Inside the World of Touring: Dalal’s Journey with LobbyCall

First Impressions: A Unique Opportunity

When I first reached out to LobbyCall for an internship while studying music management in college, I was looking for an experience that would set me apart. I searched for an opportunity that could benefit me in the long run and I knew with my work mentality and passion for music and production, their collective could give me that chance. For me, going international was always a key goal. From day one, I was immersed in an incredible learning environment, interacting with tour managers, production managers, sound engineers, LD’s… Being part of a collective like LobbyCall gave me credibility and access to industry professionals, which was invaluable.

Key Learning Moments

Starting my career just at the end of the COVID pandemic made opportunities scarce, but I’m grateful for the mentorship from Lobbycall Mathias and Gilles that helped me navigate the challenges. One crucial lesson I learned was to always be open to learning—ask questions, contribute ideas, don’t assume anything, and think critically. My first tour as a tour manager was with the Belgian band SONS, who I’m forever grateful for because they too took a chance on me. Through that experience, I got to meet many industry professionals. I believe that everyone I meet serves as a mentor in some way, and there’s always something to learn from those around me. The combination of structured shadowing and being thrown into real-world problem-solving built more confidence while also being supported by a team that welcomed my questions. Every day in this industry is a learning experience, and that makes me love my job even more!

Early Touring Experiences: The Learning Curve

Touring can be overwhelming, and in the beginning, the biggest challenge is that you don’t know what you don’t know. I was always encouraged to ask questions and gain hands-on experience. You want to be seen as someone who brings knowledge, reliability, and problem-solving skills to the team.

Confidence and communication are key—Sometimes, solving a problem means gathering input from different people, weighing the options, and finding the best solution as a team. I think of touring as one big group work, and for it to work, you need to create space for ideas while also guiding them into the real world. 

Touring is about balancing creativity and logistics, ensuring both the artists and audiences have a memorable experience while being mindful of budgets and practical constraints.

Tour Manager vs. Production Coordinator/ Assistant: Understanding the Roles

As a Tour Manager, I handled everything from technical production to travel logistics for smaller scale tours. On arena tours, my Production Coordinator/Assistant was different—supporting the larger team and managing crucial behind-the-scenes details. The level of responsibility remained high, but the workflow shifted from independent decision-making to team collaboration. Adapting to different team dynamics and ensuring smooth operations were key lessons from both roles. Everyone has their own way of working, so it’s important to find balance, communicate effectively, and adapt to different team dynamics.

A Global Perspective on Touring

Since joining LobbyCall, I’ve toured across Europe, UK, North America, Australia, Asia, and even places like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Every country has its own unique approach to production, and learning how to adapt to each one has been invaluable. You quickly realize that different countries bring their own challenges, whether it’s in terms of working with local productions or understanding cultural nuances. I’ve had the chance to work in places I never thought I’d visit, and while we faced many challenges along the way—at times even contemplating the possibility of canceling shows—I’ve learned that there’s always a solution. It taught me that nothing is impossible when you are determined to make it work.

At the heart of it all, what keeps me passionate about this job is the simple goal of bringing music to people, no matter where they are. That’s what inspired me to get into this field, and it continues to drive me today.

The LobbyCall Difference

For me, the biggest advantage of working with LobbyCall is the sense of connection to so many experienced tour managers. Additionally, the shared templates and resources we have in place make the workflow much more efficient. When I first started, I didn’t know things like what a settlement sheet, a day sheet, or a budget should look like. Working with these templates and collaborating on them with others has been of so much value. The shared templates, resources, and feedback system streamline workflow and enhance professional growth. That level of collaboration and knowledge sharing is something that is very important to me.

Mentorship: Giving Back and Growing

It’s fun sharing knowledge with newcomers who are also passionate about touring while also learning from their fresh perspectives. I like to work collaboratively, guiding others through challenges while allowing them to develop their own workflow. The most fulfilling part is when mentees transition into colleagues, proving that mentorship is a two-way learning process. Guiding newcomers has been an affirming experience. It reminds me that I’m on the right path and that others value my experience. But it also helps me discover new things about myself as a tour manager and gives me insights into questions I haven’t considered before that I can ask others about on my next production. 

Advice for Aspiring Interns

Be proactive—reach out, ask questions, and seek opportunities. Touring is a demanding industry, but resilience, adaptability, and confidence go a long way.  Find out who you can shadow, but always be respectful of people’s time and space. 

Self-reflection is key if you want to grow. You need to be open to receiving and asking for feedback. There’s always room for improvement. 

Touring comes with long hours. It’ll be challenging: problem-solving, performing under constant pressure. Take care of your mental and physical health and you’ll become a more valuable asset to any production.

Last but not least, enjoy the adventure.  Touring isn’t just about work; it’s about creating memories that make all the challenges worthwhile. Especially if you are passionate about music, go watch the show, go have dinner with the crew. You don’t have to be locked up in the production office to prove that you are serious about this job. Make it memorable!

Future Goals and Memorable Experiences

Looking ahead, I aim to build strong, sustainable relationships with both my clients and crew. I want to tour internationally with the same artists and teams over multiple years, growing together and working toward something bigger. For me, success isn’t just about jumping onto the biggest arena tour right away—it’s about taking it step by step, gaining as much experience as possible, and bringing real value to every project I work on.

My dream started at 15, watching tour managers at concerts — I wanted to be part of that, part of a team that brings joy to people all over the world. And today, I’m living that dream.