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Holidays. While their meanings maybe different for us all but one thing can be counted on to achieve that special feeling of Yuletide unity- we all need more money. Yes, everyone has to take their turn to strap on the gut and the red suit and shove your ass down the chimney with something for the ones you love. Some of us are banking on that holiday bonus, others are taking up temporary jobs like waiting tables or wrapping someone else’s department store purchases. Perhaps its because I’ve spent the last five years waiting tables and bartending, but this year I am honestly thankful for my supplemental source of income: being an event runner. This past week I took a break from cramming for finals to pull two long shifts “running”, first for Ray Lomantagne at the Bijou Theatre and then for The GAC Christmas Spectacular at the Tennessee Theatre.

So what is a “runner”? Basically you’re a temporary employee hired for a specific event to do whatever comes up, (you’re the event’s bitch). You answer to a hierarchy of bosses from the artist himself down to the parking lot attendant; “Hey buddy here’s a fiver, can you get me a can a grizzly on your next time out?” Staple runs include filling hospitality needs (groceries, alcohol, patchouli oil, etc.) and making pick-ups of bus drivers and/or crewmembers. My tasks range from urgent show stopping equipment needs to things like, “Ray wants some Peanut-Butter Twix”.

The workday is longer than average, from 8-16 hours, but it gives me a real perspective what it takes to put on a show. The type of music, show production, the size of the band and the general neediness of the artist all play into how long and busy my day will be. Tuesday at the Bijou Theatre I worked for Ray LaMontagne, one of the better experiences I’ve had. The day started at noon with the routine shopping and flowed relatively smoothly to a pre-midnight close. Ray and I exchanged a few brief words here and there, which I understand is more than he usually gives strangers. His crew was cool and organized including his tour manger Daniel.

A quick word about tour managers: they can make or break everyone’s day. Some are cool and collected, generally nice people, who seem passionate about their artist’s music and the part his crew get to play in the music scene. Others are pretentious whip crackers, who swear something’s about to go wrong cause, “local workers in these backwoods towns don’t know nothing bout showbidness”. Daniel was definitely the first type. He kept me busy, but was very polite and when the show started I was completely free to enjoy it.

I’ll have to admit I had never seen or heard much of Ray Lamontagne. Maybe a song or two had passed through my ears listening to the radio but I never really picked up on it. So with fresh ears I went into the show about ten minutes after his set began. The Bijou was sold out and completely dark except for one dim red light that come down on Ray and his band. The music instantly grabbed my attention. His voice is huge and raspy and sounds perfect with his band, which included a pedal steel (one of my all-time favorite instruments). Lamontagne said nearly nothing to the crowd all night except one comment on how great the acoustics were in the room. Then it happened. One of our good ol’ boys let it fly, “FREE BIRD!” Ray rolled his eyes and proceeded to fake slitting his wrists on the stage. I kept waiting for him to smile but he didn’t. All in all he gives off the impression of being talented but disturbed, and after seeing him in concert I totally believe his lyrics.

That was day one. The next morning started at 9 a.m. with me picking up a fifteen-passenger van. I fully prepared myself for an all out balls-to-wall marathon day with the GAC Country Christmas Spectacular. I pulled up to the Tennessee Theatre to find four tour buses, a television crew and the biggest production I have ever seen. I wolfed down some breakfast in the catering room and proceeded to find the tour manager to report for duty. Right away I made two small runs and then waited in the AC Entertainment production office.

And basically I kept waiting for the next 12 hours. Sometimes that’s how it goes. On a huge production like that there are so many people working that locals like me are basically insurance. So my presence was very necessary because things can and usually do happen but I really only received one other actual run that day. I was never really bored, passing the time studying and listening to people tell stories about past tours, and I learned a lot about pop music and the magic of television. I was cut shortly after the show, returned my van to Enterprise, and headed home.
So that’s the basics of being a runner. Not as glamorous as some might think, but definitely an interesting way to make some extra holiday cash.