The guy who always appears on stage to check the mic and gets everyone’s hopes up. The guy who makes sure the band is in tune, the peacemaker and the go to guy for, well, everything. Or to my mind, the mysterious strangers who usually fascinate me more than the musicians themselves, with their lanyards and ever-distracted air.
Who are these mystery men (and women) in black? Are they former musicians who have suffered some tragic stage trauma and can no longer perform? Or less dramatically, a best mate of the band?
Aided by a few bottles of cider, this article seeks to gain insight into these enigmatic characters and examine a day in the life of Tim Braitling – guitar tech to numerous bands from old Brisbane favourites Another Day Down to Michael Franti and Spearhead – and his every day alter ego, owner and creator of Roulette Drums, a custom drum making business based in south Brisbane.
Firstly, the thing you are probably all dying to know, is the life of a techie full of wild parties and debaucherous stories? Well, to be honest, Tim’s diplomatic answer was surprisingly tame. Turns out, when your job depends on being available pretty much 24/7 on tour, being able to get along with everyone and basically be at the beck and call of the band, it’s best not to be too inebriated.
And that’s possibly one of the most significant things that can get lost in translation. Guitar techs, drum techs and roadies, their existence relies on being cool, calm, collected and reliable in moments of extreme pressure.
While there are plenty of stories to be told, most of which cannot be reproduced in such a public forum, the majority of a guitar tech’s time is spent making sure they’re organised to the hilt and ready for anything. Plus, given the size of the industry, particularly in Australia, it’s best to keep yourself in the good books of a band’s management. Much like any industry really, a lot of your employment relies on word of mouth.
In the plainest terms, a typical day on tour for Tim, who works on some of the biggest summer festivals, is non-stop from dawn to midnight.
‘Well, first of all, each day begins at about 5.30am, with a 6am lobby call to head to the airport. It’s a bit of struggle at the beginning of the tour because we have usually worked a set the day before and only get into the hotel after midnight’.
‘Once we get to the airport, there’s usually enough time to grab breakfast and then hop on the plane to the next city. Generally once we hit that city, the band heads straight to the hotel and the rest of us go ahead to the venue to make sure everything has arrived on the trucks’.
‘Hopefully everything has arrived at the venue, so I can catch up on some Roulette Drums related business, but if not, I have to try and either find the missing equipment or borrow from one of the other acts’.
‘Finally, after grabbing a quick dinner from catering, I can set everything up to be ready to go when the band heads on. Once the band is on, I have to make sure nothing goes wrong during the set and pack everything up after the guys have finished’.
‘Depending on the playing times, I’m generally finished and packed up by 10.30 or 11.00pm. Sometimes we hit the after party for a beer or two, then back at the hotel around 1.00am to be ready to do it all again the next day’.
Actually, Tim does that all over again for about two weeks straight including side shows.
To be completely honest, just listening to Tim’s typical schedule was exhausting, and that’s if nothing serious goes wrong. Power outages, broken guitars, destroyed mics, lost equipment and conflicting temperaments can sometimes form a rather volatile cocktail that makes a laid back and resourceful personality a vital ingredient in any guitar tech.
But the stress, lack of sleep, pressure and crazy hours have meant that Tim has travelled the world, working with some of his favourite artists including Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Starting Line, The Almost, Unearth, All That Remains, Josh Pyke and Tex Perkins and multiple once in a lifetime opportunities to see living legends play live from side of stage.
He’s also had the eye opening experience of seeing the dark side of rock and roll, lives ruined by drugs, relationships pushed to the extreme by mistrust and awkward name dropping incidences. A little tip, if one wants to name drop, make sure you’re not actually name dropping the name of the person you’re talking to. Facial recognition is a handy skill.
But despite all this, the last 6 years, spent on the road almost every summer, have resulted in some friendships that will last Tim a lifetime … and stories that will no doubt impress his grand kids and some surreal memories.
‘From driving from Perth to Brisbane in almost 47 hours nonstop in a crowded van, helping out some of my best mates, to watching Bob Dylan open for us at a festival from side of stage, the life of a guitar tech is a blessing and a curse’, notes Tim with a wry smile.
‘It’s not for the faint hearted, but if you’re organised, easy going, and in it for the right reasons, I’d recommend it to anyone’.
So there you go, if you think you can handle the trials of being a guitar tech and living the nomad life, your best bet is to start small, stay focused and positive.
If you have any questions for Tim, or want us to venture into the lives of any other character is the music industry, drop us a comment on our socials. Stay tuned for the next article to delve further into the depths and behind the scenes of your favourite bands, artists and venues.
