Touring Jobs: Recent Episodes
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Matt is a VIP coordinator who is currently working at 237 Global Inc.. They help create VIP experiences for artists such as Shawn Mendes, Hella Mega Tour, and Wiz Khalifa to name a few. In today’s episode explore how artists have created bigger and better experiences for their fans and how you can work in VIP. In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:• How Matt became a VIP coordinator• What a VIP coordinator does• How to get on the road as a VIP coordinator• What it’s like to work for 237 Global Inc.(00:00) Intro(01:49) Patreon(02:28) Matt gets on the bus(03:41) How Adam and Matt met(05:55) How Matt started working as a VIP Coordinator(07:55) What VIP experiences use to be(16:54) The rise in popularity of VIP experiences(21:41) 23/7 Global Global(24:50) Who has VIP experiences on tour today(29:44) How VIP works(36:48) How to get on the road as a VIP coordinator(42:15) Average day working for 23/7 Global(47:26) Skills that transfer over to other touring jobs from VIP(50:47) Wrap up notes(50:52) Shower ShoesDon't Shit On The Bus Podcast► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB---Adam Elmakias - Host► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com---Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
Everyone welcome one of the most enthusiastic people we’ve had on the bus, Kenny Barnwell! Over the past 20 years, Kenny has worked his way up from a local stagehand to touring with Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. Kenny also is the co-founder of Freedom Music events, an author, and teaches online courses for crew careers. Let's get ready for this week’s episode of Don’t Shit on the Bus!
In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:
• What someone can do to level up as a stagehand • How Kenny went from living in his car to touring with A-list artist • The value of working for free at the beginning in the music industry • What Kenny believes people on the road now can do to help out new stagehands
(00:00) Intro (03:05) Patreon (03:59) Kenny gets on the bus (06:12) How Kenny got started in the music industry (17:04) Working for free (19:31) How stagehands are hired on (21:14) How Kenny transitioned into touring (27:38) What is a stagehand (33:12) It's all about who knows you (35:10) Missteps when reaching out to someone (40:24) Can you be a good hang on tour (43:38) Being a stagehand is like paid training (48:07) First steps to being hired as a local stagehand (55:22) Leveling up from a stagehand (01:05:37) What people on the road can do now to help new stage hands out (01:11:00) Wrap up notes
Kenny Barnwell - Guest
► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekennybarnwell ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennybarnwell ► Crew Coach: https://freedommusicevents.com/crew-coach ► Back Stage Crew Careers: https://www.instagram.com/backstagecrewcareers
Don't Shit On The Bus Podcast
► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com
► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify ► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple
► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast ► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast ► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast
► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB
Adam Elmakias - Host
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias ► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com
Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
This week we have arguably one of the most important touring jobs on the show - the Bus Driver. Everyone meet Moose - your new favorite bus driver. Moose has spent the last 20 years of his life touring, a good portion of it - driving. However, what I really liked about Moose is that he slowly worked his way up to becoming a bus driver. A lot of drivers are lifers - they have been doing it their whole life and it is all they know. There is nothing wrong with that - in fact, I think it’s quite awesome. However our guest’s story this week was quite relatable to any touring job, and I liked that. Hope you enjoy this week’s episode - I learned a lot and look forward to being a better bus rider in the future. Thanks, Moose.
In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:
• The different tiers of vehicles bands use to tour • How Moose creates a comfortable touring experience for artists • Moose’s journey from being in a touring band to a touring bus driver • How to show appreciation to your driver on tour
(00:00) Intro (01:48) Patreon (02:57) Moose gets on the bus (03:15) How Moose got on the road (06:28) After Moose's first tour (11:16) Difference between bandwagon and tour bus (16:40) Why do some bands try to cut costs with drivers (18:32) The best place for an artist in their career (21:23) How Moose went from bandwagons to buses (27:20) An average day for a driver (36:05) Why artists have problems with drivers (43:12) Expectations of a bus driver (48:14) The tiers of buses (51:32) How bus drivers stay up all night (59:29) Why you can't shit on the bus (01:05:46) Wrap up notes (01:08:43) Shower Shoes
Don't Shit On The Bus Podcast
► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com
► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify ► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple
► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast ► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast ► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast
► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB
Adam Elmakias - Host
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias ► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com
Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
This week we have Brooke on the podcast! I got to hang out with Brooke a few weeks ago at a wedding and the whole time I was just thinking - I need to know more about what she does for a living. We met once before, but never really got the time to sit down and know her - now I have! Brooke is a stylist that has worked with Demi Lovato, SIA, and St. Vincent to name a few. I never realized what a big role a stylist plays in someone's look. After the fact, it kind of seemed like a no-brainer, and I am not sure how I overlooked it before. As always I hope you genuinely enjoy this episode as much as I did. Any week I get to learn about someone else’s job on the road is a good week for me.
In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:
• How Brooke started being a stylist • What it’s like being on tour for most of the year • How Brooke went from being a photo assistant to a lead stylist for A list artist • How Brooke’s great network of friends helped her tour with Demi Lovato
(00:00) Intro (01:53) Patreon (02:28) Brooke gets on the bus (04:32) What does a stylist do (10:03) The need to have a stylist on your team (12:03) How Brooke started in styling (18:49) Brooke going on tour with Anlias (27:24) Touring with Demi Lovato (31:35) Making the best of a situation (39:19) A stylist schedule on tour (51:55) What Brooke is working on now (55:08) What's next for Brooke (57:02) Wrap up notes (57:33) Shower Shoes
Brooke Llewellyn - Guest
► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylistbrooke ► Website: http://brooke-llewellyn.squarespace.com/
Don't Shit On The Bus Podcast
► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com
► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify ► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple
► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast ► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast ► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast
► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB
Adam Elmakias - Host
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias ► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com
Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
This week we welcome Katy Cooper to the podcast! Katy is an accomplished publicist for Big Picture Media. She has a massive list of artists she works with such as Sum 41, Papa Roach, and Lauren Sanderson. She’s incredible at connecting with people and artists - she teaches us how to network. Thank you Katy for your time and for sharing your knowledge. In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:• What a publicist does in the music industry• How to properly reach out to a publicist• The importance of a publicists• How to navigate the music industry as a publicist(00:00) Intro(03:07) Patreon(04:04) Katy gets on the bus(04:56) How Katy got involved in the music industry(09:12) What it takes to be a good publicist(10:44) What does a publicist do(14:00) How a publicist works with an artist(17:47) Skills needed to be a publicist (21:12) An average day as a publicist(24:46) Being a pro at taking rejection(28:03) The correct way to reach out to a publicist(29:18) The proper way to email a request(33:26) Ticket buys and how tickets are given out (37:42) Creating and maintaining relationships(39:52) What a publicist does at a show(42:24) Moments that helped Katy learn(43:51) Being a woman in the music industry (50:55) Size matters for a publication (52:51) Major mistakes to avoid when talking to a publicist (54:58) Wrap up notes(55:06) Shower Shoes---Katy Cooper - Guest► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katycoops_/?hl=en► Twitter: https://twitter.com/katycoops_?lang=en► Big Picture Media: https://bigpicturemediaonline.com/--- Don't Shit On The Bus Podcast► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB---Adam Elmakias - Host► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com---Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
This week we have Andrew Goldstein - an incredibly talented songwriter/producer who has a rolodex of artists he’s worked with but not limited to Blackbear, Linkin Park, and Demi Lovato. Andrew started his career as a touring musician before eventually making his way to LA to work in the studio. I saw his wikipedia page and damn - this guy has worked with everyone. The more we talked I discovered he went about living in LA the right way. Andrew is a such thoughtful guest to have on and I hope you can take away some knowledge from this episode. Thank you Andrew for your time and for sharing your knowledge. In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:• How to see other artists success as a motivator• Andrew’s transition from being in a band to producing music• The importance of setting up boundaries and ambitions• How Andrew produced for Blackbear, Katy Perry, and Selena Gomez(00:00) Intro(02:24) Patreon(02:47) Andrew gets on the bus (03:20) Andrew's start in music(07:13) No fan shows(10:43) Friday Night Boys(17:03) When Andrew saw he could be a producer (20:48) How Andrew dealt with no fans showing up to shows(24:39) When Andrew started to produce music(29:55) Andrew signing a deal to produce music (31:01) Andrew creating Classic for MKTO(37:13) There is no map in the music industry(38:26) Andrew working with Blackbear(47:31) The moment Andrew was able to self validate himself(58:17) Why it's unusual for only two people to create a massive hit(01:01:38) Setting boundaries on ambition(01:07:35) Wrap up notes(01:08:58) Shower Shoes---Andrew Goldstein - Guest► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewgoldstein/► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/frndmusic► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/frnd69--- Don't Shit On The Bus Podcast► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB---Adam Elmakias - Host► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com---Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
This week we have the talented Sara Biv on the podcast. Sara is a touring dancer who has worked with artists such as Miley Cyrus, Cardi B, and Major Lazer. In addition to touring as a dancer, Sarah is also a choreographer when she is off the road in LA. I initially met Sara when I was touring with Major Lazer. We knew each other from touring but had never really sat down and had a conversation. I knew I was going to learn a lot from her (because let’s be honest I know nothing about being a dancer on tour other than the fact it is physically demanding) but damn, she taught me so much. Not just what she does - but how she does it, and her mindset. It was a very inspirational interview and I hope anyone who has any intention of making it in the touring world gives this one a listen. Thank you Sara!
In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:
• Life skills Sara developed on the road • Letting others know you’re available for work • How crucial it is to be mentally and physically healthy on tour • How Sara was able to become a choreographer for touring artists (00:00) Intro (04:30) Sara gets on the bus (07:25) When Sara started dancing (13:55) How Sara started working in the music industry (19:57) Coming back from tour and having no gigs (21:33) Sara building choreography into her career (23:15) Touring with Miley Cyrus, Cardi B, and Major Lazer (34:37) How Sara deals with rejection because of her height (35:21) Sara's touring experience (39:55) An average day on the road with Major Lazer (44:56) How Sara maintains her mental and physical strength (47:45) What Diplo taught Sara (51:06) Before show routine (53:40) Eminem Story (55:53) How Sara improves after a show (59:12) Wrap up notes (59:18) Shower Shoes
Sara Biv - Guest
► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarabiv/ ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarabiv7? ► Rules Don't Apply: https://rulesdontapply.world/
Don't Shit On The Bus Podcast
► Website: http://www.dontshitonthebus.com
► Spotify: http://bit.ly/DSotBspotify ► Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/DSotBapple
► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dontshitonthebus ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSotBpodcast ► Instagram: https://instagram.com/DSotBpodcast ► Facebook: https://facebook.com/DSotBpodcast
► Patreon: https://patreon.com/DSotB
Adam Elmakias - Host
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/elmakias ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmakias ► Website: https://www.adamelmakias.com
Edited & Produced by Connor Gaskey
Security guards can work for the venue, the artist, a tour, or even a festival. Regardless of what job you have in the music industry - you will, at some point, have to interact with security. They are there to keep everyone safe, and we would argue they are the true heroes of the music industry. Without them at the venue, everything and nothing would happen simultaneously, and chaos would ensue. Please welcome Sully to the Don't Shit on the bus Podcast. Sully has been doing security in the music industry since before we were born. In the late 90's he worked in hip-hop; then he was with The Vans Warped Tour from start to finish - and lately, you might have seen him on the road with Billie Eilish. That is just naming a few. The point is, he has been doing this for a long time and has a lot of good information and stories. As always, we hope you enjoy this as much as we did and hope it leads to a better understanding of what is going on in a security guard’s day when you cross paths with them at a venue. In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:• How to work best with security at venues• What it takes to be a security guard • How the internet has affected security • What it’s like working Warped Tour
https://youtu.be/AF0BZRCDQcY
(00:00) Intro(05:50) Sully gets on the bus(06:31) How Sully got started working in security (03:38) Qualifications to work with Sully(11:50) The levels of security on tour(17:58) Security and Photographers relationship(22:10) Security is there to keep you safe(25:31) Risks Sully looks out for on the job(30:49) Different types of security for different artists(32:19) Venues damaging themselves(34:12) How security has changed because of the internet(37:06) The importance of rules(44:19) What touring will look like post covid(46:50) Tips on how to help security(56:30) Just here for the music(1:01:42) Wrap up notes(1:02:34) Shower Shoes ---Sully - Guest► Instagram: hhttps://www.instagram.com/sully_waterloo► Security Company: https://www.facebook.com/WATERLOOSOLUTIONSLLC
This week we are joined by Mary Westfall, one of the most accomplished personal Vegan Chefs in the music industry. Although she does not tour much anymore - we can partly blame Neil for that one. Together they have started a family and a restaurant, and a life in Orlando, Florida. Regardless Mary's story is still just as relevant. We are happy to have her on the show because we feel she is a great self-made success story. There are a lot of known jobs on the road - and some lesser-known. So if you like to cook, and you want to see the world - this might be the job for you. However, even if you do not want to cook - there are plenty of level-ups and stories packed into this episode.
In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn:
• Mary’s journey to becoming a personal vegan chef• The daily work required to be a traveling chef• The importance of being able to adapt on the road• How Neil and Mary met on tour with Blink-182
https://youtu.be/Srhxg7_CPHE
(0:00) Intro(6:00) Mary gets on the bus(9:33) When do you need a personal chef on tour?(16:24) Mary’s start to life on the road(25:16) Fake it ‘till you make it and always say yes(32:06) What does the day to day look like?(38:29) What does the team look like for a personal chef?(42:56) The crossover between music and cooking(46:21) Skills needed to be successful(52:55) You should buy Mary’s cookbook(55:23) How Harry Met Sally? No, it’s How Mary Met Neil(1:02:31) Pursuing love on the road(1:10:03) Wrap up!
Mary Westfall - Guest
► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomyourself► Twitter: https://twitter.com/nomyourself► Restaurant: https://www.winterparkbiscuitco.com
Mattew Flyzik is a combo of a Tour Manager/ Production Manager. Not many people can pull this off, but Flyzik might not even be human for all we know. The man is a machine. He spends most of his time on the road with Kygo these days. When Neil and I first met Matthew, he was on tour with All Time Low. I look up to him a lot. He fully embodies everything I want to be when I tour. He works hard and gets his job done while treating others with the respect they deserve. I have never met someone as good as him - and I am happy we get to finish this section off with someone as talented as himself.
In this episode of the Don’t Shit On The Bus podcast we will learn: • Matthew’s journey to success in the touring world • A day in the life of a production manager on the road • The importance of • Tips for being a successful production manager