Attending concerts is an exhilarating experience, but what goes on behind the scene? How much work goes into preparing the stage and the area for all the people coming to watch? Specifically, what does a typical week working at the Kia Forum look like? 

Tim McNeff, the Vice President of Arena Operations at the Kia Forum, gets to see the buildup before concerts and the chaos during.

Before concerts, the staff meet together to prepare for the artist and the crowd. Typically, a week at the Forum consists of meetings to discuss upcoming events happening in the following weeks.  The directors and managers need to be informed, staffed properly, and updated with information about the requirements for the show and how to best execute them. The goal for each concert is to not only satisfy the artist but to also satisfy the audience.

Prepping for a concert requires countless meetings and discussions across the staff. During concerts, the work is the most stressful. Before the concert, parking is one of the most chaotic events. There are multiple entrances for people to arrive at the Forum, as well as VIP parking, which requires a special ticket or your name on a certain list. While guests attempt to find parking, staff members need to quickly direct people to certain spots to get everyone parked as soon as possible.

Although this may seem simple, there are additional staff on the street before entering, directing people walking up to the venue and directing cars trying to park. The line of cars trying to get in is massive and causes high traffic. So, the traffic guards have to direct cars on where to go to get everyone parked and into the venue as quickly as possible.

Once people are parked, there is the process of getting everybody into the Forum. Most people want to purchase merchandise, so the staff needs to maintain the lines and make sure that nobody is causing foot traffic. Before entering the Forum, tickets must be verified by the workers.

After that, the staff helps the audience get to their seats and helps separate the VIP guests from regular guests. As the VP of Arena Operations, McNeff makes sure that everyone in the VIP club is comfortable and having a good time. Coworkers make sure that they have the “right amount of food and beverage staff to serve drinks and all food items.”

During the concert, employees make sure that all stage lighting and sound equipment is properly installed and safe for use. The most important undertaking is to ensure that the artists, guests, and employees are all safe before, during, and after the concert. It is important for everyone, including the staff, to have a good time during their shifts. If everything is running smoothly, workers sometimes get to watch and enjoy a part of the concert.

After the show is over, it is important to quickly clear the venue. Employees lead the way and guide concertgoers to the Forum exit. Once everyone is outside and walking to their cars, it is important to control the traffic in the parking lot. Parking attendants help the audience leave the parking lot as safely and swiftly as possible. After everyone has left, the work isn’t done; there are more crews to help clean up and prepare for the next concert.

Overall, the staff’s main focus is to ensure that everyone is having a great time while staying safe. Tim McNeff states that their top priority is to keep the shows running smoothly and “put out fires” that come up during the night. At the Forum, the staff truly cares about everybody’s safety and their enjoyment of the show.