Tag: Career

Posted in Music, Roadie, Travel, Uncategorized, Work

Vermont and Rhode Island- States Number 48 and 49

Posted on 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.

Posted in career, entertainment, Music, Uncategorized

What’s Next?

Posted on by Jaimee T

This year, everyone thought 2023 would be completely back to normal. Everything would be fine and it would be like 2020 never happened. Well, that’s not the case. Between inflation, skyrocketing prices, and gas, people can’t tour. There are a lot of many factors, but the main one is money.

There’s been a lot of talk in the industry that people are taking it really slow this year. Are they working on music, are they taking time off, or are there just stepping back and waiting to see what’s going on in the world. I can’t go into too many logistics but basically, it’s very expensive to tour for just a couple of days.

You have to rent the equipment, rent tour buses, get gas, get groceries, pay for the trucks, get hotel rooms, and possibly flights, did I mention you have to pay the crew? The crew includes as far and wide as TM, PM, PA, lighting, video, rigging, audio, truck drivers, and bus drivers. Then on top of it, as an artist, you have to pay your agent, your manager, your record label, and your publicist… you see where I’m getting at with this.

With the cost of everything going up, it doesn’t make sense to tour. Especially for the smaller/ just getting started artists. Let’s say you are an artist and you are going to about 500/2000 person venue(s). Right, so depending on your contract, you are either getting a set rate or you are getting a portion of the ticket sales. Now depending on the venue, these ticket sales can be anywhere from 5 dollars to 75 dollars. And that’s not including taxes and fees. Chances are, the ticket sales, or your rate, are not going to cover the amount to pay everyone, pay the expenses, and then pay yourself just to go out for the weekend.

So what’s next? As an industry, we need to think about new and inventive ways to make money. Will Las Vegas residency become a thing? Where an artist just stays in one city for a certain amount of time? Will venues have to start paying more for the acts to come to their city? It’s a real toss-up with what will happen next, but we just have to keep trucking and see what happens.

This is a great article about the harsh realities of our industry. I hope you take a read!

https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/lorde-explains-harsh-reality-of-touring-in-2022-says-its-a-demented-struggle-to-break-even-or-face-debt/#:~:text=Press%20Image%20Provided-,Lorde%20Explains%20Harsh%20Reality%20Of%20Touring%20In%202022%2C%20Says%20It’s,Break%20Even%20Or%20Face%20Debt%E2%80%9D&text=New%20Zealand%20singer%2Dsongwriter%20Lorde,side%20of%20touring%20in%202022.
Posted in career, entertainment, Music, Travel

Down Under Part 4: Auckland, New Zealand

Posted on by Jaimee T

While I could stay in Australia forever and ever, it was time to finish our tour in Auckland, New Zealand. I’m going to sound like a spoiled brat, but I’m telling you this for future reference. If you decide to go to New Zealand, make the south island a priority. I think it is prettier, greener, and most of it has all the “fun stuff” that everyone talks about. Skydiving, white water rafting, Milford Sound, you get the picture. The south island is where everything is at. I especially love Queenstown, I can’t wait to go back there. There’s a reason why they call it the “adventure capital” of the world.

Auckland is the one of New Zealand’s biggest urban cities. It’s also known for its skyline and all the other cool islands around it. Other than that, I can’t say that much about Auckland. To me it’s another big city, but all the surrounding islands and landscapes around it is pretty cool. You can drive two hours to see where they filmed Lord of the Rings, there’s also all of these cool mud hot springs, but also great wine and wildlife in the area. There are tons of boat tours and tons of scenery to see outside the city.

Luckily, I’m a chatterbox, and I was told by a handful of locals to go to Waiheke Island, basically not known for much except for sights, food, and lots of wine. It was just starting to get into the summer, so not too many people were on the beaches. But it’s better than the weather that I’m currently experiencing in Nashville. I would totally go back early in the morning because it would be a good day trip… to drink wine and eat food.

I was under the weather and due to high restrictions still in place in New Zealand, I was not allowed in the venue. I think the show went well, but I was working from my hotel room. Overall, the run down under went fairly smoothly with some bumps and hiccups in the road.

I’ll be completely honest, touring down under is hard and arduous. There are no tour buses and you are dealing with a big island that’s the size of the US. If you don’t plan accordingly, you’ll be going up and down left and right, flying all around til you get to the show. You’ll get crowds in Australia, but you won’t get the sleep on show days.

It was a great learning experience. It taught me more about traveling, traveling fast-paced in a large country, but most importantly about me. It taught me a lot about my patience, my value, and my worth. But more importantly, I like to think I’m pretty good at my job. It’s very easy in this industry to get lost in what you do, to get lost in the sea of people, but just stand up for yourself and just do your job well.

Easier said than done.

Posted in career, entertainment, Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Work

Australia Part 3: Sydney

Posted on 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.

Posted in career, entertainment, It's going to be OK, Life, Music, Uncategorized

Be Proud

Posted on by Jaimee T

It is almost March 2021 and it will be a year since this whole thing went down. While most of us are over this and exhausted (I know I am), take the time to be proud of yourself.

Be proud of the fact you made it a year, changing your whole life around to help the community around you.

Be proud of the fact that you probably accomplished more than you think! I know I did!

Be proud of the fact that you didn’t give up. You kept fighting through this whole thing. Mentally and spiritually.

Be proud of the fact that you developed new hobbies and found new ways to entertain yourself!

Be proud of the fact that you took the time to think about what really matters to you in this life.

Be proud of the fact that you did your best to make it through it!

Be proud of the fact that you are awesome, you are doing great, and there is hopefully light at the end of the tunnel.

Posted in career, entertainment, Life, Music

Everyone is in the Same Boat

Posted on by Jaimee T

If you follow this blog, you know this blog was mostly about music. Well guess what COVID-19 happened and it’s STILL happening. It’s 12 days in 2021 and I’m already mentally exhausted. I’m exhausted about what’s going on in the world. I’m exhausted about my career and after 10 years of working towards it, my career just disappeared.

I’m tired of the news and all the negativity. I’m tired of the peoples’ flakiness because let’s be honest, we are all struggling. We are all drowning in the same water, some of us just have boats and yachts others have canoes and life vests. Just remember that when you decide to play the “woe is me” card.

I know I sound so mean, rereading what I typed, it can sound really harsh. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I’m not trying to be mean, I’m trying to be honest. I have friends in music who are struggling and I have people who work in medical that are struggling. Everyone is struggling in their own way and the scary part is the ones that don’t show pain are the ones that are struggling the most.

I wish I could write about what’s going on in music and the next show/artist you should go see next. I wish I could write about a the next artist I’m going on tour with. I wish I could write about the newest production that is happening on stage. I just wish I could happen about what’s going on in the world of music and entertainment in general.

Life sucks right now. Most of our worlds have flipped upside down and inside out. It’s an adjustment for everyone. So I leave you with this. Remember the scene in Bridesmaids, where Annie’s mom says, “Honey, I think this is your rock bottom. But you know what’s good about hitting rock bottom, you can only go up.”

Annie kind of rolls her eyes because she’s heard that line before and then later in the movie Annie says, “Hey mom, remember when you said I hit rock bottom… that wasn’t it.” And like most movies it has a sappy, happy ending. I can’t guarantee your life will have a bow at the end of your ending. But I will tell you, I’ve hit rock bottom, it’s not as bad as it seems. Believe me, I got through it, and if this is your rock bottom. Just know, you will get through this.

Posted in career, entertainment, Music, Work

We Are Not Coasting

Posted on 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.

Posted in career, Music, Uncategorized

So Slow, So Keep Moving

Posted on by Jaimee T

Fair warning: To whoever wants to work in touring, festivals and production world; this is a very slow time of year. Very slow. Like super slow. I think paint drys faster than the months of December through February. This is a really good time to go on holidays and break away from the world.

Like it is so slow everyone is trying to find work… literally any kind of work. I think even most of the venues in Nashville are slow that’s how slow it is. But even if you have work coming in January, February, March, people are STILL looking to occupy their time.

For work right now, I’m working for a wardrobe stylist and working at a venue. I think I said that in my last post. But even then I’m still looking for work. Because I like to work. I’m a workaholic.

So right now, my focus is on this year and getting big gigs and moving my career to the next level. I highly suggest if you are in this field of work that you do the same thing.

 

Posted in Music, Uncategorized

Go With It … And Your Strengths

Posted on by Jaimee T

You know how everyone is known for something? Everyone has their niche or the thing that they are really good at.

I’ve noticed over the years certain comments people say about me, professional and personally. Here are the few comments that have stuck with me:

“Most Improved”

“Honest and passionate”

“Hard worker and ambitious”

Honestly, I would say those are not the best comments in the world, not really, I would like to be told I’m a leader and have great ideas. But lately, I’m getting random calls and texts to work more events. Which means I’ve got to be pretty good at what I’m doing and what I’m known for.

Whether you are the musician or the person working backstage or in the office, you have to find what you are good at. And you play off of it because people will notice your strengths more than your weaknesses if you do.

I find that’s the biggest problem with artists these days. As an artist it not only has to suit you and what you stand for musically but the ones that have a following, the ones that really make it, their fans love it too. And if it is something unique and special that you have, people will notice.

You have something going on that’s good, go with it.

 

 

Posted in Music, Uncategorized

Don’t Give Up

Posted on by Jaimee T

For the first time ever, I really enjoy being home for Christmas. I haven’t done much since I have been here but living in nostalgia… Is that how you use it?

Anyways, I’m really excited because my dad got me a keyboard/synthesizer and I’m bringing back my saxophone to Nashville. Needless to say, I hope I get my musicianship back and hope that things will be great next year.

As I told my parents last night, I want to do it all. I want to be able to say everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I conquered and did well at it.

Music is always one of my biggest obstacles, I’ve always been able to play and read. And I was once really, really good. But life got in the way, so I hope this time it doesn’t.

Do I need a bit of practice, sure, I’ll admit it! But at one point in time, everyone did.

I hope that everything falls into place.