Tips for Tailgating on Tour
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Storage
I've already touched base on Ziploc bags and how great those are. Obviously, another key piece of equipment for anyone tailgating is a cooler.
If you're lucky, you can find your standard large Igloo cooler on sale at Target for $15. You should only need one, though having two large coolers is a plus if you're planning on having a lot of beverages and a good amount of food, prepared in advance or not. You can get newer and cooler (no pun intended) ones these days; now they've got soft "collapsible" deals, as well as models that keep the food cold by having a small refrigeration system, coolers that have a separate element for heating, and ones that have radios built into them. It's basically your call -- you know how much you need to store.
If you're travelling to a show and you need a cooler when you get there, my advice is to make time for a trip to a Target or store of that ilk and get yourself a cooler. Small investment, well worth it. Granted, you can fly home with it, but personally, I wouldn't. You're better off giving it away, trading it for something (a bottle of Jack Daniels would travel much easier) or maybe even raffling it off.
Serving the Food
Nothing scares me more than handing off a delicious looking sandwich or steak on a plate that looks like you could make an origami swan out of it. I may be considered anal as all get-out, but I swear by the adage that with paper plates, you get what you pay for.
Right off the bat, I'll tell you that Chinet plates rock out. Even better are the Chinet divider plates, if you're serving multiple dishes, or you've just got folks that are insanely picky about food running together. Dixie and Hefty brands both have higher-end plates as well that won't collapse between your legs as you're trying to balance that burger. If price is an issue, check places like Costco and BJ's Wholesale -- usually you can get what you need, plus extra to save for the next show or party you throw.
Plastic forks, knives and spoons are always good to have. Generally, it's all the same.
Skip napkins and get yourself a few rolls of paper towel. They work for everything, and inevitably something gets spilled.