‘FEAST OR FAMINE’ ❤️? next week on The BACK LOUNGE.
What a summer this is turning out to be… With the odds stacked against us in so many ways what’s it like being back at work
Is it different? Are you different? COVID (again), Brexit, price hikes, flight chaos, lost bags & shortage of people, kit, stages & the rest. Welcome back eh! We’re nothing if not resilient. Join us for the discussion on zoom – This week only TUESDAY (not our usual Wednesday) 12th July 6pm London ✌️

Happy 2nd birthday to The BACK LOUNGE community, we are 2 years & 1week old today. What began as a weekly zoom for touring & event folks to stay in touch & support each other through the pandemic & everything since, we’ve gone on to be a huge community looking out for each other in what can sometimes be a brutal lifestyle ‘on the road’. This is where you can find other people who understand that choosing freelance & following your passion can mean the best & the worst job in the world Come by say hi, whether you’re a regular or came once or twice way back when, or if you’re curious as to what can be gained from being connected with a group of amazing like-minded souls. And if back to work has been a bit crap – hey we’ve all been there -we’re there to lean on too. Wed 6th July 6pm London

Next Wednesday on The BACK LOUNGE, with stress levels rising and sleep deprivation a thing once again, we’re looking at ways to cope and ‘KEEP CALM & CARRY ON’. Our guest is Tracey Howes, champion freediver & breathwork trainer, you can look up her amazing work here https://linktr.ee/traceyhowes
If breathwork is something you’ve only vaguely heard of, as well as deep diving without an external oxygen source, it’s also a very transferrable method of restoring & maintaining equilibrium helping you keep your head when all around you people are losing theirs’. It can improve sleep quality, focus & reduce anxiety. Wednesday 29th June 6pm London BST

The BACK LOUNGE are having a week off this week as most people are in a field somewhere, whether it’s the big G or wherever else the road takes you ? Either way, hopefully it’s not via baggage claim at Heathrow…. We’re back next Wednesday 29th Jun 6pm London as usual. May the sun shine upon you and live music & festivals remind you why we do this ….remember this time 2 years ago we yearned for this ❤️?

On The BACK LOUNGE next week our very own Keeva O’Shea, FOH engineer & fountain of wisdom on many of our calls ? is leading the theme of ‘KNOW YOURSELF’. This came out of our recent bad behaviour discussion – on how important being in tune with yourself is in learning to step back from those escalating situations & catch yourself before you wade in & retaliate. And even more, how do you let it go as opposed to mull it over half the night not sleeping? As the summer hots up, flights cancel, arrangements…well, rearrange…this is a ‘back to basics’ check in on the fundamentals of you, and a discussion on staying true to yourself within an ever-changing landscape. DM for link Wednesday 15th June 6pm London BST

Next Wednesday our session is ‘HOW TO GET ON WITH PEOPLE’ on The BACK LOUNGE with guest Jonny Cragg, successful musician & now music industry DBT therapist. In touring given the nature of the job, you won’t get far if you can’t get on with pretty much anyone. We’re not always lucky enough to be with our tribe & that can make the job harder & life infinitely more miserable & stressful. But there are techniques that can help. Tools for life basically ? Wednesday 8th June 6pm London

Next Wednesday on The BACK LOUNGE, with a drastic shortage of crew & an opportunity for new crew coming in, we’re exploring how to encourage diversity in our workforce & back-stage. In particular we’re looking at ‘SHADOWING’. Our guest is amazing Tom Campbell – TPI Lighting Designer of the Year 2022 & one of the forces championing this initiative on Skunk Anansie’s tour. If you genuinely want to be part of the change & are in a position where you could offer someone a shadowing opportunity for the day to see what your job involves OR if you’re new to all this and want to get a foot in the door but are not sure what you want to do, this one’s for you. If the pandemic highlighted anything, it was a lack of understanding from Joe Public of the many different roles involved in making a show happen. Help can change that. Wed 1st June 6pm London

Next Wednesday on The BACK LOUNGE we’re asking are there particular personality types who are drawn to touring? With various recent surveys showing significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety & addiction than the general population, is it the chicken or the egg? Zack Borer psychotherapist is our guest, he’s co author of recent industry white paper on mental health in music & touring – link to paper here https://borernewman.com/whitepaper/ If you’re thinking you don’t need to come, this is probably for you! Wed 25th May 6pm London. DM for zoom link

Next Wed it’s ‘BAD BEHAVIOUR’ on The BACK LOUNGE ?
In a culture where what happens on tour stays on tour, what if you’re on the receiving end. Is put up & shut up ever the right thing? And where do you draw the line between what is acceptable & what isn’t? This is not about naming names, discretion please rather than fuel for gossip – it’s about lessening the personal impact & prioritising self care.
Our guest is Cerys Aedy – former artist manager & now a business, career & personal coach within entertainment & media. DM for the zoom link. Wed 18th May 6pm London ✊

Tomorrow Wednesday on The BACK LOUNGE it’s a check in. No guests, no agenda, just us having a catch up. Bring your tales of fortune or fear & a beverage of your choice. This is a peer support group for anyone working in live music from newbies to seasoned pros & everyone in between across the planet. Cameras on or off, chat or just listen. If at times you feel like a distant lone outpost in this moving target of an industry, find like-minded souls here?
Wed 11th May 6pm London ?

Next week on The BACK LOUNGE our topic is ‘STABILITY’ ?
Most of us didn’t choose to work in music with that in mind, in fact maybe that was part of the attraction. But 2 years on & with a fraught return to work & some crew wondering if this is what they signed up to, has stability moved higher up your priority list? How do you stay sane & make work decisions around it? Psychotherapist Jack Williamson is joining us, he’s more than music industry savvy, author of Oprah endorsed ‘The Shitty Committee’, and go-to support for the recent BBC Introducing finalists. And he’s fresh back from Everest Base Camp. Wed 4th May 6pm London ✌️

Next Wednesday it’s the thorny topic of ‘RELATIONSHIPS’ on The BACK LOUNGE. How do you maintain them when either one of both of you tour, work takes you away from home or your average week involves many late nights out. Was enforced time at home during the pandemic a challenge? And now we’re back to work, does absence make the heart grow fonder? Or if you work together, how’s that.. Or is it more like you meet once a year at Christmas and wonder if you look as haggard as they do ?Zack Borer, music industry psychotherapist and couples counsellor https://www.borernewman.com/ will be looking closely at what can be done to sustain the romance ?
Wed 27 April 6pm London