JAMIE MAYES | INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

For our latest Industry Spotlight feature, we sit down with tour manager Jamie Mayes to unpack the realities of life on the road - from early mornings and late-night settlements to the unseen logistics that keep tours running smoothly. With a career built from grassroots beginnings in local music scenes to working across international tours, Jamie offers a candid look at the challenges, rewards, and behind-the-scenes work that fans rarely see. Whether it’s routing shows, managing crew welfare, or maximizing merch revenue, this conversation sheds light on the vital role a tour manager plays in bringing live music to life.

Hi Jamie, we appreciate you taking the time to have a chat. Can you give us a quick elevator pitch about you and your career?

Hey ! Thanks for thinking of me! My way into the industry was a pretty standard entry, I had always been very involved in my local scenes, playing in bands and attending shows and things. As those bands started to grow I soon realised that I was falling out of love with being on stage and much preferred being the one who was dealing with everything behind the scenes. I then started to jump onto tours with friends bands, from there it grew and as I toured more I made so many more connections and luckily for me the offers and work have carried on.

People hear the title TM all the time, but few understand the scope. Can you walk us through a typical show day? From wake-up to settlement and where you add the most value?

It sounds cliché but my day usually starts before anyone else is awake. The first thing I like do is check the day sheet and any emails to make sure there’s no unexpected updates to the day. Once I’ve done that then I’ll find coffee.

On arrival to the venue I’ll meet with the promoter rep etc., have a quick venue walk through to check out dressing rooms, catering, and any production details.  I try and do some video walk throughs or photos to send to any group chats we have so people have an idea on the venue layouts, points of entry etc. Then we will move onto security briefings ensuring, ensuring the guestlist if given to the rep and any passes are handed over ready for doors.

There are times where I’ll be pulling double duty so that may be selling merch or working in a tech capacity, if that’s the case the ill ensure counts are done and anything for the stage is set up, guitars are cleaned and in working order and everything is ready for soundchecks.

Once the show is down ill start preparing for settlement with the promoter, looking over our merch sales and sorting any merch cuts if they are in place. Then its off to bed 

When routing a tour, what factors matter most - geography, venue size, ticket history, crew fatigue, budgets? What’s something fans would never realize goes into choosing tour dates?

Routing is really a balance between logistics and strategy. Thankfully the artists I work with have great teams around them that take care of that before it hits my inbox, that’s not to say we haven’t done some absolute stinker of routings before and likely will again.

Geography obviously matters because long drives increase costs and fatigue. But you also have to look at ticket history, market demand, venue capacity, and how the routing fits with any other events that may be taking place at the time. Something fans probably don’t realise is how many external factors affect dates. Venue availability is huge. So, it’s not always a case of the band ignoring a territory venue availability may just not be there.

Besides being out on the road and managing logistics, what are some of the the behind the scenes operations that your normal person would not be aware of at all?

A lot of the job happens long before the tour starts. You’re coordinating advance emails with venues weeks ahead of each show — confirming production specs, stage plots, hospitality riders, parking, load-in schedules, and local contacts.

There’s also a lot of financial management. Tracking daily expenses, reconciling settlements, managing per diems for the band and crew, and trying to keep the tour within budget.

Another big one for me is crew and band welfare and morale. When you’re travelling together for weeks or at times even months, ensuring sure people get enough rest, food, and downtime is crucial. A healthy crew keeps the whole tour running smoothly.

To fans it may look like everything magically appears at the venue every night, but in reality, it’s a lot of planning, spreadsheets, and constant communication. 

What are the biggest differences between domestic and international runs - visas, currency, cultural differences, production and supplier standards?

International touring definitely adds more complexity. Visas and work permits are the first hurdle. Depending on the country, you might need months of preparation and documentation just to legally perform. Then there’s customs and carnets for equipment. Every piece of gear has to be documented when crossing borders, so it doesn’t get taxed or held up. Currency differences also affect settlements, budgets, and accounting. Exchange rates can significantly impact a tour’s profitability.

Production standards can vary a lot between countries and even at times cities. Some markets have incredibly high-end infrastructure, while others require more flexibility and creative problem solving.

Culturally, you also have to adapt to different working styles, hospitality expectations, and local regulations. It’s challenging, but it’s also one of the most rewarding parts of touring. I had a real culture shock when working in America and having union allocated stage blackouts for example. But that’s also one of the fun parts of what I do is gaining the knowledge of these differences and then knowing next time what to expect, it’s the age old every day is a school day.

From a tour manager’s perspective, what habits or qualities make an artist easy and fun to tour with? What advice would you give to up-and-coming acts?

The best artists to tour with are the artists who understand that touring is a team effort and what you put in you get back out.

Being respectful to everyone on the tour and the wider network, sticking to schedules, and communicating clearly goes a long way. When artists appreciate the people around them — drivers, techs, merch sellers, venue staff — the whole atmosphere of the tour improves, it really can make or break a day.

Preparation also makes a huge difference. Having organised show files, clear production needs, and realistic expectations makes everyone’s job easier.

For up-and-coming acts, my biggest bit of advice would be:

·         Treat everyone in the venue with respect

·         Be organised and professional

·         Understand the financial realities of touring

·         Look after your crew and bandmates

·         Your reputation travels quickly in the industry and being great to work with opens a lot of doors.

The music industry enables people to see places and meet people that no regular job could really offer. Any standout moments that made you stand back and think this is rad and worth it all in the end.

There are definitely moments where I stop and realise how unique the job is. My first time on an international tour for example was a real stop and think how the hell did I end up here moment. Seeing different cities every day, getting to experience local culture. I remember my first bus tour and not being able to sleep, having a coffee driving into Switzerland and seeing the mountains as the sun was coming up, my first time in the states and realising just how massive that place is. Even the points that don’t directly involve me, a band you’ve been working with for a while and standing side stage watching them get this insane reaction and seeing the jubilation on their faces when they come off stage is so rewarding.

In ways the people you work with become your family away from home, they become your safety net and that can’t really be beaten. I’m very lucky that touring has brought me friends not just work colleagues, people I talk to everyday, that I will call if I need help with things. It’s not an easy job I think there are people who don’t work in the industry and think it’s like they see in the movies, whereas in reality you’re away from home for extended periods of time, battling time zones to call home. But the moment you have a show finish, and you see the look on the band, crew and fans face you know it’s just an amazing job to have.

Lastly, do you agree that merchandise is a revenue engine, and should not be treated as an afterthought? What operational or financial mistakes do you see artists make when it comes to maximizing merch

revenue on the road?

Merch is absolutely one of the most important revenue streams on tour now, especially for developing artists. With streaming payouts being insanely low, merch has become one of the few ways bands can directly monetise the connection they have with fans at shows. When it’s done properly, merch can be the difference between a tour breaking even and actually being profitable. it shouldn’t ever be treated as an afterthought — it should be part of the tour strategy from the start.

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen artists make is underestimating demand or not planning stock properly. Bands will often print too few items or not bring enough size ranges, which means they leave money on the table when things sell out early in the run. On the flip side, overprinting without considering tour length and audience size can leave artists sitting on unsold stock. Carefully considering projections based on previous tours and any data you can gather will always pay off, yes, it’s more work but the efforts will pay off.

Not investing enough into the design and quality of the merch. Fans are much more likely to buy something that feels like a piece of the band’s identity rather than unfortunately as were seeing more and more AI designs on a shirt. Strong designs and good quality garments go a long way.

Operationally, a lot of artists also overlook the importance of having someone dedicated to merch sales. If the band is trying to handle merch themselves after a set while also meeting fans and loading out, sales can easily be missed. A dedicated merch seller who understands pricing, stock management, and fan interaction can significantly increase revenue. But the flip side of this which needs to be considered is that budgets do not always stretch to another on the person on the team especially at a grass roots level. For developing artists, I would always suggest a divide and conquer approach where different members of the band deal with different aspects of the night, whether it be packing up and loading to selling merch and meeting fans.

There are also financial details that teams sometimes overlook, for example merch cuts, local tax rules, and proper cash and card handling. If those aren’t planned for ahead of time, they can eat into margins quickly.

At the end of the day, merch works best when it’s treated as part of the overall touring operation — with proper planning, good design, clear pricing, and someone responsible for managing it every night. When that’s in place, it can become one of the most reliable Revenue streams a band has on the road.

Rapid-fire round – finish the sentence:

a) My favourite part about working in the music industry is, the travel, getting to see the artists I work with grow, finding new coffee spots

b) Bands on rotation currently –  Greywind, Good Terms, Action Adventure, Vana

c) When I’m not working, I like to – Chill out with the family, drink good coffee

d) Something people would be surprised to learn about me is -  I'm working towards applying for my PhD within the next year

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/j_may_es/

E-mail - jamie@timelessmgmt.co.uk