Duties of a Road Manager

A road manager's job is never done. He starts many weeks before a tour and his job can last for many weeks after the tour has ended. A road manager is responsible for taking care of the talent and making sure that everything that happens while on tour is smooth and that there are no hassles for the artists and their entourage.

A road manager is responsible for calling the many venues the band will be playing to confirm the times of load-in and make sure that advertising within the club is in place. He must also plan where the band will be staying if they are going to be in the area for any length of time. Booking hotels and securing in-town transportation are important aspects of a road manager's job as well.

If the band is using a tour bus for a string of live dates, the road manger must confirm the date, time and place of pickup. He is also responsible for any amenities that must be procured for the bus for the artists and make sure that everything is on schedule with the band or artists including procuring a ride for the artists to get to the pickup spot. The road manager is also in charge of paying the bus company and the bus driver in a timely manner.

The road manager is the boss. He is obligated to find sufficient crew members and stage hands for the tour or string of dates including a production assistant to help him and a lighting crew and stage hands. These behind-the-scenes crew members help the shows run smoothly and must be picked carefully. It is the road manager's responsibility to pay the crew as well as provide food and shelter for them during their time on tour.

When arriving at each individual venue, it is the road manager who checks in with the owner or manager of the venue and assures that all rider requirements are met. She also handles the union stage hands that are often provided by the venue. The road manager will lead the crew during unloading and handle any special requests that the artists have before and after the show. She will also set the bus call, which is when the bus will leave, and inform the band and crew as well as print schedules for the day and post them in dressing rooms and on the tour bus.

Since the road manager is essentially the boss, he handles all of the money. He collects what is due at the venues, which includes payment minuse any deposits already paid and collects money made from the sales of merchandise. Bank deposits are made often by the road manager, and per diems, which is money paid daily to artists and crew, are paid by him in a timely manner.