A Day in the Life of a Musician

Lake Street Dive vocalist Rachael Price has never worked a 9-to-5, “average Joe” job her entire life. She’s always been involved with music; even when she was a young girl, she sang in show choir and played in musicals. Rachael went off to study jazz at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she met her fellow band mates, and her career began to take shape. Now, Rachael is doing interviews, photo shoots and traveling the world with her band.

First things first: “My job and a 9-to-5 job don’t even compare,” Rachael says. “Every day is different, and I work very odd hours.” So how do you describe someone’s day-to-day routine when every day is different? Well, it turns out that Rachael’s daily routine while on tour starts like most people’s days: hunting down good coffee.

Post-coffee fix: After she’s had her daily dose of caffeine, she has enough energy to get her exercise on. When you perform every night in front of thousands of fans, you have to be in shape, right? Rachael’s exercise routine consists of a lot of aerobics, and she has recently been partaking in the “Brazilian butt lift” movement.

Cruising the road: After exercising, it’s time to hop in the band van for at least four hours (but many times, much longer) and travel to the next performance venue. They normally arrive at the venue in the afternoon and have time to take a walk and “get a feel for the city,” Rachael says.

Mic check one, two, one, two: Next, it’s off to the venue for a sound check to ensure all of the cues and sound equipment are on point for the evening’s show. Prior to their stage debut, the band grabs a little grub for dinner to make sure they have enough energy to sustain the hours of performing.

Show time: Warming up is key in this industry, and once Rachael and her band are ready, they hit the stage to perform in front of screaming fans. After the final note of the encore has been cut, Lake Street Dive takes time to talk to their fans post-show, which can take up to a few hours, according to Rachael.

Zzzz: When it’s all said and done, the band attempts to get back to the hotel at a decent hour to catch a few hours of sleep before heading off to their next big show.

“It’s funny,” Rachael says, “but practicing and playing our music is actually a small part of what we have to do. Most of our time is spent getting to the gig.”

Lake Street Dive has toured the country four or five times in the past year, she says. Luckily, the band’s van will roll into Columbia Sept. 26 to 28 for the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival. You might see Rachael downtown checking things out before the band performs. If you do, she probably would appreciate it if you point her in the direction of your favorite coffee joint.

Lake Street Dive Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27
Missouri Lottery Stage