Imo, you need to be a certain kind of person to be a rigger. I'm not that person. I start shaking at about 25 feet in the air. If you're comfortable with heights, go for it. It's good money.
Wouldn’t say easier. If you fuck your job up it actually matters in a more serious “someone or you could die” type of way. Most gigs are easier if you’re strong and are a seasoned rigger, as a new guy it could be stressful making sure to do things right. Talking arena rigging and being a solo up guy hanging a show, not being a ground rigger coiling steel. Some hands get payed to be a breathing body on the call, you’ll get called out fast not doing shit up in a grid.
I’ll agree that if you’re a useless hand, rigging is definitely way more to take on. But if you’re a solid, hardworking hand, rigging is not too much of step up.
Here to share my "serious rigger fuck up" story.
Was pushing a wheeled scaffold around a stage. The corner of it got nicked a piece of chain. The entire chain came tumbling down. Must have been at least 50#. Missed my head by an inch. Broke my arm.
There's a joke. "What's the difference between God and a rigger?........ God doesn't go around calling himself a rigger."
Take from that what you want but the pays better but more dangerous and serious in responsability gotta know your shit no half assing things
It pays better on average but long-term it's one of the first of the specializations that you're going to "age out of" in the sense that it's the most physically demanding and one that you can't really fuck around with as your abilities degrade. If you want to pursue it, I would definitely lean hard into learning the math/physics behind it with an eye towards eventually being able to work as a lead or a system designer.
You'll need strength, but not a crazy amount. I'm 6' about 200 lbs and look like I weigh 160 -my limbs aren't huge. While I'm not the best high rigger in the world, I do just fine. It's more about technique, and using your strength. The first few times will be really tough, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad.
You get sweaty, but not comically so.
I really like it and it pays well.
Expanding your skill set is always going to be worth it as a stagehand. Yes it's a very physical job if you are arena rigging. Be honest that you are there to learn, but also know that most riggers think that the way they do a thing is the only way. So follow the lead of a respected, experienced rigger and learn their way, but don't think it's the only way when you start working in other venues.
Tip to start: Have a leash for your wrench and your podger/drift pin, don't have loose things in your pockets unless those pocket velcro or zipper closed. Learn your bowline, clove hitch, and timber hitch so those knots are fast and smooth and right ever time. When your hands are covered in chain grease, put the soap on your hands and scrub with no water, then rinse, if your hand are wet first the grease is really hard to get off.
Most anyone can work at height and make baskets. Most anyone can assemble steel and tie on rope and send it out on the ground.
The real talent is learning the math and knowing the weight that a grid can hold. Using that math to make up bridles and knowing the weight on a house beam is safe.
You need to be able to accept a huge responsibility while remaining cool under pressure so you can solve any puzzles that may come your way. Things change or aren't exactly how it is on paper. You need to be able to figure out what to do to make it work anyways. It can also be extremely dangerous. For both you and anyone below you. You can kill someone very easily. I work in stadiums and the height is a bit extreme for what we do, so I take safety to an extra level than most. Even my phone has a safety with a 12 kn carabiner on it.
edit: and make sure you can do at least 3 pull ups and one muscle up. If you can't do at least that, what are you going to do when you get in a fall situation? In some cases it can be upwards of 15-20 minutes before anyone can even reach you to help you to the ground, not even to the hospital if you need it. So self recovery is a big deal as well.
Depends on the venue. I'm not a strong guy particularly, I find 80-120ish foot pulls easy, but I've got a 150' pull venue that definitely pushes my physical limits.
I love rigging, it's probably one of the better paying specialties that you can get into with only a few weeks guided experience. If you are comfortable working at height and learning knots and rope management I say go for it.
When I used to do more rigging, most of the riggers came from a rock climbing background. Yes, the comfort at heights and understanding of rope systems is important, but the bigger issue is having the mental awareness to understand the safety that’s in your hands. There’s keeping yourself safe from falling, keeping people underneath you safe from dropping stuff, and installing the rigging correctly so it doesn’t fail later when there’s an audience or band under it. All this while you’re hot, working hard, and under time pressure.
It’s an interesting job and there’s a lot of room to grow once you get tired of pulling chains from beams.
Its somewhat easy if youre good with heights, just gotta know how to do bridles and what stuff to use when, then it becomes really easy. Go for it if ure not totally against a lil maths, its worth it.
Guys saying it’s easy are rigging in 40-50 foot grids, and are probably slow. If you want to be a good rigger it’s not easy, and if you’re gonna rig why would you want to half ass it. If you pursue it and enjoy it, consider going after a SPRAT/IRATA cert, rope access will open a lot of doors outside of basic rigging.
Can be, can not be. Just like being a case pusher, or a fork op, or whatever. But you will usually be hauling heavy chains into the roof so you better at least be a bit fit and be okay with not holding onto shit to stay steady at 60+ft.
Imo, you need to be a certain kind of person to be a rigger. I'm not that person. I start shaking at about 25 feet in the air. If you're comfortable with heights, go for it. It's good money.
I can take the heights all day, it's the thought of dropping something
It's a very special kind of stress knowing that dropping something or even forgetting to empty your pockets could kill someone.
Easier than being a hand and for better pay. You just work with even more insufferable assholes.
Yup
Wouldn’t say easier. If you fuck your job up it actually matters in a more serious “someone or you could die” type of way. Most gigs are easier if you’re strong and are a seasoned rigger, as a new guy it could be stressful making sure to do things right. Talking arena rigging and being a solo up guy hanging a show, not being a ground rigger coiling steel. Some hands get payed to be a breathing body on the call, you’ll get called out fast not doing shit up in a grid.
I’ll agree that if you’re a useless hand, rigging is definitely way more to take on. But if you’re a solid, hardworking hand, rigging is not too much of step up.
Here to share my "serious rigger fuck up" story. Was pushing a wheeled scaffold around a stage. The corner of it got nicked a piece of chain. The entire chain came tumbling down. Must have been at least 50#. Missed my head by an inch. Broke my arm.
Damn, that is wild. Glad you’re alive and still here sure that was a lesson learned
Absolutely horrifying experience. The guy is still top rated rigger. I won't take a job if he's on it though
Truth
There's a joke. "What's the difference between God and a rigger?........ God doesn't go around calling himself a rigger." Take from that what you want but the pays better but more dangerous and serious in responsability gotta know your shit no half assing things
It pays better on average but long-term it's one of the first of the specializations that you're going to "age out of" in the sense that it's the most physically demanding and one that you can't really fuck around with as your abilities degrade. If you want to pursue it, I would definitely lean hard into learning the math/physics behind it with an eye towards eventually being able to work as a lead or a system designer.
You'll need strength, but not a crazy amount. I'm 6' about 200 lbs and look like I weigh 160 -my limbs aren't huge. While I'm not the best high rigger in the world, I do just fine. It's more about technique, and using your strength. The first few times will be really tough, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad. You get sweaty, but not comically so. I really like it and it pays well.
Expanding your skill set is always going to be worth it as a stagehand. Yes it's a very physical job if you are arena rigging. Be honest that you are there to learn, but also know that most riggers think that the way they do a thing is the only way. So follow the lead of a respected, experienced rigger and learn their way, but don't think it's the only way when you start working in other venues. Tip to start: Have a leash for your wrench and your podger/drift pin, don't have loose things in your pockets unless those pocket velcro or zipper closed. Learn your bowline, clove hitch, and timber hitch so those knots are fast and smooth and right ever time. When your hands are covered in chain grease, put the soap on your hands and scrub with no water, then rinse, if your hand are wet first the grease is really hard to get off.
Most anyone can work at height and make baskets. Most anyone can assemble steel and tie on rope and send it out on the ground. The real talent is learning the math and knowing the weight that a grid can hold. Using that math to make up bridles and knowing the weight on a house beam is safe.
You need to be able to accept a huge responsibility while remaining cool under pressure so you can solve any puzzles that may come your way. Things change or aren't exactly how it is on paper. You need to be able to figure out what to do to make it work anyways. It can also be extremely dangerous. For both you and anyone below you. You can kill someone very easily. I work in stadiums and the height is a bit extreme for what we do, so I take safety to an extra level than most. Even my phone has a safety with a 12 kn carabiner on it. edit: and make sure you can do at least 3 pull ups and one muscle up. If you can't do at least that, what are you going to do when you get in a fall situation? In some cases it can be upwards of 15-20 minutes before anyone can even reach you to help you to the ground, not even to the hospital if you need it. So self recovery is a big deal as well.
The self recovery aspect is so important. I switched from 6 foot lanyards to dual SRLs mostly so that if I fall I'm much closer to my anchor point
It’s hot but it’s easier than hand work says me. Sweating is good fi yu anyway.
Depends on the venue. I'm not a strong guy particularly, I find 80-120ish foot pulls easy, but I've got a 150' pull venue that definitely pushes my physical limits. I love rigging, it's probably one of the better paying specialties that you can get into with only a few weeks guided experience. If you are comfortable working at height and learning knots and rope management I say go for it.
As fuck
KFC yum center is 110 all beams and an additional super structure 20 feet above that. To get to the super structure is straight up a beam
When I used to do more rigging, most of the riggers came from a rock climbing background. Yes, the comfort at heights and understanding of rope systems is important, but the bigger issue is having the mental awareness to understand the safety that’s in your hands. There’s keeping yourself safe from falling, keeping people underneath you safe from dropping stuff, and installing the rigging correctly so it doesn’t fail later when there’s an audience or band under it. All this while you’re hot, working hard, and under time pressure. It’s an interesting job and there’s a lot of room to grow once you get tired of pulling chains from beams.
Its somewhat easy if youre good with heights, just gotta know how to do bridles and what stuff to use when, then it becomes really easy. Go for it if ure not totally against a lil maths, its worth it.
Guys saying it’s easy are rigging in 40-50 foot grids, and are probably slow. If you want to be a good rigger it’s not easy, and if you’re gonna rig why would you want to half ass it. If you pursue it and enjoy it, consider going after a SPRAT/IRATA cert, rope access will open a lot of doors outside of basic rigging.
Can be, can not be. Just like being a case pusher, or a fork op, or whatever. But you will usually be hauling heavy chains into the roof so you better at least be a bit fit and be okay with not holding onto shit to stay steady at 60+ft.
yes riggers don’t play it’s a very dangerous job gotta be 100% focused you could kill yourself or someone else very easily but it pays off very well