Radio Check - Life In The Concert Touring Industry (Chris & Matt Kansy)

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In this episode we “check-it” with Kurt “Slap Daddy” Wagner. Those of you who are familiar with Kurt know him as the stage manager to mega acts like the Rolling Stones, Guns n Roses, Cher, Prince, Billy Joel, Roger Waters and so many others. We chat about how he got his start at the Royal Oak Theater in Detroit and how the comedian Gallagher convinced him to move to Los Angeles where his career launched. He and I laugh our way through his recollection of the early days and reminisce on the opportunities that opened the doors to a long and successful career.  We also get into our shared love of baseball. 

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In this episode we chat with monitor mixer, inventor, and entrepreneur Jerry Harvey. Listen as he shares stories of finding his way into the concert touring industry, and how he developed the dual driver in ear monitor out of necessity while working for Van Halen. Jerry goes on to explain how his first company “Ultimate Ears” started, and what his current company “JH Audio” are up to these days. Matt and I learned so much. This is a must listen.

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Matt and I reconvene after a 3-month hiatus with drum tech and all-around great guy Joe Paul Slaby. We get into our long touring history together as well as some of the great drummers he has worked with over the years like Danny Carey, Josh Freeze and Stephen Perkins. What an incredible trip down memory lane. This is a can’t miss episode. 

Please also check-out Joe's funny and informative Instagram page....(@ joeslaby)

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To celebrate Radio Check’s 50th episode, we welcome none other than Mr. Show Biz himself, Jake Berry.  We discuss his early days in Devon driving feed trucks where his chance meeting with Rick Wakeman gave him his first opportunity in the music business all the way thru his touring days with AC/DC, Metallica, the Rolling Stones, U2 and so much more. What an honor it was for him to share his story with us. Thank you, Jake.

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Danny Carey and I have spent countless hours talking about music while on the road together. In this episode we welcome the Tool drummer to continue the conversation. We explore our favorite drummers, our deep love of prog rock and our genuine passion for all things music.  We also talk about the song writing process and how beat and riffing ideas evolve organically into a new Tool track.

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Chris Chaney has been in more bands and has played bass guitar on more records and soundtracks than he can remember. He tells Matt and I great stories from both the road and studio. Chris also gets into how exciting and touching it was to play at his best friend Taylor Hawkins tribute shows in London and Los Angeles. He shares some tribute highlights of the music played and how exciting it was to hang out backstage with some of his heroes. 

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Matt and I return after an 8 month break to catch up on things. We discuss the state of the industry, touch on tour safety, sustainability and mental health. We also get into our continued love of music and the dangers of going down You Tube rabbit holes. It is good to be back at it again.

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Chris Adamson is one of the true legends we have in our industry. He started his career in the late 60’s carting band equipment around Britain for several London bands eventually hooking up with Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. Chris went on to work with several prominent bands like Emerson Lake & Palmer, Roxy Music and Steely Dan but is most known for his time with Pink Floyd. He tells Matt and I classic tales of the making of Dark Side of the Moon including how he came to record his famous line “I’ve been mad for years”. Chris also shares heartfelt stories of his long and close relationship with Tom Petty. 

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Britannia Row came into being as a rental house for Pink Floyd to hire out their touring equipment as a way to support their crew between tours. Bryan Grant joined Britannia Row in 1979 eventually going on to purchase the company from Pink Floyd in 1984. For the last 45 years Brit Row have been at the vanguard of touring audio systems around the globe. Bryan guides Matt and I through the early days of the company and how they evolved over the years from stacking PA by hand to modern day line array. We also touch on the Clair Global acquisition and the company’s international strategy. 

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Mark Spring pulls no punches. He says what’s on his mind unapologetically. Springo, a Parnelli Lifetime Achievement recipient, shares sensational stories with Matt and I spanning his 40 plus year career. From his early days working for Show Lights touring huge productions with the likes of Def Leppard all the way through his 22 years as production manager for Paul McCartney. This man knows what it takes to produce massive shows for some of the most prominent artists in our industry. His stories are unique, entertaining and fun.  

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Tim Lougee, aka “Gooch” has been tour managing at the highest level for 35 years. His learned, effective outlook and approach to his work is refreshing and makes for great story telling. We visit tales over his entire career from his early days doing security at the Metro in Chicago, meeting and growing up with the Smashing Pumpkins, having to remove sweaty stage armor off of Gene Simmons after his first show, to navigating the eccentricities of Neil Young. This is a great podcast.

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Eric Piontkowski is on the leading end of the next generation of great production managers. “Ski” as he prefers to be called, is a strong example of how hard work and determination lead to amazing things. He tells us his story of travelling in vans playing with club bands, attending Full Sail University and eventually getting on the road with Clair Brothers as an audio tech. Ski is now one of the most respected production managers in our industry. His story is as fascinating as it is inspiring. 

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Sideman is the title multi-instrumentalist Andy Fairweather Low prefers. Eric Clapton, Roger Waters and George Harrison have all called him their right-hand sideman. AFL, who has an incredible memory for detail, generously walks Matt and I thru his illustrious career playing with several legends of the last 50 years. He even humorously shares the story of being called out by Jimi Hendrix for playing out of key. What a storyteller, what a guitar player, what a great guy. This was an absolute pleasure.

(I absentmindedly left my podcast microphone on the road. I apologize for my poor audio)

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Sooner Routhier is one of the most versatile creative designers in our industry having the unique ability to cross over into any musical genre producing visually striking shows at the highest level. From working as a lighting tech regionally in New England, to programming shows for other LDs, all the way to designing tours for some of the biggest artists in the world, winning several awards along the way, Sooner has a great story of her rise in the industry. Coldplay, Green Day, Muse, Carol G, Rhianna, and the Lumineers are just a few of the artists that have been beautifully represented by her work. She also talks to Matt and I about her design company, “Sooner Rae Creative”, her collaborative design group “The Playground”, and her passion project “Even Network” that sponsors young individuals looking to get into the business. 

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Nigel Buchan has been the head of production in the Southwest for over 30 years producing shows for Evening Star and then Live Nation. Before moving to Phoenix in the early 90’s, Nigel who hails from England was a successful touring sound engineer mixing seminal bands like the original Motorhead, Judas Priest during their British Steel era and Van Halen’s legendary 1984 tour. Nigel tells Matt and I classic stories about Lemmy’s hijinks and witnessing the break-up of the original Van Halen. He is one of our industry’s true legends.

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In our debut episode, Chris and I discuss his early days in the industry. How he started and the different positions that he worked that eventually led him to be one of the world's top music touring industry production managers. And the realization that he was an awful guitar tech.

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In this episode, Chris and I talk about the importance of sleep on the road, how vital your rigger is, the difference between artists and how they relate to the crew and the fact that there is no place for mediocrity in the show.

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We discuss the importance of health and well being, how there will always be complainers on the crew, that experience carries a lot of weight and how important it is for the production manager to communicate with the crew on a daily basis.

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In this episode, Chris talks with Jesse Thayer. Jesse is a vet in the music touring industry and best know for his roles as a stage manager and carpenter. He has worked for bands such as Roger Waters, Tool, Massive Attack and, U2. Chris and Jesse talk about his beginnings and other positions that he held over the years and the bands that he has worked for. Jesse is also an accomplished photographer and has been able to capture some amazing photos of some of the world's top musicians.  www.jesse-thayer.com 

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We discuss how work comes my way and the process of building a tour.  We also get into some favorite "live" production moments that inspired. 

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Icarus is a long time touring industry vet who has worked for bands such as Massive Attack, Roger Waters, James Blake and, Ah-Ha. Chris and Icarus talk about the evolving world of video production and technology as well as the bond they have with bicycle accidents.  I also ask him if he knows Banksy.

Dropbox link to a pic of Icarus' exhibition at the Tate Modern in London.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ap9py51qpat3lhx/Tate%20modernTurbine%20Hall%20design%202015%20.jpg?dl=0

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Jerome is one of the industry's top tour managers. He has worked with high profile acts such as Tool, NIN, Beastie Boys, Linkin Park and Soundgarden. Listen to his story about his love for music and how he came to work with some of the world's top musical talent.

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Gary is an industry vet working in the Detroit area as a tour promoter for Live Nation.  Listen to him tell the story of how he got his start working for a booking agent in NYC and how he got his big break moving to Detroit to work for Cellar Door.

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Veteran production manager Bill Rahmy has toured with many ground breaking bands over the his decades long career such as NIN, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, and The Smashing Pumpkins. We discuss our history, friendship, the uncanny amount of gig overlap we've had and what it's like to one on one with Kanye West.

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Dan Cleary has seen some shit in his years backline teching in the concert touring industry.  Listen as he tells the story of what it's like to get sucker punched by Marilyn Manson or play on stage with NIN.  Dan also co- hosted the long-running podcast "Dark Matter" w/ Dave Navarro. Currently, he has his own podcast called "Rare Form Radio.” Check it out on the link below.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rare-form-radio-with-dan-cleary/id1451143075

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Howard Ungerleider was the longtime creative director for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Rush.  His designs are famous for their uniqueness and creativity.  Howard received the Parnelli Visionary award in 2014 honoring his 40 years of innovation in the concert touring industry…  He shares stories of his early day as a talent agent in NYC, his philosophies on show design, the evolution of technology and his successful special effects company “Production Design International.”  Howard also champions some great causes in “We Make Events” and “Red Alert-Restart.”

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Matt Doherty and Jerome Crooks from “Touring Professionals Alliance” discuss TPA’s conception and how they are building a movement to help our industry make it thru the Covid 19 pandemic.  We also get into Matt’s history with the “Big Day Out” festival in Australia. 

Please find here some contact information for Matt and Jerome as well some strong sources to get some help.  If you know of anyone struggling during these trying moments, please have them get in touch with one of the sources listed below. They do great work.

Matt Doherty - (747) 477 6718 / matt@unusualcompany.net

Jerome Crooks - (310) 503 1238 / jeromecrooks@gmail.com

#Sims Foundation – www.simsfoundation.org

The SIMS Foundation is a 25-year old non-profit founded by those mourning the loss of Sims Ellison, a musician who died by suicide after years struggling with depression. The SIMS Foundation is the only non-profit of its kind in the United States. SIMS provides mental health and substance use recovery services and supports for musicians, music industry professionals and their dependent family members. 

#Backline Care – www.backline.care

A group of clinical professionals who host a twice weekly meeting for anyone in the industry who needs a welcoming space to share held on Mondays & Thursdays @ 5:30PM EDT/2:30PM PDT The zoom meeting ID is 789 801 804, there's no password and it's open to anyone in the industry that'd like to join 

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Steve Lawler is a true Icon in the concert touring industry.  Listen to him tell the story of his early days as a grocery bagger and stage hand to touring stadiums with the biggest bands of the 70’s.  Steve also recalls the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash and how he recently went back to visit the crash site to share a moment with people from the local community who rescued them.  He also remembers the early days of Pace concerts building the first amphitheaters. And how boring staying home during the pandemic is confirming that he is not ready to retire just yet.
#stevelawler

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Joerg Philipp is the owner and founder of Beat the Street Band & Crew Bussing.  From an early age he knew he was destined for the music business.  He started as a stage hand and promoter before finding his niche driving buses for hard core bands throughout Europe.  From there he has built BTS into one of the largest international touring companies in our industry….  Listen as Joerg tells his story.

#BeatTheStreetBand&CrewBussing, #joergphilipp

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Shaun Clair grew up in the music business.  He has done every conceivable job in the company prior to escalating to VP of Sales.  Shaun shares some of his progressive ideas on health and well being in the company, the great relationship he has with his father Troy and what his amusing nickname was when he toured as a fly guy on The Police.

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Mark Guterras was a drum tech in the early 70’s for Emerson Lake & Palmer before finding his passion for driving trucks. He and his partner Sandy founded Transam Trucking Limited in 1976 with a single bob-tail truck.  They have grown the company into one of the largest transport companies in Europe.  We discuss his early days with Motorhead and AC/DC, the state of trucking in Europe with Brexit and his great passion for wine.
#transamtruckinglimited, #markguterras

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Bryan Hartley has been designing, programming and operating lights in the concert touring industry for over 35 years.  He and I started with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts together in the mid 80s. We discuss our early days as well as the challenges of topping himself year after year designing the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  We also get into his 15 years with Kiss and how difficult it can be to work for Manson.  We have a blast.

Here is a link to Bryan's Cinema 4D movie.  https://www.dropbox.com/s/f99cn7jeds8e9yj/TSO-2019-Hartley-MOVIE.mov?dl=0

#bryanhartley, #trans-siberianorchestra

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Charlie Hernandez has done just about everything there is to do in the concert touring industry.  He was production managing large scale, high tech shows when he was still in his 20’s… We discuss his incredible career, the story of how the Production Alliance came to be, the importance of the Event Safety Alliance, and his passion for helping people in need all over the world with “Just a Bunch of Roadies".   We also remember Lori Tierney and how important of a person she was in his life…. This is a must listen....  Please find here links to some great organizations that are important to Charlie.

National Organizations:

https://www.grammy.com/.../musicares-coronavirus-relief-fund

Food Bank Finder:

https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-Foodbank

https://wck.org/chefsforamerica

https://www.loavesandfishesmn.org

https://www.findfoodbank.org

https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are

Mental Health Help Finder:

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline 

https://didihirsch.org

https://simsfoundation.org

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Tait Towers has been the leader in theatrical scenic fabrication since it’s inception in 1978.  Their exceptional staging concepts, automated engineering and show control have contributed to the biggest shows in the history of our industry.   Here to tell their story are the company founder Michael Tait, President and CEO James “Winky” Fairorth”, and Chief Creative Officer Adam Davis.  They are part NASA, part Brookings Institute, part Army Corps of Engineers and a whole lot of Monty Python.  It’s a great conversation.  Sadly I drop out toward the end due to a hurricane power outage in NOLA.

#taittowers, #michaeltait, #jameswinkyfairoth, #adamdavis

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Bill Leabody was part of the London punk scene of the 1970’s, witnessing first-hand the rise of the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. He went on to cut his teeth with the Pretenders, eventually becoming their long time Production Manager. We talk about his great career with Peter Gabriel, David Bowie and The Cure as well as his current clients Coldplay and Beyonce.  We also discuss the COVID vaccine and the importance of carbon neutrality in our industry.

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Marty Hom has found himself predominantly working alongside super star women for the last 35 years, shepherding them around the world, through their biggest tours and moments. Between Stevie Nicks, Barbara Streisand, Shania Twain, Paula Abdul, Shakira, Bette Midler, (I could keep going) he has cultivated a wonderful and productive career for himself, as a tour manager and director. We discuss his early days promoting and managing small bands in his Sacramento college days, as well as touch upon a few of the great ladies he has worked for over the years. 

#martyhom

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The Warped Tour broke many barriers en-route to becoming one of the most influential and innovative festival tours of our time. Kevin Lyman tells the story of how he carved his path thru the school of hard knocks, not paying any attention to the norm with Warped for 25 years. We also discuss how his influence and mentoring have helped so many artists and crew members find their own paths to success. I also had to ask what it’s like being Professor Lyman at USC.

#kevinlyman, #warpedtour

Please find here the You Tube link to “Warped Roadies TV”

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGBZEA24Ext_GyfgNJP-N-B2UzM7gW-3G

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John Huddleston has been in concert lighting for over 40 years, starting as a crew chief in the 80’s and making his way to becoming the Director of Production Services for Upstaging. I spoke to him from his office in Sycamore, Illinois where he and the company have reinvented themselves into a PPE production line creating face shields and barriers for schools and hospitals. We have a great conversation talking about how they have successfully kept the company operating as well as thoughts on what it will take to revert back into prepping and sending systems back onto the road. I also ask him about Upstaging’s corporate side and his thoughts on the possible difficulties we all may face staffing tours again in the future.

#upstaginglightinginc

https://www.upstaging.com

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LeRoy Bennett is possibly the most celebrated theatrical show designer of our time. Starting with his career working with Prince in 1980, he has designed hundreds of shows for all sorts of artists in every genre, from Rammstein to NIN, Madonna to Tina Turner and from Ariana Grande to Paul McCartney. We discuss his early days with Prince as well as how he approaches each show design.  Roy also gets into the need to reset our industry’s production ethos post Covid.

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Todd Fox began learning his trade in the Marine Corps before segueing into personal security with Madonna and Maynard James Keenan. He has risen to the top of his field by developing forward thinking methods and practices that are now common place on the road. We talk about our long history working together, his company “Tour Protection Group”, the executive high-risk end of his industry, and the three books on security he has authored. We couldn’t get through the podcast without delving into our years touring the world wining and dining together. 

#toddfox, #tourprotectiongroup

http://tourprotection.com

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Malcolm Weldon and I first met on the Club MTV tour in 1989, and have been good friends ever since. Since our early days together with Paula Abdul and Milli Vanilli, Malcolm developed into one of the top production managers in our industry. Under the tutelage of super star manager Roger Davies, he has worked for some of the biggest artists in the business. From Janet Jackson to Tina Turner, Pink to Cher and from Sade to Beyonce, Malcolm knows how to produce a big show. He also has some great stories about Prince and why David Lee Roth wanted to fight him out back after the show. 

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Jon Lemon is a well-travelled sound mixer. Between his impressionable days working with Jands in Australia, and then moving to the UK working with Britannia Row, he began carving his very long and successful career becoming one of our industry's true world class sound engineers. We discuss his early days with Level 42, The Cure and Depeche Mode, get into his transition from analog to digital, and what it was like to mix Pink Floyd. We couldn’t get through the conversation without talking about our shared passion for food and wine. This was a really fun conversation.

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Andy Franks, who is lovingly known in our industry as “Franksy” has done it all. He started as a musician in the 70’s playing punk rock before moving into live audio, mixing acts like Gang of Four and Pig Bag. He went on to work with Depeche Mode for 17 years starting as their monitor mixer and quickly elevating to tour manager. Franksy has great stories about Depeche, Robbie Williams, Coldplay and more. We also get into his organization “Music Support” and his involvement with British Summertime. He was an absolute pleasure to talk with.

https://musicsupport.org

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Keely Myers is a Renaissance woman. She is driven by many things to include equality, gender neutrality and updating the outdated language used in both. We discuss her forward-thinking Tour Production Group’s diversity sessions, how she started The Production Office, and her current very progressive company, the Global Touring Office. I also had to ask Keely about her experience working with Kate Bush. So jealous.

https://www.globaltouringoffice.com/
https://www.tourproductiongroup.co.uk/
https://www.nativemgmt.co.uk/3t
https://www.carryontouring.uk
https://mhfaengland.org

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Debbie Sharpe has always had a love for music and the music industry. From her early days in Australia as a music writer, all the way to Britain to do the accounts for Adam and the Ants, to becoming one of the early pioneers of rock n roll tour catering. Debbie’s story takes you from Paul McCartney, through the Rolling Stones, all the way to her successful Chicago gourmet deli chain, The Goddess and Grocer. Hear the story that is almost as amazing as the woman herself.

https://goddessandgrocer.com

https://www.facebook.com/thegoddessrocks/

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Marguerite Nguyen is one of our industry’s true success stories. From her early days working in clubs in Richmond, VA, all the way to becoming the tour manager for Coldplay and everything in between, she has done it all. Listen as we exchange fun banter telling tour stories as well as discuss what truly solidifies our friendship, food. This was a fun one.

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Robert Scovill knows a thing or two about audio. Not only is he a world class, award winning sound mixer, but he is also a teacher, lecturer and ambassador for the sound community. We have a wonderful time talking about his history with Def Leppard, Rush and Tom Petty as well as his role with AVID developing the future of audio technology. Robert is very funny and charismatic. We had a blast together on this one.

https://www.robertscovill.com

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Tom Kenny started his stage lighting career at the age of 14 in Ireland, where he learned a little bit about everything. He has gone on to cover the entire ROYGBIV spectrum of lighting, working in theater, rock n roll and television. Concert lighting with Eric Clapton, Page and Plant, David Bowie and The Who to television, lighting The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, MTV Storytellers and massive PPV events. Listen as Tom tells his very animated story. I even ask him if the rumors were true. Did Led Zeppelin really play his wedding? 

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David Lawrence has always done whatever it takes to get the job done. Titles mean nothing to him. That’s how he went from selling t-shirts and driving the van for Manchester hip-hop and reggae bands in the 80’s, to winning the 2019 TPI – Dennis Sheehan, Tour Manager of the Year award. David tells the story of his early days in Manchester, his 25 years with Massive Attack, working with New Order and the coming about of his production and events company DNG. David is also one of our industry’s passionate voices, leading the way in promoting improvements in crew mental health and well-being. We could have gone on for hours.

www.dngpec.com

www.tourproductiongroup.co.uk
www.eventcrewtraining.com

www.musicsupport.org

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Dale “Opie” Skjerseth describes himself as a “brick and mortar” production manager. I would imagine that is what it takes to handle The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Guns n Roses all at the same time. Opie is one of the most respected and successful production managers in our industry, having followed in the footsteps of his legendary mentors, Jake Berry and Charlie Hernandez. Listen as Opie describes how he started working in clubs with local bands, cut his teeth with Sha-Na-Na, and how working on the lighting crew created the platform on how to be a stage manager. He has strong beliefs and opinions, and is not afraid to share them.

Please also see here a link to something he is very passionate about. A project he did with “Alliance for Lifetime Income.”   

https://www.protectedincome.org/dale-opie-skjerseth-testimonial/

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Pantera were the mightiest heavy metal band of their era. Both Guy Sykes and Grady Champion worked for Pantera throughout most of their career, Guy as tour manager and Grady as “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott’s guitar tech. We have a great time recalling Pantera’s storied history from their spandex club days in Texas all the way to becoming one of the most inspirational and infamous heavy metal bands in the history of music. This is an epic episode.

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It’s no coincidence that DC Parmet went from tour merchandiser, to tour accountant, to tour manager in just a few short years. His work ethic, enthusiasm and knack for balance sheets, swung open the door of a great career working with Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Sade and for the last 25 years, Elton John. We chat about our early days touring together with Ozzy Osborne, Soundgarden and The Cult as well as spending time getting into his long history with Elton. It was so fun catching up with DC and finding out all the pet nicknames Elton has for him.

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Ken “Pooch” Van Druten has done it all. He’s mixed live sound for heavy metal bands, pop divas, hard core rap artists and even K-pop, at the highest level of success. We breeze through his massive resume, talk about his love for Linkin Park, his giving back to the sound community thru his master classes, and even get into his podcast he hosts with Kevin “Tater” McCarthy called “Wrong End of the Snake.” I highly recommend giving this one a listen.

 Here are links to Pooch’s podcasts, masterclasses and social media.

 Wrong End of the Snake

http://www.youtube.com/c/WrongEndoftheSnake/?sub_confirmation=1

https://anchor.fm/wrong-end-of-the-snake

 Pooch and Rabold

https://www.youtube.com/c/PoochRabold/?sub_confirmation=1

https://anchor.fm/poochandrabold

 Masterclass

https://www.kenpooch.com

 Twitter:  @tourpooch

Insta:   @foh_engineer_pooch

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/fohengineerpooch

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Pyro Pete is a legend in the world of pyrotechnics. We first met in 1983 in the days when he was blowing up cars and buses for the Plasmatics. From there, his career exploded touring with Kiss, Def Leppard, Motley Crüe, and AC/DC shooting the biggest, most innovative pyro displays on the road. We talk about his career, technology, the future of pyrotechnics and what it’s like to mentor the next generation of pyrotechnicians. We recall the day in 1985 when he taught me how to blow up watermelons and more recently how hard it is to get Keith Richards to stand in the right place on stage. We have a lot of fun.

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In our 40th episode, we pay homage to the mighty RUSH. Matt and I had the great pleasure of welcoming back Howard Ungerleider and Robert Scovill to revisit their days working together with the band. They have great stories of fun n games with Geddy and Alex as well as thoughts, on how hard it still is, getting over the death of Neil Peart. This was a real privilege. 

www.pdifx.com
www.robertscovill.com

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Health and Safety has risen to the forefront of the concert touring industry. No one individual personifies this movement more so than Jim Digby and the non-profit association he founded, the “Event Safety Alliance”. Listen as Jim shares his story on why both physical and mental health, along with overall site safety, have become so important to him. He also tells Matt and me all about “Show Makers”, his on-line industry educational platform. This is a must listen episode for all industry professionals. 

Please find here links to Jim’s platforms and passions.

Event Safety Alliance

Show Makers

Behind the Scenes charity

Mental Health First Aid training

Mental Health Resources

Roadie Clinic

Janine Diaz – Well Better Best

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Brothers Wob and Chris Roberts have a combined 70 years in concert touring. From their humble beginnings playing in garage bands in the UK, they have risen to industry prominence as two of the most sought after production managers in our business. Their parallel journeys throughout the decades have been filled with friendly jealousy and respect. Their incredible stories are heartwarming and fun. We could have chatted for hours.

www.tourproductiongroup.co.uk

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Kille Knobel went to the California Institute of Arts with the mind of becoming an actor. When she discovered acting wasn’t for her, she side shifted over to Cal Art’s theater department and fell in love stage lighting modern dance. From her days at Cal Arts, Kille has since gone on to become one of our industry’s most versatile lighting minds, having designed, programmed and operated in both television with Jimmy Kimmel Live garnering 2 Emmy nominations, and on tour for the last 20 years in arenas and stadiums with Pearl Jam. We talk about her time as an Icon programmer and bench tech at Light and Sound Design and how her big break with Pearl Jam came about. We also discuss being the mother of 3 boys and the stigma associated with being a touring mother while no such bias is given to touring fathers.

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John “Bugzee” Hougdahl got into the music industry by dumping a beer down a guitar player’s chest soaking the guitar. He went on to cut his teeth with 70s rock bands Nazareth, Uriah Heep and the Pat Travers Band before getting his first production manager gig with Blue Öyster Cult in 1981. From there it was off to the big time with Mötley Crüe, Kiss and 25 years of arenas and stadiums with Bon Jovi. We talk about the 1984 Jackson’s Victory tour as well as what it was like the day Michael Jackson died during production rehearsals for “This Is It”. His 50 plus years in the concert touring industry speak for itself.

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Mark Fisher was Ray Winkler’s external architecture examiner at University College in London before hiring him on at Mark Fisher Studios, with his indoctrination to the company, U2’s “Popmart” and the Rolling “Stones Bridges to Babylon”. We discuss his years working with Mark on Cirque du Soleil’s “KA”, the Beijing Olympics, U2’s “360” all the way up until Mark's passing in 2013. Ray and Stufish have since gone to new heights designing immersive theaters in China as well as breaking new ground in Saudi Arabia. This was an incredible conversation.

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In this episode, Matt and I discuss the importance of health & wellness while on the road. Matt’s experience as a registered dietitian, health coach and former touring carpenter gives him a unique perspective on the challenges we face on tour.  We discuss the importance of restorative sleep, good eating habits and a path forward to healthy touring. Matt’s wealth of knowledge is pure gold for anyone looking for an improved touring way of life.