Are you a band or artist going on tour for the first time? There are so many things to consider when it comes to managing the tour and production.

What do different types of touring staff do?

The Tour/Road Manager's duties include:

• Hotel check-in and check-out.
• Coordinating meals, finding laundry facilities, and taking care of everything the bands and touring party need.
• Payment of per diems.
• Handling of emergencies, big and small.
• Accounting of all spending. Handling road expenses.
• Liaison with band management, client, and other interested parties.
• Overseeing the entire tour and all staff.

The Production Manager's duties include:

• Advancing the venue and settling at the end of the night.
• Dealing with all aspects of the show such as coordinating gear, lighting, sound, and PA equipment and people.
• Coordinating dinner on show nights.
• Overseeing the stage setup, band timing, and band changes.

The Tour Director is in the office and not on the road, so he/she handles coordination and problem-solving from afar. The Tour Director is on call 24/7, and his/her duties include:

• All flight, hotel, and other travel bookings and changes.
• Working out the final tour accounting with the Tour Manager.
• Working with bands and their managers on their riders and stage plots.
• Design and production of staff laminates and lanyards.

The Production/Tour Assistant is an all-around assistant to help take care of everything the Production Manager, Tour Manager, client, and bands need.

The Merch Guy/Girl's duties include:

• Merch counts.
• Cash accounting.
• Settling with the venue, where the venue takes a cut.

Can't I do that myself... or can the bass player's brother do this?

Why have somebody do anything that he or she isn't familiar with? Is that what's best for the tour? If the tour gets totally disorganized, will you be glad you saved a few dollars?

We see the touring staff as an integral part of the tour and its success. You're the artist. You need to focus on wowing the fans and growing your fan base. You don't want to be fighting with venues, wondering where is the gear they said they'd rent, selling your shirts, booking hotels, checking in and out, trying to find where to eat, etc... The tour goes best when you get to focus on why you're there.


What do touring professionals cost?

We Are Your People only sends out tour, production, and road professionals. There's always some guy who does lighting in a club or tunes guitars before a show who says he can be a great tour manager. We're not taking that chance with you or any other tour. I'm sure he comes very cheap, and he's probably worth what you'll pay.

Most road professionals are paid $200 per day and up. It's not uncommon for a top tour manager to make $600 or more per day. Some staff are also paid for their time before the tour to work on arrangement. Those are normally paid at half the daily rate.


What other tour expenses should I think about?

There are lots of expenses you'll run into when touring. We can negotiate most of these for you.

• Renting a tour bus, van, RV, or something else. Get a driver... you're not going to want to drive 8 hours, and THEN set up and play. Don't forget gas and tolls.
• Flights, hotels
• Merch design and production. Before you sell it, you have to make it. Also on the design list would be if you are having your vehicle(s) wrapped so you're a rolling billboard.

So then how do I afford to go on tour and get some experts to manage everything for me?

A lot of up-and-coming and indie bands are looking to sponsorships. Hey, the big stars do this too. Did you know the official name of Britney Spears' "Circus" tour was, "Virgin Mobile Presents the Circus Starring Britney Spears"? The sponsor throws money at the tour, and in return, gets some sort of exposure to your fans and show attendees.

It can also take a village. It might be smarter for you to tour with at least one other band that might have a similar target audience. Look for someone who can draw a crowd. Forget about the number of MySpace friends... how many people are they drawing to their shows? How many are you drawing to your shows, excluding family and friends?