Pulling off a successful gig is tough even under the best of circumstances. Given the wide range of things that can go wrong, it only makes sense for a band to be well prepared. Below are a handful of things you can bring along to make your gigs a bit more successful.
Extra Cables
Let’s be honest – extra cables are a life-saver at any gig. Having some extra AV equipment on you isn’t exactly a burden, and it can always help you if there’s a problem with the equipment on site. While your audio equipment hire will almost certainly have plenty of back-up cables on-hand during the gig, bringing your own extra cords for your instruments is a good way to ensure that equipment issues don’t impact your gig.
Professional Speakers
If you’re not going to a location that’s got professional sound equipment already installed, you’ll need to bring professional-grade speakers with you. Whether you rent them or buy them, having the right sound equipment can absolutely have an impact on how well your music is received by the crowd. If you want to give off a professional vibe, make sure that you always have professional speakers at your gigs.
Maintenance Kits
Every musician has played a gig at which instrument issues caused problems. One of the smartest things you can do is to bring along some maintenance kits for your instruments so that minor problems don’t cancel your gig. At a minimum, this means bringing along extra strings for the guitars and bass, as well as extra drum heads for the drums. While anything truly dire will probably need more substantial work, being able to solve little problems will help you to keep your momentum.
Sore Throat Remedies
Sore throats have ruined far too many gigs. Whether you’re a singer or you just care about your singer’s health, you need to bring along a few remedies to make sure that the vocals never falter. Try to keep a few cough drops in your pocket and think about bringing along a packet or two of tea leaves just in case. Keeping your singer going a little longer can have a huge impact on how well your gig goes, so bring the necessities whenever you’re on the road.
These basic tools can help you to avoid the little problems that hurt so many bands. Each of these items will help you to take care of your band and ensure your gig’s success. With a little lucky, you can get past the small stuff and really wow the crowds with your music.
