#259 - Claire Heat

0:00 Hello and welcome to Geezers of Gear with the Ladies. Now don't worry everybody, Geezers of Gear with our brilliant host Marcel is still here. Not going away. Marcel and I just had a lovely idea that don't hide me in the back. Let's bring me out from and why not have a special edition of Geezers Gear, but with the ladies. So it's me, Sarah Burnie. For those of you that don't know me, I am the producer for Geezers of Gear. I've known Marcel for quite a few years now and I live in Crete in Greece, which is a beautiful island and I'm very lucky enough to work remotely. Now.

0:48 When we came up with this concept, I didn't know how to put it all together, how it was going to sort of how it was going to unfold and I still don't. So I have actually recorded with my amazing friend Claire who we met on Coldplay and I knew that if there was somebody that I wanted to do the very first geese of gear with the ladies, it would be this fantastic woman. Now, as always, or I say as always, well, I had a few glitches at the start. So 10 minutes at the start of the keys of gear with the ladies, it's a little bit iffy, but you can still hear our conversation.

1:35 It's still great. And then it rolls into the rest of the podcast. So with no further ado, I'm going to introduce Claire. So Claire is a highly motivated individual with over 25 years experience in the industry, specialising in events and special projects for the music, television and film industries. She has huge amounts of energy, a strong work ethic, bags of enthusiasm, common sense and professionalism. Claire started working in the industry as a stage crew while studying at university and has had different roles within that time from Event Manager, backstage artist liaison, driving bands and sold merchandise all over the UK, Europe and the US.

2:30 Tour management worked for BAFTA Production Assistants, VIP Manager and now LED Tech. Claire has worked with some of the biggest bands including Sir Elton John, Eric Clapton, Coldplay, Mariah Carey, and Roger Waters to name but a few. I can't wait for you to hear this podcast and I really, really hope that you are going to enjoy it. So please welcome Claire Heat to the podcast.

3:34 And for everyone listen, this is Claire. This is an amazing friend that I actually just had to Google. When was the Head full of Dreams talk? Because I was like, when was that? It was like 2000, well 2015, but we met in 2016. Yeah, 2016, two 1017 with the European and UK run that I did and you did so, yeah. And that's what I did with you. And then after I, I think of 2917, I joined the American leg as well. But like literally we haven't seen each other since. No. And we're just, we're just saying that like love Facebook, but hate it because I know everything what you've been up to. I like it, I do this, I do that, but we haven't actually spoken. It's shocking.

4:22 I think did actually come close once when I was in the UK. He was going to come back, yeah. Yeah, that's right in. The UK working like I just have to COVID wasn't it? Yeah, I think you were up north somewhere, in comparison to my down South at least. For all the all the bands that were going out because everything had just like been just left for two years. Yeah, that was bad. That was bad. Strange times, but. Anyway, so where are you now? I'm at home in Bisley in Gloucestershire, so I've lived here since the beginning of the year and it's absolutely beautiful. It's in the Cotswolds and my neighbours are sheep and yeah, just lovely and quiet and a complete change to my lifestyle on the road basically. So after living out of pretty much a suitcase and a storage unit for three years, I finally had the opportunity to rent this place.

5:15 So. It's amazing because I've seen so many photos of you walking, like, when you get back tomorrow, you have a break, like, you just go out drinking. But she's obviously something that I've started doing now, basically. But like, just we live in, like, I don't now, but like, two different worlds. You're on the road and you're hectic 24/7, always with people. And then you come home and you live with sheep. Yeah. Pretty much. I was saying that after I'd moved here in January, I went out on a tour and the loading dock was the loudest place on Earth. It felt like it was just. I just thought I've been ruined. I've been ruined by the countryside. But no, it's lovely to come back here and recharge. Yeah.

6:03 Are you close to friends and family there or are you like? My brother lives about half an hour away, so that's, that's pretty fortunate. But no, it was actually through a friend from tour, from a tour that I was on who lives 5 doors down. So. So his sister was renting out this cottage. And so yeah, just the stars aligned and it all worked out, thank goodness. But I never see him because he's always away on tour. Like we're ships in the night. I think we've seen each other for two days since the beginning of the year. That's crazy, isn't it? I mean, even that like when you're on a tour, you're, you're a family. Like, you know, we, we, Oh yeah, we're like, you'd hang out or like 24/7 basically.

6:48 And then you slip, go separate ways and then you join another family and then it, it's, you know, it's a, a, a crazy, but I do miss it. I have to say I do. I do miss it. But at the same time, you know, working from home now and doing the podcast, it's just amazing. And of course, I get to do my walks and it's, yeah, different lifestyle and, you know, yeah, lifestyle. But every now and again I miss those, you know, Roadie Fridays and everything. I'm busy. But anyway, so where, like, what are you on now? Like, I know we're going to go to the future and go back again, but I just want to know because I'm so excited.

7:29 Yeah. So I've just been prepping for summer gig, which is in Munich. So Adele's doing 10 shows throughout August in essentially a car park, which is being made into a, which is being made into a stadium. I think it's about 85,000 capacity outdoors. And so I've been working for the video company. We've just being in prep in the in the warehouses over in the UK, getting everything labeled and ready, just hundreds of meters, hundreds of thousands. Of meters of cable.

8:17 This is what? I really want to know you're now in Video World 2016. It was VIP management like. That's why I mean. There's such a beauty job. Yeah, I have the attention span of a flip flop I think is the best way, but also I just it was time for me to finish doing VIP. A lot of things had changed after COVID, I feel in terms of people, the public in general, they and also, you know, I'm not getting any younger, my tolerance levels for just smiling sweetly this way, please. They tend to wane a little bit when you get older, I feel.

8:58 And yeah, I just wanted a new challenge as well, really. So at what point did you, yeah, decide to have the new challenge you? Did yeah last. Year, It must have been like a gradual step, like every now and again I'd see you. Yeah. It was during the Elton John farewell tour, really. There was about 330 of those shows and I did 253 of them. And during that time I held three different positions at different times. So, So what? Yeah. What did you go? In I went in as what would you call it even kind of like a customer relationship person, I guess for this technology called Peeks PEEX, which was new technology that Elton had invested in and it was a way of using your phone to mix the show in live. When you're at it, you wear some earbuds. You would wear a radio receiver around your neck, which should be connected to your to the via Bluetooth. And you know, you download this app and you would get a mixing desk essentially on your phone and you could play with the sliders during the show.

10:23 It received a feed basically through radio transmitters around the venue. What's that? Was it successful? It was a great product. It was fantastic if you were up high in the gods in sort of arenas, stadiums and things like that. I think the the model just wasn't very easily scalable, if that makes sense. So we were me with a team of local assistants that I had to train each show in many different languages. I sort of had 15 to 20 assistants and we'd train them up and they'd go out with iPads on the concourse before the show started and we'd hire these headsets out if you like to, to customers for like €10 or something so you had puts. As well.

11:25 Yeah, I'm getting some warning signs, by the way. Yeah, I know. We're just going to maybe. Have a little. Pause on this one. Let's just say I'm going to, OK, we're going to stop the recording. We have a little issue, but we will be back. OK? So we're back now. Whether we've lost the last bit, I don't know. You're on your mobile now. Yes. I'm on the mobile, yeah. It's funny, I was like so nervous about this because this was like the first one, but I knew that if I wanted to talk to anybody, you know, on the podcast, you know, it was going to be with you. Like I just knew it.

12:07 I don't know why. I just was like, I, I, you just could have got such a great story. I feel you've got a great story of everything and everything you've done all the like different. I don't know what, what do you do areas you've worked in, you know, all of these things. And I was like, I knew it had to be with you because then if any little mistakes, we just laugh about it. So myself, sorry about that. That's that's, that's the actual host. I'm the guest host right now. And we're, we're not too sure what we're going to call this, you know, if it if it hopefully it works, but like we're thinking of like geese of gear with the ladies. And so there we are. Anyway, where were we? So I think, yeah, one set that sounds, it does sound really amazing.

12:51 But did you have little friends all the way around the stadium? Well. No, we basically we'd hand, hand out. Yeah, sorry. Yeah. In terms of handing them out, yeah, we had several dotted around and and then we had to collect them all at the end of the at the end of the night as well, asking people to hand them back. So generally, generally speaking, people did hand them back and they did enjoy using them, but it was getting people over the concept of why would I wear earbuds to a show? But it let ambient sound in. They were like designed especially to do that. So, you know, it was a it is a really good product. It's still out there, still trying to find a suitable home, I think. But yeah, ultimately that was the introduction for me to this incredible tour, this massive machine and we and has basically enabled me to make friends for life really.

13:47 So yeah, basically what happened. So I was doing the Peaks thing and then we were due the tour was due to go to Australia and New Zealand in November 2019. Peaks decided it was too expensive for them to freight the gear over there. I mean it's really costly thing to do to tour over there as it is and you know, once you've you've flown all the stuff over there and what have you. So I was quite gutted because it was quite short notice and I sort of made never been to Australia or New Zealand before.

14:27 You know, we were due to be there till March 2020. So yeah, it was quite a big chunk of, of work. So I asked the production manager if I knew that they were looking for a production assistant for that leg of the tour, as the lady that would normally do it wasn't able to, for whatever reasons. I saw that opportunity and asked the question, thinking, well, the worst thing he can say is no. And fortunately he didn't. And so, yeah, I'd done production assistant work previously for Alabama Shakes and a couple of other smaller bands, and so didn't really faze me.

15:08 And I just thought, well, I know all the crew anyway, let's just get on with it. I was. Yeah. Production assistant then right up until the tour came, well the leg that leg of the tour came to a natural end on March 7th, 2020. I say natural end because obviously that was when we were getting into the realms of of COVID etcetera. So. How do you get? Strange COVID. Before like. So we were starting to hear things on the tour in January and I was getting sent daily. I was getting sent posters about washing your hands to put up around the backstage areas and everyone was like what the hell is this?

15:58 Yeah. Right, whatever. So yeah, I mean, it was a really strange time. I mean, everyone has their own experiencing their own story to tell. I think of of COVID and where were you when that happened and where were you when places got locked down and stuff. I mean, I managed to land back into the, well, I got back to the UK on March 10th and we were actually due to restart the tour in the US two weeks later. So I was thinking, oh, you know, maybe that's going to happen. Who knows? We don't know this. And I was like, well, what's the, you know, yeah. And I was thinking, well, I knew that I wasn't going to be going back as production assistant because generally speaking, the tour didn't use a production assistant for parts of the US And so I knew that wasn't an option.

16:51 So yellow. But yeah. And I was like, well, peaks, peaks will come back. You know, we'll do peaks in in the US and then and literally landed into Heathrow and and got a message to say that the peeps thing had had gone away and wasn't going to be rejoining the tour. And I was like, oh, I left two pairs of trainers in the wardrobe flight case. Like how am I going to get those back? And what about what about those people? Like, haven't said goodbye to anyone, you know? And yeah, so that was pretty heartbreaking, really. But as it turned out, the world kind of shut down a bit, didn't it? What?

17:35 Did you doing? Yeah, what I was going to say because I know with you, you wouldn't just sit still, you'd use this time to so. So what did you do during COVID? Well, I was very, very lucky in that I wasn't living. Was I living somewhere? No, I wasn't living anywhere. I had my things in the storage unit pretty much I just. Say that just matter of fact, yeah, I wasn't living anywhere. Yeah, I honestly you should see my mum's address book is ridiculous. It's got about 16 different addresses for. Me, I never had. I never, never was anywhere. I was living in somewhere one minute in somewhere else. Exactly.

18:18 I mean, my post still goes to my mum's. Right, exactly. Yeah. So I was very lucky. I had arranged to stay with a friend for a couple of weeks in Cardiff, which is where I went to uni. Yeah, we just did lockdown together essentially. I was like, I'm really sorry. Do you mind if I stay? And she's like, no, it's fine. She was furloughed and she just, you know, she enjoyed the chilling out time. But yeah, I'd like you say I can't really sit still for very long. So I, I decided to pick up rubbish. I decided to collect litter. Yeah.

19:03 Because, you know, we'd gone from doing really long days really, you know, yeah. Tour life. And so yeah, I basically picked up rubbish from anywhere between an hour to 8 hours a day and hundreds and hundreds of bags of rubbish around Cardiff. But you've got people in the end people joining you to do it as well, didn't you? Yeah, yeah, it was quite bizarre. I got a Lockdown Legend award. From the local, the lockdown legend award. That's amazing. Seriously, I knew that, you know, during and I remember now, I remember seeing photos of you with all this rubbish. It's like only you, you know, everybody else is just relaxing and you're like. What?

19:44 But you know what I mean. The thing is. Go outside and start picking rubbish and then just walk further and further away from the house. Well I started doing couch to 5K for the like 19th millionth time and having never completed it because I've always got bored of it and got too far and too sweaty anyway. And when I was a kid, me and my friend. One of my neighbours, we used to go and pick up rubbish on our estate where we grew up like this, really little kids and we found like the old ladies would like come and let us choose a suite from the quality St. Tin and all this kind of stuff. And also I was, I was, everyone was out walking, weren't they?

20:28 And like trying to enjoy the outdoors for the limited time that we were allowed. And everywhere was I just felt like everywhere was covered in rubbish. It was making me really miserable and and I thought, well, rather than moan about it, I'll try and be proactive and do something about it. So I ordered a couple of little picker things off Amazon and I asked my friend if she wanted to, to come out as well. She was like, no, you're all right, thanks. And then I found out through, you know, the local council, they would deliver these special pink bin bags to your house, which meant that you could leave them for the. Local refuse collectors to pick up. Anyway, so that's what I did, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of bags and hundreds of hours of picking rubbish and people would give me a beep as they went past. And then I took the local Tesco to task because all around the back of their store it was like walkways through sort of a park and etcetera.

21:29 But there was no bins there. There was, you know, people just threw their rubbish on the ground and I said, oh, I think you should provide a bin. Yeah. Anyways, it was a strange time. The thing is, I. Remember as a kid, my mum, you know, we always, even now you, you've put your rubbish in your pocket, Whatever you take out, you put your rubbish in your pocket. Now it just doesn't happen. I and I kind of years ago I looked, I was like, why? But then when I went down, when I was living in like England, there were no bins. There weren't any bins to put stuff in. I mean, people are lazy as well, but you know. People try and hand me an empty can, they'd be out for a walk and go, oh, can I just put this in your bag? And I was like, can't you just hold on?

22:10 Why have I got an hour Carry your rubbish around for the next hour. Well, I, it was very, very strange. But yeah, I went down, went down a bit of a rabbit hole with that because I, I wasn't sure that the industry was even going to come back and went through a period of sort of bereavement. I think really of thinking, oh, there's that job that I adore, that lifestyle that I love, and I don't know if we'll ever be able to do that again. There was real mixed messages and, you know, I could see film and TV was gradually trying to find a way, but music was just never given the the grace of being as important.

23:01 And I think people just take music for granted all the time. They take it for granted constantly. Film and television seems to be more of a tangible thing or people, you know, what would people do without a telly box in the corner of their room? But music people, just because I don't know if it's they, they can't see it, I don't know what. The thing is, though, that during that time as well, I mean, you know, you ask anybody, oh, you know, Netflix became extremely popular. People sitting down binge watching series. Yeah, look, I'm, I'm, I'm guilty of that. You know, you, you go on a tour, even on a day off, you binge watch. But what does music do? Music makes you feel good.

23:41 It's it's everything now. They didn't want people to be with music and like, not happy. That's a stupid thing to say, but they wanted us to be, like, calm. So just shove a load of TV stuff at you, watch a load of like, binge TV, and you're kind of like, oh, well, this is all right. I'm watching TV from my home. You know, it wasn't. I mean, I know there were musicians out there doing stuff online. But yeah, it was a very, very scary time. I mean, that's basically when I ended the like my like touring days. I mean, I was going to come up with Avril Lavigne and you say being stuck with say stuck. But during lockdown I'd asked I Long story short, somebody came to look after my dogs. She was from Australia, she was travelling in Europe and she arrived about a week before and I was due out and I was like seeing all these tours cancelled, cancelled. And I was like, surely it's not going to cancel. No, it's not going to cancel.

24:41 Then all of a sudden I get the letter, the e-mail, it's cancelled. And I was like, OK, I was like, well, you've just come over here to look after my dogs. I was like, look, just stay for a week. You know, we can enjoy. I can show you my area. And then literally the following week, everything shut down. And I was like, well, looks like we're together then. Yeah. And that was it. Like the whole COVID time we were together, which was fantastic because I lived on my own up in the mountains. And if I didn't have that person with me, maybe I would have felt isolate, too isolated. Whereas I had her as companionship. Obviously everyone was then calling everybody at any time of the day because you knew you, you know, if they didn't answer, well, what what are you doing?

25:24 Because they were, you know, you had to be there. You couldn't do oh, I'm busy because no one was busy. So that whole chatting with everybody, everybody like getting together on the groups. But you know, I, I, I know, you know, it was, there's obviously very bad things that happened, but I love that time, me personally, you know, I, it was something that changed my whole attitude to life, started walking, started doing everything and it was just incredible, you know. But like I said, for you to not just sit there watching TV and I'm sure you did a lot of analysing whilst picking up all the rubbish that you did something, you gave something back to the community and that's, you know, that's amazing.

26:11 Yeah, it was, it was just, yeah, people would drive past and say, oh, we've seen you picking up rubbish and where'd you get those bags from and maybe can I come out with you And I'd be like, yeah, sure, do whatever you want. And because of all the COVID guidelines and everything else, you know, they did have a local, it's a picking group or what have you there. But because of all the guidelines and because it was run out of the council, they had to shut it down and have, you know, whereas me, I was just me, an independent and you know, we would, me and a local man, Ahmed, we would, we would go and we sort of took it. He would take up a grade and pull out sofas and shopping trolleys and stuff like this from local waterways.

26:56 So we'd get up really early in the morning and go. And go do that. Just bizarre anyway, but yeah. And then, you know, I, I also did AI got a job doing online events. I, I did have a job interview to go and be a carer and I was due to start my training. And then somebody contacted me saying that they were looking, they'd heard of a job running online events for a company. And so I was like, well, maybe I'll give them a shout and see where that goes. And if not, then I'll continue down the route of of the caring. But they did, I got the job doing the online events. So I did that for about 6 months. And what do you mean?

27:43 Online. Well, so there was like an umbrella. Yeah, it was actually technology. It was an umbrella organization for the, the tech industry in Wales, tech across all different kinds of sectors. Not music at all. Not really. I don't like fintech and, you know, farming and, you know, all different sorts of things. Yeah, we, we did one big event, which was like 1500 delegates and like, it's several. Well, oh, I can't remember now. Like maybe 20 speakers from all over the world.

28:24 And I was sat in my friend's spare room in heaven on my own. Just like being so connected to all these people, yet not connected to anyone either at the same time. Such, so weird. And at this point, did you? Obviously, music started to come back. Yeah, I mean. What was what happened after COVID for you? Like when did you get a call or did you be you and approach somebody like? Well, during so yeah, throughout that time, obviously the Elton tour was still trying to get back out on the road and with the help of the tour accountant, DC Parmet, shout out to him, tour accountant, tour manager, and also Andrew Sharp from AEG.

29:23 I was like the the VIP manager had had a baby during COVID and I was like, maybe there's maybe there's a job for me there because I've done VIP since 2016 on other tours at quite, you know, a fairly high level. And so, yeah, the three of us put in like this three pronged attack. It's AG and and yeah, they went for it, thankfully. So we were due to go out with Elton in the autumn of 2021, but he hurt his hip, Yeah. So the tour was postponed again until January 2022, and that's when it all started back up again with really strict COVID protocols in place.

30:22 So, yeah. But I mean, that was doing VIP, yeah. And. What? What does that entail for? Oh gosh. So for that tour, every package is always different, you know, So on that tour, it was, I think now, gosh, it wasn't even that long ago it was it was a pre show like guests, some guests would turn up early and they would have sort of pre pre doors, nibbles and drinks. And then they would all go to the into the arena. I'd take them into the arena. They would have their photograph taken at Alton's piano and they would also.

31:08 No. No, no. And then one of the the head touring rigger would give them a presentation about from the stage about, you know, what it takes to put the tour on. They have an opportunity to ask questions, nothing like that. From you know, I remember like again, my first tour, seeing everything that happens backstage, you're like like just blown away. So it that is an amazing package to do that. Yeah, it was a really popular package. But you know, with the strict COVID protocols, they didn't want people to be on the stage. And so we would get the piano set up on the floor. We'd have this incredible the tour photographer, Ben Gibson, he would take photographs of the people. Sometimes you had to bring in local people because Ben had other commitments or what have you. But yeah, somehow we just sort of made it work, really. Everyone was given their own sort of Elton John K-95 mask with an E star printed on it.

32:15 I was. Just going to say because I mean, I, I Jim, I'm terrible. I just, I do forget things, you know, I'm like even that, you know, COVID is gone. It's, you know, I've forgotten. But of course that at that point as well, we were still wearing the masks, you know, distance, I mean, even distance apart. Was that still a thing? Did you have? To. Oh yeah, yeah. Every everything. So that must have been like. Yeah, and we had understandably really strict taught COVID protocols. You know, we travelled with a bus of nurses. Really. Wow. Yeah, all local stage hands were tested coming in for the morning in and the evening out they were.

32:58 Crew like did you like have to? Oh, crew, we had. So we were all PCR tested and vaccinations were mandatory. Yeah. And we had PCR tested and then we were in different bubbles depending on our depending on our location during the show. So those of us who were in the public areas, should we say so like those running camera or front of house, me doing VIP, lots of contact with with the public merchandise, you know, all those people. We were in sort of a testing schedule of like being tested every day. Go to your hotel room.

33:41 Like there'd be a knock on the door and there'd be a nurse there sticking the thing up your nose. I, I, I seriously, I don't think I could have done it. Like, really, I don't think I could have done it. Oh, you know what? Though we were just so happy and feeling so grateful to be back together again, I think, and, and, you know, just be back doing what we loved. You know, I don't think it's any secret that, you know, lockdown was incredibly hard for a lot of people and many people in the industry, you know, coped better, better than others.

34:22 And, and for some it was it was something that they simply couldn't cope with and and sadly, you know, take their lives as a result. I mean, it was brutal. It's a brutal time and. I mean, I think when mentally, I mean, I know, I mean I did a lot of stuff again, I did like little podcasts during that whole time with a guy called Andy Flack. I don't know if you, if you meet met him before, but he was brilliant because it was all about mental health and people are here for you. And I remember, I remember one person and I won't mention names, but they were like I because I, I took it on to like you. I took it on to the positive. Don't get me wrong. I had, I had bad days as well, you know, it was like I had no work, you know, and I didn't get any extra money. And all of a sudden all this money was slowly going and I was like, how am I going to survive?

35:13 Like I'm just not so trying to turn it into a positive. I started walking as you know, but somebody had said to me and said, I can't watch your videos, you know, and I was like, OK, like I'm, I'm not expecting anyone to watch them, she said. Because like I'm, I, I'm in the, in, in the apartment. I, I just can't. Like it's, it's, it just makes me feel sad. And then I was like, shit, you know, you imagine everybody in the cities, you know that everything about it financially, I mean, I'm, you know, I'm lucky. I've got no, I had no responsibilities. I had dogs to feed and but I didn't have a family. I didn't have all yeah, children and all all these things and that isolation.

35:58 I mean, I've seen posts like going back, you know, there's there's, you know, people with babies and meet the grandparents through a window. Like, you know, it was absolutely crazy. And I do know, you know, we know both the people that, you know, died during that time. You know, it's, hopefully it's in the past, you know, and that's. That's gosh, I hope so. I hope so. Yeah. I know. But we, we never went, you know, you never know what could be around the corner next. But I do feel that with everybody that they were doing for the music to bring it back, you know, that was something people did, the music, people wanted it back.

36:41 And like you said you would what you did, you did everything. You had the the Test every day, every morning, every night, just to get that tour on the road again. And, you know, pretty amazing, in fact. We had a a gentleman on fame, McMahon, and he was he was mentioning that, you know, out of his tour, you know, there had to be vaccinated. And one particular person was like, I don't want the vaccination. And he was like, the amount of stuff you put in your body, like, come on, like. But you don't know what's in it. Oh, really? Really, what about everything else you've done in your, in your life? And you know, but then that was my decision. I decided I, I wasn't going to be vaccinated.

37:23 That's me. That was me personally. But I also knew that if I got the call to work, I would be like, I wasn't like, you know, I, I knew that that's what I would have had to have done and I wouldn't have gone. No, no, no, no, no, I would have done it. But it just just turned out nobody called me. Sorry so. But yeah, so then obviously Elton finally did go back on tour. But what I really want to know is how you got into the new. Oh, OK, this is. What I really died to hear. OK, so yeah, we did a bunch of arenas and then we did a bunch of stadiums with Elton and yeah, the whole schedule was all sort of mixed around. It was kind of weird time.

38:14 So the very last leg of the tour ended up being an arena leg around Europe. And for those last four months, because I've been having, it'd been quite a tough time with the general public, let's say. And I had had enough, had enough. And I was like, I need to do something else. And so my very good dear friend Kim Hampton, who is the video crew chief on Elton and basically my light and inspiration and mentor, if you like, she just said, well, why don't you?

38:59 Why don't you come join video? We're a good bunch and they were a good bunch. They were like the most incredible people as everyone was on that tour, to be honest. Anyway, So I was like, really? I don't think everyone's going to think that's a bit weird, aren't they? Normally I'm wandering around in a pink suit and sequin going this way, please, you know, dealing with dealing with all the the public and she's like, Nah, Nah, Nah, you know so, but this is. What I mean, sometimes it's not excuse, but it's not what you know, but it's who you know. Imagine that you know someone saying just come and join us. We'll trade just come and join us.

39:39 So I was like, how can I make that work? And I'm probably going to get myself into trouble now, but there we go. So basically I I figured out that because of the way the timings land throughout the day of show setup and everything else, that I could possibly make it work so that I could volunteer with the video crew on their loadings and their loadouts. Definitely with their loadouts and I could also still. Maintain my commitments doing VIP and because basically the VIP tour, etcetera happens during a time when it's downtime for the rest of the crew. Everyone usually, you know, they take a nap or everything has to be set up and ready to go by sort of 4:00 or 3:30 or whatever, which is when the the VIP tour would start. And whilst I had some setting up to do, it was fairly, you know, easy and, and quick.

40:35 And by that point I've been doing it for a year and a half, so I could sort of do it backwards really. So yeah, I'm, I basically did the the load insurance and load outs of the last four months in these arenas. You made it happen. Instead of sleeping, you got up. You volunteered to learn it and do it. Yeah, I mean my day was I never, I would be doing VIP. Everyone sort of doesn't really know what you do on a crew, I think, which is fine because you're just usually a department of one or two, you know, depending on the the size of the tour. And you just, I always tried to be as speedy as possible. So yeah, they didn't really see the huge amounts of merchandise. I'd have to figure out how to shift from one side of the stadium to another or whatever it was anyway. So yeah, my day would sort of go from, I don't know, 930 till the end of the VIP package, probably. So yeah, I mean, I didn't feel like I was missing out on on anything.

41:40 It just meant that I had, you know, something to fill my night with, which was awesome, you know, and and, and learned something at the same time. And the the the crew was. So at first there was a bit of a oh, hey, video Claire. I just Nick there video Claire. Is this VIP Claire or video Claire? And I'm like, I want to put my hard hat on and my. And. Video player, yeah. And, you know, they, they gave me certain jobs to do during the loadouts and stuff. And yeah. You know, you're seeing how it operates. It's, you know, because again, even being like for me, you know, being like in the catering. So we never saw the load in the loadout apart from you. So and even for you, I'd you'd come in, I'd never used to see you.

42:29 What what everybody's doing. So be yeah. And involved. You learned. I think you learned very much, you know. Yeah, I mean, I I wasn't a stranger to how a loadout goes as such. I used to do local crew when I was when I was like way, way back in in uni. I started on the stage crew at university. So I wasn't kind of, it wasn't that I didn't know it or didn't understand what went on. But for production of that size, the order in which things happen and have to happen. And remember the first couple of loadouts, it was like everyone was getting psyched up to like start the loadout.

43:10 And the stage manager would be like, you know, sort of pacing around and getting stuff ready and like speaking to local crew. And the adrenaline was just like nuts. And then as soon as the last note was hit, it would just go into complete, you know, de Reg mode and and I remember thinking, my gosh, everyone's shouting at each other and you know, all the noise and I was like, my goodness, this is terrifying. But then after a few, you just kind of get used to it. You learn what needs to be done in what order and and you know what other departments you have to be mindful of and you know who's going to be potentially in your way or you know, vice versa.

43:53 And also Kim. Would basically give me the end of a fibre cable and go, OK, this is yours, follow it around, coil it up and go to the stage, write imag and I'd be like OK and I would take that fiber. It was the most precious thing in the world. Yeah. And I would just follow the the trail of it, which was like round things, under things, over things, you know, whatever. And then that was my first thing. And then I would just look around and see what needed to be done and who I could help. And, you know, I'd try and take the take the weight off of some of the the other video people if they were under the stage coiling robo looms, which were really heavy. I would like just go over and try and take it off them and find the case for it so that they could save their energy for getting the next robo loom or, you know, whatever it was. And so, yeah, it was, it was great. And I really, really enjoyed it.

44:55 And I arranged it so I could ride on the video bus and I really felt. Do you watch how the? Video was as well. Yeah, you lucky devil. Yeah. So it was, it was really good times. And then just again, through fortunate meetings, really, we were doing a load out in the O2 in May, and one of the local crew people was a rigor that Kimmy, the crew chief knew. And she was like, yeah, this is Adam. Like, he's from Wales. Remember, I was telling you he's like, this is my friend's brother. You know, it's all like who you know, I guess isn't it because crew people.

45:42 And yeah, Kim knew this Adam guy and his sister was a touring caterer or used to be a touring caterer. So. And because I used to live in Wales, she said I was Welsh. I was like, not strictly Welsh. No, not strictly Welsh. She was like, oh, all right. And then didn't really think anything else of it. And two weeks later, Kim received an e-mail from from her friend saying my brother said that you've got a Welsh LED chick working with you. My husband is a project manager for a video company and he's looking for crew. Can you send us her details? And so Kim was like, this is it, this is how you're going to get work.

46:24 This is it, you know, And I was like, my goodness, no, I don't know anything. I don't know what I'm doing. She's like, yes, you do, you do. It's 80% being able to talk and you can learn the rest of it. And that's kind of the mantra that I've. Held Seriously, I've got, I've got just because it's such a I was going to ask you, you know, for, for old, young people, for anybody coming into the industry, like what advice would you give them? You know, but you, you just, you just kind of like that, that for me, I'm going to answer my own question. I'm asking, but you just did it, you know, instead of sleeping, instead of if you know, you, you used your time to volunteer, to learn something, to shadow someone.

47:13 And then it was through you being, I know exactly how you are. You know, you're wonderful, you're bubbly and you know, no, it's true. You know, talking to people and putting yourself out in a situation where you, you might feel a little bit uneasy and, and you know, one thing leads to another and you got this call. It wasn't because you were, you know, just sat on your bus waiting for everyone to finish. It was because you were proactive. Yeah, the VIP was coming to an end for you. Maybe this would maybe this didn't work, but I know you would have tried something different, you know? But it it has so. It's yeah, I mean, I was really lucky and and that, you know, yeah, this this video company, they got in touch and was like, you know, are you available, blah, blah, blah.

48:05 You know, do you have a visa? And I was like, well. Raced in Cardiff. No, not really just this guy lived in in Barry Joe Mason shout out to Joe. So he he was a you know, thinking about it, I feel like it was a risk. Really. It was a massive risk, but I was, you know, Kimmy gave me an amazing glowing reference and and I went into their warehouse to prep. It's in Basingstoke actually, which it's only about an hour from where my parents live, weirdly. So yeah, I went there and and was prepping in. The first tour that I did then was Peter Gabriel. We did a seven week run in the USI know. Just like that, just mental.

49:01 It was nuts. And I got, you know, and it was in the US and I love working in the USI love it. And everyone is very, they've got a real my experience anyway, but real can do, you know, they really want to help you. They really want to help. They really want to make it good. That's not to say that that's not the same in Europe, but you do hit wars and it's not possible. No, we can't do that. No, no, no. And it's, I don't know, that's just my personal experience. But yeah, seven weeks in the US with Peter Gabriel and I got paired up with them a guy. And because generally that's kind of, you know, your work on different sections of, of the, of the, of the LED of the walls or whatever's needed. And then we were building this circular screen, which was inside a fascia.

49:57 So it wasn't even a straightforward rectangle imag. It was, you know, this kind of jigsaw puzzle of a screen. But it was amazing. I loved every second of it. And even if maybe some days were were harder than others, obviously, as they always are in any job. But I loved it and and just felt so grateful and still do grateful every day that I was given that opportunity and given that chance, you know. Yeah. And then after so only because I was looking at, you know, you said then after last year you went in to do some training. Was that just to what? What was the training?

50:38 Yeah, so. Official training, shall we say. I was basically thinking, oh, you know, how do I build upon this now? And I've got this sort of downtime, you know, how am I going to fill that? So I looked into, so the processes that one make of the processes that are used in, in video called Brompton. And they do like free courses or like free days where you can go, you can go to London and, and learn about the processes. I mean, it's sort of beneficial for them and works both ways. So I went and did that. I mean, my, I didn't understand a word of half of what was being said, to be honest with you.

51:23 Bit by bit, you know, you take things in and you know, you learn with repetition or I, you know, that's kind of how I learn and, and I'm much more of a visual learner rather than sort of sit down with a textbook, you know, that's never really been good for me. Plus I was getting through the same company, VSS and this project manager Joe, he was bringing me in to do sort of film and TV stuff. So I was doing stuff at Wolf Studios in in Cardiff, like massive installations for like virtual production and stuff like that. Never done a ground stacked LED screen before, but you know, did that and then, yeah.

52:08 And then also when I came back off the Peter Gabriel tour, Yeah, I landed on the Monday after a 10 hour flight. I picked up, I've got a three and a half hour coach to Cardiff. I picked up my car and then drove straight away 4 hours up to Pontefract to do a three day course with Roe. So I did this three day classroom course with Roe straight off the bat with my jet lag and everything fully intact. And then I was like this is awesome, this is so good, teach me stuff, this is great.

52:49 So yeah, again, free. You know, that's a free thing that Roe offer and these things are out there. You just have to search for them. You just have to look for the opportunity for. A free, Yeah, free. A free learning package basically. Yeah, in production Park, which is an amazing space up up north, in point of fact. That's where I was working that time. There you go. So Roe have got like a learning area there, which they get a lot of college, local college students there, but also, you know, there were people there from other video companies as well. Just sort of upskilling because I think it. Was there as well, Isn't it at Production Park?

53:29 Because we were there for like 3 months at Production Park. I love that place. I mean so much. We were there when they were building. I don't know what it's called now, Studio 1A or something, but the other studio area and what they're doing there is like incredible. Like, I mean, so good and but I didn't realise that Roe were there. Sorry, Roe. Roe's actually a sponsor of ours on geese. Oh really? I didn't actually realise that they're there. So I'll have to look into more about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah, I did. I did the two sort of the basic and then the advanced rogue course when I was there and I was talking to Kimmy, who was obviously back in the US. Well, I'd say obviously she's from the US. And then she's like, yeah, we're going to be. We go and she works for a company called Solatech and she's like, yeah, we're going to go and do this road course. I said, Oh yeah, I've done that.

54:25 Oh, so funny. But yeah, so I did that and I was just sort of looking around of ways to try and fill my time because I didn't really know I was approaching the other big, you know, video companies and things like that. But I've always just being a believer since I got once self-employed in 2011. I just think you have to kind of keep the faith. But that doesn't mean you you just sit and wait for the phone to ring. You know, you have to go out and search and hustle. Yeah, you have to. I call it like just getting my hustle on. But also with that being being disciplined and not turning back to my previous roles.

55:19 So I decided that I was going to stay focused this time because I tended to always in the past see the opportunity to think, oh, yeah, I can do that, or I've done that before. And so I will duck around. You know, I've done a bit of production assistant work. I've done VIP work. I've done sort of event management work, artist liaison, you know, all sorts of different things, but never really focused in on one specific thing. And I thought if I'm going to make this work, I already feel like I am way behind in terms of my knowledge for where I'm at in the industry, in terms of my age. OK. So like, you know, I'm 47 and it's like there are other people out there, but it's all about what you know.

56:06 And so I just feel like I'm, I'm catching up. I'm trying to catch up, catch up, catch up constantly and I'm never going to have. What what amazing. Like again, sorry to you might you're going to have a massive head by the time you leave this podcast. But like what happens? Seriously, like, if I'm honest, like even when even before, when I was we was touring always like it was kind of like a dream to get into, you know, the video or even like the production side of things, you know, like that was like, Oh my God, that's amazing. Like I you know, I wanted and I never pushed it. Same as lighting and and and the and. The. Or anything, anything on that backstage side, because I have to say I, I felt exactly the same as you.

56:52 I was tired of smiling, you know, like tired of smiling and, you know, getting up and, you know, you always had to be happy, you know, and it was like actually, you know, you see all the crew come in and the crew and you know, if they're not happy, then they're not happy. But it doesn't matter. They're not, they don't have to. They don't have to be anybody different. And you know, so when you first, you know, like Kimmy said to you, come and do it, what would you be like 45 then? I guess so, yeah. Well. No, like last year. So yeah, yeah, 40, yeah. 40. I'm going to be 40.

57:32 I'm 47 next week, yeah. Really no way. OK, happy birthday for next week. But again, you know, to anybody that's listening out there, anything is possible and that's what I love about you and coming on because you know, when you when you started, I mean you said you was at university at Cardiff. What was you studying at university? So is it University of Glamorgan? It's not even called that now. It was so long ago. It's called University of South Wales now. And I studied humanities. How vague is that? And so within that I did lots of different modules of psychology, philosophy, journalism, script writing, theatre, media, drama, arts, administration, like lots of different things.

58:16 And it in my second year, the beginning of the second year, my friends started going to looking for jobs. We all sort of started looking for jobs. And I didn't want to work behind the bar and I didn't really want to work in the Cafe. And I saw someone coming out of the students union with an application form. And I just said, oh, what's that for? And they said, oh, it's for the NTS crew. And I said, oh, what's that? I'll go and see what that's about then. And I got this application form and filled it. Yeah, filled it out and was on the end screw, which was basically can't remember how many of us, probably six of us or something.

58:58 And they had some really great bands played, played at the Students Union. Then, yeah, I would load bands in and we'd help set up the PA and whatever else was needed, you know, and during the show, we did front stage security during the show, which is kind of wild, you know, catching crowd surfers and stuff like that. I mean, yeah, it's kind of bonkers, really. And then, you know, the Summer Balls would happen and we have quite an extensive crew for that. And then put me in stage manager on Summer Ball and yeah, you know, just talking to people and trying to figure out.

59:42 When you was at university, had you imagine doing what you're doing, what you've done throughout your life, or was it the fact that this student union guy came up candid you a leaflet and that's how you fell into the you saw, you saw the other side basically. Yeah, I mean, I, I like doing physical things. You know, I'm, I'm sort of, you know, I like lifting and shifting stuff, which is probably just as well. And, you know, I like the fact that I was able to be amongst that night out and get paid for it and not, you know, get paid for it, Not feel, you know, like I didn't feel like I was missing out.

1:00:30 You know, my friends would come out to the nights at the students union and drinking and getting drunk. And don't get me wrong, I did my fair share of that, but obviously not when I was working. But it was a great, great time to, you know, see, hear those bands, see those bands and, and like I say, get paid for it. And I remember thinking, oh, I'd love to see the world and get paid for it. But that time, I think that used to mean joining the army or, you know, you see that on those adverts, then you see the world. And I, I never, no, I didn't really ever dream that I would end up doing this even even really in, in sort of my 20s and stuff.

1:01:11 When I left university, I for my arts administration module, we had to get work experience and I was already doing some local crew work in the coal exchange in Cardiff Bay. And so I was that was through the guy who was the ents manager at the, it's all very strange. It's just like this whole path. It's the guy Pablo as the hence manager at the at the university. And he would also do a bit of local promoting on the side in Cardiff and he would put gigs on through the coal at the Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay.

1:01:53 It's a beautiful thousand capacity venue. It used to be the Stock Exchange for Wales where the 1st $1,000,000 check was signed. It's a hotel now. But yeah, it was this awesome venue and I got some work doing office stuff, admin stuff for the for the events that they held there. And so on days when they had bands playing, it would get sort of two 3:00 load in time and I would go and get changed out of my office attire and stick my boots on and my shorts and T-shirt and go and load in the PA and help load in the band and then go into gig mode.

1:02:39 So sort of that split role again, I suppose, I suppose like I was doing on else. And yeah, so I worked and then I ended up they, they ended up giving me a job doing the office stuff and being an events manager there. So I was there for a couple of years. That's the. The event thing just carried on really. Yeah, because you've always done, even when you've come back from tours, you've always done. I mean, I've got to mention this because this is, I mean, I remember seeing again a photo of you, but the elf, the Christmas elf, I mean, you really will do anything. Really. I really will do anything pretty much as long as it's legal. I mean, yeah, I did.

1:03:23 So between tours I needed to find work or I wanted to find work. You never know when the next tour is going to or the opportunity is going to arise. You can hustle for it as much as you want, but unless there's an opening for it, especially doing VIP, which is usually, like I said before, like one or two people, you know, it's not like on a video crew where they might put 8-9 people on a crew. You know, there's obviously a lot more opportunity for, for work. So yeah, I, I found the world of experiential marketing and promotions and just a world that I never even knew existed. But you know, if you've ever walked down the street and somebody's tried to hand you something free like a can of coke or I don't know.

1:04:10 In my. Case it could have been me. Yeah, yeah, we. I've done some really bizarre like pickle anyone just you've just finished a Tough Mudder. Would you like some Hayward's Pickles on this piece of cheese? Yeah. And I did 2. I did two seasons as an elf in Manchester. There it is, but with your face. Seriously, Come on. So, yeah, I was at Cabin Elf for the first season, pretty much in the second season, I was, I call it clipboard elf, but I was basically on the, on the main front door. And we all had nicknames so that we could speak to each other freely, you know, without the, you know, breaking the magic.

1:04:55 Yeah, there was all sorts of strange snowy, of course. Snowy. Elf snowy. Elf Snowy. But yeah, there was like marshmallow and toffee apple and Cracker Jack and all different sorts. And, and actually, even to this day, I, I don't know some of these people's real names. I just know them as their elf name. So what was your address? What's that? What was your first tour Your. First name. So, OK, well, in 2011, I went freelance, I've been working for the Welsh Government as a strategy manager for the creative industries and I took voluntary redundancy from that.

1:05:43 Everything just took too long. Everything, you know, you're trying to represent these companies and, and provide, provide things for these companies and so that they can take advantage of opportunities as they arise. And the machinery of a public sector organization like that, it's just too slow, it doesn't react quickly enough. So they would miss opportunities. And it just became, I never was able to see like the fruits of our labour, if that makes sense, you know, So that's why I like doing events, you know, you've got a beginning, a middle and an end and you get to see it all come to fruition. Move on. Next one. So it's quite funny that I was doing strategy, which is obviously the longer term, longer term vision.

1:06:25 Yeah. So I took voluntary redundancy from that and decided that I was going to be a tour manager and I was going to set myself up as a tour manager. And then I quickly found that the first people, first question people ask you is who else to be tour managed? And I was like no one yet, but I can do it. I can do it. Anyway, I was putting myself out there on sort of social media and I did the whole thing on my business cards printed and this whole thing getting set up. My goodness, how nice. Anyway, this local Welsh label in Cardiff called Angst, there was a guy there that I knew from, you know, working with Welsh bands throughout my time in Welsh government. And also I used to work at the Bath Line. I used to work, you know, all these different places. So, you know, it is kind of, well, for me, it's who, who, who I knew, really.

1:07:25 And he got in touch and said, I see you, you're a tour manager now. He said, well, we've got a van that needs picking up from an airport. Have you got a driving license? And I was like, Oh yeah, I've got a driving license, right. OK. Well, we've got this van that we need drive, we need a driver and we need merchandise. Seller actually does seller actually just just for that. I'd done a, I'd done a Christmas tour with a Welsh choir called Only Men Aloud, who I think came second in like Britain's Got Talent way back when. And I sold their merchandise and we travelled all around the UK playing different arenas and, and it was a Christmas tour.

1:08:06 And so I used to wear like this Christmas hat and a red dress and like sell their merchandise. I mean, it was absolutely cringe when I think about it. And they, these were all my decisions. These are my choices to do that because I felt hilarious, you know? But it's Christmas tour, let's dress up, right? Let's be Christmas. So anyway, I'd had a bit of experience in doing merchandise from that, I guess. Yeah. And so they this company Angst took me on to look after the merch and to drive an American band called Perfume Genius. So tour manager to split a van driver. Watch yeah. And occasionally, like during festival season, the same company Angst had a band called Islet and they had a band called Los Campesinos that they worked with.

1:08:58 And so they would trust entrust me to to drive and sort of look after their requirements. I suppose that I mean to say I was a tour manager is probably pushing it some in in those. Respects I mean I would love that you know you you you put it out there you spoke to the universe and again you got the work and you know just because you did the business card I mean the. Thing is, it sounds like I'm a Blogger, which actually couldn't be the furthest from the truth. The truth is that I didn't really know what I wanted to be or do. And the thing that I get asked a lot by local crew were like, oh, how did you get into this?

1:09:44 How do I, you know, and what do I need to do? And oh, I want to work in music and I'm always like, well, what Bit like you need to get a bit specific because there are so many different roles that you can do. And I just think just try and do the one that you enjoy the most when you stop enjoying it and do something else. Yeah, well, I was just going to say that that's one thing that I know of. Like for you, I'm going to read something at the end. I want to read something at the end. But you know, if you're not enjoying it, change it. So give an advice to somebody by saying, you know, concentrate on one thing, kind of like contradicts, you know, because. Yeah.

1:10:32 I mean look for the opportunities at the same time. Yeah, it's so I was. About, yeah. Absolutely take it. You know that that that has actually been my life as well, you know, certain things and never once even for ACV, like I think I've had ACV once, you know, like it's all been word of mouth and going into a different Ave. going into something here. You know, obviously you've had skill set, but it's like it's still it's other people giving you opportunities as well. So. Yeah. And if you're if you've ever been one of those people who's taken a risk on someone, taking a chance on someone and thank you and to.

1:11:17 Those people thank you for me too on that one. Yeah. Thank you. Because sometimes you don't get the best out of somebody by sitting them down in a formal interview situation. And sometimes you just need to see what they can do. And sometimes it's sink or swim. I mean, this is kind of how I got into the bigger echelons of touring in terms of like arenas and larger artists. Was that? So I'd been touring with Perfume Genius on and off for a few years and that was lovely. I drive the Splitter van. The first time I ever drove a van was on the wrong side of the road. That was also the first time I'd ever driven on the wrong side of the road.

1:12:01 I went and picked the van up from Tiger Tours in Wembley was like, Oh my goodness, it was a, you know, a right wheel, right hand drive British vehicle. And then we were going on this European Tour and I'd never driven on the opposite side of the road in my life. And I thought, well, it's now or never. And you've got to kind of, you've got these people, you've got responsibility, you've got to get on with it. So put your big girl pants on and get on with it. And and so I did. And with the thanks to to their tour manager slash sound engineer Dan. Yeah, he sort of gave me lots of he was so patient and so encouraging and would help me park and, you know, all these kinds of things showed me how to, you know, manoeuvre the vehicle and get into the tightest of spaces just like unreal things that I never would have thought was possible. He showed me that that that was possible. And the band were were awesome.

1:12:54 Still are awesome. Still in. Touch. Yeah, basically still in touch. Yeah. I mean, they're shoot, they're going on. That's a much bigger, bigger, better things. Well, you know, incredible growth as a band. And yeah. So basically I had a phone call one evening from a friend of mine, Carlina, who said of you, are you still looking for work? And I was like, yeah, yeah, always looking for work. Why? And she said, well, because, well, I've been asked to go out on this massive tour and I can't can't tell you who it is, but basically I've just started doing work for VIP Nation, which is part of Live Nation. And so I've just told them that I won't be available to do any more work with them. For one, I think they're a bit peed off. So I wondered if that would be something you'd be interested in.

1:13:45 I was like, yeah, yeah, sure, no problem. Who do I speak to? So she put me in touch and I went, and I was living in Manchester at the time. And they said, oh, we're doing the Madonna show at the Manchester Arena. Would you like to come and be AVIP assistant and then you can like, sort of see what's involved and stuff. So like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Great. So I went along and did that and met, met their event manager and their VIP manager. And she sort of said, oh, you know, if you're ever in London passing, you know, come into the office or a cup of tea, be lovely to see you. So I was like, OK, great.

1:14:26 Next week. Well, this was like November 2015. And I was like, OK, that's great. Didn't really think much more about it until it got to the new year and I didn't have anything in my diary. And I was like, what am I going to do? So I sent an e-mail to this person and I just said I'm going to be in London in the next couple of weeks. And I wondered if I could pop in and have that cup of tea with you. Yeah, this is great. Well, let me see if a couple of other people are available. And so they sort of, I still just thought I was going in for a cup of tea, right.

1:15:08 This was the only reason I got on the mega bus and I, which for those of you don't know is a pound to traffic. Or used to be. Double Decker, is it? Oh my God, this double Decker Bone shaker from Cardiff to London. And then I went for the day and went in for this cup of tea and we were there for like 20 minutes and I met all these people. And then I sort of realized that we were having this. You were asking me these quest like questions about it was an interview, but a really informal thing. And I went away. I think that was kind of odd, but I don't know what's. That was worth found. Yeah, yeah. It was lovely to see my friend and you know, this lady. And that was great.

1:15:53 And then four days later, they contacted me and offered me the Mariah Carey tour, which was seven weeks around Europe, UK and South Africa, looking after her meet and greets and the VIP packages. And I was like, right, here we go. Then another chapter begins. So. Say again, amazing. Like, you know, just because you're proactive, I'm like, I'm going to be in London. It's the kind of thing I'd do as well. Like I'm just in London. I'm not actually like I'm still in Greece, but I I can get there if you say yes. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And then again, and now another. So then from Mariah Carey. What?

1:16:33 Led you to the next door. Well, just more or you can just through VIP nation then. Yeah, so through them I did lots of different tours then so with lots of different VIP packages. So I got to understand, you know, all the different elements of of those are more challenging than others. So you know, Avenged Sevenfold where fans were literally inside the stage and sort of these sunken pits and had to figure that out with the stage manager and the the crew, you know, the production manager, etcetera. And did 5 Seconds of Summer where the band were being asked questions by the audience.

1:17:15 And it was quite a young crowd. And we do 500 for early entry. And those kind of acts, you know, the the people that come to see them fairly young, they tend to be anyway. And they queue up all through the night and they get their position at the barrier and they start writing numbers on their hands and all this and they don't lose their place in the queue. And I understood how important that was to them, right? They don't want to lose their place in the queue. But I also didn't really want to go by their hand marking system because some were involved in that and some weren't. And I didn't really think that was fair. I basically had wristbands and I would number the wristbands 1 to 500 when we opened for the early entry and give them all their wristband.

1:18:05 I would go down the queue beforehand, make sure everyone was OK, welfare check them along with the stewards and venues and stuff and just explain to them that it didn't matter what number was written on their hand, it was the number that was on their wristband that would would count as their place in the queue. And so we'd get them all in. They'd have their sound check experience, but due to the rules and regulations of a lot of venues, that meant that they then had to go back outside or queue up again. And obviously then they've lost their position. So I would get them re queued back up in their order of 500. So if you've ever tried to queue up 500 people in order of numbers. So I used to stand on a chair and like say, OK, one to 10 over here, like 10 to 20 over here and then like, yeah, go through the queue.

1:18:57 But they appreciated it. They appreciated the fairness camping. Out all night. And they do. And they do. And you know, you just got to put yourself in their position as a 15 year old or a 14 year old, you know, and they were really sweet. They were really, really sweet. But again, you didn't have to care, you could have. Just said I didn't have to care. No, I didn't. I didn't have to care no at all. But I did. I always did care about the fan experience, and I think that's was ultimately really my downfall in some ways, because sometimes you feel like it's not the value for money that you would expect. You know, they could be very happy with what they've got. But me personally, I would think that, you know, maybe I'd like to try and take care of people anyway. So yeah, so I did.

1:19:53 Also. Paul Rogers Avenged Sevenfold 5 Seconds of Summer Coldplay, which was so. Good, I bought this for you today. The cold thank. You, I did notice, yeah. Yeah. You know the Coldplay is. A. 1000 people. Load of everything now, but I was like yeah, where is the flair? I love it. For anybody that doesn't know, this is the Coldplay swag that was given. I missed the swag. I missed the swag. So much swag, so much swag. They had to give us a bag to put all the swag in. Yeah, but real good times. Real, real good people. And even now, I mean, I watched. I wasn't a Coldplay fan before I started working on that tour.

1:20:36 Honestly, I bought the first album I saw them in Chloe for back when they first came out with Shivers and Yellow, and that was pretty much as far as my liking for them started and ended. And then I did that tour and it was just incredible. It was. Just incredible. You remember Sal, do you remember Sal? So Sal blessed she sent me a video because she knows I like out of everything. Like I've always loved the song yellow. And anyways, literally yesterday she'd sent me a video of her walking like backstage and him and Chris Martin playing yellow. And I was like, ow. And she knows like it's just like a it's a special song for me.

1:21:16 So every time, especially after a hard day, I'd go out and yellow would come on. I would often have like a tear in my eye, you know, like that tired tear. And I'd be like, I love this song and I'm hearing it, all these people. Yeah, yeah, it's mad. And it's mad how? God, yeah. Crouching down at the front of the barrier and just feeling, you know, when just feeling like that additional part of the show, you know as well, just just such brilliant memories. I was going. To say I'm going to explain this now. So the balloon part were these huge, huge balloons that were blown up by Paul Trainer, who I believe now is the stage manager, isn't he? Which is awesome. So anyway, he would block like everyone would block these big balloons and he would need people. You could only carry one in one hand, one in another and you'd walk down and literally the the side of the stage wasn't it like was below the stage?

1:22:11 So the banger on the stage, and I can't remember the song, the last song, but you would basically you've got adventures. Of a lifetime or something like that maybe? Everybody get down. So the whole stadium, everyone would get down, we would get down and then it would go. Then the music would hit back up again and we'd jump up with the balloons and then all the balloons would be released and you're like, my God, like there's the band literally to the to touch. We didn't look. That didn't bother me, but just like that was there. But the stadium and every now and again you're looking at me. Yeah, yeah. Amazing. Faces in front of you, they were like just everyone's so excited.

1:22:53 Lovely. Yeah. Highlights. Yeah, it's, it's incredible. I was strangely enough, the the lady who used to be the one of the event manager account managers at VIP Nation, the Live Nation Emmy. She is now the production coordinator for Coldplay. And, yeah, so I was very lucky last year, myself and Kimmy went to see them because we crossed over that beautiful, fruitful moment when, you know, the this the cloud, the planets align, and you happen to be in the same place as another tour, and you get to meet up with all your buddies again. Yeah. So we went to, I think it was in Manchester, We went to the Coldplay show. And I just spent the whole time crying. I just was like, you know, so overwhelmed by the whole thing. So absolutely pathetic.

1:23:42 It's not. I remember because I think we both were leaving, weren't we? I can't remember where, where, where the last leg was now, but in Europe and everyone was off to America on the first time. And I was so sad, like so sad. And I was so and I was like, seriously, why am I crying? Like I'm actually finished work now. I'm like, I miss everybody all. I know, I know. So what would say has been your, I know this is really hard, but what is what would you say has been your best tour? Oh my goodness, every tour. Every tour is different, good or bad, for different reasons. It's so different.

1:24:24 I think generally speaking, I don't care what the music is. It's all about the crew and the relationships you make on that tour. Also, obviously it depends at what stage you are in your life when when tours happen. But yeah, I mean, Elton, for the reasons that, you know, the people that I met on that tour is definitely, you know, the longest tour that I've ever been involved in. And, you know, the number of different jobs I I did on that tour allowed me so much, you know, to meet every single person of it. Another question was going to be like one that's impacted you, but I'm sure actually Elton John is the biggest one because of where you are now and what now you've. Yeah.

1:25:10 I mean, yeah, it's definitely been the the one that's had so many pivot points coming off of it, both in terms of, you know, friendships that I've made and, you know, changes changing in, you know, career positions and stuff. The crew would always joke that I was trying to get every go work in every department in the hope that I'd get a set of steak knives. They're like, yeah, she's going for the steak knives. She's she's going to be a lampy next week and the following week it's going to be a car. And it's like I'm open to that, by the way. But right now I really want to give give that video LED a real good crack but. It wasn't. So you've done it, Eric Clapton as well, haven't you?

1:25:52 Yeah, yeah, We just just finished Eric Captain that Yeah, you. Haven't just gone into the industry slowly, you know, start off with like something local to learn it you've just got. Yeah, well, you know what as well, the the other part of doing video sometimes can mean that you're asked to run a camera during the show. And, and I'd never even thought that that was even going to be asked of me because of how little experience or zero experience I'd had. But on on Peter Gabriel, I was given the opportunity to run a long lens, which is sort of maybe it's sort of seen as like the safety, the safety shocks you're, you're further away. You know, I was Ed Coleman, the the director on that. Thanks, Ed.

1:26:45 He sort of trusted me to, to do the long lens. And it was like, OK, so you are basically going to be focused on Peter Gabriel. And I was like, what? You're putting me on the main part. I don't think you understand. No, I've not done this before. Don't No, no, no, no, you'll be fine. And it was like, just don't take your camera off him, you know? And I was like, OK, it's like easy doing missile. So I did that and then on and I love I love running camera now. And Eric Clapton, I was given the position of doing pit Cam, which was just, it was just so cool.

1:27:25 It was just so amazing. Yeah. And it gives you, you know, it gives you something to do during the show, which is awesome, you know, and your adrenaline is pumping and that takes you through to the loadout and. Yeah. I would just be going. Into. Like the side of the stage and I would, I'd see like all the video crew like with cameras. I was like, I'm gonna be like, like, I'm a bit confused now. And they're like, no, no, we get to do this as well. I was like, that's amazing. Like seriously. Yeah, yeah, it's amazing. And you know, you look up at the screen and you look down your, your viewfinder, you think, well, that's, that's what I'm doing. So I mean from my memory only looking at the remember the production sheet, the video crew were always generally the last last in and 1st out. Am I still correct on that?

1:28:14 Yeah. And I think it depends on the. Coldplay anyway, I know that was the case it. Depends on the tour like and it depends on, you know, lighting obviously, rigging obviously and lighting. It depends on the position of the trussing, the trusses and stuff like that and what has to go up in what order and what comes down. I mean, on Clapton we were quite, and on Gabriel actually as well, because of the, because of where our points were and where our screen was hanging from. Yeah, it didn't. I don't think we were ever first to finish. Ah. You weren't OK? Yeah, I always, I don't. Really care, you know I don't. No, no, no, no, I know. But it was just, I remember obviously looking at, you know, the, the, the day she and it would always be, you know, you'd see all the times of everybody, you know, like riggers, everybody 6:00 in the morning and it was 7. With catering, well didn't catering. Forget that that's, you know, like that, that that's forgiven. That's like 6:00 in the morning then. You guys have a slap.

1:29:14 Hold on a minute. Video are coming in at 12:00. I was like. Oh my goodness, I've done a six hour day. And you're oh. My. Goodness at 12 like you know and I know. I think how I think our latest call has been sort of like 930 probably that's. That's still good though. And I mean, it's great. It's great. I mean, do you still like, say, spare time, not spare downtime on a tour, are you? How should I put this nicely? Are you having the odd day where it gets a little bit one too many and we're dancing and singing and being very jolly now in the focus mode of going walking and, you know, taking in the, the sights of the cities where you are? Because I remember being.

1:30:05 Together. Yeah, for sure, I think. There's definitely going to be time for that and then there's time to not do that as well. When I was, when I was a production assistant on Elton, I made the decision not to drink for four months whilst I made that position because I didn't want to fuck it up essentially. Not that I, you know, want to fuck up any job, but you know, it's just I needed to be. And it also that job entailed you being on for sort of 24/7. You could get an e-mail or a text message or a phone call at any point in time for you or manner of things. But I mean, as I've got older as well, I don't really think I can be bothered with the headaches and the hangovers so much.

1:30:52 Seriously, I don't know. Years ago, how I kind of did it, you know, like, you know, sort of the partying and then the getting up in the morning and then doing a full day's work and either doing it all. I mean, the last tour, which was Muse or one of the last ones was Muse to me. I actually had a, it was just, I think it was about, it was 15 months, no alcohol. And it was the best tour I, I, I'd ever done. Everyone knew I didn't drink. Yeah, non alcoholic drinks everywhere, even on the bus. It was the best I'd ever felt. I woke up every morning amazing, no matter what time it was. And OK, I missed out on the silly stuff. And you know, like, and I do miss that. I miss that kind of like that, you know, that silly roadie Friday on the bus or whatever.

1:31:41 I missed that. But then at the same time I went to bed. So I got up in the morning and went for a nice walk when I got to the next city, you know, So I it was, it was amazing. But even hearing Creek now I can't, I just can't do it. I If anyone's listening to us talking now, they'll be like, what? Do you mean you do? Can't do it anymore? Yeah. No, no, I, you know, I still like to have a drink, but I'm for me right now, I'm learning and this job is, you know, VIP. I could kind of do standing on my head, to be honest with you, like that's just, you know, put the faith on off you go. But this is, you know, very much and still learning about stuff. You're lifting and shifting super heavy equipment. You could kill someone or get hurt yourself really badly. And you know, we're running motors and things like that. And, you know, I don't have any judgement for anyone that does that.

1:32:43 And, and generally speaking, those people are usually going to have much more experience than I have in this side of the, you know, the tech, the tech side of things. But I just need to have my wits about me and, and know what's going on and be fresh, as fresh as I can be. And so I try and look after myself now and talk. And so, for example, we were in Dublin with Eric Clapton and, and you know, I've, I've done most of that. I've been lucky to go to Dublin a lot of times for, for work, but I didn't want to get dragged into the Guinness. And you know, don't get me wrong, I had a pint or two when I was there, but you know, didn't want to sort of go down that road Rd. really. So I took myself off on the train to health, which is about 20-30 minutes away to the coast.

1:33:31 An amazing coastal walk about 10 miles on one of the days, which was just perfect for me. You know, I just thoroughly enjoyed it. Other people, you know, they might want to just completely chill out, watch TV, sleep all day. I'm not the biggest and best sleeper in the world anyway, so I'd much rather recharge my batteries by walking and being in nature or you know, doing doing some kind of activity. I sometimes take my Brompton bike on tour with me, so they're quite handy. So you get to the hotel and you can just unfold that and go off somewhere, which is quite cool. But it's a great way.

1:34:13 I mean, even this now, I mean, when you said, you know, I can record, I'm up at six, you know, we can record it whenever. I was like, OK, amazing. I mean, you know, we've just now got the morning and you know, like I think what's the time now for you, 8:50? Now, yeah, 8:50 yeah, at the end of the day, I've been up since. Five. Seriously. I know, we know it is. I'm two hours ahead of you, so it's 10:10 to 11:00 for me now. But it's the same thing. It's just doing like I've and I think you're the same. You know, we've loved all these silly things we've done, but now it's like, yeah, getting on the instead of, you know, having that session in Dublin, you know, getting on the train. Well, I went for a beautiful long walk and then I came back and I met up with a couple of the guys from tour and we had a couple of pints of Guinness and then I went to bed. You know, it's just like, perfect. Seriously, I couldn't agree more. Now there's something that I want to read out because this is in your words and I I'm sorry I haven't memorized it, but this is what a great attitude you have. So if you are ever miserable or the thing you're doing no longer makes you want to get out of bed in the morning, then change something.

1:35:26 Do something else. Practice gratitude and don't be a Dick. I love that, seriously. And that's true. So I can't thank you enough for doing this. The very first geese of gear with the ladies. Thank you, I'm honoured. I hope you've enjoyed chatting with me. Because I've really loved it and yeah, just good luck with this summer. I mean after a Dell do anything going on after that or you don't know yet? Not yet, not you. Just keep this face. Anybody out there listening? Claire here. Amazing lady, call her because she's brilliant.

1:36:10 So anyway, thank you so much, Claire, and I hope that one day our paths will cross or you're going to come to Crete, aren't you, this year? I hope so. Yeah, I hope so. Trying to figure that out. Yay. OK. Thank you so much. Bye. Thanks, Sarah. Take care, music.