THE BEACHES
Dealing with Stress & Stressful Situations
Most touring artists have some crazy touring stories .
For example , my band was once playing a couple of shows at Sunshine Valley Ski Resort . The shows were a blast and we all got to ski and snowboard for a couple of days . This was at the tail end of the tour , and the next show was in Saskatoon . We were planning on driving to Medicine Hat the night before our Saskatoon show to cut down on the eight-hour drive , but we hit a snag .
While I was tearing up the mountain ( kind of ) on my snowboard , the one and only key to the van disappeared from my pocket and ended up somewhere on the vast mountain , fully buried in slushy spring snow .
When we got to the bottom of the mountain , we had our gear all spread out around us and no way to get it into the van , let alone drive the van off the mountain , let alone get to our next gig .
I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever been more disappointed in myself ; however , with the help of my bandmates , I figured it out .
CAA came and opened up the van , and then CAA came to the rescue again with a flatbed truck . I got the driver to deliver the van to the Dodge dealership in Canmore . We grabbed a hotel and first thing the next morning , I went down to the dealership .
As luck would have it , the dealership had one programmable key , and $ 250 later , we were on the road . We even made it to the gig on time .
Frankly , this isn ’ t even the craziest or most uncomfortable experience we ’ ve gone through ; it ’ s just a classic example .
These kinds of situations are basically commonplace , and there are lessons to be learned from them .
“ It sounds cheesy ,” says Dylan MacDonald , my other bandmate , “ but it really teaches you to relax and not sweat the small stuff . In everyday life as well .”
I ’ ve been touring with Fitzgerald for over a year now , and he has 10 years of touring experience on me . One of the most important lessons I ’ ve learned on the road with him is that if you remain calm and just take the time to figure things out , they tend to work out .
Fitzgerald is a bit of an eternal optimist , and I asked
him how he maintains that when faced with the adversity that touring brings . “ I don ’ t feel like that 100 per cent of the time ,” he explains , “ but it definitely tips that direction . There ’ s times when you get in a fender bender , or you get a bad email , or an extra bill … There ’ s a lot in the balance when you ’ re touring . There ’ s the people , the thing you ’ re actually passionate about , there ’ s the financial part of it , there are so many things at work and I find that you just have to be an optimist . It makes the airport easier , it makes the car rides easier , it makes everything easier .
“ It ’ s something you just learn over time – that it is going to work out . One way or another , it ’ s going to work out . It may not be the way you wanted it to work out , or it may be 10 times better , but it ’ s going to work out .”
The fact is , even when you ’ re at home , you ’ re faced with uncertainty every day . Artists live strange lives , so it makes sense that we adjust to it .
Is It All Worth It ?
THE MIDDLE COAST
I hope these stories don ’ t give you the wrong impression ; these artists all love what they ’ re doing .
“ I would never trade any of it . I love it more than anything ,” affirms Kelly . “ Last night , I wrote an amazing song in L . A . and I have three more sessions this week . The fact that we get to work in the music industry and be surrounded by creative people all the time – it ’ s the best job in the world .”
All of these conversations were inspiring to me in different ways . I love hearing how different artists deal with the challenges that this career path offers up and the way that those challenges can be used to inspire creativity .
At the end of the day , it comes down to having a positive outlook and faith that everything will work out .
Looking at touring and the challenges it presents as collecting inspiration helps you process those experiences creatively . Allowing yourself to live in the feelings that you experience on the road and at home can be great creative fuel .
That attitude , along with a calm demeanor and the faith that things will work out , makes for successful , productive tours and a fulfilling home life as well .
Liam Duncan is musician and writer based in Winnipeg , MB . He likes to make music with his band The Middle Coast . Check them out on Facebook .
46 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN