Recently, I was on a crew of three working a small event at a community college. As the audio engineer on the call, one of my tasks was to set up a small lobby PA before the event and take it down once the theatre portion was underway (the first half an hour or so was one person talking into a wireless mic, so I had ample time to go out and retrieve the PA). The rig consisted of one rolling rack of gear and a large Mackie-powered speaker on a stand. Cake, right?

Not necessarily. Women, whether we like it or not, tend to be the smaller fries on a crew in terms of muscle. It’s undeniable, simple biology. And sometimes what seems like a simple setup can be the biggest bear of your day, especially when pride and self-consciousness come roaring into the mix.