Questions Related to Touring

[MrsFooter]

One thing to note, learned this from the guys touring with blue man group, expect the locals to be complete idiots. Not saying anything bad about the locals from the previous visit that blue man group did in the city just before us. But apparently they couldn't tell the difference between a DMX cable and soco...

Ouch, man. So by that logic, can I expect all road LDs to be pompous, inflexible jackasses just because I had one or two who were? Quite often the road LDs that I have the most trouble with aren't unqualified or unorganized, they're the ones who decide before I've opened my mouth that I'm useless and treat me as such. Coming in with an attitude like the "the locals will be complete idiots" one is a really great way to set yourself up for a really rough day. On the other hand, if you walk in the door with a smile, a firm handshake, and and attitude that says, "Hey, let's all work together to make a badass show!" you're a hell of a lot more likely to get the same in return.

 

[DuckJordan]

Ouch, man. So by that logic, can I expect all road LDs to be pompous, inflexible jackasses just because I had one or two who were? Quite often the road LDs that I have the most trouble with aren't unqualified or unorganized, they're the ones who decide before I've opened my mouth that I'm useless and treat me as such. Coming in with an attitude like the "the locals will be complete idiots" one is a really great way to set yourself up for a really rough day. On the other hand, if you walk in the door with a smile, a firm handshake, and and attitude that says, "Hey, let's all work together to make a badass show!" you're a hell of a lot more likely to get the same in return.

Sorry, i must have gone completely the wrong way with my post. It should say that don't expect the local crew to have a complete understanding of everything. I didn't mean to say it in such a way as to expect the local crew to be completely useless.

Sorry about that.

 

[danTt]

In my experience, I'd say it's necessary to prepare everything as if the local crew will be incompetent, because sometimes they are. When they're not, then things will still go much faster if you've prepared everything than if you are relying on the local crew to problem solve for you. I've had some amazing local crews, and some that are just college students that took the job to help pay through school. With the variety of venues you play, you will certainly also see a variety of crews.

 

[Footer]

Sorry, i must have gone completely the wrong way with my post. It should say that don't expect the local crew to have a complete understanding of everything. I didn't mean to say it in such a way as to expect the local crew to be completely useless.

Sorry about that.

Here is the big thing to remember when it comes to local crews. If your touring through a small venue and are just getting crew heads, you are getting the people that do the same job you do every day... there is a good chance they have been doing what you do longer and know the industry better then you. Instead of seeing one rig every day for the last 5 years, they have seen hundreds come through. More importantly when your not touring through their venue they are supporting shows at possibly a higher degree then you are supporting yours.

If your a larger show that needs lets say 10 people to put up, your going to get those same heads plus a few people who get regular work at that venue. The non-heads should know their way around but might not know everything. They might pull less then 5 calls a month at a given venue.

Then it comes to the larger shows that go into major venues and arenas that need 50-100 to put up...
Odds are you will get several heads that know their stuff. You will get a few regulars who pull calls at other venues and know their stuff. Then, you will get a friend of a friend who told the BA that they could work because they were breathing and had two arms and two legs. These people are really just straight up box pushers/neck downs. If they are lucky they might get two calls a month. If the union/labor org does not train, then they know what they know by working shows. Turn over is high on these call lists therefore very little training is done. I have literally worked side by side with a guy who got his start in this industry because the BA picked him up at a half way house in order to fill a call.

So, yes, there are local crew people out there that know nothing. There are also colleges that will double fill a call because they can. You always have to remember where these crews are coming from. Odds are they are not getting much work and training is little to none. Most this is a 3rd job that they do because they like it. They have no desire to make a career of it. They show up at 10am, push a bunch of cases, leave, show back up at 10pm, and push a bunch of cases.

However, each one of these venues have staff that are well trained and do know their stuff. On my first call list I have about 20 people, all with college degrees in the industry, some with MFAs and 30+ years in the industry. Now, if you ask for 20 people on a Tuesday for an in your going to get some people who might not know everything. However, they are all good workers and can learn. No reason to lump everyone together. No one can maintain a well trained crew of 100 people just to push cases. The guys that know stuff get out of that work quick.

 

[mstaylor]

As somebody that supplies local crews, in a small area, for a living I always tell guys during the advance of a big call that they will be getting a mix of hands. There will be some excellent hands, decent hands and bodies. The response is generally,"Just mix them up." I also do shows where I am going to other buildings and running the local crews. I always try to treat them right but I also explain everything so they don't have to assume information. As things go in I figure out who really knows what's going on and let them lead their cohorts.

 

[soundman]

In my experience, I'd say it's necessary to prepare everything as if the local crew will be incompetent, because sometimes they are.

Not the best way to phrase that but its a good point.

My current show takes in 130 people for the load out, counting riggers, loaders, and fork ops. Often times there is a lot of people filling out paper work at the call because its their first time. Doesn't matter, if I get 3 hands that pay attention and don't get lost in the shuffle I will be able to get what I need done. We are in Europe right now and I haven't had an English speaking hand in the last three shows but we still get what we need done. This is because during prep we spent hours taping and labeling everything. People pick up on patterns, no matter what language they speak. If you show them something once and it happens 10 times in a truss they will be able to repeat it as long as all the conditions are equal. IE the red connectors together, not red into blue except for that one which is red into green because I had to swap a cable and haven't changed the tape yet.

Also making it idiot resistant is helpful because some days during load in you will get pulled away, if its simple enough your hands can keep working with out having to ask you a million questions. If nothing else if you are a little hung over you yourself won't have to think. Thats nice too.

Little things like labeling a box USC drum riser instead of just drum riser can help because USC is always USC but differnt groups but the drum riser in different spots.

 

[mstaylor]

Filling out paperwork doesn't automatically mean new meat. Almost every job I do in DC for 22 requires me to fill out paperwork. I always make sure any new guy has his paperwork done prior to show day so not filling out paperwork doesn't mean anything either.
I agree that the better a show is prepped the better it is for everybody. The other side of the coin is having a hand that has some knowledge and wants to jump ahead of the system. If he really knows the routine hands should know what is coming next but should know to ask before forging ahead.