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Touring in a band can be, for lack of a better phrase, a "rough gig." There are many things that can and will go wrong when out on tour, and the more of the common ones you are prepared for, the smoother your tour will go. There are many essential things you will need when travelling from show to show, town to town - some of them will be obvious and some will require some forethought to get ready for them ahead of time.

First off, is your gear insured? Many bands have found out the hard way that once the truck is loaded and you turn away for a second, somebody can easily drive away with all of your gear and your transportation all at once, leaving you stranded and sent packing for home because you can't play without gear. There's also the drunk guy who trips over something and knocks over your guitar, bass, etc., breaking it in half. Crazy things happen on the road, and you need to be insured in case they happen to you.

Do you have extras of all the disposable gear, such as picks, strings, drumsticks, light bulbs for lighting if you bring your own, fuses, etc.. There's also not so disposable things such as clothing, guitar straps, cords, extension cords, duct tape, paper for setlists, microphones (always have extra mics, you WILL end up using them) and more that one day you'll need a backup of.

Do you have good towing? A fairly inexpensive thing to invest in is AAA Gold Roadside Assistance, which is good everywhere in the US and will save you a TON OF MONEY on jumpstarts, tire changes and general breakdowns in some strange little town with no garage. Don't leave home without it, trust me.

The road is long and boring at times, despite how glamourous it looks. Make sure to bring a portable TV, a radio, an mp3 player, some notebooks to jot down lyrics in, some good books, some games or a handheld game like a Gameboy, etc. to keep everyone entertained so they don't kill each other after 7 hours in a bus, truck or van. Portable DVD players are a band's best friend nowadays, they're good for killing a lot of time.

Sometimes, your favorite soap, shampoo, shaving cream, toothpaste and other toiletries are hard to find in the local stores, so be sure to stock up when you manage to find them because they might not have them in the next town. I cannot stress enough that you should stock up on YOUR OWN FAVORITE TOILET PAPER! Club bathrooms and rest stops have the worst stuff money can buy and believe me, you will pay for it if you don't.

Make sure that everyone's privacy is

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