I am Tyler Moore,
a lighting designer
& technician
based
in Chicago.

Tyler Moore May 6th, 2026

During May, I decided to take a step back from traveling as much in order to focus on finishing my degree at Columbia College Chicago and preparing for graduation. After balancing school, touring, and production work throughout the year, it felt important to dedicate time toward closing out this chapter successfully. Even though things slowed down slightly compared to previous months, it also gave me time to reflect on how much experience and growth came from balancing both the entertainment industry and academics at the same time. That being said, the slowdown will not last long. The same day I graduate from Columbia College Chicago, I’ll be driving to Indiana to help build the stage for the Indianapolis 500 Snake Pit. It feels like a fitting way to close out this stage of life and immediately step back into large-scale live production work.

Tyler Moore April 27th, 2026

April was by far the busiest and most demanding month of the year so far, with productions including Chris Lake in Nashville, Liquid Stranger at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and The Chainsmokers at Indiana University. Between the travel, long production days, and balancing school responsibilities at the same time, this was the month where maintaining a healthy work and life balance became genuinely difficult. The physical demands and constant movement that come with live production really started to set in, especially while jumping from one major show directly into the next. What makes these experiences rewarding, though, is seeing all of the stress, planning, and hard work finally come together once the show begins. There are moments during load-ins where things may feel behind schedule or chaotic, especially on larger productions, but watching a show that seemed stressful during setup ultimately run flawlessly in front of thousands of people is an experience unlike anything else. Seeing the crowd react to a production that so many people worked tirelessly to build makes the long hours and pressure feel worth it in the end. Those moments continue to reinforce why I enjoy working in live production, especially on large-scale events at venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Tyler Moore March 30th, 2026

March was the point where things really started to pick up again, with more travel and larger productions beginning to fill the schedule. Throughout the month, I had the opportunity to work on shows including Hoang at Webster Hall in New York, KETTAMA at Radius Chicago, and Tape B at Gallagher Square in San Diego. Each production brought a different environment and workflow, with each show being bigger than the next. Getting back into larger productions was especially interesting because, although there is significantly more work involved, the level of professionalism and organization tends to make everything flow more efficiently during prep, load-ins, and show execution. Larger touring teams and productions often operate with very structured systems and communication, which creates a smoother overall environment compared to many smaller-scale shows. Being part of those larger operations gave me a better understanding of how locked in you must be in order to succeed at a high level in the entertainment industry.

Tyler Moore Febuary 20th, 2026

Late February brought a slight slowdown in larger touring and concert work, but it turned into a valuable opportunity to focus on improving my skills as a lighting designer and programmer. During some of the downtime, I spent more time working with lighting software (GrandMA2 & GrandMA3), refining programming techniques, and becoming more comfortable building looks and workflows that could translate into larger productions later on. Taking this time to slow down and focus on the technical side of lighting was huge for me as my main goal is to become a touring LD. During this time, our team also supported multiple high school productions and shows. While these projects may operate on a smaller scale than major concerts or festivals, they still require strong preparation, communication, and execution to be successful. Being involved in these productions was a reminder that every show environment presents opportunities to learn and improve, regardless of size.

Tyler Moore Febuary 8th, 2026

The start of 2026 has already brought a lot of exciting opportunities in live production, but it has also shown me how challenging it can be to balance school, work, and travel all at the same time. Between attending Columbia College Chicago and continuing to work in live production, there have been weeks where I’ve gone directly from classes to long workdays, overnight prep shifts, or traveling across the country for shows. The entertainment industry can be physically demanding, especially when working long hours during load-ins, stage builds, and show execution, but those experiences make you better. There are rarely times when you're comfortable on site and being able to work through the fatigue and stress is a major part of growing within the industry. Even though balancing everything can be exhausting at times, it has also been incredibly rewarding. You learn something new at every show, and being part of the process that brings a large produciotn together makes the long hours and challenges worth it.