Playing gigs in very hot weather

Having played gigs in hot parts of the world such as the US, Australia, New Zealand, Cuba etc I have found it quite a challenge keeping my cool when the thermometer goes sky high and I sympathise with artists having to strut their stuff when the temperatures go above 32 Celsius as it has been recently. Here is me and Sarah melting yesterday at an open air gig on the edge of the Peak District.

Here a few tips that might help you cope

Tip #1 - Stay out of the Sun until your are due on stage

If there is a wash basin and tap available run you hands under cold water and splash your face. If you lucky to have a dressing room you might be able to use a fan too. If not, a wet towel around your neck can work wonders

Tip #2 - Keep hydrated

"Avoid : tea, coffee, caffeine drinks, hot drinks and alcohol as they all dehydrate you." THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY

Johnny says "Drink water, it's what lions drink !"

Tip #3 - Pointing Percy at the Porcelain

If your pee is dark, it is time to hydrate, grab the H2O

Tip #4 - Look after your axe

Keep your guitar out of direct sunlight and in the case as long as you can but leave it on a guitar stand on stage in a shady area for 10-15 minutes so it can come up to the ambient temperature. And ! Don't leave dogs and guitars in hot cars. Your faithful geetar will need more tuning if it is hot, make sure you have good tuner and explain to the audience why your doing it. Dad jokes about having a hot tight G string that you need to adjust sometimes buys you tuning time.

Tip #5 - Pores for thought and Roll On Balls

Make sure you have a small hand towel on stage to wipe your hands and the strings if needed.

Something I find helps, is to rub a good anti-perspirant ( roll on ball type) onto your finger tips before going on stage and letting it dry. Don't over do it, but it works for me. At the end of the gig don't forget to wipe your strings down to avoid build up of corrosive elements in your sweat.

The End - Cool for Cats

I hope these are helpful tips , spread the love and give my site a like and don't forget to sign up for updates. So best wishes to all you cool cats and hopefully not too hot dogs out there.