Roadies

NZ acts don't go in for the big roadie crew -- they tend to be the preserve of larger, richer international acts that can afford that sort of help. NZ bands tend to rely more on mates who just want to pop along for the trip, and will lug a bit of gear in return for a share of the rider, and the reflected glory of being associated with the musicians (hah!). Nevertheless, many bands do get to play gigs at which roadies are in attendance, and some do get to the point of being able to hire their own crew.

So, to help out the inexperienced roadie and/or band who has little knowledge of this particular dark art, this excellent website is a treasure-trove of information for potential and current roadies, and those who may have to work with them. It's got a lingo glossary (and UK equivalents), roadie rules and band rules (very important: "The Band should not mangle well known Rock Standards at sound check, as this simply depresses EVERYONE!!"), amongst many other bits'n'pieces.

The site also has a pic of the Justin Timberlake/Christine Aguilera lighting rig (otherwise known as a truss, wouldn't you know), after it collapsed on their recent US tour. Incredibly, despite the fact there were over 30 people working on and underneath it at the time, only three people suffered minor injuries.

Roadies! They're tough!
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