Mark Friend

–

Mark Friend

AM Touring LTD, Managing Director

Tours
Ed Sheeran • Craig David • Andrea Bocelli

No interview with Team Sheeran, including with manager Stuart Camp, CAA’s Jon Ollier, Paradigm’s Marty Diamond or MTG’s Louis Messina, goes by without mention of Mark Friend, Sheeran’s longtime tour manager who made sure the record-setting, two-year five-month trek made its way across the globe while grossing a record-setting $775.6M. 

Much of those kudos derive from an agreement Sheeran and Friend made in their nascent days of touring. “Myself and Ed had been working our socks off in the early days,” Friend says. 

“We made a pact to be the hardest working and nicest people on the road. Always saying please and thank you and working with every promoter to reduce costs as those days the fees were not big at all.” 

Perhaps as a result of those limited funds and his excellent etiquette, Sheeran’s demands were minimal and nutritional: “Ed’s rider was very simple,” his longtime tour manager says. 

“Monster Munch (crisps), Robinson’s squash, water and a tuna and cucumber sandwich.” His advice for up and coming tour managers: “Never be afraid to ask a question and never be afraid to question an answer. You will be amazed what you will learn.”