A road manager organizes a band’s tour, including travel arrangements, venues, equipment, and support staff. They ensure everything runs smoothly and resolve any issues that arise. No formal education is required, but networking and organizational skills are essential.
A road manager ensures that all details of a musical band’s tour are in order, including the itinerary, equipment, venues and support staff. Whether the band is traveling by plane or motor vehicle – the two most common modes of travel for touring bands – your job is to ensure that the experience is organized and on schedule. She might be required to oversee one or two tours a year, or the band might be on tour that lasts for months at a time.
From the moment the tour schedule is finalized, it is expected that a road manager will be involved in every detail of each location. She is usually responsible for making travel arrangements and confirming room and board for the group. If equipment and instruments are traveling with the band, they are expected to help load and unload cargo onto trucks or buses. If goods are transported by air, a road manager is usually expected to confirm flights, times and destinations.
About two weeks before the scheduled event, a road manager typically contacts the concert promoter to finalize details. She usually confirms times and dates for adjustments and sound checks, and gets a stage and lighting layout. If opening acts are booked, she confirms her appearance.
If the tour involves traveling in caravans by bus or vehicle, the road manager is normally required to keep the motorcade on time and the contents of the passengers. She often moves between the artists and support staff to ensure that there is harmony among the ranks and to dispel any seeds of unrest. If there are any mechanical problems with the vehicles, she is usually expected to have resources to deal with them, such as car clubs or route contacts who can provide local referrals.
Once the band and road manager arrives at their destination, the manager is normally expected to physically inspect the area in which the band will perform and verify the condition of the changing rooms and the band’s entry and exit points. She usually checks the sound and lighting for quality and reliability and confirms the band’s preferences with the respective technical engineers. If props or sets are needed for the performance, she confirms the details with the stage manager.
As the show begins, the stage manager will often compare ticket sales receipts with the number of attendees to confirm the numbers match. At the conclusion of the event, the stage manager usually receives payment for the performance. She is usually expected to pay all hotel and utility bills before the band resumes travel.
There are typically no educational requirements for this position. Networking in the music industry is generally advisable for aspiring traffic managers. Good organizational skills are an advantage. The ability to communicate well with a wide variety of personality types is highly preferred.
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