The road and another year gone...
It's a very cold and snowy day today. I decided to log onto my blog, which I realized today I never seem to post to anymore. I guess it happens. I find myself on Twitter and unfortunately Facebook. Also there are a few industry blogs and forums that I like to frequent.
Time seems to go by quicker each year. 2013 found me still touring, though not as much as the previous few. The guys in YES have been keeping me busy and 2014 is gearing up to be more so than 2013.
The music business is shifting on so many levels. Bands are making very little money selling their music. So touring is a means to make some real money and if they are lucky a living. The bean counters have really stuck there noses into the industry. Managers, accountants and even the bands themselves are cutting back on salaries offers. They are also pushing to cut back on the amount of people they hire and ask the ones they do to wear more than one hat.
This multi hat issue is not new. It has been going on with the younger and up incoming artists for some time. The problem is established and more well known bands are doing it more and more. For example they want the same person to do sound and road manage. Or they want someone to set up the band gear and handle the merchandise. Yet they only want to pay them the equivalent of one job or even less.
What this is leading to is the quality of work is suffering. Also I believe it will lead to safety issues as well.
As a fan it will effect you to a point. The quality of the product will go down. Say if you have an young inexperienced sound person mixing your favorite band and it sounds bad, you a not getting what you paid for. This will come back on the artist because "you" the fan may not be willing to pay your hard earned money to see them the next time around.
Labels: 2014, Band, Canada, North America, Progressive, Road, roadie, Roadies, Salary, Snow, Tour, Tours, Travel, YES
2013 is underway
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| ASIA Lighting Rig Japan 2012 |
Is it really a month into 2013 already? Wow time seems to be flying by. 2012 was a fairly busy touring year which was good for the bank account. I spent most of the year touring with the band
YES. We did a North American tour which included the US, a couple Canadian shows and a show in Mexico City. We also did a tour of the far east which included Japan, Australia and Indonesia. Things wrapped up at the end of the summer.
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| Mount Fuji |
In September I was asked to work with the guys from
ASIA which of course includes Steve Howe and Geoff Downes from YES. It was ASIA's 30 anniversary tour. This time we started in Japan and then did a North American tour. The tour wrapped up at the end of November.
It was then announced that Steve Howe would be leaving ASIA to concentrate on solo work and of course the band YES.
Speaking of
YES. The band will be hitting the road at the end of February for another North American tour. They will be performing three of their classic albums in their entirety. Also there will be a five day
cruise during the middle of it, that will feature several progressive rock bands along with YES headlining.
After this tour we should be heading to South America in May. After that there is talk of a summer tour but where we haven't been told yet.
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| part of the kitchen remodel |
Since I have been home for the holidays I have worked a few local shows, but mainly I have spent this past month remodeling my kitchen. I hired a contractor to do 75% of the work. I designed the kitchen and did most of the demo and all of the painting. I was very fortunate that it came in at what I had budgeted. I have a home improvement line of credit which I have been using over the past year to make improvements to the house.
It's tough doing anything around your house when you spend more time away from it than you do in it.
I will be working this year just pay for most of these improvements but in the end it will be worth it.
Labels: 2012, 2013, ASIA, Canada, Lighting, Mexico, North America, Photos, Road, roadie, Roadies, South America, Toronto, Tour, Touring, Tours, YES
I'm off to see the wizard
It's been a busy 6 weeks here at home, working with the guys at
Audio Images Sound & Lighting. We have been doing quite a few festivals providing staging, sound, lights, backline, etc. Long hours but also some good times and laughs.
Well now it's back on the road on Sunday with the band
YES. The tour is kicking off in Toronto and will run till August 22 when it finishes in Mexico City. A North American tour in the summer and fortunately most of the shows are indoors. I hate the heat.
After the YES tour I will be heading out with the band
ASIA. Steve and Geoff from YES will obviously playing with them too. The tour will kick off in Japan in the middle of September with a North American tour after that and the UK in December.
So it looks like the rest of my year will be fairly busy. I have begun looking for a different house and have been going back and forth with the credit union on a mortgage. It looks like I have finally been approved. So hopefully during the weeks between legs of the tour I can find the new digs.
Labels: Concert, Home, Road, roadie, Roadies, Stage, Toronto, Tour, Touring, YES
Toronto.....Not again
It's been a couple of days since another stage collapse. This one in Toronto, Canada happened during the afternoon just before the band Radiohead concert was to take place. Four people were hurt, one of them Scott Johnson was the bands drum tech and he lost his life. I didn't know Scott but in my business we all consider ourselves "brothers and sisters" and refer to each other that way.
Scott was a brother, one of us. We all feel a sense of loss. I can't imagine what his family is going through. My family has and still worries about me when I'm on tour. It's incidents like this that make you step back and look at your own life.
I am one of those people that is always looking around my work situation and making sure that things are safe for me and those around me. If I see something that doesn't look right I speak up. The last few years I have been even more aware.
As I have mentioned before in previous post I help build and set up these outdoor stages for a production company here at home when I'm not on tour. So I guess my senses are heightened a bit more.
I will be heading back on the road in a few weeks with the band YES for another round of shows. There are a couple of outdoor shows where we will be on stages built by someone else that I probably don't know. I will be the one guy who will be looking over everything with a keen eye.
Labels: 2012, Collapse, Crew, Lighting, Musician, Radiohead, roadie, Roadies, Stage, Stage Collapse, Stageline, Toronto
Lots of luck and all bad
I have usually had fair luck in my life. It is kind of like that Seinfeld episode where Jerry always comes out even. That is me.
This spring I have had several tours come my way, which I have recently posted about here. For one reason or another things didn't pan out and I ended up not working these tours. If my past was a barometer I should have had something else drop in my lap by now. It hasn't and I am beginning to become concerned.
The summer touring season gets underway in a few weeks.
Some good news. Five For Fighting (aka John Ondrasik) has begun recording music for his new CD. He mentioned to me he hopes to tour sometime by late summer or early fall. The guys in Finger Eleven are currently writing for their next CD. So there is potential work going in 2010.
Until then I have tightened the money belt and continue to network. I will have to ramp it up a bit I guess.
Labels: FFF, Finger Eleven, Five For Fighting, Roadies, Touring
H1N1 Virus
This virus is all over the news. It's a concern and people should be aware of it. Will it affect the touring industry as we go through the spring and into the summer? At this point who knows. I think it will depend on how much it spreads.
Hopefully people will be smart and see a doctor if they start to have symptoms. Stay home from school or work if they are sick.
My gut feeling is if it does become wide spread you will see people begin to avoid gatherings especially with large crowds. With the current economy this illness could really hurt the live music business. It will interesting to see what happens.
As for myself I have still not had a tour pan out for this spring. The talk of a tour later this summer is still looking to be happening with one of my regular artists. Of course now with what is beginning to happen I wouldn't be surprised if things change.
I'm not saying it's a time to panic but a time for caution as they say.
I have not heard of anyone getting sick while on tour at the moment. Generally if there is a flu bug or cold virus going around. Road crew folks usually get it at some point since we are in such close proximity to the public. It spreads fairly quick and easy among ourselves since we travel and live on tour buses. I spent most of the month of November with a bad respiratory infection while on tour.
So we wait and see.
Labels: Crew, H1N1, Roadies, swine, Touring, virus
Oh well...next
It was confirmed yesterday that I will not be doing the tour I mentioned the other day.
Turns out they decided to not only not increase the salary. They decided to not bring anyone out to fill the position. Money must be getting tight for them. I was told they would also not be adding additional lighting like they had hoped. So the lighting director from the headliner will just run their lights.
This is not uncommon. I have been in this position in the past where one of the support acts has covered their set.
So now it will continue to look for another tour.
There is some talk of one of my previous artists touring later this summer. I'm not holding my breath.
Labels: Lighting, Roadies, Touring, Tours
I must be psychic
Last week I posted about the situation of bands and their managers paying less for crew members for their tours.
Like I mentioned, in todays economy the tough choice of either taking less than you are worth just to work or wait for that proper paying gig.
Well just a couple days later it happened. I was offered a position with a band that I know. I have never worked for them but have shared stages with them over the last 6 or 7 years while working for other artists. They will be a major support band on an upcoming arena tour. They have a separate bus for their crew. It's a pretty good gig.
So you are thinking, what is the problem?
The salary being offered. It is too low. Sure if I told you what it was you would probably say "wow" that's good cash. If I was a young guy and had been doing this for a few years it would be. But after 25+ years it was a bit of an insult.
I told them I would be glad to come on board if they match what I wanted or were close.
We will see what happens. I am not holding my breath.
Labels: Lighting, Roadies, Salary, Touring
Life's reality
Like many people in my line of work we are misfits in various degrees. How else do you explain the fact that we like to work 15 hour days, travel around on buses and planes. It's a strange life we live. Sure the money is usually good and there are good times. I wouldn't trade it for any other job. Well maybe one or two.
It's a different world though and at some point during the year you have to come back to the "norm". I have a hard time of this. It's difficult to relate to family and those friends that aren't in the business. I find myself just hanging around the house. I don't venture out to the bars or clubs. I'm not much of a socializer these days and realize it's getting worse.
When I'm on the road it's easy. You are with the same group of people all day long for weeks on end. You are comfortable with most of them because you all relate to the situation. I also find it easier to talk to people when I'm on the road. Why? I don't really know. Maybe it's the vagabond factor, is there such a thing? I don't really know how to describe it.
The holidays are upon us and I will be out on the road for the first half of December which is good. However January is looking to be a month of having some time off. I think it might be time to travel for pleasure and not for work.
Labels: Christmas, Holidays, Road, Roadies, Touring
Days and Days
We are in the middle of four in a row. No wait make that three since we cancelled tonights show. Scott the bands singer is having a bit of vocal cord problems and needs to take some time off. It was decided since we had monday and tuesday off anyway canceling the show made sense. Sorry to the fans in Hartford.
It has been a couple of interesting days. One of them doing a show in Providence a venue that should just be flattened. The place had a bunch of sound and lighting that is old and just plain broken. The club owner just refuses to pay to fix anything. The place had a bunch of old LMI dimmers that they claimed buzz when they are used.
Friday's show was at a nice venue with a very small stage. It is basically a billards hall located downstairs which made load in fun for the stagehands.
Yesterday was spent in Albany New York doing another one of those "fun" radio station festivals. Twenty bands and two stages side by side. The worst part was the guys from production who were unorganized and we also had no help loading in or out.
So here we sit in Secaucus, New Jersey. I know you are asking why not in New York City? Well it is easier to park a bus here which many tours do. The area here at Harmon Meadow is well known to anyone who tours with a band.
It reality we are only about 5 miles from Manhattan. I am still trying to decide if I want to go into NY tomorrow. We are trying to get a new backdrop and set pieces made for the Canadian tour and I need to make it happen tomorrow. Time is getting short.
Labels: Finger Eleven, Roadies, Touring, Travel
One day at home
Yesterday was spent in Dayton Ohio doing a radio festival with nine other bands. These are always interesting. They can also be fun. Ran into some old friends who are working with other bands. There were many ladies show off their assets.
Today is a day off and it was decided that we would spend it in Rochester, which is where we are playing tomorrow. The good thing for me is that I live about 45 minutes from there, so I decided to come home for the day. Upon my early morning arrival I find that the lawn needs mowing, so I ended up doing some yard work today. So much for rest and relaxing.
We have just ten shows before the Canadian tour. I have been trying to get info from the Sum 41 camp regarding the lighting plot that they would like to use. It appears that I will be using their design which I can work with. I just need to see a copy of it soon.
Labels: Finger Eleven, Lighting, Roadies, Touring, Travel
Reflecting
Tomorrow is my birthday. Yes, I am Gemini and well……..who cares. Is a midlife crisis setting in? I don’t think so, I’m only 44, yet on most day’s I feel 34, I think.
I was looking around Myspace, yea I know it’s a bit lame. The best thing about it is that I have found people that I knew many years ago and had lost touch with.
You see there are two parts to my adult life so far. There was the period in the early 80’s when I worked as a radio disc jockey, partied and slept around. Hey it was my early 20’s and I was having a good time. Much have that period of my life is a bit hazy. I still don’t remember the names of some of the women I “spent time” with. There were so many faces and so little gray matter to remember names.
The two things that came out of the period were the music contacts I made back then and the fact that I didn’t catch any diseases.
Now there is the second part of my adult life. I still drank for a period of time when I started touring full time during my late 20’s. I stopped right around the time I turned 30. Ever since then I have been sober and more aware of my world.
During this time I have traveled to a lot of places, done a lot of shows and worked with a lot of bands. I could probably write a book on my travels and I might some day. Of course most “roadies” could write a book especially if you have been on the road as long as I have.
My personal life has been good and bad like most people. The one thing I regret was not being around when my dad passed away. He was sick when I left for the tour but that was nearly a month before. He told me to go, he was always supportive of my job choice. He knew I was doing something I enjoyed. I ended leaving the tour for a few days to attend his funeral. He was only 57.
I had a tour manager that I worked for many years ago tell me “don’t be on the road into your 40’s”. At the time I thought he was probably right. Who wants to be doing this when you are middle aged?
Well now that I’m at that point in time I think he might have been wrong to some degree. Sure the travel can get to you, but the job can still be fun. There is nothing like doing a concert and having that rush. Besides the pay is still pretty good and I don’t have to punch a clock.
Plus the majority of my friends are roadies and musicians. There is a common thread that binds us and it’s a lifestyle that only people in our business really understand.
It is really a business these days especially for crew guys. We manage our money very carefully at least us old road dogs. Owning homes, buying stocks, investing are more important than drugs. Sure we still like to have a good time “wink wink” but we have it under control.
Labels: Money, Roadies, Touring
NO I DON'T......wait what?!!
I think I have posted about this before, who can remember, I'm old dammit!!
Addiction is something that most people deal with on a daily basis. Whether it be alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex or food, everyone has one to some degree. Fortunately for me I don't really have any of these except for maybe caffeine.
I love soda and I have been really trying to cut back and to some degree stop drinking it all together.
The thing is I need the caffeine especially when I'm on the road. I'm back on a coffee kick again even at home. Normally I only drink iced coffee when it's hot outside, but lately I have even been drinking it hot.
It's a good thing there isn't a Starbucks in my neighborhood. I could go broke.
Labels: Coffee, Road, Roadies, Touring
A Production Christmas Poem
Another one I wish I wrote but didn't....sorry about the capital letters, I copied from an email.
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS; THE DEADLINE WAS TIGHT.
THE TEMPERS WERE FLARING; THERE WAS NO END IN SIGHT.
THE GROUND PLANS WERE HUNG ON THE WALLS WITHOUT CARE,
WHILE HUNDREDS OF BOX TRUSS WERE FLOWN IN THE AIR.
THE CLIENTS WERE NESTLED ALL SNUG IN THEIR BEDS
WHILE WE IN PRODUCTION WERE BANGING OUR HEADS.
THE SCRIPT HAD REVISIONS; THE COMPUTER HAD CRASHED.
THE MESSENGER WAS LATE; THE PA NEEDED CASH.
THE PRODUCER WAS PHONING TO BRING IN MORE TROOPS.
WE WERE PUSHED TO THE LIMIT AND JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS.
THE CREW WAS ON OT, THE BUDGET WAS TRASH;
THAT GOOD OLE' CONTINGENCY HAD COME IN A FLASH!
WHEN OUT ON THE STAGE THERE AROSE SUCH A CLATTER.
WE ALL RAN TO SEE WHAT THE HECK WAS THE MATTER!
THE PRODUCTION MANAGER SCREAMED THAT THE CUES WERE ALL WRONG.
AND REHEARSALS WERE RUNNING SIXTY MINUTES TOO LONG!
THE BAND MEMBERS WERE BRAINLESS, WITH NO TALENT AT ALL!
THE SET NEEDED ADJUSTING; IT WAS ONE FOOT TOO TALL!
THE MOON ON THE BREAST OF THE NEW FALLEN SNOW
WAS A PAINFUL REMINDER THAT WE COULD NOT GO.
THE LIGHTS IN THE CITY WERE TWINKLING AND VIVID
WHILE SITTING AT HOME, OUR SPOUSES WERE LIVID.
THEN WHAT TO OUR WONDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR
BUT A DOZEN LARGE PIZZAS AND FOUR SIX-PACKS OF BEER?
WITH SOME CARBS AND SOME SPIRITS WE MERRILY PUSHED ON.
THE JOB FELL IN PLACE AND WE WRAPPED AROUND DAWN.
AS WE HANDED OUT PRAISES AND WISHED ALL A GOOD NIGHT,
ALAS....A SLEIGH AND REINDEER ABOUT TO TAKE FLIGHT.
THEN A JOLLY OLD MAN GAVE A LAUGH AND ADVICE;
"HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL,
WILL YOU ALL PLEASE GET A LIFE !"
Labels: Crew, fun, poem, Production, Roadies
Rules of the road
First let me say I did not create these.
If you are a current touring roadie you should already know these. If you are thinking of becoming one......are you sure?
If you have personal issues, please leave them at home, or have the subscriptions canceled; most significantly, substance abuses of any kind. There's no room for them on the bus.
If you know you're going to have a problem getting into Canada, then you've done this before, and you should tell us now. It's bad enough that people have to go to Canada at all—don't make it worse by forcing them to hear your story during a four o'clock in the morning border crossing. If you know you're hiding this, then make sure you have several hundred dollars in your pocket and the airfare for your replacement.
The Production Office is the production's office, not yours. Your office is the million-dollar system you load in and out every day—hang out there instead, and see if there's a way to take better care of it, or make better use of it.
Do not use the production telephones for personal use. If you need something for yourself, then use your own phone.
The tour manager takes care of the band, and doesn't need to know what you think or need. The production manager takes care of the production and only needs to know what the production needs. The production assistant is your best friend, but that's supposed to be a well-kept secret, so don't act like it.
Do not ask the runners to do anything personal for you. If it's that important, then either take care of it on your days off, or ask the production assistant if you can put it on the runner's list. If you have to think about whether you want everyone to know about it, then don't bother—simply re-read the first sentence of this rule.
There is to be no sex, real or imagined, with the production assistant or merch person—male or female.
In every situation, please try and remember these two somewhat metaphorical tenets for a successful operation; they also work for relationships and other emergencies:
a. Clearly establish and respect your chain of command, lines of communication, and plan of attack before you embark on your mission.
b. Secure your base, establish your coordinates, and guarantee an escape route. (In other words, figure out the best location for your equipment placement, find the safest and cleanest route for all signal paths, and lay it all out for the most efficient load-out.)
Take care of the equipment as if it's your responsibility—it is. Saving 30 seconds on a load-out is not worth two hours the next day to fix a piece of gear, or $500 in Fed Ex charges to send you a replacement.
If you are assigned a walkie-talkie by production, be aware that a replacement will cost as much as you likely net in a week, and will be worth more than you.
Bring your own specialized tools. Only you know what it is you do. God knows we still can't figure it out.
Work as a collective team. If one person is working and you're not, then help him. If you're too stupid to add anything, then go to the bus—but let someone know where you will be. Sitting around telling the same boring road tales while everyone else is working will not make you the envy of anyone, but it could invite disdain from the crew.
If you are the designated crew chief, it's an acknowledgement of leadership, responsibility, and respect, not an elevation in job title. There is no extra pay in it. Someone's gotta do it. Would you rather have some other idiot telling you what to do?
Speaking of idiots, be sure you do an "idiot" check at the end of every load out—this is in addition to staring at yourself in the mirror for an hour wondering why you agreed to do this gig. Do not assume the local crew gives a damn about the gear only you know is yours. If you leave something behind, you'll know it before we do, so get it back immediately or your name will replace the word idiot above .
Do not offer strangers tickets or passes. They're not yours to offer. Besides, you're leaving town on the bus and won't get laid anyway, and if you already did—why bother?
Think twice before offering people you know, including family, tickets or passes. Remember how distracting and time consuming it is to wander around outside a venue before a show, worrying about anything but the show. And you shouldn't be having sex with relatives anyway.
Beware the three-week rule. That's when everyone has learned the show, takes it for granted, and starts focusing on each other's behavioral problems. You've done this before; so don't act like you're surprised at that time of the month. It's going to happen. Get over it. It is also when spouses and mates get bitchy at home. If you don't want to come home and find the toilet seat up, then either give them the attention and detail they deserve before you leave, or don't go on tour.
NEVER be late for a bus call. You will be oil-spotted at your own expense. The good news is, if you're late, you will provide the entire production an opportunity for a lifetime's worth of jokes-also at your expense.
If you find you cannot urinate standing up on a moving bus without redecorating the entire head, it doesn't mean you're a drunk or a sissy. Even rock stars do it sitting down.
Do not even consider going #2 on the bus, or someone will pull your head off and do it down your neck.
Do not leave your new "special friend" alone on the bus, or in your hotel room-ever. I guarantee you, when they are gone they will have taken a souvenir, which could easily be your wallet, or your job.
Do not lose or lend your bus key, or your laminate, to anyone—ever. The cost of replacing either is subject to a market price determined by the most ruthless, twisted, and relentless person available in production – haha we know who this is.
If there are long bus drives ahead, buy a book or some videos, or write letters to your loved ones telling them how much you miss them. Do not ask us to pay for a flight to the next destination. Besides, you might miss a great view of the country's heartland before some deranged extremists attempt to destroy it.
Always sleep in your bunk with your feet facing the front—everyone else does. There are a lot of boot lickers in this business, and you wouldn't want them to get confused in the middle of the night. And if you really don't understand this rule, then just take note of what it feels like when the driver slams on his brakes 10 times during the late night ride.
Avoid falling asleep in either the front or back lounges of the bus—unless you want to wake up with a face that looks like a tattooed princess from New Zealand. Everyone has a Sharpie!!!
If you have days off, do not consider taking off for home. You should've taken care of whatever is so urgent before you left. Instead, arrange for whatever it is to come to you, at your own expense, and don't expect any special considerations.
Do not whine; you are an adult, and hopefully a professional. It's not becoming, and you might invite a kind of sex you do not want.
When you check out of a hotel, always pay your incidentals or you'll become incidental.
You have agreed to a pay rate. Do not suddenly decide halfway through the tour that you're working too hard, or are too talented, for that pay. That is only the artist's prerogative. If you were an artist, then we would have met in some avant-garde art gallery sipping sissy wine.
All recordings of the show belong to the artist—again, you are not the artist. They should be clearly labeled and handed over to one designated person in production. Any material recorded on hard drives should be dubbed onto "safeties."
Do not bother apologizing. Enough time was wasted when you screwed up. Time would be better served drawing a map for yourself so you won't bother going that way again.
No matter how you feel about the music or the artist, remember the artist is always right, and is ultimately responsible for all of you. They have put their trust in you while "up there on the stage." If they weren't there, you would be home wishing you had a gig. Or worse yet, you might be flipping burgers.
Remember, the show's the thing and it's a composite medium. It only works if everybody does their best together. Keep in mind that the audience has possibly spent their only disposable income of the year for one night out. Make it worth it.
The stars are not our friends, they are our employers. "Close to the fire, first to get burned." If they know your name, guess who they're going to freak out on when something goes wrong? Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to remember exactly who you work for.
These rules are ordered for reference—not priority. Whichever one you screw up first automatically becomes #1. Do not see this as a challenge for how many infractions you can accumulate in the length of the tour. You will not last that long.
If you learned anything new by reading this, then either you don't belong on the road, or you're new, and should keep your excitement to yourself. We advise you then, to look at it again and again in your bunk with a flashlight, as if it were a girlie magazine. If it gets you titillated, we don't want to know about it.
Be nice(not tour manager applicable), be great, and have fun.
Labels: Crew, Road, Roadies, Touring
