The tour manager is the one person who knows what happens next. On smaller tours they also drive, settle the show and sell the merchandise.
The daily job
- Wake calls, lobby calls and departure times
- Getting everyone to the venue and through the day
- Handling money: cash float, per diems, receipts, settlement
- Being the contact for the promoter and the venue
- Fixing what breaks, from a lost passport to a dead van
Paperwork
They own the Day sheet, the advance for each show and the accounts. The good ones send the day sheet the night before and keep receipts in order, because cost reporting and tax reclaim depend on them.
What they are paid
In Europe a day rate of 200 to 350 euro is common at club level, more on bigger productions, plus travel days at a reduced rate. Freelance is the norm, and the reliable ones are booked a year ahead.