The Giggs Podcast: #32 Tate Henshaw & Farrah Usmani | Music Money: Tour Budgets, Contracts & Hidden Costs

Welcome to The Giggs Podcast! Giggs is the career platform for live event professionals. We're starting this podcast because there's not nearly enough content out there about what it really takes to be on the road. Whether you're an aspiring tour manager, a seasoned backline tech, or just getting started in the business, this podcast is for you. We're taking you behind the scenes to explore the highs and the lows of life gigging on the Giggs Podcast. 

On this episode, we’re diving into the side of the industry that keeps everything running—business management and entertainment law. Tate Henshaw and Farrah Usmani break down the hidden costs of touring, must-know contracts, when to bring in a lawyer, and why ChatGPT shouldn’t be your legal team.

Tate Henshaw is the Co-Founder of ARC, a business management firm based in Atlanta. He works with everyone from Grammy-winning musicians like Ne-Yo to NBA All-Stars like Blake Griffin, helping them navigate financial planning, taxes, royalty tracking, tour budgeting, and long-term wealth strategy. Named one of the Top 40 Accountants under 40, Tate is shaping a more transparent, tech-forward future for creatives.

Farrah Usmani is an entertainment attorney based in Nashville who advises everyone from indie artists to chart-toppers on how to grow their careers without giving away their rights. She’s negotiated with every major label and music publisher, worked on major touring and streaming deals, and has been featured in Billboard, Variety, and The Tennessean for her work on everything from tour contracts to AI voice protection.

Listen to the whole episode now! Click here to listen on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube!

What touring actually costs

Tate walks us through what happens when you hand him a $100K tour budget—and spoiler: a lot of that money is gone before the artist ever steps on stage. From production choices to bus rentals, dancers to insurance, every dollar has to work hard.

And don’t even get him started on Southwest’s new luggage policies.

Contracts, clauses & things most artists miss

Farrah shares the biggest red flags she sees in deals artists are too eager to sign. Two things she always checks first? How long the deal lasts, and what rights the artist is giving up.

She also breaks down things like force majeure (remember when COVID canceled every tour?) and why venues might be taking a cut of your merch without you even realizing.

Revenue beyond the show

It’s not all about the paycheck from the promoter. Tate and Farrah talk merch, VIP experiences, and brand partnerships as smart ways to boost revenue—but only if they’re set up right.

They also touch on something way too many artists ignore: taxes, financial planning, and not treating every advance like free money.

TLDR

If you’re an artist, tour manager, or just want to understand what really happens behind the scenes, this episode is packed with insight you won’t get on TikTok.

🎧 Listen to #32 with Tate Henshaw and Farrah Usmani wherever you get your podcasts.