Castlefield Bowl’s Sounds of the City has firmly established itself as a staple on Manchester’s festival calendar, with this year’s edition featuring artists such as Elbow, Rizzle Kicks, Basement Jaxx and Bloc Party. A familiar face to readers and GTL Sessions attendees, Tour Manager Lotje Horvers met with TPi to offer a glimpse into the logistics behind Bloc Party’s latest tour of festivals and venues on both sides of the Atlantic.
Horvers, a self-confessed fan of the band, coined the show a “dance party with non-stop bangers”. She elaborated: “I started with Bloc
Party earlier this year and it’s been great. Band, crew and management are a pleasure to work with. I got to bring in my own crew for several key positions and shape some of the tour.”
The tour’s vendors included Lights Control Rigging (lighting and rigging), Solotech (audio), Fly by Nite (logistics), Rock-it Cargo (freight), and TAG (travel agent). Following the success of a headline tour in the US, the team headed straight into the European summer festival season with the same lighting control and floor package and backline equipment. “It’s a modest technical setup that allows us to scale and get the same effect across various stage sizes,” she explained, praising the tour’s crew of ten. “We have a great crew who work together really well, which is lovely as it makes the days run smoothly and contributes to everyone’s general wellbeing, and ultimately results in us all putting on a great show.”
In a bid to improve the drab interior of festival backstage construction containers, the tour office was decked out with decorations, including art prints and a dangling pom pom curtain. “If I am going to spend my entire day here, I like the space to radiate joy,” Horvers said. “It’s a small thing but it makes my office just that bit more personable.”
Creating a personable environment for herself, and the crew is important to Horvers, who pointed out the time spent away from families, and home. “Touring crew make great personal sacrifices to do our jobs, so to make it easier, I try to create a positive work environment. For example; I try to schedule travel in a way that maximises rest for crew, communicating logistics ahead of time and sending out flights for approval before booking them in,” she said. “Even small things can go a long way; such as taking everyone’s order for a variety of aftershow food, and making sure crew can invite their partners and families to shows and backstage. I have also introduced a daily team meeting right before soundcheck to go over plans for the next 24 hours, any specifics for the days production and discuss any issues from the previous show.”
Having been in the business for 22 years, Horvers cited the benefits of Eventric’s Master Tour and Google Maps in making the lives of those on the road easier. “When I started tour managing there were no learning materials, I didn’t even have a laptop – I just had a notebook and box of maps,” Horvers recalled, further referencing of unity fostered by the touring community post-lockdown. “The industry has banded together to make a ton of educational tools for the next generation, which has been great to be a part of and benefit from.”
Passionate about creating greater access to live music careers for women and gender minorities, Horvers co-founded non-profit Backstage Pass. As part of the collective, she organises open days for industry newcomers to visit venues and discover more about the sector. In collaboration with industry insiders, Horvers developed the Getting Your Foot in the Tour Bus Door workshop and the Diversity On Tour website which provides an insight into the sector and a list of resources on diversity and touring, including podcasts about the industry and information about conferences.
“I try to be visible and approachable for women in the industry, I want to empower young women to pursue a career in touring because it has brought me so much joy and fulfilment over the years,” she concluded.
“I do think the culture is shifting, and more people are seeking women to be a part of their tours. I hope it continues to grow. Not because everything should be 50/50, but because everyone should be able to pursue their goals and be offered equal opportunity, equal respect and equal compensation regardless of gender or background.”
Words: Alicia Pollitt
Photos: Kevin Condon and TPi
