Traveling to NY

Hey fellow DJs,

I have a question about traveling. I'm doing a wedding in New York and I'm wondering if there is any advise from traveling DJs. I've never been on a plane with my equipment, so I'm nervous. My plan right now is to buy a bag for my S4 and laptop and carry that on the plane. I have a flight case for it that I will pack into a suitcase and pad with clothes. Does that sound like a good idea?

I'm also going to need sound when I get out there. Does anyone know of a good place to rent speakers. I'm flying into Rochester (the wedding is in Canandaigua.)

Any advise is appreciated.
Thanks!

 

Take your equipment with you in the plane (as a hand bag).
Dont send your bag to travel alone for many reasons.
1. Sometimes they loose some bags.
2. Sometimes they dont handle the bags with care.
3. I had an uncomfortable situation once when i send my bag ''down'' with the other bags. So when i arrived to my destination my equipment was all WET (humidity) because of the big and fast changes/differences of the temperatures (aborting/landing). (Everything use working fine but i think that i was lucky).

 

i agree. it's easier replacing lost underwear than lost equipment ^^

 

Or you could just let it all hang.
Can't work without my controller though.

 

Thank you for the advise so far. Like I said, I will be looking into a bag for my S4 and laptop (still shopping that) so that I they can be carry-ons. I'm getting to NY a day before the event, so I can go by underwear if my bags get lost. Ha!

 

uh! i'm not sure, if i want to see ... ok, i'll stop now

 

It was pretty serious question indeed. I have been traveling with my equipment to various places and it is a big risk. At one show my equipment got bit damaged and it was really tough for me to get it right. Traveling with equipment is big concern:S:S

 

Any gigs worth travelling long distances to will be able to provide equipment. There's no need to bring large amounts of gear on planes.

 

This sounds like a friends wedding, or might just be a first distant gig and wedding DJs are normally hired to bring everything needed for the event - so a house setup is unlikely.

I haven't yet flown with my S4, but I did buy the Flight Case to give me traveling options. While its what its designed for, I think I'm with you to put my S4 in a backpack with my laptop for carry on and probably leave the full flight case at home and just work on an open table. probably my biggest concern is not bumps in fight and loading, but just how bad the baggage handling could be on and off the plane and various conveyor belts.

I love my S4, but I'm already starting to see the sense in an Audio2 + X1 setup for Gigi's with a lot of travel.

 

I have plans to leave my traveling related events

 

The Traktor wheeled trolley bag is perfect for this and I have taken my S4 / MBP / 2 X1 controllers / headphones etc on a a plane many many times without incident.

You can easily rent speakers in NYC - but bringing your own controller and music is key.

Good luck.

 

The only place in Rochester that I know of to rent speakers is Sound Source. http://www.soundsource.com/ They are in the city of Rochester and are a great place to work with. Their website has their rental info on there. I would suggest calling ahead as I know may people that regularly rent from them.

Good luck and enjoy Canandaigua. That area is beautiful.