Hi Looking for some information on Stage Truck, what the wages and the work is like and how long you are away for etc. I understand that they start new drivers on general haulage European work before they let you loose on the tour work, so any info about the general haulage side would be a great help. Thanks
It’s like any rock 'n roll work, it’s more a lifestyle choice than a job.
The money is reasonable when you are working, but most of the time you won’t be, it’s “casual basis” work. If you are prepared to do general haulage during the quiet periods than you’ll be in with a shout because most of the “ponytail brigade” are too posh to touch it. 
<------ See name.
Are you married? If so, forget it. You can be a away 6 months.
They don’t start new drivers AFAIK due to the value of what you have and the severe deadlines. Imagine carrying a PA and you get lost or have a screw up? There could be a stadium needing rigged.
As an example, the value of the average flight case is £80,000.
stagedriver:
<------ See name.Are you married? If so, forget it. You can be a away 6 months.
They don’t start new drivers AFAIK due to the value of what you have and the severe deadlines. Imagine carrying a PA and you get lost or have a screw up? There could be a stadium needing rigged.
As an example, the value of the average flight case is £80,000.
Would they not try people out on double drives first? If not I believe Trans Am do.
I could be wrong but the only double man work is foreign stuff. Would be very surprised if they took on someone new.
If someone turned round to you and said have you got the trailer with the thrust deck on or have you got LX trussing on blah blah they would expect you to know what it is.
It’s not just driving your a roadie too. You would need experience on the technical/equipment side.
As an example I got into it when I left school I studied theatre electronics and got into the trucking when I was 19 (through a friend) and then went on to work for the big guys. Then left to become a bent cop
To be honest your best bet will probably be to start at the likes of KB, kibbles, domino or stars, then work your way in move up through the ranks!
You will not just walk into a major touring company and be taken seriously.
Get to know the industry doing exhibitions, corporate and supply and then you can approach the big guys and say that you have been there done that.
I’m offering a suggestion through complete blindness here towards trucking in this industry but with some knowledge of the entertainment industry through experience, but wouldn’t somebody like Paul Matthews be a good place to start ? They seem to do UK theatre tours which would get you into the running of such an operation without so much of the stress as you would be on UK work. Another idea would be to find a company (I think fly by nite do it) that do the comedian’s UK tours such as John Bishop etc.
Then you could also try finding work with companies such as for example Adlib Audio (www.adlibsoltions.co.uk). They are local to me and there are hundreds of companys like them who deal in sound and lighting. They may rig out small gigs right up to bigger tours. For example, before they lost the contract they used to supply to the Liverpool Mathew Street Festival. It was only one set up and one dismantle. A lot of these companies have massive warehouses were everything is practiced first before going out on the road.
I’d expect a lot of that work would be night work too. Everytime I go to a gig and you see the trucks outside there are always queues of people laughing, joking and drinking around the trucks in queue’s etc. I’d love to tag along for a week or 2 to see what happens in them jobs though.
I’ve been asked to go for an interview and was told I would start on general haulage before I would be doing the tour work which is fine by me before, I would be happy just to stay on general haulage, so that is why I asked about the pay and the job on the general haulage side of it and not the touring side.
stagedriver:
I could be wrong but the only double man work is foreign stuff. Would be very surprised if they took on someone new.If someone turned round to you and said have you got the trailer with the thrust deck on or have you got LX trussing on blah blah they would expect you to know what it is.
It’s not just driving your a roadie too. You would need experience on the technical/equipment side.
From what I gather the drivers at Trans Am (at Least) don’t get that involved in the roadie stuff, they are responsible for the truck and the loading. But that would be the experienced drivers job. They use drivers who are new to the industry for the double drives first, (I did go and see them a couple of years ago when looking for work and that’s what they told me I’d probably be doing at first) it gives the company a chance to see if they fit the job, and they don’t have to really worry about if it’s x y or z in the back, that the main drivers worry.
Although I’d really need somebody like Euromat to confirm this.
From what you are saying it sounds much more like what I do in motorsport, get the truck to the circuit and then set-up the kit.
But even doing that I’ve worked with drivers who’ve never done motorsport work or they’d done motorsport work, but only just got their licence.
Although they would do their share of the driving I was ultimately responsible for the truck, kit, getting to the circuit on time and setting up. If it went well and they fitted in and stayed, (I did also get to work with some right [zb]'s 
) they’d learn rest of the job and it would change from me being “in charge” to working as a team, much better for me when somebody knows what has to be done and gets it done without being asked.
BigE:
I’ve been asked to go for an interview and was told I would start on general haulage before I would be doing the tour work which is fine by me before, I would be happy just to stay on general haulage, so that is why I asked about the pay and the job on the general haulage side of it and not the touring side.
You’re 90% there then. 
and good luck with the interview. 
muckles:
BigE:
I’ve been asked to go for an interview and was told I would start on general haulage before I would be doing the tour work which is fine by me before, I would be happy just to stay on general haulage, so that is why I asked about the pay and the job on the general haulage side of it and not the touring side.You’re 90% there then.
well thats a foot in the door.
start on general, and if your good it will get noticed and you could move on to the tours, good luck.
as for the comment, that you’d need some sort of extra skill, know your way round the kit etc, in my experience you won’t.
i’ve done it, and all i’ve ever been responsible for is the truck, the load and its security, and getting to the gigs on time.
its not rocket science, but fools, and drivers that want to be, or think they are bigger than either the band, the crew, or the lead driver don’t last long. hope that helps.
Yes your right you can get by being just a driver but you have to admit it makes the job a lot easier knowing the industry and you will go further.
A lot of guys who come from general will load a truck, job done but its a lot better when you know how to do it properly and what’s expected, what can tip what has to stay on wheels, the kind of load in at the venue your going to have, wether a tele will be available or wether it will be bay/ ramp.
You can start to look a bit of a fool when people say things like Belgium that amp rack or leave room for 4 genies and you have no idea what’s being said.
I came in as a complete newbie and got all my experience at a local corporate company and then moved to KB where I worked for 2 years.
I have now moved to fly by nite and am still learning.
It’s a small industry and one ■■■■ up is remembered and heard about by everyone, I chose to have my small ■■■■ ups at these companies so I don’t affect something critical.
Also there is less of a work load at the smaller companies but with all of the benefits, smaller comedy tours and music dates, theatrical work etc so you can build yourself up to it.
I chose that way as I knew it would be a very different life style and it works for me. Some may be able to walk straight in and work well I do agree but for me personally my way was the sensible way
like you, i went into it as a complete noob and agree the more you know, the better it is.
i went straight in on a big tour, which was daunting. went empty to milan, and when introduced to the lead driver explained that i knew how to drive, could find my way around, but was concerned about loading the trailer the right way as was new to the tour work. as it was a big tour, i was lucky and got a pretty easy set cart load. from there, i just watched and learned as much as poss along the way. i found if you didn’t give it the big un and were straight with the established drivers, and all the local crews, they’d give you alot more respect, and help you along the way.
I agree, everyone enjoys the job and has a little showy off pride in the job but there’s plenty of rock god idiots out there that soon get found out. I started getting that way but had a colleague knock me down a few pegs and for that I am grateful.
I wish the OP good luck, but would say if he is not successful read this thread again and try the other routes
If you apply to Fly By Nite, it’s likely you’ll get on tour immediately (whether you have experience or not)!
But as was said earlier that’s a risk, one ■■■■ up your out and won’t get a chance anywhere else.
mikey-t:
But as was said earlier that’s a risk, one [zb] up your out and won’t get a chance anywhere else.
That’s not true… A number of your colleagues have dropped huge b*****ks, they’re stilled employed by FBN or other touring companies!
Obviously yes there are circumstances I’m simply trying to generalise and be a realist here.
Yes people have made huge mistakes and carry on working but I have also seen people walk in fresh faces drop a bollock and never seen them again. It’s the way of the industry.
I’m not arguing for arguments sake I am just saying I came in thought because I had passed my test I could do it all and we all know that isn’t the truth. And in my short time in this game k have heard all the stories, I have even been a few of the stories.
I just think its best to do things the normal way, you can come in get straight on a tour and spend the rest of your life happy, it can happen,
But there’s always 2 sides, there’s the guys that last one season can’t hack it and disappear, there’s the idiots that can be kept on but never seem to get anywhere special, then there are the likes of the famous story of the guys who stayed up all excited to see the show, and either fall asleep in a lay by and get kicked off tour or worse fall asleep at the wheel.
I was helped out by guys on here and guys at the other companies when I first started and that’s all I am doing here. Trying to help people by telling the truth