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Preparing to Maybe Go Back To Work

 

It has been almost a year since I flew home from rehearsals to do laundry and pack for a tour that would have kept me on the road well into this year. Instead of putting my laundry into a suitcase, it went back into my dresser. At first, we thought we would start our tour in June, but alas we all know what happened.

With the arrival of the vaccines, I am hopeful that I might return to work in the fall. That being said, it is going to take much longer for our industry to come back as much of the infrastructure has been broken, we have lost vendors, venues, and crew people. We will all need to work together and have some empathy for everyone when we are able to return to touring.

Today, I was wondering where my gig bag, passport, and show files were, so strange as I always knew where these things were, usually by the front door. I will have to dig my gig bag out of the closet and check for show files and passport and when it might expire. So this got me thinking about the things I need to do before returning to work, and while it seems far away it really is not. I thought I would share some thoughts about preparing to return and changes and plans that need to be put in place.

PASSPORT

Check your passport to see when it might expire and if it is coming up, get it renewed now. Passports are usually not valid for travel six months before it expires, so don’t wait until you need it.

If you do not have a passport, I urge you to get one, when work does resume you don’t want to lose out on gigs because you do not have a valid passport.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply.html

Driver License

Double-check your Driver’s License and make sure you have applied for The Real ID.

On October 1, 2021, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID-compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

GIG BAG

Clean out and restock your Gig Bag. If you are missing tools or testers now is the time to purchase them. Rat Sound Systems sells many items you need in a gig bag and offers SoundGirls Members a discount. If you don’t have a Gig Bag put one together.

What’s In Your Go Bag?

Show Files

I am almost scared to look at my show files, the last time I saw them was at rehearsals and there were so many new cues, inputs, and even a new band member that I no longer know what we covered in rehearsals, all my notes are locked away in my workbox in storage. But I am gonna take a look at the files and see what I can clean up and organize a bit better.

If you don’t have show files, visit manufacturers’ websites and download the offline editors. (almost all the manufacturers offer these) You can start learning how these consoles work, build a template, learn how to route things, etc.

Resume

Make sure your resume is clean, professional, and up to date. You may find that you need to make a few different versions of your resume to be more detailed for different disciplines in audio. If you work in both live sound and post-production and if you are applying for a touring gig do not send a resume full of post-production work.

Social Media

Clean up your social media and make sure it is professional. You may want to start separate accounts one for personal and one that is professional.

Here are tips for resumes and social media.

Career Development – Resources for Resumes and Social Media

Professional Directories

Make sure you are listed in professional directories and that your information is up to date. You can find a list of directories here

Women in the Professional Audio

Referral Lists

I only refer people for gigs that I have worked with or know personally with great attitudes. I am updating my lists as things are gonna be a bit weird when we return to work. I am checking in with people I normally refer gigs to see if they plan to return or their general availability. I am also making a secondary list of people that I may not know but come highly recommended by people I trust. I am also making sure that I add women and BIPOC to my referrals.

Hearing Tests and Hearing Protection

Get a hearing test and take steps now to protect your hearing. Get in the habit of getting annual hearing tests.

Audiologists and Hearing Tests

Hearing Health – Hearing Test

Healthy Ears Are Happy Ears

Finances

If 2020 taught us anything it is that we might need more of a safety net (since The U.S. Government has completely failed to assist unemployed people)  of 3 to 6 months of living expenses saved. Now is the time to get a budget in place and savings for emergencies and retirement. Andrea Espinoza walks us through this process and is available to assist you. ajayespinoza@gmail.com

 

Training and Education

With all the webinars and online training offered last year, you may have found yourself burned out. Now is the time to make a list of what you need to know or understand and sign up or find the training info you need.

Stamina

Working 16 hour days on concrete is going to come as a shock to us both mentally and physically. I am planning on changing up more exercise program to start building muscle strength.

Power Struggles – Work and Physicality

Finally, if you are in a leadership role I encourage you to diversify your workplace and to implement sexual harassment training. When we do go back to work we want an industry that is safe and diverse.

Diversify Your Crew

Calling All Crows

Has an extensive sexual harassment training program and will work with you. Contact Kim Warnick

Hope to see you on the road soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Career Paths in Live Sound & Production

 

Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A featuring women working and succeeding in the world of Live Event Production. The evening will end with a casual mentoring and networking session.

Register Here

Moderator: Karrie Keyes – Executive Director of SoundGirls and Monitor Engineer for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder. Karrie has worked in Live Sound for the past 30 years.


Panelists

Amanda Davis – FOH Engineer

Amanda is the FOH Engineer for Janelle Monae, Tegan and Sara, and Ella Mai. She has run sound Carnival Cruises ship, taught music theory and has moved into Production Managing.

 

 

 


Whitney Olpin – Monitor Engineer & Production Manager

Whitney has been the Monitor Engineer for Melody Gardot, Lauryn Hill, Fitz, and The Tantrums, Sublime with Rome, Marian Hill, X-Ambassadors, and Walk the Moon. She also mixes monitors at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank. Whitney is currently the third party production manager for Live Nation clubs and theaters in Los Angeles.


Chris Costello – Tour Manager – Production Manager

Chris is a Production Executive whose past roles include serving as the head of Production for iHeartRadio and Tour Managing the artists, Alicia Keys, Perry Farrell, Deadmau5 and The Strokes. She’s overseen live concert production in over 55 countries as well as consulted on performance space builds for many corporations. Currently, she’s the VP, Production at Warner Music Group in downtown Los Angeles.


Meegan HolmesGlobal Sales 8th Day Sound

Meegan has worked in live sound for over 25 years doing everything from system teching to mixing monitors and FOH. She is now in Global Sales for one of the largest sound system providers in the world, 8th Day Sound – Los Angeles
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Kille Knobel – Lighting Designer

Kille has been the LD for Pearl Jam for over 18 years and has toured with Cher, Bette Midler, Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, and The Smashing Pumpkins.  When she is not on the road, she works on The Jimmy Kimmel Show
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Claire Murphy – Guitar Tech

Claire has toured as a backline/guitar tech and has recently finished teching with Vance Joy as support to Pink on her stadium tour across Europe. She has also toured with Raveonettes, Therapy, Dum Dum Girls, and The Answer. Claire runs Trash Tours that provide the live music industry storage facilities, crew, splitter vans, and logistical support.


  Kate Lee – Live Sound Engineer

Kate is originally from Taiwan and is now based in Los Angeles.  She has spent the past eight years living, studying, and working in the United States. She graduated from Musician’s Institute Audio Engineering and Live Sound production program in 2012. She currently works for Rat Sound Systems as a shop technician and does freelance live sound engineering during the weekend.


 


 

Paying it Forward

 

Berklee College of Music hosted a panel on Women in Audio, this past Sunday at The Village Studios in Los Angeles. Organized by Justine Taormino, from Berklee College of Music, the panel included April Tucker, Tina Morris, and myself. We had a mix of Berklee Students and Alumni and SoundGirls members. It was a rewarding way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I love meeting and hearing other women’s stories and the paths they have taken. (more…)

SoundGirls.Org – August 2015

August 2015 Highlights (more…)

How to Deal With Competitive People

By Karrie Keyes
Or How to Encourage More Cooperation

Most of us working in the music industry work with people we view as being overly competitive and are often viewed in a negative light. We all desire a workplace where everyone works as a team and gets along, where the environment is productive and enjoyable. Co-workers that are overly competitive can create a hostile and negative work environment. (more…)

What is the Ultimate Kick Drum Mic?

By Daniella Peters

photo-21Through my work in sales at Rat Sound, one of the questions I get asked a lot is what is our favorite microphone, speaker, console, (fill in the blank). A social media post of an Audix OM7 and we get asked, which is better, an OM7 or Shure SM58? A facebook post of a show using an L-Acoustics K1 system and a photo of a show using an EAW Anya system, and suddenly the question pops up, which is the best speaker? (more…)

Live Sound Camp for Girls

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We did it!  Last week’s Live Sound Camp was fantastic and all participants (Tiffany and I included) learned a lot! First and foremost there are a lot of people to thank.  So I am going to that first. (more…)

SoundGirls.Org Brings Live Sound Camp for Girls to Modesto

By: Victoria Boyington

SoundGirl Zee mixing The Flowers

SoundGirl Zee mixing The Flowers

This week the community came together to welcome our live sound workshop, which was made possible through a joint venture with SoundGirls.Org and California Women’s Music Festival. This partnership provided a unique opportunity for girls 12 and older hands on experience setting up sound systems, learning how to make stage plots, input lists and so much more. (more…)

The Who – Pete Townshend- Eddie Vedder- Joan Jett – Joe Walsh – Rick Nielsen


A few weeks ago I opened up my email to discover that I would be going to Chicago for “Celebrating The Who” Tribute Concert. I was told that we would be bringing E.V.’s wedges (usually we bring a pair in situations like this) and that I would be getting a set list in a few days. I assumed that Ed would be playing a couple songs with The Who, and we would be in and out. I pondered the politics involved and how I would approach the monitor crew about bringing in wedges. I decided to let it sit for a few days and wait for the set list. (more…)

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