Help with 5 piece indie rock band going on tour

[Rednose]

Hello, my band Supermercado just got notice that we are leaving for a 17 day tour with Vixen and Enuff Z Nuff starting May 28th.
We have to supply back line for the tour.
3 Marshall 1/2 stacks, Full bass rig and 5 piece drum set.
What would you suggest is the most comfy way for the band to travel with all this gear?
We have a $200.00 per day budget for rental vehichle.
Obviously a Prevost or MCI is out of the question.
Were looking at this site.
http://www.diggerbus.com/gallery/index.asp
Were located in Chicago.
Thanks!

[Remoteness]

Digger's Ghost or Shark look pretty cool.

Make sure you tug a long a trailer for the backline.

[Remoteness]

I'm not how you want to handle your "sleepy ways" but that Super Splitter bus looks pretty awesome for a compact rig. It looks pretty budget friendly too...

What are the rates for these vehicles?

[Rednose]

Thanks guys!
$185.00 per day for the supper splitter.
It in our budget, but I don't think that we could fit our the backline we have to carry with flight casses.
I'm still considering buying a friends conversion van and then buying a U haul.
It would be 2 grand more, but then I'd own it.
Just may have a tought time finding parking in Chicago for it.
Matt

[Remoteness]

One thing you need to mull over -- You have to be careful when you buy a used vehicle. You're inheriting someone else’s potential problems and that's something you don't want to be dealing with on tour.

At least with a rental (depending on the type of contract you signed) there are options when the vehicle fails. They can get you a backup van or something to that affect. Why not rent the Super Splitter w/ a U-Haul trailer. It’s a bit more bread but it might be a better solution.

If you’re a mechanic and have the time buying that used van may not be such a big deal.

All the best – Keep us posted on what you ended up doing and report back on how the tour is doing. I’ve worked and hung out with Enuff Z Nuff… They are a lot of fun. You’re going to have a blast

[Jim vanBergen]

I work with a lot of touring bands, most of them are surviving in a 9-passenger van with a u-haul for the backline. The SHARK looks like an amazing way to travel if you are driving from gig to gig without hotels (living/sleeping on the bus) and will save you some hotel $$ while you will definitely still require the gear trailer.

That's the one thing- all those vehicles, not a one of them has enough room for 3 stacks, a full bass rig AND a 5-piece set. Dare I say that perhaps the rhythm & third guitarist should consider smaller amps? Don't forget you need room for your guitars, pedalboards, mic case, CLOTHES...and MERCHANDISE!!! You can survive without the boutique amp, but NOT without the scratch you will make on tshirts and CDs! Thats GAS money, bro-
Jim

[tINY]

That's not really that much stuff to lug around. A regular passenger van and a short trailer with a ramp would do fine.

Forget the U-haul they are pretty expensive - You'll end up eating a lot of your budget - find someone who leases utility trailers.



-tINY

[Rednose]

Thanks for the tips guys!
I figured Remote Possibilities board would know a thing or two about touring!
Heres what we decided to do.
My Bass player has an 8V ford cargo van.
Were going to buy a trailer for gear.
He is also a carpentar, so were going to take some samples from that site and make it habitable for 2 weeks.
Were doing more two weeks stints so we feel its best to invest in our own gear.
$2500.00 can get us more motels.
Thanks for reminding me about the swag, got some really cool stuff in the works.
What do you think of these dog tags?
http://www.laserengraveart.com/index.php?m=2&s=5
If theres anything other than the ussually things were bringing, T"s and Cd's that can help pay for burritos, please share!

[Rednose]

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen

I work with a lot of touring bands, most of them are surviving in a 9-passenger van with a u-haul for the backline. The SHARK looks like an amazing way to travel if you are driving from gig to gig without hotels (living/sleeping on the bus) and will save you some hotel $$ while you will definitely still require the gear trailer.

That's the one thing- all those vehicles, not a one of them has enough room for 3 stacks, a full bass rig AND a 5-piece set. Dare I say that perhaps the rhythm & third guitarist should consider smaller amps? Don't forget you need room for your guitars, pedalboards, mic case, CLOTHES...and MERCHANDISE!!! You can survive without the boutique amp, but NOT without the scratch you will make on tshirts and CDs! Thats GAS money, bro-
Jim

Hi Jim, as part of our agreement with the bands, we have to provide backline for the tour for all the bands.
In other words, they use or amps, drums.
Dare I say maybe our drummer could exne his cymbals behind him and the freakin' gong?
But he won't, ha!