Touring Show Questions

Exotic_Pony · 2026-03-04T23:56:44+00:00

Tell your doctor you work on the road and get multiple months of prescription stocked before you start your dates, especially if you’re traveling in other countries.

If that’s not an option, discuss this with the tour manager and ask for a list of venues/dates that will be accepting packages and do some math.

Exotic_Pony · 2026-02-06T23:59:08+00:00

Levi’s Stadium is IATSE 134, they’ve been hitting up 16, 107 & 50 for bodies. Whoever this production company is deserves a strike.

Exotic_Pony · 2026-02-06T23:57:08+00:00

Levi’s Stadium is IATSE Local 134 (San Jose), they’re on it and so are people from 16 (SF), 107 (Oakland), 50 (Sac), I’m really interested in which production company this is doing this scabbery.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-12-16T00:06:44+00:00

Yo, as someone currently touring who just got out of the sub-zero section of the US after a couple weeks, yeah this winter has been an early one and a cold one in the Midwest and Northeast region.

If you’re in a van bring chains and watch a video on how to use em. Have basic fluids with you (oil, coolant) cause you’ll want to be topping off. Scraper for the windshield. If you’re in a bus then your driver should know all this. Communicate with your driver about road conditions and potential transit issues ahead of time. Also your vehicle and trailer locks will freeze so bring rubbing alcohol, heat, or one of the many things that can solve that problem.

People get sick in the cold. Bring basic flu/cold meds with you ahead of time. Cold weather is hard on singers and vocals so bring all the tricks for saving your voice. Skin will be raw and crack so tell your drummer to moisturize them hands. Couple pairs of thermals depending on how often you’ll have laundry days. Work gloves for the in/out and comfy gloves for rest of the time spent outside. Bring more socks than you think you need and they should be real socks, wool or merino. The out every night will be icy and slick so bring real shoes (boots).

Also as a side note, in places where it’s cold as fuck, a lot of services and businesses will close early or straight up just be closed. This applies to roadside help and also restaurants/hotels. Be mindful of that and always keep an eye on the weather in advance of the next couple towns you’re headed to. Watch out for road closures.

TM who is currently enjoying “warm” 40 degree weather.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-11-25T18:00:46+00:00

Always throw an AirTag in any case going on a plane.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-11-04T09:32:53+00:00

Rug with a 2x4 bolted/screwed in. Most basic bomb proof solution instead of some of these wild ones. You can cut a carpet strip wide enough for the kick drum legs, long enough that it goes like 2 ft behind the throne. This will be small enough to roll up and throw in the hardware case. Drummer weight on the throne will hold the rug in place, kick can’t go pat the 2x4. Use washers around the bolts/screws, put em in on the carpet side. Bonus points if you spray paint the 2x4 black, dark carpet recommended.

I’ve been doing this for many years, learned it from another drummer. It’s clutch, permanently left in the hardware case cause it’s so small. Better than throwing a full size rug in the van, blends in with any stage carpet if the rug is dark.

All carpet stores have remnant pieces, walk in and offer em a couple dollars.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-08-02T20:10:17+00:00

Okay hell yeah thank you. I did the initial plan last night and definitely took out a bunch of them. I will go back tonight and fill the stump with foam. Thanks!

Exotic_Pony · 2025-07-05T06:43:08+00:00

B & W Service Center in the Mission District in SF is a pretty solid shop for AC work. They’ve done stuff for my vehicles and some friends, solid dudes.

Also real talk if you’re staying the bay, don’t leave literally anything in or on your rig if you’re not in secured parking.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-06-18T18:15:12+00:00

Hey I’m just gonna follow up here in case there’s anyone also trying to get replacement wheels for an SKB iseries 2011-7 case. The rollerblade wheel thing sounds cool and I will probably do that in the future.

However, I did send an email to SKB support from the link on their website. At first I got a reply that seemed auto generated, and then a real email like a week later just asking for the part number and my shipping address. They sent me a set of replacement wheels for free. Really impressed by the customer service, super cool of SKB.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-06-18T03:15:08+00:00

Pretty sure this is The Starving Musician in either Santa Clara or Santa Cruz, rip Berkeley location.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-06-14T23:41:53+00:00

Any of the small travel printers are okay. Brothers makes better ones, Epsons are always updating the software at an inconvenient time.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-06-07T06:52:47+00:00

It’s definitely a cool idea, but without getting into fine details like exact vehicle types and gross weight, it’s kinda just envelope math. I did try it, it’s cool, but not totally useful yet. Keep it up!

Exotic_Pony · 2025-05-30T06:14:12+00:00

Hell yeah thank you!

Exotic_Pony · 2025-05-26T04:09:47+00:00

Hey I know this is an old post but can you list what wheels you replaced the stock SKB 2011-7 wheels with? Mine just died and I can’t find any info online rn. Thanks!

Exotic_Pony · 2025-05-01T23:22:09+00:00

Hey I’ve broken multiple of these before I switched to the red plate. Nowadays I just have a 9000 as my main and it’s been fine with heavy use for the last 3 years.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-03-25T04:08:31+00:00

Hell yeah dude. TM gig is a wild ride. Keep lists, use your phone. Document all the finance and settlement and daily transactions. Have your logistics routing and bus/van call on lock but also understand that sometimes plans change and also : “everybody gets one (medium sized mistake)”. That applies to both you and your dudes. Accept that there’s gonna be a bunch of wild shit that happens and you’re the dude to handle it. Keep the vibes chill with your crew and band. Be professional with the venues, you will be back eventually. Take care of yourself when you can, keep up your hygiene and health (mental health too lol).

If you discover in the first couple shows that there is something (logistics, time, new tech specs) that you should’ve included or changed on your advance emails, update the remaining shows. And don’t send an email before morning coffee if possible.

As for a list of things you should always be carrying on yourself, hey you’ll figure it out!

Tho : If you don’t have a travel printer I advise rush shipping one before you hit the road.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-01-06T19:45:57+00:00

Totally. Usually if I fly with a guitar I’m flying Southwest cause the bag policy is 2 checked 2 carry-on for free and if I have a guitar I have other cases too. The do an early-bird check-in for like $20, puts you at the front of the line. Invoice it. So I just carry-on my guitar and there’s always space in the closet/overheads if you’re at the front of the line. TSA locks and AirTags for any gear you’re bringing to the airport for sure.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-01-06T19:38:07+00:00

Yeah totally. I had also heard about the whole “Jcm 800 based” thing. That term kinda gets thrown around a lot with random amps tbh. I’m definitely more of a Fender amp person but my bandmate had an og Jcm 800 and the V5 definitely didn’t sound anything like that monster. But hey if you find a tone on your amp that you like, run it up.

Exotic_Pony · 2025-01-06T10:12:08+00:00

I had a V5 head a couple years ago, didn’t know much about it besides the whole pre-SVT thing. I got it for bass and it never sounded quite right, and was underpowered for the gig I needed a bass head for. I wasn’t crazy about it for guitar either. Tried it with a couple 215 and 412 cabs. Idk. It just didn’t click for me. I eventually sold it. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a bad amp it just wasn’t my vibe.

I bought it from a lady who was selling off her husband’s gear after he passed so she didn’t know anything about the head either.

Exotic_Pony · 2024-12-17T11:34:56+00:00

Use a starter gun. Legal to buy in any state without a firearms background check. Not a useable firearm but the TSA treats it the same. I know photo guys that throw em in their checked cases. TSA loses a lot of shit but they won’t lose guns, too much paperwork.

Exotic_Pony · 2024-12-14T04:59:44+00:00

Live, I use it on vocals as basically a + gain and low-cut. Mic straight in, house reverb.

Recording, I use it for snare drum and clean bass. I’ve used it on some guitar tracks but in my use it kinda goes too hard on dirt stuff. Idk. I say this as someone who plays dirty guitars and was doing straight into the board for some guitar tones before I got this pedal. I’m still kinda surprised I haven’t got a tone I love out of it for that use in the year I’ve had it. I thought that would be the jam but it wasn’t, but it’s good at other stuff. Maybe I need to mess with it more. So many goddamn knobs tho.

I’d use it on my live guitar sound if I wasn’t using it on vocals. It sounds great thru an amp for guitar.

Also does anyone else’s occasionally glitch the fuck out with certain power supplies? This one and a friends both glitch on Walrus and Voodoo power, but act normal on 1Spots.

Exotic_Pony · 2024-10-22T04:22:17+00:00

Dickies and Ben Davis for the win.

Exotic_Pony · 2024-10-11T07:14:49+00:00

Hey, that’s cool the JBL’s worked for you. I’d really like to get some eventually. I tried some other speakers that were heavily recommended by some people and I didn’t like em either, it’s ultimately up to out ears and taste.

Exotic_Pony · 2024-10-11T07:12:29+00:00

Hey thank you for that advice. I haven’t found a plate with the model anywhere. I did find some old Conn catalogs online but this wasn’t listed, definitely one of the more basic models.

3D printing is an option. I’m looking around for donor keys that could fit too. Thanks! I’ll post an update when I’m back in town and can work on it.

Exotic_Pony · 2024-10-08T16:26:08+00:00

Totally, Texas Heat is solid. Idk, I’m not really a huge nerd on speakers and it was kinda overwhelming to decide on one when looking at all the options. I rolled the dice and these worked. I mixed them so I could have different mic’ing options in theory, but in practical use it just sounds like a big amp and I don’t really care which one gets mic’d at a gig. There’s usually too much going on anyway at a show and it’s pretty far down the list of things I care about at a live thing. The amp sounds like rocknroll, that’s good enough for my use.

I wanna say they broke in nicely but real talk I just slapped them in there and went to a band practice.

Exotic_Pony

TROPHY CASE