Road Manager

What Does a Road Manager Do?

A road manager is the boss of the daily routine when a band is on tour. Their job is to handle all the small details so the musicians can just focus on playing music.

When the band travels from one city to another, the road manager makes sure everything goes smoothly. They execute the plan that the tour manager created.

They are usually the first person to wake up and the last person to go to sleep. They work very hard to keep the band safe and happy. Without a road manager, a tour would be far more stressful.

Daily Tasks on Tour

A road manager’s day starts early. They check the band out of the hotel. They make sure everyone is in the van on time. They handle driving directions and plan stops for food and gas.

When they arrive at the venue, they find the stage manager. They start the load in process. They make sure the band knows what time soundcheck is happening. They also check the dressing room to make sure the venue provided everything according to the rider.

After the concert, the road manager might help with the settlement. Finally, the road manager gets everyone back to the hotel or on the road according to the booking schedule.

Road Manager vs. Tour Manager

A road manager and a tour manager sound similar, but there is a clear difference between them. They are both very important jobs.

A tour manager plans the whole tour from a high level. They book logistics and plan things. They can even do this job off the tour from an office.

A road manager is a hands-on person. They are actually on the tour managing the day-to-day operations. The tour manager makes the plans, and the road manager executes them.

Sometimes, one person does both of these jobs. The tour manager can also be the road manager. On big tours, there might be one tour manager with a road manager for each band. Or, the tour manager can be the road manager just for the headlining band.