Following its successful debut event in 2022 [see TPi #273], THE Conference: Live at Lititz returned on the 6 to 8 December 2023. Far from a difficult second album, and in the words of co-founder, Charlie Hernandez at the Beat the Street speakeasy on night two: “This is more akin to Led Zeppelin II!” In partnership with the Rock Lititz community, CJMS (Charlie Hernandez, Jake Berry, Marty Hom, and Stuart Ross) continued their desire to encourage and facilitate sector-wide collaboration, growth, and mentorship at the second annual conference.
Trading the sunny West for the wintery East Coast – following three days at LDI Show in Las Vegas – I arrived three hours closer to Greenwich Mean Time at the Rock Lititz campus, which at the time doubled as something torn straight from the canvas of a Bob Ross winter scene.
Having left the conference feeling invigorated in 2022, I returned just as eager to discover some of the mindful and proactive ways the sector has responded to the success of the maiden event.
The 2023 conference featured over 900 attendees, as well as over 100 behind the scenes crew members, 40 sponsors and vendors, and 70 diverse speakers, with the staging designed by TAIT’s Adam Byrne. With interactive panels, targeted meetups, town halls, interactive workshops, product demonstrations, company tours, and themed social events each night, the conference once again outlined the guiding principles that remained aligned with its mantra of ‘leave it better than we found it’.
On the opening day, Rock Lititz’ Andrea Shirk addressed the conference’s desire to present engaging and actionable content. “We’ve really considered how to be thoughtful of delivering a variety of different conversations in environments and delivery methods for attendees, who can find experiences suitable for themselves, and also challenge each other to explore new topics of interest, learn something unique and enhance their passion for an industry which bonds all of us.”
Marty Hom expanded on the conference’s mission to showcase diverse voices and experiences: “We’ve been talking for 40 years; people don’t want to hear from us anymore. They want to hear new, exciting voices. When I first started in this business, I couldn’t name one female or Asian tour manager that I knew of. Now there is an incredible breadth of experiences and cultures in the sector, who were given the opportunity. For those starting in the business, I was in the speakers lounge before we hit the stage, and I was even impressed by the people attending this conference, who were all accessible. This conference is made to support the community and grow the careers of those within this ecosystem. From tour managers right through to publicists and tour photographers,” he said.
In a change of programming, the wider live entertainment ecosystem – including industry magazines – was represented. As an industry of storyteller, who has signed countless NDA agreements, the Telling Our Story: Marketing Backstage panel was a refreshing change of pace, where attendees could explore and engage with other journalists, manufacturers, and creatives about sharing the stories of those backstage.
Hom added: “What I want attendees to come away with is inspiration, knowledge, and the ability to take better care of crews and those on tour. I’m sure 900 of us will walk away from Lititz as a group, but we need to continue to drive home the things we’ve learned to make this a better industry to work in.” Ross underlined the conference’s mission to support words with actions, by considering the thought that goes into programming unique content, panels, and experiences – recognising that the bar and social elements are just as important as the relaxation rooms, fostering an environment for both introverts and extroverts.
‘Leave it better than we found it’ – THE Conference: Live at Lititz
“Our conference is different because we don’t want to discuss how we do our job, but why we do our job. We want to take this to a 30,000ft level, instead of learning how to put numbers into boxes in Excel. Let’s talk about why those numbers are important. This conference is exactly what we wanted to see, a great and diverse opportunity for socialisation and discussion but not lecture. This is what all of us thought were missing from this industry. We don’t want to teach, we want to learn,” Ross added. “If there is something you think we could do better, get in-touch, because we want next year to be even greater.”
Hernandez highlighted the conference’s mission to provide personalised, inclusive, and accessible social opportunities for everyone by creating a welcoming, fun environment with no hierarchy. “One of the things we all learn very early in our careers is that there is no them – there is only us. We can only depend on each other, and if we give each other our word, it’s going to happen. It’s a strange old business we are in, and to echo Marty, I know there are people in this room whose lives have been saved by the work of non-for-profits like Music Cares. The most selfless thing you can do is help somebody else, the greatest thing you can do is to learn somebody’s story and take something from them.”
It was evident walking the halls, there was a noticeable change in demographic for the better. No longer was I one of the young faces in the room, privy to the pearls of wisdom imparted by veteran touring professionals. Case and point, I became reacquainted with Austin Landis, a Lancaster County local, and one of the few young people in attendance in 2022. One year on, he is now working and learning as a stagehand at Rock Labor with a desire to hit the road. “I’m grateful for the opportunities I have been given and I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” he informed TPi.
Hernandez further shared his desire to create and foster discourse with “kinder” and “smarter” people, which he could learn from, and continue to improve. “This conference affords that to us, we have break out groups, round tables, non-for-profits, lifesavers, and these are all great stories to share – it’s not just about pushing flight cases,” he said, challenging the wider sector to reach out to younger people. “Bring them into your companies, and show them from the high school level forward, that this industry is a welcoming place for them to grow and thrive. I want to hear success stories.”
Realising the appetite for deep conversation, dynamic content, and connection, THE Conference: Live at Lititz 2023 focussed on adding more new, unique perspectives to these important conversations. “As well as it being necessary to work hard in our business, there is also a need for accountability,” Jake Berry declared, praising the campus of choice. “Rock Lititz is the perfect environment, being able to travel around the campus’ various facilities, bump into people and attend sessions in a range of spaces and interactive formats, as opposed to a stuffy ballroom with no atmosphere, is what makes the difference.”
In 2022, Just A Bunch Of Roadies (JABOR) launched the John Campion and Lori Tierney Memorial Education Grant as well as partnering with attendees and Rock Lititz to operate a Christmas toy drive for the local community.
In closing, Hernandez said: “A simple act of kindness can change someone’s life. I was privileged to know Lori Tierney and John Campion, and last year, we financed a large chunk towards a scholarship for students over the next four years. We want to make a permanent scholarship because even though Lori and John are no longer with us, their names will live on.”
With ample time spent conversing on email or video calls with touring production crew in the lead up to the conference, it was a privilege to spend a few days in the presence of those working tirelessly behind the scenes. Admittedly, after an evening of d&b audiotechnik pirate-inspired cocktails, mechanical bull riding with 4Wall, and a stint propped up at DiGiCo’s irish bar – I boarded my flight home slightly worse for wear but equally as encouraged and revitalised by the proactive steps taken and those who have committed to fostering an inclusive, open-armed, and sustainable industry; one which is founded by, and will be ultimately saved by, problem solvers.
THE Conference: Live at Lititz will return on 3 to 5 December 2024. Stay tuned for more details on THE Conference: Live at Lititz website and social media channels.
www.theconferenceliveatlititz.com
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Paige Durborow
