Unload the PA equipment from the van or truck. PA systems range in size from those appropriate for a small club or venue to large and complicated ones required for stadiums or outdoor settings. All PA systems contain main speakers, monitors, power amplifiers mixing boards, microphones and stands, and lots of cables.
Help to set up the system. This involves putting the main speakers in place, arranging the monitors, setting up the mixing board and power amps and plugging in the cables. A large concert system may require a sound crew in which case each member is designated a role and is responsible for a certain part of the system. A PA for a small or mid-size venue is less complicated, but all the parts have to be properly plugged in and connected. This is one of the most time-consuming parts of setting up a live sound system.
Walk around the venue during the sound check. The sound check allows the sound engineer to set the levels properly and mix the sound for the particular venue. The soundboard usually sits in the center of the room. Because sound reacts differently as it moves around different parts of a venue, having a crew member walk around the venue provides the engineer with a critical set of ears that lets him know how to adjust his levels. A band that plays in a smaller venue may not have a sound engineer with them. This makes it difficult to know how the sound comes across to the audience because the band only hears the sound from the stage monitors. Listening to the sound as you walk around the room helps the band adjust the sound.
Help to tear down the equipment at the end of the performance. The most tedious part of live performance is tearing down and reloading the equipment at the end of the night. The process is quicker if there are more people to help; however, everything must be done properly or equipment can become damaged or misplaced.