LiveCrew
If anybody understands the value of their touring crew - its these guys;
The artists and their representatives themselves...
“It is hard to put into just a few words, how important and crucial my bass tech McBob - as our whole road crew are - to what we do as touring musicians. What you see as the ‘end product’ - the rock show that you attend - is the result of endless planning by production staff and brought to you via truck drivers. Riggers and system techs have put the lights up and hung the PA. Carpenters have put that stage together. Local staff have put all of those unfolded chairs on the floor etc.
Whether we play Gothenburg, Sweden or Omaha, Nebraska - my tech McBob is always has my sound sorted for that room and puts everything in place in every way for me to have as best a show as I can.
From the smallest club gig to the largest stadiums - local crews or the larger traveling techs, riggers and sound people are the ones who really bring you that show.”
“Having been on the other side of the curtain (so to speak) for a few years, I know how hard these boys and girls work.
They aren’t just the people doing the heavy lifting.
They are the people that make people like me look and sound amazing!
We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
“My band and crew are massively important to me. They’re like family to me, and actually I think the feeling is mutual. I always try to work with the same musicians and crew on everything I do - and I’ve managed to do this for almost 20 years with hardly any changes.
When my manager Graham calls me about a tour or a gig the first thing I say is; “have you spoken to Gordon (White)?” my long-suffering guitar tech. I won’t tour without him because he’s so vital to what I do, he’s the master of his trade and also one of the most lovely human beings I’ve ever had the honour to know. I hold him and all the rest of the musicians and crew in my little world in very, very high regard, I couldn’t do it without them.
I’m appalled at how the whole of the live music scene has been treated... ignored actually... the thought of life without music and the arts in general is unbearable... I hope this incredibly ignorant political stance by our current government changes radically to include helping our colleagues to survive these horrendous times just like every other hard working tax paying person in our country, it just isn’t right they’ve been left without a helping hand.
Shame on the Tories for turning their backs on people that make life what it should be, joyful, magical and beautiful. Not just a marketplace filled with unhappy low paid workers and cold businessmen. I can see no valid excuse why people who contribute so much to a healthy functioning world should be left out of the financial aid being handed out by this government.”
“Our crew, our incredible people. They are all highly skilled technicians who always get the job done even in the most challenging circumstances. Without their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm for live music the show just couldn’t happen.”
“Those of us who tour in bands are forever grateful to the crew members we tour with - I have personal and professional relationships with some technicians going back almost 40 years. They're an integral and hugely valuable part of our shows. They work harder and longer than us, rarely get much credit, and are, as everyone knows, in a rough spot with these days of no live concerts. We wish the very best for them.”
“The complexities of a concert are quite hard to understand unless you see it first-hand. Starting with the truck drivers and the crew who deliver and unload the equipment, an army of people are involved in helping to present a first-class concert.
That army is currently going hungry and without them no decent size show can take place.
Artists have become totally reliant on this group to allow them to present their music in the best possible way.
If our business is not allowed to re-start or be subsidised to help them soon, those skills will disappear.
The UK will be poorer as a result.”
“No Crew - No Show.”
“A good crew is a necessity for a band. Without them the performance will suffer. Their professionalism and attention to detail comes from experience and rarely will their egos get in the way (even after a few tequila shots). The show must go on but without a crew it won’t!”
“Without the CREW, technical and non-technical, there is no show. Simple. From stage production, tour and theatre managers, sound and light engineers, instrument technicians, humpers - doing early get-ins and very late get-outs, box-office staff, cleaners, stewards, security men and women, stage builders, drivers, catering firms, cooks, crew transportation drivers and so many folks lives and livelihoods are in live music.
Without the great CREW, there are no shows.”
“We couldn’t do our job without the noble roadies of the land.
Apart from the long hours it takes to have a bunch of instruments all ready to go before each gig, it all starts again in a heartbeat on the sound of the last chord.
Dave White is 100% reliable and knows nuances about my gear that I don’t even know. Teamwork. Simple as that.”
“What can I say? Crew and techs are literally the lifeline of all live acts. Not only would the show not go on without them - they also provide support and comfort with their presence. I am so fond of all of the crew that I have had the fortune to work with; because whether they know it or not - they have looked after me whilst on tour - whether it be someone to talk to or to go to dinner with. Performance wise - they are natural problem solvers and I can crack on and be the best I can because I know that they keep everything running seamlessly. I miss them.”
“Just as George Martin became known as the 5th Beatle. Road crew are the invisible band members. The vital organs. One can’t function without the other. Band and crew is a symbiotic relationship.”
“Basically, without technicians and road crews there would be no live industry. Skilled techs lie at the very heart of what we do. No crew no show, simple as that.”
“The best tech and road crew supporting your live work is akin to a guitarist having an extra hand. Choosing the right tech and road crew can be the difference between a successful or a disastrous live show.”
“Probably one of the most important things that I rely on my tech and crew for, night after night, is to give me the confidence to walk out on that stage in front of the people and be able to play with passion and commitment without any fear of equipment or instruments malfunctioning to affect my performance.
The constant reliability of these people to ensure that over all of the bumps in the road and the changes in the temperatures that my setup is ready to roll every day no matter what the circumstances - is invaluable.
On top of this, on the road we are a family and my tech is usually one of my closest friends at these times as well as the whole crew, as we share the experience every day together not just on the stage, but after the show and travelling. There's a support system built in there too.
It's about creating something magical together, and I couldn't live without the crew and my personal tech within them. They are imperative to the function of all I, and the band do out there!
Oh, and we have a good laugh too…”
“We can’t overstate the importance of good crew to all bands/artists, no matter at which level they operate.
These events simply would not happen without their skill/knowledge/experience and humour - which is much needed when dealing with musician's requirements and requests.”
“Cobby, Nobby, Plug, Spanner, Sparky, Moldy… they’re the ‘roadies’ as they were called, who strung me up, picked me up, dropped me off, farted during the changeover, faked my signature, downed a pint for my entertainment and risked their life sticking their hand into a high voltage amplifier. Black t-shirt compulsory.
But Cobby would rather I knew her/him as a highly educated, highly trained technician, an expert on cosmology, with 25 years experience of every known stage layout, alphabetical knowledge of transistors, fluent in three languages, a mother, a father and someone who can play guitar better than you but you never asked.
Cobby is the one sensible enough to wear earplugs (when you didn’t) meaning their hearing is exemplary. Cobby is a 24/7 technician already working obscenely unsociable hours, away from family for extended periods with the patience of a saint and a joie de vivre which only a highly skilled expert in their field can muster at a deserted airport at 6am.
Cobby is responsible for every music, theatre and dance show you have ever seen. Cobby has made sure you can see wherever you stand, hear everything the artist intends and can enter and leave in safety. And now Cobby needs you to help them. Without Cobby’s expertise in the future you won’t see any public performance again.
Because only Cobby knows how.”
“When I started in this business 50 years ago, it wasn’t really a business. And the ability to stay up late, drive and lift heavy objects was almost as important as being able to plug our relatively simple sound systems in and make some noise. The stakes weren’t so high and mistakes could be forgiven. Not now.
Today’s audiences expect flawless productions whether that be in a club, theatre or stadium and today’s equipment requires a high degree of skill from those who operate it. These skills aren’t learnt just in the classroom, although this is an essential and integral part of any training now but are honed through hands on experience both in the warehouse and in the field and being mentored by more experienced crew.
This process, is hard, takes years and many fall by the wayside before getting there. This is why I value our people so highly; they’ve done the graft and are passionate about their craft; any fool can buy the equipment, it’s an idiot who disregards the techs.”
“There’s no show without our main backline techs and production people, period.
I’ve worked with the same backline crew and drums techs for years and they have my complete respect.
I’m more than proud to say; we’re all friends.”
“That show you loved so much wouldn’t have happened without the crew. It’s as simple as that. Everyday, they are experts, problem solvers, psychologists, the hardest workers and the funniest people you’ll meet all day. I love ‘em, they’re the best.”
"Any resource that offers support for our crew, those who support us 100% - and stop this ship sinking, is alright by me."
"Great to be on board and feeling things are starting to move again. It’s good to have something so positive in such a negative time. Best of luck to you all and I look forward to the future of the EP Global Network."
"Signing up to Entourage today helped give me some hope that things could come back even better. So thank you for restoring my faith. I can really see this becoming the go-to resource"
"After 14 months of uncertainty, worry and stress about the future of our industry, finally it looks like there’s light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. Entourage Pro is an amazing resource that could help many get back on track again."
"It is an honour to be part of this project, and I can see it doing so much good for the business. I love this business, and have missed it desperately for the last year or so. We all rely on personal contacts for work in this wonderful business, and I think that this site will take that connection set to the next level."
"At last there is a site that is for our industry! Enabling a trusted way of finding the right people that can do the job we all love!"
"I’m really hopeful that Entourage pro will become the definitive meeting place for the Live Music Industry. It has the potential to play a major role in connecting people and getting crew back to work following the current crisis."
'Such a great idea having a verified database like this specifically dedicated and personalised to the professionals in our industry and it couldn't have come at a better time as we all look toward getting out there and working again. I'm sure it will become a great asset and resource to us all as well as our employers and it looks awesome too! Top job gents!'
“Finally, a place for us all to get connected and stay connected. A site like Entourage Pro is long overdue.”
"The website is very impressive and looks amazing! Seeing this has re-ignited my passion for live touring again and makes me excited, hopeful and ready for my career to get going again! I'm really excited to see where this goes, and thank you for taking the leap and creating such a company. "
"As the pandemic showed us the hard way, it's important to stay connected as crew and also our customers and we have to stay in touch in order to make the restart in a good way. Entourage Pro has the potential to grow into a good tool for making and maintaining those connections."
"Thank you for creating such a great platform. I hope tons of folk sign up, as like most things, we're only going to get out of it what we put into it and I feel privileged to be a founding member"
"Thank you so much Entourage Pro. Every step towards the comeback is a big step. An amazing group from all over the world, ready to hit the road again"
“Without the crew, bands/musicians would be fucked... We’re pretty hopeless when it comes down to it - all we do is play the music”
"My crew are my family, they work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure everyone has a great show. The true ‘Rock Stars’"
“Without the infinite skill, knowledge and dedication of the crew to achieve nightly - what most people would consider impossible, the show, the industry, and the euphoria of communicating the joy and creativity of music via a live medium would be impossible. And what a dark, endless existence that would be for millions of people.”
