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Crew Chronicles: Vera Streefland - merchandiser & production assistant

Dec 06, 2025 » interview » U2511

text: Kiss Daniella
» photo: Linda Florin

Crew Chronicles pulls back the curtain on the people working behind the scenes – the crew who make every show happen. Their stories reveal their craft, the challenges as well as high points of touring, and the real life that unfolds beyond the stage. Could you introduce yourself and tell us what you do in the music industry? “My name is Vera, I’m 28 years old, and I’ve been working in the music business since 2016/2017. I started with an internship at a festival organization, and from there I rolled into touring. Since 2018 I’ve done around 10–11 tours with different artists, mainly as a merchandiser. I’ve also done special effects for a K-pop artist and I regularly work as a production assistant in the Netherlands at festivals and shows in venues like the Ziggo Dome. My main focus is merch and production, with some side gigs, like artist hospitality, when I have the time.” How did you first get involved in touring? “During my music management studies, everyone I met in the industry said they’d just “rolled into” the business, so I realised I had to get out there, show my face and start gaining real experience. I applied for an internship at a Dutch production company I’d found on Facebook and got the position. There I worked closely with the production manager, who was also tour manager for Don Airey of Deep Purple, and because we got along really well, he later asked if I wanted to come on tour and take over the merchandise. I’d never done merch before, but I knew people who did, so I tried a few one-off shows to get a feel for it and then joined them on the road. It went well, we did another run the following year, and through that growing network, I eventually ended up working with bands such as U.D.O./Dirkschneider as well.” “Because we usually finish around midnight or 1 a.m. and might still have a quick drink with the crew, I definitely don’t get up early to go sightseeing.”What does a typical day on tour look like for you? “On a typical headlining day with Dirkschneider, load-in is around noon and from that point on I’m basically busy with work. We have a workflow where everything stage-related goes in first and merch comes in later, when the local hands are free. Once I get started, I’m working pretty much non-stop through the show and the post-show rush until things finally calm down. I set up the merch stand, make sure we’re fully stocked and ready, and then I’m at the stand from doors opening, selling and talking to fans. After the set there’s usually another wave of people; when it’s over, I count the sales, update my sheets, close out the card machines and cash, and pack it all back onto the truck. If there’s VIP, I’m also sorting and handing out the VIP goodies earlier in the day. Because we usually finish around midnight or 1 a.m. and might still have a quick drink with the crew, I definitely don’t get up early to go sightseeing. I’m not a morning person at all, so I’d rather sleep in and keep my mornings quiet, just resting in my bunk until I really have to get up. Doing merch means being “on” socially all the time in a loud, busy environment, so that little pocket of calm before the day kicks off is really important for me to recharge.” What’s one thing you wish more people understood about your job? “People outside the industry often imagine this glamorous sex, drugs, rock’n’roll lifestyle, where you just hang out with famous people, party, and sell a few T-shirts. The reality is that 12-hour days are normal, and on tour it can be even longer. I absolutely love my job, but it’s not just easy and glamorous. It’s hard fucking work.” Touring can still be pretty male-dominated. Have you ever felt that being a woman on the road made things harder or different in any way? “In almost any field, women generally have to work harder to prove themselves, and the music business is no exception. People aren’t convinced of your abilities as quickly as they might be with a man. There’s also the element of people finding you attractive and making assumptions. I’ve had people assume I’m the girlfriend of one of the band members or that I must have slept with someone to get the job, which is pretty offensive when you’ve been working hard for years to build your reputation and skills. I’ve never heard a male merchandiser say they’ve had to deal with anything like that, but I get those kinds of questions all the time. Depending on the country, you can also run into very traditional attitudes. You walk in and there’s an all-male local crew who clearly think, “What is she doing here?” It seems like they can’t grasp that there’s a woman on the crew who has her own job, does it well, and isn’t just there as some kind of accessory.” Have you seen the situation improve over the years? “I haven’t seen a massive shift in the industry as a whole yet, but I’ve seen a big change in myself. When I started touring at 21, I often felt intimidated by fans who were inappropriate, tried to touch me or made disgusting comments. I’d be upset but didn’t know how to bring it up, especially as I was always the only woman on the crew, so I kept it to myself and sometimes ended up crying in the bathroom after a show. Over time, dealing with this again and again pushed me to become more outspoken. Now, if someone is rude or crosses a line, I’ll set a very clear boundary and I’m not going to stay quiet anymore. When I toured with more women on the crew earlier this year, this topic came up naturally. Hearing each other’s experiences can be painful and infuriating, but it also strengthens you, and I do feel women in the industry are becoming more outspoken, which is great. I’m lucky that I mostly work with the same bands, and with Dirkschneider especially I feel very safe – I know that if anything happened, they’d have my back. Not everyone has that, though. I’ve heard stories from women who felt unsafe with people on their bus but were afraid to leave because of money or the fear of getting a “bad reputation” for walking out mid-tour. I’ve decided that if this ever happened to me, I would leave. If someone sees that as unreliable, then that’s their problem – my safety and well-being come first. I really hope women in this industry feel they have the right to leave if they’re uncomfortable, and to speak up when they need to.” “You have to look out for yourself and pay attention to how you’re treated and spoken to. As a freelancer, you are your own boss and your own brand.”What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do? “There’s a saying I really like: “As soon as respect leaves the table, so should you.” It’s great – and honestly necessary – to be passionate about this job, otherwise you wouldn’t accept the long hours or spending so much time away from home and your loved ones. At the same time, you have to look out for yourself and pay attention to how you’re treated and spoken to. As a freelancer, you are your own boss and your own brand. There’s no HR department on tour, so it’s extra important that you protect yourself and know when a situation isn’t okay.” Speaking of advice, what are your three must-haves to survive a long tour? “First, my acupressure mat. Ever since I started using one, I’ve brought it on every tour – I have lower back pain and it really helps me relax and sleep better. Second, earplugs, because there’s always a good chance someone is snoring on the bus. And third, comfy clothes, especially a cozy sweatsuit and my slippers. I live in them after my shower at night, and if I have to jump off the bus quickly I can just slip them on. Comfort is everything on tour.” What’s the best or funniest memory you’ve had on tour so far? “Everything starts to blur after a while, but a couple of moments stand out. One night we were sitting in the bus lounge with a couple of the crew members when, out of nowhere, a super soft German voice started coming through the Bluetooth speakers saying, “And now enjoy the clouds…” We completely froze, looked at each other, and then completely lost it. Turns out someone had gone to bed and forgotten to disconnect their phone from the speakers. I think we laughed for five minutes straight. Another time, there was a “barbershop” session on the bus, when a band member started cutting a crew member’s beard with scissors in the lounge while the bus was moving. Definitely not the safest idea, but very entertaining to watch.” Finally, what’s next for you, and what would be your dream tour? “In terms of roles, I’d love to move a bit more towards production or tour management. I love doing merch, but I enjoy the different kind of challenges that come with production as well. As for dream tours, I think I’d have an amazing time with Halestorm, because they’re all such awesome people. I also love The Warning, so being a tour manager or representative for them would be awesome. I really love Alter Bridge as well, but I’m not sure touring with your absolute favourite band is the smartest idea. These days I’m almost always at shows for work, so I barely go to concerts just for myself anymore, which can make the line between work and fun a bit blurry. I’d be afraid that if I toured with my favourite band, it would turn that magic into “just work”, so I’d rather keep a little bit of that magic untouched.”