Work – The Thein Way to Live

Music, Roadie, Travel, Uncategorized, Work

Vermont and Rhode Island- States Number 48 and 49

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Jaimee T

If you read this blog, you know that most of my writing is about the music industry. Since my work is slow right now, I figured I’d write about the other part of my life: traveling. I travel on the tour bus from show to show so I see a lot of the country from the tour bus. Technically, I’ve probably been to all the states based on driving. However, I don’t count that. I think that it’s important to spend time in each state that I’ve been to. I can personally tell you the pros and cons of each state.

This trip wasn’t a work trip, but it’s very important to mention these two states due to the nature of being a roadie. As a roadie, our agent books shows in certain areas based on contracts with the venues. Since the surrounding areas of Vermont and Rhode Island are surrounded by states such as Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania, it’s safe to say there’s really no reason to go to those states. With the states being so close in driving distance, it’s pretty easy to head over to Boston if you live in Rhode Island and go to New Hampshire if you live in Vermont

Basically, we aren’t suppose to do a show within an hour and half of each other, to keep the competition between the venues and such. Since my goal is to go to all 50 states, it was my mission to go to Vermont and Rhode Island.

It’s still snowing in Vermont, so I was lucky to catch the tail end of the spring ski season. Of course, on the last day, they got hit with snow, which I missed. But I will say it was much better skiing than I expected it to be. I figured the snow would be gone and the mountains wouldn’t be worth it. To say the least, I was impressed. Well done Vermont, I would love to come back to ski.

As we make our way down to Boston, I’ve been to Boston several times. Great city, but the mission was to go to Rhode Island. So we took the hour drive to go down and hang out with all the big mansions on Ocean Avenue. Have a very expensive and delicious lunch, and have a look at the cute towns on the water. I really wish I was born into a wealthier family.

If you haven’t been to that area, I strongly suggest you go. It’s very beautiful, there is a lot of history, great food and of course drinks. It’s very easy to drive from place to place but public transportation is great too! Now I will say… the highways in Boston are super confusing and not everyone is super friendly, and it was surprisingly still really cold for this time of year. There are more pros than cons to the northeastern part of the states. So you should go!

I think it’s important to say this, every state has its’ own personality, history, and more importantly story. There’s a lot each state has to offer big or small. Make sure you try to travel far and wide to go all the states.

career, entertainment, Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Work

Australia Part 3: Sydney

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Jaimee T

I’ll be completely honest, I really wasn’t looking forward to writing this blog post. I love Sydney and I miss it all the time. Bringing up memories of living there makes me miss it more and more each day. Writing this blog makes me very nostalgic and happy but it also makes me sad. Because the life I had in Sydney is the life that helped me create the life that I had for myself today. It’s a big part of who I am today. It’s a good thing, but remembering Sydney really makes me miss it.

It’s also a big reason why I work in the music industry today. I moved to Australia because the recession hit the midwest so bad people weren’t hiring interns. I decided to do something about it and move away. I ended up working for the Willoughby City Council as a public relations/events intern which led to the start of my career. Eleven years later, here I am, working in the music industry. Living on a tour bus, writing to you amazing people.

Living in Australia and then coming back for work was very surreal. It was a full circle of my career and it made me realize I accomplished more than I give myself credit for. I’ve worked very hard for my live events career, and I never take any part of my travels or any part of my job as just “another day”.

I’ve heard a lot of people over the years talk about Sydney and say “it’s not that great of a city”. I always ask “why” because I’m genuinely curious. Most people don’t think it has a lot of culture, it’s just another big city, and it’s not that wow factor. The list goes on, you get what I’m saying. I don’t think people really appreciate the beauty of Sydney. There is culture, food, wildlife, and everyone from everywhere in all sorts of walks of life.

There are famous beaches surrounding the East coast of Sydney, there’s a lot of Eastern and Western culture embedded all around Sydney, and I’m sorry, maybe you have been to the wrong places but I’ve had some of the best food there.

Sydney is also famous for the Sydney Opera House and the Blue Mountains. Sydney has everything that any big city should have. Did I mention they have pretty decent weather year round?

I could on and on about Sydney. The wonderfully nice people, open-mindedness, and beautifulness of seeing everyone for what and who they are. Don’t get me wrong, every big city has its problems. But I have never heard people complain about the dating or job shortages in that city.

The best part about working and touring in Sydney is experiencing my work in the city that started my career. It was probably one of the largest crowds we had through out the tour. The venue is extremely well laid out and it’s very easy to navigate and get from the CBD to the west side of the city. I loved working and touring there, I would do it all over again if I could.

Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Work

Europe Tour Part 2- The Drive to the Netherlands/Netherlands/Denmark

Posted on August 27, 2022 by Jaimee T

This really wasn’t the “tour” part, this was the travel part from the UK to the Netherlands. But I will say I got to see a lot of the world… through a double-decker tour bus. If you haven’t been to Europe, you figure out really quickly, that a lot of these countries are very close. Driving through to the UK, to take a ferry to France, then the drive to the Netherlands, you hit about 6 countries just within that drive alone. However, you do get to see some neat scenery from the cliffs of dover, to the great big large ports on the coast.

While you sleep a lot on the bus, because what else do you do on a tour bus with 11 other people, you kind of just watch the world roll by. It’s a beautiful thing to watch the scenery as you drive to your next destination. As we get off the buses in Tilburg, everyone, everywhere is riding a bike. If you know anything about me, I love public and eco-friendly transportation. Tilburg is about an hour outside from Amsterdam, a cute little tiny, just making fresh food and coffee. It made me realize staying in this city that we really can do things better in America. From food, to work life, to transportation, there are better ways and things can always be improved. One of the many cities I’m lucky enough to experience that I may never go to again.

The show in Tilburg was great, a small cute venue I would love to go back to again. However, the city struggled as it reached record temperature highs, and they don’t have AC. My favorite part of my show was my runners, I can’t do my job without the runners, and they really help me out. Harold and Max, if you are reading this, I’ll give you recommendations any day.

Fun little fact about the Netherlands, it has the best tap water in all of Europe to drink!

Then we made the trip to Denmark, and I wish we had more time to spend in Copenhagen. From unique buildings and structures, the history, and the diversity of food is outstanding. The venue we were at was well designed, easily one of the best venues I’ve been to and the venue staff is very accommodating. I wish I could have stayed longer there, but I guess I’m very excited to see where life takes me next. My plan is spend more time in Copenhagen, I have a really good friend from there, I know there’s more to offer in Copenhagen!

career, entertainment, Music, Work

We Are Not Coasting

Posted on August 7, 2020August 7, 2020 by Jaimee T

An acquaintance (who works in the events world) who I know through coworkers and such was lucky enough to work for her mom’s company during this tough time. So when she asked me what I was doing with my time her response was, “Oh, so I guess you’re just coasting.”

First off, that is one of the most insensitive things you could ever say to someone during this pandemic. I know I can be harsh and blunt, but I’m not about hurting anyone’s feelings. Especially when the entire events and entertainment world is at a standstill. And millions of people are still out of work because of the pandemic.

Secondly, if you are that person that thinks that people like us should just “get another job” because we are “coasting”. Let me put it into perspective for you.

I have been working in the events world for the last 10 years. I’ve dedicated my life and made a lot of personal sacrifices to get to where I am today. 10 years may not seem like a lot, but that is 1/3 of my life. Essentially, my entire 20s has been dedicated to putting on events. So to tell someone like me or anyone else who works in this industry to get another job, just know that is a big slap in the face to us.

Also, I don’t know what happened to being kind to people, but a lot of us are mentally struggling. We are still trying to wrap our minds around the fact that our livelihood and our careers are done. How do I know this, just look at your social media pages. It’s devasting.

I recently saw a friend, and not only did he lose his touring job. But he was diagnosed with a rare skin disease and filed for bankruptcy. So please tell me he’s coasting. Because to me, it sounds like he’s just trying to survive.

I would also like to point out, that any show/movie you are watching during this pandemic. Those people are out of work as well. So forget about the new season of whatever show you are watching in this current moment in time.

Look, I’m not trying to be mean or shame people who work normal jobs or are lucky enough to find work. I just want people to understand. The entertainment/events world is struggling. Hard.

Most of us are not getting financial support. And if we are, it’s because we actually work for an artist/actor/production company, that is lucky enough to pay their staff. That’s like hitting the lottery right now. But I would say the majority of them can’t pay their staff. With no events, means no money coming in. And I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of companies went under. It’s the sad truth.

Also, I have a lot of friends who have started their own small businesses just to pay their bills. So if you see an old band shirt on Poshmark©, please buy the shirt from them, it might mean they have water next month.

But it’s not just the people working. It’s the local venues. It’s the small artists that have been trying to get on stage for the past 10 years. It’s the people who work at big and small venues. It’s the people who produce your favorite TV show. It’s any sporting event you can think of. I could go on and on about how many people this affects. If the entertainment world doesn’t come back like it was before, just know the economy will struggle. You can kiss the Super Bowl goodbye as well.

From the bottom of my heart, if you know someone that works in the entertainment/events world, be kind to them. Literally, ask them how they are doing. While some people may be getting back on their feet, others are trying to figure out how to pay the bills.

Life, Uncategorized, Work

Enough is Enough

Posted on June 1, 2020June 1, 2020 by Jaimee T

With all the crap that’s going on in the world, I feel as though it needs to be addressed. I may lose some followers, but as hard as I fought for myself, it’s time to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.

I’ve been an advocate for women’s rights since day one. Not only is it because I’m a “cute, tiny, blonde hair, blue-eyed” girl that gets harassed on a daily basis on and off work sites. But it’s also because it’s continuing to happen in the industry that as of right now does not exist.

But right now that doesn’t matter because #blacklivesmatter.

I’ve worked mostly in white, male dominate industries from hospitality, music, and marketing. I’ve been the underdog because I’m a woman. But sometimes I forget about my white privilege.

Would I have been able to make it or even get certain jobs if I was a black woman?

The big elephant in the room is probably not or at least it would be much harder. Why? I have no idea? What is it that apparently people have such an issue with? Honestly, out of all the years of working, minority groups are some of the hardest working folks. They don’t mess around and they get s*it done. They are just trying to move up in the world like the rest of the underdogs.

Updated Portion:

**I would like to add I’ve been fortuate enough to work with some great companies and bosses. I will add that they are very progressive and forward-thinking, especially in music. And for that, I’m definitely grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given. With that being said, my work situation, I’m lucky enough that because of my hard work and effort, it’s because I’m here and where I am today. Not due to anything else including my sex and race.**

Again white privilege because I can’t completely relate but I can at least understand and have empathy for those in those situations.

So exactly, as a community, country, and individuals, how do we progress and move forward? How do we make a positive change? Especially in certain worlds, where it is still dominated by white males.

My roommate who is from the Dominican Republic said it best. “You can read, donate, and protest all you want. But until white people actually check other white people for their bad behavior, it is never going to stop.”

And she is completely right, it is time white people step it up and start fighting the fight that should have happened a long time ago. If you see white people being just a plain butt plug to minority groups, literally step in and say something. Because enough is enough.

entertainment, Life, Music, Nashville, Uncategorized, Work

What Next?

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Jaimee T

As we approach the phases of getting back to “normal”. We still don’t know what normal will be. We also don’t know what it means for live events and concerts.

So where do we go from here? A lot of people have been wondering that and quite frankly, so have I.

I know there are a lot of artists going rogue on the streaming and social media. That’s great! Keep the music alive! I know drive-in concerts are now becoming a thing. I know there are a couple of different streaming platforms that are happening and are in the works.

Will this become the new normal? The way we experience events becomes this social distancing and separating of people?

To tell you the truth, I’ve been reading a lot about what others in the industry think. And I have to agree with a lot of them. Regardless of how the events world is going to change, it’s never going to be the same as a live show with a cheering crowd.

There I said it. Eventually, can we get there? I’m hopeful, but enjoying a loud, noisy concert with the crowd singing at the top of their lungs will never be the same.

Life, Music, Uncategorized, Work

Please Respect My Time and I’ll Respect Yours

Posted on June 15, 2019June 15, 2019 by Jaimee T

Apologies for the big hiatus, I was extremely slow during this past winter and did not have much work. I literally had nothing to talk about. Now I’m swamped for the month of June and I may have three days off if I’m lucky. You gotta love this industry!

I will never complain about being busy because I could have another slow season come December. But what I will talk about in this post, is about advice and respect.

I’m the biggest advocate for asking for advice and guidance; you can never stop learning. However, I’m I don’t like it when people ask for my advice and they either blow me off or tell me I’m wrong.

Take for example resumes: Resumes no matter what industry you are in, they are important. It’s your time to shine and brag about yourself. But if I’m going through with a resume with a fine tooth comb, I’m not criticizing just because I’m only doing it because someone asked for my advice and I want that person to improve. And let’s be honest, no one is perfect! I could always improve!

At the end of the day, you can’t force people to do anything. But if there is one thing I can tell you. If someone is giving you their time, respect it. Because we only have so much of it.

career, entertainment, Love, Music, Uncategorized, Work

Music World & Dating World

Posted on January 24, 2019January 24, 2019 by Jaimee T

There is this crazy thing called dating. I know it’s been around forever and it’s how we find this thing called our “soulmate”. If you follow my blog, I talk a lot of my stresses, my ups, and downs, but not so much about my dating life.

Let me make this clear, I’m not writing this blog because I think the music industry is “bad”. I love what I do and I’m passionate about music ( as you all know). However, there are a lot of life adjustments and compromises you need to make to have your life work. One of them is dating.

Here is how the ” Hi, I’m Jaimee, I work in the music industry.” dating conversation that is called “my life” in a nutshell.

Literally… pretty much every conversation goes: ( In bold is me)

“Oh! You work in music that is so cool! What do you do”

“I help make the show run smoothly. Basically, any fires that need to be put out, I put them out.”

“Oh, so what exactly is your title?”

“Production assistant/coordinator, it changes from gig to gig.”

“Oh cool, you’ve probably have worked with some pretty amazing acts.”

“Yes, I’m grateful for the opportunity with the ups and downs of my job.”

” So what are your hours like?”

“They are pretty much all over the place, it depends on the gig. My job/festival/tour changes from gig to gig.”

” Oh, I see…”

I’ve had this exact conversation at least 20 times in the past year. Guys find me fascinating, but they don’t walk into the unknown, that is my job.

Long story short, if people don’t work shows, they have a hard time understanding what I do. And therefore, get freaked out from the unknown of hours, will I have time for anything, when I’ll be available, am I partying with the artist…

It blows my mind most guys won’t give me a chance. But it goes for my guy friends too. Girls can’t stand when they are on the road. They look at them like they just got mono from them.

So for those of you out there that want to do this. Just know that dating will be extremely hard. And people will look at you like you just farted in public.

Music, Nashville, Uncategorized, Work

“Space Cowboy”

Posted on March 1, 2018May 29, 2018 by Jaimee T

After a month of touring, I have a month off. But as awesome as it is to have time off, I need as much work as I possibly can get. Because I’m trying to work as much as I can.

#workworkwork

With that being said, I think there’s going to be a lot happening this year. There are a lot more tours going out, which means bigger line-up for festivals and arena shows. More artists are dropping albums this year which means more music to spread the love this year!

My prediction is this year, a lot of people in Nashville will be dropping a new album. Kacey Musgraves will be coming out with her new album in March and I am excited about it!

I’ve been a fan of her music since she started her career. She tells an old, country story with a modern-day message. She’s old meets new but there’s something profound about her music. It’s not the most upbeat but it is beautiful and catchy in its own way. I applaud her for sticking to her sound. She’s unique in the country world. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I genuinely love her music.

Music, Work

Worth It

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Jaimee T

Whether we are fighting for the next position, the next #1, the next move, the next dude, or the next war, we are constantly fighting for something.

The artist I was on tour with, she will more than likely hit #1 on the country charts within the next couple of weeks.

I was watching the ACMs tonight and I saw my friend playing drums for one of the bands on stage.

This stuff does not happen overnight, it takes a long time.

My friend who plays drums has been playing for the past ten years in Nashville.

The artist who I used to work with has been on stage since she was 16.

So whether you like them, hate them, or don’t care for them, I hope everyone can appreciate the dedication, the time, the money, the effort it takes to get there.

While life may be great and glamorous from the outside, on the inside it can be rough and dirty.

I want to take this time to say in my blog to say congrats to everyone who is making strides in their career. To those who are making leaps and bounds in life. And most importantly, staying true to who they are. You deserve it.