like you're doing 2 things that requires a very specific personality. One being a content creator, doing the same thing over and over again. AND being a musician on tour, basically doing the same thing over and over again haha. It's crazy impressive man! Means a lot that you keep pushing out content! I'd love to hear you talk about burn out at some point as well, I think it would be a good topic for mental health in this space.

[@perpetualgrimace]

lots of jobs entail doing the same thing over and over again when you think about it!

[@alexradsby]

@@perpetualgrimace I guess you're right! You completely broke my train of thought with that haha.

[@jmustang2000]

Hate I missed you guys in Columbia SC. Rest up guys. Y'all deserve it. Hope to catch you the next time you're in the area

[@themerrillmiller]

These types of videos are fantastic. My band and I are beginning to branch out past our local scene and I'm working on booking my first tour down to Florida from Wisconsin. A cool video would be the process before tour: booking, coordinating with other bands, promoters, etc.

[@adamhaymanmusic]

I'm pretty sure he did a video breaking this down

[@johnqpublic2718]

Venue load-ins were the worst during summer tours of the South and Tejas. No A/C is always a bonus.

[@ZackSeifMusic]

Tour Vlogs are the best ❤ Watching other people’s experiences on the road is literally the reason I started my KZbin channel, and the reason it’s growing. Thank you for sharing, Fluff!

[@DavidMacVicar]

Any other good tour vlog recommendations?

[@ZackSeifMusic]

@@DavidMacVicar My own channel ZackSeifMusic, Rhett Shull, RJ Ronquillio, Kiko Loureiro, Poison Drummer, David Cola, Adam Neely, Fluff and Jared Dines all have good tour/gig vlog videos on their channels.

[@madmikemike]

This was a cool insight. You guys seem very pro. I wish I could’ve tour a bit with the bands I was in but never got big enough to do more than just local shows. Eh oh well I’ll live it through you, Fluff

[@JeremySchoeneman]

Love this video and love the channel! Maybe you can do a quick tutorial on how you set up all of your wireless at the show and finding all your frequencies and not have to worry about interruptions from everyone else???

[@FankDWalter]

Saw you in St. Louis. Great show. Thank you for taking the time to say hey before the show.

[@sb632]

I see that Buc-ees sticker. Just did a road trip for vacation. Stopped at bucees 3 times. They are a god send while out.

[@BandrewScott]

This is a fantastic look at a day in the life of touring. Lots of fun.

[@joemayerski]

Not a question, but I met you in Hartford and just wanted to say thanks for being awesome and taking the time to say hello! 😊

[@benjaminrusch8093]

Sometimes you can ask a hotel for a "Day Use" Room where you can check in around 8-9 o'clock and use it for a few hours for sleep. May not need it but handy information to have.

[@JavyonVISION]

More tour videos please! 😁

[@the_nondrive_side]

Stagehand life. Basically the same except I gotta build the stage before and take it down after... Plus work the showcall.. I'm just lucky to be a Resident local so I'm a 15 minute walk from my main venue.

[@andrus108]

That is a genius strategy to split up the driving time!

[@xJM1993]

Can't wait for you guys to come around Montreal or Quebec city! I'm definetly hanging around after the show to have a chat with you man!

[@M.Holland]

Hey Fluff! I’m on Tour right now, and can confirm it like 100%! It’s a cool thing to do, but it’s exhausting nevertheless. Our band ca be Setup quiet fast, since we are running everything just with DIs, besides vocals and drums. Guess 9 channels of DI signals. Basically we can set up and soundcheck in less than 30 min, if everything is working On the stage and on the FoH side of things.

[@dearshadowband]

Hey Ryan, great video as always. So we’re about to begin planning our first local tour around our state and maybe a few other close states. Do you have any tips for a band going on its first small diy tour?

[@chris214a]

5:16 was that Blue Ridge?! I was there and it was an awesome set!

[@stevenkenny6586]

I’d like to hear about the process of scanning the wireless at venues. Is it done so you can determine what channels to set your wireless units to?

[@ernieb3626]

Man I always enjoy your videos Fluff. While watching your video about the normal tour day, and hearing that you were ready to go home. I wonder if you are realizing your dream and are you glad you have chosen the path of a Tour Band? Im fifty two and an alcoholic (With a few years of Sobriety) so Im sure the younger me would look at this a salavate lol. Just wondering if you would change anything. Thanks again for all the hard work you put into your videos!

[@BrandonWells]

if that's your typical day, when would do you record/edit videos or work on your business?

[@cjleongson]

Fluff can you go deeper into this so i can wrap my head around the financials and the planning? Maybe even a whole series about touring?

[@BrianBower]

I like videos like this. Great stuff

[@1dswylde]

First time I've heard of you bro, loved it from the intro jam. 😎🎸

[@michaelmannarino5226]

I just moved from my full time music work in Nashville to Denver for a year to take care of my mental health. This video is a good reminder of the life I had to put on hold and what I get to come back to. 🖤

[@seanriffs]

Fluff, I would really like to see your fractal setup. I am considering buying an fm3 for live use, but I am a fractal noob. Specifically your 4 cable method. Will that work with a combo amp with an fx loop?

[@mike_rauch]

Yes

[@seanriffs]

I would like this explained in a little more detail.

[@necroticpoison]

Great vid and cool how you guys do it. What's pre-show anxiety like for you/the guys?

[@theedgeinshow]

That is a dope ass, old skool Cubs cap

[@newsaviorsband]

Love watching DU keep growing. ✊

[@riansfn5380]

Thanks for keeping the scene Aaaahhhhlllllliiiiiiivvvvveeeeee!!! Aaarrrrgggghhhh!!

[@kinya001]

It's the life I've always wanted.👍✨

[@Mindartcreativity]

Question: What does band chemistry means to you? How would you explain it? I really loved the videos from the hotel rooms. Nice talks and something different and very welcome. Thanks Fluff! You're awesome!

[@angellemus1994]

What happened to the show in Mesa at the Nile?

[@mikef.1891]

This is a really cool insight! Are there any/many differences between touring in different regions (US/Canada vs Europe for example), other than obvious things like language or the side of the road you drive on (looking at you UK...)?

[@WittyMonikerHere]

Do you own a wearable that tracks your sleep? I'd love to know how many hours of sleep you average. Also, whats it like eating at Pilot, etc for two months? Have you noticed your health taking a hit? Have you ever weighed yourself before a tour and after? I'd be curious about the physical toll touring takes on you.

[@Tinyrick90]

I just can’t wait for the canadian tour 🤷‍♂️ Ottawa? Montreal ? Toronto? Quebec ?

[@xJM1993]

Same for me!

[@robertfinch6602]

Buc-ees is Awesome!!

[@GuitarJeff]

So fluff forgive me. I got the new covid booster today have bit of fever and drank a glass of scotch. Watching this video. I could have sworn you bands banner said Dirty Undies. I was really sitting her pondering why you had a sign that said Dirty Undies. I was fine with it but wondering. Then it hit me Dragged Under. Fever and scotch makes fun combo.

[@anthonyring123]

a tour of the tour bus would be sick!

[@stealthwolf2011]

Very interesting to hear the day in the life of Fluff on tour told by the one and only Fluff.

[@JeremyLeech]

What I want to know, is where you got that cubs hat?!

[@resington]

Great slice of life video!

[@1VERZHN]

Props to you and your band. I can wax poetic all day about that life, but i’ve never been built for it😂 your band has great music.

[@christopherJSmokeandMirrors]

Thanks for the video!

[@lane2376]

I can't believe I made it into a video lol hopefully I have the chance again and don't just drop my jaw when you walk up to me! My brain just shut off for real 😂

[@RubyRoks]

This question might be better answered in video form, but what's venue etiquette and how do you learn it? How do you book a venue, how do you best stay out of other people's way, how does revenue splitting work etc etc? The only times i've played live where in high school band class and those situations were all organized by the teacher, so it was brain dead simple for me and my classmates. Is that kinda how things work with a tour manager?

[@Don_Ing.Lithium]

How do you figure out the eating part? I imagine its difficult to even consider dragging groceries around without a proper way to store them or the cooking part. Best of wishes man

[@perpetualgrimace]

fresh fruits and sandwich ingredients in a cooler is probably as good as you'll be able to do

[@anndynegative]

On average how many coffees do you drink a day?

[@TheGorillafoot]

Gotta really have a love for music to push yourselves like that. I don't think a lot of people that are into music on a fan level get all the stuff bands have to do to survive.

[@AlbusBand]

That’s a good looking Cubs hat

[@shawn3334]

Do you guys play or rehearse new music while on tour?

[@Jeremoid]

Hi Fluff, I don't know if this has been your dream, or if this whole thing of being in a band has exploded out of proportion, but just wanted to say: enjoy it bro, I know is hard and heavy, but you are living the dream so many of us couldn't!

[@kronabus199a]

Quick shoutout to you and Tony for being so gracious with your time after the show in OKC! Being able to get a little nerdy about guitar gear for a few minutes after such a stellar show was a definite highlight of the night 🤘

[@BeatsAndMeats]

How are you guys protecting your gear while you’re staying at the hotels? So many bands are getting their stuff stolen. I had a friend whose band would have one guy sleep in the van with a shotgun each night… came in handy when they rolled through Bakersfield,CA

[@charlesfranklin2112]

I love being a touring guitar/bass tech, usually working 16/18 hours a day and running on 4 hours a sleep a day. sound's like i'm bitching but quite the opposite.

[@futuristiccavemanofficial]

years and years of touring, I'm guilty of driving all night to get to a town at 8am, then be screwed with hotel or have to pay for an extra day. Getting to a hotel at 1am is far smarter... problem is finding decent hotel at that time, especially when you're going through a ton of tiny towns. Much smarter to try to map things out ahead of time, but it's not always a success.

[@JoshuaMRichard]

Hey Fluff, I love to learn more about this stuff. Just wondering if you can give your opinion about the physical and mental toll touring has on you, both personally and with the people you work with in general. I've been told 99% of it is sh*t (traveling, sleeping in a van, dealing with bandmates) and 1% is awesome (playing shows). I don't know if this is true or not but I'd love to hear your perspective on it. Thanks, have an awesome week. :)

[@Dogsrule777]

How loud is stage volume and does anyone wear ear plugs?

[@StephGV2]

Man, that life is not for everyone. But playing in front of hundreds to thousands of people not from your own town...seems pretty awesome. Thanks for letting us live it with you. You're heading home just in time for the rainy season 😁 Sorry about that.

[@Jstall7543]

That Sounds Pretty Insane!

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Awesome video

[@justinrae7835]

Hey Fluff, Long time viewer. I have a new band launching in Feb 2023. How many venues do you guys hire for your shows vs venues that hire you? Would this be considered a pay to play if you hire the venue outright but take 100% of the risk and revenue of entrance and merchandise (none of the bar) vs a venue split of any description where they take X% of the door and merch etc

[@jacenblack]

First! So stoked to have seen you in Anaheim!

[@williamfaith6007]

Would love to know more about your tour van - custom job, or…?

[@cashlayton1313]

Where do you find time to make content in all that Fluff? Seems like there’s not much time in the hotels to do anything other than sleep or eat breakfast.

[@DavidSJ_DAP]

Only a 45 minute set as headliner?

[@eliassolomon5038]

Can we get a van tour

[@Revenant2794]

Bu-cee’s!!!

[@NoeAnton]

How do you guys deal with the different personalities and perks of having to be together for such a long time? I mean I know being friends helps, but basically you guys have to deal with each other too in a daily basis for a long time. Even in families there's a point when traveling together where the shit starts to come out and those negative little things about each other's personality come out, from the mildest like picking your nose to maybe dealing with personal emotional stuff. How do you do it?

[@ericolson326]

How quickly do you develop a sense of when & what you can eat without risking needing to take a s*** close to or even during a show? 😅

[@Hajimodo]

What's entailed in having a sponsor for a tour? What benefit is that? Is it gear, funding, that and more?

[@tracyashcraft3806]

What is the name of your band

[@rune22143]

He is in which band?

[@russellzauner]

Man, you make it sound like a job. 😁

[@MK-1010]

Thanks for the video. I guess the days of booze and groupies are a thing of the past! Just kidding, I think I've heard you mention you're married, and your nights are long enough as it is. Glad you and your band mates are all in agreement! As a former trucker, I know all about lunch on the road at Love's, or Pilot. Actually, I'd recommend Wawa, if you're near one. I've also had to drive between NY and FL for family reasons much of last year. On one trip, I wound up driving all night till about 7 AM, stopping somewhere in PA, or VA and I'm checking in when the crushing reality of the (industry standard) 11 AM checkout landed on my head! Since it was a Monday or Tuesday, and I was right in the middle of nowhere special, I was able to extend the checkout till 2 PM. That ended the overnight run for me, though I did like the wide-open road, and I could get into a nice groove with what I was listening to on Spotify. Safe travels, and I hope you get home soon!

[@eloctavo1909]

How about A day in the life: day off on tour. How many days off do you normaly have?, forexample on th europe, tour do you book it so you have a couple of days to sightsee? or do you try and cram everything as close as posible?

[@PigglyWigglyDeluxe]

Yoooooooo you hung out with Skaff???

[@MikeSavoia]

🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@guitarplayer1434]

don't take this the wrong way , you you much better rested

[@harveymckinlay913]

What happened to Hans?

[@adamhaymanmusic]

looks like you guys need a bass player ;)

[@bday55]

Curious about the income (more or less). Funny how today it's a business run by dedicated musicians and back in the day run by business people babysitting drugged out/alcoholic musicians. Is the income reported to get SS benefits when the knees go?

[@tonepilot]

0:54, I’m sure they’re equally happy you’re not bothering the other guy’s butt too.

[@aljuric5887]

Sorry what? You leave your bandmate behind if he's late getting to the van? Haha there goes the "mate" in "bandmate".

[@smashallpots1428]

why no bassist

[@PigglyWigglyDeluxe]

You might want to consider a professional vocal coach if you haven’t already. Since your voice is so strained you might not be screaming properly and it may be causing damage. I’m not a professional by any means I’m just a dude who is concerned for your vocal health. Cheers, fluff!

[@nacktheslayer9882]

Fluff I want to be your roadie

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

Why not just get a hotel directly after the show, and do all the driving next day?

[@Bill_N_ATX]

Because you are usually too amped up right after the show to go to sleep. A couple hours driving in the van will allow you to calm down enough to actually go to sleep when you get in your room. Been there, done that. Even when you have a bus you can sleep in all night, it usually takes at least an hour to chill down enough to crawl in your rack and go to sleep.

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

I have come to realize my body works opposite of everyone else's. Case in point, alcohol puts me to sleep. So, I put a mattress in the back of my SUV. No matter how large of a show I play, after a beer or two, I am ready for bed.

[@officialpoa3171]

*huh??? WTH???? Nothing to do until curtain??? What about PRESS????! INTERVIEWS???? they do still exist per market right???*

[@jackanderson1979]

How y'all pay your bills through a bank account or what?

[@kyleisahuman]

Tbh I’d be pissed if I went to see a band headline and they only did 45 minutes. I feel like if you’re headlining you should at least give the people 90 minutes, otherwise it ain’t worth the money to most.

[@RufusKSala]

Why would anyone do this? But bless those who are called to.

[@craigmcgill4612]

Typically

[@doubtfuldonkey1]

That must've been a day to remember 🤡

[@shauncarter924]

No strippers and drugs and parties???? Whaaaaaat?????? Lol

[@billdo4134]

Sounds terrible.