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In the previous article about becoming a road dog , we talked about knowing the positions, what they’re referred to, and what exactly it is that they do. Here’s a breakdown of a bunch of jobs (on and off the road) that are vital to a successful tour. We’re gonna use a mid-sized tour (3-5k venue capacities) that’s carrying production as our template for this.

Not on Tour

To start, let’s touch base on a couple positions that aren’t typically on the road.

• Artist Manager – a Manager handles all things business-related regarding the artist’s career in the music industry.
• Agent – an Agent sells shows to promoters and completes live show bookings. The agent sends all offers (no matter the size or relevance) from promoters to the band’s management for review.
• Publicist – a Publicist creates PR opportunities for the artist (interviews, TV performances, etc). Depending on their involvement, they can be in charge of damage control in the event of scandal and handling brand endorsements.
• Business Manager – A Business Manager generally takes care of accounting, bill payments, and overseeing additional contracts on behalf of the artist’s business. From a corporation standpoint, they need to make sure there is no opportunity for the artist to get sued. Whether it’s insurance, bus leases, payroll, etc. they have the best interest of the business as a whole in mind. Much like a business manager for a non-music related company, they are responsible for managing cash flow and making sure bills are paid on time (this is the person that sends you money and clears the credit card bill when you can’t check into a hotel).
• Travel Agent – our Travel Agents work much like a travel agent that books your dad’s cruise in Italy. Although their main specialty will be dealing with large groups and VIPs.

Meet the Road Dogs

Although the positions above are important and have a lot of power on how you live your life, let’s focus our time and energy on the road crew. There are 2 ways to be employed on a tour. You’re either hired by the Artist (manager/record label, whoever on behalf of the artist) or hired by the Touring Production (Production Manager, Audio/Video supplier). Who hires you is very important as it defines your role, your travel, and whose responsibility you are.

1) Hired by the Artist

• Tour Manager (TM) – a TM holds it all together. They’re responsible for overseeing the entire tour operation as well as all touring parties including artists and crew. Responsible for overseeing and working with the promoter/rep on the show budget and ultimately, settling the show financially. A TM will often work with the travel agent on all travel-related bookings.
• Production Manager (PM) – a PM is responsible for all things related to getting the show up and running. They are the boss of the crew and are responsible for advancing and executing labor calls, trucking, timing, etc. This person often doubles up as a FOH or LD on this sized template.
• Production Assistant (PA) – Generally the go-to person for all tour related things that need a quick answer. Their general daily duties include taking care of catering and hospitality, dealing with the runners, sending out laundry. The PA role is usually thankless. It’s a shame because they’re usually the hardest working and take on tasks that make everyone’s life easier. Take care of your PA for once.
• Front of House (FOH) Engineer – Responsible for mixing the audio coming out of the PA System for the crowd to hear. (PA, not to be confused with Production Assistant… obviously)
• Monitor Engineer – Responsible for mixing wedges and in-ear monitors (IEMs) for the artist to hear. This generally consists of at least 1 mix/person on stage.
• Lighting Director (LD) – Responsible for controlling the lights during the show. Generally calls all cues with spotlight operators through a headset. Often times the LD designs the look of the show.
• Video Director – Responsible for controlling content on the video wall. If there is no VD, the video controls/managing the servers are controlled by the LD.
• Backline – Backline is broken up into subcategories. Guitar tech, drum tech, bass tech, keys tech, percussion tech… These positions cover all things related to the department. Guitar tech, for example. They are responsible for loading in, setting up, and maintaining all things related to the guitars, amps, pedalboards, cases, etc. They change the strings, mastermind the pedalboard and signal flow and do guitar changes throughout the show. It is each tech’s responsibility of mastering their craft. When gear inevitably breaks, the appropriate backline tech needs to be prepared with the correct tools and know-how to fix it. They are often responsible for dealing with the endorsements that pertain to the artist that they take care of.
• Merchandise – Responsible for managing inventory, loading merch, working with the venue sellers to move as much product as possible. The merch manager on the road is expected to be in constant communication with the merch company to ensure the appropriate quantities are being updated and sent to the correct city on the road.

2) Hired by Touring Production

• Stage Manager – (Depending on the camp, they can be hired by the artist as well). Generally responsible for dealing with the day to day logistics. They run the stage, the load in, the truck pack and, the on-site labor. They are responsible for keeping everything safe, in good working order, and on time.
• Audio System Techs – In this scenario, there is usually 1 system tech at Front of House. They are responsible for flying and tuning the PA. They stay at FOH for any time someone is using the PA. If the sound goes out, they fix it. Again, in this situation, there are generally at least 2x audio techs on stage. They are responsible for patch, monitors, stage power, RF, etc. You find these 2 close by on side stage.
• Lighting System Techs – This is dependant on how elaborate the design is. The lighting techs are responsible for getting the lighting rig up in the air and/or set up on deck, as well as general maintenance on the lighting fixtures and cases. They are responsible for dealing with power for lighting and you usually find these guys in “Dimmer Beach” during the show.
• Video System Techs – Again, it depends on the complexity of the design. But they are responsible for all things video related, i.e. getting the video wall setup, fixing dead pixels, and performing general maintenance. Sometimes it will be the same techs that handles lighting and video.
• Touring Promoter Rep – Often times you don’t deal with the buyer or the promoter directly. For example, with Live Nation or AEG, a rep will be assigned to advance and execute the show. The rep is paid by the promoter as a show cost but normally travels on the same bus as touring production or the “vendor bus”. They are responsible for dealing with the local promoter rep to ensure the needs of both the tour and the promoter are being met. In addition to ticketing, a promoter rep is also responsible for settling the show with the Tour Manager.
• Depending on the tour, there can be a lot more people doing the jobs above. For example, if there are multiple artists with lots of wireless (wireless instruments, wireless mics, lots of IEMs) a dedicated “RF tech” will likely be on the tour. To name a few, Personal Security, Wardrobe, Riggers, Cameras/IMAG, SFX (Pyro, cryo, stunts), Catering are also very valuable people and often seen on tour.

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About Author

Jawsh Thomas

Tour Manager | Father | Husband | Founder/Editor of @backstageculture

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• How to become a Road Dog - BACKSTAGE CULTURE June 1, 2020 Permalink

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Find a flexible tour guide job anywhere in the world.

Where do you live? What do you enjoy doing? Would you like to get paid to share your knowledge and experiences with travelers from around the world? Become a tour guide in the peer-to-peer economy and you can start earning money doing what you love to do.

The tourism and travel niche of the shared economy connects local, knowledgeable guides with travelers to enhance the travel experience. This niche makes it possible for locals like you to share your wealth of knowledge by designing tours, walks, and experiences that others will enjoy.

People travel so that they can experience the lifestyle, activities, and culture that makes destinations so great. As a tour guide, docent, Insider, or advisor you can show people what makes a place truly special. Your local knowledge can help provide travelers with a true local experience – something they can never find in a guidebook or at a mainstream tourist attraction.

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Online tourism and travel marketplaces cater to travelers who want to experience life through the eyes of a local – and you’re that local. Travelers login to the shared economy company website where they search for tours and experiences that interest them. They select a guide, choose a tour, and book it.

Tours can be private tours or involve small groups of like-minded travelers. The tours highlight what makes a place so unique and appealing to the true locals. It’s an eye-opening experience that you can be a part of.

Anyone can become a tour guide. It doesn’t matter where you are located in the world. There are many different travel and tourism shared economy companies to choose from such as Tour By Locals , Your Local Cousin , and Context Travel . Each of these cool companies has carved out its niche and has been hugely successful.

It’s up to you to decide which of these cool shared economy companies you want to work for. Do you want to give personalized recommendations while on the go, lead tours for intellectually curious travelers, or design your own unique experiences that others will enjoy?

Every travel and tourism shared economy company has different requirements to become a tour guide. Explore your options to discover what company is best for you. You might find that you want to work for all of them!

By pursuing a flexible tour guide job in the gig economy, you are choosing a lifestyle where you can work as much or as little as you want. Once you are in the system, you can manage your schedule to create the perfect work-life balance for you, while still earning a decent paycheck.

Pay in this niche varies. Guests may pay $50 for a half-day tour, $200 for a full day, or $2,000 for a multi-day trip. Typically you set the pricing for the trips you design and then the shared economy company takes a percentage to cover their costs and to make this dream job possible. The more tours you lead the more money you will make.

By capitalizing on tourism and travel, these online marketplaces allow you to live the life you love in the destination of your choice. This flexible job allows you to meet people, share experiences, and earn a paycheck. Where else can you get paid to be a tour guide who takes people off the beaten track?

Traveling is the ultimate adventure and these online travel and tourism marketplaces are revolutionizing the way that people experience the world. Sign up today and share the things that you love about your backyard. This is one of the coolest ways to get paid to do what you love.

Are you ready to become a tour guide?

Quick Facts About Online Tourism and Travel Marketplaces

Job Title: Tour Guide, Insider, Docent, Advisor Office: Anywhere Location: Anywhere Description: Online Tourism and Travel Marketplaces connect local tour guides with world travelers to enhance the travel experience Requirements: Language skills, Background Checks, Local Knowledge Potential Employers: Online Tourism and Travel Shared Economy Businesses Pay: Depends on locations, activities, and number of tours Lead

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• Event Security - Concerts - Conventions - Weekly Pay at Allied Universal

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Event Security - Concerts - Conventions - Weekly Pay

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Allied Universal® Event Services, North America’s premier crowd management, event staffing, and consulting company, offers exciting careers that make you an integral part of the event excitement. Join a team that services thousands of entertainment venues like sports stadiums, concerts, convention centers, and more each year. Enjoy the flexibility of part-time work that fits your schedule. Our positions come with a range of benefits depending on how many hours you may be hired for with Event Staff jobs.

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$18.00 per hour with guard card - Free guard card training and licensing available upon hire

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Allied Universal® Event Services is looking to hire Event Security. This position is responsible for checking bags, enforcing access control and implementing policies and procedures for the safety of the guests and owners, while providing superior customer service for the best guest experience.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES : Those duties necessary to meet the minimum requirements of the position. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assists in all aspects of event day preparation and execution.
• Allows appropriate entry into each venue, may collect and/or scan tickets, verify wristbands and badges, direct traffic coming in and out of the venue.
• Screens guests during entry via bag searching, hand wand or metal detector, and ID verification.
• Protects guests, staff, and venue ownership group assets by watching for security breaches at vital checkpoints.
• Responds quickly to potential crowd control issues and provides escorts for unruly guests when ejections are warranted.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the policies, procedures and regulations of different venues, facilities and events.
• Initiates a genuine, friendly and personal greetings to our guests as they arrive at your facility entrance, aisle, concourse area or other location and a sincere thanks as you complete your encounter with each guests.
• Provides guests with helpful directions and/or suggestions that will enhance their entertainment experience.

QUALIFICATIONS : To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or experience required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must have a high school diploma (or equivalent).

Licensing requirements are subject to state and/or local laws and regulations and may be required prior to employment.

• As a condition of employment, employee must successfully complete a background investigation and a post-offer/pre-employment drug/alcohol test and may be required to pass a Driver’s Record check.
• Be professional, articulate and able to use good independent judgment and discretion.
• Must be able to work overtime as needed.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills required.
• Ability to successfully interact at all levels of the organization, including with clients, while functioning as a team player required.

PERKS AND BENEFITS:

• Part-time flexible scheduling under 30 hours/week that fit with your personal life goals
• Ongoing paid training programs and career growth opportunities
• Employee discounts through our perks program to your favorite restaurants, entertainment venues, and much more!

Allied Universal® is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or relationship/association with a protected veteran, or any other basis or characteristic protected by law. For more information: www.aus.com

If you have any questions regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, have difficulty using the online system and require an alternate method to apply, or require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment and/or employment process, please contact our local Human Resources department. To find an office near you, please visit: www.aus.com/offices .

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"I love my event services job at Allied Universal because it’s a great way to be part of the sports and concert scene while earning great pay." Tonya V.

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Summer season is packed with local events.

R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press Chris Powell’s music at the Karas Bandshell in Ludington Park recently is just the beginning of a full list of events this summer.

ESCANABA — Grab your calendar and a pen and prepare to write small — between the fair, concerts, art fairs and more, this summer’s docket is packed.

Escanaba Speedway is holding races every weekend of June and July — mostly on Saturdays, except for a race on July 21, which is a Sunday. Fans can also look forward to a special race opening night of the fair, a championship on Aug. 24, and the Yooper Fall Classic Sept. 13 to 14.

The Missoula Children’s Theater is at Esky’s Bonifas Theater this week, with auditions Monday the 17th from 10 a.m. to noon for kids in first through 12th grade. Free workshops for all kids interested in theater, not just those given roles in the play, will be from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Performances of “The Pied Piper” will be on Saturday, June 22, at 2 and 5 p.m.

A few events for anglers are yet to occur. In Powers, a children’s fishing derby will be held July 4. The Bay Area Veteran’s Fishing Derby is in Ludington Park on Aug. 31. The Bay de Noc Last Chance is Sept. 7. For details, Jerry Plourde may be reached at 906-420-0022.

The Nahma Music Fest of June 21 and 22 begins on Friday night with a performance by the Delta Players and on Saturday welcomes A Place to Land, Birch Road Band, Sky Pilots, Mia Brown and the Getdown, and Stonewall.

Archery workshops will be held at the DNR Pocket Park from 1 to 2 p.m. on June 22 and 29.

From 5 to 9 p.m. on both June 28 and 29 will be Night in the Village at the Steam and Gas Village in the fairgrounds. There will be activities for all ages, including tractor rides, and overnight camping is available.

The Bonifas Arts Center is offering a selection of classes in activities such as painting, needle-felting, painting, jewelry-making, pottery, dancing, photography and culinary arts. Some classes are geared towards children, some are adult-oriented, and others are for all ages and skill levels. Registration may be done at bonifasarts.org.

The Fourth of July is on a Thursday this year, stretching events through the weekend. Gladstone’s celebration, long known to be the major one in the area, will be on the 4th. Esky’s is on Saturday the 6th. Manistique has a kiddie parade on the 5th and its full parade — themed “Blast from the Past” — and fireworks on the 6th. Hermansville’s parade, car and motorcycle show, competitive mud runs and more will be on Saturday the 6th from 8 a.m. to noon.

Elvis impersonator Jon Sampson will be performing at the Bonifas on Friday, July 12, at 7 p.m.

Boaters of the Great Lakes Cruising Club participating in their 2024 rendezvous will be centered around the bay area July 14 to 18, with many expected to dock in Escanaba between cruising the waters around Fayette, Door County, and other gems that week.

The Escanaba City Band, in honor of its 100th year, will host a community picnic and centennial celebration on July 24 at the Karas Bandshell in Ludington Park. Food, cake and socializing begins at 5 p.m.; a concert and re-dedication of the bandshell begins at 7:30 p.m.

Marinafest, an all-day (noon to 10 p.m.) music celebration at the waterfront in Escanaba in the park near the marina is on July 27.

The Off-Road Rumble will be held at the Bark Riber International Raceway on Aug. 10 and 11.

The Upper Peninsula State Fair, the annual celebration that brings agriculture, carnival rides, grandstand events, miscellaneous attractions, food and other vendors together at the fairgrounds, will take place the third week of August (12 to 18).

The annual Waterfront Arts Festival will be Saturday, Aug. 3. Independent artists, crafters, entertainment and food will be in Ludington Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After that, Rock the Dock will be at the Municipal Dock from 4 p.m. with music, bounce houses, a petting zoo and food vendors.

Also on Aug. 3, Armageddon on Wheels — a school bus demolition derby and truck race event — will be at the fairgrounds.

The Steam and Gas Engine Show, full of tractors, saws, and all sorts of vintage machinery along with vendors will be held at the fairgrounds on Labor Day weekend.

Recurring events include:

Music Mondays are from 7 to 9 p.m. at Ludington Park’s Karas Bandshell. The concerts, always accompanied by a food truck, will be held each Monday of the summer through the first week of August.

Lunch on Ludington, a music series at the Escanaba Marketplace, is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

At 7:30 on Wednesday nights (unless weather postpones it to Thursday) through Aug. 14, the Escanaba City Band performs at the bandshell.

The Escanaba Public Library hosts a recurring lunchtime musical series, also featuring food trucks, every other Thursday beginning June 13. On the north lawn of the library, the events take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Gladstone’s Summer Concert Series is held at the beach house every Thursday beginning June 13 and wrapping up Aug. 15. People are invited to bring blankets, lawn chairs and coolers.

Beginning next month is Lunchtime Live! — another outdoor music and food truck series — on Tuesdays at Bay College, in the courtyard between buildings 200 and 500, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dates are July 9 and 23 and Aug.   6, 20 and 27.

Strings on the Bay is a chamber music series in the Besse Theater on Bay College’s Escanaba campus June 25, July 9, and Aug. 13 (all Tuesdays) at 7 p.m. Unlike the other music series above, Strings on the Bay requires an admission fee.

Menominee’s Waterfront Market — a farmers’ market at Great Lakes Memorial Marina Park — is held weekly on Thursdays through Aug. 15 from 3 to 7 p.m. Menominee also hosts a downtown farmers’ market at 940 1st St. on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon through Sept. 28.

In Manistique, a market bringing together farmers and artisans is held every Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. through October at Triangle Park, except when it moves to Lake Effect Arts during bad weather.

In Delta County, farmers’ markets are in Escanaba from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, in Gladstone from 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays, and in Rapid River 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays.

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A Missouri mayor says a fight over jobs is back on. Things to know about Kansas wooing the Chiefs

Associated Press

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

FILE - Fans cheer at Arrowhead Stadium during the first half of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions, Sept. 7, 202, in Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas Legislature's top leaders endorsed helping the Chiefs and professional baseball's Kansas City Royals finance new stadiums in Kansas ahead of a special session set to convene Tuesday. The plan would authorize state bonds for stadium construction and pay them off with revenues from sports betting, the Kansas Lottery and new tax dollars generated in and around the new venues. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann. File)

TOPEKA, Kan. – A plan in Kansas for luring the Kansas City's two major league sports franchises from Missouri has prompted their hometown's mayor to declare that the move ends a 5-year-old agreement by the states not to poach each other's jobs.

The Kansas Legislature has approved a measure to allow the state to issue bonds to help the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals pay for new stadiums in Kansas. It goes next to Gov. Laura Kelly.

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Here are a few things to know about the two states' contest for the teams.

Kansas is poised to make offers

While Kelly has not formally pledged to sign the stadium-financing bill, she issued a positive statement when it passed Tuesday, saying it could make Kansas “a professional sports powerhouse.” If she signs it, as many lawmakers expect, it would take effect July 1.

The state’s secretary of commerce, Lt. Gov. David Toland, would negotiate with one or both teams on a plan for a new stadium. Kelly and eight top legislative leaders would have to approve each deal with a vote in a public meeting.

A deal would draw the boundaries of a district around a stadium and possibly another around a separate practice facility, and new state sales and alcohol tax revenues generated by shops, restaurants, bars and hotels within that district would pay off the bonds over 30 years.

The city and county could pledge tax revenues as well but are not required to do so, and the state also could use revenues from sports betting and state lottery ticket sales to back bonds as well.

The bonds could cover up to 70% of the costs of the new stadiums, though supporters of the plan don't expect that, anticipating that two stadiums together could cost $4 billion.

There is talk of a renewed economic ‘border war’

The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, and there's both Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. Much of the border is the median of State Line Road, and about 60% of the area's residents live on the Missouri side.

A feud between the two states has existed for generations and most recently saw each state burning through tens of millions of dollars in subsides to pull existing businesses across the border. Officials on both sides came to see the contest as expensive and wasteful, and in 2019, Kelly, a Democrat, and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, signed a truce.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas told reporters that Kansas’ bid for the Chiefs and Royals restarted that economic “border war.”

“I do believe long-term that we’re one place and it’s better when we work together," he said during a news conference.

But Kelly doesn't agree that the states' truce has been violated, telling reporters this week that before the agreement, "We never discussed the teams.”

Kansas lawmakers tapped fears about the future

Kansas lawmakers acted after voters on the Missouri side refused in April to extend a local sales tax for keeping up the complex with the teams' side-by-side stadiums. Many Kansas lawmakers worried that if they didn't act, the teams might move out of the area altogether — mentioning Salt Lake City, San Antonio and Nashville.

Several economists who've studied professional sports were dubious that moving would make financial sense for either team — especially the Chiefs, who have a rabid fan base that could be hard to build quickly elsewhere. In addition, after pro football's Rams moved nearly a decade ago from St. Louis to Los Angeles, the team's owner and the National Football League paid $790 million to settle a lawsuit filed by St. Louis interests.

But Kansas lawmakers noted that the Royals' major-league predecessor, the Athletics, moved to Oakland, California, in 1968 and now plan to relocate to Las Vegas. Kansas City lost major-league professional teams to other cities in the 1970s and 1980s, and the Chiefs came to Kansas City in 1963 after starting as the Dallas Texans four years earlier.

“The state of Missouri is known for losing professional teams,” Kansas state Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, who helped lead the push for the stadium bill.

Kansas officials expect Missouri to respond

Missouri officials have pledged to do what it takes to keep the Chiefs and Royals in their state but have not outlined specific proposals. Lucas saw the April vote as a sign that area residents wanted officials to discuss options other than extending the sales tax.

Like their counterparts in Kansas, Missouri lawmakers have finished their annual regular session, but they are set to meet again Sept. 11 to consider vetoes by Parson.

Supporters of Kansas’ bid for the teams said it could spur an aggressive response from Missouri — and added that if the teams get offers they like and opt to stay there, at least they’re still in the Kansas City area.

Lucas said the teams now have “exceptional leverage.”

Kansas and Missouri describe the timeline differently

The lease on the complex with the Chiefs' and Royals' existing stadiums runs through January 2031, but the teams have said they must plan renovations or new stadiums years in advance for them to be ready on time. Both suggested that even seven years out, time for a decision is short.

Backers of the Kansas bid said such comments justified acting Tuesday, during a one-day special session that Kelly called to consider tax cuts after lawmakers adjourned their regular annual session May 1. Some critics argued that legislators should have waited until their regular 2025 session starts in January so a plan could be properly vetted.

But Parson and Lucas have said the contest for the teams is only in its “first quarter,” using a football metaphor.

Associated Press writers Summer Ballentine, in Columbia, Missouri, and Jim Salter, in O'Fallon, Missouri, also contributed to this story.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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