ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the ways in which road crew members gain access to and establish themselves within the live music industry. It does this through a discussion and analysis of the factors that enable them to initially learn their trade and subsequently continue to work on tours. It also looks at the reasons road crew members leave their positions. The chapter highlights the integral role of a network of contacts and the informal practices involved in acquiring and maintaining work. It also examines the notion of precarity in relation to the working lives of road crews and their ability to make a living in the live music industry.
