When I was a wee lad of eight years old, I was in the Cub Scouts. We got together once a week and made planters out of popsicle sticks and carved ashtrays out of tin cans. We were reckless little hellions with bad attitudes and sharp objects. This combination spells trouble without a leader. Enter the Den Mother. She was the Mom that kept it all in line for the kids, and put us in time out when we were bad. She also made sure our ashtrays made it home in one piece so we could show our family the fruits of our labor. Flash forward to the present day. Your band is a reckless bunch of hooligans ready to hit the road for your tour. You have sharp objects in your possession and you need someone to keep you out of trouble. That's when you call your friendly neighborhood tour manager. Your tour manager is your best friend on the road, and it is important to know what to expect once you have one. A tour manager is truly the extra member of the band, but the job description goes much deeper. They're your driver, guitar string changer, merchandise person, and security. The tour manager advances the shows, collects your gig money, makes sure the band is fed, and ensures there is a place to sleep after the show. It's a dirty, thankless job, but a good tour manager worth his weight in gold. If you are getting ready to hit the road as a tour manager, or thinking about jumping in to this sort of gig, here are some tips to become invaluable to your band. Get organized. The best thing you can do for your tour is to have your stuff together. Laptops are best, but if you're on the Can't Afford to Pay Attention tour, don't sweat it. Get a binder for $2 and get rolling. Have copies of all your contracts, including what you get at each show (food, rooms, bottled water, and money totals) and put those in the binder. Also, map out your tour. Mapquest is great for that, plus you will have mileage figures, which can help you budget exactly how much gas you'll be spending. Oh, yes, did I mention you're the tour accountant, too? Get a ledger and record every dime that comes in or out of the band. If you keep it all in a ledger, then the bass player will have nothing to bitch about when he starts questioning how much money the band really makes. (Unless you are skimming cash from the band, then I will personally whip your butt). Now you're set. First gig comes along. Have you advanced the show? Don't sweat it- just call the club and go over the details of the gig. Do it about a month out, then two weeks out, then call again the day before the show, just to make sure. Get all your specifics down with the venue before you get there- you can't re-negotiate after the show is over. Here's a secret to being a good TM - have good communication skills. Don't be a jerk. Be cordial, but businesslike, and don't curse. Ever. The bottom line is to be cool. If something isn't right with the contract or the gig, then make it right, but be cool. Yelling doesn't help any situation, and since you are the contact between the venue and the band, you are representing others, not just talking for yourself. You're loaded in, set up, and sound checked. Make sure the band knows exactly what time the show starts and how long the set(s) are supposed to last. If there is a changeover of bands, then you need to be there to make sure your gear is safe and doesn't walk off. Make sure the merchandise is set up, and that the van is in a spot where it won't get towed. During the show, get ready for anything- the drummer may need first aid, the guitar player a towel, and the singer a beer, all at the same time. Get on it. Be aware of what is going on everywhere in that venue, and take care of your band. The show is over, and you need to get paid. You also have to peel the lead singer from the bar to help load gear out. Once you're loaded out, get up with the band and quickly give them info for the next day (wake up time, drive time, load-in, sound check, and show time), or better yet, have the next day's schedule printed out and hand it to the band or post it in the van. Many bands like to go out after shows. If that's the case on your tour, then keep track of your band, and make sure they know where the hotel is located. Your job as tour manager is to be sober and coherent, and to make sure your band is OK. This can change a little over time, but at first you need to realize your job doesn't end when the band stops playing. Get your team home safely every night. There may not be a show the next day if somebody is lost. Finally, you get a few hours of sleep and start the whole process all over again the next day. A good tour manager will be the first one up in the morning and the last one to bed. A great TM will be awake before the band, having already fueled up the van, and found the closest breakfast spots. The great TM's stay one step ahead of everything. They anticipate needs of the band, and stop any problems before they start. Yes, very much like that Den Mother from Cub Scouts. A tour manager can make a good tour a great tour, and a great tour unforgettable. If you are in a band and have a good tour manager, make sure you take care of them and recognize all they do for you. Have fun and I'll see you on the road. |