MELTX is an Irish-born hard techno DJ and producer from Adare Manor in Limerick. She is one of the fastest rising names in the hard techno movement, as a project built on emotion,performance, and a powerful aesthetic identity. She started out networking and self-organizing shows as a supporting international acts in Ireland including Clara Cuvé, 999999999, Sara Landry and Charlie Sparks, at the country’s most notable venues including Shine Belfast and Index in Dublin.
As her career has progressed, plays for Hidden in Manchester, XXL x Warehouse Project, O2 Brixton in London, and multiple shows for Teletech around Europe and the UK, whilst being considered a key artist for homegrown events. Her performances at Emerge Festival, Boxed Off, Life Festival, BD, and Fuinneamh have been pivotal for her career development.
Apple AirPods Max
The AirPods Max are honestly one of the most important parts of my travel setup because they completely isolate me from the chaos while touring. The noise cancellation is insanely good, especially in airports, long-haul flights, and loud backstage environments where it’s hard to mentally reset.
I use them constantly for referencing mixes, organising sets, and editing content on the move because the sound is surprisingly balanced for Bluetooth headphones. They also switch seamlessly between my phone and laptop, which makes working quickly while traveling way easier.
I probably spend more time wearing these than anything else when I’m touring. I use them to build playlists on flights, test transitions in hotel rooms, and decompress after shows when everything still feels overstimulating. They’ve genuinely saved my sanity during back-to-back travel weekends where you’re constantly surrounded by noise and people.
I also love using them before sets because they help me mentally lock into the atmosphere I want to create that night. I always carry a wired adapter with them too because sometimes I’ll plug directly into mixers or interfaces when I’m working on ideas backstage.
For DJs and producers playing harder genres, especially, I think protecting your hearing and mental focus becomes really important in the long term. Good headphones aren’t just about sound quality – they’re also about creating your own space while constantly moving. I’d recommend always traveling with a hard case and never checking it into luggage because touring destroys gear fast. They’re also perfect for producing in hotel rooms late at night when you can’t blast monitors but still want to feel fully immersed in the music.
Sennheiser HD 25 Headphones
These are my actual performance headphones, and they’re built perfectly for heavy touring. They’re super durable, extremely loud and clear in club environments, and offer amazing isolation even in massive rooms with intense sound systems. I need headphones that can handle aggressive monitoring during hard techno and hardcore sets without distorting or fatiguing my ears too quickly. They also fold down really compactly, which matters a lot when you’re traveling constantly with limited bag space.
These headphones have survived airports, sweaty festivals, tiny booths, and chaotic afterparties at this point. I trust them because they translate really consistently, no matter what club system I’m playing on, which gives me confidence when I’m mixing fast or layering emotional cinematic tracks into harder sections. One thing I always do is carry spare cables because touring quickly teaches you that cables disappear constantly. I also clean them obsessively after shows because club environments are brutal on gear. They’ve definitely become part of my performance identity at this stage.
For artists playing intense or high-BPM music, I’d say investing in reliable headphones is one of the most important things you can do. You want something that stays clear under pressure and doesn’t fall apart after six flights. I’d also recommend breaking them in before touring, because you’ll learn how your headphones respond in different environments over time. Once you know them properly, mixing becomes way more instinctive and emotional.
SanDisk Ultra USB flash drive
My USB basically contains my entire life at this point. I keep music libraries, unreleased tracks, visuals, edits, films, project files, and backups all on multiple SSDs because touring without backups is terrifying. They’re lightweight, fast, and durable enough to withstand constant travel, making them perfect for mobile creative work. I specifically prefer compact USB-C drives because modern touring setups move so quickly between laptops, CDJs, cameras, and editing stations.
This is probably the least glamorous but most important thing I carry. I’ve had moments where promoters needed files at the last minute, visuals corrupted before a show, or I suddenly wanted to rework a set while traveling between cities, and having everything backed up instantly saved me. I organise mine obsessively by vibe, energy, and emotional pacing because I build sets very cinematically. I also keep duplicate backups separated in different bags because losing one drive on tour can genuinely become a nightmare. That system has saved me multiple times already.
I think every touring artist should treat backups as seriously as the performance itself. The best advice I can give is to organise your files before the tour starts because trying to find things at 5 AM in an airport is chaos. Label everything clearly and always keep at least two copies of important music and visuals. Also, never leave SSDs loose in backpacks – protective cases are worth it because travel can get rough very quickly.
Black Oversized Sunglasses
Oversized black sunglasses are weirdly essential for me while touring because they instantly create a sense of privacy and calm when everything around you feels overstimulating. Airports, hotels, and festivals can become visually exhausting really quickly, especially during busy tour runs. I also think fashion is part of performance and identity in electronic music, so accessories become part of the overall visual MELTX world. They’re lightweight, easy to throw into any bag, and somehow make traveling feel way more cinematic.
I wear them constantly when I’m traveling between cities or arriving at venues because they help me stay mentally focused before shows. After intense sets, especially festivals or long nights, they’re also amazing for surviving bright airports and zero sleep situations. I usually pair them with oversized hoodies and headphones so I can fully disappear into my own space while traveling. They’ve become almost like emotional armour for me during hectic touring periods. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference psychologically when you’re constantly moving.
I think artists underestimate how important comfort and personal ritual are on tour. Having small items that make you feel grounded or confident genuinely changes your energy. My advice would be to build a travel uniform that feels both functional and emotionally comforting because touring can become very chaotic very fast. If you feel good mentally and physically, your performance improves too.
Quick Fire Tips For Touring and Living Life On The Road
- Noise-canceling headphones and sleep masks genuinely change your life on tour. Protecting your sleep becomes part of protecting your creativity.
- Always carry backups of everything – USBs, headphones, cables, chargers, adapters. Touring teaches you that the smallest missing item can create the biggest disaster.
- I think it’s really important to romanticise the process a little bit instead of only focusing on exhaustion. Tiny rituals like playlists, skincare, films, or comfort clothes help you stay emotionally grounded while constantly moving.
- Never arrive at a venue mentally cold. I always spend time alone before a set listening to music or visualising the atmosphere I want to create because energy transfers directly into the crowd.
- Drink more water than you think you need and protect your hearing at all costs. You can’t perform at your best creatively if your body is completely burnt out.
