Timmy Abercrombie
Credit: Ricky Collier
Tour Manager / Front of House
Bowling for Soup / Tyler Rich
CHANGEOVER: Talk about who you are and what you do in the industry.
Timmy Abercrombie: I'm a tour manager/front of house. I've been doing it for the last eight to nine years as a TM [tour manager]. I started out as a guitar tech and got pushed into the babysitting role.
How did you get into the industry?
Credit: Ricky Collier
It was weird. I started out with a bunch of friends that were all set to sign record deals and said I would tag along because I wanted to be a guitar tech. Then it just took on a snowball effect. As soon as I would come off the road, something else would pop up and then it just kept going and going and going. That’s when I knew I found something.
What are some of the pros and cons of being a tour manager?
A pro is that you always know what's going to be heading your way logistically. The con is that you're the guy that sits in front of the laptop and makes all the phone calls all day, every day. You know what to expect in a day but you also have a bunch of other challenges that show up.
What were you doing when COVID-19 hit and how has that affected your career?
We were actually loading into the Fillmore in Minneapolis. We got load-in completely done, the stage was set and we were about to soundcheck. Then management and the promoter decided it was not going to happen that night so we packed everything up and headed back to Nashville. It almost felt like everything was just taken away with COVID. It also forced me to figure out what I like outside of work because you're always working. It taught me to learn new skills like stock trading, taking online classes and really trying to hone in on what I could do outside of music.
What have you been doing since COVID?
Credit: Ryan Watanabe
I’ve actually been down in Texas enjoying a little bit of time off. I've been doing the Postmates and weird jobs in Nashville, but I've been bouncing back and forth between Nashville and Texas. We have a little ranch out here so I’ve been fishing, staying on top of stocks and trying to see when we’re going to get back to work.
What moment during the day when you're on tour do you miss the most? Maybe it’s the hush of the crowd when houselights go or when the tour bus closes and you're getting back on the road. What is that moment you miss?
I think it's the five minutes before they go on stage. Line check is all done and everyone's doing the huddle. I’m about to walk out to front of house and everyone's just getting in that zone. For the next couple of hours, you’re only focusing on what's happening on the stage and everything outside of that doesn't exist.
What are you looking forward to the most when tours start back up again?
Hanging out with the crew. It’s that fellowship of people and the camaraderie of being able to joke around all day while getting things done. I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone and that sense of feeling happy to be working again.