Traveling is a new feature where we ask artists who have logged serious time on the road some inside baseball questions about the best and worst parts of the touring experience. For the initial edition, we hit up the Chicago artist Jason Balla, who makes music under the name Accessory and plays in the band Dehd. What’s the worst venue bathroom? What city has the best airport? Balla has answers. Read the article, and listen to his newest single, “Dust,” below. The album of the same name comes out April 17th. 

What is your favorite fast food option on tour?

Love’s gas station pizza on a long drive day.

What venue has the best backstage?

Trafo in Jena Germany. They cut the bananas to look like dolphins.

What are some tips for not getting sick during a long tour?

Ginger shots, take a walk, and stay up for the hang.

What is the most unconventional venue you've ever played at?

I played on top of a mountain once in Upstate NY. Shout out Spookfish. I hiked my electric guitar all the way to the top and we used a tree as a cymbal stand. Someone stepped on a bee hive. It was magic.

What is a piece of audio that always saves you from the brink of insanity on the road?

It’s silence most of the time for me, but when I really need to lock in it’s the Revolutions podcast or if I need a sweet treat it’s Home Cooking with Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway.

What are the best and worst airport and why?

It’s Schipol airport in Amsterdam all the way. Best and worst. Last time I was there they had unclaimed luggage stacked sky high at baggage claim and the security line was like threre hours long, weaving in and outside of the building. People were missing flights left and right and going full meltdown in line. I kinda hate airports in general, but also love the chaos.

What is the longest drive you've ever done?

This was with my other band Dehd, but I actually just beat my record last fall after the van’s transmission died. We had less than two days to get from Iowa to San Diego for soundcheck. So we grabbed a rental and hit 30 hours straight, no stops. 

What is the worst venue bathroom you've ever encountered? You don't have to name names if you do not want to.

It was a DIY spot in Chicago called the Dustbowl. One of the best shows of my life. It was winter and all the pipes burst so the wall behind the toilet was half frozen, half waterfall.