That sounds like a blast! It's probably a grind after a while. I guess that is why so many musicians got into alcohol and drugs over the years. Now that radio is gone and CDs and records don't sell, the artists have to tour to make money. I got to hang out with Golden Earring in Holland for a week, backstage. It was amazing. They started in 1962 and retired in 2022 when the guitarist got ALS. They toured for 60 years but they mostly stayed in Europe. I'm sure it still was a grind. But to be backstage and see all that goes into each performance is quite an adventure.
After college I did a couple of equipment manager gigs for semi-pro football teams. That's a thankless job. Most of our opponents were in Seattle so we drove up there a lot. We played a team from Bellingham which is up near the border. Three hours to Seattle then 2 more up there, depending on traffic and there's a lot of traffic. We left Portland at noon, dressed the players and kicked off at 6pm. At10 we would load up all the gear and go to dinner. Heading south as fast as a Penske truck would go, we would unload, take the truck back, drive home and crash, about 4am.... God I loved our home games!
I traveled with the Portland State Team too, I worked for them when was in school there. We would take 3 day bus trips to Idaho, Montana, and California. Only the "travel team" would fly usually.
but that's 60 plane tickets,30 hotel rooms, meeting rooms, training rooms, local busses, medical equipment. football equipment. laundry. Plus family hotels and BIG BUFFETS 3X DAY. It's a lot of work and it takes a lot of people just to pull off 1 football game. Stadium crews, officiating crews, media crews, concessions crews, security.... Oh and Trainers, team doctor, marketing, coaches, equipment managers, and ummmm.... PLAYERS! ... and their moms and Dads........
But We Do Appreciate Them......
Here's to You!!!!!
