At load-in, I make the first case off a 26’ the distro and feeder because power sets the tempo for every department; last week at Navy Pier, burying it mid-pack added 22 minutes to dock-to-stage. What’s your always-first-off item for smoother on-site flow, and why?
I pull the radio/comms trunk first so we can get on channel and chase the rest while power lands — “talk before torque.” If RF is hairy I swap that with a battery worklight case so safety’s covered until distro hits.
I go floor protection first — Ram Board, edge tape, door pads — so we can build a protected mainline immediately; “floor first” keeps carts flowing and the house calm. It usually buys about 10 minutes on long pushes, but if the venue’s already covered I swap to the chalk/sign kit to mark lanes and dumps. Does laying runners before power lands help you at Navy Pier or just clog the dock?
I roll the zone tape/signage case first — cones, A‑frames, color tape — to stripe load paths and label bays in the first two minutes; “map before muscle” prevents cart pileups. If the venue forbids tape on stone, I swap to the magnet/clip kit and hang door tags instead. Do you color‑code by department or by destination when the crew’s mixed?