Happy Together Tour

(The 17-city adventure of good music and good coffee)

2016Molly Cotter

Expectations are weird. You don’t want to set your expectations too high for fear of disappointment. But you don’t want to set them too low either, because then you could be shorting yourself.

The Happy Together Tour was something I knew about since I arrived at Belmont my freshman year. All through freshman and sophomore year I had these ideas and thoughts of what it was and what it could be.

“It’s like showcase-minus 100 people-times 15 days.”“It’s a giant sleepover with 10 strangers who go to the same school as you.”“It’s like being an intern but on tour.”“It’s like a 3 week class with no breaks, and you basically live with your teacher and his friends.” “I’m not sure if I’m right for this. I can’t do anything technical. I don’t know what all the different notes are!”“Darn, I didn’t get it this year. Junior year will be the one!”

So by May of sophomore year I was preparing for a summer of working and visiting home. But one day I received a call during class letting me know that someone was unable to go on the tour and I was next in line. All of the sudden I had a tour to prepare for and information to catch up on (but I guess that’s how it works in the real world. If someone can’t fulfill a position they call the next capable person). I had no idea that this was going to make my summer and frankly my time in college.

I expected to meet some like-minded people from Belmont, some artists my parents would love, and some people who had incredible stories. I met people I never would have met otherwise, was able to see how hard they worked, and once it was all packed up and the bus was moving, we got to see each other just being ourselves.

Going into it, I didn’t know exactly what I was going to learn but I knew I was going to be learning a ton. And I definitely did. I knew I wanted to tour but whether or not I was cut out for it was the question. I figured this was the best way to see if I was. If the Happy Together Tour isn’t for you, then touring in general probably isn’t either.

War Memorial Auditorium-Nashville,TN6/8/16

Today was pretty hectic-but in a really good way. We loaded the bus at Belmont and headed over to War Memorial. We had about 5 minutes for lunch (catering was on the TPAC stage…) and then we had to rush over to load-in. I tried to jump right in but at the same time I knew everyone else had a job to do so I also didn’t want to make their job harder. Also, the first day is a lot of watching so I would know what to do in the future. However, my experience at Showcase definitely helped!

My “job” for the day was FOH with JC. He was a really cool guy and was up to answer any question I had. When everything was set up and we had power, we made sure everything was working properly, did line checks, and then the band came down to sound check everything as a whole. JC was saying how with a lot of rock acts and explained that for the Happy Together Tour, his goal isn’t to show we he can do on a sound board and blow everyone away with volume, it’s to make sure vocals are clear, it’s not too loud, and everyone is having a good time.

Once the doors opened and people started taking their seats, JC was worried that there wasn’t going to be enough bodies to absorb the sound and he would have to collapse everything he had made in order for the volume to be adequate. And that’s exactly what happened. I really enjoyed watching JC do everything even though most of it when over my head. I wish I had more questions to ask but I am so not a technical person.

With FOH it was also cool to see the show from the audience’s point of view. It was awesome to see Mark perform, he’s like a totally different person on stage. You can tell he absolutely loves it and the audience loves him. I’m excited for what the rest of the tour will bring.

King Center-Melbourne, FL6/9/16

First night on the bus: done. I wasn’t sure what to expect, people were comparing it to a cruise but I’ve never been on one so

I was pretty much in the dark (literally…those bunks are pitch black). Lex and I grabbed a super speedy shower last night. At the time I didn’t realize we were the only ones but I knew I would feel better if I showered. It took a while to fall asleep, I think partly because I was getting used to the movement, and also I was pretty wired up from the show. Nonetheless, when I did wake up I thought it was maybe 8am (you literally have no clue what time of day it is in those bunks), but nope, it was 11:00 am. We were still driving and were almost at the Orlando airport to drop our co-driver off.

Load in was scheduled for 1pm but we didn’t get to the venue until 2pm. Everything was already inside so we helped a bit in setting up the stage. I was doing merch tonight with Tessa so eventually we made our way out as the jobs got more focused and they didn’t need our help.

We had our first “class” with Mark and Ron, the tour manager. We talked about how the tour came to be, all of the work Ron had to put in in order for it to happen. He talked aboutworking with agents, advances, their demographics, and more. I’m really excited for the Clearwater show because I’ll be shadowing him.

During the show I was on merch. Tessa pretty much has it down to a science now…at 4:30 we met up to count-in each piece of merch (counting how much we were going to put out for that night). Once that was finished we were free to go for dinner or whatever else we wanted to do.During dinner we ended up talking to Billy J Kramer and his wife for a little bit. Billy talked about how he got his start back in Liverpool with Brian Epstein and the Beatles. We even talked about Making a Murder. His wife was super nice…she’s helping him out on tour since he just had thumb surgery, but I love her Brooklyn accent.

Merch was a little hectic, but I really liked it. I don’t know if it’s the combination of organization and dealing with people or what but I’m really excited to do it again. Tessa has a lot of insight too because she was in our shoes just a little while ago.Ruth Eckerd Hall-Melbourne, FL6/11/16

Today felt very chill and quiet. I don’t know if it was because of our day off yesterday or the rain this afternoon…

I shadowed Ron, the tour manager today. It was really interesting to watch him work. He’s done it for so long that he just preps most of it and the rest is routine. Also because he knows it so well most of the contacts at each venue are people he’s worked with before.

I watched the show from backstage today. It was cool to see it from a

different perspective. I also love that The Cowsills stay side stage for almost the entire show singing and dancing to everyone’s set! Really, everyone cheers each other on and seems to be having the time of their lives.

Load out was pretty quick, I felt like I knew what I was doing this time around. Also, the load-ins and load-outs for the past few shows have felt like a breeze because the ramp and stage situation the first night was extremely hectic! I’m more excited for each show now since I don’t feel so lost.

Florida Theatre-

Jacksonville, FL6/12/16

Load in was smooth…I spent my time on the drum kit since it what I sort of latched on to from the beginning. The set-up is definitely getting easier! Today I was stage with Jason and I feel like I definitely learned the most concrete things. I learned how to fix a lug in a drum, tune a drum, and tune a guitar. Tuning the guitar was definitely the most stressful because I have literally never held a guitar. But, I have to say, I felt super accomplished after I (semi) successfully tuned The Cowsill’s guitars. I also helped with sound check-literally scratching mics, playing keys, and speaking into mics. I learned that I really hate hearing myself through a mic…

Jason showed me how to do the effects on the projector and I messed around

with that for a while. Since we were in downtown Jacksonville, I was on the hunt for coffee. Forgetting it was Sunday, the search was harder than I thought. Eventually we were successful and found a place called “Chambelin’s”. It doubled as a coffee shop and used bookstore/library. I would have spent all day there if I could.

We also talked to Kevin, the venue’s Director of Programming. He was super insightful about the venue side of things but also about progressing your career in general. He talked about buying talent, being a non-profit, and his journey from lighting director. Something he mentioned that I thought was really interesting was to not be afraid to move. Your abilities and talents and your current position may not necessarily be the best outlet for them. I don’t know, it was one of those things that made me think.

The show itself went great. We had a bit of a late start after a 15-minute venue hold. I was slightly nervous at first about the effects but once I started it was a breeze. I actually really enjoyed it, I was able to be creative and not have to worry about messing up.

Working with Jason was cool. I really admire how much he knows, how good he is at everything, and also how willing he is to teach us even if it slows his process down. I never pictured myself feeling confident about working backstage but after today, I feel like if I needed to I could definitely do it (after some more practice of course!)Cobb Energy Center-Atlanta, GA6/13/16

I am so happy to be out of Florida. Humidity is definitely on my list of “Things I Hate”. Load-in felt much more routine. Actually, our days feel much more routine…wake upload-inlunchfind a showerclassdinnerkill some timeshowload out

I was lighting tonight. During load-in I introduced myself to the LD, he had no idea there were students on the tour so I think it threw him for a bit. He explained that it’s a relatively simple show and the projector has enough going on that there wasn’t much programming needed. I stopped in after lunch to check-in see if there was anything I could pick up on before the show started. He explained some basics, the type of console (Light Palette), the colors, electrics, and back lighting. During the show I watched him for a while and helped him pick colors for each song. For a couple songs and transitions I actually controlled the lights.

Before the show I sort of explored around the venue. We spent a lot of time in catering talking to Godfrey, Manny, and the new bass player John. I was out by merch for a bit talking to some of the audience members. I really enjoy talking to people and seeing how excited they are for the show. I also sat outside for a while just people watching. I walked around, made my way up to the roof of the parking garage and got some cool pictures of the Atlanta skyline. Something I sort of knew about myself, but I think has become more apparent in my participation of this tour, is I like my alone time. When you’re living with 10 other people on a bus, eating meals with 30+ people, and in the midst of hundreds of audience members, 20 minutes alone will do you some good!

We also got to hear from Peter, the promoter of the show. He’s actually an independent promoter which I didn’t realize existed. He takes on all of the risk but receives the pay off. What I found interesting was that because he essentially works on a commission, what he puts into the show, he gets out of it. Whereas, promotion companies (AEG, LiveNation) are paid a salary so no matter how the show does, those doing the leg work get paid each time. Peter was a really cool, laid back kind of guy which I loved. He’s worked with The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Weird Al, and a bunch more doing promotions and merch.

After the show we watched The Goonies, one of my favorite movies. I fell asleep on a moving bus somewhere in Georgia and woke up on a still bus somewhere in Virginia…

Mid-Hudson Civic Center-Poughkeepsie, NY6/15/16

Well, it was nice to be up north again! Not as hot and a little breezy. Tonight I was merch and since we got an order of new shirts a few dates back, we had to do some pulling and sorting. It didn’t take too long so we had the rest of the time to ourselves.

Class today was with Godfrey. He’s a really cool guy and it’s cool to hear him talk about all that he has done and continues to do. He’s a professional musician which is like a whole other world to me. He talked about his time on the

road and how when he’s off he tries to create his own work. He plays in multiple bands, leads bands (like the Happy Together Tour), and does his own shows around NY.

I love getting to hear from people who work in all facets of the industry, it opens up so many possibilities for the future.

The actual show went well. We sold a decent amount of merch and I fully understand the settlement now. It’s crazy how splits are so different everywhere though.

Beacon Theater-New York, NY6/16/16

Ah, New York. I have a love/hate relationship with you.First getting into the city we grabbed our stuff and rushed off the bus as we parked right on Broadway. It took a while to find our way into the venue but when we did, we were met with an old building and an elevator operator. We had a dressing room on the 7th floor to keep our stuff for the day.

Because the theater, like most of NYC, was unionized, there was very little we could do. We couldn’t load-in or touch any of the cases. We couldn’t even sell mercy. I understand why that’s the way it is and everything but it’s frustrated to stand by and do nothing but watch.

Lunch and dinner were walk-away. Lex and I went for a walk and ended up finding a place with great coffee. When we got back to the venue there were already people waiting outside for the artists. I was photographer so I snapped a few shots of the stage being set-up and also of the theater itself.

With more time to kill we grabbed some lunch at an Italian place across the street. A few of us went to a museum and some of us grabbed ice cream. Basically,

today was a day full of eating and by the end I kind of hated myself…During the show I was able to snap some pictures from side stage but I was

very limited in where I could go. It took me a bit to get the hang of the camera and the lighting but by the time Mark Lindsay came on I got some good pictures. Of course, the camera died as soon as the finale started though….

Overall it was a pretty good day, we got a taste of the union life and got to scope out the city for our day off.

Park Theater-Cranston, RI6/17/16

Whew. I haven’t posted in a while. I’ve been writing though! Wi-fi has been spotty and we’ve been going and going and going (not complaining!)  I was stage again tonight. Brittany was also stage so we decided I would do the first half and she would do the second. It was super easy this time as far as the effects. I knew what I was doing so I kind of just got creative with it. I had tune a guitar again. Despite knowing what to do, I still get freaked out doing it. I guess that’s the non-musician in me.

I liked this show too because I got to help with staging and stuff during the second half. I helped with Mark Lindsay’s jacket switch, brought out the mics for The Turtles and the finale. I also picked up the drumsticks and take away the Adele get up.

Once I catch up, I promise to stay on top of the things (hopefully).

NYCB Theater-Westbury, NY6/18/16

The rotating stage!The day didn’t start out the best though…we had a bit of an “accident” that

afternoon that resulted in a hospital trip. Things were a little off all day but in the end, it all worked out well, everyone is okay, and the show went on without a hitch.

Load-in was a little tense. We weren’t sure what exactly we could touch and how much we could really do. I did get to shower though, so no complaints! The food was awesome (eggplant rolitini!) The place was run by Kerri and we actually got to meet her for our class that day. She is literally a one woman show. She is the production manager for the theater and rules with an iron fist (in a good way though)!

She talked about growing up in Greece and transitioning from wanting to be a police officer to a production manager. She started off as a runner and climbed the ladder from there. She encouraged us to ask questions all the time as we continue on and to not let anyone talk us down. She was really awesome, someone I really admired but slightly feared…

I was merch and it went really well. We sold a lot more than we expected and it was something we really needed because some of the other shows hadn’t been that lucrative. Tessa let us take control of count-in which was cool. I really love talking to all the people and seeing how excited they are to see these artists.

Tarrytown Music Hall-Tarrytown, NY6/19/16

Right off the bat I loved this place. Everyone that worked there was incredibly nice and helpful. Not to mention right next door was a really good coffee place that I hit up twice! The venue was small but homey.

I was monitors with Alejandro which was both exciting and scary. I knew minimal things about sound and cable but I was ready to learn something new. Alejandro was awesome, he really is a great teacher. He had graphics, and explained things clearly but definitely let me take a hands-on approach. It was weird but by being there and doing it, it was like everything from my Recording Technology class came together. I was hesitant to mix anything but I got to listen to Billy and Mark’s monitors which was really cool.

St. George Theater-Staten Island, NY6/21/16

Wow this theater was old. I was the photographer so I tried to take pictures of everything I could. The first time I did photography it was extremely mediocre…everything was blurry, the lighting was off, honestly I could have taken better pictures with my iPhone.

Anyway, when we first got there we met Vincent. He worked at the venue and was totally accommodating about the pictures. He essentially told me I could go anywhere in the venue for pictures-just try and stay out of everyone’s way. He even brought us up to the projection room that had all of the old spotlights and movie reels.

During our down time I was able to hang with my parents! They came up for the show which was really cool. We grabbed a bite to eat and caught up before I had to get back.

Keswick Theater-Glenside, PA6/22/16

Thankfully some more good coffee. I was merch today and we had to do a bit of switching around. We grabbed stuff from our bus to refill the bins, and tried to consolidate.

We had a nice little set-up in the lobby with clothes pins to hang things, bags, CD/Book stands, and we broke out the mannequins for this one. Surprisingly, we did pretty well! My favorite part of the night was this woman who must have been the biggest Billy J Kramer fan. She brought his book that she had bought and was wondering if he’d be out signing stuff. I explained to her that none of the artists really come out after but I offered to try and get it signed. I knew Billy wouldn’t mind so I found him during the second part of the show. After the show she came back sort of expecting to be let down. When I told her we got it her eyes lit up and she was so happy. She couldn’t have been more grateful and I was so happy I was able to help make it happen!

Pike’s Peak-Jim Thorpe, PA6/23/16

I woke up in Jim Thorpe, PA today to see that we were literally on top of a mountain. Once we stepped off the bus my day started as I was with Ron. This was a venue the crew knew so it was a big shower and laundry day for everyone.The wi-fi was a little spotty, at least on Ron’s computer and trying to get it to work was nearly impossible. Eventually we gave up and went on through the day without it. It was pretty typical-assigning dressing rooms, hanging up schedules, etc. Around dinner I spent a pretty hefty time on the phone with folks in Hampton Beach trying to arrange rides for those who had to be at the airport after the last show. Let me just say it was much harder than expected! A bit frustrating too. Eventually we figured uber would be cheapest.

I learned that it’s the crazy little things like that that Ron deals with on the daily. Everyday is just a different set of problems that needs to be solved. It keeps you on your toes though!

We also got to hear from Chuck Negron which was absolutely awesome. We heard is story, the rise of Three Dog Night and got to know him a bit better.

The

American Theater-Lancaster, PA6/24/16

Picture Day!! Everyone went straight to the venue today (artists included) in order to take the big group photo. Today was also the day we got to hear from Howard. Howard is such an interesting dude. I absolutely love his outlook on life and the stories he has are incredible. One thing he mentioned that I believe is worth thinking about is “don’t have a plan B”. He explained that if it’s what you love and want there is no need for a back up plan. As soon as you have another option, you begin to slightly neglect your main goal. The time and energy going into the “just in case” effects the “ultimate goal”. I translated this into take things as as they come. If I’m really not meant to do this, I’ll take care of it upon that realization.

Even when injured, and talking about some deep, real-life things, Howard still has a great sense of humor. It definitely started the day off on a good note.

Lynn Memorial Auditorium-Lynn, MA6/25/16

Today we spoke with the crew-JC, Jason, and Alejandro. It’s sort of funny that they were our last class; we worked closest with them this whole tour and I sort of felt like I already knew their stories of how they got where they are, and what it’s like being on the crew side of touring.

I think almost everyone can sort of sense the sluggishness in the air. We only have one more show and it’s sad that we’re almost done. I think everyone on the tour is sad to see us go but they’re excited as well because this is also the last show of the 1st leg, so they are all going to home to see their families and friends.

Today was also the first time in a while that I was in an actual car. There were a few things missing from dressing rooms and we needed some new bandages for Howard. I’m not eactly sure how but somehow I ended up being that person. I looked all over creation for a supermarket-the people at the venue sent me somewhere that was closed. Eventually, the runner just had to drive me to a Stop and Shop that was 5 minutes away. For something that should have been really simple, it was pretty stressful. But it all worked out in the end.

Hampton Beach Casino-Hampton Beach, NH6/26/16

The last day . It’s exciting to be by the beach. The town itself reminds me of home. It took a while to navigate ourselves in-the streets are busy as people make their way to the beach and trying to get a tour bus into a small driveway in the back of the casino is no small feat. (Shout out to all of the bus drivers on this tour).

We didn’t have class today-Mark wanted to give us a chance to enjoy the beach and “boardwalk”. However, we did kind of have one last meeting to wrap up the tour, say thank yous, and get the rundown on this paper.

I was merch for the night but the venue did the selling so once we got it inside we were pretty much free. Of course I found some good coffee, saw the crazy sand sculptures and made the rounds of goodbyes/thank yous just in case I didn’t see people after the show.

The whole time though-weighing on my mind was the dreadful fact that I had to go on stage for the finale. A few people were excited about it and a few were like me; “just stay in the back, get behind someone”.

All in all, it wasn’t the worst thing but I can’t say it was my favorite. As the show wrapped up we went to get the merch and settle. Unfortunately, the person selling didn’t sell the merch at the correct prices which was extremely frustrating and translated into us losing moving.

Reflecting back on the tour, it was such an incredible experience that I will never forget. I learned so many things about music, the business, people, and places. However, there were definitely a few personal things I checked off; how to tune a guitar, how to tune a drum, putting together a drum kit, sound itself and all of the splitters and cables involved, and proper tour bus etiquette.

I also learned a lot about myself. I like to have time to myself-a nap in my bunk is perfect. I also discovered I am excellent at locating and fitting in a shower

fairly often. I’m pretty good at staying healthy on tour, but if there’s chocolate chip cookies anywhere in catering I will definitely be taking one. I learned how to live with people I didn’t know and didn’t necessarily click with on a close level, which is perfectly fine! As long as you are someone others don’t mind being around, you have a chance in the music business.

I had wanted to get a feel for the technical aspect of live shows as that’s an area I’m not well-versed in. I think I can say I definitely accomplished that. I feel like if it came down to it, I could run a lighting board-it wouldn’t be a very complex light show or anything unique but I could manage it. I’m still dabbling in sound but I can absolutely set up mics and in-puts in any situation. And I think at this stage in my career and my current goals, I’m in a good place.

Touring is definitely something I want to do again in my life- I could absolutely make a career out of it. However, I do feel a little bit at a disadvantage;

my first tour was on a huge tour bus with a noon load-in. For most a first tour is in a van or a not so great bus. And most load-ins start at 8 or 9 am. I can rough it though! Going into this experience I knew I was living “the high life” in terms of touring.

This entire experience is something I will always carry with me. I can’t say enough “thank yous” to all of the people that make this work-Belmont, Curb College, Paradise Artists, Ron, Lucas, and of course Mr. Mark Volman. I also want to extend a formal thank you to the entire Happy Together Tour crew and artists for welcoming all of us, answering our questions, being patient with our mistakes, and being like our family.