Are you really a Stagehand?

Yes, I really am a Stagehand working for one of the top rated venues in the country. We have a 20,000+ seat arena, a 15,000+ seat amphitheatre, and manage a second amphitheatre that seats about 7,500. During the busy summer months we do anywhere from 120 to 145 shows between all three venues. And yes, I do have a really cool job, usually. Summer time is grueling as we usually work 75+ hours all summer long. It's not so much the long hours that get you as much as only sleeping 2-4 hours a night before the next show loads in.

Wow, you must get to see a ton of shows and meet all the stars.

Sure it's kind of cool to see your favorite band or performer, but we are usually working during the show and can't enjoy it like the audience can. Besides, performers are people too, they have good days and bad days just like you and I. When you see one of your favorite artists having a bad day you tend to stop listening to them for a while.

Do you live on a bus?

No. I live at home and work three buildings north of Detroit, MI and make a decent living at it. I get to sleep in my own bed every night (even if it's only for a couple of hours). Roadies, on the other hand, are sleeping in a hotel room or bus bunk because they travel with the show.

Why do you sell your swag?

After almost caching in my chips one year I started pitching stuff left and right. Once a year I would do a major house cleaning and place the stuff I had no real use for into piles for donations, friends, and trash. Eventually I had to do something with the concert t-shirts I had accumulated over the last 17 years. Auctioning my shirts on eBay was the answer to my space problem. I hope you find something you like and give it a good home. There are some really cool shirts here and I really do wish I could wear most of them but I'm a big guy and that just isn't going to happen any time soon. I really do appreciate the swag the shows hand out at the end of the night. In fact it seems like I'm one of the few Stagehands selling their stuff, but I can't wear it so. . . . For you Tour Manager's out there, we do think of it as more then just a shirt. It is the best "Thank you" Stagehands get. Please don't take offense.

Why did you make the Stagehand's Closet website?

A couple of years ago a guy wanted to make a t-shirt museum using pictures of my t-shirts. I thought he was nuts, but more and more people who check out my auctions say how cool it was to see a picture of the favorite band's shirt, especially the "Local Crew" shirts. After a while I decided why not? So this is an attempt to create an interesting place to go and see some t-shirt music memorabilia of your favorite bands that you probably can't see anywhere else.

Peace.