Gear and logistics
Packing, backline, PA, power, insurance and the van.
A small PA for small gigs
What a band needs to cover 50 to 150 people: speakers, mixer, monitors and power, with realistic price bands, and when hiring beats owning.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Backline explained: what venues provide and what you bring
What 'backline' means, what a venue or festival usually supplies, what you should always bring anyway, and how to pin it down before the day.
5 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Cables, spares and redundancy on stage
What actually fails at gigs, the spares kit that covers it, how to label and test cables, and a battery policy that ends dead-wireless surprises.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Gear insurance for musicians
Which kinds of cover a working band actually needs, what home insurance will not pay, how to value and document gear, and how to make a claim that gets paid.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026
In-ear monitors for bands: a practical start
What in-ear monitoring costs, wired versus wireless, how mixes work, hygiene, the honest downsides, and a four-week plan to switch without ruining a gig.
5 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Outdoor gigs: weather, power and sound
Playing outdoors without ruining gear or the night: shade, wind and rain plans, power at a distance, PA for open air, curfews and the contract lines you need.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Packing the van: order, weight and the two-minute load-out
How to load a band van safely and fast: the last-in-first-out rule, weight placement, strapping, and a strike order that empties a stage in minutes.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Running a gear inventory: who owns what, who brings what
A gear inventory for bands: what to record, shared versus personal gear, kits per show type, per-gig assignments and the habits that stop things going missing.
5 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Stage power and safety
How much power a band really draws, how to use circuits and extension leads without tripping the venue, and the rules for rain, generators and earthing.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026
The band packing checklist (nothing left at home)
A complete packing checklist for gigging bands by category and by person, with kits per show type and a loading routine that ends the 'who has the DI box?' call.
5 min read · 8 Sept 2026
Wireless microphones and instrument systems basics
How wireless mics and guitar systems work, which frequency ranges are safe, why they drop out, and the battery and set-up habits that keep them reliable.
6 min read · 8 Sept 2026