Giggs Podcast

Giggs

The Giggs Podcast, hosted by Nikki Sanz, Founder & CEO of Giggs, the professional career platform for the live event industry, dives into the world of touring and live events to share the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unbelievable moments of gigging life, along with invaluable lessons learned on the road.We’re here to fill the gap in content about what it truly takes to work on the road. Our episodes explore every discipline within the live event industry, showcasing big wins, hard-learned lessons, and everything in between. We honor the pioneers of this industry, offering invaluable insights from the older generations who shaped modern touring.Whether you’re an aspiring tour manager, a seasoned backline tech, or just passionate about the live event scene, this podcast is for you. Join us as we take you behind the scenes to explore the highs and lows of gigging life.

  1. Aug 11 ·  Video

    #68 Adam Wells | From Pub Sound Guy to Ed Sheeran's Audio Systems Engineer

    Adam Wells has spent nine years inside Ed Sheeran's touring operation, working his way from PA tech to audio systems engineer, the role responsible for the entire technical backbone of one of the most complex stadium shows on earth. He was offered the job twice before he finally said yes, then stepped into it for the first time in front of a quarter of a million people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Along the way he's worked on productions for Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, Queen & Adam Lambert, Russell Brand, Tim Minchin, and the Tokyo Olympic Games. Adam sits down with Nikki to talk about coming up through South Wales' concert sound scene, losing his first freelance tour overnight before it even started, and what it actually takes to run audio for an artist who refuses to use a backing track or a click track anywhere in the show. What you'll learn: Why Adam turned down the top audio job on Ed Sheeran's tour twice before finally saying yesWhat happened when his first freelance tour fell through nine months out, and how he rebuilt from zeroWhy Ed Sheeran's show has never used a backing track or a click track, and what that actually costs the audio teamHow growing up around South Wales' concert sound scene shaped the way he worksWhat it felt like to run audio for a quarter of a million people over two nights in Melbourne for the first timeWhy humidity, elevation, and an empty stadium change how a show actually soundsThe one piece of advice Adam gives every young engineer starting outSponsor: MOC is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a Musicians On Call volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org. Adam Wells Bio: Adam Wells is an audio system engineer who has spent nine years with Ed Sheeran — working his way from PA tech all the way to the top technical role on one of the most complex and distinctive stadium productions in the world. He grew up in South Wales and got his start at a production company called Sonalyst. Adam has a vast array of experience not only in concert touring but in large scale theatre production, broadcast, festivals, and television. In addition to Ed Sheeran, he’s worked with Bryan Adams, Tom Jones, Queen & Adam Lambert, Russell Brand, Tim Minchin, Strictly Come Dancing UK, and the Tokyo Olympic Games to name a few. Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #68 Adam Wells | From Pub Sound Guy to Ed Sheeran's Audio Systems Engineer
  2. Jul 28 ·  Video

    #67 Rachel Deeb | Why The Lumineers Media Director Can’t Stay Away from Touring

    Rachel Deeb got fired from a cubicle job three months after moving to Nashville, sat in her closet crying, and called her dad for help with the car she'd just bought. That was the beginning. Ten years later, she's the Media Director for The Lumineers — managing a global team of photographers and videographers across a two-year stadium tour cycle — Nashville Scene's Best Photographer three years in a row, and the founder of ELEKTRIK Haus Creative, a matchmaking agency connecting the music industry with visual creatives worldwide.  Along the way she's toured with Maren Morris and Carly Pearce, painted Carrie Underwood's Vegas residency jacket on a beer pong table in three days, and built a custom art line — Elektrik Denim — that started with one birthday jacket and turned into guitars, railings, and boots for Megan Maroney and Kelsea Ballerini. This episode covers the whole arc: the abandoned warehouse she broke into at night to paint her first mural, the Warner Music call she said yes to before she knew what BTS meant, the email she drafted to quit The Lumineers from Germany and decided not to send, and the agency she built because she kept meeting people who needed what she'd spent ten years learning the hard way. Also in this episode: why she won't take coffee meetings, what it actually looks like to be a touring photographer at a stadium show, and why "say yes to everything, lower your ego, and don't expect anything from anybody" is the whole career advice. What you'll learn: What it actually takes to go from freelance photographer to media director within the same bandWhy the touring photographer has one of the loneliest roles in a camp — and how to navigate itWhat Rachel looks for when she's matching creatives to tours through ELEKTRIK HausWhy she thinks coffee meetings are the wrong way to get into someone's world — and what works insteadHow to ask for more within a camp once you've built trustWhat burnout looks like for a touring creative — and how to know when you actually need to stopSponsor: MOC is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a Musicians On Call volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org. Rachel Deeb bio: Rachel Deeb (RKDEEB) is a Southern California-born, Nashville-based photographer, creative director, muralist, and founder of ELEKTRIK Haus Creative. She holds a BA in Advertising and Graphic Design from the University of Alabama and has spent ten years building a full-time freelance career across lifestyle, music, fashion, fitness, and concert photography. Her work has been featured in Billboard, Rolling Stone, People, E!, Pollstar, Music Row, Nashville Scene, and more. She has been voted Nashville Scene's Best Photographer three consecutive years (2018, 2019, 2020), was named to Nashville's 30 Under 30 in 2022, and currently serves as Media Director for The Lumineers, where she manages a global team of photographers and videographers across a two-year stadium tour cycle. Her past touring credits include Maren Morris, Carly Pearce, and a roster of country and independent artists. In addition to her touring work, Rachel has created murals and original artwork in locations throughout Nashville, and has painted custom pieces for artists including Carrie Underwood, Megan Maroney, and Ashley Cooke. ELEKTRIK Haus Creative, her creative matchmaking agency, connects the music industry with photographers, videographers, designers, and visual artists worldwide — bridging the gap between industry professionals and the creatives who bring their visions to life. Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #67 Rachel Deeb | Why The Lumineers Media Director Can’t Stay Away from Touring
  3. Jul 21 ·  Video

    #66 Nikki Boon & Tyler Corrado | The Entrepreneurial Artist Managers Behind Kane Brown, Nightly, & Restless Road

    Two artist managers from Neon Coast — one who came up through the road with Kane Brown, one who came up through finance, record labels, and social media — and both will tell you the same thing: you just have to figure it out. Nikki Boon has been with Kane Brown since before his first show — a 750-cap club in Darlington, South Carolina that sold out in 30 minutes, then again in 8 minutes the following night. She's been with him from van and RV to his own bar on Broadway. She also manages alt-pop band Nightly, who she recently took to Tokyo, Osaka, and Manila on a two-week run that sold out in two days — proving to everyone who said the numbers didn't add up that the fans were real. Tyler Corrado came from accounting, then record label marketing — working on number one hits for Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean, and Jelly Roll at BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville — before stepping into artist management. He manages Restless Road, stepped in as tour manager for Ella Langley right as "You Look Like You Love Me" was breaking, and has spent the last year building the UK market for one of his artists from pub shows to festival main stages to supporting Jon Pardi. What you'll learn: Why touring experience is the single biggest advantage in artist managementThe Kane Brown origin story: Darlington, SC to two-times diamond certified artistHow to manage a major label artist and an independent one simultaneously — without either feeling itThe real difference between managing on a major and managing indieHow to chase a market that's raising its hand — Asia, the UK, wherever the fans areWhy a lull in your artist's career is not a red flagWhat "you just have to figure it out" actually looks like in practiceSponsor: MOC is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a Musicians On Call volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org. Nikki Boon Bio: Nikki Boon is an artist manager at Neon Coast in Nashville. She's been part of Kane Brown's team since 2015, starting as his tour manager and helping grow him into a two-times diamond certified artist with 17 billion streams, 12 Billboard number ones, and the first Black solo artist to headline Fenway Park. She also manages indie pop band Nightly — signing them in 2021 and helping grow their TikTok following by 6,000 percent — and has taken them to Lollapalooza, Super Bowl Music Fest, and sold-out shows across Asia. She's also helped secure sync placements for the band on the Twisters soundtrack and Fast X. Tyler Corrado Bio: Tyler Corrado is an artist manager at Neon Coast in Nashville, where he manages Restless Road — who recently sold out their Europe and UK headline tour. Before Neon Coast, he led social media and fan engagement at BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville on number one hits for Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean, and Jelly Roll, and stepped in as tour manager for Ella Langley right as "You Look Like You Love Me" was breaking. He also previously managed Niko Moon, whose single "GOOD TIME" hit number one on both Billboard Country charts. Learn more at: https://neon-coast.com/  Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #66 Nikki Boon & Tyler Corrado | The Entrepreneurial Artist Managers Behind Kane Brown, Nightly, & Restless Road
  4. Jul 6 ·  Video

    #65 | How Rock-It Moves the FIFA World Cup & The World's Biggest Tours

    The Rock-It Company has been the logistics engine behind the world's largest music tours for 47 years. Every stage you've ever stood in front of — odds are, they got it there. This summer, they're doing that and something else: serving as the official logistics partner for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the largest sporting event in world history, spanning three countries, 16 host cities, and 104 matches. Giggs traveled to Los Angeles for an inside look at the people and systems making both happen at the same time. What you'll learn: What the control tower really means — and why 16 cities require a system, not just peopleWhy anyone can move cargo in ideal conditions — and what makes Rock-It different when they're notHow music touring expertise translates directly to the World CupWhat it looks like to run the world's biggest tours and the world's biggest sporting event simultaneouslyWhy "failure is not an option" is the operating principle behind every decision this team makesThe stories behind the motto: Manila customs prayers, a 747 emergency in Hawaii, Metallica in AntarcticaLearn more about Rock-It at https://rockitcompany.com/ Featured Voices: Alex Becker — Senior Operations Manager, Worldwide Events Alex Becker has spent 13 years at The Rock-It Company, working across compliance, music touring, and sports operations before rising to Senior Operations Manager for Worldwide Events. He's been inside the FIFA World Cup 2026 operation since day one and leads the Control Tower team — the system responsible for keeping 16 host cities, three countries, and a continent-wide web of shipments synchronized in real time. Justin Carbone — EVP, Live Touring Justin Carbone is the EVP of Live Touring at The Rock-It Company, where he's led the company's music touring business through some of the biggest years in the industry's history — including a 2026 Parnelli Award for Freight Forwarding Company of the Year. If your favorite artist has toured the world in the last six decades, there's a good chance Rock-It's team moved the gear that made it happen. He marks 20 years with the company this year. Nancy Alvarado — Director, Live Events Special Projects Management Nancy Alvarado is a 15-plus year veteran of live event logistics, operations, and project management — a CAPM-certified pro who has spent her career navigating high-pressure, high-stakes environments. She started at The Rock-It Company in 2008 as an entry-level operator, built her own book of business, spent time in Fortune 500 corporate events, and came back. She now works alongside Justin Carbone building the Next Gen program to develop emerging artists and the next generation of agents. Stew Heathcote — President of Live Events Stew Heathcote is the President of Live Events at The Rock-It Company, overseeing music, experiential, film, and television across Rock-It's entire family of brands. He came to Rock-It after two decades at AEG Presents, where he led global partnerships and helped launch the marketing campaign behind Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour — including an Emmy-winning interactive experience. Billboard named him a Brand Power Player multiple times. Before that, he led marketing at the San Francisco 49ers. Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #65 | How Rock-It Moves the FIFA World Cup & The World's Biggest Tours
  5. Jun 23 ·  Video

    #64 | Backstage at the 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards

    For the 20th annual CMA Touring Awards, Giggs went backstage at The Pinnacle in Nashville and talked to over 20 winners, nominees, and industry leaders across one night. We open with outgoing CMA CEO Sarah Trahern — her 13th and final Touring Awards — and SVP of Industry Relations Tiffany Kerns, on peer recognition, what this event means to the touring community, and what they're building for the next generation. Winners featured in this episode: Meg Miller — Tour Manager of the Year | Lainey WilsonAllison Noah — Stage Manager of the Year | Carly Pearce / Lainey WilsonRyan Dell — Front of House Engineer of the Year | Lainey WilsonCurt Armstead — Monitor Engineer of the Year | Lainey WilsonCaleb Garrett — Coach/Truck Driver of the Year | Luke Bryan Kerri Edwards — Manager of the Year | KP Entertainment (Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell)Zac Coren — Lighting Director of the Year | Morgan WallenJen Conger — Business Manager of the Year | FBMOlivia Hanceri — Publicist of the Year | OH CreativeCatherine Powell — Videographer/Photographer of the Year | Kelsea BalleriniRobert Bull — Support Services Company of the Year | Clair GlobalTrent Allison & Mike DuCharme — Venue of the Year | The Pinnacle, NashvilleDiana "Lemonade" McBride — Unsung Hero of the Year | Grand Ole OpryAlso on the red carpet: Chris King, Sam "Sambo" Coats & William Coats (Eric Church), Chris Daniels (Luke Bryan), Brad Baisley (Blake Shelton), Josh Phillips (Hardy), Troy "Tracker" Johnson (Track Management), Evan Sander (ASCOT Travel Services), Aslan Freeman (Lainey Wilson), Megan Truesdell (Chris Stapleton), Margie (Chris Stapleton), Brittany Hitch (Bridgestone Arena), Dane & Lolo Kinser (Post Malone/Kane Brown). What you'll learn: Why Caleb Garrett bought Luke Bryan's CD before signing on — and what 17 years of believing in your artist looks likeWhat Kerri Edwards means when she says it was scarier not to take the leapWhy Allison Noah says stage management is a service roleHow Meg Miller went from driving Lainey's van to Tour Manager of the Year twiceWhat managing 23 mixes at Stagecoach taught Curt Armstead about staying calmWhy Diana "Lemonade" McBride calls herself "whatever needs to be done" — and why that became an awardWhat outgoing CMA CEO Sarah Trahern wants the next generation to stop doing to themselvesSponsor: MOC is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a Musicians On Call volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org. Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #64 | Backstage at the 20th Annual CMA Touring Awards
  6. Jun 16 ·  Video

    #63 Alex McNamara | How the Trades Saved Her Life

    Alex McNamara is a technical director, welder, rigger, and Yale School of Drama graduate who installed the turntable for the original Hamilton production, led 600 workers on a $300 million Soundstorm build in Saudi Arabia, and built her career one job site at a time as one of the only women in the room. She's also the founder of Built Pretty — which she started a year ago on a forklift at an LA art fair and has since grown to 350k+ followers. This episode covers the tools she keeps on her belt at every festival (including the Klein 11-in-1 and a tape measure trick most people don't know), the recovery story that led her to the trades, what it actually looks like to be a woman in carpentry and rigging, and why she left Juilliard and a one-bedroom on the Upper West Side to go back to freelance. What you'll learn: The tools worth having on your belt at any live event or job siteHow recovery led Alex to the trades — and why working with her hands changed everythingWhat Hamilton taught her about building simple, effective setsHow she led 600 workers in Saudi Arabia on the $300M Soundstorm build — and learned construction Arabic to do itThe honest reality of being a woman in carpentry and riggingHow a forklift video turned into a 350k-person audience in under a yearWhy the trades are dying in America — and what Built Pretty is doing about itBuilt Pretty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/built.pretty/  Alex's full tool list: https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-81ff6575 Sponsor: MOC is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a Musicians On Call volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org. Alex McNamara bio: Alex McNamara is a technical director, welder, rigger, and construction educator based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a Yale School of Drama graduate and has worked across Broadway, large-scale music festivals, and live entertainment builds around the world. She is also the founder of Built Pretty, where she teaches the language of the trades through construction storytelling, tool history, and jobsite education to a growing audience across social media. Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #63 Alex McNamara | How the Trades Saved Her Life
  7. Jun 9

    #62 Ryan Maag | The Creative Director Who Choreographed the Olympics

    Ryan Maag started as a backup dancer on the Weird Al Yankovic tour in 1998 and figured out fast that the person choreographing makes more than the person performing. Twenty-something years later, he's been creative director for NFL halftime shows on two continents, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and the D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, France — shaking hands with five-star generals and the President of the United States and quietly asking himself how a kid from Philadelphia got here. Now he runs TSP Creative in Nashville — an artist development ecosystem he calls "zero to Coldplay." TSP works with emerging artists from before they've released a single song, building identity, brand, staging, performance coaching, and creative direction from the ground up alongside his business partner, Sooner Routhier and her company, The Playground. This conversation covers the full arc — what a creative director actually does, why the music industry has inverted (brand before music now), how to know if an artist has what it takes, and why AI is a looping machine, not a replacement. What you'll learn: Why creative direction comes from the stage up, not the lighting board downHow the music industry has flipped — and why brand identity now comes before musicThe scope process TSP uses to evaluate and develop emerging artistsWhat the end goal question reveals about whether an artist is readyWhy a good creative director works with vulnerability, not around itHow Ryan thinks about AI as a creative tool (input, not output)What separates a stadium artist from an arena artist — and why it mattersSponsor: Musicians On Call is looking for new volunteers to help share the joys of live music. Volunteer Guides are the friendly faces who host the programs as volunteer musicians perform hopeful songs to put a smile on the faces of hospital patients, families, and caregivers. To learn more about becoming a MOC volunteer, visit https://www.musiciansoncall.org. Ryan Maag bio: President, Creative Director, & Choreographer — TSP Creative A born performer with roots in dance, theater, and stage productions, he refined his craft through studies in music, entertainment, and business at Temple University, Drexel University, and New York University. His career has spanned global stages, performing alongside A-list artists before transitioning into choreography and large-scale production design. As the founder of a choreography and creative production company, his work has ranged from intimate theater performances to international events, including the Olympic ceremonies. An accomplished dancer, vocalist, and actor, he now leads TSP Creative with a vision shaped by both artistry and experience. His passion lies in empowering artists, building brands, and designing immersive live experiences that captivate audiences and leave a lasting impact. Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz

    #62 Ryan Maag | The Creative Director Who Choreographed the Olympics

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Giggs Podcast, hosted by Nikki Sanz, Founder & CEO of Giggs, the professional career platform for the live event industry, dives into the world of touring and live events to share the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unbelievable moments of gigging life, along with invaluable lessons learned on the road.We’re here to fill the gap in content about what it truly takes to work on the road. Our episodes explore every discipline within the live event industry, showcasing big wins, hard-learned lessons, and everything in between. We honor the pioneers of this industry, offering invaluable insights from the older generations who shaped modern touring.Whether you’re an aspiring tour manager, a seasoned backline tech, or just passionate about the live event scene, this podcast is for you. Join us as we take you behind the scenes to explore the highs and lows of gigging life.

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