The 5 Best Apps for Keeping Occupied on The Road

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Every touring musician knows that life on the road can be massively boring. With all of the travelling and the waiting around in venues to soundcheck, it’s no wonder that stars like Mikael Akerfeldt have lost their enthusiasm for touring.

So if you’re about to embark on a three-month tour, what kinds of app should you download to give yourself some light relief from the tedium?

Music apps

Most musicians will be fairly sceptical about apps like Spotify as they have frequently been accused of ripping off artists. However, all of that travelling means that musicians will get plenty of time to remember why they got into music in the first place by using the likes of Deezer and Apple Music to drown out the background noise from the tourbus.

And with apps like Soundcloud being a handy way to work on new demos with fellow band-members, it gives us all a chance to be a little more productive.

Movie streaming apps

But perhaps the best way to switch off on a long tourbus journey is by watching a movie. Although there’s always options like Netflix, most musicians will probably want something a little more unique.

So this is why all touring musicians should download a bespoke movie streaming package. We’re sure that horror movie fan Kirk Hammett would love the Shudder streaming site, and there’s surely a decent prog-themed movie app out there somewhere!

Gaming entertainment

The gaming realm is one place where all prog musicians are sure to find plenty of suitable touring entertainment. It’s not hard to imagine the likes of Ritchie Blackmore sitting down for an in-depth World of Warcraft session.

And whether you want to embrace your inner orc with the King of Avalon app, or boost your per diems with an Immortal Romance slots game, it’s clear that gaming entertainment helps many touring musicians stay sane.

Travel apps

As touring musicians end up in some pretty bizarre locations, there’s plenty of great travel apps to give them a helping hand.

From the simple benefits of Google Maps helping bands find their hotel, to the LikeALocal app that helps musicians find a suitably rock’n’roll bar, it’s clear that there’s much less confusion in modern day touring than just a decade ago.

Social apps

But as musicians are now meant to be social media stars, then it’s clear that keeping your band’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages updated is essential to boosting your career and making sure that your fans keep coming back.

Whilst there are many who think that these social media sites are making bands seem a lot less interesting, there’s no denying their power for helping to win over new fans.

And obviously it’s these social apps that help musicians stay in contact with everybody back home too. So that whether it’s showing off a photo on Instagram, or making a free phone call with WhatsApp, it shows how technology has made touring a lot less painful for our musical stars.

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