Clayton Hutson to Production Manage Kid Rock’s Tour

Kid Rock is hitting the road for the second time in 2018 with his “Red Blooded Rock N’ Roll Redneck Extravaganza Tour.” After performing a couple of solo acts at festivals in July, the tour will officially kick off in the beginning of August in Maine, crisscrossing the US multiple time with tour dates running through November. Kid Rock will be joined on the road by supporting artists Brantley Gilbert and Wheeler Walker Jr., as well as his new Production Manager Clayton Hutson.

Clayton Hutson Welcomed Back to Kid Rock Crew

This won’t be Clayton Hutson’s first time out with Kid Rock this year – Clayton worked previously with Kid Rock in 2018, supporting the earlier “The American Rock N’ Roll Tour” from the position of Stage Manager. Kid Rock is well-known for his outspoken personality and unreserved antics, which have occasionally landed him in hot water with the general public and have led to obstacles in tour preparation from time to time. Ravi Mandalia of The Reporter Expert recently gave us a glimpse into some of those obstacles that were faced by Kid Rock’s first 2018 tour, and credited Stage Manager Clayton Hutson as being a major contributor the to the success of the show.

When asked how he was able to assist in finding solutions to the hurdles faced by the tour, Clayton stated that he allowed his prior experience as both a Stage Manager and Production Manager to serve as his guidance. Clayton worked hard to overcome the challenges of the tour, as well as keeping his own confidence and that of the crew’s high. As it turned out, the confidence was well-placed; the tour was a great success, with millions of fans showing up to support Kid Rock across the US. Clayton’s integral role in the success of “The American Rock N’ Roll Tour” is likely one of the biggest reasons he’s being asked to return, but this time in the role of Production Manager, and hopefully facing considerably less obstacles. So far the biggest challenge he’s encountered has been shifting a couple of shows to work with local production gear, so he’s keeping his fingers crossed the smooth sailing continues.

Great Expectations for the Kid Rock’s “Red Blooded Rock N’ Roll Redneck Extravaganza Tour”

Kid Rock has quickly built a reputation as one of those perennial summertime fun bands, and this summer looks to be no exception. Running through a nice mix of festivals and amphitheaters, the “Red Blooded Rock N’ Roll Redneck Extravaganza Tour” has already sold out in several markets, and is expected to continue doing well across the nation. The show itself is rumored to be a truly impressive one, with lots of visual dazzle, pyrotechnics, and songs that you just can’t help but get down and party to.

On a personal level, Clayton himself is the most excited about the team he’s going to have the opportunity to work with out there. In the touring industry, it’s even more crucial to be surrounded by good people than in almost any other profession, as these are people that have to not only work side-by-side every day, but also live together every night in very close quarters. Clayton feels he’s got a really solid, well-built crew that he will be working and living alongside, and for him that’s what will really make this summer tour an especially enjoyable one.

From Stage Manager to Production Manager

Clayton Hutson is a busy guy these days. Being in high-demand means sometimes having to perform on multiple levels all at once, an experience he’s having right now as his previous tour, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s “Soul2Soul Tour,” comes to a close and the Kid Rock Tour starts revving up. Part of being a Production Manager means needing to advance shows ahead of the tour’s start, which Clayton’s been working hard at even while still putting in a full day’s work as Lead Rigger on the tour he’s finishing up.

As previously mentioned, Clayton was with Kid Rock earlier in 2018 as his Stage Manager. Although generally considered a less strenuous role, stage managing is still a position that requires an individual to have their boots on the ground for every event from early morning chalking until the last truck is packed at load out. However, when it comes down to it, stage management is really all about getting the show in and out, and the logistics that revolve around that.

Now that Clayton will be returning as the Production Manager, he’ll have a lot more on his plate. Production management is about organizing and coordinating the larger picture, all alongside the everyday politics that go with putting on any large event. As the Production Manager, Clayton will have to be prepared to see any possible issue long before it arises and create a solution, a challenge he feels ready to take on.

The Story on Clayton Hutson

Clayton Hutson has never been a stranger to music; indeed, it has been a passion he’s pursued and nurtured since the time he was young. It’s also one of the top reasons that, no matter what position he’s contributing to a successful tour from, Clayton considers himself lucky to this day that he gets to employ his talents in an industry he loves.

When he’s not on the road, Clayton resides in Nashville, Tennessee, an active and growing hub for the music and events industry that has started to acquire the cheeky nickname “NashVegas.” A former resident of the Midwest, Clayton’s choice to relocate to the Nashville area has been advantageous for maintaining important business relationships, developing new connections, and working to grow his events production company, Ronin Event Creative.

Even with his typical workdays as busy as they are, Clayton still strives to dedicate as much spare time as he can to nourishing and expanding his own business. Clayton had the door opened for him to pursue his long-held dream of running his own company when the United States went into a recession and the company he’d been working with was struggling to procure new work opportunities. Instead of waiting around for an external boost, he took the initiative by compiling all of his experience in sound engineering, logistics, production, and tour management, and rolling them into the creation of his own production company. Over the coming years this enterprise would thrive on Clayton’s previous positive connections with artists and management companies, as well as offering him the opportunity to pursue his personal passions in the more creative aspects of production design.

Clayton believes to this day that, due to his uniquely varied background in music and events, he brings a valuable perspective to any live show, regardless of the position he’s approaching it from. He also still takes great pride in every single show that he does and joy in the fact that his work brings such delight to the artists’ fans every day.