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.
Giggs Podcast
#51 Jesse Sandler | The Production Manager behind Bon Jovi, Nickleback, Phish
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
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 a time.
Jesse walks through his path from an early runner/production assistant role to touring internationally as an audio tech, and eventually stepping into the production manager seat—sometimes faster than expected.
What you’ll learn:
- The difference between production assistant, production coordinator, and production manager
- Why “pay attention and do your job” can beat formal training (early on)
- How mentorship actually shows up on tour (even when no one labels it “mentorship”)
- A calm leadership approach that keeps problems from becoming chaos
- How to ask for the job without overstepping the room
- Why attitude is often the deciding factor when hiring crews
- The “cosign effect”: how introductions create career momentum
Jesse Sandler bio:
Jesse Sandler is a highly respected touring professional with over 25 years of touring experience in production management and related disciplines. He has managed complex shows globally for top-tier artists, including Bon Jovi, Nickelback, Phish, The Eagles, Prince, Aerosmith, Morrissey, and Steely Dan. His diverse background includes roles as a production assistant, production coordinator, Clair audio technician, managing tour catering, ticketing and production accounting.
Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/
Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@GIGGS-live
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live
Host: Nikki Sanz
Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/
Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giggs-llc/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@giggs.live
Host: Nikki Sanz