Canadian Musician September / October 2019 | Page 39

Shows and tours are also a huge part of management’s jurisdiction, dealing with the budget and the people: agents, promoters, tour managers, and crew. The manager will advise on all cre- ative matters: selecting the right produc- er, choosing the singles, and making sure the artist is presented to the music-buying public in the best way possible. Let’s get some of the terminology out of the way. You’re probably aware that an agent books the gigs while a manager oversees everything else, but there’s much more to the way the team works. The manager is sometimes re- ferred to as the personal manager, in order to distinguish the job from that of the other managers on the team. The business manager looks after all of the artist’s finances: bookkeeping, bills, taxes, and so on. As the act becomes more and more successful, the manager will eventually have to hire someone to “do the numbers.” In the entertainment world, busi- ness management is a largely unregulated profession, depending on the territory. There are not many checks and balances that would prevent the business manager from skimming extra wages off the top or emptying out the artist’s bank account, as has been the case in a few high-profile cases, so the personal manager needs to be wise about who to hire for this role. The personal manager almost never goes on the road with the band. That’s a job for the tour manager and/or road man- ager. Whereas, on a small tour, these two jobs are done by the same person (referred to as the TM), larger-scale stadium tours will have two facets. The tour manager coordi- nates the logistics surrounding tour routes and feeding and housing the band and crew, whereas the road manager will look after the thousands of tiny details during the tour, including herding the musicians onto the bus, onto the stage, and into the hotel room. When things go wrong (a daily occurrence), the TM will fix it or find some- one who can. The large-scale tours will also require a production manager who looks after, among other things, production equip- ment rentals, trucking the gear, and bus- sing the band and crew. A band’s first few tours will likely have minimal or no crew members. This means one of the band members will need to look after running the tour. In time, when the income from shows warrants hiring a Bernie Breen of Bernie Breen Management crew member or three (e.g. sound tech, instrument tech, merch person), the new crew member will likely double as the tour manager, at least temporarily. In some rare cases, personal managers may come on the road with the band and act as TM, but their time is much better spent back at the office, working on the next deal. What to Look for in a Manager The manager will represent you to the world, and is therefore the single most important member of the artist’s team. The relationship is a potentially compli- cated one in that the manager is more of a partner than a boss. As such, it’s imperative that he/she shares the artist’s vision – and has a concrete plan on how to realize it. This means selling the act as it is (though perhaps with some tweaking) rather than trying to overhaul the music and create something far removed from what the artist created. The manager must be passionate about the artist’s music in order to sell it. Consider the differences between a newer, less-experienced yet enthusiastic manager against an established manager with clout, muscle, and a staff. A smaller manager with unyielding work acumen and impressive leadership skills can make things happen for the artist, even if that means fighting day and night to establish clout and credibility. Teresa Nelson is a manager with Traverse Music out of Vancouver. She and her partner look after seven acts. They es- tablished their company in 2018, and she knows all about putting the time in to go to bat for her clients. “With the bigger managers,” she says, “I’m sure there are more opportunities for partner-touring and so on, but an artist might get lost in the shuffle if there isn’t just one person who’s focused on your career. I often take phone calls at all hours, I don’t take weekends off… I’m hustling just as hard as they are.” There are many traits that tend to be inherent in all successful managers. Those who are honest, patient and per- sonable, have excellent communication and problem-solving skills – and employ manipulative stealth – will do well, even if they are relatively new to the scene. A larger management company with established connections and a history of clout will usually make things happen quickly, as they are simply more powerful than a smaller manager, but it can be difficult for an unknown artist, however talented, to attract this kind of situation. That said, some of the benefits are obvious. Experience will help find the good deals and weed out the bad ones. A good reputation ensures phone calls get returned. Bernie Breen is one of Canada’s most respected managers. With a roster C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N 39