Award-winning indie documentary Roadie: My Documentary - a film by TJ Hoffman and Andy Stroh - is celebrating its 5th anniversary and is now available for viewing on Amazon Prime. Prime members can watch the film for free here, and others can watch or purchase for a nominal fee. Roadie: My Documentary is also available via other platforms found here. Watch the film trailer below.
A behind-the-scenes look into the unique challenges and benefits of life on the road with renowned touring music artists, Roadie: My Documentary spans the 20-year career of roadie turned filmmaker TJ Hoffmann and includes insight from many of his friends in the touring industry. Alongside co-director and co-writer Andy Strohl, TJ takes viewers behind-the-scenes with a diverse collection of roadies for some of the biggest music acts in history to better understand the unique perspectives of the profession and its enormous impact on the evolution of the touring industry.
Whether they’re defined as a hard-core roadie, instrument tech, or jack of all trades, their backstage presence and impact are undeniable, earning the utmost respect from many of the top performers they’ve helped to launch and support along the way.
“Techs not only can do what we do, but they can fix a broken amp in 10 seconds or less,” says guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, formerly with Guns N’ Roses. “They all have skills that we don’t, plus they’re all musicians as well. We couldn’t do what they do, but they could do what we do.”
Powerful interviews in the film include a former Metallica roadie sharing his firsthand account of the tragic tour bus accident that took the life of bassist Cliff Burton in Europe. Another touring vet describes the historical origin of the “roadie,” dating back to his work with The Allman Bros. Band in their early days, and he talks about the role that legendary concert promoter Bill Graham played in the creation of the modern touring model.
Filmed in various countries over the course of ten years, Roadie begins as a quest to discover the passion, motive, or moment that made a person want to become a roadie. But over time, another narrative is discovered as TJ, the man behind the camera, is forced to confront his inner demons from decades of road life.
“I wanted to go on the road for adventure, to be part of something larger than myself. Something amazing. Something no one could do alone. And I did,” says TJ. “I was part of the touring industry during a pivotal time in music. Me. A part of it. A tiny little speck, but a part of it nonetheless.”
Roadies included in the film have toured with a diverse range of music artists, including: Alice Cooper, The Allman Brothers Band, Agnostic Front, Billy Idol, The Black Keys, Bon Jovi, Counting Crows, David Bowie, Demi Lovato, Elton John, Grateful Dead, Guns N’ Roses, GWAR, Ignite, India Arie, KISS, Madonna, Metallica, M.O.D, Mötley Crüe, The Offspring, Peter Frampton, Ramones, Rob Thomas, Skid Row, System Of A Down, The Who
Roadie: My Documentary has been recognized by film festivals in the U.S. and internationally. Accolades include:
Winner – International Independent Film Awards - Summer Session (2017)
Winner – Garden State Film Festival (2018)
Official Selection – Austin Spotlight Film Festival (2018)
Official Selection – Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards (2018)
Official Selection – Brazil Cinfest (2018)
Official Selection – Irvine International Film Festival (2018)
Official Selection – WideScreen Film & Music Video Festival (2018)
About TJ Hoffmann:
TJ began as a roadie for several New Jersey club bands in the late 1980s. After a brief stint at New Jersey’s legendary Trax East Recording studio, he spent most of the 1990s and 2000s crisscrossing the planet with bands like M.O.D, Agnostic Front, Ignite and many more. One of his fondest memories during this period was pulling triple duty as tour manager, drum tech, and guitar tech for Skid Row, the opening act for the legendary KISS Farewell Tour, the last outing with the original members of the band. After more than 20 years on the road, when the time finally came to slow down, TJ wisely took time to reflect on his adventures and the opportunity to tell the stories that became the foundation for Roadie: My Documentary.
TJ Hoffmann is also the Owner and Creative Director of Iron Sound Productions, a multi-faceted production company providing essential support to the entertainment industry. In recent years, Iron Sound took its strength and experiences from live sound and production into theatre, television and film. With a team of writers, editors and producers, Iron Sound Productions is a leading content provider for unscripted reality television, as well as writing and producing documentaries and short films for a wide array of platforms, demographics and clients.
