In my late twenties, I had a mohawk and looked closer to twenty than twenty-nine. As a touring sound person, my baby face was a cause for concern among some colleagues. A seasoned audio engineer has some wrinkles and often a grey ponytail.

In part one of this blog series, I discussed what information a tour’s representatives will exchange with a venue or promoter during the advance process. For part two I’ll discuss what the venue representative will provide to tour and production managers during the advance process.

Advancing plays a vital role in live production. A large amount of information is exchanged during the advance process, requiring clear and efficient communication. To ensure nothing goes unnoticed, attention to detail throughout the process is crucial.

There have been a few rare instances in my career where a single show has been canceled. Of the two that come to mind, one was due to artist illness, the other was caused by nasty winter weather that rendered travel unsafe, and we were unable to make it to the next city.

For those of us who travel extensively, it’s hard to believe that some people don’t like flying. Even when taking the hassle of airports out of the equation, they just prefer to be on solid ground.

Being on the road can take its toll on our bodies. Not enough sleep, working long hours, eating weird stuff, traveling through different temperatures and climates. I was once unlucky enough to get pneumonia on tour, in the winter, while touring through the freezing Mid-West.

The number of people touring with a band can vary greatly depending on several factors. The larger the production, the more people required to pull it off each night.

As is true with most things in the production world, the key to a pleasant customs experience is to do your due diligence in advance. There are a few very important things to know before you head to the airport when using a carnet.

Once the decision has been made to travel with a carnet, the documentation process should begin as soon as possible. A carnet requires attention to detail, so the more time you allow yourself to create one, the better off you’ll be.