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. #58 Doug Wilson | From Van Driver to Tour Director

    4D AGO

    #58 Doug Wilson | From Van Driver to Tour Director

    Recorded live at Rock Lititz, Nikki Sanz sits down with Doug Wilson — long-time tour manager and Director of Touring — for a grounded, honest look at what 20 years on the road teaches you. Doug's path started with a chance encounter with a tour manager in catering in Glasgow, Scotland. He bought a Sprinter van, converted it with his dad, and four months later was on his first US tour. From there: bus tours, arenas, eight years with Half Moon Run, world tours with Fletcher, and a final show that ended on March 11, 2020 — one day before the world shut down. Then he talks about his transition off the road, in LA, running touring and production for Black Ink Presents, a Sony Music Masterworks company that builds IP-based concert experiences (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beauty and the Beast, Ghostbusters, La La Land, Batman). This one gets real about perfectionism, the pressure of being the person who says no, the "off-ramp" problem for tour managers, and why getting off the road feels a little like kicking an addiction. What you'll learn: How to break in when you don't have a technical discipline (audio, lights, etc.)Why chasing perfection is the biggest mistake new TMs makeHow to grow with an artist from clubs to arenas — and what separates the crew that makes it from the crew that gets replacedThe hidden financial tradeoffs tour managers navigate when artists level upWhy lack of understanding of other people's jobs causes more tour drama than anything elseWhat the tour director role actually looks like — and why more management companies are building it in-houseHow to plan an off-ramp from touring before the window closesListen, follow, and leave a review if this one hits. Episode Sponsor: RoadCase has given Giggs listeners a free month of RoadCase Pro. Head over to https://roadcase.app/giggs for an exclusive discount. Doug Wilson Bio: Doug Wilson is a highly respected music industry professional with extensive experience in touring, concert production, and artist management. Having spent nearly 20 years on the road as a Tour Manager, Doug then transitioned to Director of Touring and Production at Black Ink Presents, a Sony Music Masterworks live event production company. Originally from Scotland, Doug now lives and works in Los Angeles, but still spends time on the road traveling to oversee events and check in on touring productions. 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

    31 min
  2. #57 The Future of Virtual Production | Kingfisher by LEO Events

    APR 7

    #57 The Future of Virtual Production | Kingfisher by LEO Events

    Recorded in Nashville, TN, this special docuseries episode of The Giggs Podcast steps inside Kingfisher Production Studio, the new virtual production offering from LEO Events. Nikki Sanz walks through the space and talks with the team behind it to see how virtual worlds are built, lit, filmed, and finished. This episode is worth your time if you work in production, post, creative, live events, or brand storytelling and want to understand what virtual production actually takes. The team breaks down how Unreal Engine, motion tracking, lighting, editorial planning, and post all work together to create worlds that feel real on camera. You’ll also hear why this kind of studio can open new options for corporate shoots, music content, branded storytelling, and location-based concepts without the same travel, permitting, and logistics challenges of a traditional shoot. We highly recommend watching this one on video on either Spotify or YouTube for the full episode experience. What you’ll learn: How Kingfisher uses virtual production to build believable environmentsWhy lighting and motion tracking matter as much as the digital world itselfHow Unreal Engine fits into the production pipelineWhat post-production teams receive after a virtual shootWhy pre-production planning still matters in a “limitless” environmentHow this workflow can save time, travel, and location costsWhat kinds of skills help people thrive in studio, animation, and editorial rolesAbout Kingfisher: Kingfisher by LEO Events is a virtual production studio based in Nashville, Tennessee, built to help brands, creators, and clients tell stories in flexible digital environments.  In this episode, Nikki Sanz talks with members of the team behind the space, including Stacey Ladd, Sr. Director of Media Production, Brett Clark, Director of Studio & Editorial, Tyler Montanino, Video Production Specialist, Matt Dimodica, Senior Media Animator, and Josh Ickes, Senior Editor. Together, they walk through how Kingfisher blends creative development, lighting, motion tracking, Unreal Engine, and post-production to turn ideas into polished visual stories. To learn more about the Kingfisher Production Studio and LEO Events, visit https://leoevents.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kingfisher.made and https://www.instagram.com/leoevents/ 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

    46 min
  3. #56 The Music Industry’s Health Crisis | Theresa Wolters (MusiCares)

    MAR 31

    #56 The Music Industry’s Health Crisis | Theresa Wolters (MusiCares)

    What does real support for music professionals actually look like when the gigs stop, the bills pile up, or the stress gets too heavy? In this episode, Nikki Sanz sits down with Theresa Wolters, Executive Director of MusiCares, to talk about the health, financial, and emergency realities facing people across the music industry. They get into the gap between how glamorous the industry can look from the outside and how vulnerable it often feels from the inside. Theresa shares how MusiCares helps with rent, therapy, medical bills, substance use treatment, and disaster relief, and why better data is finally helping the industry confront what so many people have lived for years. This conversation also digs into the Wellness in Music Survey, why preventive care and health coverage remain major issues for freelancers and touring professionals, and what meaningful change could look like from here. What you’ll learn What MusiCares actually does day to day for music professionalsWhy so many people in music still lack stable health and financial supportHow MusiCares responds to emergencies, from lost gigs to natural disastersWhat the Wellness in Music Survey is revealing about stress, money, and healthWhy Theresa believes sustainability is now one of the biggest issues in music careersHow friends, coworkers, and managers can help someone reach out before things get worseTake the Wellness in Music 2026 survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8718804/scs-2026-Wellness-in-Music The survey is completely anonymous, and participation directly contributes to shaping resources and support for the community. The survey is open from April 6 – 17th. Qualifying music professionals can reach out to MusiCares for support at any time at https://www.musicares.org/get-help A minimum of five years employment in the music industry (three years for disaster relief), OR six commercially released recordings or videos (singles) For more information on MusiCares or to donate, please visit www.musicares.org Theresa Wolters bio: Theresa Wolters is the Executive Director of MusiCares, where she leads the organization’s mission to provide a critical safety net of health, human, and social services for music professionals. She joined MusiCares in 2022 as Vice President of Health and Human Services, a role that built on her two decades of global leadership expanding access to health, financial, and emergency services. 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

    49 min
  4. #55 Patrick Ledwith | Building Stadium Tours for U2, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Beyonce

    MAR 24

    #55 Patrick Ledwith | Building Stadium Tours for U2, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Beyonce

    Recorded live at Rock Lititz, this episode features Patrick Ledwith, Managing Director of North America for ES Global, reflecting on a career that spans nearly four decades across touring, staging, and large-scale live production. Patrick takes Nikki Sanz from his start as a 17-year-old stagehand in London to building stages on U2’s Joshua Tree run, managing major tours, and eventually stepping into executive leadership. Along the way, he shares what has changed in live events, what has not, and why fan experience still sits at the center of great shows. For anyone working in touring, production, project management, or live entertainment, this conversation is a grounded look at how careers are built over time. Patrick talks about problem solving, leadership under pressure, the evolution of stadium-scale production, and the values that still matter when the trucks get bigger and the timelines get tighter. What you’ll learn: How Patrick got his start as a stagehand and found his path into touringWhat it was like building stages during U2’s Joshua Tree eraWhy the best artists stay obsessed with fan experienceHow production managers think about responsibility, morale, and problem solvingWhat separates entertainment builds from traditional constructionHow tours like Iron Maiden and Beyonce scale from creative vision to live executionWhat legacy means after a lifetime on the roadPatrick Ledwith Bio: With nearly 40 years in the events, music and film business Patrick amassed a wealth of experience working on numerous different large scale projects and ceremonies around the world. Patrick’s structural and technical background in the business has set a solid foundation for a career as a Production/ Project Manager and Technical Director working with many of the largest production companies in the world including, Balich WS, Five Currents and ES GLOBAL. After working for ES GLOBAL on and off since the 1980’s it was an easy decision to join the company full time. Touring work in the entertainment business has, among others, included world tours with the U2, Van Halen, Grateful Dead, David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Scorpions, Metallica, Guns n Roses, and Iron Maiden. 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

    32 min
  5. #54 Kyana White | From WME Intern to Tour & Production Manager

    MAR 17

    #54 Kyana White | From WME Intern to Tour & Production Manager

    Recorded live at Rock Lititz, this episode features Kyana White, a tour manager and production manager whose path into touring did not start on a bus. It started in TV, in internships, in low-paid PA work, and in learning how major productions actually come together behind the scenes. Kyana walks Nikki Sanz through the real story: how she went from the WME mailroom and award show production into touring, how cold outreach helped her land opportunities with Janelle Monáe’s camp, and how those early one-off gigs turned into bigger roles with Ari Lennox and beyond. This one matters if you’re trying to break in, level up, or understand what separates people who stay stuck from people who create their own lane. Kyana gets specific about preparation, advocacy, transferable skills, and why calm leadership matters so much in live production. What you’ll learn How Kyana moved from TV production into touringWhy cold emailing and using your network still worksWhat transferable skills matter most when changing lanesWhat a small touring crew actually needs at the club and small-room levelWhy being both a tour manager and production manager can be such an advantageWhat Kyana is learning now as she looks toward arena and stadium-level productionKyana White bio: From Atlanta, currently residing in New Orleans, Kyana’s start in touring was unconventional. She got her start in entertainment when she landed the WME Mailroom gig in 2013 the summer before graduating from UAB. She returned to LA summer of 2014 and landed an internship at Octagon Entertainment where she worked on a tv pilot there and decided she wanted to do tv. In the summer of 2015 she did her last internship with Jesse Collins Entertainment on the BET Awards. From there she worked as a PA, coordinator, and Executive Producers Assistant on award shows (Grammy’s, Hip Hop Awards, Billboard Awards, Emmy’s, Oscars, etc) until 2018. She decided to leave LA because she had set a goal to buy a duplex by 30 and realized moving up in tv wasn’t going to happen fast enough to achieve that in LA. She started sending cold emails out to people in touring and this woman named Kim responded saying she loved her resume and wanted to keep in touch. She had ties to Janelle Monae’s camp and in fall 2018 Kyana did her first one off touring gigs in Janelle’s camp as a PA. Early 2019 she was back working on the Grammy’s when she got a call to work a 2 week underplay tour as a coordinator with Anderson.Paak so she quit the Grammy’s and went on her first bus tour. Summer 2019 she became road manager for Ari Lennox and by end of 2019 she was her Tour & Production Manager. She’s been a TM+PM ever since and she currently works with Tank & The Bangas, noname, Kiana Ledé, and Samara Cyn. 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

    39 min
  6. #53 What Tour Life Really Does to Families | Stage Wives

    MAR 10

    #53 What Tour Life Really Does to Families | Stage Wives

    Behind every tour is a whole other job happening offstage: parenting, schedules, safety, emotions, and the quiet pressure of “don’t make this harder for them.” In this episode, Nikki Sanz talks with Rachel Smith and Rhyan Shirley, founders of Stage Wives—a support community built for women navigating life while their partners work in the touring industry. They share what this lifestyle can do to connection, communication, and family rhythms—and the practical tools that help couples stay aligned when time, sleep, and distance are working against you. You’ll also hear the frameworks they lean on in real life, from how to start hard conversations (“facts, then feelings”) to the one question that can stop a fight before it starts. What you’ll learn: Why touring families can feel isolated and what actually helps (community + real tools)A simple communication order: facts → feelings → “listen or fix?”How touring impacts kids (and why ages 3–4 can be especially tough)Staying “present” from the road with routinesThe “two-week / three-week” approach some families use to stay connected mid-runWhat to do when therapy isn’t built for the realities of touring lifeThe resources they’re building for stage families (Touring Tales + The Invisible Backpack)Check out all Stage Wives has to offer as well as The Invisible Backpack pre-sale info: https://www.stagewives.com/ Check out Stage Wives on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stagewives  Stage Wives bio: Stage Wives is a Nashville-based support community for women whose husbands or significant others work in the touring industry—including musicians, artists, sound engineers, lighting techs, stage managers, road managers, and crew members of all kinds. If your partner tours, Stage Wives exists for you. Stage Wives was founded by Rachel Smith and Rhyan Shirley, two women who know firsthand the unique challenges and emotional demands of life on the road. Rachel Smith has spent over ten years as a tour wife. She is a pyographer aka wood-burning artist and the owner of Cinder Bella Studios and Raye Ann Pyrography. Her husband has toured full-time since they were married, and together they are raising their five-year-old daughter. Rhyan Shirley is an award-winning songwriter and recording artist. In addition to writing full-time and leading Stage Wives, she is a single mom to a four-year-old son. Rhyan was a stage wife for ten years, during which her former husband toured an average of 300 days a year. In spite of her personal journey, she has developed a deep passion for strengthening families and helping marriages not only survive, but thrive, within the demands of touring life. Together, Raye and Rhy are committed to empowering women to step out of isolation and victimhood and into confidence, wholeness, and emotional health. Their heart behind Stage Wives is to support the mental and emotional well-being of women at home while also strengthening marriages by ensuring touring husbands feel supported, loved, and at peace knowing their families are cared for. At its core, Stage Wives, their podcast Offstage and On Duty, and the other resources they provide are built on the belief that prioritizing women’s mental health is essential to creating healthy stage families. 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

    1h 11m
  7. #52 Suzi Meyer | Pay vs. Respect: What Crews Actually Want

    FEB 24

    #52 Suzi Meyer | Pay vs. Respect: What Crews Actually Want

    Recorded live at Rock Lititz, this episode features Suzi Meyer, Chief of Staff, in a candid conversation about workforce development, burnout, leadership, and the future of live events. If you care about crew culture, retention, or building a sustainable career in this industry, this one hits home. Suzi breaks down what COVID exposed, why respectful leadership is outperforming pay in recent polling, and how we can stop “accidentally” entering the industry and start building real pathways. What you’ll learn: Why respectful leadership ranked above pay in industry pollingThe real reason burnout is rising on bigger toursWhat employers say is missing in new hires (hint: it’s not technical skill)How gatekeeping hurts long-term industry growthWhy structure doesn’t have to mean “corporate”What Workforce LIVE is doing to recruit and retain talentSuzi Meyer Bio: Versatility and creative problem solving have been the foundation of Suzi’s career. Over the past nine years at Rick Lititz, Suzi worked with the team to grow and expand the business, manage building operations and provide insight and care to those she leads. As Chief of Staff, she is able to focus on expansion into new geographic areas focusing on workforce development, leadership + inclusion, mental health and sustainability. Suzi also works with an incredible group of industry professionals through the non-profit Workforce LIVE, an organization focused in attracting and retaining talent in the live event industry.  Suzi started her professional career working on college campuses creating community and leadership programming for college students in her role as Director of Residence Life + International Student Advisor. Suzi started her career in the live event industry in 2008, where she served as the Accounting and HR Director before finding her home at Rock Lititz in 2016. 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

    38 min
  8. #51 Jesse Sandler | The Production Manager behind Bon Jovi, Nickleback, Phish

    FEB 17

    #51 Jesse Sandler | The Production Manager behind Bon Jovi, Nickleback, Phish

    Recorded live at Rock Lititz, Nikki Sanz sits down with touring production manager, Jesse Sandler, for a behind-the-scenes look at how a touring career actually gets built—one cosign, one good attitude, and one “figure it out” moment at a time. Jesse walks through his path from an early runner/production assistant role to touring internationally as an audio tech, and eventually stepping into the production manager seat—sometimes faster than expected. What you’ll learn: The difference between production assistant, production coordinator, and production managerWhy “pay attention and do your job” can beat formal training (early on)How mentorship actually shows up on tour (even when no one labels it “mentorship”)A calm leadership approach that keeps problems from becoming chaosHow to ask for the job without overstepping the roomWhy attitude is often the deciding factor when hiring crewsThe “cosign effect”: how introductions create career momentumJesse Sandler bio: Jesse Sandler is a highly respected touring professional with over 25 years of touring experience in production management and related disciplines. He has managed complex shows globally for top-tier artists, including Bon Jovi, Nickelback, Phish, The Eagles, Prince, Aerosmith, Morrissey, and Steely Dan. His diverse background includes roles as a production assistant, production coordinator, Clair audio technician, managing tour catering, ticketing and production accounting. Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/ Stay up to date: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live Youtube: https://youtube.com/@GIGGS-live TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live Host: Nikki Sanz 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

    40 min
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5
out of 5
6 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.

Information

  • Creator
    Giggs
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Giggs Podcast
  • Show Website
    Giggs Podcast

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