Lisa Heller has been making waves this past spring touring across the country headlining shows and opening for big names acts. We sat down with her to catch up, check out our interview below!
Who were some of your favorite bands you played shows with this spring?
I had so much fun at the shows this spring! It was so great to open for Bryce Vine at University of Richmond. He is an amazing performer and I loved reconnecting with him. Sarah and the Sundays at Lafayette were also such a fun band to watch. I could tell that they’ve played a ton of shows together.
What are some of the challenges of being on tour that most people may not know about?
There’s so much that goes into touring outside of the actual show. Anything from long drives to roadside troubles and gas station dinners are all just part of tour life. Shows are definitely the best part of any day!
Do you have any items you always make sure to bring with you on the road that make road life easier?
I always try to bring my pillow and some candles to have the comfort of home on the road with me. It’s also much easier when I get to bring my dog Gracie :).
Do you ever get to bring her with you to shows?
Gracie came with us on the road this whole tour and it was so much fun. Whenever colleges or venues allow it, we take Gracie where we can. She definitely spices up the merch table! She’s the best cuddle buddy especially when I’m feeling homesick.
What are some of the biggest differences between playing colleges and venues you’ve noticed?
The beautiful thing about colleges is they can start planning weeks or months in advance for our show. Venues are fun too, but we are just another show on the calendar. With colleges we get to feel special and get to interact with the students who booked us directly!
What is your craziest tour story from spring?
It was 2am and we just finished packing up our show in Atlanta, GA. We were about to start our 14 hour overnight drive towards our big show at University of Richmond (opening for Bryce Vine). As we were pulling out of the venue (which had a steep hill), we bottomed out and the retractable staircase on our RV bent out of shape. What once was a straight retractable staircase was now a spiraling staircase that would not raise up from the ground! So we were pretty stranded in the middle of the night. We found a local shop that was able to remove the stairs in the middle of the night and we were able to make it to the show!!
Do you have any favorite cities to visit on tour?
I always love visiting NYC. It was one of the closest cities to my hometown in CT so to be touring through it now is pretty crazy. Denver is also a beautiful city!
Do you have any upcoming projects, or plans for the fall?
My new single “blue” comes out on June 28th and I’m super excited for this one. I have a ton in the works for this fall and I’m even starting to plan for something coming next spring!! In addition, I’ve been releasing a song a month for a while now and don’t plan on stopping this anytime soon.
If you could give any advice to students running college shows, what would that be?
I’d say try to soak up all of the knowledge and experience that you can with each show that you run. Whether it be a small show in the student center or a large outdoor production for SPW, there is always something new to be learned. It can never hurt to start to understand how agents book their artists, how to market a smaller show so that students come, or how lights and staging are set up. It’s rare to find free opportunities with such hands-on experience! And have the best time! As my manager says, don’t forget that music is the best job in the world!
Click here to pre-save Lisa Heller’s new song Blue coming out June 28!
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