Leo Montoya is the manager for production at Ole Red Las Vegas, and is one of the hosts of Backstage Las Vegas this year. He is a professional live-event tour manager, production manager, and audio engineer with more than 15 years in the industry working with A-List and award-winning artists, bands, musicians, actors, and performers of all types.
Years of touring have provided Leo with real-world experience in all types of venues around the world, and he is comfortable mixing and managing shows from arenas to coffee shops and anywhere else sound is being made. In the studio, Leo has recorded, mixed, and produced many renowned artists and bands. He talked to Live Design about learning on YouTube, Fruity Loops, his best gig, and why work begets work.
Live Design: What attracted you to this industry and your chosen career?
Leo Montoya: Creating music as a producer lead into preforming live. The need for better audio and lighting lead to DIY solutions and education. I then started tour managing and production managing artist that I was producing for. Live shows and entertainment feed my soul!
LD: Was there an event that made you want to become an audio engineer?
LM: Going to live shows as a kid always fulfilled me. The moment I realized how important production staff was at a show at the Sunshine Theater in Albuquerque. I was standing at the back of the under 21 sections looking right down at the audio console for the Okayplayer tour with The Roots and Common. I watched as the FOH mixed and added effects and I wanted to be part of that as soon as possible!
LD: You have a degree is in business – has this been useful in your career?
LM: My degree in business helps me with the admin part of my career. Managing and leading skills transfer across industries. We are leading human beings to increase skills and effectiveness, management training has helped me a lot with this.
LD: How did you train for work as an audio engineer? What resources do you rely on?
LM: I do not have any formal AV training or schooling. It started for me with building a PC and running Fruity Loops to learn audio basics and produce. I then started in Pro Tools and got most of my information from YouTube. It was a lot of trial and error!! More error than anything else!! LOL. I got my first tour with a national act as an all around AV tech. I cut my teeth doing 300+ shows a year with that band and got to learn from veteran engineers that allowed me the space to make mistakes and put my hands on lots of different gear. Work begets work, so being out on the road doing shows of all sizes got me more and more work. Today there are sooooo many online resources to learn the technical aspects of gear and software. Getting out and pushing the buttons and turning the knobs is the best educator.
LD: What are some favorite projects?
LM: Building out Ole Red Las Vegas has been an amazing journey! Having the support of my boss and the Opry Entertainment Group has made this the best gig I have ever had.
LD: What are some of your go-to pieces of gear, and what do you always have with you?
LM: I always have Audix Drum mics! The D6 is my fave mic. A great set of custom IEMs is a must. My pelican filled with a measurement mic, ipad, router, cable tester, interface, and basic tools. Most useful though? An extra phone charger and power bank!!!!!
Backstage Las Vegas takes place Saturday, December 7 at LDI 2024 and includes stops at:
10:15-11:15am Tour & Tech Talk at Ole Red
11:30am-12:15pm Lunch at Linq Promenade Restaurants
12:30-1:30pm Tour & Tech Talk at Spiegelworld DiscoShow
2:00-3:00pm: Tour & Tech Talk at Mystère, Cirque du Soleil
3:30-4:30pm Tour & Tech Talk Atomic Golf
4:45-6:15 Dinner in Las Vegas Arts District
7:00pm Mystère by Cirque Du Soleil - performance