roadie

A roadie is a member of a touring crew who travels with a band or other live act to support performances by setting up, maintaining, and dismantling equipment. Roadies work across venues, transport hubs, and stages to ensure gear is available, safe, and operational from soundcheck to final encore.

Responsibilities typically include load-in and load-out, cabling and cable management, instrument maintenance, rigging backline, amplifiers, and monitoring devices, and assisting with tuning and setup. Some roadies specialize as guitar technicians, drum technicians, or backline technicians, while others assist with sound, lighting, or video. They coordinate with the tour manager, production manager, and engineers to follow a production schedule.

Work conditions are usually demanding and itinerant. Roadies travel with the tour, often work long hours, and relocate between cities or countries. Employment may be on a per-tour or per-show basis, with compensation including wages, per diems, and sometimes housing or travel allowances. Safety and adherence to venue rules are important responsibilities.

The term roadie arose from the mobile nature of touring work in the mid-20th century. As productions grew, crews became more specialized, and technical roles expanded. In practice, roadie is a broad label that can refer to general crew members as well as technicians who support specific systems on a tour. Titles and duties vary by region and organization.