Giggs Podcast
The Giggs Podcast, hosted by Nikki Sanz, Founder & CEO of Giggs, the professional career platform for the live event industry, dives into the world of touring and live events to share the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unbelievable moments of gigging life, along with invaluable lessons learned on the road.
We’re here to fill the gap in content about what it truly takes to work on the road. Our episodes explore every discipline within the live event industry, showcasing big wins, hard-learned lessons, and everything in between. We honor the pioneers of this industry, offering invaluable insights from the older generations who shaped modern touring.
Whether you’re an aspiring tour manager, a seasoned backline tech, or just passionate about the live event scene, this podcast is for you. Join us as we take you behind the scenes to explore the highs and lows of gigging life.
Episodes
66 episodes
#53 What Tour Life Really Does to Families | Stage Wives
Behind every tour is a whole other job happening offstage: parenting, schedules, safety, emotions, and the quiet pressure of “don’t make this harder for them.”In this episode, Nikki Sanz talks with Rachel Smith and Rhyan Shirle...
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Episode 53
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1:11:24
#52 Suzi Meyer | Pay vs. Respect: What Crews Actually Want
Recorded live at Rock Lititz, this episode features Suzi Meyer, Chief of Staff, in a candid conversation about workforce development, burnout, leadership, and the future of live events.If you care about crew culture, retention, or...
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Episode 52
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37:35
#51 Jesse Sandler | The Production Manager behind Bon Jovi, Nickleback, Phish
Recorded live at Rock Lititz, Nikki Sanz sits down with touring production manager, Jesse Sandler, for a behind-the-scenes look at how a touring career actually gets built—one cosign, one good attitude, and one “figure it out” moment at ...
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Episode 51
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39:43
#50 Butch Allen | Designing Shows for Metallica, Eric Church, and The Eagles
Recorded live from Rock Lititz, Nikki Sanz sits down with Butch Allen, VP of Global Business Development at TAIT, and a touring veteran who’s done nearly every job on the road (“everything but audio”).Butch breaks down what actually mov...
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Episode 50
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43:44
#49 Improving Mental Health on Tour | Amber Health
Recorded live from Rock Lititz in Lititz, Pennsylvania, host Nikki Sanz sits down with Dr. Chayim Newman and Zack Borer—the co-founders of Amber Health—to talk about what it really takes to support touring crews and live ev...
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Episode 49
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42:03
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#48 Nicholas Weldon (nicDub) | Live Video Directing for Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Kings of Leon, P!nk
Live video direction isn’t just calling shots—it’s reading the room, listening to the music, and trusting your crew to move with it.Recorded live from Rock Lititz, Nikki sits down with Nicholas Weldon “nicDUB”, a legacy roadie w...
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Episode 48
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36:18
Ask Giggs #8 | Touring Is a Human Endurance Test
Ask Giggs is back, and this one is for anyone who’s ever said, “I’m in shape… but I’m not in tour shape.”In Ask Giggs #8, Nikki answers community questions about managing the physical toll of touring, building real stamina, and ...
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12:18
#47 Rock Nashville | The Exclusive Look at Music City’s New Touring Home
In this special docuseries-style episode, we’re taking you inside the construction of the brand new Rock Nashville—the highly anticipated live entertainment campus from the team behind Rock Lititz. Nikki Sanz gets a sneak preview of the build, ...
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Episode 47
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1:04:30
#46 Allison Noah | How To Be “The Connector” as Stage Manager
Allison Noah is a rising star in the industry — one of the few women in her role as Stage Manager, and a standout leader in the next generation of road crews.She got her start at Grammy-winning label Sono Luminus, where she did everythin...
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Episode 46
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1:04:12
Giggs Rewind | Sooner Routhier: Color, Collaboration, and Coldplay
Sooner Rae Routhier is a renowned Principal Designer who is a 2X Parnelli, Live Design Achievement, Live Production Summit Pinnacle, and multi Top Dog award-winning designer. Her designs can be seen on Jimmy Fallon, The AMA’s, The Ellen ...
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58:39
Ask Giggs #7 | Missing Holidays: The Sacrifice Behind the Show
We’re back with another Ask Giggs segment, where host Nikki Sanz answers real questions from the Giggs community. In this episode, we get honest about one of the hardest parts of working in live events: what the job asks of your personal life, ...
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11:33
#45 Zito | Production Managing Legends… Green Day, Ariana Grande, Backstreet Boys, OneRepublic
Our guest is Zito — one of the most respected and accomplished production managers in the world. Over the past 25 years, he’s worked with artists like Green Day, Ariana Grande, Josh Groban, Babyface, OneRepublic, Blink-182, the Backstreet Boys,...
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Episode 45
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1:13:57
Giggs Wrapped | “Red Rocks Sucks?” – Hot Takes & Best Advice
This special episode of The GIGGS Podcast pulls the best Rapid Fire moments from across the series into one fast-moving, feel-good mashup. From first concerts and favorite venues, to after-show food, bus bunk politics, can’t-tour-without items,...
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26:47
#44: VIP at 35,000 Feet | Flying Private with TrueSkies Aviation
Join us on a high-flying adventure as Nikki Sanz boards a VIP-configured Boeing 757 for Giggs’ first-ever in-flight episode with TrueSkies Aviation Group—the team moving A-list artists, sports teams, and high-profile clients around the world. C...
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Episode 44
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54:53
#43 Pete Griffin | When Music Heals: Inside Musicians On Call
Learn more about Musicians On Call: https://www.musiciansoncall.org/Pete Griffin is the President & CEO of Musicians On Call, the nonprofit that brings live music to hospital patients, caregivers, and veterans across all 50 states. U...
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Episode 43
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1:15:51
#42 What Really Moves a Show | [Exclusive] ShowShuttle and Extreme Lighting & Sound
Step inside the shop that keeps tours moving. In this episode, we go behind the scenes at Extreme Lighting & Sound (ELS) for an exclusive look at their team, their process, and the ShowShuttle—the modular cart system built to ...
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Episode 42
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1:07:37
Ask Giggs #6 | Aftershow Food and Hiring Truths
Founder & CEO Nikki Sanz answers YOUR questions from the Giggs Community.
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9:22
#41 Shawn Worlow | Touring Tech to Producer of the NFL Draft & F1
Shawn Worlow is the Founder and President of The Production Collective, which is the team behind some of the most complex large-scale events in the country: NFL Draft, Formula 1 Las Vegas, SEMA Fest, March Madness Music Festival, and more. ...
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Episode 41
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1:04:39
Ask Giggs #5 | Your Best Tour Pranks
Founder & CEO Nikki Sanz answers YOUR questions from the Giggs Community.
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6:59
Giggs Rewind | Mark Oglesby: Health, Leadership, & Sobriety on the Road
Mark Oglesby, currently the tour manager for Post Malone, is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the music industry. His career began as road manager for The Clark Family Experience. Since then, Mark has managed t...
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50:33
#40 Cristi Williams | Shading the Limelight & Surviving the Spotlight
Cristi Williams is the Founder of Shading the Limelight, a mental wellness coaching company for artists, actors, and entertainment professionals. She’s also an adjunct professor at Belmont University, where she developed the first...
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Episode 40
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1:18:07
Ask Giggs #4 | The Truth About Failure — and Why You’ll Survive It
Founder & CEO Nikki Sanz answers YOUR questions from the Giggs Community.
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2:17
#39 Ryan Lampa | Turning Roadie Friday Into 17 Years of Service
Ryan Lampa has spent 18 years touring the world with many artists, most notably TobyMac. But in 2008, his mission shifted—from tour life to nonprofit work. Ryan Lampa is the Founder and CEO of People Loving Nashville, one of the most imp...
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Episode 39
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1:29:35
Ask Giggs #3 | Why You’re Not Getting Called Back (and What To Do About It)
Founder & CEO Nikki Sanz answers YOUR questions from the Giggs Community.
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4:05
Giggs Rewind | 18 Ways to Break Into the Live Event & Music Industry
"How can I work in music industry?" Giggs Founder, Nikki Sanz, answers the most frequently asked question by sharing 18 practical strategies to break into the music, live event, and touring industry. In this episode, she organizes insights from...
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19:21
