What Happens Before A Concert Is Performed?

I sat down with Julia Battagliese to discuss her internship at a local concert venue, the Aggie Theatre. Throughout the course of our in-person interview, I got to learn about how concerts are brought to fruition on the day of, while diving into the mind of Battagliese and learning what it’s like to be a woman working in a male-dominated industry.

Q: What is your title and how long have you worked at the Aggie?

Q: What does a normal day look like for you?

A: Well, the call time usually depends on the show, but most of the time I’m made aware the day before and usually I’m there anytime from 1–3pm. One of the first things I do is ask my stage manager for a count on our wristbands. They’re used for upstairs access and digital tickets. I run through the production schedule to see when bands will be doing their sound check(s), but mainly I’m running around doing a lot of things that just need to get done. A lot of the time I get the green room ready, loading it with bottles of water. I also run out before shows and get anything that the bands want or need, whether it be drinks or snacks.

Q: How or when did you realize you wanted to work at a live music venue?

Q: So with that being said, would you say that smaller venue concerts are more personal than concerts at larger venues?

Q: What are some of your goals for the future? Do they involve live venues at all?

Q: What are some tips you would give to someone who is interested in entering this field?

A: Be persistent. This industry is hard because it is hard to get into, I found that even before I got my interview, you have to respectfully bother people. There are a lot of times where you need to take initiative, as a 5’3” woman, that can be hard. It’s also important to have thick skin so that people don’t mess with you or try to take advantage of you. Sometimes, I’d say I walk around with a resting b*tch face to prevent people from messing with me, but also letting people know that I’m here to be taken seriously.

Q: What are the best and worst things about your job?

A: Well, the best part is the people for sure. All of the bands and people who work or are involved there are awesome, bar staff, security, etc. They are all always willing to let me shadow them to learn more if there is an opportunity, which is super cool. Also, personally, I find that being in a more hectic situation at work makes the day go by faster.

The worst thing I’d say is that you never know what people are going to do or say, especially if they are intoxicated. Sometimes it’s hard dealing with artists and people in the crowd, I walk around with a walkie-talkie to alert security faster if I’m dealing with someone. There have been a couple experiences so far that have shaken me up a little, but I brought it up to my boss and he has made me feel very welcomed and comfortable after the fact. It’s hard wanting to be taken seriously when you are a small statured woman working in a male-dominated industry, but it’s always nice to prove people wrong.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of this job?

A: Definitely hearing the music at the end of the night. One time I accidentally signed up for a country show, and I do not like country music at all. But, at the end of the night they were going around and personally thanking everybody by name, shouting everyone out at the end of the show and that was super cool. Having people walk up to you and thanking you after working your ass off the whole night is one of the best parts. A lot of people specifically thank me for my hospitality, but overall I’d say it’s recognition for hard work.

A: I usually help with load in and load out, I haven’t done a lot of signal processing. I’m usually unplugging all of the cords at the end of the night. Once the headliner is done, I start wrapping cables and unplugging microphones. I also haven’t done too much work with drum kits and stuff like that, a lot of the times it’s easier if I don’t.

Q: What is one thing about the Aggie you wish you could tell everyone?

A: They put an emphasis on hospitality and dealing with bands overall. One of the main things is that we want the band to be happy when they leave, we try to go above and beyond for them no matter their size or following. Just the other day, we had a concert and the band wanted a lot more snacks and drinks before their show than they had the money for, but my boss just made it happen for them. Another thing is that we want them to want to come back and perform. It’s so satisfying to get someone who has performed there before and compliment us on how much things have changed since the first time they were there.

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