What does a Manager do in Live Events?

In live events, a manager can be any of several roles, such as artist, tour, production, stage, venue or festival manager, each responsible for a different part of the event. When musicians say "my manager", they usually mean their artist manager.

The main manager roles in live events

Each role looks after a different part of the show:

  1. Artist manager: runs the artist's career and business, and hires the rest of the team.
  2. Tour manager: travels with the artist and runs the tour day to day.
  3. Production manager: leads the technical and logistical delivery of a show or tour.
  4. Stage manager: runs the stage during the show, keeping acts and crew on time.
  5. Venue manager: runs the building and its operations.
  6. Festival manager: runs a festival's site, budget and operations.

With so many managers involved in one event, everyone needs to know who is responsible for what. Many teams keep roles and contacts together with members and teams in Crescat.

Manager vs agent

An artist manager looks after the whole career and makes decisions with the artist. An agent only books live shows. The other manager roles, such as tour or stage manager, run specific parts of the event rather than the artist's career.

Who to contact on show day

  • Artist questions: the tour manager
  • Technical questions: the production manager
  • Stage timings: the stage manager
  • Building and safety: the venue manager or duty manager
  • Audience areas: the front of house manager

Frequently asked questions

Who is in charge on show day?

It depends on the area. The production manager leads the technical side, the stage manager runs the stage, the tour manager speaks for the artist, and the venue's duty manager has the final say on building safety.

What is the difference between an artist manager and a tour manager?

An artist manager runs the artist's career and rarely travels with every show. A tour manager travels with the artist and runs each day of the tour, reporting back to the artist manager.

What is a duty manager?

A duty manager is the venue's senior manager on shift during an event. They are responsible for the building, staff and licence conditions, and are the main venue contact for visiting teams.

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