1. What is one thing you NEVER leave for tour without?

Toothbrush, passport, good small flashlight, rain jacket, wristwatch, in ear monitors, multitool, good steel toes, ereader and a positive fuckin' attitude.

2. Tour is marching down the road, you see a sign for your favorite fast food spot and we HAVE to stop...where are we going and what's your order?

Kebab, anywhere where there's a giant spindle of meat rotating slowly. Especially in Europe. I usually trust the locals opinions of where they suggest is the best spots in town.

3. What's your go-to gas station snack order?

Black coffee and a Slim Jim

4. What do you love to do when you aren't touring?

Hanging out with my kid, my parents and my friends.

Relaxing with a good book or my guitar near a campfire.

Getting away from cities and into nature.

Woodworking

Writing

Vidja Games

5. Mental health is so important. What is something you need to do on tour to keep yourself sane?

I read ebooks alot. It helps me get into a different world and off the road, even when I'm on the bus for a long time.

As important as every show is, and all encompassing it can feel, like all eyes are on us because we see 20k+ people in a crowd a night, sometimes realizing that no matter how big of a show it is, the whole world (usually) isn't watching.

When people are stressing hard on a gig I'll ask them ' Hey you remember what happened at this same festival last year?' Thier response is almost always 'No' and I respond with 'Exactly.'  Entertainment can feel so important in the moment, but it's as fleeting as most experiences in life. Not demeaning anything by saying this but when the stress is high I remind myself 'It's just another show.'

6. Biggest green flag in a tourmate? Biggest red flag?

Green flag = 15 minutes early to lobby/bus call, always. ("If you're 15 minutes early, you're late" - Every good PM ever) Every cable marked diligently, labels on everything, willingness to help other departments but understanding that once is a favour, twice is a gig. Not bitching about a tough day openly all day long. Being Friendly and courteous both at the gig and on the bus.

Red Flags = Showing up in the nick of time, or even worse, late. Being disorganized. Having blinders on and not being patient with other depts to load in. The 'me first' mentality harbors resentment. Bitching about a tough day openly all day long. Being a slob on the bus.

7. Podcasts or music? Give a top 3 of things you're currently jamming

Classic rock - Jimi Hendrix - Pali Gap

Classical - Vivaldi - 4 Seasons summer

Spotify go to Playlist - Southern Gothic - Parker Milsap - Old Time Religion

8. Best and Worst parts of touring?

Best - The camaraderie, taking a collective bite out of shit sandwiches and having a beer at the end of the day knowing we all did what we came to do, and get to, not have to, do it again in a different city tomorrow. Being part of a machine that is making core memories for thousands of people I'll never meet.

Worst - Working for really entitled people, it trickles down and sucks to be around. It's never fun breaking your balls for someone you wouldn't want to have a drink with at the bar or even worse making people look good when you really don't support the message they're sending to the world. Sometimes it's just about making money, and even if the artist sucks the crew is what makes a tour enjoyable or grueling.

9. Favorite city to visit on tour?

Tokyo, it's insane, but organized and respectful. The seedy underbelly is apparent, but it rocks.

10. Favorite venue you've worked?

Anywhere with 5+ docks and a smooth flat push to the stage with lots of upstage space for storage. So like, four venues.

11. What's a place you haven't visited that you would love to go to?

Alaska, with time off.

12. How long does it take you to get back to "normal" life when you get home from tour?

Two days of solitude is usually all I get, life doesn't stop because I leave so there's always something to be taken care of, people that I really missed and work to be done. I try to decompress for those two days if I'm lucky and then right back into it. "Normal" is an interesting way to put it though, it's hard to connect to people back home sometimes, I can't share road stories the same way with people at home, even being modest sometimes it comes across as bragging, when it's really just sharing what happened, and a lot of the time no matter how long I'm gone for, coming home and asking what's new is usually met with 'nothings changed, nothing really happened, same shit different day'

Tour life isn't all glam and party, even if it may seem like it from what gets posted on social. The days are long and most of the time there are so many daily challenges we as a crew and as individuals have to overcome constantly. The pressure to execute perfect shows is stressful and over time without a break it can get to you, but I wouldn't want to live any other way at this point in my life. I've met the most solid, hardworking, badass people I've ever known on the road. We all bare marks of a rough and tumble kind of life but we are all proud of accomplishing something so few can say they've experienced. I feel extremely lucky to have fallen into this industry, but luck hasn't gotten me to where I am. Hard work, stress management, and a willingness to learn from my peers has put me where I am today. Luck opened the door, the grind got me to cross the threshold.