Production consulting for artist managers

What does TCCG do for artist managers?

TCCG teaches artist managers the production side of touring: rider education, advancing oversight, production budget literacy, settlement fundamentals, and venue and promoter communication norms. The goal is letting managers protect their artist’s interests without needing to do the production work themselves.

Why does this matter for someone who isn’t a production specialist?

Most artist managers come up through the music business side of the industry: deal structures, royalties, brand partnerships. The production side, riders, advancing, technical specs, and settlement, is a separate discipline. A manager who doesn’t understand it will eventually be outmaneuvered by someone who does.

Who is this service for?

Managers moving an artist into more serious touring who want to get ahead of production issues. Established managers who’ve been burned before and want a more confident foundation. Management teams hiring their first production manager who want to know what good looks like.

Service Breakdown

Rider Education. We walk you through how to read a technical and hospitality rider, what’s actually non-negotiable versus a wish list item, and how to have the right conversations before those items become day-of problems.

Advancing Oversight. We teach you what a complete advance looks like and how to recognize when the venue or promoter side isn’t advancing correctly before it’s too late to fix.

Production Budget Literacy. We help you understand what production actually costs, which line items get underestimated most often, and how to evaluate a budget with a critical eye.

Settlement Fundamentals. You don’t have to run settlement yourself, but you should be able to read a settlement sheet, recognize where disputes typically start, and know when to ask questions.

Venue and Promoter Communication. We help you understand professional norms on the production side, so your artist’s team never creates friction by asking the wrong question at the wrong time.

What does a production mistake actually cost?

One production disaster on a major market show can cost more than a year of consulting fees. A mishandled rider, a settlement dispute, or an incomplete advance can damage promoter and venue relationships that took years to build. The production side of touring is learnable. It doesn’t require thirty years of experience, it requires the right foundation.

What are the most common production mistakes artist managers make?

The most common mistake is forwarding a rider to a venue without reading it closely first, which means the manager has no independent basis for knowing whether the venue’s response is reasonable. The second is not asking for confirmation during the advance process, which means problems surface for the first time on show day instead of with enough lead time to fix them. The third is sitting at or relying on a settlement without understanding the deal structure well enough to recognize when the numbers don’t match expectations.

Do I need to attend the calls myself, or can my team handle it?

Either works. Some managers attend personally to build their own fluency. Others send a tour manager or junior team member and review the material afterward. The right approach depends on how hands-on you want to stay with the production side long term.

Can TCCG review a specific rider or contract I’ve already received?

Yes. Reviewing an active rider or contract in a session is one of the most common and useful starting points. We’ll walk through what’s standard, what’s negotiable, and what needs follow-up before you respond to the other side.

Is this a one-time engagement or ongoing?

Both options exist. Some managers book a single session around a specific tour or rider. Others retain TCCG on an ongoing basis as their production touring season ramps up. There’s no minimum commitment required to start.

What information does TCCG need before the first call?

For a general session, nothing formal is required. To review a specific rider or contract, send or bring that document so the conversation focuses on your artist’s actual situation.

Does TCCG work with managers handling multiple artists?

Yes. Many of the production fundamentals, rider literacy, advancing oversight, budget evaluation, apply consistently across artists and tours. A manager handling several touring acts often gets more value from this because the same knowledge compounds across every artist they represent.

What if my artist already has a production manager?

This is still useful. A manager who understands the production side independently can evaluate the production manager’s work more effectively, ask better questions, and catch problems before they reach the artist, rather than relying entirely on a single point of expertise.

How do I get started?

Book a free 30 minute introductory call. No pitch, no pressure.