laptop security tips for the insecure

[beats me]

I haven't done any gigs yet that involved my laptop, just DJ gigs with hardware and even when I bring the whole dang setup I feel pretty secure about it and haven't had anybody run up and steal a deck or even so much as a CD when nobody is around the gear. But just thinking about doing a gig with my laptop somewhat gives me the shakes. I've been known to have anxiety attacks just leaving my laptop in my trunk while I run in somewhere to do something for 10 minutes.

To me part of the fun of a gig isn't just your time in the spotlight but also the time before and after. So how do some of you deal with these times both mentally and literally?

I really wish venues had airport/amusement park style lockers where you keep the key. I think that would ease my nerves.

[sweetjesus]

I haven't done any gigs yet that involved my laptop, just DJ gigs with hardware and even when I bring the whole dang setup I feel pretty secure about it and haven't had anybody run up and steal a deck or even so much as a CD when nobody is around the gear. But just thinking about doing a gig with my laptop somewhat gives me the shakes. I've been known to have anxiety attacks just leaving my laptop in my trunk while I run in somewhere to do something for 10 minutes.

To me part of the fun of a gig isn't just your time in the spotlight but also the time before and after. So how do some of you deal with these times both mentally and literally?

I really wish venues had airport/amusement park style lockers where you keep the key. I think that would ease my nerves.

cloak rooms

or put laptop in a bag then in a big suitcase under the dj booth, someone would have to be pretty fkn obvious then..

[beats me]

I haven't done any gigs yet that involved my laptop, just DJ gigs with hardware and even when I bring the whole dang setup I feel pretty secure about it and haven't had anybody run up and steal a deck or even so much as a CD when nobody is around the gear. But just thinking about doing a gig with my laptop somewhat gives me the shakes. I've been known to have anxiety attacks just leaving my laptop in my trunk while I run in somewhere to do something for 10 minutes.

To me part of the fun of a gig isn't just your time in the spotlight but also the time before and after. So how do some of you deal with these times both mentally and literally?

I really wish venues had airport/amusement park style lockers where you keep the key. I think that would ease my nerves.

cloak rooms

or put laptop in a bag then in a big suitcase under the dj booth, someone would have to be pretty fkn obvious then..

Yeah, I suppose you could get one of those ultra secure secret service type suitcases that they handcuff to their wrist and attach it to something bolted to the floor.

[cressy]

Musician's Insurance.

Sorry I can't remember the links etc... but google "Musician's Insurance".


It's like £70/year to cover about £5000 or £10,000 worth of equipment. Including laptops. Plus it's covered if someone beers your laptop, it's even covered if someone steals it out of your mate's car and you weren't even at a gig. AND you get public liability insurance, so you're covered if someone at a show wants to sue you for taking out their eye with a USB lead.

Yeah, you've still got to back everything up at home too.


Note: I don't sell this stuff for a living. I havn't actually got round to getting it for myself yet.

[sparklepuff]

Yeah, you've still got to back everything up at home too.

That's just it. I believe the saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is most pertinent to us musicians. Insurance is great and all to cover the monetary value of your gear, but it's impossible to insure all of your hard work. Someone steals my rig, insurance isn't going to resolve that I have the same setup the next night for my gig, or all my tunes.

For me, the only alleviation of the anxiety Beats Meat is talking about is to sacrifice the post show good times, and pack up my stuff and get the fuck home to drop the stuff off. If I can head back out after that, great, but a couple of drinks and dancing isn't worth it to lose all my gear.

As a wise man once said, if you're going to play the odds, make sure you can survive the odds beating you. Losing all my gear is the equivalent of not surviving.

[jez3122]

It's never really been an issue for me.........

[beats me]

I agree backup is key and hard drives are so cheap now and easy backup software that you'd have to be a complete moron to not do this, but the thing is also that my laptop is my only computer. I see the "gig laptop" is becoming more and more common which I'll probably look into down the road if funds allow.

I've seen mention of musicians insurance on here before but it seems all references to this have been out of the US. I haven't seen anybody post a US based company that offers this.