Crew Chronicles: Sydney Taylor – Dressing Room & VIP Coordinator

May 04, 2026   »   interview   »   U2604

text: Kiss Daniella   
»   photo: Sydney Taylor archives

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? „At the moment, I’m working with Dream Theater as their dressing room coordinator, and I also handle VIP coordination. I’ve been with them since October 2024, so by the time we finish this next South American run, it’ll have been about a year and a half.” How did you first get involved in touring? „I’ve always been a huge music fan, especially hard rock and metal, and I think that’s how a lot of people get into this industry — you start out as a fan. I used to go to shows all the time, and whenever it was time to leave, I found myself wishing I could go with everybody. Watching the crew pack up and head to the next stop, I just kept thinking, they get to do this every day. Of course, actually doing it is a little different from the glamorized version you imagine as a fan, but that was definitely where it started for me. I was a huge Alice Cooper fan, and after going to a lot of shows, I got to know their crew pretty well, especially one crew member who’s since become one of my best friends. I learned about his journey and how he got into touring, and I thought, that’s what I want to do. So I went to college for music business and got my bachelor’s degree. That’s not entirely necessary for this line of work, but at the time I was following the blueprint I’d seen other people take. I graduated during COVID, so getting into live touring immediately wasn’t really possible. I had to wait it out for a while, but eventually the right opportunity came along. I networked with the right people, they offered me a job, I took it, and it’s been off to the races ever since.” What does a typical day on tour look like for you? „It’s been interesting with Dream Theater because we’ve done both bus tours and international runs where we fly, so the rhythm can vary a little. But on a typical bus-tour day, you wake up in a new city and head straight into work. People often imagine touring as constantly seeing amazing places — and you do, to an extent — but when you’re doing shows back to back, you mostly see the venue. I usually get in early with the production team, get set up, and focus on the band dressing rooms, which is one of the more personal parts of my job. Over time, you really get to know the people you work for, what they like, what they don’t, and the little things that make them happy. You get a real inside look at who they are. I also handle VIP and meet-and-greets, so part of my day is making sure that’s all ready to go, then greeting fans and getting everyone organized before the band comes in. Most of my work happens in the first half of the day. Once the show starts, things quiet down a little for us. We always joke that it’s like sending the kids off to school — they go out there and do a great job. Then before you know it, it’s time to load out and head to the next city. The days move really fast.” What’s one thing you wish more people understood about your job? „Touring is definitely glamorized, and I think a lot of people look at it through rose-colored glasses. I really do love it — I love live music, I love traveling, I love the people I work with, and I love the bands and the fans — but it’s still a job. I think the hardest part is that when you’re on the road, your life is kind of on hold. You miss a lot of normal life things: doctor’s appointments, weddings, birthdays, even funerals sometimes. There have also been so many shows I wanted to go to as a fan, and I couldn’t because I was out on the road myself. That’s probably the part people don’t really think about. When you get home, all the normal life stuff is still there waiting for you — your health, your home, your errands. It’s a very cool job, but it’s still work, and it’s not fun all the time.” 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? „Yeah, it definitely still is pretty male-dominated. There have been tours where I was the only woman, and if I wasn’t, there was maybe just one other woman. I’ve been lucky in the sense that, when it comes to the teams I’ve worked with and the people above me, I’ve never really felt anything overtly misogynistic. I know that’s not the case for everyone, so I do consider myself fortunate. That said, there are definitely little things. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone addresses a group of women as “hey girls.” It’s not the worst thing in the world, but it does make you pause a little, because no one’s saying “hey boys” to the men. It’s those small things that remind you that the environment is still different. There are also times when people underestimate what I can do — like assuming I need help carrying boxes for VIP. So yes, there are moments here and there, but I haven’t experienced anything too bad. Mostly, I just brush it off. I know why I’m there, and I don’t feel like I need to prove my capabilities just because I’m a woman. I’m there to do my job, same as everyone else.” What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do? „The first thing that comes to mind is a saying a good friend once told me: the squeaky wheel gets the oil. That’s really stuck with me. This industry can be hard to break into because so many people want experience, but it’s difficult to get that first opportunity when no one wants to be the one to give it to you. So my biggest piece of advice is: be persistent. Even if you hear no, don’t take that as the end of the road. Of course, there’s a balance — you don’t want to be annoying or bombard people — but there’s a difference between being pushy and being professional, persistent, and good at following up. Sometimes it really is about checking back in, circling back a couple of months later, and keeping yourself on someone’s radar. I’ve gotten a lot of gigs simply by asking, “Are you still looking for someone?” and having the timing work out. The second thing is that once you do get the opportunity, make yourself as valuable as possible. Work hard, show up, and go above and beyond what’s technically in your job description. Touring is such a team effort. Everyone has their role, but we’re all working toward the same goal: making the show happen. Sometimes that means stepping outside your box and helping wherever you can. That not only teaches you a lot, it makes you someone people can rely on — and in this industry, that really matters. It’s all about relationships. Once people know you can do a good job, they recommend you, new opportunities come up, and it starts to build on itself.” Speaking of advice, what are your three must-haves to survive a long tour? „Definitely some kind of comfort item — one of those little things people usually call creature comforts. That can be anything: a sweatshirt you always wear, something familiar from home, whatever makes you feel grounded. It sounds small, but it really makes a difference. The second is bringing all my own toiletries, especially if I’m going to another country. I’ve gotten better at packing over time, but I still like having exactly what I use with me. It saves you from having to stress about finding your products in a place where everything might be totally different. And my Kindle is a must. I’m a big reader, and when you travel all the time, carrying physical books just isn’t practical — especially if you’re flying, because the weight adds up fast. Getting a Kindle a couple of years ago was one of the best decisions I made. I can bring one small device and still have all my books with me.”

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What’s the best or funniest memory you’ve had on tour so far? „One of the coolest moments for me happened when I was touring with The Winery Dogs and we were playing Graspop. It was one of my first really big European festivals, so that already felt like a bucket-list moment. Our dressing rooms were right near Tom Morello’s, and Guns N’ Roses were headlining that night. I’m a huge ’80s metal fan — anyone who knows me knows that’s my favorite genre — so I was already trying to keep it together. Then Slash walked out of Tom Morello’s dressing room, looked up at me, and just said, “Hey, how are you doing?” And I was like, “I’m good,” trying to act completely normal. I don’t usually get too starstruck, because when you’re around artists a lot, especially at festivals, it starts to feel like part of the environment. But that was definitely one of those surreal moments where I thought, “That’s Slash.” He’s just so iconic that seeing him in person is kind of jarring, even though he’s also incredibly down-to-earth. A funny one from my time with Alice Cooper was on my first tour with him. Obviously, Alice is very theatrical, and even on days off he loves going to places like Spirit Halloween or costume shops. He’s always thinking of new bits for the show. At one point, there was this confetti cannon effect that kept malfunctioning. Some nights it worked, some nights it didn’t, and Alice — being the perfectionist he is — was getting frustrated with it. So one day he came back from a costume store with these ridiculous masks and big foam mallets and told me and the other production assistant, “If the confetti cannon doesn’t work, I want you two to go out there and hit it with the mallet. And if it does work, I want you to look disappointed and walk away.” So we did it, and it became part of the show. We went out every night, but we never knew whether the confetti cannon would work or whether we’d have to hit it with the mallet. Those masks were impossible to see through, which only made it funnier. That was one of the best things about working with Alice: he was always coming up with some new bit. By the end of the tour, the show had evolved so much from where it started.” Finally, what’s next for you, and what would be your dream tour? „My dream tour would be working for Ghost. Alice Cooper will probably always be my number one, and I feel incredibly lucky that I got to work with him and get to know him on a personal level. But I’ve always loved theatrical rock, and Ghost operates on such a unique level. Tobias has created something that feels completely its own. You can hear the influences — Alice Cooper, KISS, and so on — but what they do still feels very distinct. I love the mythology behind the band, I love the theatricality, and even their VIP experiences are so creative, so I’d love to work with them. As for what’s next, we’re finishing this Dream Theater tour, which has been going for almost 18 months, so it’s been a long run. I’m still pretty new to Nashville, so right now I’m settling into the city, doing some freelance writing for Loudwire on the side, and seeing what comes next. Long term, I’d really love to move into artist management. A few people I’ve worked with have told me they could really see me doing that, and it’s something I’m genuinely interested in. One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to know the people I work for so well that I can anticipate what they need before they even ask. There’s something really satisfying about understanding how an artist works on that level. I don’t think I’ll be on the road forever, so artist management feels like a natural next step — a way to stay close to artists while building something a little more stable.”

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