Roadie, event handler and technician: what is the difference?

Road crew work focuses on practical on-site operations: loading and unloading, handling, moving flight cases and equipment, setup assistance, dismantling and reloading.

Roadies help keep load-in and load-out moving in line with the production schedule and the instructions provided by the technical team.

A technician works on an identified technical system or discipline. Depending on the requirement, the role may cover installation, adjustments, live operation and dismantling.

The level of qualification required depends on the discipline, equipment, live operation and responsibilities assigned on site.

• sound: installation and operation of the planned sound system;
• lighting: implementation and operation of the planned lighting system;
• video: installation and operation of the planned video elements;
• structure and power: operations corresponding to the system approved for the production.

Event handling describes the practical movement, loading, unloading and routing of equipment. It can represent a major part of road crew work.

The term therefore describes a family of tasks rather than an entire role. A road crew may cover several handling and logistics phases around setup and dismantling.

An efficient production separates responsibilities while coordinating them closely. Roadies support equipment flows and setup or dismantling phases, while technicians carry out work specific to their technical discipline.

A clear brief should identify the venue, schedule, equipment, work phases and technical trades so that handling, technical assistance and live operation are properly scoped.