Behind the Scenes: on Tour with Ben Cohen

There is so much hard work involved with being a musician. Sometimes that hard work pays off and you can have amazing opportunities. Amber Light co-founder and music producer Ben Cohen recently had one of those opportunities. This year he went on a multi-city tour with Chevelle and we couldn’t be more proud of him.  

This was the band’s first tour and they really didn’t know what to expect. Going from touring in a city with people who know you in smaller venues, to opening for a huge band with thousands of people in the crowd was a culture shock. 

Luckily for us, he was down to share his experience on the road. He talked to us about how it felt to be on tour, the logistics on the road, experiences with fans, and working with Chevelle. So when your first tour comes up you’ll already know: expect the unexpected. 

What's been the most surprising thing about being on tour?

The biggest surprise for me has been the power of adrenaline. Long overnight drives and countless consecutive nights of performing make tiredness an inevitability. This can be intimidating in the hours leading up to the set. It's always a shock to me how much of an energy boost the stage alone can give you.  

Did you feel nervous? 

Generally just at the beginning. There is nothing that can really prepare you completely for a tour other than the tour itself. Once we got a groove down after the first few shows that anxiety really transformed into adrenaline. It was also anxiety-provoking getting through the middle leg of the tour, where we had to perform 6 nights in a row. Getting through that with all successful shows definitely gave us a newfound confidence.

A Day in the Life: 

Can you walk us through your “routine?” 

• Get up earlyish (we usually do most of the driving at night). 

• Arrive at the venue around 2pm.  

• Immediately unload all amps, drums, bass, guitars, in-ear monitors, etc. with the help of the venue's stage hands. Cory constructs his drums to be ready in time for a soundcheck right after Chevelle.  

• Wait for Chevelle, maybe eat some pineapple. 

• Sound check anywhere 4pm-5pm - immediately after Chevelle finishes their check.  Luke and Cory generally pick up Lunch during this time (Jahan and I usually wait until after the show).  

• I eat pineapple/warmup/take a shower if there is one. Trade off watching the merch booth once the doors open at 6:30. Go on at 8:20 for a 40 minute set and then load off the stage as quickly as possible so we can man the merch booth and interact with fans. 

• At around midnight-1am we wrap up all the merch and get headed to the next city - a drive that can take anywhere from 4-9 hours.

Logistics: 

Where were you sleeping?

Sometimes crashing with friends and family but generally hotels and motels on the way or near a venue.

Who's the best driver?

That would probably be Cory.  He's got that moving van experience.

Who's the worst? 

That would be me. On this entire tour of about 121 hours of driving, I think I've driven a total of four. I'm the spaciest of the bunch and this is a big f***ing van.

Why were you eating so much pineapple?

I included chopped pineapple since it is an excellent source of both vitamin C, and bromelain, an enzyme that reduces and prevents throat and sinus inflammation as well as mucus production.

Have there been any unexpected surprises? 

Every night we got fed!  The Tour Manager would either provide us with catering, or in most cases, a cash buyout so we could all grab some food near the venue. This was definitely unexpected for me!

The Fans:

How is it different than playing in LA?

All of the audiences were 1000 times more engaged and appreciative. Even compared to seeing legacy acts in huge hollywood venues, audiences in the south and midwest were so much more energized and responsive.  I think it has something to do with LA being so hyper-saturated with mediocre music.  

What were the fans like?

Absolutely amazing - really better than anything we could have imagined.  Chevelle are known for picking their own openers and their fanbase always shows up early as a result.  It is a base that is incredibly engaged and appreciates rock with little to no electronic elements.  

We've had fans of all shapes, ages, and inebriation levels.  One fan was a hardcore chemtrails conspiracy theorist, another offered to shower with Jahan.  

In Mobile, AL, an elderly couple was caught having sex in the middle of floor during Chevelle's set.  When approached by a security guard asking what they were doing, the woman in the couple responded "Why, are you interested?" They were then escorted out of the venue.

In Greensboro, NC, an audience member threw a dildo on stage during Chevelle's set.  We caught on video poor Steve picking it up with two fingers and then throwing it at Greg, the guitar tech.

What was your favorite stop?

I would have to say Nashville. I think we all went extra hard for that one, being the last show.  The crowd however was especially engaged even from the intro. The entire show was sold out and felt like a direct back and forth conversation to 1500 people.  There's something really special about that city - the love for music their is deep and authentic, which I can't say for other music capitals.

Working with Chevelle: 

How did you end up on this tour?

My band [Convey] recently signed with a booking agent from APA who put our name in the running to open for Chevelle, who always chooses all of their own openers purely based on the music.

They are incredibly down-to-earth human beings, in addition to the whole crew.  They always get through their sound check as quickly as possible in order to give time to us and the openers to check as well. 

One night the band invited us and the crew into a backstage dressing room for an up-close and personal magic show. Genuinely the best magic I've ever seen and we were about three feet away.

Would you go on tour again?

I can't wait! Just give me about 48 consecutive hours of sleep.