How we handle the heat

We just finished our last show of the summer, an afternoon show at the Galveston Pleasure Pier this past Sunday, August 30. However, we live in Texas, so it's still going to be hot for a couple of months, and most of our shows are at outdoor venues. So even though we're hopefully past the worst of the heat, we're still going to have to manage that element for a while yet.

Ashley - friend, family and fan to the band - asked what we do to manage the heat at our outdoor shows. So, since we just did it, I thought this would be a good time to answer that question.

First thing to know about heat is that the outdoor temperature is a gauge, but it may not be all you need to know. The positioning and design of the stage is a huge part of the equation. By positioning of the stage, I mean where it's positioned on the venue property. Is it placed in a spot that has shade, or is it out in the open? At the time of day that you'll be performing, where will the sun be in proximity? Will it be behind you, or will it be shining directly on you?

By design, I mean the physical design of the stage. Is it an actual stage or just a spot emptied out on the floor? Does it have a roof? Is there some sort of screening on the sides to protect against sun, wind, etc.?

If the stage has a roof or some screening, it may provide some relief from the sun. On the other hand, an open stage might help you by giving you a breeze, or it may leave you in the direct gaze of the sun. It's hard to know until you see it for yourself, at the time you'll be playing.

If it's hot enough outside, you may be hot no matter the set up. But if you're stuck in a spot where there's little breeze and the sun will be shining directly on you the whole time (our situation at the Pier), you need to bring some tools to deal with the heat or you're seriously likely to pass out. We've been at the Pier before when the temperature was in the 50s on the ground in front of the stage, in the shade, but we were burning up on stage.

Over the years, we've developed a toolkit to deal with the heat. We bring it to all of our shows where heat might be an issue. Here's what's in our Heat Toolkit:

• Sunscreen
• Hats (not just a visor, but a hat - it should protect your scalp and have a brim to give your eyes some shade)
• Sunglasses
• Fans (some people think they're for the cool, rock-n-roll effect they have blowing our hair around, but they're actually to keep us cool!)
• Cooling towels
• A cooler with ice (to keep food/drinks cold, but also to soak our cooling towels)
• Gatorade powder

We've found that the Gatorade powder is better than bottles of Gatorade. It takes up a lot less space in our gear, and most places will provide us with water, so we can just add powder as we refill our water cups, as needed.

And we use the cooling towels on our faces and necks in between sets to help cool down, and if necessary, I'll sometimes wear one around my neck during a set. They make a surprising amount of difference.

We use the kind Venus uses, because we like to think of
ourselves as the Venus Williams of rock n' roll. (Photo via Brookstone)

At these kinds of shows, I have to give up somewhat on my hair and makeup. I do my best to keep my appearance stage-worthy, but between the sweat, hat, etc., there's only so much you can maintain. And it's better to stay upright and be able to sing than to pass out with perfect hair. They don't pay you to look good for 15 minutes. They pay you to play for 4 hours.

So, there ya have it! The Staylyns Heat Management System. Patent, trademark, copyright and credit for awesomeness pending.