Roadies Of Color United International, conceived to help promote a more diverse and inclusive live entertainment production industry, will launch a day of production-centric programming with Production Live! 2021, which is set for Tuesday, June 15 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Production Live! begins three days that will mark the return of the post-pandemic live entertainment industry, including the 32nd Pollstar Live! (June 16-17) conference, The Pollstar Awards: A Celebration of Live (June 16), and other industry-related activities, meetings, and networking opportunities.
Roadies Of Color United co-founders — production manager/tour manager Bill Reeves, production stage manager Lance “K.C.” Jackson, and Tour Forensics’ Dave “5-1” Norman — will be joined by Rebekah Foster of Ujima Sound Productions and Tina Farris of TF Tours to explore Roadies of Color/Inclusivity on the Road & At the Show, a discussion on the issue of a lack of diversity in live entertainment.
“In an industry motivated to be more inclusive, Roadies Of Color has become an essential platform for support, advocacy, and enlightenment,” says Ray Waddell, president of OVG Media & Conferences, which oversees the events of Pollstar Live! and Production Live! 2021 and the flagship publication Pollstar behind them. “While touring grapples with myriad issues to get up and running, none loom more important than our responsibility to do the right thing and create a fair, equitable, and diverse live entertainment industry.”
The Roadies Of Color session will launch a day of programming specifically geared toward the challenges and opportunities facing live entertainment production professionals as the industry prepares to return for what many believe will be the busiest era in the history of touring. Sessions include “What I Did on My Summer Vacation: How The Production Biz Stood Tall in the Pandemic,” “Day Of Show: What Can We Expect?,” “Beyond Concerts: The New Production Paradigm,” and “The Next Gig: Navigating the Employment Landscape for Touring Pros,” in addition to keynotes, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities.
Among those already confirmed to participate are Bandit Lites Founder/industry advocate Michael Strickland, Insight Mgt./Musically Fed’s Maria Brunner, Joey Gallagher of Gallagher Staging, head of business affairs at ICM Kelly Weiss, and Production Live! team members Stuart Ross, Charlie Hernandez, and Jake Berry, who once again play an integral role in putting Production Live! together.
Live industry’s key figures already confirmed to participate include Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, Red Light Management founder Coran Capshaw, CAA’s Music Division Head Rob Light, NIVA/First Avenue Productions President/CEO Dayna Frank, Live Nation Women President Ali Harnell, and entertainment attorney Berkeley Reinhold.
Recent keynotes for Pollstar Live! and Production Live! include Mark Cuban, Irving Azoff, Apple’s Eddy Cue, and Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, along with such artists and celebrities as Garth Brooks, Nicki Minaj, Dave Grohl, Jon Bon Jovi, Jim James, George Clinton, Nikki Sixx, Chris Young, Dave Navarro, and Khalid, among many others.
Go here for more information.
Production Live! 2021
Roadies Of Color United International
Pollstar Live!
Oak View Group
