As of December last year, I moved into a new role looking after the Touring Operations for Future Classic. This includes booking travel, freight and backline, contracting and advancing shows, compiling worksheets, managing budgets and settlements, and anything that falls into the touring component of our artists’ careers. I also continue to work as a Tour Manager.

hen it comes to being a one-stop shop for artists, Future Classic is the genuine article, encompassing management, label, booking agency and publishing all under the one umbrella. Having previously worked with the Future Classic team as both Flume and Flight Facilities Australia/NZ Tour Manager, in this role I’m now across the touring of all artists on the management roster including Touch Sensitive, George Maple, Panama, Ta-Ku, HWLS and Charles Murdoch.

When it comes to Tour Management, or working on the road, there is no normal. That said, typically a show day might go something like lobby call, flying to the next city, landing and picking up a hire car, checking the band in at the hotel, taking crew to venue to start loading in, advancing the next day’s travel, collecting the band (and towels) and bringing them to sound check, finalising the guest list, doors, show, loading out, getting everyone to after parties or to the hotel and then sleep.

I started working for Sunset Events in Perth as an office volunteer as part of a university internship nearly 10 years ago. I worked with them on and off for a few years, before relocating to Melbourne and working for Correne Wilkie. I was fortunate to gain a broad spectrum of knowledge in the role, but it was touring and logistics which I gravitated towards and through working many different jobs including tour management, have gone on to make a career out of. Prior to all of this, I was working with Virgin Blue, and studying a Wine Marketing degree so it’s safe to say I chose to work in music.

Experience is key. There’s no books or lectures that will prepare you for what working in the industry is really like; you need to learn that yourself first hand. Volunteer, do internships, go to shows, and build relationships.

While not a favourite at the time, in retrospect it makes for a laugh. An artist I was tour managing decided when they came off stage one night that they wanted to head down the coast to a spot 3 hours away, so they could wake up there in the morning. Heading off at midnight, it was 2am when we were broken down in a regional petrol station, calling the only hotel in town still open to squeeze 8 people into a 2 bedroom apartment. We did get to the spot the next day for that swim however, and headed back up that afternoon for another show.

4 weeks.

In short, the year ahead is going to be epic. There’s a lot of activity across the Future Classic roster which means plenty of shows, plenty of travel and an adventure or two thrown in for good measure.

At the risk of sounding cliche, I take a lot of inspiration and guidance from other women I’ve worked for and with who are fiercely driven and at the top of their game. Our industry is filled with strong willed, intelligent, creative females who continue to work tirelessly and push boundaries on the daily, and I find it truly empowering. Plus, my mum and Granny. They are troopers.

No buzz bands here, just acts with new albums I’m looking forward to hearing:

Death Cab For Cutie, Kanye West and Seth Sentry.

Seth Sentry

Ace Of Base – The Sign. Every time.