Backstage Spotlight™
July 2003 Rigger Rich - Page 3
Who hires you, the venue, promoter or
artist?
Hiring of local riggers is usually done by the venue, or the promoter. The artist's
production supplier usually hires the touring rigger(s).
Describe a typical show day--i.e., what time do you arrive
at the venue, do you get to watch the show or are you usually too busy, do you get to
party after the show, what time do you finish work and leave the venue?
A typical show day starts at 8 a.m. A mean show day starts at 6 a.m. A really rotten show
day starts at 4 a.m. I rarely stay to see the show, after twenty plus years of crew
work...The only people partying after the show are the band, and the beautiful people. The
crew is immediately at work, loading out the show. They will pack eighty tons of gear into
nine semi trailers in about three hours, and at the end you would never know the show was
even there. A hardy few may have the energy to party afterwards, most of us go home and
pass out at about 2 or 3 in the a.m. The average time from start to finish is about
eighteen hours.
Is your job stressful? What are the pros and cons?
Stressful? Let's see, I'm balancing on a five inch wide I-beam, ninety-five feet above the
floor with no fall harness or belt, pulling a rope that will have ninety pounds of weight
on it, then I get to manipulate shackles to anchor it to the structure, sweating like a
pig...nah, its not too bad.
The pro is, I get paid very well. The con is, people (myself included) can get hurt or
killed if I do something stupid (or allow something stupid to happen).
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