Lessons learned on tour

As I mentioned yesterday, we spent last weekend in Scotland. While it was partly a vacation, it was also partly work. James' band, The Reverb Syndicate, came over from Canada for two weeks to play a series of shows. The first weekend was based in and around London, while the second weekend took us all up to Edinburgh and Glasgow. The band has been together for a good long while now (see what I did there? I'm can't recall exactly how many years...6...7...8...? so I'm dodging the specifics. Slick, eh?) and has put out three albums.

Poster designed by Marc Audet at Rocket 57 Illustration & Animation

This is the longest tour I've had the pleasure of experiencing with the band (I'm one of two go-go dancers. I know, right? Ridiculous fun) and I've learned a few things over the last two weeks of tour:

• Having seven people in our flat meant a trip to Argos to buy an air mattress. And I got the privilege of carrying home said air mattress on the bus. Slogan on the side of the box? INFLATE YOUR FUN. Yup. Not sketchy at all. *eye roll*
• Only one set of keys for five guests makes for some seriously complex scheduling...but someone (poor drummer) will still spend a late, rainy evening on the front porch waiting to be let inside. Bonus knowledge: our wifi extends to the front porch, so you won't necessarily be bored!
• If you wait until the last minute to buy your go-go boots, you're going to end up with a pair that permanently smell as though they've been through a warehouse fire. In fact, for the price you pay, you can guarantee they have!
• Seven people. One toilet. *shudder*
• There hits a point where everyone just needs alone time. It's perfectly acceptable and necessary for band survival.
• I am not made for staying in a hostel. No matter how "nice" it may be.
• Chips, cheese and curry is an amazing combination and the closest poutine substitute available over here.
• Not everyone appreciates having their antics captured on digital video...and broadcast to Twitter.
• No matter how hard you try, your eating habits will, for the most part, go right out the window when trying to accommodate six other peoples' needs and preferences. Relax, go with it and get to the gym the second they leave.
• Band sickness exists. It is inevitable and it will take you all down one by one. The person who escapes it is a jerk for not getting involved and participating

And, because it was so damn good, chips, cheese and curry: