Tour managers make sure that the right people and equipment are in the right place at the right time.
We've spoken to Meredith Peterson, Tour Manager for The Charlatans, to learn more about her job. Meredith studied Events Management in Manchester and started working at festivals and events, such as Parklife and Moovin Festival, straight after graduating.
Scroll down for more information on skills, working hours and salary.
Meredith Peterson talks about her life as a tour manager.
Hi, I'm Meds Peterson, tour manager for The Charlatans.
As a tour manager I'm responsible for advancing all shows on tours, festivals arranging logistics, that we get everybody to every country to every venue making sure the dressing rooms are full of all the things that everyone requires.
Now that I am a tour manager and that I've been an operation manager I am responsible for huge budgets so knowing my maths is very very important. I use maths that I never thought I would ever use or be able to understand.
The other thing that school did help me with was being organised, my homework diary making sure I was on top of things because my deadlines now are so important that having that practice from an early age becomes essential.
There seems to be a worldwide misconception that the music industry is very male dominated, personally I find that to be untrue. I work with a lot of amazing women and they cover every job from operations manager like myself through to rigging crew, stage crew. There's a lot more equality than people expect.
I would say learn as much as you can about all aspects of the industry – if you can talk to a stage manager with some production knowledge, if you can speak to a tour manager with some tour knowledge then that puts you in a really strong position because they know they can call on you because they still trust you and they know you have the skills to cover all the roles.
In my opinion to be successful in this industry never ever look on it as a job - it's a vocation, it's a way of life, it takes you away from your family, it takes me away from my children.
The reality of it is I spend most of my time covered in mud and rain, but I've got a smile on my face because I love it.
What skills do I need to be a tour manager?
A great way to start is to volunteer at gigs or festivals. This should also give you a feel for the job and whether it's for you. If it is, these are some of the skills that will come in handy:
- maths and budgeting skills
- organisational skills
- flexibility and the ability to think on your feet
- people management skills
- general music production and engineering knowledge.
What to expect if you want to be a tour manager
- Tour manager average salary: £16,000 to £30,000 per year
- Tour manager typical working hours: 28 to 30 hours per week (seasonal)
What qualifications do you need to be a tour manager?
You could get into this role via a university course, a college course, an apprenticeship, working towards this role or applying directly.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
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