My first major gig was for Van Halen, this was back in the late 80s. I was part of the crew, which meant I unloaded the gear from trucks and helped set up the stage. They were a major rock band at the time – those young people out there may not know how huge a Van Halen show used to be – and we had to work hard. That was where I got a brainstorm, one that would take me almost four years to act upon. After that tour I went back to my hometown and signed up for an HVAC training program at the community college. My goal was to get HVAC certified and then return to the road, offering the touring musicians a more specialized kind of service. It ended up being the best idea I had ever had, because with my HVAC certification and my concept, I was very well received upon my return. I talked to the band manager about how I could install ductwork under the stage, and also put a few air grates into the floor of the stage itself. From the crowd there would be no difference, but when the band members stood over the air vents they would feel a strong blast of air conditioning coming up from below. The A/C unit was far enough away from the mics and the sound equipment that it didn’t register. I can’t say that my air conditioning idea helped the band play better on hot days, but deep down I know that it really did!