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Tour Operations

Production Advance

A production advance is the technical side of advancing a show, handled by the production manager. Production advances can be pretty substantial — they cover confirming PA specs, lighting requirements, power distribution, rigging points and weight limits, stage plot compatibility, backline needs, local crew requirements, show times, changeover schedules, and every other technical detail with the venue.

Production advance vs. venue advance

The production advance is distinct from the venue advance, which is typically handled by the tour manager and covers hospitality, travel, schedule, settlement terms, and logistics. On larger tours, these happen in parallel — PM talks to the venue's technical staff while the TM talks to the promoter rep.

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Related Terms

Advancing

Advancing is the process of communicating with the promoter and venue before arriving, to ensure a smooth show day.

Tour Operations

Production Manager

A production manager (PM) is responsible for all technical and production elements of a concert tour — stage, sound, lighting, video, backline, rigging, and the crew that runs it all.

Roles & Personnel

PA System

A PA system (public address system) is the collection of speakers, amplifiers, and signal processors that projects the FOH mix to the audience.

Production

Rigging

Rigging is the process of suspending production equipment — lighting fixtures, PA speakers, video screens, truss, and other elements — from a venue's structural system using motors, cables, and hardware.

Production