A tour manager is the person responsible for getting an artist, their band, and their crew through a tour on time, on budget, and in one piece. On a small tour the TM may also drive the van and sell merch. On an arena tour they lead a team. The core job is the same: own the plan, and fix it when it breaks.
The Short Answer
A tour manager plans and runs the day-to-day of a tour: routing and schedules, travel and hotels, advancing shows with venues, settling the money each night, managing the touring party, and communicating every change to everyone who needs to know.
Before the Tour
Most of the work happens before the first show.
- Budgeting. Building the tour budget with management: guarantees, crew costs, per diems, travel, hotels, production. See our free tour budget template.
- Travel and hotels. Booking flights, vehicles, and room blocks, and building the rooming list.
- Advancing. Contacting every venue and promoter to confirm schedules, production, hospitality, and settlement details. More in our guide to how to advance a show.
- Paperwork. Visas and work permits for international dates, insurance, and the tour book.
- The touring party. Confirming who is on the tour, their roles, and what each person needs to know.
On the Road
Once the tour starts, the TM runs each day.
- The day sheet. Publishing the schedule for every day: lobby call, load-in, soundcheck, doors, set times, curfew, hotel. See what goes on a day sheet.
- Moving people. Lobby calls, airport runs, bus calls, and making sure nobody is left behind.
- Show day. Working with the promoter rep and venue, handling guest list, and keeping the schedule on time.
- Settlement. Reconciling ticket sales and expenses with the promoter at the end of the night. Our settlement sheet template walks through the math.
- Money. Paying per diems, tracking expenses, and reporting back to management.
- Problems. Cancelled flights, sick band members, missing gear, venue changes. The TM is the one who replans.
Tour Manager vs Production Manager vs Road Manager
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Tour manager | People, schedule, travel, money, and the overall plan |
| Production manager | Staging, audio, lighting, video, trucking, and production crew |
| Road manager | On small tours, the same as a TM. On large tours, looks after the artist and band directly |
On smaller tours one person often covers all three. For more definitions, see the tour management glossary.
The Skills That Matter
- Calm problem solving under time pressure
- Clear, early communication
- Organization and attention to detail
- Comfort with money and numbers
- Diplomacy with artists, crew, venues, and promoters
Tools Tour Managers Use
Most tour managers have moved past spreadsheets and email chains to tour management software, so the schedule, travel, and day sheets live in one place the whole party can see. Our roundup of tour management software compares the main options. If you want to see how TourPro handles it, it is free for teams up to 5.
