Last night, I was talking to my housemate’s girlfriend about my job. Understandably, people are curious what it’s like to work with some of their favorite artists, or “famous” people in general. Her first question was centered around hospitality, but as she was asking it she backtracked and said
“I’m sure most of them are divas.”
I hear that a lot when talking to people about work and it always bothers me. We’ve all heard nightmare stories about working with artists; but how much of that is based in truth and how much of it has been distorted like the elementary school game telephone?
Many of these rumors stem from greenroom requests. You may remember the Jack White guacamole story released in a student newspaper several years ago. His response, and the response of many artists, is that when they are on a tour, the majority of the hospitality and greenroom requests are made to sustain the staff throughout a very long workday. (Though in his case, it was used as a joke with promoters to see who could make it best and break up the monotonous touring life.)
A lot of tour staff work over 12-hour days, sleep on a bus (if they’re lucky), and wake up to do it all over again for weeks on end. They might not have a ton of time to sit down and eat a meal, and they certainly can’t leave or take the tour bus to run errands while the driver sleeps for the next haul. The artist asks for these items so their team is taken care of and can make it through the tour. As someone who travels consistently to work shows, I have an elevated appreciation for touring teams. It’s hard to get things you need on the road – in places that you don’t know. It’s a struggle to eat healthy and get enough rest to function. It’s grueling for me, and I only do it a few days a week. They really do need and appreciate your hospitality.
We can all be divas on occasion; but let’s set the table for success. Next time you host a show, see if you can go the extra mile for the band. Have some cool local specialty? Put it in the greenroom; gestures like that go a long way. Just remember, sometimes people have good days and sometimes people have off days, but at the end of the day we all have the same goal – to provide an amazing live experience for the audience.
Jake Ostrow
Jake worked as a middle buyer for How To Concerts from 2018 to 2023, helping organizations with their concerts, comedians, and speakers.
Want to know how How To Concerts can help you with your next event? Call us at 920.764.1200 or set up a free consultation today!
Jake Ostrow
Jake worked as a middle buyer for How To Concerts from 2018 to 2023, helping organizations with their concerts, comedians, and speakers.
Want to know how How To Concerts can help you with your next event? Call us at 920.764.1200 or set up a free consultation today!
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