PLSN Bookshelf would have the newest books on touring as published, after that for price, there is often other sources and or Amazon and or E-Bay for a used
book price.
On touring, I’m a home body... I like my
house and like to sleep in my own bed. I have no desire to travel at all given I have not been on a plane in probably nine years, much less a bus for at least 15. Done local shows, much less work elbow to elbow with some of my bestist friends on the other
hand that do the touring thing. They are often still a wee
bit younger in that most of those who finally get prime position in touring often grow to tire of the 6 to 12 months out of the year being out on tour and never home once they grow older and perhaps get a life outside of living it. Such people’s primary concern later on is how to get a shop in theory 9:5 position.
None the less, living the life is quite the thing. You get to lock say X in a
road box, push him to the front of
house in that box -
thru the audience of fans, so as he can mix the band you are touring with that he wants to run the sound board for without getting stopped by way of fans in getting there. You do at times get to say go motorcycle shopping with X only for him to have to
call home in asking permission from the significant other to buy another motorcycle as opposed to just doing so. This after say some shipping crates added onto the tour trailers for some certain motorcycles to ship safely within and ability to ride about between shows. As if a gang, perhaps at times the security, promotion and crew just take a ride. Some tours that could be anything from tour requirement of an added stove/oven which must become
road box so the band can travel with it and cook breakfast, to an averting of the eyes by way of the crew when the talent enters the room. Some talent arrangements are aloof of their crew, others say write a song about them. Special tour stops to
play soft ball in raiding the local to the stop WalMart so as to buy equipment? Yep, happens but always dependant and defiantly talent motivated these instances or concepts. Guys I work with have at times the rock stars over for summer barbicues as long years of touring buddies or even I get to tell the guys from a band that it's not cost effective to do something, or at times you are there to fix a problem and are only allowed on
stage when the talent is not about.
In some ways, you live with the band, hide the as it were at times “blow” or even put in a closet the “fans” that are backstage when the girl friend shows up, or at other times get kicked off the tour in becoming too personable with the talent. Certain tours for instance will as a known factor just kick off the tour one or two tech people at it’s start without a reason but in some way getting out the dead wood, they were not doing anything wrong, it’s just a standard that say two people will be fired from the tour before it gets under way. Other tours.. Can’t we all just get along? No apparent reason often means that if not on this tour, you are re-scheduled for the next tour after a slight now vacation at home. Vacation at home and or at the shop becomes the thing as opposed to being out on tour and never home. This if good at what you do and qualified. If not...
Still touring means that sick or near death you get your part of the rig up and running than at times stumble back to the tour bus for at best a few moments of rest. Lots of drinking at times than waking up to stumble onto the tour bus - or searching for someone and that person having to explain how they got left behind. There is no sick days on tour unless the “artist” is so in which you would normally install than take down anyway. You are either in the hospital thus replaced and hopefully catch up with the tour later or doing the job no matter your health.
On the other
hand, there is the vacation days as it were in we have a day or three off and are in a place with lots of cash... what to do beyond some community family while on tour of drinking often. Lots of museums
etc. Just heard a report today of some that were due back from a show but their snowed in plane route was cancelled. What did they do, the got to visit the USS New Jersey. Heck, I have had a model of that battle ship since I was a kid and would simply love to see it, these techies got to tour the museum of it while on a day off in not being able to travel home. Such people my friends and co-workers could simply not appreciate it as much as I would, this even given my first for the most part 8 hour day, five day in a week or more - this given I get to sleep at some
point in my own bed. Out on tour, cash is easy for the most part, you get to see the latest in videos - what else are you doing while in the bus if not sleeping, and have the ready cash to buy what ever gives you comfort be it personal DVD player, or having time to read the latest novel. Tour pay is what people live for. Shop hourly pay sux,
send me on tour is a common theme.
As you say rough, fun,... would be accurate but don’t expect to show up and say here I am,
send me on tour. As with the business in general, it’s now persay what you know, but who you know, than beyond that what you do. At times between shows, while bouncing around on the tour bus and not getting sleep you will be tasked with fixing say a
hoist cable or a moving light that needs to work before you get to your next location. Had at best master all electrical theory and troubleshooting with such equipment or you are less than useless to the tour. That tour you are on has one purpose, it’s to get the show up and running for the talent to make their show. You can’t do it or get tired say at a 20 hour day for weeks straight between days off, and you find other work.
There is a certain amount of skill you get from slinging cable in the shop in making no real money which unless absolutely special you won’t
advance beyond in getting the tour. IA or non, you must become a name for yourself either as free lance or shop labor before you can hope to even do local shows. Time in grade - are you more qualified to fix or
wire stuff than I am persay in getting to go on tour were I interested in even doing shows? Them most qualified to tour are those that can fix any equipment as they will need to on that tour, this much less and beyond that can fix what’s both normal and un-normal also attached to the show. Had tour people cursing me about some X show (say last year’s tour of the year)
fluorescent/
audience blinder pods they constantly had to repair. Sorry guys but I was mandated to use the old ballasts on the fluorescents, much less work with another department in making the
fixture which was not by way of group think - easily accessible in repair. Now have in this case a chick from that tour that’s an expert I would hope by now on
fluorescent wiring. This was her primary off show task in keeping them running.
Chicks on tour is a sort of newer thing in the industry. A few years ago while as sounding board or person not so political - and importantly not in the chain of command that could by way of compliant kill someone’s career, I remember the complaints about the corporate think theory chicks not being safe on the tour bus as if a gang bang or something would happen while on it, or women as opposed to the guys, would loose their morals more so than guys thus become a problem. These days - women I know having broken that last bastion of sex discrimination falsehood are just as the guys out on tour and having fun or stress as with the guys... and doing well. If in extreme, what’s the difference anyway in a guy gaining a notch and a gal gaining a notch as it were, or in neither due to a certain record of gaining such notches while out on tour quickly becoming a bad idea once corporate disciplinary action be taken against you due to some wee screw up. Gals/guys, all are human and both are on tour. These days it’s leadership of the local crew and not plumbing that’s important.
And boy some of the tales of the IA and non, Southern verses Northern at times local crew tales I hear about from all sorts of locations. Let’s say as far as crews, IA means nothing persay as to ability to get the show up and running as a concept (skilled and even professional labor or not) - unless you piss them off or don’t even have that amount of skill
level where you do the show. Times “just
point and shoot” and you are done, at other times, you know this would be easier if all of you went away already..... At such times especially it’s the touring crew and friends that get the show up and running even to the extent perhaps that the sound guy is perhaps not on the bus but helping you tie a multi to the
truss or lifting a
followspot stand onto the
truss. You are as if a family on tour at times, those brothers and sisters you know you can trust or expect at least, those “brothers” locally, urr perhaps at times. Heck, at times even the truck drivers are more useful than the local crew. Than again at times not and everthing goes swimmingly.
Still, you have to get on tour and known for your skill before you get on tour hopefully at least.
In getting on tour, it’s perhaps best to work for a number or touring companies first so as to learn the ropes and get a name for yourself in perhaps sticking with that shop or going free lance. All time in grade based in knowing what the heck that you are doing. No matter the sex these days, those qualified are those qualified and there is lots of opportunity for tech people verses posers with glossy eyes about hanging out with the stars. Than once you learn your trade, at some
point the former question comes up.
As for union or not, that’s beyond a personal question, it more depends from where you work. Consider unions a fiefdom onto themselves so as to secure bread on the table for their members. A member of Local #2, doesn’t qualify you to
pick up a cable in Local #1's area. Those local are much more qualified to do it safely than you. This no matter if they say know what the heck they are doing with it or how to safely do it or not. That’s a hard thing to deal with at times the in general “union problems” and one that at times takes patience in say three
teamsters to un-pack by way of fork lift a single gallon at a time of
haze fluid. Yep it happens. On the other
hand you get into places that could deal with some training or, yep I’m a chick, get over it, or yep it’s a show get over it and get what I tell you to get done, done. Of locals, at times you often will find the best you can find the lesser what you might find elsewhere. Being a girl at times can be difficult unless your own leadership of a crew is sufficient for it’s need. Can be fun I’m sure also but overall can be more challenging than that of leading older people than you in a “them eating you alive” type of way.
These days, locally you might find some sexism, but as part of the tour it’s most likely not going to be the case. The tour people will rely upon you for your ability and need it over any instinct. Just at times going to have to deal with the added drool factor if necessary on the local ends of labor. It perhaps as a woman will be a skill in leadership guys won’t have to learn but one that you can easily most likely master given lots of other chicks in the field already doing so.
My advice, take a part in a touring company, eventually once you learn the ropes, go out on tour. Believe it or not, you are nothing special now until some time of proving yourself special as opposed to the next 100 people also with your dream. Earn your way in the industry an to the tour. Than decide later what to do with your career.
It’s fun I’m told, you will probably love it in the end but get there first by way of earning it. Don't care who you are, you are either a pain in my rear by way of "tour support" or those that know what the heck they are doing.