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Stress isn’t the enemy. It’s information.

As March arrives, many of us in the live event world feel the familiar shift. Calendars begin to fill. Tour buses start rolling. Festival sites move from quiet fields to buzzing villages of crew, artists, and production teams. The season is ramping up. With that momentum comes excitement, but also the pace, pressure, and complexity that define our industry. At ECCHO Live, we’ve been hearing an important theme emerge across recent gatherings. From our Lunch & Learns, to conver

February in live events carries a particular weight. For many in the U.S., it’s tax season. As of February 17, we are celebrating a new lunar year. Everywhere, there’s talk of clean slates and fresh starts. And quietly, we’re tallying. What did I make last year? What did it mean? What will this year require? For those of us working gigs, it’s often a lean stretch. The calendar may be thin. Invoices from the last run are closed, but the next gig hasn’t quite landed. We stretch

Where we’ve been. Where we’re going. And how we arrive well. January isn’t just a clean slate of opportunity- it’s a pause between movements. And this year, that pause has been made literal. From Texas to Tennessee and beyond, many of us have been given an unexpected timeout as ice storms settled across our communities. Here in the Nashville area, we hope you are safe, warm, and regaining power if you lost it. These moments of forced stillness can be frustrating, humbling, an

The holidays can be meaningful, overwhelming, grounding, and exhausting all at once. For many people, especially those of us living in cycles of travel, production schedules, deadlines, or high-intensity work, traditional wellness advice can feel disconnected from reality. This post offers small, practical ways to engage with the 5 R’s that respect the hustle of live event professionals and their r eal schedules, r eal pressure, and r eal nervous systems. You do not need to

Every fall, as the tour buses start to slow and the loadouts wind down, the ECCHO Live Workshop comes to life. It’s more than a workshop — it’s a gathering place for live event and touring professionals to hit pause, reconnect, and reinvest in themselves. For fourteen years, our organization has brought this workshop to life because we believe in the power of showing up for your career  — not just when the spotlight is on, but in the quieter moments when growth happens. Why

This year, Touring Career Workshop steps into a new identity as ECCHO Live Workshop , centering on what makes our industry thrive: connection, collaboration, and access to the right tools. The 2024 theme, Navigate , invites you to see ECCHO Live as your personal “workbox” for building a stronger, more sustainable career. You’ll have the chance to explore insurance options, learn how to set up your business, attend panels with touring and festival specialists, take a deep div

Wellness Corner: August 2025   From the chaos of summer to more grounded living. Touring season is winding down. The gear is packed, the buses are parked, and the breakneck pace of summer is giving way to something quieter. This is the moment between movement—where you get to take a breath and begin thinking ahead. How are you preparing for what comes next? For many in our industry, winter work can be unpredictable. Gigs thin out, routines shift, and planning ahead becomes

This year marks my 26th year of touring. By the end of this year alone, I’ll have performed on six of the seven continents and played shows in my 80th country. Over time, I’ve picked up a few tricks specific to international travel that I’d like to share. I’ll skip over the generic travel tips and focus instead on advice for navigating global touring. Power: An International Primer Let’s start with a quick international power primer—not for equipment or stage power (that’s a

Heading overseas with your tour is thrilling—but it comes with its own learning curve. From time zone tangles to unfamiliar backstage culture, international touring stretches you in new ways. You’re navigating different beds, different foods, different expectations. The pace might feel familiar, but the rhythm? That’s different. And that’s where wellness becomes not just important, but essential. We talked to a few folks who’ve lived this stretch and come back with wisdom wor

June is National Safety Month , which lines up perfectly with the start up of summer’s high gear. The gigs are outside, the sun is blazing, and the hustle is nonstop. Whether you're building the stage, running front of house, or loading out long after the final, final encore, your health and stamina need to hold up under intense heat and heavy demands. ECCHO’s Wellness Corner is here to help you stay steady, safe, and strong  through the summer circuit—because taking care of

You bring the sweat and magic to your events—now we’re bringing the love back to you. At ECCHO Live, we know what it takes to build a show, hold it together, and bring people together under lights, sound, and sky. But behind every moment on stage is a team of people pushing through long hours, high stress, and physical demands that don’t always come with a wellness rider. (We see you scarfing down that breakfast burrito while walking the length of stadium!) That’s why we’re h

Touring Career Workshop 2016, (L to R) Erik Parker, Old Skool recipient Roger Gibbons and Chris Lisle In 2011, a simple fall workshop called Touring Career Workshop was the brain child of Chris Lisle and Erik Parker that was launched as a human resource gathering for the behind-the-scenes backbone of the touring industry: the stagehands, engineers, designers, production managers, and road crew. It was born out of a glaring gap—gig workers operating show to show with little to

In recent months, the conversation surrounding mental health in the industry has seen a positive shift. Organizations and professionals are recognizing the need to prioritize mental well-being, and we are honored to continue leading those conversations with our collaborative efforts at ECCHO Live. With 17 dedicated board members, including six new leaders bringing expertise in finance, legal matters, touring, and mental health, our nonprofit is stronger than ever. From the vi

As we step into the season of gigs, festivals, and nonstop touring, the excitement in the air is undeniable. The energy of live events fuels our industry, but with it comes an intense workload, demanding schedules, and high-pressure environments. It’s an exhilarating ride—but one that can take a toll on mental well-being if we don’t stay intentional about care, connection, and conversation. For those who build, produce, and execute live events, the grind is real. The long hou

ECCHO Live is honored to be acknowledged alongside Porter’s Call  and Music Health Alliance  in the recent ACM Lifting Lives  press release . These organizations have long been dedicated to the well-being of the music industry, providing crucial support for artists, crew members, and their families. To be recognized in their company is not just a milestone—it’s a testament to the growing awareness and prioritization of mental health in live events. ACM Lifting Lives has surpa

March is rolling in like a buzzing  hive of activity, and we’re keeping up with the B’s— TrailBLAZING Badass Women , Blackbird   Studios , and having your BACK  with All Access On Site  ramping up, there’s plenty to dive into! Trailblazers and Badassery in Live Events: This month, we’re shining a spotlight on a few of the incredible women who are shaping the live events industry—past, present, and future. Last month, we proudly introduced you to the powerhouse women on our bo

If you’ve ever worked in live events, you know the magic isn’t just in the spotlight. It’s in the late nights, the early mornings, the load-ins, and the long hauls. It’s in the people—the road warriors, the engineer wizards, the unsung heroes who make every show happen. For 14 years, Touring Career Workshop (TCW) has been a lifeline for those people, offering support, resources, and mentorship to touring professionals navigating the unpredictable world of live entertainment.

The start of a fresh new year allows us to take a moment and reflect on the past, and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed with gratitude for 2024. This year has been nothing short of transformative for our organization, and it’s all thanks to the incredible support of this community. Together, we’ve continued to empower live event and touring professionals in ways we could only dream of. From expanding our outreach through programs like All Access On Site to fostering meaningf

The 13th annual Touring Career Workshop (TCW) will be held Tuesday, November 12, 4 p.m., at the Soundcheck Annex in Nashville. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to delve into essential topics such as mental, physical, and fiscal health, work/life balance, crafting a solid business plan, and securing that coveted gig through engaging breakout sessions. Registration for the free event can be accessed by logging onto the TCW website:  www.touringcareerworkshop.com/works