Day-Of-Show Can Be Hellscape Or Heavenly (Production Live! Panel Recap)

Turns out day-of-show is a misnomer. Show day is every day.

“Advance. Advance. Advance,” said Paul Bradley, CEO of Master Tour and moderator of “Day-Of-Show: Who Has Their Sh*t Together (AND Who Doesn’t). “I think, in any capacity, level of touring, if there’s a problem, we’ve all addressed it or identified it well before the day of show.”

Sponsored by Procell, the Production Live! panel discussed the importance of preparation in live entertainment emphasizing the critical role of the advance process in identifying – and correcting – potential issues before buses roll up.

Ryan Plagman, Director of Production for the Messina Touring Group, agreed that it starts with the advance and he can tell in the first five minutes if there are red flags.

“But you’re working through it because your advanced,” he said. “That’s exactly what the advance is – you’re calling, you’re putting it together, you’re figuring out what they are going to do…Sometimes the advance is just the start, but I think we’ve all had the experience that after the advance and when it is the day of load-in that’s when they call it live entertainment, because things happen.”

On the venue side, Mike Sutherland, Senior Production Manager, Live Nation / The Wiltern, said the first encounter with tour personnel is equally informative.

“The information they’re providing, gives you a really good idea of what’s actually going to come from the day,” explained Sutherland. “And then on the day, the big thing would be the attitude of either the tour manager or the production manager. That first interaction that you have – if it’s a good interaction, or if it’s a bad interaction – it can really set the tone for how the day is going to go.”

A tense encounter could have a lasting impact according to Guns N’ Roses tour manager Luis Soto.

“You’re going to see these people again,” offered Soto. “And I think setting the tone is super important. Whether you’re going to be with one band or another, this is such a small world that you see everyone all the time.”

The panelists shared their experiences, highlighting the significance of initial interactions, venue logistics, staffing and crew safety.

“From a labor perspective, if we have a tour manager, production manager, that gets off the bus and it’s ‘Hey!’ and hellos, if they have that familiar face, it just makes the day better for the crew,” said Andrea Sweeney, Chief of Staff for RockForce.

The group discussed the impact of technology from consulting the Yellow Pages to AI, the challenges of managing diverse show requirements and artist riders – including $3,500 cognac, a parade of goats and a kiddie pool filled with Jello shots – and the emotional and economic consequences of show cancellations.

The conversation also touched on the evolving dynamics of touring and venue management, the importance of transparency, and the value of long-standing relationships in ensuring smooth event execution.

“You can advance, advance, advance but until you touch boots on the ground, you don’t know how much of that truly comes to fruition,” said Chris Musgrave, Director, Live Production Summit.