The Queen is King
el Goose Chicks Interview with
Sam King
(Tour Manager, Goose)
It’s late January 2022 and Sam King, Goose tour manager and tour de force, finds herself thousands of miles from home, responsible for corralling, organizing, and sustaining our favorite 5 piece jam band and their entire crew on the road for nearly three weeks. How did she get here? Turns out, she was responsible for carefully plotting that journey too.
“I’d say the most important part of my job is actually leading up to the tour. I’m advancing all of the shows and taking care of all the travel needs, mapping out our plan so the whole tour is set up before we actually hit the road. Of course things change, but the more I can handle in advance before things are getting thrown at me day of show, the better the run goes.”
Pictured Above: Sam smiling in front of Belly Up, Aspen Photo Credit: Chris Quinn
Okay, but truly, who is this mysterious matron saint of Goose, thriving behind the scenes, serving up delicious yam experiences for salivating fans across the country to feast upon? This nature-loving adventurer wants to go everywhere, feel everything, and see everyone she wants herself. She’s had a passion for orchestrating events since childhood.
“Ever since I can remember I’ve been into planning; as a little kid I would organize the neighborhood to perform plays and organize game nights with my family, now I love to plan international trips and weekend getaways. And of course I love going to concerts… I managed to combine my passions of travel, planning, and music into a career and I get to work in an industry I love every day!”
Like the rest of the gaggle, Sam cut her teeth with grit and good old fashioned hard work. This remarkable lady started her own business while simultaneously working and going to school.
“I started working events my sophomore year of college and was immediately hooked. I got experience from the production and hospitality side first, and then moved into artist management and touring. I started really touring my junior year of college, working with this awesome artist (Justin Caruso) who opened for a lot of big names in EDM, and I would try to learn as much as I could from everyone we worked with. When I was home I kept working events, helped promote shows, and assisted different tour managers. I stayed in touch with people I worked with which led to more opportunities. Almost every job I’ve gotten in my career has been word of mouth and knowing the right people at the right time.”
Despite a global pandemic, stonks were up for King Touring LLC. In May of 2021, her networking skills paid off, and the universe brought Sam and Goose together through a connection she established with another incredible female Talent Manager. After talking with the band and crew, it didn’t take long to realize it would be a great partnership.
“Everyone in this band and crew is so passionate about what they do and try to be better every single day. It’s an incredible group of people all with perfectly complimenting talents that are supportive and help each other grow.”
Sam has been dedicated to providing top notch events for the band, crew, and fans ever since: “On the road I’m coordinating all of our travel, making sure everything we need for the show is happening, and solving any problems that come up with our team. I work with the promoter and venue for each show to make sure they’re happy, keep track of expenses, and settle the show at the end of the night. My most important priority is keeping everyone happy, well fed, and doing everything I can to make their lives easier.”
COVID added a layer of complexity to this already challenging feat. Sam and the Goose team were determined to pull off epic shows while protecting the safety of the community no matter what the personal cost.
Pictured Above: Sam backstage at Fred the Festival 2021 | Photo Credit - Adam Berta
“COVID has definitely made it tough on the road, but I feel fortunate to have been able to keep touring during covid when a lot of other shows were getting cancelled. A really special part of being on the road is traveling to all these cities and seeing friends you wouldn’t otherwise see. We’ve been in a COVID bubble since last summer and haven’t been able to have these experiences. Going into every tour we talk about how we want to handle the COVID protocols, and everyone is willing to make sacrifices in order to keep the shows going. We do everything we can to stay healthy in a difficult environment, because we know what’s at stake.”
Alas, after nearly 2 years of shows and zero COVID cancellations, it was our beloved Mecca, Goosemas, that fell victim to the whim of the virus. While the rest of us wallowed in the heartbreak of the postponement, the logistics queen answered with a heroic call to action, rescheduling quickly and maintaining a positive outlook on the situation. “I think we’re pretty lucky that we only had one show to reschedule, and with a big event like Goosemas it took rescheduling all of our travel, gear rentals, hotels, and now prepping for the event a second time. Now we’ve had additional time to prep and we’re all so excited for this show.”
As part of a full and well rounded itinerary, Sam ensures everyone can enjoy their rare days off and still make it to the next show. Prioritizing and planning recreational activities the band and crew want to explore on their travels is essential to their well being.
“This past run we had some really incredible off days. The beauty of touring in a bus is you have the power to route it how you’d like, as long as you’re within driving limits and getting to your shows. The guys wanted to go to Mt. Shasta and ski Mt. Bachelor, so we had epic hiking and ski days together.”
Sam takes care of the people who take care of us. Being well fed while living on the road is a challenge, but Sam knows providing exceptional hospitality to the band and crew is crucial to their performance. Imagine if Peter didn’t have a vegan option or Ben didn’t get his potato fix or the chicken satay was dry. Being hangry or not feeling well in general is not conducive to executing a high level production. It harshes the groove, man! Thankfully, Sam caters to everyone’s needs and keeps the vibes high.
“In terms of food we all eat really healthy! I try to find great local spots. We eat a lot of asian food because they can accommodate multiple dietary restrictions, and we try to have Taco Tuesdays! Our rider is pretty straightforward. We’re fueled by Yerba Mates & Matcha and often get ingredients for Jeff to make his famous homemade guacamole.”
To the average human, this job sounds overwhelming and stressful, but Sam King, Goose, and the crew are intensely driven by one common goal: to give us the best night of our lives.
“I think everyone who tours has a lot of passion. You’re not sleeping, have no personal space, and miss a lot of things at home, but you have an amazing family on the road and work together to pull off these great events and look out into the crowd and see you’re genuinely impacting peoples lives every night.”
Sam’s mission is clear:
”…to constantly be growing as a person and in my career and this group encourages and inspires me to do that. And the fans like you make it all possible, it’s your smiling faces in the crowd that we look out to every night and are reminded what we all do this for.”
Somehow, amidst executing all of these details for winter tour, Sam King took the time out of her busy schedule to chat with us. We are beyond grateful for not only her precious time, but also her immense dedication to Goose and our community.
THANK YOU Sam, who against all odds, in a global pandemic, found a way to coordinate and deliver life changing and life saving performances to Goose fans across the country at a time we all needed it most. You are truly the QUEEN of the road!
Note: We are not affiliated, associated with or in any way officially connected to Goose.
We just love the band and community that much.
The el Goose Times LLC 2021-2022