Tour Management Glossary: Essential Terms for Touring Professionals
A glossary of common terms used in tour management, live events, and the music industry. Whether you’re a new tour manager or crew member joining your first tour, these definitions will help you understand the language of touring.
Daysheet
A daysheet is the daily schedule and itinerary for a tour. It typically includes:
- Call times (lobby call, bus call, load-in)
- Venue information and contacts
- Soundcheck and show times
- Hotel and travel details
- Day-specific notes
- Documents specific to tour, day or venue
Tour managers create daysheets for each day of the tour and distribute them to the touring party. Modern tour management apps like GigSheets replace paper daysheets with real-time digital versions that sync to everyone’s phones.
Touring Party
The touring party includes everyone traveling with the tour:
- Artists and band members
- Tour manager and production manager
- Sound, lighting, and backline technicians
- Merchandise staff
- Security and drivers
- Management representatives
Call Times
Lobby Call
The time everyone must be in the hotel lobby, ready to depart. Missing lobby call means the bus leaves without you.
Example: “Lobby call is 8:00 AM sharp. Bus leaves at 8:15.”
Bus Call
The time the tour bus departs. Usually 10-15 minutes after lobby call to account for loading luggage.
Example: “Bus call is 11:00 PM. We roll after the show.”
Load-In
The time crew arrives at the venue to begin setting up equipment. Load-in times vary based on production complexity.
Example: “Load-in is 2:00 PM. Local crew arrives at 1:30.”
Venue Terms
Soundcheck
A pre-show technical check where the band plays through songs while sound engineers adjust levels, monitors, and effects. Soundcheck typically happens in the afternoon before doors open.
Doors
The time the venue opens to the public. Everything before doors is preparation; after doors, the audience is present.
Example: “Doors at 7:00 PM, opener at 8:00 PM, headliner at 9:30 PM.”
Changeover
The time between sets when one act’s equipment is removed and the next act’s equipment is set up. Changeover times are carefully scheduled to keep the show running on time.
Green Room
The backstage area where artists wait before and after their performance. May include catering, seating, and private space.
FOH (Front of House)
The area where the main sound and lighting consoles are located, typically in the middle of the audience. FOH engineers control what the audience hears and sees.
Monitor World
The area (usually side-stage) where monitor engineers control what performers hear on stage through in-ear monitors or wedges.
Tour Types
Show Day
A day with a performance. The schedule revolves around load-in, soundcheck, and show time.
Travel Day
A day spent traveling between cities with no performance. May include long drives, flights, or border crossings.
Day Off
A scheduled rest day with no travel or performance obligations. Rare and valuable on busy tours.
Double
Two shows in one day, either at the same venue or different venues in the same city.
Run
A series of consecutive shows. “A three-night run at Madison Square Garden.”
Production Terms
Advance
The process of confirming details with the venue before arrival. Tour managers “advance” shows by confirming load-in times, local crew, catering, and technical requirements.
Tech Rider
A document specifying the technical requirements for a performance: stage dimensions, power needs, sound and lighting equipment, backline, and more.
Hospitality Rider
A document specifying non-technical requirements: dressing room needs, catering, transportation, hotel preferences, and other accommodations.
Backline
Amplifiers, drums, keyboards, and other large instruments that form the “back line” of the stage. May be provided by the venue or carried by the tour.
Day Rate
Payment for a single day’s work. Crew members often work for day rates rather than salaries.
Guest List Terms
Guest List
The list of people granted free admission to a show. Managed by the tour manager and submitted to the venue.
Pass
A credential granting access to specific areas. Common types:
- All Access (AA): Unrestricted backstage access
- Backstage: Access to backstage areas
- Photo: Access to the photo pit for photographers
- Guest: General admission, no backstage access
Plus One (+1)
An additional guest accompanying someone on the guest list. “John Smith +1” means John and one guest.
Will Call
The venue location where guests pick up tickets or check in for guest list entry.
Transportation
Sleeper Bus
A tour bus with bunks for sleeping during overnight travel. Allows the tour to cover long distances while the crew rests.
Splitter Van
A van or small bus used when the touring party is too small for a full tour bus but too large for regular vehicles.
Runner
A local driver who transports people or equipment during show days. “The runner will take you to the venue at 3:00 PM.”
Using These Terms
Understanding tour management vocabulary helps new crew members integrate quickly and communicate clearly. When someone says “lobby call is 8, bus call is 8:15, load-in is 2, soundcheck is 4, doors at 7,” you’ll know exactly what the day looks like.
Modern tour management apps like GigSheets put all this information in one place, synced to everyone’s phones, so no one misses a call time or shows up at the wrong venue.
New to touring? Get started with GigSheets and keep your entire touring party on the same page.