• From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2011-02-02
  • Posts: 19

Topic: Just a question

Does anyone know anything about working on tour with artists? i have for a long time wondered what it takes or what you have to do to have the opportunity to work on the road with someone. Is it just about knowing the right person? or do you need an education? but I know that this is not just like doing what you have been reading about in school. like beeing a lawyer or just working with regular professions. I dont know who to talk to about it so I thought someone here on the JB forum knows anything, I mean it would be so sad to not have the chance just because you dont know the right people.. thank You in advance!

  • jim m
  • jim m
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  • From: Okie City, OK
  • Registered: 2006-04-24
  • Posts: 3,429

Re: Just a question

I'm sure everybody has a different story on how they got into the concert tour industry or for that matter every other job in any industry. Right place right time is always going to make a difference. The concert business and for that matter the music industry in general has more people wanting the job than there are jobs available. The best piece of advice my grandfather ever gave me was if you want a career in a certain trade be willing to volunteer for the experience it will bring. Now I couldn't afford to volunteer nor did I go to school to acquire a degree in the music business so I worked in the only trade I had a connection with and it was the construction industry. 25 years later I had an opportunity to work in the concert business. It was through a series of serendipitous events that propelled my second career. Still it is not the profession that feeds the family.

Some of the tour support for artists I have met usually live in or around the touring hubs or got into the business by working with a local band that ended up growing into a National or International touring artist. Once the experience is acquired and a network established then you might be able to work into another acts crew. It is a word of mouth network because when you strike out on tour you don't want to find out the guy you hired was a bozo or a bore and you are stuck with him for the next 6 weeks.

I don't want to burst your bubble of hope but it won't be easy however by working local festivals and venues is where I would start and just have a can do attitude and be willing to outwork everyone around you and make an impression on somebody. You won't ever know who it is nor should it matter because in every thing hard work will be rewarded maybe not immediately but over time good things will happen.

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  • From: New Hampshire, USA
  • Registered: 2010-12-21
  • Posts: 3,650

Re: Just a question

Jim pretty much nailed it.
Last summer I was on tour helping out on the Guitar gods Tour with my friend Gary Hoey. He was on the bill with Yngwie  Malmsteen and Bumblefoot. It was awesome I got the gig only because my friend Gary Hoey was on the bill, right time right place.
By the way the hardest 8 weeks I ever worked.
Good luck

"Joe B saved my soul, forever grateful Ron"
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4 Reply by Rocket (edited by Rocket 2016-02-07 14:11:52)

  • Rocket
  • Rocket
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  • From: San Francisco
  • Registered: 2006-04-26
  • Posts: 10,275

Re: Just a question

Be a great listener! 
Humble yourself!
Ensure you're enjoying everything, sincerely.
Ask for sharing education, knowledge, "secrets".
Learn something no one else around you knows.
Do and deliver your best.
Accept and give constructive criticism graciously.

The above will do wonders, and at least direct you towards a place where you are both "wanted" and needed, perhaps at a time that seems most unlikely to yourself.  Consider there and then the door is open! smile

Good Luck, Oliver! If that is you with the guitar in your avatar, bear in mind these things will work just as well for the touring artist(s) looking for people to work for and help make their own run a success! wink


Rock ON & Keep The Disciplined Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! wink"
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
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  • Devan
  • Devan
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  • From: Darwin, Australia
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 1,304

Re: Just a question

I know of a couple of guys who have toured the country with large bands, and from what I know, they basically started at the ground level by volunteering to work with a local band or festival.  And I mean starting at the bottom, by doing things like rolling up cables or being the gopher for the roadies/sound engineers/lighting crew.

By and large, it seems to be that if you are (a) not afraid of menial work (b) can work hard (c) put in extra effort when not asked (d) show initiative to solve problems before they happen (e) work with 'difficult' people under stressful situations (f) are a nice person, then you stand a good chance to be asked back, or to be asked to do higher level work.

Be aware though, that it IS work, and like all jobs, you will have moments where you LOVE it and can't dream of doing anything else, and there will be times that you HATE it with all your might and wish for something else.  The trick is to ride that out and balance it.

I don't work in the industry myself, but I do roadie work for my son and his band, and have met lots of people that do this type of work, so my response is really based on that.

JBLP Gold Top #129 - redubbed "#1 in Oz"

6 Reply by DougH (edited by DougH 2016-02-08 09:36:47)

  • DougH
  • DougH
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  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-04-01
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Re: Just a question

many venues have their own crews that work along with the artists touring crews.
those venues are usually riggers or electricians that belong to a union as well.

a place to start is with community music theatre groups.
this is a great way of 'learning the ropes' without a pro group just taking a chance on someone.

over the course of a number of years working for 'free' in that environment; I went from just a technical geek that works on computer server, that didn't know squat to someone that stage managed and produced a number of shows.
you learn all the terms and how to rig and fly everything from scrims, drops,  to line array's to people (Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan has a lot of flying for people)

in a different vein; taking a recording industry 'college/post secondary' course wouldn't hurt as well.

---------------

(If only I had 1% of Joe's guitar talent)