Mentor Masterclass: How to Advance a Show Efficiently

A bad advance doesn't announce itself. It waits until load-in day, and then it shows up everywhere at once. Wrong stage placement, missing labor counts, outdated hospitality riders, unconfirmed catering... by the time you realize it, your options range from incredibly expensive to outright catastrophic. In this episode of the Giggs Mentor Masterclass, we sit down with industry veterans Michael Gonzales (Tour Manager) and Morgan Burton (Production Manager)—the powerhouse duo who spent years scaling Dan + Shay from a two-bus operation to sold-out arenas and stadiums. They break down the exact blueprint of a successful advance, how TMs and PMs should divide the workload, and why proper documentation can save you tens of thousands of dollars on show day. 🚀 Find your next Gigg and join the #1 community for the live events industry: https://www.giggs.live/ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome & Guest Introductions 01:10 - Michael’s Backstory: Thrown Into the Fire 02:06 - Scaling a Tour: From 2 Buses to Stadiums 03:02 - Morgan’s Background: 25+ Years in Production & CMA Fest 04:33 - What is Advancing? (The Backbone of Show Day) 07:28 - The Advance Timeline: 4–6 Weeks Out & Outdated Riders 08:10 - The Advance Call: 2–3 Weeks Out & Building Tech Packs 09:34 - Managing Expensive Local Labor Calls 11:13 - Locking in Run of Show, Scheduling, & Curfews 11:47 - Deconstructing a 27-Page Tour Rider 12:51 - Why Pre-Settlement Saves Your Sanity 13:44 - Technical Requirements: Power, Ramps, & Rigging 14:44 - The TM and PM Split: Dividing the Workload 15:26 - The Trap of Fragmented Venue Email Chains 19:14 - The $10,000 Chicago Mistake (Why Receipts Matter) 21:23 - From Google Sheets to Custom Software 23:14 - Advance with Me Platform Walkthrough 26:52 - Live Q&A Session 🧠 Key Takeaways from This Masterclass Surprises on-site are a choice: If you don't do the work in advance, the venue will expose you the minute you step off the bus. The 4-6 Week Rule: Send your intro email and current rider early. Booking agents notoriously send venues outdated riders from years ago. Fix it before the advance call. Labor counts will make or break your budget: Under-calling creates mid-day scrambles; over-calling burns massive amounts of money. Get your headcounts locked in. Pre-settle to save your sanity: Handling financial pre-settlement means you walk into the venue with fixed expenses already confirmed, keeping the end-of-night clean and fast. Paper trails are insurance: Documentation isn't bureaucracy—it's protection. When things go wrong, having the receipts dictates who pays for the mistake. 🎙️ About Our Mentors Michael Gonzales is a Nashville-based tour manager and artist management professional. He spent nearly a decade as tour manager for Dan + Shay, growing with the camp from club and theater touring through arenas and stadium shows. He is the founder of Advance with Me, an advancing platform built for tour managers, production teams, and venues. Morgan Burton is a Nashville-based production manager with over 25 years in the live events industry, touring across country, pop, and Christian acts. He served as stage manager at Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest for nearly a decade and worked alongside Michael as the production management counterpart on the Dan + Shay touring operation for close to five years. 🔗 Resources & Stay Up To Date 🛠️ Check out Advance with Me: [Insert Link] Stay up to date: Instagram:   / giggs.live   Youtube:    / @giggs-live   LinkedIn:   / giggs-llc   TikTok:   / giggs.live   🎙️ About the Mentor Masterclass Series Welcome to the Giggs Mentor Masterclass. We sit down with elite live music professionals, tour managers, and production titans to deconstruct their elite playbooks into actionable lessons. Whether you are playing clubs or stadiums, our goal is to give you the blueprints to build a sustainable, successful career on the road. Track your tours. Find your crew. Grow your career. Subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode! #TourManagement #ProductionManagement #ConcertProduction #TourLife #Giggs #LiveMusicIndustry #DanAndShay #AdvanceWithMe