‘Roadie: My Documentary’ Arrives on Amazon for Fifth Anniversary

In 2019, roadie-turned-film director TJ Hoffman and co-director Andy Strohl brought the long-unsung heroes of the live music industry into the spotlight with Roadie: My Documentary. Drawing on Hoffman’s experience and interviews with the best of the business, the film captures the world of work that committed, lifetime devotees to the power of stage performances bring on night after night to support live appearances from the greatest artists in history. Today, to celebrate the landmark offering’s fifth anniversary, it will finally be widely available to stream via Amazon Prime.

Roadie is comprised primarily of interviews with the pros themselves, tapping hard-core roadies, instrument techs, and jack-of-all-trades to share their stories. The guests featured proudly worked alongside some of the biggest names in music, including the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers Band, Elton John, Metallica, The Who, Ramones, David Bowie and many more. Their accounts bring new insight to landmark moments, like the tragic accident that killed Metallica bassist Cliff Burton and the heyday of legendary promoter Bill Graham, as well as the development of a live music industry that continues to to transform every day.

“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.”

Filmed over ten years as he traveled around the world on tour busses, Roadie started as Hoffman’s endeavor to document the passion that drives people to commit their lives to touring. As it developed, the director’s analytical lens tapped into a part of his own experience and that of countless others that he’d neglected, bringing him face to face with the damage and demons that came with a life on the road. In all, the award-winning indie film is an in-depth, heartfelt and human account of the people who have moved mountains to bring live music to the standard we enjoy today. 

“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,” Hoffman reflects. “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.”

Amazon Prime subscribers can watch Roadie: My Documentary for free now. Learn more about the film at roadiefilm.com, and watch the official trailer below.