T-Shirts & Overnight Bags

Festival season is almost over for this year, which is shorter than last year’s, as we haven’t extended beyond Europe. This means means that by the beginning of September I can stop worrying about packing sun cream and waterproofs in the same case, not knowing what the weather will throw at me for the coming weekend.
Packing for three or four days away has become a well-practiced art over the years, with a small case seemingly permanently on standby in the hallway. By June the repetition of flying out on a Wednesday or Thursday, back on the Sunday/Monday has become second nature and I have to make a conscious decision not to just put the same clothes back in the case but try and rotate around my extensive free T-shirt collection.
For me though, work shirts remain a constant. I have been wearing short-sleeved black shirts for many years and my choice of Ben Sherman has been one I have stuck to for almost as many years as I have been touring. As a front of house engineer I realised eventually that if you wore a slightly smart, clean, ‘proper’ shirt people would think twice about asking you to do manual tasks. I have maintained this pretense of middle management ever since, with mixed success.
Conservative by nature I hate change and have stock piled identical black shirts in my wardrobe. Unfortunately Ben Sherman have moved with the times and, like my enforced move from Analog to Digital, my beloved “Oxford Cut size 3L” has been replaced by the new retro styled “Heritage L”. This is supposed to be an “improved modern cut” but actually feels cheap. It is way too small for me and I now require an unbelievable XXL to gain any movement.
So once again I am bemoaning the change of modern times and the ‘improvements’ they bring. But hopefully looking forward to some old skool ‘proper’ touring this autumn.

Getting a Foot in the Door

Getting a Foot in the Door

How to Make Your Way in the Live Sound Industry
eBook by Darryn de la Soul


Download eBook

Testimonials

Dr. Peter Lennox, University of Derby
“Excellent, down-to-earth, practical advice pitched bang on the target audience.”

Leah Brooker, Sound Engineer
“It really was a lightbulb moment and reading your story gave me the feeling of yes, I can and a much needed kick up the backside. You really are one inspirational lady!”

Breixo Giraldo
“It is undoubtedly the most useful user manual I’ve read in a long time”