Dom Miller is an artist manager, event programmer and tour manager at Sunroom alongside his business partner, Ruby-Jean McCabe. Miller and McCabe currently co-manage Asha Jefferies, Bugs, Flamingo Blonde, Hope D, Melaleuca, VOIID and Zheani. They also program the festivals and programs in Australia, including BIGSOUND showcase festival, QAGOMA Up Late in Brisbane, the 1400-capacity venue Kingscliff Beach Hotel on the northern NSW coast, and previously Valley Fiesta and Big Summer Block Party.
Since 2010 Miller has become a major contributor to the exponential growth of the music scene in Queensland. He joined New World Artists as an agent in 2015, making him the first Brisbane-based agent working at a national level to be appointed by a major agency. He has previously programmed events such as BIG Festival in Geelong, Story Bridge 75 and venues such as The Zoo, Black Bear Lodge and more. Miller was also formerly QMusic’s Director Of Programming.
While the festivals and gigs he has been integral to have shaped an Australian music scene, his advice for anyone with aspirations of becoming a Tour Manager is worth taking on board.
How would you describe what you do?
Ruby-Jean McCabe and I are the directors of the management and event programming agency, Sunroom. We primarily help musical artists run their businesses for them in the same way another business owner or company board might employ a CEO or general manager to run their company. The musical artists we work with create their own “product”, which is either music or live shows or whatever, and we are in charge of directing a team around the artist to get that product to the general public in whatever format or form we have agreed with the artist. That’s the very simple way of explaining it, but we do a million things in a million different ways and, really, we are music lovers and the biggest fans of our artists.
How did you get started in your career?
Personally, I was a touring artist releasing music. When my old band broke up, I decided I wanted to keep working in music, but maybe not on the front end anymore. We’d been primarily self-managed and I knew I was somewhat OK at doing that, and I started managing a couple of great artists who I loved (and still love) in Ben Salter and Texas Tea, and the rest is history.
Was there a specific moment when you realised being a tour manager was something you especially enjoyed?
No specific moment. It was a series of small moments that gave me some perspective about why I’m so lucky to be able to do what I’m doing, why I love working with the artists we work with, and how fortunate I am to have come across such a wonderful human to be my business partner and best mate in Ruby. While I don’t hit the road with artists as much anymore, there’s nothing better than travelling halfway across the world or country with an artist and seeing people connect with them and their music.
What’s an average day or week like for you?
There is no average day really, but mostly it’s checking in with Ruby on what our priorities are and then just sitting down at the desk and ripping in. From pulling tour logistics together, to negotiating with labels or promoters, to calling an artist to check in – there are a million different things to be done and every one of them is unique and challenging.
What’s the most common misconception about being a tour manager?
That it’s one big party. It’s not. It’s work. Those stages are the artists’ workplaces. Backstage, onstage, front of house, that’s where these people run their businesses, and that needs to be given the respect it deserves.
Can you tell us about a particularly challenging incident on tour and how you overcame it?
My old band was once booked by our old agent on a headline show on a Wednesday night in Bendigo in a 500-capacity room. We were told it would be a huge student night; it was exam period – which meant no one was out, and that it would be free entry – it was $20 a ticket. And, to top it all off, the venue didn’t know we were coming when we turned up. We thought, “Stuff it, we’re here now, let’s open the doors and let whoever in.” About five incredibly drunk uni students came in the door and decided to have a good time. They ended up just dancing around us as we played onstage and we all had a great party together that night. Make the best of a bad situation.
Read: So you want my arts job: vocal arranger
If you were interviewing someone to take over your job, what skills and qualities would you look for?
The ability to see the positive in every situation, confidence in your own decisions and a willingness to take risks. Organisational skills and personal skills are super important too.
What’s the best thing happening in the touring sector at the moment?
Artists who are from outside the sphere of ‘normal’ contemporary music sectors breaking through and selling tickets. Artists don’t need the conventional methods any more, they can find their own audiences and their own niche without gatekeepers getting in the way. That’s so exciting, making an independent artist’s career even more possible.
Two artists managed by Dom Miller, Safety Club and Jesswar, are playing as part of Set Roulette on Saturday 5 August at Open Season 2023.
