Best of KC 2023: Eric Fain is why we leave the house

Eric Fain on tour with Paramore and Bloc Party. // Courtesy photo

This month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can browse the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some of our current favorite things about Kansas City in 2023. We’ll be publishing these items online throughout November. 

Eric Fain got his big break this year, touring around the world as a production assistant with Paramore and eventually with Christina Aguilera.

Fain previously worked on preparing events at The Truman, recordBar, and The Midland. Before that, he played in local bands, ultimately pivoting to behind-the-scenes work as a guitar tech, merchandiser, tour manager, and more. He’s gained a lot of unique experience through these jobs, including being a tour manager for American Football, Senses Fail, and Poppy. 

As a production assistant, Fain manages production runners, stocks tour buses with supplies, keeps track of tour bus routes, manages accommodations at music venues, and runs merch tables. At times, the job can be stressful, having to deal with last-minute tasks for shows and workdays sometimes being stretched to 22 hours. But Fain says he loves what he does.

“The goosebumps always happen,” says Fain. “I don’t think that’ll ever go away for me. If it does, I need to find another job. I just can’t. At this point in my life, I can’t work anywhere I’m not passionate about. It’s a very privileged thing that I don’t take for granted at all.”