USE PROTECTION

It's good for your gear when you get to perform in a tent, but in terms of a view, it's fairly disappointing. Alternately, if your stage is smack in the middle of the desert playa, the view's to die for, but your gear is going to take a beating. The wind blowing across the playa carries with it a large portion of the dust that gets onto and into your gear. By setting up a wind block on one or several sides of the stage, you will greatly reduce the amount of dust hitting your equipment. The trick is to build a barrier that doesn't get blown over by the gusts. A sturdy framework of PVC piping, held down by ample sand bags, is a good structure on which to tie down canvas fitted with metal grommets. If you can turn one corner of the stage into the wind, you may even be able to get away with covering just these two leading sides of your performance area. After the show, make sure to pack up your gear as soon as possible. This might seem obvious, but when you're partying with fans after the gig, it's easy to forget. After the power is cut, your gear can become very cold in the early morning hours just before sunrise. When the sun peaks over the horizon, it can bring a wash of warm air that, when it hits the cool metal and plastic surfaces of your gear, can create a significant amount of condensation. The moisture from the condensation can turn a thin layer of dust into a thin layer of mud that's extremely difficult to remove. Condensation can also seriously fog up LCD screens. Avoid that situation by dusting your gear off and packing it up promptly after the show. If you think the cases may be exposed to the early-morning sunlight, toss a few packets of moisture-absorbing desiccant, like silica gel, straight into the plastic and cotton bags.