How to Kill Time While Touring

Want to know the best ways to kill time while touring? Whether you want to zone in or zone out, we have some top suggestions for bored artists on the road.

Photo by Bryan Catota from Pexels

If you listen to the majority of artist interviews, one common complaint always crops up. It is hard to take sympathy with them when they appear to have everything – money, fame and the ability to tour all around the world. But this complaint is something we all have at one time or another.

They get bored often.

Artists tend to have this complaint a lot because they tour around in vans, cars, busses, and planes, traveling to the next stop off on their tour. Whether you are an unsigned band going across Europe, an A-lister or you just want ideas to kill time while on the road, this post is for you.

Write Lyrics

Touring can be exhausting and the only time you really get to stop is when you are traveling to the next country or venue. But if you find that you get restless because of all the plans that lie ahead, it can be a fantastic time to start writing more songs.

The things you see in airports and in other destinations may inspire you to write a new song, so why not do it now while you have time and these memories are fresh?

Take Your Mind off Things

On the other hand, many artists will want to take their mind completely away from their craft. To do this, you might want to do other creative hobbies like sketch in a pad, paint, or read a book.

At times the best thing to do in order to unwind between gigs is to put down the sketch pad and do something completely different, and we all know how different type of games can clear your mind and kill 2-3 hours at the same time.

We are spoilt with choice these days and many tour busses offer PS4 and XBOX-setups with all the games you could wish for. If you want some alone time, grab your smartphone for some Sudoku, Shoot ’em up or Slot machine time! Nowadays you can even play mobile casino games on your handheld device if that is your go-to method of winding down.

Another must-have item on tour if you are bored with fiddling on your smartwatch or hand control is a deck of cards: start a poker tournament with the crew or isolate yourself with a round of Solitaire!

Engage with Fans

In between gigs and events is a great time to engage with your fanbase, no matter how big or small that may be.

Not only will this be appreciated by the fans themselves as you take some time to answer questions or comment on their posts, but it is essential to make them aware of your upcoming events and drum up interest.

Watch Performances Back

Unfortunately, with all the fame and excitement of being an artist also comes a lot of hard work. You might not be able to take your mind away from performances because you need to evaluate what went right and not so right about the last one.

Between gigs is the perfect time to watch recordings of your shows and evaluate what happened and how you can improve. This is how the best get even better!

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.