With rare exceptions, very few bands or musicians start their careers on top, traveling from gig to gig on a private jet with a crew of people at their beck and call. Most have to put in their time traveling in a van, logging thousands of hours on the road, playing at college frat parties and small clubs along the way.
The often road-weary lifestyle is the lifeblood of a new band. COVID-19 shut that down for a lot of artists, but that is starting to change.
Acts, including several local groups, are again finding work outside of their hometowns, and for some, the van is once again a home away from home.
For The Afternooners, a local quintet, the van became more than just a transportation vehicle while they recorded their newest album in Boston at Plaid Dog Recording Studios back in the fall of 2020. It became the only place they could go when not recording.
“We recorded six songs in eight days and we drove our tour bus up there and they allowed one person in the studio at a time,” says guitarist/vocalist Bryan Martin. “Because of the restrictions in Massachusetts, we had to fill out all this paperwork and follow these really strict guidelines. It was pretty tough.”