Giggs Podcast

Sean Porter - better known as Big Daddy - spent years touring with acts like Cage the Elephant, Elle King, Lifehouse, and American Idol. After one too many late nights with nothing but gas station snacks and cold pizza, he had a simple idea: start serving up real food to the late-night crowd. That idea turned into Daddy’s Dogs - a now-iconic Nashville brand with carts, shops, stadium booths, and a huge local following. Named Best H...

Brian Kaplan is the co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Down Home, the media company he launched alongside Tim McGraw and Skydance. He also co-founded the Music City Rodeo—Nashville’s first PRCA-sanctioned rodeo—which sold out three consecutive nights at Bridgestone Arena.

Before that, Brian launched the first-ever digital department at Interscope Geffen and went on to lead digital strategy at both Sony and Universal Nashville....

Michael Strickland is the Founder and Chairman of Bandit Lites. He started the company at 12 years old, grew it while working as Kenny Rogers’ production manager, and turned it into a global leader serving artists like Queen, Aerosmith, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, and hundreds more.

He’s also an advocate for the live event workforce—testifying before Congress, leading pandemic relief efforts, and helping pass the S...

Ryan Whelpley is a Touring Director at Red Light Management with over 20 years of experience in live production. He started out mixing front of house at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon, then hit the road full-time tour managing the Gin Blossoms. For The Lost Trailers, he did it all—tour manager, front of house, production manager, merch, van driver. He ran pre-show, carpentry, and automation for Tim McGraw, then spent nearly seven yea...

Tiffany Kerns is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations & Philanthropy at the Country Music Association and the Executive Director of the CMA Foundation. She leads strategic programming for CMA’s 6,000+ members and drives over $30 million in music education funding across all 50 states. Whether it’s mental health support, DEI initiatives, or national advocacy for the next generation of creatives, Tiffany is doing the w...

On this episode, we’re diving into the side of the industry that keeps everything running—business management and entertainment law. Tate Henshaw and Farrah Usmani break down the hidden costs of touring, must-know contracts, when to bring in a lawyer, and why ChatGPT shouldn’t be your legal team.

Tate Henshaw is the Co-Founder of ARC, a business management firm based in Atlanta. He works with everyone from Grammy-winning musicians l...

Toni Globis—stage manager, lighting tech, production lead, and all-around road warrior. With 25 years of experience across theater, touring, festivals, and stadium shows, Toni has done it all—from running lighting for Coachella and Bad Bunny to stage managing 3 Doors Down and working pyro for Pitbull. She’s a problem-solver, a calm presence in chaos, and someone who’s literally worked with everyone from royalty to rockstars.

Find yo...

Katie Everett is the producer, creative director, and founder of Katalyst Productions. With over 20 years of experience in the live event industry, Katie has produced large-scale events and brand activations for clients like the Four Seasons, Central Park Conservancy, and FIFA 2026. Her agency is known for bold, high-touch, and message-driven experiences across entertainment, lifestyle, civic, and nonprofit sectors. She’s also a me...

Josh Castle is currently on tour with Dierks Bentley as the Quality of Life Manager, and we get into what that job really is…For over 17 years, Josh Castle has worked on some of the biggest shows in entertainment, including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the Academy Awards, CMA Awards, and ACM Awards. His roles have ranged from production assistant to talent manager and everything in between, but no matter the title, his mission rem...

Kat Gauss has been a tour manager, production coordinator, and personal assistant to some of the biggest names in music. Kat has worked with OneRepublic, Queen + Adam Lambert, Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath, Maroon 5, the Black Eyed Peas, and Iron Maiden, just to name a few. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Kat has been at the helm of some of the most ambitious tours across the globe, ensuring that artists, crews, and producti...

Step inside the world of luxury tour buses with Dreamliner! We take you behind the scenes of how these rolling homes are built from the ground up. Host Nikki Sanz gets an exclusive tour of Dreamliner’s Nashville facility with CEO Rich Thompson, exploring the craftsmanship, innovation, and passion that go into every bus. From empty shells to fully customized artist suites, hear from the experts who make it all happen—including forme...

Jason Geisinger has over 20 years of experience in tour management and production with artists like Rihanna, Francesco Yates, BT, Dubfire, and The Cult, as well as producing corporate events for major brands and collaborating with artists Katy Perry, Maroon 5, and Imagine Dragons. He’s worked with industry giants like Live Nation, AEG, and Disney and is currently tour managing the theatrical production The Nutcracker.

Find your next...

Scott Welch is an artist manager, tour manager, investor, consultant, advisor, dear friend, and pain in Nikki’s ass. Scott has spent decades managing multi-platinum artists like Alanis Morissette, LeAnn Rimes, Steve Perry, Paula Abdul, and Collective Soul. In the tech world, he helped launch MP3.com’s $370 million IPO and invested in StubHub, which later sold to eBay for $310 million. Today, Scott is behind the development of vario...

Rachel Pfennig Hales is the Experience Manager at Rock Lititz, where she builds live event culture and gives a voice to the brand. Rachel began her career touring with the Black Eyed Peas and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and now focuses on celebrating crews through education and experiences. She’s also the author of Tour Book, a fascinating look backstage in concert touring, featuring interviews with industry crews. Rachel is a key figure in pl...

Mike Bolton is the Managing Director at Go for Wardrobe and former tour manager for Adam Kay, overseeing arena and large theater tours. With a wealth of experience in live events and touring, Mike brings unique insights into the behind-the-scenes operations that make shows run seamlessly.

Lisa Bruno is a music industry veteran with over 20 years of experience working with legendary artists like Ricky Martin, Aerosmith, Mad...

Jim Digby is a live entertainment veteran with four decades of experience working with artists like Linkin Park, The Killers, and Phil Collins, as well as spearheading major projects like Saudi Arabia’s first international music festival. As President and Co-Founder of the Event Safety Alliance, Jim’s career has been shaped by a steadfast dedication to safety and wellness in the industry.

Event Safety Alliance:
Web: ev...

Joanne Croxford is a seasoned tour professional with a career spanning work with Robbie Williams, Sia, Duran Duran, and Anastacia. Beyond touring, she’s been a mental health advocate with Music Support and co-founded Roadies in Recovery, a support group championing sobriety in the live event industry. Joanne’s initiatives, like the ‘sober table’ at the TPi Awards, are paving the way for meaningful change.

Suzi Green is a v...

Kelly Clague is the Senior Vice President at EM.Co where she oversees the career of Tim McGraw across music, film, branding, and partnerships. Kelly’s contributions extend beyond artist management—she’s the founder of SafeTour, a groundbreaking initiative launched in 2019 to create safe, equitable, and inclusive workspaces for the music touring community. Through her work with Tim McGraw and as a champion for safety and inclusion o...