The concert tour manager (CTM) travels with the artist on tour. They act as the liaison between the artist and the venue, and the promoter. The day-to-day work of the CTM (before post-tour accounting) varies according to the capacity of the venues and the perceived status of the music artist.
A list of what I consider my day-to-day workload, regardless of the level of touring: (click to expand)
- Overseeing hotel departures on time
- Settling accommodation bills
- Overseeing travel arrangements, i.e. band and crew onto the bus or to the airport in good time
- Double-checking hospitality and technical arrangements on arrival at the venue
- Confirming an up to date running order with the venue and promoter
- Overseeing promotional activities, i.e. VIP meet-and-greets, TV, radio, and press interviews, at the venue or at other locations
- Checking in with all cast and crew and establishing their well-being
- Supervising meal times and catering arrangements
- Supervising any support or opening acts
- Ensuring the venue is ready to open on time by supervising sound check times
- Anticipating cash flow demands for the next week
- Liaising with the transport department regarding the next days’ travel
- Ensuring all acts perform on time and for the allotted time
- Settling performance fee with promoters and collecting any due cash
- Sending the set list and information about writers and publishers to the relevant performing rights organisation (PRO)
- Ensuring all touring equipment is re-packed and loaded back onto tour transport
- Updating tour apps with band and crew schedule information for the next day
- Overseeing the artist and crew onto overnight transport or to the next hotel
- Reporting the concert’s attendance figures to the artist’s management and the booking agent
And my job does not end on the last day of the tour. There is a tremendous amount of post-tour activity.
A list of post-tour activities (click to expand):
- Ensuring rented transport returns to its base
- Getting the touring personnel home quickly and safely
- Making sure rented equipment gets back to the suppliers or into storage
- Also, ensuring that the artist takes care of storing or forwarding their own equipment (backline)
- Supervising the return or storage of unsold merch
- I locate and arrange the return of lost property (you would be surprised at the amount of clothing left in dressing rooms and hotel wardrobes!).