<img width="750" height="750" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?fit=750%2C750&amp;ssl=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Touring Brains: Boundaries, Burnout, and Being OK, with Courtney and Paul Klimson – Gig Gab 526 episode image" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=1536%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=2048%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?resize=50%2C50&amp;ssl=1 50w, https://i0.wp.com/www.giggabpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/touring-brains-courtney-paul-klimson-gg526.jpg?w=2250&amp;ssl=1 2250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /><p>You see how life on the road quietly rewires your brain, from grief and burnout to decision fatigue and STC (Sleepy, Tired, and Crabby), and how Courtney and Paul built The Roadie Clinic to give crews a place to tell their story and get real help. Through flights, heat‑canceled shows, and jumps from Fallon to Timberlake, John Legend, Drake, and beyond, you learn to Always Be Performing for your own mental health with boundaries, support systems, and even AI to protect your headspace.</p> <p>You’re handed concrete ways to care for yourself and your people: snow policies and “last chance to say no” moments, non‑negotiable laundry time, color‑coded calendars that lower stress, and simple communication habits that keep relationships from snapping under pressure. By the end, you’re invited to treat your brain like your most critical piece of touring gear—and to build a crew culture where dignity, respect, and mental health are baked into every gig.​</p> <p><iframe class="youtube-player" width="750" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LRwchJ8T7mI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent" allowfullscreen="true" style="border:0;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox"></iframe></p> <ul> <li aria-level="1">00:00:00 <a href="https://www.giggabpodcast.com/">Gig Gab</a> 526 &#8211; Monday, <a href="https://nationaltoday.com/march-23">March 23rd</a>, 2026 <ul> <li aria-level="1">March 23rd: <a href="https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-puppy-day-march-23">National Puppy Day</a></li> <li aria-level="1">Guest co-hosts: <a href="https://www.giggabpodcast.com/tag/courtney-klimson">Courtney Klimson</a> and <a href="https://www.giggabpodcast.com/tag/paul-klimson">Paul Klimson</a></li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:01:43 Choosing Niles, Michigan for The Roadie Clinic <ul> <li aria-level="1">2019: From living in NYC to “the middle of nowhere” Michigan (but it’s right near an airport)</li> <li aria-level="1">With lots of puppies!</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:04:05 The Roadie Clinic and the whole Human Experience <ul> <li aria-level="1">After some family tragedies, Courtney joined Paul on a European leg of the Timberlake tour to support him through the grief</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:07:56 Hottest Day in Central Park doing a show for John Legend <ul> <li aria-level="1">And Paul winds up with a sprained ankle but the show must go on…until it’s canceled for the heat!</li> <li aria-level="1">Then off to Sicily the next day… and Courtney joins again!</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:13:24 On the flights, Courtney</li> <li aria-level="1">00:15:40 “The Show Must Go On” <ul> <li aria-level="1">Institute a snow policy</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:17:40 And so exists <a href="https://theroadieclinic.com/">The Roadie Clinic</a> <ul> <li aria-level="1">Remote assistance: tell me your story, how can I help?</li> <li aria-level="1">Works closely with <a href="https://musicares.org/">MusiCares</a></li> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://theroadieclinic.com/roadiedocrx/">RoadieDocRx</a></li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">Decision Fatigue can sometimes be solved by AI</li> <li aria-level="1">00:26:30 SPONSOR: <a href="https://squarespace.com/GIGGAB">Squarespace</a>. Check out <a href="https://www.squarespace.com/GIGGAB">https://www.squarespace.com/GIGGAB</a> to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code GIGGAB.</li> <li aria-level="1">00:28:03 Where are you going today, Paul? <ul> <li aria-level="1">John Legend to Timberlake to Drake</li> <li aria-level="1">Multi-colored calendars to save the marriage…and the business</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:30:18 From being the monitor/foldback engineer at Fallon to meeting lots of bands <ul> <li aria-level="1">…and managers. “Protect the brand” worked to develop relationships</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:32:55 What Gets the Gig Done? <ul> <li aria-level="1">What can I do best that serves the team?</li> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.robertscovill.com/">Scovill’s Back Lounge</a></li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:37:02 The @ Rule of Texting <ul> <li aria-level="1">STC = Sleepy Tired and Crabby</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:39:38 Is this the last opportunity I have to say “no”?</li> <li aria-level="1">00:43:55 Laundry time matters!</li> <li aria-level="1">00:45:26 Studying Roadie Brains <ul> <li aria-level="1">A lot of Parkinsons, PTSD, Strokes</li> <li aria-level="1">From Fallon to Timberlake</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:47:15 Tricks of being efficient with engineers <ul> <li aria-level="1">Step one: Communicate the Input List and Stage Plot</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:50:43 Paul Klimson’s Talkback System</li> <li aria-level="1">00:54:00 We’re going to win because we’re efficient and we care about humans <ul> <li aria-level="1">Dignity and Respect</li> <li aria-level="1">Superbowl Halftime Show &#8211; Minneapolis</li> <li aria-level="1">Jimmy Fallon Show … and SNL</li> <li aria-level="1">How are you using AI?</li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">00:57:14 Gig Gab 526 Outtro <ul> <li aria-level="1">Follow Paul and Courtney Klimson <ul> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/theroadieclinic/?hl=en">@TheRoadieClinic</a></li> </ul> </li> <li aria-level="1">Contact Gig Gab! <ul> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/giggabpodcast/">@GigGabPodcast on Instagram</a></li> <li aria-level="1"><a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></li> <li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.giggabpodcast.com/subscribe-to-podcast/">Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>The post <a href="https://www.giggabpodcast.com/2026/03/23/touring-brains-boundaries-burnout-courtney-and-paul-klimson-gg526/">Touring Brains: Boundaries, Burnout, and Being OK, with Courtney and Paul Klimson – Gig Gab 526</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.giggabpodcast.com">Gig Gab</a>.</p>