Industry Profile: David Norman

David Norman is a veteran tour manager, tour accountant and production manager, who, if he wasn't working behind the scenes to make a show happen, would be part of the show on stage, playing drums in a band.

David has been on the road ever since serving in multiple capacities with some of music's top acts, including this year's current 2007 Fall Out Boy World Tour as production manager / tour accountant - roles that he's reprising from the band's 2006 tour, just as he is doing on Toni Braxton's 2006 / 2007 world tour. However, in this odd occurrence, he has only one job to perform -- production manager.

David's other tours include Panic! At the Disco 2006 North America Arena Tour (tour director / tour accountant); Joss Stone World Tour 2005/2006 (tour manager / tour accountant; Alicia Keys 2004 World Tour (tour manager / tour accountant); King Crimson 2003 North America / Mexico Tour (production manager); Dream Theater 2003 U.S. Tour (tour manager / tour accountant); Goo Goo Dolls 2002 / 2003 World Tour (production manager); Green Day 2001 World Tour (production manager); Weezer 2001 Japan Tour / Coachella Festival appearance (production manager / production manager); Trans-Siberian Orchestra 2001 Christmas Tour (production manager); R. Kelly 2001 European Tour (tour accountant); Matchbox Twenty 2000 World Tour (tour manager / tour accountant / production manager); Green Day 2000 World Tour (production manager), Collective Soul 2000 "Blender" Tour (production manager); John Tesh 1999 "One World Live" Summer Tour (production manager); Ani DiFranco 1999 Spring Tour (production manager / FOH engineer / Summer Tour (production manager); 1998 Roger Daltrey & the British Rock Symphony (tour director / tour manager / production manager and was responsible for all tour logistics that included moving an orchestra, choir and rock band for a total of 75 people); and 1992-94, tour manager / production manager / tour accountant / FOH engineer for Peabo Bryson's 1992-94 World Tour.

David has also worked on special projects such as TV music award shows and festivals mainly through the acts he has toured with, including Soul Train Music Awards as production coordinator for Jagged Edge and Nelly and the 1997-98 New Orleans Jazz Fest as stage manager for the Polaroid/Fox Stage. In 1988, David was tour manager at the Newport Folk Festival and tour manager, production manager/ tour accountant for Better Than Ezra.

Earlier in his career, David served as tour manager / production manager / tour accountant for They Might Be Giants and Susanna Hoffs (also FOH engineer) in 1997 and as stage manager for the Essence Festival in 1996. From 1994-96, David was FOH engineer / production and tour assistant for the Neville Bros. featuring Aaron Neville; production manager and road manager for Arrested Development; FOH engineer for Diana King; and tour manager / production manager / tour accountant and FOH engineer for Michael Hedges.

David has also been a production manager/promoter rep for Concert/Southern Production, now part of Live Nation, and has supplied tour advance work for Prince, The Black Crowes, Wyclef Jean, D'Angelo, The Bodeans, The Marvelous 3, Jeru the Damaja, Angie Aparo, Queensryche, and Fates Warning.

An additional service David offers to his clients is the tour itinerary book. Some of the acts that he has provided itineraries for are: Matchbox 20, Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, Collective Soul, The Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, Roger Daltrey & The British Rock Symphony, Shannon Curfman, Angie Aparo, Susanna Hoffs, The Marvelous 3, Better than Ezra, Jeru the Damaja, Arrested Development, Fates Warning, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and Dream Theater.

Experience & Advice
To always document everything. When advancing a tour and a promoter rep contests what we've advanced, I've been able to pull up an email or fax for verification of that particular conversation. I learned this the hard way in Europe when advancing international tours and had no back up. It was my word against that promoter's rep, and I had to go back to the band with my tail between my legs with an explanation.

Do you still play drums?
I haven't played in 20 years, but just last week, I ordered an amazing kit from DW Drums so that'll be my new relaxation when I'm home.

Do you miss being in a band?
Not really. When my parents were killed in the accident, it killed me inside as well performing-wise.

Which do you prefer: tour managing or production managing?
Tour managing more so than production managing although I'm equally strong at both. I also love tour accounting as I've always loved numbers. Settling shows is just so exciting to me for some odd reason.

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing the touring industry today?
Ticket prices are really getting out of hand. Also, being a tour accountant, it's kind of nice to see what Ozzfest is doing this year.

How do you feel about the free Ozzfest?
It's a great idea for the fans, but I'm feeling like everything else in life -- it's all becoming too corporate with multiple sponsors involved. All in all, the fans win the most.

On most of your tours, in addition to tour managing do you also serve as tour accountant?
Yeah, pretty much I do double duty. Even when I'm the production manager I still ask to be the tour accountant as I pretty much have to approve and see the labor bills anyway.

When you do tour managing, production managing and tour accounting, how do you also have time for FOH engineering?
I'm retired from FOH mixing. Learned years ago that it was killing me trying to do everything.

How do you relax on and off the road?
Ha! On the road, I usually take a really long bath, a good meal and a nap; off the road, I play with my menagerie of dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and turtles. I've lots of animals. I also enjoy just sitting on the couch or out by my pool relaxing.

When is a tour production too big?
Once you're over 12 or 15 trucks, it's just overkill at that point. People mainly come to hear the music. Too many gimmicks -- pyro, flying, moving set pieces -- are taking away from the music. Although gimmicks are great for eye appeal and entertainment, the music is the main thing.

Then what about The Rolling Stones or U2, which have tons of trucks?
They're actually bigger than the music.

While on tour, what can't you live without?
My MacBook Pro, iPOD, Bose headphones, production cases and lots of bottled water.

First concert attended
Kiss with Uriah Heep at the Macon Coliseum. I was almost deaf for a week after that show/

First tour
S.O.S. Band as tour manager / production manager / FOH engineer / backline tech--1991.

Career highlights
Attending two Super Bowls -- Super Bowl XL with Joss Stone and Super Bowl XXXVII with The Goo Goo Dolls; attending the 2006 World Cup with Toni Braxton; Live 8 in London in 2005 with Joss Stone as her tour manager and just seeing the mass of people at all of those events.

Career disappointment
None that I can really think of. Touring is like life: it's always a learning experience.

Greatest challenge
As I get older, handling the traveling aspects and keeping up with new technology as it comes out.

Best professional decision
To learn all sides of the business: tour management, production management, accounting, backline, computers, promoter rep.

Best advice you received
Same as above, from my first tour mentor, Tom Barfield.

Words to live by
"Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." -- from a book of quotes I have.

Most memorable tour experiences
Riding a camel in Dubai during the Alicia Keys world tour and being in the desert -- asking my driver to leave me in the middle of the desert for an hour and enjoying complete silence for the first time in my life. Truly a moving experience.

What friends would be surprised to learn about you
That I'm a pretty good drummer and very interested in Asian philosophy.

Industry pet peeve
Racism, tours that under staff, awful tour routings.

If I wasn't doing this, I would be...
...playing drums in a band!

Industry mentors
Karen Krattinger and Tom Barfield who believed in me enough to not only put me on my first tour but also my first international tour. Bob Ward, former production coordinator for Sanctuary Music--Joss Stone, Destiny's Child, Beyonce, Morrissey, Iron Maiden and many others and now runs Safe as Milk with most of the same clients -- who's taught me a lot about international touring. Production/tour manager Ray Amico and Katie Friesema, my production coordinator on Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco and currently out with John Mayer, who've been teaching me about patience.

David can be reached at: (678) 576-6581; e-mail: david994@aol.com