Nothing can prepare you for actually touring with your band. There’s something indescribable about traveling along the highway in your VW bus, filled to the brim with everything you need. When you’re sharing space with your equipment, fellow bandmates, and supportive friends, it can get a little crowded – but the chance to perform at festivals across the country makes it totally worth it.

Maybe you’ve managed to snag a sweet opening spot at Austin City Limits this October, or maybe you’re waiting until SXSW 2016 rolls around. Whatever your band’s up to, taking advantage of the hundreds of local music festivals this summer and fall is a great way to sharpen your chops. Whether your bands’ tour takes you all over the country or it just takes you up the coast, there are a few helpful tips to keep in mind. These pointers can make any tour – big or small – a success.

All of these tips can fall under the advice of “being prepared” – to the point of paranoia. Organization is essential to a good tour, and knowing how long it will take you to get from one gig to the next can help you plan your days. Recognizing when you have to get up and hit the asphalt can help you get to the gig a little early without any stress. If you know your schedule well enough in advance, you can book your hotel using convenient discount websites and save a few bucks. It’s also a great idea to call in any favours you have with friends who live in the cities you’ll be touring. If they offer, never say ‘no’ to crashing on their couches.

With your schedule tapped down, you can focus on the next most important detail of your tour – your gear. Don’t show up with the bare minimum and expect to be able to share anyone’s equipment. You know what they say about assuming, so make sure your kit includes more than just your instruments. If you’re a guitarist, you might already have stocked up on spare straps, picks, strings, but that’s not enough. Having a backup amp, pedal, and power adapters can really help you out if the venue isn’t fully prepared or another band can’t share. Cables (instrument, speaker, adapter, mic) are also a must.

Having a backup for everything might seem like overkill, but you won’t be thinking that when the venue doesn’t have enough power points and you happen to have a surge-protected extension adaptor; or your main amp goes on the fritz and you have a spare one you can immediately hook into. There’s nothing that can stop a tour faster than faulty equipment, so stock up your kit before you hit the road to avoid the devastation of a canceled tour. You can also improve your collection when you’ve realized you’ve forgotten something along the way by exploring local music shops that you pass any chance you get. Should your tour take you through Canada, you can check out the musical instruments & accessories at Long & McQuade, they have stores in nearly every major town in the country. North of the border, you’ll enjoy the lower Canadian dollar while knowing you can trust the quality of all of their equipment. With the biggest and best brands, tempered with an affordable price tag, there’s no simpler way to be prepared and get your show on the road.

Because that’s what important – being prepared so you can visit as many places and share your music with as many festival goers as possible. When you’ve got all of the right gear traveling with you, you don’t have to worry about how much longer your pedal will last or whether or not the venue has the right hook ups. And when you’re not worrying, you can take in the once-in-a-lifetime experience of your 2015 tour.