‘I dropped out of college to go on tour with my boyfriend’

Emily Shewell, 21, began her bachelor’s degree at Delaware Valley University in 2013. Starting as a wildlife conservation major. By the beginning of her sophomore year, instead of sitting at a desk in a classroom listening to a boring lecture on photosynthesis, she was backstage with Tanner Detweiler, 25, her boyfriend turned fiance’s band, Armory Infirmary.

What made you decide to drop out of school? 

At first my intention wasn’t to drop out completely, I knew I didn’t like the school I was going to and wanted to find one that better suited me. So, I went for a year and just never got around to finding one that I liked.

What was it like to go on tour with your now fiance’s band?

Going on tour (multiple times) with the band was usually amazing. It was probably the greatest experience I will have to learn about different places and people. Don’t get me wrong, there were hardships for sure, like having to sleep in the van and trailer in 95-degree weather multiple nights in a row, or being with the same six people for two weeks straight. Those things can get a little tiring. But overall, I loved and appreciated every second of traveling and meeting new people, discovering new and awesome bands every night, and being with my best friends to experience all of it.

Was it strenuous on your relationship to be with Tanner throughout each tour environment?

Being with Tanner on tour did get difficult at times. He did most of the driving, which is a lot of stress on one person being responsible for five other people. Sometimes he took things out on me. But that’s all just part of it, we worked things out as they happened. Tour after tour things got more organized and became easier. We kind of learned when the other one needed their space. There were also a lot of bonding moments, like watching some of our favorite bands from backstage in the back of the trailer at iMatter Festival in New York. Or playing football in a field with everyone in Michigan at 10pm as the sun was just starting to set. Everything was worth it.

What’s the most insane thing that happened while you were on tour?

On our last tour, the Live Again Summer Tour, we had a few things go wrong that were pretty crazy. In Tennessee, we were offered a house to stay at. It was only big enough for some of us so Tanner and I slept in the van. As we’re ready to fall asleep we get a phone call from Matt, the drummer, saying that the guys whose house we were staying at left to go get cocaine and offered us all to do it with them. Needless to say, we booked it out of there before they even got back. On the same tour in North Carolina, one of our van tires blew as we were going down the highway with the trailer attached. We were super lucky in that situation, because the van just kind of coasted to the side of the road. The venue we were headed to was only a few miles down the road and the owners were very helpful in getting the van to a shop and letting us stay the night.

Do you regret dropping out of school? 

I see some of my friends graduating and get a little jealous I guess. But I have a full time job that I absolutely love and am finally out of debt from my first year of college. I’ve recently realized that I am very happy with the decisions that I’ve made to not go back to school. Maybe sometime in the future I will further my education, but as of right now, I don’t regret anything.

Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

I see myself married, hopefully living in our own place, with Roadie of course, working at the same job I have now as an Assistant Trainer at Lucky Shoe Farm. We will definitely still book shows locally for other bands, it’s something I love to help with. Music will always be a part of our lives.

I couldn’t help but notice your adorable German Shepherd, Roadie. Does he have a story?

So we got Roadie on a whim actually, I just wanted another dog and Tanner and I talked about getting one so one day I just went and got him. We named him Roadie because our plan was to take him on tour with us. Unfortunately, he grew too big, too fast to fit in a van with six people for two weeks straight. So on the long tours he didn’t come, but for the shorter ones he came with. He’s at every show we book now.

Please enjoy the cuteness of a touring puppy: