If you have ever played multiple gigs, chances are, you’ve been in a position where you realize you forgot something, or needed something the venue didn’t provide.
If you have this kit with you, you will never have that problem again.
Rubermaid Box with Lid
This box will house the rest of the goodies. I’d recommend one of the thick grey / green variants over the clear plastic. The clear plastic tends to get mighty brittle in the cold temps, and there is a better chance it busts.
Extra Strings/Sticks/Picks
This should be obvious, but it isn’t. If you use something during a gig, try to have a backup. If I see one more show where a drummer only bring 2 drum sticks, I may just quit music 🙂
Backup Guitar
This is much harder, because of the increased financial obligation. But, if you break a string, and you can grab the other (pre-tuned) guitar that is sitting off stage, the show can continue without skipping a beat. Don’t be that guy on stage timidly pleading into the mic do any of the other bands have a guitar I can use?
Tools
Look at your guitars/drums/amps. If they have a screw, nut, bolt, etc, bring the tool required to fix them. A cheap screwdriver set and wrenches can be had for under $10.
Fuses
Who knows what the power is going to be like from venue to venue. Backup fuses that your amps use are always a cheap and safe purchase.
Extra Cables
Personally, I have one extra cable for each cable in my rig. If that means ordering a custom amp footswitch cable, so be it. One extra (of each).
Notebook
Who knows what you’ll need this for. Set-list’s, merch table, contact list, or bored doodling.
Sharpie
This goes along with the notebook.
Duct Tape
This single most useful thing in this kit. Rebuild a drum kit, a makeshift guitar strap, seat-belts for your old van, and so much more, all for $2!
Strap
A cheap guitar strap is $5, if you don’t have one already. Toss it in the box, because they day you don’t have an extra strap will be the day your strap breaks on stage.
Cheap Tuner
You may already have a tuner on your pedalboard, but it’s not always practical to unbox and turn on the whole thing. Cheap battery operated tuners allow you to sit in a corner and tune your guitar BEFORE you get to the stage.
Mic Windscreen
Mic windscreens for a Shure SM58 (the most common stage vocal mic) can be had for $5 or less. When you hop on stage, change out the windscreen on the mic for your own. If the previous band(s) have a cold / ebola, this is just an extra step to make sure you make it out alive.
Extension Cable (black)
Who knows how the venue shoe-horned a stage into the back-room. Power is rarely in a convenient location, so be prepared by having multiple extension cables available. Additionally, if they are black, that tends to help, as nothing is worse than seeing a pile of huge orange cables reaching across the stage.
Power Strip
For the end of the extension cable, should you need it.
Towel
Maybe the venue has huge lights that could cook an egg on the stage. Maybe a moshpit breaks out and water gets thrown on stage. Maybe your bass player’s five 18″ speaker cabs vibrated your beverage off of your amp. Who knows.
Batteries
Wireless rigs? Guitar Pedals? Active Pickups? Acoustic Guitars? Have extra batteries for everything you use.
Water
This may seem odd, but not all venues will help you out here. Grab a few bottles of water, just in case.
