We're always hearing about bands' tour riders (who can forget that Van Halen refuses to be in the same room as brown M&M's, Britney Spears insists on bunless McDonald's hamburgers, and DMX requires three boxes of condoms and one gallon of Hennessey?). As for what they pack for tour? Not so much.
When musicians hit the road, they're often gone for six months at a time, traveling in a beat-up van with little more than a duffel bag. The stuff they decide to bring along has to be comfortable enough to travel in, but cool enough to wear on stage—not an easy feat.
So we're reaching out to our favorite artists to find out what they don't leave home without when they're embarking on tour. Chanel mascara? Black Chucks? That perfectly beat-up biker jacket that makes literally everything look infinitely cooler? We're about to find out, and we'll be reporting back with our findings each week.
It is surprising how many venues may well provide a mirror but then deck out dressing rooms with tiny, dim bohemian lamps—like bulbs with a pleasing enough wattage covered with whimsical handkerchiefs. Obviously it's not the worst atrocity a venue can commit (that's no dressing room at all and/or smelling like piss) but it really is a treat when I can actually see my face while troweling on the slap.BENEFIT OXYGEN WOW FOUNDATIONI really hate foundation. I've believed every single promise of flawless, breathable, barely-there bullshit and always ended up disappointed and looking like I'm in year 9. But then I found this one from Benefit that actually is like a really nice version of your own skin, with great coverage and a real weightlessness to it. FYI I wear "ivory."BLOCK-HEELED BOOTIES
I'm quite tall and big all over. I've spent years in minimizer bras and flat shoes but NuMe 2014 has actually got quite into embracing one's big bod. I kinda love being tall and looming now, and the vagabond boot has really been a godsend to the girls like me who want the heel but have no clue how to walk in them. They are so comfy, boyish, and powerful whilst giving you the height and lift (and inexplicable leg slimming qualities) of a ladies' high heel.A FANI've really got into having a fan on stage, mainly because I only seem to sweat from the neck up (not attractive) and also because venues have been particularly boiling this year. A happy coincidence is also that all people look great downwind from a fan. I'm pretty close to taking one on tour with us always, as it makes me feel like Katy Perry and that's all I ever want to feel like.SOPHIE AND JESSIE ON TEXT
If in doubt over an outfit or whether I can really get away with flashing my four-pack at my age, I send a picture to these two who I know will tell me honestly if I look alright.Casey Lewis does this every week. She's on Twitter - @caseymlewis.
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Slow Club's Rebecca Taylor is the very definition of aloof. She doesn't try to be cool, which makes her even more so. She's an incredible talent. On the English duo's latest album, Complete Surrender, her voice jumps from indie-pop to soul with astonishing ease. And, if her Instagram is any indication, she's also hilariously clever. On top of all that, she's also a stunner.On-stage, she mostly wears little black mini dresses and lots of layers (such is the life of touring). She's also big on accessories: tangles of necklaces, towering boots, long blonde hair that she's prone to whipping around, and an always-present tambourine (she also plays the drums and guitar). On the other end of the style spectrum, bandmate Charles Watson keeps it low-key his hair back in a topknot and his face covered up in a big beard. Together, they tag-team singing, songwriting, playing instruments, and generally putting on a show that you should definitely see when they embark on tour this fall.We caught up with Rebecca just before Slow Club hit the road, Nick Mulvey in tow, to pry into her packing list.GOOD LIGHTING
It is surprising how many venues may well provide a mirror but then deck out dressing rooms with tiny, dim bohemian lamps—like bulbs with a pleasing enough wattage covered with whimsical handkerchiefs. Obviously it's not the worst atrocity a venue can commit (that's no dressing room at all and/or smelling like piss) but it really is a treat when I can actually see my face while troweling on the slap.
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I'm quite tall and big all over. I've spent years in minimizer bras and flat shoes but NuMe 2014 has actually got quite into embracing one's big bod. I kinda love being tall and looming now, and the vagabond boot has really been a godsend to the girls like me who want the heel but have no clue how to walk in them. They are so comfy, boyish, and powerful whilst giving you the height and lift (and inexplicable leg slimming qualities) of a ladies' high heel.A FANI've really got into having a fan on stage, mainly because I only seem to sweat from the neck up (not attractive) and also because venues have been particularly boiling this year. A happy coincidence is also that all people look great downwind from a fan. I'm pretty close to taking one on tour with us always, as it makes me feel like Katy Perry and that's all I ever want to feel like.SOPHIE AND JESSIE ON TEXT
If in doubt over an outfit or whether I can really get away with flashing my four-pack at my age, I send a picture to these two who I know will tell me honestly if I look alright.Casey Lewis does this every week. She's on Twitter - @caseymlewis.