A Day in the Life of a Touring Professional

Jun 21

As a touring professional, every day on the road is as different as it is the same. Day after day, you wake up in a different city, working with different local crew members, in different venues, all while working with the same touring people and doing the same job. There are some common activities and routines that can give you an idea of what to expect, what to avoid and how to survive on the road. In this guide, we will explore a typical day in the life of a touring professional, covering show days including load-in, showtime, and load-out, as well as days off.

SHOW DAY

Early Morning: A touring professional's day usually starts early, especially on show days. Catering, Production, Rigging, and Lighting normally start off the day, as they usually have the most work to get done before everyone else arrives on site. For Catering, they will need to prepare for the day, as well as breakfast for the whole crew and sometimes for the local stagehands. For Production, they will be marking our dressing rooms and offices. For Rigging, they will marking out rigging points, while lighting will be sorting out power, spots, and other important things. The Stage Manager will be busy meeting with the house staff to find out about fire lanes, making sure the local crew is properly staffed, sorting storage space and any obstructions to the load in process. For the rest of the crew, some will often wake up several hours before their load-in time to get ready and prepare for the day ahead. If they are coming from a different city, this will normally involve waking up on the bus, freshening up in the venue, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and waiting for the call that they can start their work.

Load-in

Load-in is the process of unloading and setting up Production, the Stage, Sound, Video, Lighting, Automation, Special effects and any other things relevant to that particular show. The core part of Load-in normally happens over the course of about 7 hours. Usually around 2 or 3, the venue staff will begin their preparations, setting up chairs, marking seats and preparing the concession and merch stands.

Afternoon

After the load-in process is complete, there is usually some downtime before soundcheck. Crew members might use this time to catch up on work, grab a meal, or rest.

Soundcheck

Soundcheck is when the band tests their sound, rehearses new content, and adjusts their instruments and equipment. This usually takes place a few hours before the doors open to the public. Soundcheck can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the size of the production and the complexity of the show. Some artists and bands will opt not to soundcheck which gives more time for the opening or support acts to set up and check before doors.

After all soundchecks and all the arena staff are in place, doors will open. This is usually a guaranteed break for the touring staff, outside of production.

Dinner

After all soundchecks, the arena staff will get into place, and doors will open. This is usually a guaranteed break for the touring staff, outside of production. Crew members will typically use this time to grab dinner, catch up on emails, take a quick nap, meet up with friends, or explore the areas surrounding the arena

Showtime

Once the promoter, arena management and the artists are happy with attendance levels inside the arena, the performance will begin. Crew members work behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly. Depending on the role, crew members might be responsible for operating sound or lighting equipment, managing stage props, or ensuring the band has everything they need to perform. Not all crew members will have responsibilities during the show, some will relax backstage or on the bus waiting for the show to end, crew members like the PA techs will normally provide support for the opening acts and then wait on standby during the main show incase of any issues with the PA system.

Load-out

Load-out is the process of breaking down production and loading it back into the trucks. This takes place after the show has ended, and the audience has left. Load-out is basically organized chaos. While load-in usually takes around 7-8 hours, load-out will usually take half this time or less.

Day Off

Touring professionals often have days off in between shows. These days are essential for rest and recovery, and crew members might use this time to catch up on sleep, explore the local area, or work on personal projects.

Morning

Most day offs will come after a show in a different city. This means the crew will have to load up the tour bus overnight and head to a new city. While the crew is busy working during the day, the bus drivers will spend the day in a hotel room sleeping and resting. Once the show and load-out is over, the crew will wind down and head to sleep and the bus drivers will start they day (night). Depending on where the next show is, the bus ride could be short, in which case the crew will normally check into a hotel early in the morning, or long, in which the crew will check in later, around normal hotel check-in times.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, crew members might explore the local area, visit tourist attractions, take a nap, hit up a local bar, or see friends. Those with families back home will use this time to Facetime or talk with their spouse and/or children.

Evening

In the evening, crew members might grab dinner with colleagues or friends, attend a local event, relax in their hotel room, or just party and drink. The possibilities are endless.

Conclusion: A day in the life of a touring professional can be hectic and unpredictable, but also structured. From load-in to load-out, touring professionals work hard to ensure that every show is a success. On days off, crew members have the opportunity to rest and explore new places. Whether you are a musician, sound engineer, lighting technician, or tour manager, touring can be a challenging but fulfilling career path.

3. Being a Team Player: Touring productions are complex endeavors that require the cooperation and collaboration of a diverse group of professionals. As such, it is essential for aspiring touring professionals to be team players who are about to communicate effectively, work well with others, and contribute to the overall success of the production. This means being open to feedback and criticism, taking initiative when needed, and supporting your colleagues in their roles. Whether its making room for another department to carry out their duties, sharing a forklift with another department, or coordinating cable runs, it is important to be aware of the entire production and help maintain a healthy work flow for all.

Communicate clearly: Effective communication is key to being a good team player. Be clear and concise in your communications with others and always be willing to listen and learn.
Be flexible: Plans can change quickly day-to-day, so its important to be flexible and willing to adapt to new circumstances.
Be respectful: Always treat your colleagues and fellow professionals with respect, even in challenging situations. It is completely normal to have disagreements and misunderstandings, but when there is mutual respect, resolutions and common ground can be reached quickly.

4. Finding a Routine: Touring productions can be hectic, with long days and constantly changing schedules. In order to succeed in this environment, it’s important to develop a routine that allows you to stay organized and focused. This may involve setting aside time each day to review schedules, make notes, and prioritize tasks. Additionally, it may be helpful to establish rituals or routines that help you stay grounded and focused.

Create a schedule: Set a schedule for yourself each day, outlining what tasks you need to accomplish and when they need to be accomplished. Don’t rely solely on your memory, don’t be afraid to write things down and take notes.

Stick to a sleep schedule: While touring will require a lot of late nights and early mornings, its vital to find a sleep pattern that works with your work schedule, even if that schedule changes daily. This includes finding times of day to take naps and sacrificing a day or night out to catch on sleep.
Make time for self-care: It’s important to take care of yourself while on tour. Set aside time each day for exercise, meditation, or other activities that help you relax and recharge. 4.
“Establish rituals or routines that help you stay grounded and focused.”

5. Budgeting: Life on the road can be expensive if you aren’t careful. While you will receive perdiem, if you aren’t careful, you could find yourself spending money that you otherwise should be saving. Having a strong understanding of your finances, both income and expenses will help you manage your activities and spending on the road.

“Having a strong understanding of your finances, both income and expenses will help you manage your activities and spending on the road.”

Most new touring professionals do not realize the cycles of the touring industry. You could be rolling in money for 7 or 8 months, but then find yourself searching for work 4 or 5 months out the year. It’s important to understand these trends and where you fit into them throughout the year.

Create a budget: Before you hit the road, create a budget for yourself outlining your expected expenses and income and abide by a strict set of rules on the road to minimize frivolous expenses.
Keep track of expenses: Use a tool like a spreadsheet or a budgeting app to track your expenses while on the road.
Be mindful of your spending: When you’re on tour, its easy to overspend on meals, drinks, and purchases while forgetting about bills and other expenses, it’s key to stay organized and on top of all of your finances.

Conclusion: The touring industry can be a challenging but rewarding career path for those with a passion for live events and a strong work ethic. By developing essential skills such as work ethic, knowledge, being a team player, find a routine, and budgeting, you can increase your chances of success in this dynamic and exciting industry.