What Happens Behind the Scenes in a Rock Band tour
You get to your seats, the music begins to stir, the curtains drop, the pyrotechnics shoot sparks into the air, and the front man begins singing one of your favorite songs. This is a typical scenario how rock concerts begin, but what did it take to bring all of this together? Next time you attend a concert featuring your favorite artist, thank the music touring logistics services provided by global companies with specialized teams that ensure all equipment, cargo and musicians reach their venues on time throughout the course of the tour. There are entire teams if industry experts trained to work in multiple areas of concert logistics, and here is a breakdown of those vital services.
Freight Forwarding
Freight forwarding for music touring logistics is a massive undertaking. Entire stages, stage sets, lighting, sound equipment, and the instruments themselves require specialized crating and packing to ensure the cargo’s integrity, as much of this equipment is highly sensitive. Freight forwarding services use everything from air, sea, trucking and rail to ship cargo to its next destination. The best music touring companies even offer same-day courier services where a trained agent might travel with Slash’s iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar in hand from LA and personally deliver it to him later that night in New York City!
Warehousing Logistics
Sometimes music tours involve performing at festivals followed by nearby cities all in the same general geographic area. This is where warehousing logistics is the shining star. If a band is going to engage back-to-back performances or perform shows spaced a few days apart in locations such as LA, Irvine, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, and Riverside then a specific warehousing location must be selected to store and ship equipment in between events. Logistics experts determine the most efficient warehouse location central to all locations. Then teams design custom storage and transport strategies. Keep in mind that music touring logistics companies are responsible for loading cargo onto trucks while tracking every piece of gear, transporting the equipment, unloading it, and unpacking everything. After the show they break down the set, pack it, ship it back to the warehouse, unload it, store it, and repeat this day in and day out.
Private Passenger Air Charters
Music touring logistics providers don’t just ship gear; they ship people too. The best service providers are production scheduling masters capable of accessing global networks to accommodate each passenger’s needs. While Justin Timberlake may want a Lear jet on a red eye from LA with an on-board work station that can get him to Madrid in time for a press meeting, the members of Muse pay want to travel together back to London from Chicago in a configured Boeing commercial class aircraft departing at 1PM with crates of beer and a 72 inch TV on board. Experienced charter agents work to track down the right aircraft and desired items, and meet the passenger’s needs all while staying in tune to scheduling.
Precision on Steroids
While the best guitarists use precise fingering and timing to rock out complex solos and power chords, music touring logistics companies help get the artist on stage by using precise strategies and tools to ensure that the best rock shows around the world go off without a hitch. These are the rock stars behind the scenes, who continue to perform behind the curtain.
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