kuilo Thank You - hotamboyan

As we close in on the end of 2016 I want to take a moment to thank everyone for their time in reading this blog and for the feedback I get. This is post 189.

189!

Let that sink in, people. That many posts about lighting and touring and I’m still not done.

As I said, this week ends 2016 and next week is post number 190 and we begin 2017 with the march to 200.

It’s at this point that I will be totally honest. I have no idea what I am going to do for number 200 (for those of you that have been reading for awhile, you may  remember I enlisted the help of my friend Will Shakespeare for post 100). At least I still have a couple months to figure it out.

But, back to this week. I’m not going to do any Year in Review, Top 10 or Top 3 or Top 7 posts from 2016, any year-end stats, or any other such thing.

I will end the year with this:

May your last gig of the year not be freezing. 

May your 2017 be filled with good shows, good tour mates, and good times.

And, for the last time of 2016 …

Until next time, “It’s been real. It’s been fun. But it ain’t been real fun.” Andy Hudijch

Mark

kuilo Grumpy the Crew Chief - hotamboyan

As has become the tradition here at Bandit Dimmer Beach, it’s time for our annual holiday post. Without further ado, I give you: 

Grumpy the Crew Chief
(To the tune of Frosty the Snowman)

Grumpy the crew chief, was a really crusty soul,

With a coffee in hand and the day he planned, confirmed with one more stroll.

Grumpy the crew chief, is always cranky, so they say.

He wasn’t slow, and the locals know, to stay away all day.

There was surely no magic in that coffee he had downed,

For when he finished it up, there was still no joking around!

Oh, Grumpy the crew chief, was cranky as he could be;

And the locals say you better not play

He’s different than you and me.

Thumpety thump, thump, thumpety thump, thump

Locals make the cases go.

Thumpety thump, thump, thumpety thump, thump

Grumpy grumbles at them so.

Grumpy the crew chief, wanted load-in to end today,

So he said, “Let’s move and get in a groove so I can get away.”

Barking orders to his crew with radio in hand,

As he ran here and there and everywhere,

Sayin’, “Keep up if you can.”

He led them through the load-out too, the last case to the dock,

And only paused a moment, when he heard the truck door lock.

For Grumpy the crew chief had to hurry on his way,

So he waved goodbye, middle finger held high, sayin’ “I’ll be back again some day.”

kuilo Notes About Resumes - hotamboyan

While speaking at an industry event recently, I was asked questions about what I personally look for in resumes. I see so many of them, and I have a few general notes and pet peeves, and it wouldn’t be a post of this style without the old standby: In no particular order … 

Be careful how you fluff.

We all know of the old adage: pad your resume, but be very careful how you try to do this. Here is an example of fluff that I loathe: FOH tech for Widespread Panic. 

That was on a recent resume that came across my desk, but the funny thing is, Bandit lights the Widespread Panic tour. Maybe this person was the house guy in a venue that Widespread played at, but he was not the FOH tech for them. It is a fine line, but that crossed it.

We know our jobs.

You don’t need to tell me every little detail of things you’ve done during shows. If you tell me you were a dimmer tech on a show, then I know that you run cable and meter power, etc. If you tell me you’ve worked as a stagehand in Local XYZ, then I know you’ve “worked with many crews doing lighting, audio, video, and backline, assisting the load-in and out of numerous shows.”

I don’t care about every show you did in high school and college.

Okay, that may sound heartless... but I really don’t. I’m glad that you did them, yes, but you don’t need to list each play and/or musical. Instead of listing each individual piece, just say something like, “Worked on 10 plays throughout high school and college” or “Designed five plays and was tech on five plays throughout high school and college.”

Never tell me you were a spot-op for a show.

Ever. 

For real. Don’t. 

That is a waste of time to put on a resume.

Don't say 'You are a people person.'

I can’t think of one resume that doesn’t say this. If you do what we do for a living, you need to be a people person. Putting it on your resume won’t help you.

Have you toured?

If you have, lead with that, specifically what tours and what position. They don’t even have to be in order (I couldn’t tell you the years I was on X and Y tours). Also tell me what company. Knowing the company gives me insight into your knowledge base plus other people who may have worked with you.

Use Solid References.

We will check them, especially if we know who they are. This business is still about what you do and who you are more than a sheet of paper. If someone I trust gives you a thumbs up and a rundown of your skills, I probably don’t need a resume.

Don’t rate yourself.

Don’t put down I’m an 8 out of 10 programming an MA2 unless you really are. And here is a little hint, if you really are, see above about not needing a resume.

Other jobs and skills.

I’m not too concerned about jobs outside the industry unless it is something very unique. Military, Eagle Scout, CDL or truck driving experience, CAD skills, things like that, please let me know.

Personal Information.

Things I like to know before I talk with you:

• Do you have a passport with any restrictions (Canada is harder and harder to get into).
• Your age. You don’t have to tell people this (and it is actually illegal for an employer to ask you your age directly), but it is fairly critical information since some tours don’t want people under the age of 21 (alcohol on the bus), and some places you will be unable to rent a car or drive a truck until you are 25. 

Hopefully those things will offer a little insight as you are preparing a resume. Not everyone looks for the exact same things I do, but we are all looking for quality crew.

Until next time, “It’s the job that’s never started that takes the longest to finish.” 
-J.R.R. Tolkien

Mark

kuilo Another PSA - hotamboyan

For those of you that are new to our most interesting lifestyle, there is something that the staff at BDB would like to take a moment to talk about. After you have been on tour buses for a little bit, something happens. Something gets inside your head and never, ever leaves.

That something is the life we lead. It burrows into your soul and never goes away. It attaches itself there, latching on, and even when you think you’ve escaped it, it’s still there. Most times this is a good thing. You will always look back on the times you’ve had, both good and bad (the bad days make the best stories!), and will have experiences that most people can’t even fathom. Treasure those moments and smile fondly when you do.

But, a PSA is not used for something that is good and happy. Now we get to the dark heart of the matter. When something gets inside you so fully, there is a darkness that goes with it. 

It comes when you are sleeping, entering your subconscious, twisting itself until visions fill your head. Maybe it is something that actually happened on one of your gigs (spot ops are late), or perhaps a situation that you are always fearing will happen (your console crashes at the start of the show), or how about a scenario that’s never occurred but it feels so real.

You are experiencing a Gigmare.

There is nothing you can do to stop them, because you will have them. You’ll wake up in a cold sweat and panic, but just like a nightmare, a few seconds later you’ll realize it’s just a bad dream, your breathing will return to normal, and you’ll go back to sleep.

Cold hard fact: You may leave the gig but the gig never leaves you.

Until next time, “Of all the things you choose in life, you don’t get to choose what your nightmares are. You didn’t pick them; they pick you.” John Irving

Mark

kuilo Getting Better - hotamboyan

When I was in high school I played tennis. I wasn’t the best tennis player on the team, but I improved quicker by playing people who were better than me, and I carried that mindset with me throughout my life. 

If you surround yourself with people that are more talented or skilled than you, they push you to be better.

Another good example of this is in the game of chess (games in general, really). You will be pushed by a more experienced player. Yes, it might be frustrating to lose, and lose often, but your skills will grow, and that’s the important thing.

Being around people more experienced than you on the road can make you a better roadie, but only to a point. Now, what does that last little caveat, only to a point, mean? (Nothing is ever easy with me, is it?)

When you are but a wee road pup, you are steered in a direction and told what to do since you really aren’t sure of what to do and exactly how to do it. Then you get a little more experience and you need a little less guidance. You start to spread your wings as you soak up knowledge from everyone around you. Then you turn into that full-fledged road dog. You’re a crew chief on a big time Popstar show, you’ve been in all the buildings, seen more rigs than you can count, and have dealt with one scenario after another and come out on top each time.

Now you are at an interesting point in your career. In many cases when you reach this level you have a handful of Popstar types that you tour with when they are on tour. It’s spring, so Country Popstar is gearing up for another run and you are going to be out for the fifth year in a row with them. It’s like going home. The next year is six, then seven, then eight. But is that the best place for you in the long run?

Let’s get back to the original point: What makes you better as a roadie. 

You’re a big-time crew chief type and you have your crew and your tour and it’s like being on autopilot. There are only so many ways to rig a truss and hang lights and data a rig. There are only so many different venues and stagehands. It’s at this point that you can start to stagnate. Your skills aren’t diminishing, they just aren’t really growing either.

How do you get better then? How do you take that next step in your life on the road? 

Answer: Surround yourself with people who aren’t as strong as you. The exact opposite of what I talked about above. You will get to a point that you need to break free of your comfort zone and learn to be better by teaching those who don’t know what you do. It is both that simple and that hard. 

To push yourself, you need to be pushed by people who are not as good as you.

That ends part one of the post, but since I unintentionally hit on another topic, I will look at that scenario where we left off at year eight with your Popstar, and eight turns to nine to ten, etc. That is fantastic! Steady work is an amazing thing. When you get to this point you are oftentimes put on salary and don’t have to work for anyone but your Popstar. What happens when your Popstar retires (and they will retire before you in almost every case)?

"That’s easy," you think to yourself, "I will go get another gig." 

Not so fast! If you’ve only worked for your Popstar and lived in their world for a 10 years+, it is not so easy finding another gig. You’ve been pigeon-holed per se. On top of that, you’re too expensive for the hot, new, up-and-coming Popstar to afford, and all the veteran Popstars have their crew in place (remember, like you used to be). I’ve gotten more than a few phone calls from road dogs who have had that happen to them. Just a little something to think about as we end this week.

Until next time, “Happiness comes only when we push our brains and hearts to the farthest reaches of which we are capable.” Leo Rosten

Mark