Rubberised strong gloves How many times have you wrecked your beautifully filed nails humping the band gear? Screwfix have the best in the UK
Strings [new]. Just in case you break one …. leave on your amp. Change strings before that important gig. The gig with all the Record Execs. invited?
String winder. Don’t think guys will think it looks amateur … it is the fastest way to restring … and to change a string should you have a disastrous string break in the gig
A tuner. The still respected Boss TU series is indispensible … also a natty clip on digital for those tricky moments on stage [not on while you are playing] Nothing as bad as a badly tuned guitar.
A spare cable. Should never happen but it does … even to the most fastidious of guitarists … let down by a cable … at exactly the wrong time. And ensure the jacks are Neutrik … some cheaper ones are slimmer than normal and can be noisy. Make your own extra long ones with fabulous low noise cable?
A spare guitar. All the big guys have spares … why not you? On a stand please
A solid guitar stand. One for each guitar. A guitar leaning against a wall will slip, fall and break the neck at exactly the wrong time … yes, happened to me on one of the first major shows … as I was being announced!!!!!
A lightweight touring stand. One for each guitar … the promoter, overseas, will rarely provide, even though it is in the rider
A photo of your amp. settings.
If you use a standard amp. someone will always have fun and mess with the settings. A simple picture laminated [make two – keep a spare handy] and kept with your amp. lets the roadcrew set it exactly how you always have it [courtesy Don Pearce].
A simple D.I [Direct Injection] box. If your amp. packs up you can simply plug straight into the D.I. box and the sound guy can take a cable feed direct from that into the P.A. … if he has foldback monitors then he can let you hear yourself
Picks. Where do all the picks go? I reckon there must be a secret mountain of them somewhere
A pencil, paper and rubber. Just watch the admiring look you get from the session producer when you don’t ruin the music sheets with dreadful biro? Make it two pencils, and a sharpener?
A4 Lined pad. Essential for gathering Email contact addresses from punters at gigs to swell the database? Make sure to stick labels on: “Name”, “Email Address Please” and “Write in Block Capitals” … just spend three hours trying to decipher the addresses if you don’t put that simple request
White Lex tape … Electricians white insulating tape .. Industry standard for keeping coiled cables tidy for the next gig. Industry Standard for marking up sound desks … Industry standard for altering laminated gig lists [you write on it with Sharpies]. Oh you do have laminated gig lists? Yeah?
6 Way power extension. You can never have enough power outlets … and mark yours with crosses all over [with Sharpie] .. easy to recognise at the end of the gig when everyone else has plugged into your extension. Also put your name on the plug top – makes it real easy to identify when unplugging or fault fixing
Batteries. Nine Volt, AA and AAA … you never know when you will need them. Almost every bit of kit will need a battery at just the wrong moment. And do throw away the dead ones … do not keep them ‘just in case’
Giglight. Maglite was the Industry standard but there are many, many types of LED bright lights around … for pennies. Usually on offer at garages/gas stations .. choose wisely though
Business cards. Loads of them … and always get the contact details [particularly phone numbers] of folk who want to book you for their party. If you just give a card they will never contact you … this is called an ‘impulse buy’ … strike while they are excited about your performance
Earplugs. 
Not only for that time when you are packing up and the DJ is splitting your ears with his nasty sound system … but for those nights when you have to share a bedroom with the drummer who wins snoring competitions. ‘Earpeace’ are frighteningly good for stage, after show packing up and studio. For sleep, ‘Superdrug’ foam earplugs are best
Eyeshades. For that plane journey when you only had two hours sleep last night … or the bedroom where you kipped down after the party … no curtains? Okay, so you look like a Woosie … but you sleep well and are rested?
Tool Kit. A small carefully chosen tool kit of the essentials … electrician’s screwdriver/phase tester to check when electricity is present during a quick repair. Three types of pliers/cutters. Selection of screwdrivers, slot and cross
Fuses: Again essential …. including slo-blo fuses [find out the type in your amp, pedals, sound desk, power amps etc.]
Circuit tester: A little over the top but you will be amazed how many times it gets you out of trouble – testing cables, plug fuses, XLR cables, mains cables
Gaviscon [reflux medicine]. A bottle by your bed at night … when you have just six hours to get some shut eye and the dreaded ‘after fabulous curry’ indigestion strikes.
Under Arm roll-on, Body spray, Clean undies, Fresh jeans, Bright coloured top and Bright trainers …
Makes you look brilliant in the morning, standing out from the crowd, as you arrive at the TV station.
You look like a ‘star’. Especially with that dab of ‘expensive smelly’?
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