Six Tips to Help Your Fly Date Go Smoothly

If you’ve been booked for an out of town gig that you need to fly to, there are special considerations that need to be made. With gigs in town, or even in neighboring cities, it’s as simple as loading up your gear in your car and driving to the venue. Fly dates are a different beast - you have to book a flight, arrange transport to and from the airport, choose a hotel near the gig if necessary, and of course, figure out your equipment situation.

If you are particular about what rig you play through or have spent years assembling a dream rig you just can’t play without, it can be daunting figuring out how you’re going to get your signature sound at an unfamiliar venue hundreds or thousands of miles away. A useful place to start is to minimize your equipment to the bare essentials; pack up your most versatile guitars, clean up the clutter on your pedalboard, and choose the amp capable of covering the most sonic ground. While it’s viable, especially for larger touring bands with crew, to bring entire rigs to fly dates, for the average joe, this can be troublesome. Flying can be stressful as is, and the less gear you have to deal with, the better.

When you’ve picked which gear makes the cut, here are some helpful things to keep in mind:

1. What’s your case situation like? Luggage handlers aren’t known for being particularly gentle with cargo. Hard cases are the name of the game here, and cases with TSA latches are even better. If your prized guitar is protected by a soft case, it is worth the money to upgrade to a suitable hard case.
2. Carry-on as much as you can. If the thought of flying with your prized pedals in the cargo hold bothers you, see if you carry them on the plane. Larger instruments are obviously exempt, but depending on the airline, you may be able to stow your guitar and pedals in the overhead bin. Do some research when booking the airline and see what their policies are, as some will allow you two carry-ons at no charge.
3. Consider equipment rental companies. Most major cities in the United States have music equipment rental companies that offer daily, weekly, or even hourly rentals. Instead of flying with your favorite amp, try contacting one of these companies beforehand to arrange a rental when you arrive at your destination. This is especially useful if you use a common or industry standard amplifier that is readily available. Reputable rental companies tend to take very good care of their equipment, allowing you extra peace of mind and preventing damage caused by transporting your own personal amplifier.
4. Explore equipment alternatives. There are many pedals on the market that simulate certain amplifiers, or have sonic characteristics similar to amps. While nothing beats the real thing most of the time, some products do get close enough. If you are content with or used to getting most of your sound from your pedal setup, consider using a preamp or overdrive pedal as the basis of your tone, and if it can be fed directly through the PA, that’s even better! This will save you a lot of time and energy regarding what are likely the heaviest items in your rig- the amplifier and/or speaker cabinet.

Love the Carvin Amps 100W Legacy head? The Carvin Amps VLD1 puts the real tube tone of the Legacy in a tube preamp pedal that will fit in your carry-on.

5. Contact the venue or other bands to see if there is a backline. You may get lucky and the venue will have the exact amp you use backlined, or a member of another band, especially if they are local to where you are playing, may be willing to let you share an amp for the night. Reach out to them or their manager directly and see if they can help you, and be sure to ask nicely!

6. Be flexible. While equipment is great, putting on a great show is even better! Focus on your performance and understand that your equipment situation may not be absolutely ideal. Your go-to one hundred pound bass cabinet might have to sit one out, and that’s okay. By planning ahead and exploring your options, you can avoid a lot of stress caused by fly dates.

Have you ever had a fly date, and if so, how did it go? Let us know in the comments!

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