WORKING IN SHOWBIZ

THE LADDER

That career ladder is both a blessing and a curse. For me it was almost my downfall when in 2022 I needed money after the pandemic. The severe shortage of live sound engineers lured me back, 25 years after I stopped mixing shows.

I went on a self-learning voyage from analogue audio to digital. Knowing signal flow like the back of my hand, it wasn’t too hard to learn a digital console. I started on an Allen & Heath QU-16 at the local pub, The Unity Hall. No one other than the band cares if you stuff up, so it was an ideal test chamber.

Gigs were flying my way, and I started to (re) climb the ladder. I learned Yamaha, Midas, and top end A&H. Last year, I was promoted above my pay grade and found myself making mistakes during shows – nothing the audience would discern, but stuffing up in-ear mixes which sure did concern some artists. I realised I’d gone too fast and been given gigs based on my name, not my actual ability. It started to stress me out, such that my Apple Watch would flash a warning my heart rate was high, just before I hit the ‘next cue’ button!

At my age I work hard to eliminate stress because it literally could kill me! I decided to step down and stop mixing audio. I did my last gig on Australia Day 2024. I haven’t missed it and I’m slowly learning to love live music again. I still cannot endure a ‘covers’ band, having worked with so many crappy versions and even worse, the ‘Dad’ bands of blokes reliving their younger lives, telling the exact same stories, and hitting on women young enough to be their daughters.

The career ladder is a very good aspect of working on shows, because it usually fits your ability and level. You become ‘known’ for what you do and hired because of it. Sadly, the adage ‘you are only as good as your last gig’ is also true. If you tread with care, you can build skills and be rewarded for them, at your own pace. That often doesn’t happen in a ‘straight’ career.

Feast and Famine

One of the major mental health issues is when you are ‘up’ and firing on all cylinders, and then your show or tour comes to an end. Today’s well-bonded crew team go their separate ways and suddenly become competitors for the next gig. You are potentially homeless, alone, and the bank account starts to drain.

Lighting Designer for KISS, Sean ‘Motley’ Hackett, says he always saved money on the road because he had little need to spend – music tours at the top level feed their crew. You literally live on a tour bus, arrive at the arena for breakfast and shower, then wash your clothes. Your entire life is around the tour, the venues have signs that tell you what city you are in, and what day of the week it is! The tour will put you in a nice hotel on your day off. If you get a day off.

The people I know who have a successful and sustainable career rely on saved money for downtime plus reputation and contacts for ongoing work. These take time to accrue. At the start of your career, you need to rely on a ‘plan B’ job which can be as basic as mowing lawns or driving Uber. Without it, you could end up broke and bummed out.

You’ll need someone to cover your back and preferably love you like a mother, dad, or lover. If you are a loner by circumstance or design, you’ll need some kind of support network.

It worries me when people I know go off the radar and I know of some who ended their lives. That is the deep downside to a career within entertainment, both on and off the stage. Be careful and be good to yourself.