Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Olivia Rodrigo
Artists “It's easy to get lost in the sauce”: Olivia Rodrigo put her entire Guts touring crew into therapy
Kane Hibberd, the photographer behind the Scale exhibition in London, poses in front of his photographs – guitars features will include Kerry King of Slayer's BC Rich and Tom Morello's Arm The Homeless S-style.
Guitars Exhibition featuring life-sized photos of 100 legendary artists' guitars to open in London
Bob Dylan
Artists “I was frightened, but I was like, ‘ok, big boy pants time'”: Bob Dylan's live sound engineer Jason Frankhouser
Drunk performances
Gigs & Festivals Drunk on stage: Our pick of music’s most legendary under-the-influence performances
Gene Simmons
Gigs & Festivals "All I wanted to do is hug him”: Someone just paid $12,495 to be Gene Simmons' roadie for a day
Bono black and white in glasses
Singers & Songwriters "The tall tales of a short rock star”: Bono shares trailer for his Apple TV+ documentary
Lorde
Gigs & Festivals “OMG the cops are shutting us down!”: Lorde’s impromptu New York park gig just got axed by police
  1. Artists
  2. Gigs & Festivals

Access All Areas: behind the scenes with the world's hottest live acts

News
By The MusicRadar Team published 3 July 2012

What happens on tour goes in here

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Access All Areas: behind the scenes with the world's hottest live acts

Access All Areas: behind the scenes with the world's hottest live acts

We all know what music festivals are like, right? Lots of music, warm beer, mud, wacky hats... But have you ever wondered about all the hard work that goes on backstage to make those big headline set run smoothly?

Next time you're out front enjoying the plentiful supply of live music thrills, spare a thought for the hard-working, gear-laden tech crews who will be oiling the wheels of your favourite band's festival performance.

Over the course of summer 2011, MusicRadar spent time on the road with the teams behind the scenes for a diverse cross-section of artists - including some of the world's biggest live acts, up-and-coming bands and field-filling pop acts.

From in-ear monitor catastrophes, slippery drum risers and over-stretched stage managers, to impossible 20-minute changeovers, tuning-warping humidity, and dressing rooms the size of toilet cubicles, these incredible techs are practised in the fine art of getting the job done.

Professionals who have honed their trade with some of the biggest, hottest, and most influential acts in the world, these drum, guitar, bass and keys techs, plus backline wonders, tour managers, production managers, stage managers, lighting engineers, production directors and sound directors have decades of experience between them.

Read on to get exclusive access behind the scene with U2, Slipknot, The Killers, Rush, Paolo Nutini, The Vaccines and more...

First up: On the road with U2

Page 1 of 13
Page 1 of 13
On the road with U2

On the road with U2

We meet: Jake Berry, production director. Sam O'Sullivan, U2 back line chief. Joe O'Herlihy, U2 sound director.

Without question the biggest touring band in the world, U2's festival performances have gone down in the annuls of rock history. With some of the largest touring productions ever designed, it's no surprise that U2 have a world-class tech crew to bring their creations to life.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with U2

Page 2 of 13
Page 2 of 13
On the road with Slipknot

On the road with Slipknot

We meet: Gary Garner, production manager

Head gaffa for one of the biggest metal bands in the world, Gary Garner has both hands full with the extensive tech crew that surrounds Slipknot. Add to that a huge pyro-filled production and a rotating drum kit riser, plus enough gear and rigging to full six semi trucks, and it's easy to see why Gary's job starts well in advance of Slipknot's actual festival performance or tour.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Slipknot

Page 3 of 13
Page 3 of 13
On the road with Paolo Nutini

On the road with Paolo Nutini

We meet: Malcolm Stevenson aka Malky, backline tech

After a hiatus between 1997 and 2003, backline tech Malcolm Stevenson has worked for a host of genre-defining bands including Idlewild, Interpol, Echo & The Bunnymen and Mogwai. With nearly 10 years experience to share, Malcolm's approach to tech-ing involves preparation, an ability to think on your feet, and remembering to enjoying the moment when your work at a festival is done.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Paolo Nutini

Page 4 of 13
Page 4 of 13
On the road with Bombay Bicycle Club

On the road with Bombay Bicycle Club

We meet: Louis Bhose, keyboards, electronics, backline tech

Kick-starting his tech career in 2009, Louis Bhose is not only an accomplished keyboard player (he's played on sessions for Eliza Doolittle, Remi Nicole and more), but a one-man tech band. Currently holding down the job of touring keyboard player for Bombay Bicycle Club, that's just the beginning of his diverse role.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Bombay Bicycle Club

Page 5 of 13
Page 5 of 13
On the road with Bon Jovi

On the road with Bon Jovi

We meet: the tech crew, and check out the whole live rig

Ever the nosy so-and-sos, MusicRadar jumped at the chance of having a backstage tour of Bon Jovi's mammoth guitar and keys rigs last year when The Circle tour reached Bristol, UK.

With much gear fondling and drooling to be had, we chatted to backline crew chief Mike Rew, David Bryan's keyboard tech Bill St Amor, and Kurt Kassinoff, guitar tech to Jon Bon Jovi and longtime touring rhythm guitarist Bobby Bandiera. We also managed to sneak a look at some of Richie Sambora's live gear into the bargain.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Bon Jovi

Page 6 of 13
Page 6 of 13
On the road with You Me At Six

On the road with You Me At Six

We meet: Rob Highcroft, tour manager

As tour manager for one of the biggest pop punk bands around right now, Rob Highcroft has seen and done it all. Working his way up from driver, merch seller, and general tea boy, Rob has five years of tour manager experience under his belt. "I have done all sorts of roles on tour, and it all depends on what the job requires," says Rob.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with You Me At Six

Page 7 of 13
Page 7 of 13
On the road with Children Of Bodom

On the road with Children Of Bodom

We meet: Neubi, guitar tech, bass tech, production manager and stage manager

So busy he forgot to tell us his surname, Neubi holds down a host of duties in the Children Of Bodom tech crew. Not only is he tech for one of the wildest metal players in town, Alexi Laiho, but Neubi also techs for bass player Henkka Sepällä.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Childern Of Bodom

Page 8 of 13
Page 8 of 13
On the road with Funeral For A Friend

On the road with Funeral For A Friend

We meet: Steven Kneale, drum tech

A real young gun in the world of techs, Steven Kneale is three years fresh into his career. Having worked as part of the Twin Atlantic road crew, Steven got his break in Funeral For A Friend when Raw Power Management came knocking.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Funeral For A Friend

Page 9 of 13
Page 9 of 13
On the road with Buckcherry

On the road with Buckcherry

We meet: Terry Gray, drum tech

Buckcherry are known for their riff-drenched rock and insanely catchy tunes, as well as their hard-hitting drummer Xavier Muriel. An arena band in the States and a festival favourite in the UK, Buckcherry are the party band that everyone loves.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Buckcherry

Page 10 of 13
Page 10 of 13
On the road with The Vaccines

On the road with The Vaccines

We meet: Chris Shipton aka Shippo, backline tech (drums, guitars, keys, vocals)

The Vaccines were some of the hottest property on the festival circuit last summer. Backline tech Chris Shipton adheres to an 'all hands on deck' mantra when tech-ing for The Vaccines, getting his hands extremely dirty during each single show.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with The Vaccines

Page 11 of 13
Page 11 of 13
On the road with Rush

On the road with Rush

We meet: the tech crew and check out all the backline gear

With a dazzling multimedia presentation and a brilliantly rendered steampunk motif, the Time Machine tour is a three-hour precision operation both on stage and off. But for the seasoned pros who toil behind the scenes, it’s an all-day and all-night affair as they make sure every speaker line is assembled and hung properly, each video screen is good to go and every blast of pyro goes off without a hitch.

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with Rush

Page 12 of 13
Page 12 of 13
On the road with The Killers

On the road with The Killers

We meet: David Fidyrch aka Fiddy, bass tech

Like any newbie tech, David Fidyrch cut his teeth on a variety of instruments when starting out. Working with various bands for over 10 years, David now handles tech duties for The Killers bass guitarist Mark Stoermer. He has also leant his guitar and backline tech-ing skills to a variety of acts including MGMT (backline tech), Laura Marling (guitar tech), Louis XIV (guitar tech), and Stellastarr* (backline tech).

Read: Access All Areas: On the road with The Killers

Page 13 of 13
Page 13 of 13
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

Read more
Olivia Rodrigo
“It's easy to get lost in the sauce”: Olivia Rodrigo put her entire Guts touring crew into therapy
Kane Hibberd, the photographer behind the Scale exhibition in London, poses in front of his photographs – guitars features will include Kerry King of Slayer's BC Rich and Tom Morello's Arm The Homeless S-style.
Exhibition featuring life-sized photos of 100 legendary artists' guitars to open in London
Bob Dylan
“I was frightened, but I was like, ‘ok, big boy pants time'”: Bob Dylan's live sound engineer Jason Frankhouser
Drunk performances
Drunk on stage: Our pick of music’s most legendary under-the-influence performances
Gene Simmons
"All I wanted to do is hug him”: Someone just paid $12,495 to be Gene Simmons' roadie for a day
Bono black and white in glasses
"The tall tales of a short rock star”: Bono shares trailer for his Apple TV+ documentary
Latest in Gigs & Festivals
Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band performs live onstage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana
"Heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes": Steve Miller cancels tour due to... the weather
Costumed members and singer Tobias Forge of the Swedish rock band Ghost perform at Uber Arena on May 7, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The concert is part of the Skeletour World Tour 2025
“A life-changer for the existence of the band”: Tobias Forge says Ghost’s gig phone ban has been a success
a fire at the festival site of the Tomorrowland electronic music festival, Wednesday 16 July 2025
Massive fire breaks out at Tomorrowland EDM festival in Belgium
Miley Cyrus performs during Miley Cyrus Billions Club Series Paris at Maxim's on June 18, 2025 in Paris, France
“I have the physical ability. I wish I had the desire, but I don’t”: Miley Cyrus explains why she's not touring
Stevie Wonder speaks onstage at the BET Awards 2025 held at the Peacock Theater on June 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California
“But seriously, you know the truth”: Stevie Wonder addresses conspiracy theory that he isn’t actually blind
Arianna Powell and Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo’s lead guitarist says that she cried after learning that she'd get to play with Robert Smith
Latest in News
IK Multimedia Tonex One Brown Sound Anthology Limited Edition: these special run mini pedals offer the Tonex One in red, yellow and white, each presenting a specific era of EVH's classic tone.
“The anthology fully captures an artist’s tonal journey as he changed rock guitar forever”: Eddie Van Halen’s holy grail tone from a Tonex One mini pedal? IK Multimedia unveils the Brown Sound Anthology
Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band performs live onstage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana
"Heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes": Steve Miller cancels tour due to... the weather
Billy Joel
“Once you’ve seen this film, you’ll never hear Vienna the same way again," says Billy Joel doc director
Costumed members and singer Tobias Forge of the Swedish rock band Ghost perform at Uber Arena on May 7, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The concert is part of the Skeletour World Tour 2025
“A life-changer for the existence of the band”: Tobias Forge says Ghost’s gig phone ban has been a success
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature Pro-Mod Nova-7 NAT: The new S-style is eight years in the making and in some of the promo pictures it looks like Angel Vivaldi has been on horseback for much of that time.
Angel Vivaldi and Charvel unveil state-of-the-art 7-string for levelling up your shred game
Boss RT-2 Rotary Ensemble: the rotating speaker emulator has a visual reference on front, three modes, mono/stereo outputs and a metallic gold paintjob.
Boss puts Hendrix and Gilmour rotating speaker sounds on the menu with the RT-2 Rotary Ensemble

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...