ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we take a deeper look at those who are creatively redefining what it means to work remotely.

It's almost a 10-hour drive from Denver to Oklahoma City, and if he's lucky, Kyle Parker will use part of that time to get some shuteye. Most of those miles will be ticked off in the dark and lonely hours of the early morning after Parker's band – Fighting the Phoenix – has packed up their van and left a club in the Mile High City where they performed on a Sunday night. They'll be on stage Monday in OKC, perhaps a tad road-weary, but then on to Dallas for a Wednesday show.

Parker, 32, plays bass for the Colorado-based metalcore band that spent 30 days performing 27 shows throughout the western U.S. in the fall of 2023. While he lives in Colorado Springs, he spends much of his time on the road, watching the miles click past from his seat in a van.

Traveling musicians are among the earliest adopters of remote work. Through the Middle Ages, they crossed Europe – called minstrels in England, troubadours in France, and Minnesingers in Germany. These poets and musicians traveled from town to town, playing for money, food, and applause. It's not all that different from modern-day bands, those as massive as Taylor Swift selling out NFL stadiums to regional touring acts like Fighting the Phoenix playing at the Haltom Theatre across the street from a Domino's in Haltom, Texas.

"The style of music we play makes it kind of hard to make any real money," said Parker with a chuckle. "This last tour we did in 2023 was the first time in 13 years we came back from the road and were actually on the positive side of the ledger. We never really paid ourselves, we just put the money back into marketing and merchandise."

Like the traveling musicians of medieval times, the members of Fighting the Phoenix often have some free time on their hands to explore the towns they'll be playing in when evening comes, and the show begins.

"We like to find mom-and-pop places to eat – non-chain restaurants," said Parker. "And we like to shop at Goodwill stores. When we go into a thrift store, we like to buy clothes we'll wear later that night at the show."

The road is also where Parker gets to connect personally with fans, and it's those interactions that spark his passion for touring.

"I like getting to meet new people," he said. "It's a rush to have somebody say they've been jamming to our music for years. We try to have an uplifting message in our songs, and we've been told our music has saved people's lives. That's kind of cool, knowing we might have helped keep people on this Earth a little longer."

For years, Parker wasn't particularly picky about what kind of bag he brought with him on the road, but he always relied on those inexpensive bags to carry his essentials.

"We like to have all of the stuff that really matters to us in our backpacks," he said. "You want to have the essentials with you as you're walking around towns waiting for the venue to open up so you can move your equipment in and do your soundcheck."

Parker considers his gaming system essential. "It keeps you from going insane when there's nothing to do," he said.

Older now with a more refined take on backpacks ­– he has a new Alpha 31 (black of course – this is a metal band) – Parker says he puts a premium on space and durability.

"I want to have room for everything I want to bring," he says. "That could be earbuds, toothpaste, a change of clothes, whatever."

And will all these nights on the road away from home continue for Parker? He certainly hopes so. After concluding the 30-day tour at the end of 2023 the band started the new year with a meeting with a record label. More music means more touring.

Like Willie Nelson once sang, they can't wait to get on the road again. If metal music is your thing, follow Fighting the Phoenix on social media to stay updated on upcoming shows.

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