I Had Never Listened to Metal Before – my first tour

What a summer on the road with Death Angel taught me about touring, the people in this industry, and what I actually want. This is the story of how I ended up on a tour bus with a metal band for the first time in my life.

I found this tour opportunity through Women in Live Music, and it was one of those opportunities that felt too good not to take.

Tari, our Tour Manager and Merch Manager, had created it specifically to give women who had little or no touring experience the chance to learn on the road, while also having an extra pair of hands. And honestly, considering she was doing both Tour Management and Merch Management simultaneously, I think we can all imagine the workload.

I still remember one of the questions she asked me during the interview:

“What do you expect from this experience?”

My answer:

“To work a lot and sleep very little.”

I was not wrong.

I already knew that the whole point of this experience was to learn as many different aspects of touring as possible, and if you want that, you have to be willing to put in the work. But for me, going on tour was also a way to find out if this was actually the career I wanted to pursue. I wanted to experience it firsthand, open doors, meet people, and most importantly, ask questions. I wanted to hear about other people’s journeys, how they got started, and what they would tell someone trying to find their place in this industry.

And then I got thrown straight into it.

A Day on the Road

On this tour with Death Angel, we had venue dates alongside Testament, as well as festival dates. Every day was different, but on a venue day, things were usually organised around the bus call. Everyone had to be on the bus at a specific time. Before leaving, we counted the entire crew, and put the set list and daily schedule up on the bus and in the dressing rooms.

Once we arrived, it was time for the get-in. This meant checking the dressing rooms, showers, and bathrooms, making sure the rider was being respected and all the band’s requests were actually there.

Tari also taught us an important trick for the rider but I am not going to reveal the secret. Some touring knowledge must remain sacred.

We would also make a quick video for the band and crew explaining where everything was, because when you arrive at a new venue, knowing where the toilet is can become genuinely mission-critical information.

Then came load-in, while we worked on the merch. With two or three bands at the venue, we had to agree on pricing and display space, do the count-in, and set up the stand. Meanwhile, the crew was handling stage setup and soundcheck.

Before the show, dinner. And because there is apparently never enough time for everyone to eat simultaneously, if someone couldn’t make it, we prepared takeaway boxes.

Then the show happened.

And while everyone was watching the concert, we were already thinking about the load-out.

As soon as it finished, we packed everything back up. Travelling on a nightliner means there is no “see you tomorrow” moment, the next destination is already waiting. We did the merch count-out, prepared the restock for the following day, and made sure everything was back in the boxes.

And one lesson I will not forget: venues remember the people who leave a mess. For the love of live music, leave it looking good.

Back on the bus, the day still wasn’t over. Spreadsheets updated. Information sheets replaced. New set list and schedule up for the following day. Then, finally, everyone disappeared into their bunk.

Festivals Are a Different Beast

Festival days worked differently. Since festivals have their own concessions, merch was sold by local staff, which meant preparing the box in advance, counting everything, agreeing on prices, and when in a different country, figuring out the right pricing in the local currency.

Festivals also come with their own to-do list: interviews, signing sessions, meet & greets. Credentials to collect, dressing rooms and catering to find, shuttles to confirm. They’re huge, chaotic little ecosystems, and having everything sorted before the band arrives is non-negotiable.

Being both TM Assistant and Merch Assistant meant seeing two sides of the job at once. And watching Tari manage both roles simultaneously, while answering emails, solving unexpected problems, and planning upcoming dates, made one thing very clear: organisation is probably the most important skill in Tour Management.

Not just organisation. You have to anticipate problems before they happen, because something will always happen.

This is where I have to give a standing ovation to Tari, quite possibly the most organised person I have ever met. She carries this orange bag that somehow contains everything we could possibly need. At some point I genuinely started wondering if it was magical. And her computer — every email labelled, every piece of information in its place, a spreadsheet for basically everything. Nothing gets lost. Nothing disappears into the terrifying black hole of an inbox.

I learned a lot just by watching how she worked.

Apparently, I Am Also a Photographer Now

One of the things I really appreciated about this experience was being encouraged to try things outside my main responsibilities.

A few times during the tour, thanks to Tari constantly nudging me toward whatever interested me, and with the help of CB, our photographer, I had the chance to photograph the band during their shows. I then edited the photos in Lightroom and Premiere.

And apparently… I really, really like it.

I also discovered that I might actually have a good eye for it, which was a slightly unexpected plot twist.

So I guess there is now another role I want to add to my repertoire. At this rate, I am going to need a bigger CV.

The Best Part: The People

I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say I ended up with one of the best bands and crews I could have worked with.

From the very first moment, everyone was welcoming and funny. They made an effort to make me feel comfortable. I have worked in environments where the distance between artists and crew is very clear…with Death Angel it felt completely different.

It felt like being part of a big family.

There were jokes, sleepless nights, Mario Kart games (I may officially be the worst Mario Kart player in history), conversations between the women on the tour, and all the little things that happen when you spend weeks travelling and working together. It made the experience incredibly special.

There was also one small cultural discovery: I had never listened to metal before this tour. Getting to discover the genre through the band was genuinely fun. I definitely did not expect my first real introduction to metal to come from spending weeks on a tour bus with Death Angel, but here we are.

I’m naturally someone who prefers to listen and observe rather than talk or be the centre of a conversation, so sometimes I worry that people don’t realise how much I appreciate them. But I hope they know. Because I really, really did

Touring isn’t all concerts, backstage passes and cool stories. There was a lot of travelling, a lot of going back and forth, and a lot of being tired.

Towards the end of the tour, I got sick, courtesy of the air conditioning, which apparently decided it had a personal vendetta against me. Thankfully, Tari and Damien from the band came to my rescue with medicine and ginger, lemon and honey tea. So yes, I learned about tour management and logistics, but I also learned that surviving tour sometimes requires a small pharmacy and a lot of ginger tea.

And then, because apparently every tour needs its obligatory transportation disaster, our trailer broke down near the end.

I was told it isn’t a real tour until something goes wrong with transportation.

We dealt with it. Everything worked out. But it confirmed one of the biggest lessons of touring: you can plan everything, and you also need to be ready to completely change the plan five minutes later.

Women Supporting Women

One of the things I will remember most from this tour is the women I met along the way.

At Bloodstock, we had the chance to talk to a Social Media Manager from a London-based music label, genuinely excited about opportunities like this one for women entering the industry. We talked about how difficult it can be when you’re starting out, because everyone wants experience, but nobody wants to be the one who gives you that first chance.

And that was exactly what made this programme so meaningful. Instead of “how can you prove that you already know how to do this?”, the idea was simply: “come and learn.”

Another moment I won’t forget happened at Alcatraz Festival. Throughout the tour, I had been to several band interviews, and honestly, most followed the same formula. Same questions, same energy.

Then at Alcatraz, I watched an interview with Rob and Mark and immediately noticed something different. The very first question was original. For the first time during the whole tour, I could see the guys were genuinely engaged, they were actually enjoying the conversation.

I turned to the girl from the festival’s media team and asked:

“Did you write the questions?”

She looked at me, completely shocked, and laughed.

“Yes. You know you’re the first person who’s ever asked me that?”

I told her:

“This is the most interesting interview they’ve done all tour. Great job.”

Such a small interaction. But it reminded me how much difference thoughtful work makes, even when nobody sees the effort behind it.

What I Take Home

I am leaving this tour with new friends, new skills, new experiences, and a much clearer picture of where I want to take my career.

Tari has been an incredible mentor. She didn’t just teach me how to do things, she encouraged me to try things, ask questions, make mistakes, and discover what I actually enjoy.

I came on this tour wanting to understand whether touring was really the path I wanted.

I think I have my answer.

I want to keep learning. I want to keep working on the road. I want to keep meeting people, discovering new roles, and building my own path within the live music industry.

And maybe, somewhere along the way, I will become a decent Mario Kart player. But let’s not set unrealistic goals.

Most importantly, this experience reminded me that this isn’t just something I think would be cool to do. It’s something I’m genuinely passionate about. And now that I’ve had the chance to experience the road for myself, I’m more determined than ever to keep pursuing it.

See you on the road

FATIMA DEHHANI

Read the original blog here: https://resonanceclub.substack.com/p/i-had-never-listened-to-metal-before?r=4dcol0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web