DANIEL CAESAR Talent, musicality and friendships are the pillars of the Son Of Spergy tour
LUKE COMBS Behind the scenes of the singer’s record-breaking Wembley Stadium shows
ON THE ROAD: NASHVILLE Meet those putting the Music City on the technical production map
ARIANA GRANDE The consummate artist returns with a production worthy of the anticipation...
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 • #296
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Issue #296 November / December 2026
EDITORIAL ENDURANCE
Managing Editor Stew Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 Email: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk Editor Jacob Waite Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7592 679612 Email: j.waite@mondiale.co.uk Assistant Editor Alicia Pollitt Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7508 441986 Email: a.pollitt@mondiale.co.uk Commercial Director Fran Begaj Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7852 336728 Email: f.begaj@mondiale.co.uk Senior Account Manager Matilda Matthews Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7413 555978 Email: m.matthews@mondiale.co.uk Account Manager Tom Dyson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0) 7306505230 Email: t.dyson@mondiale.co.uk Marketing and Events Manager Alice Clarke Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7752 392465 Email: a.clarke@mondiale.co.uk Marketing and Events Assistant Charlie Moore Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Email: c.moore@mondiale.co.uk Editorial Director Peter Iantorno Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7763 233637 Email: p.iantorno@mondiale.co.uk Chief Executive Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 Email: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk Accounts Jodie Matthews / Sarah Healey: ar@mondiale.co.uk Mondiale Group Chairman Damian Walsh Graphic Design & Production David Bell: d.bell@mondiale.co.uk Jez Reid: j.reid@mondiale.co.uk Cover Photo Ariana Grande by Katia Temkin Printed By Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk
On a recent visit to Manchester’s Co-op Live for Daniel Caesar’s Son of Spergy Tour [see p42], George Thoms offered a candid reminder of touring’s human demands: “I want everyone to leave happy. At times, that won’t be easy, as touring is a human endurance test, but there’s no need for people to be rude or not be able to laugh. The rest comes naturally…” Our editorial team takes pride in its own endurance: Stew runs ultramarathons; I run road marathons; and Ali has attended 33 Harry Styles shows and counting... so, it’s refreshing to hear the human side of touring acknowledged so openly when it can be overshadowed by showtime’s spectacle and glamour. As has been long documented in the pages of TPi, behind every project in this magazine is an army of individuals working backstage or toiling away in warehouses and offices before a production even hits the road. We have always
aimed to spotlight every aspect of live production and the collaboration across touring disciplines that brings these stories to life. After a successful if challenging year, on behalf of the wider team, I would like to thank and dedicate this print edition to all those unsung heroes, as well as the advertisers, contributors and readers, who have supported this pursuit over the past six issues and multiple events. It’s been a pleasure to compile and collate features and insights from this wonderfully weird, culturally diverse and often unseen sector whose exploits over the past 12 months we will celebrate in-person at the TPi Awards on 22 February 2027. Join us in swapping our lanyards for our Monday best. Limited tickets for the industry’s biggest night out are available at: www.tpiawards.com Jacob Editor
Annual subscriptions (including P&P): £42 (UK), £60 (Europe), £78/$125 (RoW). Subscription enquiries to: Subscriptions, Mondiale Media Limited, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)161 476 5580 Email: subscriptions@mondiale.co.uk www.tpimagazine.com www.tpiawards.com www.gtlsessions.com Total Production International (TPi) is a controlled circulation magazine, published six times a year by Mondiale Technology Media Limited under licence. ISSN 1461-3786 Copyright © 2026 Mondiale Technology Media Limited. All contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, in any form whatsoever, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Every effort is taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither Mondiale Technology Media Limited, nor the Editors, can be held responsible for its contents or any consequential loss or damage resulting from information published. The views expressed are not those of the Editors. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations, advertising materials or artwork. Total Production International USPS: (ISSN 1461 3786) is published six times a year by Mondiale Technology Media Limited. The 2025 US annual subscription price is 125USD. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by Agent named Air Business, C/O WorldNet Shipping USA Inc., 155-11 146th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, NY11434. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Production International, Air Business Ltd, C/O WorldNet Shipping USA Inc., 155-11 146th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, NY11434. Subscription records are maintained at Mondiale Technology Media Ltd. Waterloo Place, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK.
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ITINERARY
ON THE COVER
Access our complete range of globally available professional AV equipment and request your rental quote online. Stay up to date with the latest innovations and product releases from our partner brands.
52 ARIANA GRANDE The consummate artist returns to the stage for the first time in seven years with a feast for the eyes, ears and mind with her steadfast crew in tow……
EVENT FOCUS 12 Anna Vissi’s team power a
technical spectacular in Athens.
16 The R&B Tour relies on ER
Productions for special effects.
18 Lightswitch looks back on Michael Bublé’s summer season.
22 Behind A$AP Rocky’s far from ‘off the shelf’ show.
26 Recapping a successful debut of GTL Sessions: The Americas.
PRODUCTION PROFILE 30 PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING
Sputnik is reborn as the band embark on their biggest show yet.
42 DANIEL CAESAR
Talent, musicality and friendships stand out as the pillars of the Son Of Spergy production camp.
AED United Kingdom +44 1628 953 360 info.uk@aedgroup.com
68 LUKE COMBS
Behind the scenes of the singersongwriter’s landmark shows.
INTERVIEW 78 Stew travels to Nashville to
discover how the city has become a technical production hub.
88 Production and Tour Manager, Keely Myers reflects on Anastacia’s #NTK Tour.
92 Production Park reveals exciting
plans ahead of the Yorkshire site’s next phase.
IN PROFILE 97 JRI Group launches a specialist
rigging and equipment company.
98 Universal Pixels celebrates a decade in business.
102 Ali catches up with TPi Awardwinning Neg Earth Lights.
PRODUCTION FUTURES 106 Bergen Kjøtt hosts training
sessions for the next generation in Bergen, Norway.
12
30
26
42
GEAR HEADS 108 An overview of Cameo’s new
ZENIT W1200 G2 and W300 G2.
109 SIXTY82 unveils its Lighting Pod. 110 Yamaha highlights some key
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features of the DM5 Series.
111 NedAcoustics introduces the Venue Sound Baffle LT05.
FEEDBACK 112 Jeff Singh shares why Samurai Events backs Music Support.
114 PSA turns its attention to the sector’s financial hurdles.
116 Sarah Rushton-Read shares the difference The MITC’s Pay It Forward Fund can make.
118 Suzi Green ponders how the
community can safely harness artificial intelligence.
BACK CHAT 122 Frankie Tee takes the helm at EnTEEtainment.
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Shortlist announced and voting opens Monday 30 November! For sponsorship please contact Matilda: m.matthews@mondiale.co.uk
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EVENT FOCUS
STAGING ANNA VISSI: LIVE AT OAKA Setting a new benchmark for live production in Greece, more than 95,000 fans gather at Athens’ OAKA Stadium...
Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Raf Peeters
Renovated for the 2004 Olympic Games, Athens’ OAKA Stadium has played host to several landmark cultural events. The latest chapter saw Greek singer-songwriter Anna Vissi take centre stage for a production that brought together international specialists and local technical talent on an ambitious scale, as TPi discovered. Created by a team of acclaimed production professionals, the spectacle showcased the capabilities of Greece’s live events industry, setting a new benchmark for large-scale stadium shows and demonstrating what can be achieved when touring expertise and local knowledge work in tandem. With an extensive technical infrastructure, complex staging and a production design built to engage fans throughout the venue, the show presented a logistical challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate the depth of technical expertise behind one of Athens’ biggest live music events in recent memory. The technical partners included Galaxias Live Productions (production); 369 Audiovisual (IMAG); AgorA (sound); BigRig (rigging pre-planning); BIZMONKEYS (load-out management); Charco (communications); eps (track protection and barriers); ER Productions (special effects and lasers); LED CREATIVE (LED tape); Live Productions (cameras); LS Construction (carpentry); Metron Stages
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Group (main stage and catwalk scaffolding); Neg Earth Lights (lighting and rigging); Power Generators (power); Stageco (steel); STUFISH Entertainment Architects (set design); Tempo (stadium lighting); WICREATIONS (automation and satellite stages); The Wire Rig Company (performer flying); Universal Pixels (main drum video); Luke Halls Studio (video design); and Tim Routledge Design (lighting design). The wider creative and technical team included familiar names to readers in Creative Director, Kim Gavin; Technical Designer, Malcolm Birkett; Camera Director, Matt Askem; Lighting Designer, Tim Routledge; Associate Lighting Designer, Morgan Evans; Lighting Programmer, James Scott; Technical Producer, Luke Mills and Showcaller Maddie Cupples, among others. A 360° LED CENTREPIECE Universal Pixels supplied the LED infrastructure for the show’s striking video drum. At the heart of the visual design was a 64m-wide by 20m-high LED cylinder, comprising 1,300m² of ROE Visual V8T LED. Encircling the stage, the 360° structure created an immersive visual backdrop, ensuring the content could be experienced across the stadium. The LED installation was completed over two days, with the Universal Pixels team carefully managing different batches of
panels throughout the build. With the highest panels reaching a trim height of approximately 30m, servicing was carried out from trusses within the cylinder, adding another layer of complexity to the installation. “Powered by Brompton Technology processing and Disguise GX 3 media servers, the system delivered a seamless canvas for the show’s content, becoming an integral part of the striking stage design,” Universal Pixels Project Manager Ben Annibal said. “Seeing the completed structure in action in front of more than 95,000 people was a great moment for everyone involved, bringing together an ambitious design and a huge technical delivery for one of Athens’ biggest live music events.” The visual spectacle was complemented by an extensive effects package from ER Productions, who supplied lasers, flames, pyrotechnics, cryogenic effects and confetti. The inventory comprised 32 AT-30 and 24 BB4 lasers, 26 Eco2Jets, 20 Stadium Blasters, 20 Stadium Shot MKIIIs, 12 Flameblazers and six Hellfires. “A massive amount of equipment, planning and teamwork went into bringing this together,” ER Productions’ Marc Webber added. “Credit to the entire crew involved in the preparation, logistics, installation and operation of such a large-scale show.” With the production designed to bring Vissi closer to the audience, the B– and C–stages
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played a key role in the show’s choreography. WICREATIONS supplied the automated lifting systems and bespoke stage elements that enabled the performers to move between different performance areas, creating additional vantage points and moments of connection with the crowd. The package included an SP12 lift with 5m of travel on the B-stage, alongside four PC02 push-chain lifts configured to raise a circular platform. The lifts measured 4.9m in diameter, with bespoke circular decking extending to 11m in diameter. “It was a fun and complex project which required collaboration, and we were proud to make it happen within a short on-site timeline, despite the protracted build-up to the show,” WICREATIONS Key Account Manager Raf Peeters revealed. The venue was booked for just 10 days, including the installation of infrastructure such as steel ground-protection plates. The compressed schedule left limited time for the full production to come together, with two rehearsals taking place on stage and the remaining rehearsals conducted in an adjacent car park before show day. Stageco supplied the steel for the main stage, while Greek supplier Metron provided the catwalk structures connecting the A-, B- and C-stages, using Layher equipment. WICREATIONS delivered the B- and C-stage elements, incorporating the complex
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automated systems. The lifts enabled the production to create distinct staging moments and bring performers closer to different sections of the audience. During Vissi’s introduction to a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, guest performer Orienthi appeared on stage, while Vissi performed from the main stage. “The production used the systems to bring the performers closer to the audience and provide different vantage points and viewpoints on the B- and C-stages,” Peeters stated, proudly. The tight on-site schedule demanded close cooperation between departments, with responsibilities extending beyond the original scope of individual suppliers. WICREATIONS’ carpentry team helped install black masking, supporting the wider production. “Everybody was collaborating to make the creative vision a reality,” Peeters said, praising the work of the production design team. “Kim Gavin is an expert at ensuring every fan, regardless of where they are within the stadium, can enjoy the show.” ENGINEERING PROWESS The project began with the challenge of coordinating the equipment, resources, measurements and manufacturing schedules needed to deliver the systems on time. The stage elements required bespoke engineering, with both the lift platforms and the surrounding decking designed and manufactured in-house.
This process involved close coordination between production, design and fabrication teams, with WICREATIONS Project Manager Jasper Rosiers among those tasked with overseeing the project. “We had to draw up custom decks. Both the lift and the decking around it were bespoke and had to be designed and created in-house,” Rosiers explained. “That required coordination between the production, design and fabrication departments,” Rosiers said. The custom fabrication extended across the entire process, from welding and CNC machining to painting. The team further conducted a full test build at its warehouse, allowing the equipment and its internal mechanisms to be checked before dispatch. With six crew members travelling to site, the preparation was designed to ensure that as much as possible had been verified before the equipment left the workshop. Around 20 people contributed to the project at different stages, with the core design and engineering work delivered by a compact team. Despite the extensive preparation, the project encountered a significant logistical setback during load-in, when a forklift driver accidentally dropped a case containing critical machinery, damaging half of the available drives. Rosiers subsequently had to arrange the urgent delivery of replacement equipment and spares over 3,500km to Athens. “If you want to operate at this level, you need to
be prepared for problem-solving and able to pivot to address and fix issues,” Peeters acknowledged. “There will always inherently be minor issues with custom equipment, but being able to stage a spectacle like this is what sets you apart from the rest.”
A GREEK MILESTONE The significance of the show extended beyond its scale and technical complexity. For the local industry, it provided an opportunity to work alongside international production specialists and experience the demands of a stadium show delivered to a global touring standard. “Communication with production was a breeze, and it was a great project to collaborate with the team on,” Rosiers said. Peeters believes the production offered a valuable learning experience for the wider technical community. “There hasn’t been another show this complex on this scale, bringing the Greek music industry to this level
with a Greek artist. From the video content and lighting through to the set, production and staging design,” Peeters stated. “It was a highlevel show by global standards.” He added that the experience demonstrated the value of combining international production expertise with local crews and suppliers, creating opportunities to share knowledge and raise expectations across the sector. “These are shows we pride ourselves on,” Peeters said, earnestly. “The Greek production scene has learned from this project.” The wider WICREATIONS crew included Structural Engineer (Calculations), Mustafa Abbas; Project Designer, Ward van Hassel; Crew Chief, Chris Sabelleck; Operators, Bart Defau and Miro Kusik; Automation Technician, Sten Sarapson and Ciprian Ignat (Load-in); Carpenters, Stephan ‘Xumi’ Schumacher and Darryl-Alan Potthoff, underlining the importance of detailed preparation, bespoke engineering and flexibility when delivering complex automation on this scale with a demanding schedule. www.annavissilive.com www.er-productions.com www.wicreations.com www.universalpixels.com
ANNA VISSI
PRECISION UNDER PRESSURE WICREATION’s contribution extended beyond the catwalks linking the three stages. The company also supplied the circular decking for the satellite stages, with the bespoke structures designed to accommodate the automated systems and associated lighting infrastructure. “We provided the B- and C-stage circles, using round decking made to a custom size for this project, with shelves for lighting headers,” Rosiers explained. “On the B-stage, there was an SP12 lift with a round platform approximately 5m in diameter.” The C-stage incorporated static decking, while the B-stage platform was raised using a combination of four lifts. The systems were operated locally, with a spotter and an operator assigned to each stage to execute the cues. “With very little room for adjustments during installation, ensuring that the individual curved deck sections aligned to create a perfect
circular shape was a key challenge,” Rosiers explained. “By fully assembling and testing the circular decking in-house beforehand, our installation team was able to resolve any potential issues in advance and ensure a smooth, efficient installation on site.” Although not everyone involved was present in Athens, the response following the event was positive. Rosiers said the team was “proud” to have contributed to the production and grateful to the wider network of suppliers whose collaboration “made the result possible”.
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THE R&B TOUR: BEHIND THE SFX ER Productions hits the road with over four-and-a-half trucks worth of special effects and pyro and 25 technicians…
Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Jay Scrivener
The R&B Tour (Raymond & Brown Tour) commenced in June. Having collaborated with the respective touring camps previously, special effects and pyrotechnics specialist ER Productions was commissioned to deliver over four-and-a-half trucks worth of special effects and pyrotechnics and 25 touring technicians for 59 shows across 26 stadiums in the United States and Canada. ER Productions began working on the project in March, testing special effects and pyrotechnics at its Dartford facilities. Months later, production rehearsals took place at Gateway Studios in St. Louis. “This production team always tries to present something new,” Steffi Menacher, Global Head of Projects at ER Productions, said enthusiastically. “There are many opportunities with several creative teams involved, making for an interesting and diverse project.” Given the scale of the project, special effects were integrated into every technical department. “It is a very collaborative process across a big production,” Menacher explained. “The creatives wanted big, impressive looks from the special effects, which is exactly what ER Productions is known for, pushing creative boundaries.” This meant that ER Productions was involved in several production meetings in the lead up to the tour, evaluating logistics,
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and collaborating with the designers to meet their vision. Solutions evolved over time, were expanded upon or sometimes left on the cutting room floor. “There were opportunities to involve some intricate and innovative engineering, such as flamebar effects with the Flameber XL making its debut on this tour.” The 1m wide Flameber XL units are the newest addition to ER Productions’ family of flames. With dual ignition, the effects provided the ability to chase flames from left to right, along with the ability to vary output of heights.“ The normal Flameber is 60cm, but this one can go significantly higher with four additional jets to provide flame fingers as well as walls of flames up to 3m. “We build every product in house and test them, devising everything from metal to screws,” Menacher explained. “To finally see it pass certification and be featured on stage in front of thousands of people is magical.” The special effects and pyrotechnics package included 53 Flamebers and 20 Flameber XLs; 58 Psyco2Jets; 22 G Flames; 31 AT60X and 22 Kinekt AS lasers on Wahlberg Winches; 16 MDG theONEs for atmospherics; 15 RE120 lasers; 10 Hell Fires; eight Titan Flames; eight Eco2jets; eight Waveflames; eight Silent Storms; six Ice Fog Qs; six Colored 5 Finger Flames; four burning barrels, a pair of
Cyclones, in addition to Profans, Vipers and a Creeper XL .“It’s a lot of equipment in a lot of different positions and that makes it exciting,” Menacher remarked. With offices across the globe, ER Productions was well equipped to send gear from one place to another, meeting regional specifications and certifications. “We have strategically placed equipment,” Menacher explained. “Our standards are high and that works in our favour with clients who understand our capabilities and creativity.” ER Productions used over 100 US gallons of Isopar, around 150 bottles of CO2, over 300 aerosol cans, over 1,000 pieces of pyro with a 360° Pyro Finale, on the downstage edge, the B-stage and high Altitude Pyro Positions behind the stage and on delay towers – 50 Pyro Positions alone on the Header Truss in addition to ‘concussion cages’, and almost 100 falling comets per show. Further robotics were integrated into set pieces. The project required a big team on the road with 25 touring technicians supporting the production.“We always want to push boundaries, which requires educated and experienced technicians, with workflows that work for everyone and knowledge as transparent and accessible as possible,” Menacher added, citing the global nature of
the workforce. “People from the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Poland, and New Zealand all featured on the tour.” ER’s health and safety specialists ensured the equipment met standards. “Special effects has a lot of health and safety and consumable management, so the number of fluids and volume of consumables the crew deal with is a lot to manage,” Menacher said. “It’s a full truck of consumables a day – over 300 cans a show.” The 20m Titan Flame is a slightly bigger unit, weighing 250lbs when filled, so it required more than two people to lift. In addition to the raft of solutions, the engineering required to power such effects was equally impressive. “We utilised a crane to lift the units as they sit on top of delay towers, so we had to engineer a specific plate to rest them on and brace. We also had them on the main stage, which required additional bracing, so FABER made custom brackets/plates,” Menacher explained. “The brown stage required a certain clamp size, therefore we contacted a clamp manufacturer to make a specific clamp for this structure. Thanks to Becky at our office, we call it the ‘Becky Clamp’,” Menacher added ”On stage, carps and creatives collaborated on integrating small pieces of pyro into wooden, scenic consoles made for the project, providing short circuit spark effects. Additional
downstage edge pyro required integration within the grill of the stage, where other Flameber units were sitting. “With so many people and departments, every move had to be precise,” Menacher said, citing the close communication between departments. The Flamebers were integrated into the thrust of the stage and spanned the B-stage and the XLs shot upwards in multiple moments within the show. In one of the key moments, Usher throws a bottle on the floor to ignite the Flamebers spanning the thrust of the main stage. Then the XLs turn on to create an enveloping rise of flames with the video content that looks like an inferno, and additional black Powderfetti is fired from the Silent Storms providing an ash-like look covering the crowd with a soft and gentle effect juxtaposed with the inferno. “There are so many good moments,” Menacher enthused. “I love the way the lasers look; it’s a strong laser show. The pyro finale is a standout and there is so much CO2, when all the Psyco2jets go off it looks impressive.” Special effects and lasers featured throughout the show. Falling Comets blended with the LED wall’s content to make for a cohesive visual feast for fans. “It’s not always the big pyro and flame moment that captures crowds,” Menacher said, referring to moments
like a Creeper or low fog machine being triggered in the right position at the right time. “We have this one set piece with a creeper attached, Chris Brown stands in this tube, because of his body temperature, the low fog rises slowly, so when he emerges it falls and the robotics fire – a subtle moment that looks stunning,” she added. The tour demonstrated the gamut of effects in ER Productions’ vast portfolio with an A and B rig for outdoor and indoor stadiums. “It was a big team effort from the entire camp. I want to send a massive thank you to the production and everyone involved. You can feel the level of respect and individual areas of expertise. There were so many pieces to the puzzle and you could see people show their perspective before a decision was made. Working closely with production brought all these perspectives together and the decisions were well reflected,” Menacher said. “A massive thank you to Production Managers, Hydro Mullin and Raphiki Rhodes, the creative team, advance crews, coordinators, promoter reps and everybody from ER who played their part in this project. A special mention for Crew Chief, Jay Scrivener and Operators, Dan Wilce and Sam Wakerley and Pyro Lead, Seba Huss.” www.er-productions.com
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LIGHTING MICHAEL BUBLÉ’S SUMMER Jamie Davis, Senior Director of Lightswitch Studio Orange, looks back on the hitmaker’s latest stint of live shows…
Words: Alicia Pollitt Photos: Cal Halliwell
The Canadian singer-songwriter proved he isn’t just for Christmas with a stint of summer shows across the UK and Ireland, and what else to complement his hits than a 27-piece band and a focus on art deco, as well as drawing upon big-band and swing traditions. Describing himself as a visual storyteller, Design Lead and Creative Director, Jamie Davis wanted the production design of Michael Bublé’s summer shows to demonstrate the creative brief, as well as to illustrate the music. Working closely with the singer since 2018, their collaboration over time has become streamlined: “I have developed a strong understanding of his tastes and can anticipate many of the things to which he will respond,” Davis began. “However, for everything that cannot be predicted, we build enough flexibility into the design process to create and adapt quickly once he is in space.” The influence and ornamentation of the 1920s all the way to the 40s ran throughout the design for the shows, from a suspended chandelier and architectural railing details to the riser masking and custom music stand fronts. “The intention was to build a visual world that felt glamorous and timeless, but still had the scale, energy, and technology expected of a contemporary Michael Bublé show,” Davis said. “The band is not simply an
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accompaniment in Michael’s show; it is central to the identity of the performance. With 27 musicians onstage, we wanted to celebrate them and frame them as a major part of the visual composition. The scenery therefore needed to create a strong sense of period and occasion without making the production feel like a historical reproduction.” Davis entrusted TAIT and Christie Lites with helping to pull off the ambitious vision. “By working closely with our suppliers, we were able to combine that Art Deco and big-band vocabulary with modern scenic construction, lighting, and control. The resulting stage felt rooted in the golden age of that music while remaining unmistakably Michael’s show,” Davis added. “Christie Lites has been the lighting supplier throughout my time working with Michael’s camp, so this is a long-standing and trusted relationship. Ian Gordon is a good friend and has always been extremely supportive of both the camp and the design process. That continuity is valuable because the Christie Lites team understands the production, the expectations, and the pace at which decisions sometimes need to be made.” Conrad Drew, who works closely with Gordon, and has acted as Crew Chief for the Bublé tour in the past, returned to the road for the 2026 run, though Davis added that
the team were in excellent hands with Sean Hardcastle who stepped up as Crew Chief and was accompanied by Luke Rudge and Gary Rees. “The package performed very well, but just as importantly, the support behind it was exceptional. On a run involving festival infrastructure, varying venue systems, late sunsets, and morning-of-show load-ins, having a supplier and crew who are both flexible and deeply familiar with the production is invaluable,” Davis said. The Design Lead and Creative Director went on to mention Production Manager, Craig ‘Fin’ Finley, and his support of the design process. “He understands the value it brings to the show and works hard to provide the resources and flexibility that is needed for ideas that might only arise once the production is in rehearsals.” Touring through venues and festival systems, the touring rig, as described by Davis, was a substantial floor package, with “carefully selected” flown additions. The fixtures included ACME Lighting Lyra, Ultra Blinders, Tornados, Pixel Line 1000, Martin Professional MAC Aura Raven XIP, Sceptron XB, GLP JDC1 Strobes and Robe PATT 2017, all controlled by a MA Lighting grandMA3. “The Sceptron XBs did much of the visual heavy lifting. We toured close to 200 units, with 120 hung as a series of chandeliers
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immediately offstage of the band. They created sparkle and visual depth in an area that can otherwise become negative space, particularly in wide camera shots,” Davis said. “The remaining Sceptron XBs were integrated into our scenic elements, including uplighting the custom music-stand fronts printed with the MB logo. The additional output of the XB compared with the original Sceptron was particularly noticeable. Many of the shows took place in northern parts of the UK and Ireland, where the sun did not set until approximately halfway through Michael’s set. That added punch made an enormous difference while we were competing with daylight.” Davis also shouted out the ACME Lighting Tornados, naming them an “important component” that introduced colour and beam behind the band to create an immersive environment around the musicians on stage. The ACME PIXEL LINE 1000s are a mainstay for the Bublé camp, with the camp utilising the fixtures for many of the singer’s live iterations. “Michael enjoys a good sparkle during the more pop-driven songs, and the PIXEL LINES provide exactly that while also adding visual interest along the downstage edge,” Davis said. Initial design conversations for the summer shows began in January, with a focus on ensuring that every angle of audience view had
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a fuller look, which is why the designer added in the PATT 2017 and Sceptron XB fixtures to add depth, texture and points of interest into the emptier space on stage. “Before we hit the road we spent one week previsualising the show in Depence R4. We then had two rehearsal days before loading into the first festival. That was followed by a night of overnight programming, after which the remainder of the run operated on a same-day schedule, loading in on the morning of each performance,” Davis said. The first creative direction that Bublé gave Davis at the start of their working relationship, was “make it look cool”, Davis elaborated: “For Michael, that means the show needs to feel visually large, polished, and captivating. But the scale only works if it is balanced by smaller moments. Some of the most important looks strip everything back and focus solely on Michael, allowing the audience to reconnect directly with him before the production expands again,” he said. “Lighting is what allows us to control that perspective. It can make 27 musicians and a large festival stage feel enormous, then narrow the entire world down to one performer and one lyric.” www.lightswitch.net www.christielites.com www.taittowers.com
Stage Manager, Jake Vernum; Lighting Crew Chief, Sean Hardcastle; Lighting Technicians, Gary Rees and Luke Rudge; Creative Director, Jamie Davis and FOH Tech, Gregg Bellon.
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A$AP ROCKY: DON’T BE DUMB TOUR From helicopters to a 104ft warship, the rapper returns to the road for his first headline tour in seven years with a show for the ages…
Words: Alicia Pollitt Photos: Robert Maguire
‘Bold, boundary-pushing, and on brand’ are all words that 1826 CEO, Joe Sanchez used to describe A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb tour, and it’s hard to disagree with him. The show featured a 104ft warship, a lighthouse, and an automated helicopter, with the creative team striving to keep a cinematic and musical focus for the show amid the bells and whistles of the production design. Sanchez and the extended 1826 team worked on an accelerated timeline, with the group brought in midway through the tour’s US leg by Roc Nation’s Jay Brown. “1826 Group came in and undertook a complete production overhaul: transitioning the majority of the vendor and touring teams, while partnering with 1826 Studio to redesign the show from the ground up,” Sanchez explained. “This resulted in a production distinct in look, feel and execution from what US audiences experienced.” For the reconfigured show, the team brought in PRG (automation, lighting and rigging), Ox Event House (scenic), Major Tom (audio), Stagetruck (trucking), Beat The Street (bussing), Pyrotechnico and BPM SFX (special effects) and The Event Safety Shop – TESS (safety consultancy). A$AP Rocky was hands-on in the creative process, with Production Designer, Darren
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Mullis, dubbing the rapper a “multi-medium creative director” in his own right. “He was involved at every stage and didn’t want to just sign it off at the end, and that’s what makes a tour like Don’t Be Dumb work with so many elements,” Mullis said. The rapper wanted the stage to be built around a battleship; from there, the team developed a “bellicose, post-Orwellian” environment, Mullis explained: “Some of these scenic elements were inherited from the North American leg, and we built on these to give Rocky a cinematic world he wanted the audience to feel and to mosh. That feeling resembled a turbulent ocean to me, so when Rocky asked for a battleship to be placed protruding through the crowd the audience then became the sea,” Mullis added. “Rocky performs from the boat and lighthouse, so he is always addressing the ‘sea’ directly, rather than a room watching from outside it.” According to Mullis, putting the audience inside the ‘ocean’ makes them part of the world, watching from the inside. “The show starts with Rocky inside the mosh pit. He is then attached to a helicopter and raised above it. It’s a striking way to open a show, the audience watching him ascend out of the crowd below,” Mullis said. “From there the ultra-wide upstage screen assists in the storytelling work moment
to moment: cinematic IMAG shots layered over ‘oceanscapes’ move the boat through storms, razed cities, sunsets, so the audience feels the shift rather than being told about it.” Ox Event House, led by Ben and Fiona Levitt, created the 104ft warship, a lighthouse, and a show-starting helicopter. “Working with Joe Sanchez and the team he gets in around a production was really pleasant,” Ben commented. “He puts the utmost trust in his suppliers and lets us get the job done.” The bespoke staging company took a test helicopter, as well as a prop helicopter and refurbished them and added all the rigging points to be suitable for the tour. The warship was hailed by Navy veteran crew members on the road as completely lifelike. “The ship stood at 18ft tall, and despite it being 104ft long, we were able to treat it as similar to a rolling stage as possible,” Ben said. “We added different changes and edges to our standard decking to build out the design – and then, to make it quicker for the touring team, we introduced a new deck system, which features a coffin lock that latches together.” In collaboration with PRG and BPM SFX, the staging and scenic specialist integrated lighting and pyro elements into curved grill decks. “We worked with Thirsk, which made a custom 18mm, three-quarters-of-an-inch-
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thick grill that matched the top of a normal stage deck so that the lighting and the special effects can come through it,” Ben explained. “We also created rolling carts that allowed the tech structure to remain, which made load-ins and -outs much simpler.” The duo praised the Hull-based team and around 40 scenic freelancers involved in the project.“We had all hands on deck,” Fiona shared. “We are all really proud of the outcome. It looks epic!” LIGHTING Lighting Designer, Luke Rolls cited GLP JDC Burst 1 as the workhorse fixture on the tour. “They are used as footlights on top of the ship, washlighting for its fascia, and then effects within the rig to add atmosphere and to accent the music,” he said. “With the JDC Burst, the touring LD has a fader that can adjust the tilt of the footlights to track exactly where Rocky is.” Other fixtures included ACME Lighting PIXEL Line IP, GLP impression X4, Solaris Flare, Ayrton Veloce, and GLP Fusion X-PAR 12Z. “For lighting the show, we wanted it to feel cinematic so that meant lots of atmospherics, washy light that doesn’t define the space, which in turn looked better on IMAG,” Rolls added. “I wanted the lighting to look as minimal as possible and we endeavoured to hide as
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many lights as possible on stage. We were able to hide most of our flown rig behind the PA, or by following the geometry of the video screens so it would blend.” The video panels of choice, as provided by PRG, were ROE Visual V4ST with Brompton processing, while Panasonic PTZ AWUE160KEJ and Sony HDC 3500 cameras were utilised with Blackmagic Design processing. The software utilised for previsualisation by the production was Vectorworks, and when the lighting rig and its contents had been approved, the team moved over to Syncronorm Depence R4 for renders. “We spent two weeks in previs programming and then a further four days in rehearsal to clean up and make any tweaks. Even once the show is up and running, small changes are carried out by the touring LD as song arrangements are changed, or if there are any setlist changes, it’s a never-ending process,” Rolls commented. Rolls enjoyed working with PRG on the project, he said: “Kelly and Richard are lovely to work with, and both were supportive and helpful in meeting the lighting requirements I envisioned for the show. The on-the-ground team during load-in and rehearsal led by Tim and Aiden were driven and adaptable as we progressed through the build and development
of the look of the show in rehearsals.” This long-existing relationship with Rolls is a testament to what the team pulled together in a short turnaround time. “This project leaned on our relationship in a real way; there was not much time to secondguess each other, we were moving on instinct and trust built over years,” Mullis said. “It was a hard one but the shows you do under real pressure tend to be the ones that end up meaning the most. If it doesn’t stretch you, you probably haven’t pushed far enough.” Mullis reflected on watching the concept grow beyond what any of the team quite expected: “Seeing the battleship and lighthouse come together and land better than I had hoped was incredibly enriching. That’s part of the strength of 1826 being able to cross pollinate between design teams and our full production teams that produce the ideas we and our clients imagine.” www.eighteentwentysix.com www.prg.com www.oxevents.co.uk www.majortomaudio.com www.stagetruck.com www.beatthestreet.net www.pyrotecnico.com www.bpm-sfx.com www.the-eventsafetyshop.co.uk
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GTL SESSIONS: THE AMERICAS Tour managers and tour service providers descend on Cancún, Mexico, for the inaugural edition of the event.
Words: Stew Hume Photos: Cal Halliwell
The core concept behind GTL is simple: bring tour managers and tour service providers together for three days of networking, giving both groups valuable one-on-one time. However, the real magic happens when these two groups come together. Over the years, we’ve seen partnerships develop, alongside some important industry topics being raised, debated and discussed in a unique environment dedicated to the touring sector. During our first three years of hosting GTL in Europe, we welcomed several delegates from the other side of the Atlantic. However, many more event professionals from across North America and LATAM told us they would love to see GTL brought to their part of the world. So, we called their bluff and, in 2026, did just that with the inaugural GTL Sessions: The Americas. Hosted at the SLS Playa Mujeres resort in Cancún, the event brought to life the vision we had from the very beginning: to have two versions of GTL take place in a calendar year,
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on both sides of the Atlantic. And judging by the response to year one, we have little doubt that 2027 is very much on the cards. For the uninitiated, GTL welcomes tour managers at various stages of their careers – from those who have overseen stadium and arena runs to those who might only be a few years into their careers. The idea being to create an environment that represents the entire touring network. In terms of suppliers, those forming part of this year’s delegation included: Access Bookings, Accor, Air Charter, Alpha Priority Worldwide, Concert Stuff Group, Corinthia Hotels, Daysheets, EFM Global, Equinox Charter, Fly By Nite Conferences & Rehearsal Studios, Glide Travel, Global Motion, Go For Wardrobe, Hyatt Hotels, Jumbocruisers, KB Event, MasterTour, Music First Partnership, Pieter Smit Group, Private Jet Services (AKA Elevate Jet), Production Freight, Rocco Forte Hotels, Rock Rehearsal Studios, TAG, The
The SLS Playa Mujeres resort in Cancún, Mexico, provided the ideal setting for the first GTL Sessions: The Americas.
Event Verse, The Optimists Travel and Urban Worldwide. Each supplier could select their preferred tour managers ahead of the event for a sit-down meeting, while the tour managers did the same for suppliers. T his allowed the GTL team to create a bespoke itinerary for each delegation. “GTL Sessions is an experience I would hope every tour manager and tour provider gets to experience,” reflected Kayley Kerr of Private Jet Services. “In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the business and chaos, but GTL Sessions creates the space to reconnect, build relationships, and remember that the people are what make this industry so special.” New to GTL this year was Robert Ezigbo of Jumbocruisers. “I was really excited ahead of attending the GTL Sessions, and every expectation I had was exceeded,” said Ezigbo. “The event was very well organised with every meeting, every talk, every meal planned in such a way to ensure that everyone was getting maximum value from attending.” Among the returning tour service providers was Elliot Bottomley from Equinox Charter. “We feel very lucky to be part of the GTL family and to have built some great relationships along the way,” stated Bottomley. “It’s always an enjoyable few days with the best in the business, good conversations, time to socialise and plenty of opportunities to connect with people you might not otherwise get to meet.” Away from the meetings, GTL offered a range of Symposia Sessions covering a wide variety of topics. This year, the event welcomed Linkin Park’s Tour Director and Showmaker Founder Jim Digby, who led a session on how the industry should reconsider leadership roles within touring some of the points raised featured in an article he wrote for TPi #295. Maks Czuperski and Karina Schulze of Sweep further offered insight into cybersecurity and why it should be a major consideration for all touring parties. The session was further enhanced by the addition of Tour Director Christian Coffey, who had worked with Sweep
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on several projects. We also hosted several panel discussions. The first offered a litmus test of some of the pressures tour managers are currently facing across the industry. For this, we brought a selection of TMs to the stage, including David ‘5-1’ Normal, Connie ‘Conz’ Morton-Young and Nicola Searle. The next panel session focussed on how companies are creating solutions for freelancers. Joining the discussion were Byron Carr from TAG and Norman Grumbach from MasterTour, who shared details of their latest collaborations to deliver more innovative solutions for those working on the road, highlighting the benefits of companies in the sector working together. Connie Fuentes of Indigo Touring, whose company provides solutions to support tour managers throughout their career journeys, meanwhile, highlighted the benefits of community and collaboration. Lastly, to close out the Symposium programme, Music Industry Therapist Collective’s (MITC) Laurie Pegg took to the stage to discuss how freelancers can achieve
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a better work-life balance. The programme saw the return of the Round Table Session, where TMs and suppliers were invited to split off into smaller groups to share their thoughts and experiences on several major topics. “I have never attended an industry conference before, which is crazy to think about after 26 years in this business, so hearing about GTL made me sceptical,” said Tour Manager Jodi Billings. “But I am more than happy I went. The connections I walked away with in just three days for future business providers and with other tour managers are incredible.” Tour Manager Scott Ellis commented on his time at GTL Sessions: “I really enjoyed my first experience with GTL Sessions. I made some great new connections and discovered several vendors I’d genuinely consider working with on future tours. It was a fast-paced, worthwhile experience, and I’d do it again.” Planning for both the European and Americas 2027 editions of GTL Sessions is well underway, If you’d like to learn more about both events, please visit the website below. www.gtlsessions.com
The GTL Sessions: The Americas 2026 delegation; Linkin Park’s Tour Director and Show Makers Founder, Jim Digby with TPi Managing Editor, Stew Hume; Connie Fuentes of Indigo Touring.
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING Public Service Broadcasting descend on Alexandra Palace for their biggest ever show, commemorating 10 (+1) years of their critically acclaimed debut album, The Race for Space.
Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Fran Parry and TPi
Public Service Broadcasting’s crew have a well-earned reputation for staging immersive live performances. From Jodrell Bank to working men’s clubs across the UK, the collective never shies from delivering stellar production values in some of the tightest rooms and festival stages on the circuit. To celebrate 11 years since the release of The Race for Space, the band enlisted longstanding creative and technical teams to transform Alexandra Palace into a mission control centre, complete with a reengineered flying Sputnik, a roving brass section, roller skaters, and dancing astronauts. “I fell into the role by being here the longest,” James Campbell, Production Manager and FOH Engineer said modestly, having spent the past decade in a range of guises. “The band is renowned for fitting a lot of production in a small space, so it’s great to finally be in a room where we can fit everything they want.” As usual, the band invested heavily in production. “This is a huge step up, so we were careful to deliver the creative vision within the budget,” Campbell remarked. To this end, the PM enlisted the support of TANCK (production design), Adlib (audio), Colour Sound Experiment (automation, lighting, rigging and video), ER Productions (special effects), Crossland (buses), SCENIQ (scenic). “All of the suppliers have been supportive,” Campbell said. “Adlib has always supported the band – we were looked after by them so well during a support tour – as has Colour Sound Experiment, who deliver the bulk of the production. Our new foray into special effects came courtesy of Stage Manager, Colin Rogers, who recommended ER Productions.” In the build-up to the show, the band spent time at Music Room London working on
arrangements, with the show’s foundations realised during two days in Studio 5 at Production Park, near Wakefield. “After months of hard work, it was great to see it as a proof of concept… I had a lot of anxiety dreams of the Sputnik 2.0 being this tiny, Spinal Tap-like prop, but SCENIQ did an excellent job of bringing it to life in collaboration with Mr. B. and TANCK,” Campbell added. “The hotels we booked eight months ago were unfortunately released overnight, so Crossland stepped in and sorted us out with a great price for a couple of busses to collect us from Production Park to Ally Pally.” Balancing dual roles, Campbell was supported by Stage Manager, Colin Rogers and Tour Manager, Elisa Lucrezia; Production Rigger, Sam Webb; Guitar/MIDI Technician, Jack Bonney and Drum Technician, Dane Earl. “Colin has been incredible with his time and knowledge; Elisa has been helpful with the artist side of management, while John [Duckett] on monitors helped patch the stage.” GROUND CONTROL TO MR. B. “It’s an unusual setup but we are an unusual band!” PSB’s Mr. B. said, responsible for designing sets and visuals. “My first mood boards and proposals were all around vintage NASA and 1960s Soviet ground-control style aesthetics, and that’s where things ended up.” Mr. B. believes the band’s years-long relationship with design collective TANCK was crucial to the success of the show. “I run visuals live from the stage and Francis [Clegg, TANCK] and his team are FOH. Just like Apollo 8 behind the Moon, we are out of comms!” Production Designer, Francis Clegg of TANCK, has collaborated with the band for over a decade; his first show with PSB being their headline Brixton Academy show. He added:
“This show is a nod to some of the ideas and concepts that we played with for a much-loved album, while levelling up and bringing into an Ally Pally-sized space with some surprises.” Mr. B. conceptualised the show using Cinema 4D and Adobe Photoshop software. Later, triggering video loops and effects, mapping, and managing camera feeds on the night using Resolume media servers. “I spent time at TANCK’s HQ in advance passing my live visuals into their Syncronorm Depence setup via NDI, so we could firm up each look and sequence,” he recalled. Francis Clegg used Vectorworks for technical drawings and Syncronorm Depence to previsualise the show. He enlisted the support of Lead Programmer, Will Kinnard; Assistant Programmer, Ed Frearson of TANCK; Lighting Crew Chief, Jon Ricketts on site. “This is a project where we know the music and flow, so it’s about reprogramming it for this space,” Clegg explained. “I’ve worked a lot in Ally Pally; it’s a place that is architecturally interesting and it’s a shame if you don’t use the length and the height of the venue, so we have really tried to maximise that by incorporating 60m LED boards on either side of the room, spanning in the length of the audience, to recreate the control room vibe… I’m always impressed by the venue riggers in Ally Pally. It’s an ambitious one off but they made it happen. It’s one of those rooms that requires some dynamism; the crowd can feel distant at the end of the show, so utilising the whole space makes it feel more intimate.” Instead of a typical “big, spot hybrid fixture”, finger trusses of “multipurpose” ACME Lighting Tornados provided versatility. The wider rig featured Ayrton Huracan LT; Robe iFORTE LTX and FOOTSIE 2; ACME Lighting SUPER
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
DOTLINE; Martin Professional Sceptron 10 and MAC Aura XIP; GLP JDC Line 1000; CHAUVET Professional Strike 1 and Strike P38 lighting solutions. Clegg dubbed Ayrton Huracan LT as the ‘workhorse’ fixtures on the rig, handling key light, spots and fill duties, while the ACME Lighting SUPER DOTLINEs provided a spaceage feel when shone through the transparent screen alongside GLP JDC Lines. Having long established a strong shared understanding of each track and how the visuals and lights will play against each other, the designers were able to sequence passages of lights complementing the visuals. “That was even more important on this show, since we had lights beaming through the main console video screens – something we have never done before,” Mr. B. explained. Atmospherics were provided by MDG TheONE and Tour Hazer II units and distributed by Digi Fans. Visuals were controlled by an MA Lighting grandMA3 full size console with Colour Sound Experiment further providing networking and power courtesy of 48-ways of Luminex data rack, a FOH network rack and 192-ways of H type distro. To achieve the ‘ground control’ aesthetic, a lot of work went into blinking screens and lights. “Sputnik 2.0’s reveal and travel was amazing,” Mr. B. enthused, further citing the house remix at the end of the track, E.V.A., something musically diverse in comparison to most PSB shows, and warranted different visuals, which Mr. B. highlighted as a “playful” moment during the show. In addition to Sputnik 2.0, Clegg cited the uplifting Gagarin with astronauts, People Let’s Dance with rollerbladers, the E.V.A house remix and the anthemic Go! as highlights. “It’s great to hear some of these songs performed live for the first time. There’s a good Venn diagram of roadies who love tech and space,” Clegg added, noting the prevalence of fans on the tour sheet.
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“It’s always fun to celebrate a musical milestone. To return in a room double the size of Brixton Academy is heartwarming.” SPUTNIK LIVES! As a British institution, Ally Pally, of course, was an apt venue. However, the length of the room and how distant it can feel for those further back were the main areas of consideration for the show designers. “We wanted to bring as much production ‘into space’ as possible. Alongside the B-stage and lighting extensions, the obvious contender was our Sputnik 2.0 prop travelling through the venue,” Mr. B. explained. “PSB has always had a DIY aesthetic – the band have built their own set pieces and props in the past. Comparatively, this is high-value production, but there is expectation to include something fun, unique and above what a standard band would tour with,” Clegg added. Mr. B. built the original Sputnik in 2015 (“it’s still in working condition but reliant on fussy cabling!”). This time, the designers commissioned SCENIQ to create Sputnik 2.0 . “TANCK and SCENIQ were brilliant at reimagining my first designs into something that would work in that space. We landed on battery power and wireless DMX. Sputters was free!” Mr. B. said. “After that there were some very pleasing moments where I was able to create content that would make the most of the design, on a song-by-song basis, essentially treating each antenna as a single pixel high video screen, alongside all the other main screens I was working with.” A self-contained battery supply and wireless DMX capabilities completed the clean look. “Francis was keen to keep the cabling design down, so we’ve designed a whole battery system to run it which has been a challenge,” Sputnik 2.0 Technician Harry Harrison of SCENIQ, explained. The team started in July,
experimenting with ways to fly and track the system. On a fabrication side, that meant getting the hanging points right, and where it would sit when it flew on the Kinesys system, ensuring everything was level. On the wiring side, keeping the cables hidden required a different approach, ensuring practicality while making it visually impressive. “We are a small team, so all five of us were involved in the delivery of the prop,” Harrison said, praising his team. From fabricators, scenic, and electrical, we all played a part in the build.” The artificial satellite hid behind the main video screen and during the song, Sputnik, it revealed itself and tracked out above the heads of the audience soundtracked to the band and a sampling of the original 1957 beep tone of the world’s first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, and settled at the back of FOH, before returning. “The reception from the band in rehearsals was brilliant. I was named the ‘new dad of the Sputnik’ by Mr. B. It’s such an iconic, visual element synonymous with the band and album.” Before hitting the road, SCENIQ had Sputnik 2.0 running in Studio 5 at Production Park with Mr. B. programming effects.“As we are using wireless DMX, we are having to programme all the effects and add the tech unit inside in advance and triggering it with wireless DMX.” Colour Sound Experiment provided wireless transmitters and receivers early in the process. “It’s required a lot of collaboration and communication,” Harrison explained. “Mr. B. did all the pixel design during production rehearsals at Production Park and there are some subtle looks that make it look like it’s travelling fast through space with this twinkly, star-like effect.” The 60m track spanned the length from one end to the other with a low and slow effect, immersing the audience. “We are very proud of the outcome,” Harrison added. “We all came together to deliver something fantastic.”
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
Adding to the excitement, ER Productions provided six Stadium Blasters and 10 pyrotechnic positions. Each had three hits of pyro, overseen by Dom Raven and Connor McCluskey, who collaborated with the designers to implement the direction of the effects and the cue times. “We are proud to be involved in this show. Ally Pally is one of my favourite venues. The size and layout of the venue lend themselves to a fantastic atmosphere and an ideal location for Public Service Broadcasting,” ER Productions’ Marc Webber commented. “Whenever ER delivers a show, there are many people involved with split responsibilities and a main point of contact to the client who ensures delivery. The professionalism of the wider team on site and how they delivered the show is at a high level. The band have a great team around them who care about the success.” THE RACE FOR [VISUAL] SPACE Much of the footage for The Race for Space tracks is published with generous licences. As time has gone on, there is a much deeper mix of archive footage with original content created by Mr. B. “We also use some of our music videos in alternative ways, more suited to live multiscreen playback,” Mr. B. said. “One of my aims for PSB has been trying to avoid the ‘band under a cinema screen’ look and using our material across many surfaces in novel ways.” On stage the video deployment comprised 81 sq m of ROE Visual CB5 MKII LED screen with Colorlight Z6 4K processor rack and
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150m of HDMI fibre kit. The left and right IMAG package included 28.8 sq m of ROE Visual CB5 LED panels, spanning 3m by 4.8m. Video Crew Chief, Ian Lidstone and a team of five technicians, an engineer and vision mixer, oversaw the 6.30am build, collaborating with lighting departments to implement the video screens. IMAG screens were integrated as soon as the lighting trusses were flown. “It’s an interesting production with a really good team,” 24-year-old LED Technician and Camera Operator, Ollie said enthusiastically. “I’m not as experienced as the rest of the crew but I’ve already learned a lot on this job.” Vision Director for the IMAG screens, Barry Minter, cut for six cameras with additional onsite camera crew capturing bonus material. “I love the historical footage with the mixing of the music, cutting it ‘on the fly’, capturing and magnifying the band, dancers and the on-stage action. There’s lots of stuff to capture. I’m spoilt for choice!” The video system comprised a Blackmagic Design PPU ATEM Constellation 4M/E; Sony HDC-4300 camera channel; Canon UJ90 x9B UHD DIGISUPER and CJ24 ex7.5B IASE lenses; four Sony FR7 PTZ cameras and a Panasonic AW-RP60 Camera controller. To achieve the immersive control centre look, 60sq m of ROE Visual BP3 LED screens lined either side of the room, spanning 60m by 0.5m. “The banners down the side of and the console in the room look fantastic,” Minter remarked, lining up to prepare to capture the screens in the back of his shots, in addition
to the on-stage action. The show required extensive mapping across 20 surfaces to create a range of looks. “I also blended footage from my onstage roaming camera, which I mix using a home-built mobile app with feeds from the IMAG camera crew,” added Mr. B. Having provided ample automation, lighting, rigging, and video equipment and expertise to realise the project. Colour Sound Experiment’s Matt Eden commented: “We were pleased to work with Public Service Broadcasting and the design team on this show. The crew have worked with PSB for many years, so it was somewhat of a family reunion.” THEME FROM PSB “This is a tricky band to fly around; our minimum fly package is 20 pieces, and it’s hard to rely on local audio suppliers because this equipment is so particular and interconnected,” Production Manager and FOH Engineer, James Campbell explained. “We decided to put together a control package with Waves LV1 consoles, which fits my studio brain and something I’m familiar with mixing on. We deal with a lot of RF with this show, so Adlib supplied some equipment to overcome it, but my outboard rig includes Solid State Logic and Waves F6 multiband plugins for shaping, making the control package as streamlined as possible.” With four primary musicians, a four-piece, roving brass section with interchangeable instruments, and four guest singers, in addition to blending in a mix of archival instrumentation and rearrangements, Campbell was kept busy.
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Photography: Ed Davies
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
“The challenge is balancing the archive material, so it is not too harsh or nasally and keeping the sound of the record in a room like this, which can be chaotic, but it helps having engineered the records,” he added. “The noise from the stage is incredible, J. Willgoose’s guitar collection is extensive and well maintained; he runs the playback rig on the tour, and the band are brilliant musicians. PSB crowds are beautiful and friendly. You always get comments and ‘thank yous’ from them.” True to form, there was a tongue-in-cheek pre-show announcement asking the audience not to watch the entire show through their phone screen, which was met by a chorus of chuckles and was overwhelmingly adhered to. The CODA Audio PA system comprised flown AiRAY on the main hangs, CiRAY on the side hangs, and SCP-F subwoofers in a cardioid broadside array in front of stage. APS covered across the front of the stage with stereo infill delivered by a pair of APS boxes, covering the front few rows. Delays came in the shape of AiRAY with additional flown amplification to keep the loudspeaker cables short with LINUS14-D system amplifiers. With Sputnik making a return, and the existence of a B-Stage behind FOH, production wanted no cables to ‘drop’ in at FOH from trusses. To that end, Adlib used the lighting and video audience trusses to get the input multicores and return the system to FOH. Campbell: “We first heard CODA Audio at a festival and were impressed by it immediately.
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It was awesome on our Brixton show. [Systems Engineer] George Puttock, worked for CODA for a bit, and I convinced him to get in the car and drive around south Wales with me to do a tour of working men’s clubs with PSB and a CODA Audio rig.” George Puttock, System Engineer, has been involved in PSB’s shows for several years, taking regular stints away from the office, where he typically ‘drives the keyboard’ as a Systems Technical Manager at Adlib. “They are super-friendly, lovely, happy, smiley humans,” he said of his contemporaries. “It’s great working with James. He’s one of a kind and I’m a huge fan of the band. It’s great to support them as a professional and a fan.” Puttock says the PA system was chosen for its “power, clarity, intelligibility and transparency”. He elaborated: “It has great transient response and lends itself well to this music, which can go from delicate to heavy within milliseconds. There’s a lot of energy on tap when you need it.” Cabling ran down the trusses from stage, then via a rope-pick offstage to some venueprovided poles, then through some under-floor troughs that led to FOH. Adlib further provided some stands, cables and multicores for the support band, plus a few smaller extra channels of RF for PSB. Marci Mezei and Will Stringer (‘Strilly Winger’) made up the Adlib contingent on site. “There were a lot of ‘bits and bobs’ that needed to be done, so we all just did everything until it was done,”
Puttock commented, praising the versatility of the team. An Outline Newton Processor took left and right feeds from the FOH console, and left, right, and sub from the Allen & Heath SQ5 support console mixed by Hamish Hawk’s sound engineers. All returns were via CODA LINET, fed from FOH as a redundant pair to stage left, and redundant pair to the delays. Stage right got a redundant pair from stage left. Ultimate Analogue back up bypassed all processing and was routed directly to the amplifiers. Puttock harnessed CODA Audio System Optimiser software. “It’s an accurate reflection, so you know what needs fixing,” he said, noting his use of CODA Audio LINUS software to control the amps. MONITOR WORLD Like FOH, Monitor Engineer, John Duckett, mixed on a Waves LV1 console. “I’ve used it for a while, and it sounds amazing and is super flexible. When we do fly shows, the monitor console can travel in a Peli case, meaning we can keep a consistent sound and setup,” he added. “I stick to stock standard plug-in gates and an SSL package, which does everything you need it to do.” Four members of the band used Shure PSM 1000 in-ear monitoring systems with the rest of the performers using Sennheiser EK 2000 in-ear transmitters. Duckett deployed Rode shotgun mics to capture ambient noise, riding the faders in between songs. Adopting a ‘no frills’ approach to his mix, Duckett underlined
PRODUCTION PROFILE
the importance of relationships as a sound engineer. “After working with the band for over a year, I feel like we have a great understanding and there is super-clear communication, leaving no guesswork. Their mixes are so dialled in; it’s a pleasure to mix. For the grand finale, an apt cover of The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys, the five band members were joined by a five-piece brass section and five guest artists in addition to roller skaters, meaning Duckett’s console was split across 13 mixes with 50 channels coming into the console. In addition to the sheer number of people on stage, his primary challenge was overcoming the RF on the B-stage, around 60m from the main stage. “Normally, we have one set of antennas for the brass and JFA’s bass on a wireless pack as well and a helical for the in-ears, but we split them this time so anything coming off stage went through one Shure padel and one set of directional antennas and another antenna tree, a helical, that I rotated over to the B-stage when performers were there,” he explained, praising the artists’ proficiency. “They are technical performers. I just added a bit more click on B-stage, manually riding the gates and Primary Source Enhancers on their vocal mics, bringing the threshold up and then down when they’re singing.” Duckett pinpointed the dance-inspired reworking of the track, E.V.A, which he first heard in rehearsals, as among his favourite songs to mix on the setlist. “Pretty much all the sound
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coming from the stage sounds amazing. The drum kit is tuned super well, it’s a nice sounding kit and they’re all such good musicians, making it a pleasure to mix,” he continued. “It was amazing to be a part of this experience and understand how much this show means to them.” As the lunar regolith settled on the show and Sputnik 2.0 was shipped off into storage, Mr. B. concluded: “Alexandra Palace was a very special show for us. We really wanted to do something special for the fans, and that came through in everything – all the additions, all the guests, the staging, the pyrotechnics. There were more players on stage than ever: the brass section, the roller skaters, more dancing astronauts than we’ve ever had, everyone spilling out for the band’s first-ever full cover to close the night. It was special for me for personal reasons, too. Alexandra Palace was the home of my very first big gig – Blur, supported by Pulp, in their Parklife era, a one-off special back in 1994. To be standing there all these years later, putting on a one-off special of our own in that same room, was genuinely amazing.” www.publicservicebroadcasting.net www.tanck.co.uk www.adlib.co.uk www.coloursound.com www.er-productions.com www.crossland.ie www.sceniq.co.uk www.musicroomlondon.com www.productionpark.com
Assistant Programmer, Ed Frearson of TANCK; Production Designer, Francis Clegg of TANCK; Lead Programmer, Will Kinnard and Sputnik 2.0 Technician, Harry Harrison of SCENIQ.
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
DANIEL CAESAR: SON OF SPERGY Talent, musicality and friendships are the pillars of the production as the multiaward-winning artist returns to Europe with familiar faces behind the scenes...
Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Cal Halliwell
Son of Spergy is not your typical arena production. When Daniel Caesar hits the stage in his slippers grasping a tambourine, backed by a gospel choir and a band, you expect a heavily choreographed and timecoded machine to begin whirring. However, musical arrangements and setlists come and go on this tour, keeping the artist and his audience engaged, and the band and engineers on their toes. ‘Organic’ is a phrase used frequently by the creatives, attuned with the singer-songwriter’s freeform approach. No two shows are the same – and that is just the way Daniel Caesar likes it, as TPi discovers at Manchester’s Co-op Live. As documented in TPi #243, most of the core production team have spent years on the road with Daniel Caesar. “We are protective about the family element,” Production Manager, George Thoms said wistfully, explaining the reason why crew members stick around. “Touring is a human endurance test but there is no need to be rude or not have a laugh. The rest comes naturally…” To give crew a break, the tour split its vendor labour on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe, the production team enlisted the support of CSUK Buses (crew travel), PRG (atmospherics, lighting, rigging and video), and Triplex (audio), Fly By Nite (trucking), Mission Control (RF licensing), Blackout (drapes), Rock-it Cargo and Global Motion (freight), 1-2-1 Travel Connections (travel), among others. “Our suppliers provide a great service and support,” Thoms commented. Yet long days awaited the production and stage management teams, often stretching from 6am to 2am the following morning.
To lessen the burden on the wider team, production and stage management adopted a staggered approach to labour calls. “It saves money on local labour, and if you can afford to give crew an extra hour of sleep to ensure the safety of the team, we would go to the ends of the earth to do so,” Thoms said, having risen up the ranks from pushing flight cases to production management. “I understand how difficult the job is. I make sure to remind the crew daily how much they are appreciated, mostly with hugs and coffee.” On a typical day, the riggers perform their ‘walk and chalk’ between 6am and 7am. Once the rigging is in the air, the lighting grid is implemented before video and the vast PA system. The stage is built at FOH before rolling into place. Departments build in synchronicity, collaborating harmoniously within a tight space and the time allocated. “Collaboration is vital,” Stage Manager (Personnel), Casey Peterson explained, supported by Stage Manager, Andrew Crow (Production). “We all want to guarantee a great show. There is a lot of technology in proximity. We have had some great crews wherever we’ve gone. Our whole team treats everyone kindly. The carps work hard and are great team players,” Peterson said. “There are a few people experiencing their first tour in multiple continents, and they are exceeding expectations, which is exciting because plenty of us have had the opportunity to rise through the ranks in this camp.” With an undefined setlist, no cue points on stage, or special effects, the show is uniquely “organic” with a simple overhead lighting rig and an ‘indie film’ approach to video. Thoms
elaborated: “It allows him to perform whatever he wants, and that’s what he enjoys. The creative team of Creative Director Ellen Nielsen; Creative Director and Camera Operator, Alonzo Hellerbach work as one mind, with Alonzo on stage directing and operating the camera.” Thoms was supported by Tour Manager and Monitor Engineer, Mike Rowland and Tour Coordinator, Matthew ‘Riggsy’ Riggs in the production office. “One thing I have learned: I would not do a tour of this scale again without a production coordinator!” he laughed. “Thankfully, I’m on tour with two of my best mates with an amazing artist where all the shows are sold out, so it does not get any better than that.” Riggsy concurred: “It’s rewarding to see this camp grow through album cycles, tours getting bigger and travelling the world with my mates in conditions that keep getting better... As soon as the lights go out it reminds you why you do it. That privilege is not lost on us.” With the small matter of marriage in between tour campaigns, Riggsy looked forward to touring South America. However, having seen a show at The O2, the LA-based, UK native said staging a production in the venue was a “full-circle moment”. He added: “The fact that my parents got to see the show, after putting up with me missing school to tour in vans and trailers for years, was a bonus and a proud family moment.” TOUR MANAGEMENT AND MIXING According to Tour Manager and Monitor Engineer, Mike Rowland, the strong family vibe within the camp isn’t something many crews experience when an artist reaches a certain
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threshold. “We are as close when we get home as we are on the road, and in my experience, that is quite rare... To be able to tour with the same people for as long as we have is a pleasure,” Rowland enthused. Balancing “advancing for Tokyo and confirming trucking for Denver” mid-tour, going to mix the show was where Rowland was able to switch off from admin and focus on the faders – his 20-year-long pursuit. “My brain is so comfortable behind a console, and it provides Daniel comfort to see a familiar face.” Rowland mixed on a DiGiCo Quantum 8 console. “I quickly realised how much we would have to expand our remit from an RF standpoint for the performers and musically, given the everchanging nature of the show,” he explained. “We must tour with a system that can account for flexibility. I can’t use snapshots because it’s so varied; I have 36 mixes and 22 of them are on stage alone, so it’s busy but I’ve got a great team around me.” Sound Devices’ new Astral units were integrated on a HMA loop inside the system. “It has been a game changer,” Rowland commented. “The Shure ADPSM units combined with the Sound Devices Astral system; you turn everything on and it’s silent. There’s no noise floor. It’s incredible.” With Rowland busy during the day, RF Technician, Calvin Greening – embarking on his first tour of Europe – was able to jump in to push faders or make mix adjustments based on the room when required. “Mike gets the mix sounding killer during pre-production and
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takes care of it come showtime,” Greening said, reflecting on the endless pursuit for sonic perfection. “He’s just as neurotic as me about the tiny sounds.” RF coordination was achieved using SoundBase Pro. “It’s a phenomenal product that I’ve been using for a few years. Connecting to devices and being able to push frequencies through the software is so easy. Having the scan data and library and being able to put together rack coordination in advance is super helpful.” According to Greening, the Sound Devices Astral and Shure Axient Digital system takes everything to a new level. “As an RF tech, it makes my life so much easier. Being able to keep the ARX32s optical, two cables between the console – network cable out and antennas in – is really all we’re using and we can take that around the world and have consistency across 23 devices at 41 outputs with two pelicans in a fly kit. It’s so convenient, the ADPSM is so clean, and the noise floor is non-existent. I think the dynamic range of it is more impressive and it sounds so good.” The team harnessed the ‘ring’ function on microphones for Daniel to communicate creative ideas during the show. “This Sound Devices system is the only thing we’re carrying around the world, which has proved incredibly robust,” Rowland remarked, citing how the manufacturer developed a new firmware on the recommendation of the touring crew specifically for Austrian Audio 707 microphone capsules. For outboard, Rowland relied on his trusty Rupert Neve Designs
Shelford Channel into a 5045 Primary Source Enhancer. The acoustic guitar was fed into a Shelford Channel with Bricasti reverbs, along with a range of Waves plug-ins. “The way I mix Daniel is with a low gain and controlled approach in the ears. I sit riding his 5045 and compressors all night.” As the show progressed, Rowland communicated timings, doubling as a de facto show caller. “It’s surprising how much is going on through the desk outside of the mix – matrixing talkbacks, radios, communications,” he explained. “We use ProdCom to keep an eye on communication, calling songs, flagging variances musically, lighting cues and the next camera call.” Greening added: “We have 16 players that all face away from us, and are all using talkbacks during the show and the mix, which means you’re not hearing everything perfectly all the time, so having clarity about who is talking and what they are saying using ProdCom is ideal. It’s sped up workflow for us because we can have multiple choir members talk at the same time and not miss what they’re saying, as they can’t hear each other in their ears.” Daniel used FiR Audio Xenon 6 (XE6) in-ear monitors. “They are incredible,” Rowland said. “I’ve never heard a pair of in-ears that sound so clean. I think it’s because of that kinetic driver – the information being passed through the outer adds up, so we’ve made the switch to three pairs of XE6s, with the band and choir using a mixture of FiR Audio, JH Audio and Universal Ears on-ear monitor models.” Rowland captured atmospheric noise with a blend of ambient and
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Sennheiser 414 shotgun microphones. “I have made a few changes to the mic package for this tour,” he revealed. “I’ve added AEA mics to the drums and they sound fantastic.” The wider microphone package included Telefunken, Sennheiser 421, Neumann KM 184 and AKG C414XL II Condenser Microphones for overheads. “Austrian Audio sent me some dynamic and condenser microphones, which we’ve put on the guitar cabs and we all love them – they sound great!” Stage Patch, Victoria Almada oversaw all signals on stage, running the cables, from keys to drums, as well as the big multipin to ‘monitor world’. Adopting an efficient ‘looms, label, print, colour code’ approach, the engineer prepared each show – from All Points East to the O2 – to the same standard. “The challenges are acclimatising with local rules and regulations, but the stage management team keep us abreast of any additional hurdles or loopholes in advance,” Almada said, reflecting on the logistical dance and orchestration. CREW MEMBER 001 FOH Engineer, Cameron McLellan is the longest serving member of the camp, having mixed the artist in everything from 500- to 15,000-capacity venues. “It’s rewarding to have longevity and continuity with the artist. Everyone thinks they are going to make it but
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not everybody does. It’s neat to be there at ground zero and see him now selling out the likes of The O2 and Co-op Live.” While the first four songs remain the only constant, the rest of the show sees Daniel Caesar, his band and the choir experiment with song structures and arrangements. “It keeps us on our toes,” McLellan remarked, mixing on a DiGiCo Quantum 326. “I have grown to love this console.” On his main buss was The God Particle by Cradle fed into a Rupert Neve Designs Portico 2. An Empirical Labs Fatso added “warm, saturation and harmonics” to the 16-piece choir, and in terms of third party VSTs, FabFilter ProMB tidied the low mid information from the choir and eight keyboards. “I am using Black Salt Audio Silencer plugins on my drum gates, which helps with the splash from cymbals, so there are clean hits,” McLellan explained, walking TPi through his setup. “Beyond that, Waves H-Reverb plugins, Rupert Neve Designs 5055 on Daniel’s vocal. His chain is Universal Audio API 2500 into Waves C6 Multiband Compressor into a FabFilter Pro-MB into Pro-Q to clean up any acoustic noises and nuances.” With no snapshots, the engineer danced through layers and was constantly adjusting the mix. “Not only do they switch which songs they are playing, they switch which versions, so sometimes it’s acoustic, other times it’s
electric, other times it’s the full band and choir,” he explained, citing some of his favourite tracks to mix. “There is a version of Always which is full band and 16-choir harmonising, which sounds great. The fuller songs are fun to mix. I use my drums as the foundation of the mix, so they are probably louder than a usual pop act, but I feel like that is a good foundation to the house I’m building, so the drum-led songs are my favourite to mix. On the other hand, the tracks with just him and an acoustic guitar are special and more nuanced.” In addition to servicing the control package, Triplex supplied a d&b audiotechnik GSL/KSL PA system. “The input list is over 150 channels alone, so it’s a substantial package. This is a nice camp to work with. We strive to provide neat control packages so the crew can walk straight from a flight, do line check and finishing touches, and we’re ready to roll,” Triplex’s Ian Bultichude commented. “Triplex has been great at fulfilling our requests; we walked into the shop, and our outboard and file was good to go – we only had to make slight tweaks to make it tour-ready,” McLellan said, praising the tour’s audio vendor and PA system of choice. “GSL/KSL is newer technology and more information, high fidelity and dynamism, so I’m tweaking it more than the d&b audiotechnik J Series PA system we toured with in the US, but I love it. I go for warmth with the mix, which some people would
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
call ‘dark’. I don’t like anything too dark and after one sound check System Engineer Jack Murphy and I were on the same wavelength.” The wider sound team featured: Backline Technician and Carpenter, Peter Tenute; Guitar and Bass Technician, Jeremy Frost; Backline Technician, Scott Saunders; Playback and Keyboard Technician, Jae Kwon Park; Musical Director, Billy Schlag; FOH Technician and Audio Crew Chief, Will Nicholson; Systems Technician at the O2 arena, Josh Bruty; PA Technician, John Smith; Audio Technician, Nathan Morse; Riggers, Jay Call, Matt Avenell, Danny Haynes; Rigging Handover, Caleb Darling and Jack Murphy. “It’s rewarding to tick off all these arena venues with all your buds,” McLellan concluded. ‘A DISTILLED APPROACH TO LIGHTING’ Lighting Director, Eric Morris, operated the show – designed and programmed by Dakota Peak – using an MA Lighting grandMA3 full size console, and a light as a back up. “The brief was to work closely with the creative team to meet the vision for the show. It’s a 65K show with single spots, unusually. This design brings the theatre aspect to production design and is what I define as a distilled approach to lighting.” GLP impression X5 Bars and JDC Bursts provided up- and downstage illumination. A
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PRG Ground Control followspot system and three ladders of truss adorned with Vari-Lite VL3500s provided colour temperature, with MDG theONE generators providing ample low fog and atmospherics. “The track, Moon, sees shapers that close into darkness and then open and close again – it’s brave to leave your stage in darkness for a measure, which makes for a cool look,” Morris said, highlighting his favourite moment. Morris was supported on site by Lighting Technicians, Dom White, Sara Janebrink, Michael Howe, Jeannie Fong, Scott Ordish and Remie Buchanan. The followspots followed the direction of the multi cameras, bumping the key and fill, with Morris evaluating the onstage conditions to synchronise the creativity of the video department. “There’s a lot of top light, and we have a lot of skirting so you can’t see where the fixtures are. The beam spreads before you realise it’s there.” EXPERIMENTAL FILMING TECHNIQUES Forgoing the traditional approach to video, the creative team – inspired by and drawn from the indie film scene – toured with a solitary backwall of a INFiLED TITAN-X translucent video screen panels with Barco processing as the visual focal point. At the top of the show, lights pierced through the LED to create a cathedral church
look. Content, which changed as the tour progressed, was blended with live, handheld camera filmic footage. Creative Director and Camera Operator, Alonzo Hellerbach, took the unusual approach of capturing footage on stage with a Sony PXW Z450 handheld camera with additional camera cuts spliced in. Background removal, split screen, and found footage made for an expansive and evolving show. The setup featured a Disguise X1 media server loaded with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card with 4TB and 64G of RAM on an Ultra 9 Intel Core. A Blackmagic Design SSD HyperDeck Studio PRO and Ross Carbonite switcher cut cameras and PIPs. The team comprised: Video Crew Chief, Alastair MacDiarmid; Video Technicians, Christian Medina, Nigel Rosierse, Conor Downey, Bradley Luis-Hobbs and Collin Wilkey. With one upstage screen, it was easier for the visual team to balance content and facilitate the creativity of the camp. The camera operators were rehearsing and lining up a new crossover shot on site at Co-op Live, proving the benefit of having the bulk of the creative team on site, experimenting and piloting shots on the fly. The video team used Companion with a Stream Deck XL Plus to swipe through pre-loaded content and adjust knobs manually to make delivering the content
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a more experimental and tactile experience. The video rig also included a backup computer for rendering and a fisheye lens. The eight-camera setup included four wireless Panasonic AW-UE160KEJ PTZ cameras, a lipstick camera on Daniel’s piano, and two robotic cameras for the opening DJ and audience finding camera, used in the build-up the show, making for a wholly wireless setup with only one battery change required for Hellerbach mid show. For the song, Always, the visuals incorporate the crowd, cross dissolving between camera one and another focussed on the crowd, blending two differing worlds. In addition to the Background Removal capabilities of Notch, the colour grading engine allowed the team to achieve the ‘look’ of the show, white balancing cameras and finessing the output. The wider Son of Spergy crew featured: Security, Norbert Turczynski; Management, Jordan Evans and Matthew Burnett; BOH, Elen ‘EJ’ Peace; Lead Carpenter, Daniel Cano; Beat The Street Artist Bus Driver, Alex Pinto; Band Driver, Michael Bach; Choir Driver, Sean Addams; CSUK Drivers Paul ‘Shagger Shea, Lloyd Brown and Dean Westwood; Lead Truck Driver, Graham Briggs; Truck Drivers, Nicholas Evans, Matasha Koziol, Wayne Bruffin, Ryan Hazelden, John
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Sharply, Robert Alin Nitu, Callum Pepperell, Richard Thompson, Mark Taylor, Marcin Kraus, Gerald Batt and Ramsey Lafose, among others. “One of my favourite parts of the industry is being able to offer other people opportunities, and I’d much rather work with competent individuals willing to learn than those who think they know everything,” Tour Manager and Monitor Engineer, Rowland concluded – pinpointing the career ascension of Production Manager, George Thoms and Stage Manager, Casey Peterson as examples of those being called to the “big leagues” and delivering. Rowland concluded: “Everyone is super strong and lovely, which is all I can ask for. It is so gratifying having the touring crew express a desire to continue with the camp once this wraps up.” www.sonofspergy.com www.triplexuk.com www.prg.com www.csuk.coach www.beatthestreet.net www.flybynite.co.uk www.missioncontrolltd.com www.blackout.co.uk www.rockitcargo.com www.globalmotion.com www.1-2-1travel.net
Video Technical Director, Collin Wilkey with PRG Video Technician, Bradley Luis-Hobbs; Stage Patch, Victoria Almada; RF Technician, Calvin Greening; FOH Engineer, Cameron McLellan; Tour Manager and Monitor Engineer, Mike Rowland; Audio Crew Chief, Will Nicholson; Systems Engineer, Jack Murphy and Monitor Engineer, Ian Bultichude of Triplex.
PRODUCTION PROFILE
ARIANA GRANDE: ETERNAL SUNSHINE The consummate artist returns to the stage for the first time in seven years with a feast for the eyes, ears and mind with her steadfast crew in tow…
Words: Alicia Pollitt Photos: Julian Dakdouk, Katia Temkin and TPi
PRODUCTION PROFILE
Following Ariana Grande’s Sweetener World Tour in 2019, which saw her headline Coachella, tour her celebrated GRAMMYs Best Pop Vocal record, and tick off nearly 100 dates, it is no wonder that the singer took a step away from touring for a while – specifically to play Glinda in blockbuster film, Wicked. Finally, seven years after her previous foray into touring, Grande hit the road again to celebrate her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. With an elaborate staging design that saw a dedicated team embark on 41 shows, across only a handful of venues, the artist and her touring team present the innovation and production value that a residency style of touring can offer. TPi caught up with the crew a week before the tour’s end date, at The O2 in London, and was met warmly by Production Manager Andres Restrepo, who was a late addition to the tour, joining the camp for the final two weeks of rehearsals. With such a short lead time, the Production Manager placed a huge amount of trust in the team that was already in place. Confident that everybody on the tour had been hired for their talent, his priority was encouraging interdepartmental synergy. “Culture is crucial to me,” Restrepo smiled, crediting Production Coordinator Kim Hilton, and Production Assistant, Tricia Engelbert with helping to create a welcoming atmosphere in the production office. “As a newcomer to this camp, I wanted to be as open as possible,” he added. “One way of doing that has been having a suggestion box for the tour where
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crew members can submit any requests and, if possible, we can implement them.” With the production carried in 32 trucks, weighing just under 240,000lbs, and taking an average of 22 hours to load-in each night, Restrepo described the tour as a “stadiumlevel show inside an arena”. The technical and logistical vendors included 1826 Studio (production and lighting design), 1826 Group (producer), PRG (lighting), Fuse Technical Group (video), Clair Global (audio), Pyrotecnico (SFX), TAIT (staging and automation), Four 4 Solutions (rigging), Dreamliner (NA trucking), Stagetruck (UK trucking), and Dreamliner (US trucking), Auto Bus and Transportation Charter Services (bussing). Restrepo had worked with several of the vendors across different projects. “It has been the honour of a lifetime to be a part of this tour,” he reflected, praising his crew as well as the suppliers. “Seeing how passionate people are in this industry is my biggest motivation. From our crew to the suppliers; people are sacrificing time spent with family to be here, and for me that is the best thing in the world.” TWILIGHT ZONE Global entertainment agency 1826 brought together all technical elements of the show, with CEO Joe Sanchez at the helm and Matt Flyzik on board as Tour Director. “Ariana is such a star, and to be a part of the team that delivered such a demanding show makes me proud,” Flyzik commented. 1826 started its relationship with the singer a couple of
years before the Eternal Sunshine Tour hit the road for one-off shows and award show features, with talk of the logistics behind the tour beginning in December of 2025. “For a show of this level, we realised very early on that the venues we were visiting didn’t have the stadium-sized spaces that were required, which is why the format of the residency style helped us go above and beyond a traditional arena show,” Flyzik explained. For the Tour Director, the beginning process involved reaching out to the industry to understand the different bandwidths of the varying vendors. “It turned out everyone wanted to be a part of it,” Flyzik laughed, going on to say that the inclusion of TAIT was a “no-brainer” to the team. “For the rest of our vendors, we gave everyone a fair chance and didn’t play favourites; it came down to who could deliver the best product, at a competitive price, with the best crew. We were really happy with who we ended up working with, and they were all excited to be involved.” Sanchez went on to echo Flyzik’s thoughts, he said: “We had been talking about the tour for a while in between different promotions and it grew from there; we ended up with around 40 trucks for the O2 show,” Sanchez smiled. “I believe the Eternal Sunshine Tour was the heaviest show the venue had ever had; it was an insanely huge production.” Sanchez praised the team, as well as further commending Restrepo for his work, naming him a “superstar” who “stepped up”. For the CEO, who took on the mantle of Executive Tour
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and Creative Producer for the run, teamwork was paramount. “Thousands of hours with our fantastic vendors went into this and to work with Rob [Sinclair, Production and Lighting Designer] and Christian Breslauer [Creative Director] to pull the original ideas into reality made it one for the books,” Sanchez said, not forgetting to mention Chris Kansy, who acted as a technical consultant for the tour. “For me, it was all about putting together a team that has been doing this for a long time, which included Rob, who has been a long-time friend ever since we started working together in 2004.” INTRO (END OF THE WORLD) True to form, and in reflection of the extended universe created in honour of the tour’s namesake album, Grande took to the stage with a five-act show that sprinkled in her older classics while also honouring newer melodies, all interspersed with interlude video clips of her take on 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. From subtle nods to her past eras, with younger versions of Grande receiving memory erasure, Breslauer’s creative direction saw the tour follow a path down reflection and recognition of everything that brought Grande to tour for the first time in six years. In collaboration with Breslauer, and transferring everything spectacular about the world of Eternal Sunshine to a touring stage, was Sinclair, who was introduced to the camp by 1826 and was first brought in for the singer’s appearance on SNL. “I am very grateful that Christian and Ari asked me back to be a part of the tour. They were both extremely hands-on
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when it came to formulating the aesthetic of the show; the detail they put into the stage, graphics and narrative is impressive, and the show was so much better because of it,” Sinclair said. “Christian’s brief was focussed on the story and the extension of the world they had already curated in the short film.” Vectorworks was used throughout as the design moved from concept to fruition, with later programming taking place utilising Syncronorm Depence. “Matt Geasey from Clear All Visuals did a great job as tech director and keeping the master drawing,” Sinclair said, extending praise to PRG. “We were really looked after by Jason Winfree and John Wiseman; the kit was reliable, and Seig and his crew were a delight to work with.” Sinclair worked with the programming team of Erin Anderson, Aaron Veness and Anna Merritt to ensure the show was both suitable for camera and audience view; the production and lighting designer cited the extended thrust and the time Grande spent there throughout the show as a challenge. Veness also acted as Associate Designer and Lighting Director on the run, utilising an MA Lighting grandMA3 setup in an elevated position among the audience seating at The O2 Arena. “This show is quite theatrical, with an elaborate set, so it meant that I could really lean into my background in theatre,” Veness said. The residency-style setup meant that the rig could be more extensive than many touring setups. “We have got everything that we need,” Veness stated. For he and Sinclair, the tour was the first time they had been able to experiment with
Production Manager, Andres Restrepo, Production Coordinator Kim Hilton, and Production Assistant, Tricia Engelbert; Associate Designer and Lighting Director Aaron Veness; Media Server Operator, Austin Hammond and the Stage Management team made up of Mike ‘Bro’ Howson, Roger Cabot, Chris Raines and Frankie Antonio.
Ayrton’s EagleStrike, which they were both impressed with. Additional fixtures also included ACME LIGHTING PIXEL LINE IP, Astera AX5, NYX Bulb, Ayrton Domino LT, Rivale Profile, Veloce Profile, GLP impression X5 Compact, JDC Burst 1, JDC Burst 1 RT and Vari-Lite VL2600 Profile from PRG. Towards the end of the Eternal Sunshine Tour, Grande dropped her eighth studio album, Petal. For Veness, this meant a slight adaptation was required. “It was still very much the Eternal Sunshine Tour, but in the lead-up we were aware that new material was coming in from Ari and that has made it so exciting,” Veness said. “Ari has a lot to show, and with the show being storyline heavy, we were able to add more depth and add a breath of fresh air halfway through the tour.” Pyrotecnico, which supplied cryogenic effects including Quad Jets and Freeze Fog, commented on the company’s involvement: “Being a part of Ariana Grande’s tour has been an incredible honour. Working behind the scenes with our teams to provide the special effects has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to a production of this magnitude,” said Project Manager Jackson Frazier. “When you’re surrounded by so many talented people who each play an important role in a show like this, it’s a privilege to know
that our work is one small piece of something so special. “There is so much work, passion, precision, and dedication that goes into a tour of this level, and I’m incredibly grateful to have a place within it,” he added. “It’s easy to look at something this big and think of our contribution as just a small part, but being trusted to be there and do what we do is something I don’t take for granted. Experiences like this remind us why we love what we do.” SATURN RETURNS INTERLUDE For Video Director, Bertrand ‘Bert’ Paré, cinematic was the starting point. “I wanted to approach the show as though we were shooting for posterity and any future outlet. The priority was creating the best possible experience for the audience in the room, but I also wanted to make sure we were capturing something that could have a life beyond the live show,” Bert said, going on to tell TPi that is why the production ultimately chose the deployment of RED Digital Cameras. “We wanted a cinematic image – something that looked beautiful on the screens. One of the challenges I enjoyed was trying to give every act its own visual language. The physical camera positions don’t change, so we’re working with the same tools and viewpoints all
night, but I never wanted the entire show to feel like it was being photographed the same way.” For “huge horror fan” Bert, the theatrics of Eternal Sunshine and the album themes were something he felt he could lean into more as he “understood the visual language instinctively”. He elaborated: “There’s an angelic quality that’s very much part of Ariana’s persona and the visual world around her, but some of the newer material introduced while we were touring became more band-forward and had a darkness to it that I really connected with,” Bert added. “Our camera heads could tilt, and we started using that to introduce ‘Dutch angles’ during some of those darker moments. Suddenly, the same camera positions could create this slightly uneasy, almost horrorfilm feeling. For some of those songs I’d be on comms yelling, ‘Make it weirder!’ to the operators. I wanted them to have permission to find things that felt a little uncomfortable or unexpected rather than always chasing the conventional shots. That was one of the most interesting challenges of the show: how do you make every act feel visually different when your cameras haven’t physically moved?” Bert credited the audience on how polite they were, which meant that for some points Steadicam Operator, Brian Sergott was able to be in the audience to capture content, which
PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD WITH THE GREATEST ARTISTS THIS SUMMER
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was ideal for the Video Director, who was a fan of that particular angle. “It always frustrates me when you go onto social media and the audience has better angles that you may not be able to achieve from that close in the pit,” he said. “It is also so nice to have depth with audience hands in the foreground. I loved peppering in these shots.” Bert utilised CuePilot for some of his direction, which he credited for letting him work as if he were editing in post. The Video Director said this helped with some of the moments that were choreographed so that the edit could be automated and precise with timing. “You can get down into the choreography, lighting and tiny movements onstage and build the edit around them. Then, after each show, I’ll go back and refine it. Whether that is to move a cut slightly, tighten a sequence, or find a better moment, it allows us to become incredibly dialled in over the course of the tour,” he said. “That only works for certain sections of a show, especially highly choreographed numbers. A good chunk of the show needed a more reactive and slightly improvised edit, or sometimes a hybrid of the two, where we wanted a precise dance breakdown followed by an improvised sequence.” Bert credited the tour’s narrative structure for giving him a lot to work with, while also not
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forgetting Breslauer’s work with Grande as a springboard. “It was a really interesting project to step into because the show had such a strong visual identity and a specific creative language already built around it,” he said. “Each act had its own personality, and I wanted the camera direction to reflect that. Camera direction shouldn’t sit on top of the storytelling; it should be part of it.” Media Server Operator, Austin Hammond looked after a large deployment of six Disguise GX 3+ servers, overseeing the implementation of video content across many surfaces, including the LED floor. “It’s part of the reason why me and Aaron are positioned up here, so we can be aware of every single surface, all of the time. We’re using four different LED products on this, so we’re consistently working towards the same colour and look across the different surfaces, which can be a challenge, but we have it dialled in now,” Hammond said. The addition of a show caller, in a hybrid role for Stage Manager Frankie Antonio, for Hammond was welcome. “Positions are incredibly important on this run; everyone must hit their mark, as there are a lot of moving parts,” he explained. “Frankie has done a great job considering he had no previous experience in the role and with a lot of people and comms channels he keeps a cool head and
communicates clearly. That has meant that we can adapt consistently if we need to.” Video Crew Chief, Edward Prescott, walked TPi through the “video-heavy” deployment. “We have LEDs everywhere, from an LED floor to an automated upstage wall, which becomes a downstage LED wall as it is on what we call a ‘racetrack LED’,” he explained. “It’s unusual, and it took a lot of collaboration with TAIT.” As has been a trend in the large-scale touring world, the tour also featured an extensive camera package to catch the singer no matter where she was on the stage. Fuse Technical Group deployed RED Raptor XL VV Cine-Live Camera Chains with a variety of Fujinon Duvo lenses, Sony FR7 PTZ cameras, a Steadicam via Built Cinema, RED Digital Komodo, a CuePilot system, and a Barco QDX45K laser projector. “The RED cameras give these lovely cinematic, wide shots as well as those glorious close-ups of Ariana which are great,” Prescott said. “Coming from that video angle, productions are becoming more savvy to the best quality cameras available, which is no bad thing,” he explained. “We’re a 20-person department; video is becoming an even more integral part of the production than ever.” The Video Crew Chief commended his crew for their hard work on the run, specifically
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the team’s ability to remain calm, cool and collected. “We can teach the technical aspects of a show, and there is always more to learn, but you cannot teach attitude,” he stated. “The attitude my team demonstrates when under serious pressure has made it a pleasure to manage this department.” The large video deployment didn’t stop at the camera package, with ROE Visual Vanish V4ST panels utilised for the LED header, automated venetian wall, and automated halo, while the stage fascia was a mixture of the Vanish V4ST panels, and Vanish V8T. For the LED flooring, Fuse Technical Group deployed Yestech MG7S and MG9S tiles. Processing was handled by Brompton Technology SX40, XD10, NovaStar MX40 and CVT-10 fibre distribution boxes. “All of our LED panels have been rock solid,” Prescott said. “For us at Fuse, it has been a tour we have been very proud to be involved with, and we were glad to get a longer lead time to work closely with TAIT on the automation, as it is quite intricate.” He continued: “The buzz around this tour has been tremendous; there is a lot of love in the air, and the tour has been a genuine show of love for the arts in general.” Patrick Eaton, Senior Project Manager at Fuse Technical Group, added: “This project embodies some of the best work that we do at
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Fuse. When we first got the design from Rob, we knew we had to come up with a fair number of custom solutions. Thankfully, we have a fantastic relationship with TAIT and that made the scenic and automation integration an open dialogue that sped things along. I can’t say enough about Max and Saron as well as the rest of the TAIT team, for their collaboration. Aaron Levy’s expertise was also invaluable as our departments were so heavily intertwined,” he said. “Working with Rob, Bert, Simon, and Christian was a great exercise in teamwork. We had early and frequent communication about what they were trying to achieve creatively, which helped tremendously.” Eaton furthered: “I’m super grateful to Topher Davison for his keen eye across many different avenues and keeping the plates spinning across a rolling series of preps and installations across three locations. Ed Prescott and his eye for making sure our crew really had a good handle on this in both pre-production and throughout the tour really helped cap off what I think is the best part of Fuse, our people.” SUPERNATURAL The most photographed part of the show was the grand finale, where Grande is seen to levitate at the end of the catwalk – recreating the album cover. Ensuring the flight was
Automation crew featuring Garrett Schnathorst, Cody Vincent, Brandon Davis, Patricio Rodriguez, Eamon Keane, Amanda Jobe, Emil Soare, Barb Pinnow, Tim Gregg and Aaron Levy; Video crew standing: Billy Young, Bert Pare, Graham Lambkin, Adam ‘K’ Knowles, Jeroen Mahieu, Sean Brazenall, Ed Prescott, Josh Pressgrove, Tom Kelly, LJ Busby, Austin Hammond, Bailian Valentine, Saria Ofogba. Sitting: Lane Stanley. Mike Bailey, Josh Ramos, Jabari Blackmond, Jim ‘Wizard’ Watt, and Harry Wilson-Bamborough; The audio crew, consisting of Jalen Cline, Arielle Sorkin, Bree Bailey, Korey Lantaff, William Laing, Justin Hoffman, Thomas Huntington, Marvin Cabool, Toby Francis and Charles Ross.
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smooth sailing every night was down to the automation team, led by TAIT. It wasn’t just the abduction gag that the automation team had to handle, with the video halo at the end of the thrust also moving up and down as well as displaying the video content throughout and during the interludes. Other highlights included the LED tiles on a track, moving from upstage to downstage, allowing for set changes on the house set, and adding dynamics to the show. Aaron Levy, Automation Crew Chief, and his team also looked after the opening of the show, which saw Grande and dancers standing behind a drape, with a spotlight projecting the silhouettes and as the countdown displayed on the Halo finished, sniffers pulled away the drape, unveiling the set, and Grande. “We have a tracking, rotating video wall, a halo that comes down, Austrians, kabuki, sniffers, and lifts – so practically one of everything,” he laughed. “There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into making everything as seamless as possible, and for us, it was a lot of smart people putting in a tremendous amount of effort. Seeing it come together has been very satisfying,” said Levy. With an automation team of 10, a largescale automation and performer-flight, Levy believed that the deployment wouldn’t have been possible without the residency style of the run. “This show is the size of a stadiumlevel production, so it has been great that we’re running with a little more time to get in
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the room before an audience gets in here,” Levy commented. “My team on this have been awesome, super professional and have killed it from the beginning. Speaking of the wider production team, I don’t think I have ever worked on a tour that has had our back as much as Andres and the team have had.” Levy transitioned from freelancing for TAIT to full-time staff following the pandemic, and praised the company: “I appreciate working somewhere where the resources are so vast, and everyone is very knowledgeable. I am very good at my job, but I have the ability to call on people who are much smarter than me whenever I need the support,” Levy said. Fabrication took place at TAIT’s Lititz base. According to Max Nash, Project Manager at TAIT, preproduction was crucial to the process, which allowed the team to get the weight management correct. “One of the primary challenges was the weight of the hanging structure as well as making it engineered to be safe for performer flying,” he explained. “We created an aluminium internal structure to help keep the overall weight down while being strong enough to withstand all of the lighting panels being attached to it.” TAIT also engineered a hatch system that could open and close. For the finale, the attached light panels featured glass, so to ensure longevity on the road, the company also adapted its traditional packaging, as well as the halo having design accommodations for
any replacements mid-tour. “For TAIT, Eternal Sunshine featured a mix of everything we can do for an integrated show. From performer flight, kabuki, and track truss to LED staging, scenic and lifts, our team’s work made a complex show seem elegant as it pulled off each cue seamlessly,” Nash concluded. HAMPSTEAD Four stage managers were needed for the feat, including Lead Stage Manager Roger Cabot, Stage Manager and Show Caller Frankie Antonio, Dock Master Mike ‘Bro’ Howson and Show Stage Manager, Chris Raines. Antonio, with his past experience as a stage manager, took on the mantle of Show Caller for the first time after taking on training by Julia Whittle. “There are a lot of moving parts in this show, so as taught by Julia, I write everything down on paper,” Antonio said. “I was a bit reluctant at the start, but Julia was adamant that technology has its moments of failing, so paper was our best bet. Before this show I don’t even remember the last time that I used a pencil sharpener, but now I swear by it. I’m blessed that Julia trained me because she is a master at her craft. Learning how to understand the cadence of the show was paramount, especially when I had around 16 different channels of people talking to me.” Antonio utilised Qlab to assist him with the showcaller aspect of the show and utilised CuePilot to get his timecode dialled in – the
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
stage manager credited his usual role in helping him understand the flow of the show. Lead Stage Manager, Cabot, emphasised the need for four stage managers on the run: “It’s quite a long load-in, and depending on the venue it can be difficult to have the space to unload. When I first started in the industry, five trucks was a big show, and now five trucks is what an artist would take to a festival.” Having been in the industry since 1984, citing his first load out on 17 June of that year, Cabot is “constantly amazed” at how shows grow and how designers are going from strength to strength. “It’s exciting to see the same blank canvas of a room change so many times, and it should be a thorn in my side, but deep down I really appreciate how live shows are adapting,” Cabot said. With a show of this scale, he was most impressed by the rigging package and how the rigging team worked together, he elaborated: “The layering for this show is so crucial, and it can take a while to lay that down efficiently, everything that goes into the roof is a masterclass of rigging,” Cabot said. The rigging team of Richard ‘Baggy’ Bagwell, Steve Davidson, Josh Cardona and Brendon Livingston, led by Gabe Wood, looked after the intricate rig, with around 141 active motors and a show weight of just under 240,000lbs. “Rigging looks a little different on this tour than
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any other I have done, with a lot less load-ins than actual shows, so our schedule looks a lot different to the other crew on this,” Baggy said. “Once the rig is in, it’s just about doing our due diligence each day – it makes it more difficult to get into the groove but has also meant that we has been able to have more rest.” DANDELION Coming as a pair, as seen before in TPi #290, was FOH Engineer Toby Francis, and Sound System Engineer, Thomas Huntington. “We have worked together for three years now,” Huntington said of his partnership with Francis. “He’s a very lovable person to work with, and I enjoy every minute of it.” Francis, one of Grande’s longest-standing touring crew members, mixed BOH on a Yamaha PM5000, with a Midas HD96 for good measure alongside the analogue desk. “This is the third tour that Ari, Jonny Natural and I have worked on together, so it was another round of a very fine-tuned machine. Ariana is an absolute joy to work for, especially for the band, backline, playback and audio team as she has great ears, work ethic and enjoys building a show,” Francis began. “I chose the PM5000 for this tour as we had used another analogue console for a live project and we got to hear what an analogue approach could do to the overall sound of
Ari’s music. Two years later, it happened. The PM5000 is a great-sounding console with zero maintenance issues and automation offering moving fader and mute scenes. I had used one when a different tour was already very familiar with its sound, and with 20 stereo inputs in its 52-channel frame it would offer us 72 inputs. The HD96 was used to provide us extra effect returns, a MIDI hub to edit automation data for the PM5000, the 4 UAD servers, and all the MIDI effects hardware units.” Francis also had a complete mix following the snapshots in case the analogue failed, which neither system did. The HD96 also distributed mixes to video for archiving purposes, since audience mics landed in that console. “We had Grace preamps on stage and the UAD Servers gave us the ability to insert them into the Dante stream between the preamps and the converters providing EQ, dynamic automation and phase and time correction for the inputs,” Francis added. “In rehearsal, I created a static scene on the PM5000 that we used for the entire rehearsal period. We tweaked every song to the static scene, so that once we finished rehearsals, building the snapshots was easy.” Francis also deployed two Clair dual 23 space racks, both full of units such as Rupert Neve Designs 5052, GML 8200, API 2500/50, as well as Wes Audio, Stam Audio units and
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a Fairchild 670. “And so on...” Francis said, smiling. “We approached this tour like a studio project and tried different avenues until we liked how it sounded.” For Francis, mixing back of house was the best option, especially with the crowd volume, he elaborated: “Having a consistent reference to mix from was so much better for me. I produced the polished mix, and Thomas mastered that mix to the room, while Bill maintained that mix throughout the show. Bill, Thomas and I work very well together; this is by far the best audio team I have ever had. Like Ari, they all performed perfectly throughout and were amazing to work with,” Francis said. Huntington, who looked after a Cohesion CO12 system, despite the extended thrust and B-stage, wanted to prioritise ensuring Grande was kept behind the PA as much as possible for the run, both for better quality for the audience and less interference for the singer. “We were given the opportunity to position the PA where it would be more appropriate, whilst not interfering with the creative elements, because of the fact we were indoors for the run,” Huntington began. “I had an epiphany at the start of the process, where we would have had to add delay stacks because of the Halo at the B-Stage regardless, so it really worked in our favour.” Huntington also noted that each of the amp racks were flown alongside the PA, allowing the production to drop three tonnes of cable. “The show was already very heavy, so for us to be able to adapt that has made it more breathable, and I believe the rigging team were happy with us for being able to drop over
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6,000lbs,” he said. In testament to the Clair Global Cohesion system, Huntington named the CF28 boxes as the “best sounding point source that Clair has put out to date.” The systems engineer also noted the singer’s range and how FOH Engineer, Francis has to be on the ball consistently to follow her runs, as well as Grande also tracking her own vocals. “Ariana is an extremely dynamic singer, and the range she can hit even in the same song is extremely impressive so for us, it’s just conveying that to an audience, and the best option was to keep her behind the PA, even on the thrust,” Huntington added. Monitor Engineer, Charles Ross, positioned under the back of the stage and accompanied by Monitor Tech, Korey Lantaff, mixed on a DiGiCo Quantum 852 with the performers on stage on a mixture of JH Audio, Ultimate Ears, 64 Audio and FiR Audio IEMs. “The band and Ari are an absolute pleasure to work for, and are a set of really strong performers who have made things easier for us,” Ross said. “The show is truly curated, and the effort the entire team has put into the sound, how the different tracks blend into what is being played on stage, it has been a pleasure to be a part of it.” The Eternal Sunshine Tour marks Ross’ second year utilising the DiGiCo Quantum 852 console, and for the Monitor Engineer a highlight for him is the workflow. “I absolutely love it, everything is so well put together and it is so intuitive,” Ross added. The team also utilised, at the time of writing, unreleased Sennheiser handhelds, with Grande being a dedicated user of the brand’s microphones since the beginning of her career.
“We’re also utilising the 9235 capsule that was re-issued last year, which has been great to get those capsules again,” Ross said. “We’re also utilising Sennheiser Spectera, which has been amazing across the board.” For Stagetruck, which provided 40 trucks, and was led by Steve Berry as Lead Planner, and Gary Cooper, Lead Driver, being involved in the tour was a highlight. “We loved being part of the tour and we have a long and established relationship with the production team, who are such a pleasure to work with,” Stagetruck’s Steve Berry commented. “The show was absolutely incredible and everything she does, and everyone she works with, is brilliant.” From an end-of-show abduction, to an ever-changing video setup and the odd Wicked nod, the Eternal Sunshine Tour stands as the most technologically ambitious and authentic touring production the singer has ever done. To tour to this scale, even after seven years away from flightcases and tour buses, shows the extent to which the crew of Eternal Sunshine, both on the road and off it, came together to ensure that audiences were truly spoiled on the eyes and ears. shop.arianagrande.com www.eighteentwentysix.com www.dreamlinertrucks.com www.prg.com www.pyrotecnico.com www.fuse-tg.com www.clairglobal.com stagetruck.com www.taittowers.com www.four4solutions.com
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LUKE COMBS: MY KINDA SATURDAY NIGHT As the country artist and his crew continue their “rocket ship journey”, TPi goes behind the scenes at Wembley Stadium to hear from the loyal team supporting the singersongwriter’s success.
Words: Alicia Pollitt Photos: David Bergman and TPi
Country music has experienced a rapid uptick in the UK in recent years, and it’s fair to say that Luke Combs has played a significant role in that rise in popularity. Almost a decade on from his UK debut, the singer became the first solo country artist to headline Wembley Stadium, bringing the My Kinda Saturday Night tour to London for a total audience of more than 220,000 people spread across three nights. Production Manager, Jerry Slone; Production Coordinator, R.J. Estrella; and Tour Manager, Ethan Strunk, welcomed TPi under the venue’s iconic arch for the final show of the three-night run. The team enlisted the support of Concert Stuff Group and Special Event Services (audio and staging), ATL Special Effects (SFX), Adlib (lighting and video), Moo TV (cameras, video control and media servers) and McGuinness (trucking). “I often joke that Luke could sell tickets on the Moon, if I could figure out how to get him up there,” Slone laughed. “We first met Luke when he was a support act on a different tour we were working on, and he has grown from there. We’re very lucky to have the team we do – and that includes suppliers. Every vendor is invested in the people and the project.” In the US, the tour included seven inthe-round shows with the rest of the dates featuring a traditional end-stage configuration. “We did all of this without a rehearsal in between,” Slone revealed. “We utilised Gateway Studios and Production Services in St. Louis, who at that time were a halfway point for us to flip everything in time for us to continue. The crew were excited and are always up for a challenge. I am blessed to have such a great team of people.” Estrella echoed the sentiment, going on to mention that his role is geared towards ensuring the crew of the My Kinda Saturday Night tour are made as comfortable as possible
out on the road, no matter the turnaround. “We as a team try to get the logistics as tight as possible and do it in the most comfortable way possible to keep morale high. Things on the road can grow so quickly and exponentially, so taking care of everyone is important.” The record-breaking Wembley shows were a source of pride for the entire crew, but especially so for Strunk, who has a long history with the singer, filling a variety of roles, from tuning guitars to driving splitter vans. “Looking back at the journey we’ve been on to this, it doesn’t get much bigger than 220,000 people over a weekend in London,” Strunk commented, adding that while some stadiums across the Atlantic have been bigger, no city has reached the volume of people that the Wembley stint did. “To break that record has been incredible.” After meandering the hallways, Stage Manager Matthew Hornbeck led TPi out to the X-shaped thrust where fans were already filling the stadium bowl, in eager anticipation of Combs’ arrival. “We have had a whirlwind year, from inthe-round shows to end on staging, and it has been nothing but a sprint for the entire crew who have come together as a team, day after day to put on a great show for the audience,” Hornbeck said, providing an example of when the team came together in the middle of a storm, against all odds. “It was our luck that this day came when we were next into Gateway Studios, ready to flip the production into something new – it wouldn’t have happened if not for the dedication of our team.” This mentality, Hornbeck said, stems from the top down. “It’s a family atmosphere; we are growing as people collectively as part of an ever-changing production.” For Slone, this atmosphere is crucial to the success of the tour. “It’s important to me to have people I can call, who know the ins and outs of everything to do with the tour, whether
that is Tom Edwards from Adlib, Travis Walker from Moo TV or Michael Brammer at CSG; they are all crucial to the smooth running of this thing, and we’re grateful to have them on board,” he added. For Michael Brammer, Chief Strategy Officer of Concert Stuff Group (CSG), the feeling is mutual. “It is a huge honour to continue to be trusted to deliver Luke’s world-class production. We have been a part of this for a decade this year, and we are looking forward to the next 10 years,” Brammer said, going on to praise Slone. “Jerry is as good as it gets as a production manager; he is a fantastic leader and a great friend to boot. His ‘people first’ attitude helps get the job done with excellence and no drama. I couldn’t think of a better person to work with.” Brammer also thanked the wider CSG team, and the crew on the road, for pulling off the configuration change without a hitch. “It took a lot of coordination before the tour even left the warehouse to make sure we could change the configuration in the middle of the tour without any hiccups, and then, when it came down to it, it went smoothly,” he said. When asked if he could describe the tour in five words, Brammer smiled as he offered: “Never the same night twice.” McGuinness’s Cian McGuinness is proud to have been a part of such a pivotal show for Combs, he commented: “The environment on the tour has been cultivated from the top down, and as Production Manager, Jerry Slone is central to its creation. Jerry is exacting, but the high standards he sets and expects are matched by the levels of trust and support he offers those around him. We always feel like genuine partners working alongside the production team. We strive to create that same feeling in our own people,” he said, going on to praise the company’s drivers. “We are grateful to have a group of skilled, diligent, and
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committed drivers. They are top-class people and the soul of the operation making these massive shows happen. By the end of the tour, we are always left with happy drivers who are already looking forward to the next run with Jerry and his team.” WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Lighting Designer, Kevin Northrup’s journey with Luke Combs began with Special Event Services, a Concert Stuff Group company, working as the lighting department manager before CSG’s Michael Brammer offered him an opportunity to hit the road behind the MA Lighting grandMA3 desk. “After the first show, I knew that I wanted to continue working,” he told TPi. “I’ve been hanging on to this rocket ship ever since. Michael Brammer has been there since day one and is incredibly supportive.” Northrup and Slone worked together on the design – the country artist’s one requirement was to make a ‘great show’ for the fans. “Every decision Jerry and I make supports that; in terms of lighting programming, it is an ever-evolving show, and most of my best moments come from having time to play on the rig,” Northrup explained. “Jerry usually gets the big logistics picture on what venues and the size of stage we’re looking at, and the process goes from there. We never really know where or when the creative sessions will happen – sometimes it’s in the production office, hallway or catering, but it usually comes from Jerry saying, ‘I have an idea!’” From sitting down with Slone, to initial notepad drawings, Northrup combined ideas in Capture. In Wembley, the lighting rig included Ayrton EagleStrike and Veloce; Martin
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Professional MAC Aura Raven XIP; ACME Lighting PIXEL LINE IP; GLP JDC Burst; and ROXX Lighting Cluster B4 FC solutions. “I’m smitten with the EagleStrike; they are bright, fast, have good optics and a gorgeous front lens,” Northrup said, explaining his approach to lighting design. “There are some songs where I pull out all the stops and make it a big moment, but I think I appreciate the subdued scenes a little more. As a lighting designer, it’s our instinct to make the rig do a lot, but when it’s just Luke singing and Korey playing piano, two downlights are all that is needed to make the moment perfect.” Lighting Crew Chief Justin Duguid stepped into the role as Lighting Director with Northup joining his wife at home, following the birth of their child. “I have directed shows in the past, but never a show of this scale so to step into such a big role was great,” he said. With a range of openers for the show, it was important to move quickly during changeover to ensure the smooth running of each date, Duguid explained. “We’re networked in with another bunch of MAs, and we have a robust Luminex network, we’re using around three LumiCores to arrange for switching between opener showfiles and then Luke’s. It almost happens at the touch of a button,” Duguid said. Josh Cox, also a mainstay in the camp, took on the role as Lead Operator for the Follow-Me system, which was rehearsed in SES’s pre-vis suite. The system relied on two cameras and two servers to support tracking Combs across the stage and extended thrust. Eight positions were configured around each venue with four Ayrton EagleStrike and ACME PIXEL LINE IP fixtures calibrated across the stage and thrust among the 16 tracked fixtures in total.
The development came from an accidental discovery when Cox was working on a different show and found that Follow-Me features a lens profile for capture viewpoint. Taking two video outputs from the visualiser computer and directing one to each Follow-Me server, and with some PosiStageNet configuration, the team were able to run both servers directly inside the visualiser and plan out any use for the tracking software ahead of time. The system even allowed for footlights to turn on only when Combs was nearby, by using the Follow-Me proximity feature. Erik Berends, Technical Director at Follow-Me, explained: “Kevin, Josh, and the whole team have pushed the system is further than we’ve seen it used before, from the proximity feature driving footlights to the way they’ve built Follow-Me into their pre-production workflow. It’s a brilliant example of what’s possible when a great crew really makes the system their own.” DAYS LIKE THESE Owner of ATL Special Effects, Michael Willett joined the tour to turn the heat up with a special effects package. “Luke had never really done any special effects before, so we eased into it. We started with a few points of pyro, and then it has flowed from there, increasing consistently because the team enjoyed it so much,” he said. The tour saw eight pyroboards, each with 32 cues, including four on the roof in preparation for the grand firework finale, as well as a further 20 flame units. Not forgetting liquid and gas flames, fired up-and-downstage to give a punch to the show: “It’s very tasteful; we open with pyro for an extra punch, and then we go for a while with no pyro, to really give it the punch when we want it,” Willett said. “We also supplied
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
a 40W laser package as a complement to the lighting package, which looks great.” The six-strong crew is, for Willett, what stands as the proudest part of the production. “I can’t say enough about the incredible team we have had on the road, from long days turned into even longer nights, endless load-ins, late-night load-outs, unexpected challenges, and adaptation the team showed up for one another and did whatever it took to get the job done safely and professionally,” Willett said, mentioning his decision to join the team on the road. “I have been doing this for almost 20 years, so when a dream moment like this comes along, I want to be involved throughout it all… I want to be doing this until I can’t anymore.” BEAUTIFUL CRAZY A large video deployment was central to the show, bringing together Video Director, Tyler Hutcheson; Screens Producer, Charlie Hareford; Head Engineer, Natalia Pena; Crew Chief, Jessica Quinn; Server Technician, Jesse Byrd; Engineer Assist, Nate Parris; LED Lead, Cory Mascari; Prompter, Mark Jarsen; and LED Technicians, Caroline Temple, Riley Johnston, Mike Gefell, Kenneth Ayers, Bryce Nolte, Tiffini Snyder, James Moxley, Ivy Fischl, Kyle Matenaer, Bailey Wise. “We divide ourselves into different sub-departments because it’s so massive,” Quinn began. “We’re utilising Adlib on this side of the Atlantic for some of our kit, and their team has integrated well with the core team. Every country we go to has a different working or communication style, and it’s been great to work with a lot of different people. I really enjoy the British sense of humour.”
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Adlib’s Mark Taylor, having joined the run for the European run, added: “A lot of this crew have been with Luke Combs almost exclusively since 2019, but it’s our first time. The way we have been welcomed into the team, who have been together for so long, has been amazing.” Hareford and Hutcheson balanced the live camera feed with pre-existing content. “We try to create a nice balance; we utilise IMAG feed with the background removed with Notch, we also use just content and then clean IMAG, too,” Hutcheson explained. “I like to highlight things that people don’t normally get to see – things like guitar pedals or focus on band members. My goal is to show those magical moments so that it isn’t just those in the pit that can see.” Hutcheson added: “We’re in a position in which we’re consistently creating throughout the year, and for us it has been a continual process to adapt, grow and make the show the best it can be.” The video package included a plethora of ROE Visual V4ST LED panels with Brompton Technology Tessera SX40 processing and XD units; a Ross Video TouchDrive TD3S, Carbonite ULTRA-60 switcher, and an Ultrix processor; Panasonic AW-UE 150 Robotic and AW UB50 cameras as well as Disguise GX 3+ media servers and even a Barco Encore3 Screen Manager. With no rehearsals, Hareford utilised Unreal Engine to previsualise the show. “I’m proud of everybody and how quickly they were able to flip systems without a true prep; it goes to show how professional everybody is,” Quinn added, citing Video Engineer, Natalia Pena’s ‘thoroughness’ during the research and build
Monitor Engineer, Michael Zueshow; FOH Engineer, Todd Lewis; Audio Crew Chief and RF Engineer, Stephen Millet; Adlib’s Mark Taylor; Video Director, Tyler Hutcheson; Screens Producer, Charlie Hareford; Head Engineer, Natalia Pena and Video Crew Chief, Jessica Quinn; Production Manager, Jerry Slone; Production Coordinator, R.J. Estrella.
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phase. “We are constantly upgrading as technology is changing. It’s unbelievably fastpaced and it is impressive what the crew must deal with. Natalia flipped our kit to make our entire move from 360° work; it was admirable and not just anybody can do that.” Pena added: “Taking on this role was a huge challenge because there is so much to learn. I almost questioned myself, but it was important for me to keep up with everything that was going on, because even if you don’t need it now, you will in the future.” Jarsen, who looked after the teleprompter for the tour, picked up the story: “We engineered this teleprompter system that will survive the weather and will allow for when Luke needs a little look. The setlist is long and he rarely utilises the prompter, but I am there as insurance in case he gets distracted by anything, like a sign in the crowd for example,” Jarsen said, explaining that he sings the songs himself to prompt properly. Brian Morris, Project Manager at Moo TV, commented: “Touring at this level takes an incredible amount of work, trust, and teamwork. Behind every show are countless hours, long days, late nights, miles on the road, and a crew of people who care deeply about what they do. Our Moo TV team takes tremendous pride in making sure that every fan, from the front row to the very top of the stadium, feels connected to what is happening on that stage. We’re grateful for every person who has been part of this tour. Most of all, we’re thankful to Luke and his team for continuing to trust Moo TV.” I AIN’T NO COWBOY Bringing the singer’s country voice to the 90,000 each night at Wembley Stadium was
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down to the audio crew, consisting of: FOH Engineer, Todd Lewis; Sound Designers, Jason Farah and Joe Lefebvre; Monitor Engineer, Michael Zuehsow; and Audio Crew Chief and RF Engineer, Stephen Millet. Having worked with the camp for over a decade, Concert Stuff Group and crew worked together to specify a different PA system for the tour, Outline’s flagship GTO line array – with the supplier choosing to ship its inventory wherever the tour went. “To my knowledge, this is the largest deployment of the system that there has ever been,” Lewis said. “Our choice started when an engineer friend of mine was insistent that I try it out, so I did, and I was blown away by the sheer horsepower of it – it’s insane. It has more headroom than any PA I have worked with; I love it.” The main hangs combined GTO modules, with GTO-DF downfill, and GTO-SUB lowfrequency elements with Mantas 28 handling outfill duties. The delay towers, featuring GTO and GTO C-12 loudspeakers, ensured sound reached everyone in the stadium, while beneath the stage, LAB 21-HS infra-subwoofers and LIPF-082 front fill loudspeakers were deployed. To streamline operations, Concert Stuff Group ended up purchasing another vendor’s full inventory of Outline. “In doing that, CSG updated the amplifiers to the latest and greatest at the time, and now a Dante version of the Powersoft amp that we’re using is being released, so they are slowly switching over to that, which is going to be great for on-the-road longevity. Since we’ve had it, we haven’t blown a driver,” Lewis said, knocking on wood. The FOH Engineer worked from a DiGiCo Quantum 852, with a focus on homing in on
Lighting Crew Chief, Justin Duguid; Stage Manager, Matthew Hornbeck; Head Rigger, Dave Target and Owner of ATL Special Effects, Michael Willett.
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what a live band feels like. “We don’t have any tracks; we have eight dudes on stage – you will hear mistakes, whether it’s a capo in the wrong place, or a different guitar, but its integral to the show for it to remain and feel live,” Lewis said. “I don’t want it to sound exactly like the record, and neither does the crowd.” Lewis credited the DiGiCo desk for allowing him the flexibility to curate his desired mix. “I have been with DiGiCo since the beginning,” he shared. “This is a new desk, but I can’t fault it; they have always been solid, and I am enjoying the workflow. I have some of the Spice Rack on some of the busses for guitars. With up to four electric guitars on some songs, I needed something to tame the upper mid, so I have the multiband compression on there as well as a touch on Luke’s vocal along with the Mustard Spice Expander. I am using the amp modeller on the Mustard Processing for a distortion effect on his vocal, too.” Zuehsow also works from a DiGiCo Quantum 852, moving on to the console for this tour: “It is an incredibly powerful machine and has been there through any scaling or any artist requests. I think it is the best desk on the market,” said Zuehsow. “I have nodal processing on so many things; it’s one of those perfect solutions of running the channel until it’s time and then when two people ask for different things, it’s easy to create a path.” For Zuehsow, one of the most important parts of working with a DiGiCo desk on the road is the support that comes with it. “I’ve had the phone answered every time I have needed them. They have helped me out in times that I have needed them, and that to me is irreplaceable,” he reported. Zuehsow ran eight microphone positions on stage, where two of the background singers
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on the tour were able to pick any one of the microphones on stage and utilise an 8x2 GPIO mic switcher for it to be streamlined. For Lewis, who started with Combs a decade ago on his “first real tour”, he credited the singer with “saving his life”. He stated: “He pulled me out of a club I was working in and saved my life, and now we are doing stadiums.” Millet, taking on the mantle of overseeing the audio crew and looking after RF, commended the team at Mission Control for its assistance on the tour, especially with regulations in the UK and Europe. “There is more regulation on this side of the Atlantic; they love to regulate here, which has honestly been helpful – but we’re very grateful to Mission Control and we have been really happy with the help,” Millet said. Millet reported minimal challenges on the tour: “Because of the way we tour with this camp, with a console package that was suitable for both the 360° and 270° stage layouts across different years and continents, it has meant that the spectrum and gear flexibility has been crucial,” he said, telling TPi that the team still works with a Shure deployment of hardwire and wireless microphones, with Wisycom introduced this time around for IEMs. “It has been nice with the kit we have to make it all work. When we were in the States, wherever the duplex gap falls, I coordinate everything in there and I did not have to touch that until we were in France,” Millet added. “Some would say we have too many spares at this point, but in my mind you can never have too many spares and it offers me the flexibility.” BACK IN THE SADDLE Looking after the rigging responsibility on the My Kinda Saturday Night tour was a team led by
Dave Target. “Going from small arenas to Wembley is huge,” Target commented. “Transitioning from the 360° layouts to 270° on this was straightforward for us because we had done the latter before; there were other elements such as storms that threw a spanner in the works.” Target was accompanied by an assistant rigger on the road, with four local crew coming in to assist with the Wembley Stadium load-in as well as 20 up riggers, and 10 down. The motor package was also from Adlib, which Target described as “great”. He elaborated: “They have been rockstars; we had a harder time in the US due to weather, and when we came over here, they said they would make it easy, and they did. We’ve been following in the steps of other acts; everybody who has helped has cared about it as much as we have; there has been no slack whatsoever.” Target added: “Luke is a one-of-a-kind artist who I have been with since 2019; to work for him has been an honour; to watch this grow like a rocket ship has made me want to work harder for the overall output of what he does.” It is that dedication that is at the core of the Luke Combs crew, with many of the crew having been a part of the overall vision since day one. As his career will no doubt continue to grow, so will his live shows and as Production Manager Jerry Slone teased: “There is more to come, with 2027 on our mind, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll step back into the world of 360° shows.” www.lukecombs.com www.concertstuff.com www.specialeventservices.com www.adlib.co.uk www.atlspecialfx.com www.mootv.com www.mcguinness.eu
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INTERVIEW
ON THE ROAD: NASHVILLE TPi travels to the ‘Music City’ to discover how Tennessee’s state capital has become one of the world’s most important production hubs.
Words: Stew Hume Photos: Tanner Boriack (Skyline photo) and TPi.
As soon as you touch down in Nashville, you can feel the city’s musical heritage. As we waited for our cases on the baggage carousel, you couldn’t ignore the guitars behind glass, making it feel more like a Hard Rock Café than an airport. Sure enough, among us were several people with instruments on their backs, perhaps looking to fulfil their musical ambitions. As the late great Dolly Parton sang: “Down on Music Row. If you want to be a star. That’s where you’ve got to go.” However, TPi’s interest in the city has less to do with the musicians working their way up Lower Broadway and more to do with the rise of technical production and supply companies taking residency. Thanks to its long history of nurturing musical talent, particularly within country music, Nashville has always had a strong foundation of local suppliers and production crews. Many freelancers have built their careers around the ‘weekend warrior’ touring circuit, in addition to several music and arts festivals taking place across the city. However, the landscape is changing. International rental houses and manufacturers have established a growing presence in the city, with major industry players following suit. In 2023, AEG relocated its regional office to Nashville. Over the past five years, it seems barely a week has gone by without another press release hitting our desk from a company either establishing a base in the city or significantly expanding its existing footprint. With so much activity, it was time to head to Music City to speak with the people behind the industry’s growing presence, learn what
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is drawing these companies to Nashville, and explore how Tennessee’s state capital is becoming one of the most important production hubs in the US… ROCK NASHVILLE Our first stop was the brand-new Rock Nashville facility, which opened its doors at the start of 2026. Situated in the north of the city, the large campus – like its counterpart in Lititz, Pennsylvania – houses some of the biggest names in the production industry, including TAIT and Clair Global, both of which have large, brand-new buildings on the site. The campus also includes a large rehearsal facility run by Soundcheck Studios, which operated another rehearsal facility in the city before the new campus opened. Lee Moro, VP of Global Business Development at Rock Nashville, picked up the story: “What we’ve done here is create a home, a trusted community and a place to go and be. The community was already in Nashville, but we wanted this to be the home of the community.” So, what is the long-term goal for this facility? “When I used to tour, the first time you went to Rock Lititz to rehearse, that was when you had ‘made it’,” Moro reflected, fondly. “Everyone always wanted that bottle or shirt, and we want Nashville to be liked as well. There is a similar feel between the two campuses, but honestly, we don’t want people to start comparing the two facilities. We want people to experience the local flavour that Nashville has to offer compared to Lititz, where, due to its small downtown surroundings, you can be discreet and just focus on the work.”
Rock Nashville is already a hive of activity, with several industry peers passing through the space in quick succession. “At our grand opening, we expected something like 500 people to show up, but in the end, it was more like 2,000 – it felt like people had just adopted the space straight away,” enthused Moro. Moving through the facility, it is hard to ignore the big names occupying spaces around the site, offering everything an incoming production might need. Manufacturers including Sennheiser, JBL, DiGiCo, Yamaha, Taylor Truss Systems, Alclair Audio, Disguise and Shure all have a presence. Rental houses and tour service providers also exist on the site, including Event One FX, Pyrotecnico, Road Radios, ICAT Logistics, Fuse, 4Wall Entertainment and TAG. The campus is also home to multiple MI companies, The Rock Medical, Neuro Tour Physiotherapy and Backstage Barbour. In the main building, AVLX provides touring necessities, everything from cables to gaffer tape. “We want the ‘Rock’ brand to be very neutral,” explained Moro. “We’re a serviceoriented company and lean on what the industry needs while they are here. Feedback determines the companies on site.” He spoke openly about other brands he’d hoped to see move in, specifically manufacturers from the professional lighting world. At Soundcheck’s Nashville rehearsal facility, 15 spaces range from small 28-by-20ft band rehearsal rooms to a large 215-by-123ft space with an 80ft grid height and a load capacity of 450 tonnes, ready for the largest staging productions. From the start of the year to the
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middle of July, when TPi visited, Juliana Stern – Studio Account Executive who oversees Rock’s rehearsal spaces in Nashville and Lititz – disclosed that over 400 individual acts had already used the various studios, a clear indicator of the demand for these spaces. Although the studio and the entire campus are new, the team is keen to bring in companies and individuals with local knowledge. “This is why we have decided to partner with Soundcheck,” stated Moro. “They have a deep understanding of how the Nashville community works, having played an active role in the city for over 30 years. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel; we’re trying to support the community’s natural evolution. Soundcheck is the nucleus of the upcoming Nashville campus – a space where all the other production companies come and collaborate in person with the artist and make their visions come to life. We’re happier to be the facilitator in creating the centralised home for artists to imagine, build, and rehearse their shows.” STAGE AND SOUND TAIT and Clair Global also have large facilities side by side on the campus. Starting with Clair, the building’s history is clear from the moment you walk through the door, where the spade [or shovel, to our American friends] that broke ground on the site stands. Here,
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we met Clair’s Brady Bessinger and Robert Bull. “It’s unbelievable,” Bull began, walking TPi through the offices and giant warehouse. He admitted that when he first heard the idea, he that doubted it would ever become reality. “It’s surreal that it now exists, but it makes me want to come to work every day.” Bessinger agreed: “Like Bull, I had an ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ mentality, but it was so exciting when we first broke ground. The most exciting part of this project is the community coming to the campus and what we get to share together.” Clair’s General Manager Scott Appleton added: “Clair Global and Sound Image already had well-established locations in Nashville. Since acquiring Sound Image, this presented an opportunity to develop a larger shared space that could be built to suit customers. Clair now offers an ultra-modern, turnkey solution for tour and event prep and can deliver any product within the Clair Global umbrella out of the Nashville shop.” In addition to offering a new location from which to service projects, Clair is built into the campus infrastructure, with each of Soundcheck’s 15 rehearsal spaces fitted with Cohesion sound systems, giving clients more practical options. The site has also created opportunities for innovation for the team at Clair, most notably through a shared office
Lee Moro, VP of Global Business Development at Rock Nashville. Opposite: Clair Global’s Brady Bessinger and Robert Bull.
in the main building, shared with the audio company Copilot Systems and Diablo Digital. “We are still in the middle of beta testing a lot of elements with the collaboration,” Bull commented, speaking specifically about the ability to remote-mix shows. He personally had remote-mixed the audio for a beauty pageant, all from the comfort of one of the studios at Soundcheck, in place of a traditional broadcast truck at the show. “The video director couldn’t tell, as the latency was below 17 milliseconds, so the camera shots still lined up,” he said, citing the technological innovations the company led in the infrastructure available at the site. Prior to the opening of TAIT’s facility on the Rock Nashville campus in June, the company had acquired Gallagher Staging, a business with roots within Nashville. Following the July 2025 acquisition, the new TAIT building on the Rock Nashville campus now also houses the local Tennesseebased Gallagher team. “We’ve always admired what is going on in Nashville,” reflected Brian Levine, TAIT’s Chief Executive. However, he explained that because TAIT has a reputation as “a large company that does big tours,” it hasn’t always had strong market penetration in the region. “It’s a misconception, as over the years we’ve worked with artists on many different scales,” he clarified, adding that
bringing Gallagher into TAIT has been a great way to build a more solid foundation within the region. “[Gallagher] has built an amazing brand, and as we build a presence in Nashville, it’s great to do it with a company that is respected in the region,” he stated. Despite having several facilities around the world, this was the first the company had built from the ground up in 30 years, since Lititz. “It’s massive,” Levine laughed, noting the space is three times as big as Gallagher’s previous premises. “There is going to be some equipment that will only be at Lititz and not Nashville and vice versa,” he said, citing the interplay between the two sites. “We don’t want there to be confusion with clients who expect a certain type of delivery from either camp. There will be some options where a hybrid solution will make the most sense.” He explained that the holistic solution from the Gallagher team means that TAIT has been able to explore more sectors, including festivals, events and activations. Speaking more broadly about the growth of production in Tennessee’s capital, Levine suggested that the changes were partly driven by the growth of local artists and their increasing national and international popularity. “Some artists coming out of Nashville today are now looking for a greater level of production, and it’s great that now all these
companies are moving more permanently to the region,” Levine said. “It’s also so beneficial how centrally located Nashville is,” Bull added, explaining the city’s rise as a production hub. “You can be in a number of major markets quickly, but we’re also seeing a lot of people moving from places such as LA, as it is much more cost-effective to live in Nashville.” It was noteworthy how often the ‘cost of living’ conversation came up when speaking to industry professionals about the rise of the city as a production hub. Several employers noted that Tennessee does not levy state income tax on salaries, making it a more attractive option for some people working in the production industry. Several also commented that housing was generally cheaper than in, say, LA, although this is starting to change as the city continues to grow in popularity. AROUND THE CAMPUS Although it was hard to speak to every new tenant at Rock Nashville, we were keen to hear from some recent arrivals about what it meant to set up shop in one of America’s productionindustry hotbeds. “We were based at the old Soundcheck facility,” ICAT’s Adam Shick commented. “We had a decision to make when that site was closing down, but we just believed the visibility here at Rock Nashville would be
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too much to turn down.” Shick also said that for a logistics and transport company like ICAT, Nashville is an ideal location, with three major interstates. “A lot of tours can route out of here and now with this rehearsal facility, I think this is only going to grow.” Just down the hall from ICAT is Shure’s new space, run by Ryan Smith, Entertainment and Artist Relations. Like ICAT, Shure also had a space at the former Soundcheck facility. “It’s the community we are investing in here rather than just an office,” he stated. With a space right by the café, he hopes to welcome anyone passing through the campus. “Being in Nashville, it’s super convenient as I can get a brand-new product sent from Chicago, and it will be here in 24 hours to get immediate feedback from users.” Community was a theme that kept recurring not just at Rock Nashville, but across the wider city, as those working in the sector seem keen to ensure that this growth benefits the people working in it. Established in 2011 and based in Nashville, ECCHO Live – which started life as the Touring Career Workshop – was founded by Chris Lisle and Erik Parker with a straightforward idea: to create a place where people working in touring and live events could learn from one another, find useful resources, and feel a little less like they were figuring it all out alone. Over the past 15 years, it has evolved into a year-round organisation providing education, connection, community and access to resources covering mental health, financial wellness, career development, networking and
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on-site support through programmes such as All Access and All Access Onsite. “The city isn’t simply home to artists, management, and labels,” commented Kara Kemp, General Manager at ECCHO Live. “It’s home to an extraordinary concentration of touring professionals, production companies, manufacturers, vendors, technicians, designers, and other specialists whose work makes live events possible.” She described how this growth creates “tremendous opportunity”, but it also creates a greater need for connection and support. “Touring and live event careers can be demanding, unconventional, and highly mobile,” she added. “As more of the industry establishes roots here, Nashville has an opportunity to build not only the physical infrastructure required to support live events, but the human infrastructure as well.” BACK ON THE ROAD Leaving the campus, we set course for three other rental houses – Solotech, PRG and 4Wall Entertainment – that have made significant investments in the city over the past five years, expanding their premises, staff and equipment. Having first moved into its new Nashville premises in 2020, Solotech experienced a slowdown due to the pandemic but has since brought more staff into the facility, including John Flynn, who moved from Las Vegas three years ago, and Ian ‘Woody’ Woodall, who relocated from the UK earlier this year. “The geographic location was the big draw for us,” Flynn said, discussing the reasons for
Shure’s Ryan Smith, ICAT’s Adam Shick with TPi’s Fran Begaj and Stew Hume; Kara Kemp, General Manager at ECCHO Live.
INTERVIEW
Solotech’s expanded operations in Nashville. “Prior to this space, we had a very small space in Nashville that was very audio-centric and about 10% of the size of what we have here.” Woody also explained that Nashville’s location makes it an ideal place to be while coordinating an international tour. “This year we’ve been working on Harry Styles’ tour, and although it’s mainly an English-based production and crew, lots of the planning was happening on American time zones. Being based here in the Central Time Zone is fantastic, as in your working day, you’re able to speak to both the UK and LA. Compared to when I was based in the UK and doing all my calls at 11pm.” Across town, another relatively new face in the city was Mark Olesen of PRG. Having moved to Nashville in 2021 to oversee the busy shop, he has also witnessed PRG’s services expand. In 2022, PRG opened its 10,000sq ft Starwood Rehearsals facility in the same building as the warehouse. “It’s been a great addition for the business and an additional offering for our customers,” enthused Olsen. Since taking the role of GM in 2025, he has built the team and sought new opportunities for the business. “We are a very busy shop, and we’re looking forward to some new opportunities in the future, such as the new Nissan Stadium,” he revealed. The stadium,
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which is still under construction and due to open in 2027, is a major point of interest to many in the sector, particularly as Nashville is set to host the Super Bowl in 2030. “PRG has had the pleasure of supporting the lighting production team of the Super Bowl Halftime Show for a number of years and due to our proximity, I hope our shop will be involved in that one,” commented Olesen. He believes the city’s location makes it easier to pursue new business opportunities. “Although the music industry has been in Nashville forever, it’s becoming more common for people to launch a new campaign from the city, as you have so many options in terms of other close by territories. Cities like LA, New York, and Las Vegas were places of interest for a long time, but I think things are comparatively more reasonable in Nashville now. Also, for us, our proximity to Atlanta, where a great deal of TV production is now taking place, has been particularly interesting.” Our last stop among the international rental houses based in Nashville was 4Wall Entertainment, where we looked around its new shop. The facility is now one of the company’s major US bases, alongside its operations in Las Vegas, LA and Lititz. The company was originally based at the former Soundcheck site, but redevelopment of the land meant it had to
TPi’s Stew Hume with Spectrum Sound CEO Bobby George; Solotech’s John Flynn and Ian ‘Woody’ Woodall; 4Wall Entertainment’s Phillips Harbarger, Ashton Guerrero and Brian Luftig; Mark Olesen of PRG and his team. P86: ROE Visual Managing Director, Frank Montero; L-Acoustics Events Manager Elle Schiano, Office and Guest Ambassador Keara Amburgey.
find a new home. In addition to taking space at Rock Nashville, the company now operates from a site a short drive from the airport in an industrial area that also features a few other familiar names in the sector, including Strictly FX, Matrix Laser and Screenworks. “Our old shop has around 25 staff, and now that has almost doubled here, and it’s still growing,” said Phillips Harbarger, Senior Account Executive at 4Wall, as the team described how it had built its presence. “I care a lot more about A-level touring acts coming out of the city in the future,” added Brian Luftig, VP, National Assets. “For the longest time, our team did a lot of that work out of Lititz as those jobs were so specialised and often working on a few projects at a time. But I think in five years also more of that work is going to start moving down here, and we’re keen to scale our operations so we can cater for this need.” Although Luftig was keen to look to the future, he also commented
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on the buzz around the city. “There is a lot of foot traffic coming through Rock Nashville now, which is why we have been keen to also take a space there, and always have a few staff members based out of there so anyone can come in and have their questions answered,” he stated. “Those face-to-face interactions are important to us.” KEEPING IT LOCAL Founded in Nashville in 1979, Spectrum Sound has been a key audio supplier for the events industry. After 17 years with the company, CEO Bobby George gave us a tour of the facility and shared his thoughts on the growth of Nashville’s production industry. “There has always been a lot of production companies in the city, although without question there are a lot more than there were five years ago,” he said. “For our office, there are 15 companies in a five-mile radius. Personally, it’s not really
affected our work, as we’ve specialised in touring.” Although Spectrum has mainly worked with touring country acts, George explained that the client list has continually diversified over the years. “Part of that is more artists are moving to the region,” George commented. “We’ve built up a relationship with UK-based audio company 22live, helping them with some of their acts when they tour the US, and they’ve also helped some of our acts in the UK.” George explained that recent interest in country music has also helped grow the business and the wider local production community. “Even Australia has been really good for country recently,” he reflected. “It also feels like every tour is now selling out stadiums. In previous years we had maybe 2% of our shows hitting stadiums, and now we’re doing between 10% to 15%. It is naturally good for the technical production industry, as it is more gear and crew, although I am curious how long it will last.”
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MIGRATING MANUFACTURERS With so many rental houses now taking up a presence in Nashville, it’s only natural that several manufacturers have also increased their presence in the city. One such company is L-Acoustics, which now has a centrally located office in the heart of the city, with a showroom featuring HYRISS technology and L-Acoustics Creative Studio [pictured above]. “L-Acoustics is claiming our place in the heart of Music City and will be a driving force in this new modern entertainment industry hub,” said L-Acoustics CEO, Laurent Vaissié. “With neighbours like CAA, AEG Presents, and Amazon Music, the facility is proof that L-Acoustics is a creative technology company building the future of how people experience audio. Nashville gives us the platform to show the industry that sound is essential to the shared live experience.” During a tour of the space, TPi met several of the team who had recently relocated from the West Coast, demonstrating the company’s commitment to this new hub in America. ROE Visual also recently made a major investment in the city, opening a new space at 3318 Ambrose Ave, minutes from downtown Nashville, just off Ellington Parkway. “We first opened an office in Nashville in 2019 with the same goal we have today; to better support our customers across the Central and Eastern US,” stated ROE Visual Managing Director, Frank Montero [pictured above]. “Unfortunately, the timing could not have been worse. The pandemic brought our industry to a standstill, and we made the difficult decision to close the office. Our commitment to a second hub never changed, though, and as we continue expanding our
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teams across the US, the time felt right to reestablish our presence.” With this expansion, ROE says it now has the largest LED repair and service footprint in the US for the rental and touring market. “Nashville is the next major hub for music and touring,” asserted Montero. “Many of our key partners are based there, so being in the city made sense. Tours using our products run nationwide, and until now, all that support has come through our Los Angeles office. Our team there has done a great job, but routing everything through one location creates a bottleneck. In this industry, the show must go on, and tour schedules leave no room for delays. A Nashville hub gives our partners immediate access to us on that side of the country and expands the support we can offer.” Fernando Küfer, CEO at Disguise, also spoke of the company’s recent move to Nashville, with the company now taking up residency at Rock Nashville. “With Nashville continuing to strengthen its position as a major hub for touring and live entertainment, opening an office here is a natural next step in our journey,” he began. While the company hasn’t historically had a significant physical presence in the city, its technology can be found in some of its most historic venues, including the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium. “We’ve built longstanding relationships with customers, partners and creatives across the region,” added Küfer. “These include our partnership with MooTV, supporting the CMA Awards and productions for many of country music’s biggest artists.” According to the Disguise CEO, it was a “no-brainer” to have an office in Nashville “to support the next generation of live touring and groundbreaking concerts.”
THE PRODUCTION HUB OF THE US? From rental houses and manufacturers to rehearsal facilities and the service providers supporting them, the scale of investment across the city is hard to ignore. So, is Nashville the new production capital of America? There are clearly other major centres of touring production across the country, but Nashville is making a compelling case for itself. Its geographical position, longstanding musical heritage, and growing concentration of production companies are creating an ecosystem where artists, suppliers, and crew can work alongside one another, with more of the resources needed to build a tour on their doorstep. Perhaps the most significant development is that this growth isn’t happening in isolation. Long-established local businesses are working alongside international companies, while new facilities are bringing together the people and services that touring productions depend on. Whether Nashville ultimately earns the title of America’s production capital remains to be seen, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for the touring industry to ignore what is happening here. No doubt this will not be TPi’s last visit. Until then, ‘y’all take care now’. www.rocknashville.com www.clairglobal.com www.taittowers.com www.solotech.com www.prg.com www.4wall.com www.spectrumsound.net www.shure.com www.roevisual.com www.disguise.one www.eccholive.com
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02.11.26 16:37
INTERVIEW
ON THE ROAD WITH ANASTACIA Production and Tour Manager, Keely Myers of Global Touring Office (GTO) reflects on Anastacia’s latest #NTK Tour...
Words: Jacob Waite Photo: Keely Myers and Nora Jeker
Since becoming Anastacia’s full-time Production and Tour Manager in 2016, Keely Myers of Global Touring Office (GTO) has overseen more than 700 performances. A decade into the role, she reflects on how the production has evolved, the challenges of taking it around the world and the people who make it happen. “There has been something happening every single year, so she has certainly kept me busy whilst juggling other projects!” she told TPi. Anastacia’s touring operation has evolved considerably over that time, with the production now performing in arenas. “I’m incredibly happy for Anastacia and proud to be part of the journey. It’s a varied role, and that’s what I love about it – no two shows are ever quite the same.” Work on the current #NTK Tour campaign began in autumn 2024, with a shift in creative direction. “The brief was to move away from the more dance-led shows and put greater emphasis on the musicians and live music, expanding the band on stage and making them central to the show,” she explained. Working with Lighting Designer Simon Horn to realise his initial production design, Myers collaborated with Anastacia and her management team at LME to refine the creative concept. Band rehearsals began in January 2025 under Musical Director Ricci Riccardi, bringing together Vicky Osterberg, Holly Petrie, Louis Riccardi, Emlyn Malliard, Diego Rodriguez, Nick Shirm and Paul Stewart. “They’ve been such a great group to work with and have brought the musical heart of the show to life. Toni Abell, our backline technician, has also been fantastic to work with. It’s been a pleasure having her on the team, along with team audio made up of Erik Loots, Rod Clarkson and Peter Eltringham.” Behind the creative vision sat a substantial logistical operation. From planning conversations with Nigel Hassler at CAA, budget development and supplier liaison to show advancing and travel arrangements, Myers coordinated multiple departments to ensure everything is in place for each performance.
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Key suppliers include Entec, 4Wall Entertainment, Stagetruck, Beat the Street and Beau Nosh Catering. The scale of the campaign is reflected in the number of performances delivered. “We certainly didn’t know just how much it was going to grow,” she recalled. “By the end of 2026, we will have delivered 116 performances and counting, which is quite a journey from where we started. It’s incredibly rewarding to see all that planning come together and watch a show go from an idea on paper to a live performance in front of an audience.” A touring operation of this scale relies on a strong team, with long-standing relationships playing a central role. Anastacia’s sister, Shawn, has been an important part of the journey over the past decade, working as her PA on the road and providing a valued source of support throughout. Head of Security Kelly Samuels has also worked alongside Myers for 10 years and has become a trusted member of the touring team. “I absolutely love working with him and can’t imagine doing these tours without him,” she commented. Georgie Lanfranchi has recently joined the team as Production Coordinator, supporting Myers, while Joanne Croxford and Molly Wright have also worked on the campaign in the same role at different stages. “I’ve been lucky with production coordinators over the years, and I’ve always had a great relationship with them, same for Stage Managers. Dom Dryburgh kicked off the campaign and Martin Hall completed it.” That focus on people also informs the working culture Myers wants to establish on the road. A Safe Space Agreement is in place, with all personnel expected to understand its principles before joining the team. “Creating a positive and respectful working environment is just as important as getting the production right,” she stated. “Touring can be intense, and people spend a huge amount of time together, so establishing clear boundaries and expectations from the outset helps create a healthier and more supportive camp.”
Diversity is another priority, particularly when it comes to recruitment and creating opportunities for people entering the industry. Myers furthered: “I think we have a responsibility as an industry to keep widening the pool of people coming through, and that starts with who we choose to give opportunities to, help, encourage and support.” As the campaign grew, managing budgets while adapting to the changing demands of life on the road remains an ongoing challenge. “It’s a constant balancing act, working within budgets without cutting corners in the wrong places,” she commented. Taking the production to Australia was a particular logistical achievement. The distance and expense required careful planning and creative solutions to deliver the show to the standard the team wanted to achieve. “Taking a production to the other side of the world is incredibly expensive. It took a lot of creative thinking, planning and everyone doing their part to make it work, while still delivering the show we wanted for Anastacia. Knowing how much she wanted to perform in Australia made it rewarding, and I was proud of what the whole team achieved.” Beyond the practicalities of delivering the show, maintaining morale is equally important. Touring can be relentless, and making time for people to relax and connect helps sustain the team throughout a long campaign. “Touring can be physically and mentally demanding, so creating a positive environment where people can switch off, have a laugh and look after themselves is key,” asserted Myers. After a decade working with Anastacia, Myers reflected on the success of the campaign and the people behind it. “Seeing the team deliver this show night after night is something I’m incredibly proud of. I’m also very grateful to Anastacia, Craig Logan and LME for the trust they’ve placed in me over the years. It’s been a privilege to be part of this journey, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together.” www.anastacia.com www.globaltouringoffice.com
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IN PROFILE
A NEW ERA FOR THE PARK Lee Brooks and the wider Production Park team reveal the latest plans for the site’s next phase of development, with new residents set to join the growing production hub and an exciting new venue on the horizon. TPi travels to South Kirkby to find out more.
Words: Stew Hume Photos: Visualisation by Forbes Massie Studio. Site photos courtesy of Production Park
Production Park’s vision has always been to create a hub for the entertainment sector. From building state-of-the-art rehearsal facilities to developing the Academy of Live Technology (ALT, formerly Backstage Academy) and welcoming more companies to the campus, the site has expanded steadily year on year. As we approach the end of 2026, the team at Production Park is pleased to be starting work on the next phase of expansion. With the working title of OTR (Over the Road), the business has begun developing some recently acquired land which is set to expand the site by 292,000sq ft. Dressed in high-vis jackets and hard hats, we walked the grounds of this new phase, which is set to open in early 2027 and will become the heart of the campus, serving as the physical representation of Production Park’s overall mission: to bring people together. CEO Lee Brooks spoke about how this latest development fits into Production Park’s overall goals. “When you look at touring productions, you have all these different departments putting their pieces together in a common typography, and each one of them pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” he began. “For these examples, you need regular meetings, which is why they need to cluster and bring different sectors around the table.” He believes the best results come when creatives can collaborate in the same physical space, which is why, for over a decade, Production Park has sought to be a destination
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where collaborations lead to creation. This idea of creating neutral spaces is a common trend we’ve seen across the industry over the past decade. From Rock Lititz opening in 2014 to its new Nashville facility [p78] and the new Production Village in Germany, demand for these facilities is clear. “The formula of getting people together to figure out a project is really strong, and I think it’s this collaboration that will help the industry develop new technologies,” Brooks said. Production Park already has several companies on campus, including TAIT, 4Wall Entertainment, CoSTAR Live Lab, Fuse Technology, Phantom Production Design, Precision Devices and ROE Visual – and OTR is set to increase this number substantially. “We’ve already had quite a few detailed conversations with companies looking to move in, with many of those chats starting before we had plans for the new space,” stated Jim Farmery, Production Park’s Director of External Affairs, excitedly. “We want a diverse campus with Production Park being a neutral space where you have multiple organisations of different disciplines all connected within a single ecosystem.” The OTR facility will also feature a central meeting spot that the team is currently nicknaming The Boulevard. This space will offer somewhere to meet, work, eat and share ideas. It will also give the industry a place to showcase its work. Digital displays will feature everything from new production technology
and equipment to the shows developed and rehearsed on campus, while a demo space will host product demonstrations, launches and industry events. OTR will also feature a brand-new, purposebuilt performance venue on site. Although currently unnamed, the venue has been on the cards for Production Park for a long time. “If you go to any other drama school or higher-end education facility, there is always a venue or theatre,” stated Brooks, referring to the one element ALT still lacks compared with other establishments. The venue will not only be a place for ALT students to learn valuable skills in a production space, but also a flexible, technically advanced space designed to support everything from intimate gigs and pre-tour performances to film screenings, live broadcasts and industry events. With plans to incorporate volumetric capture technology, it will offer new ways to record, produce and share live performances with audiences around the world. Although the team has yet to reveal specific technical specifications, Brooks said the goal is to be at the “cutting edge” and “future focussed”. With a capacity of 1,000 standing, it will be a substantial space and the centrepiece of the new expansion. A WORD FROM THE TENANTS With all the changes happening at the site, TPi wanted to hear from companies that already call Production Park home about
IN PROFILE
the benefits they see in being located at this industry centrepiece. The biggest third-party presence on site, without question, is TAIT, whose Production Park address represents the company’s main UK and European base. The recent expansion gives the company a chance to further increase its footprint with a brand-new Training Lab, following the success of a similar facility at Rock Lititz. The facility will give users hands-on access to TAIT’s epiQ consoles, NAV GUI laptops and nodes, and Kinesys Vector kit with hoists and consoles. “Expanding with a new TAIT training space at Production Park will make it easier for clients across the region to access the support and expertise they need and further build our global offering in live entertainment automation,” stated Adam ‘Bullet’ Bettley, VP, Project Delivery. The first courses at the site are expected to start by the end of Q2 in 2027. Others spoke about the benefits of being at Production Park. “The heart of the live music industry lives and gathers at Production Park and being part of that is a no-brainer for ROE Visual. It gives designers firsthand access to our latest products and allows us to collaborate directly with the professionals shaping live events,” commented ROE Visual Marketing Manager, Marina Prak. “What makes Production Park particularly special is the way it connects the next generation of talent with the realities of the live entertainment business,” added 4Wall Entertainment’s Darren Poultney. “It’s an environment that encourages collaboration,
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innovation and practical experience. We value our relationship with the team at Production Park enormously and look forward to continuing to work together for many years to come.” Tom Richter, MD of SIXTY82UK, further emphasised the community element: “It’s amazing to have this level of exposure,” he began. “So often I’m sitting at lunch and see someone from a touring production that I either haven’t seen for a while or want to connect with.” He also noted that many companies are based in the live events industry, creating a strong pool of knowledge for other local suppliers. “For example, a courier who knows Production Park will understand the urgency of the work that takes place here.” A newer name in the events industry, Phantom Production Design was founded in 2021 by its Lead Director, Matt Hampshire, and subsequently moved to the campus. “We first came to the campus to discuss how we might be able to work with the site, but then when a unit became available it seemed silly to say no. From a growth point of view, it’s been a fantastic decision.” Having first experienced Production Park while overseeing rehearsals for Post Malone, Chad O’Grady of Fuse Technical Group said: “For that tour, so much of our equipment was integrated into the TAIT stage, so I ended up living at Production Park for weeks while we built that show. Then, when we were looking for a space in the UK, with so much of our work based in touring and our collaboration with TAIT, it made sense to be based on the campus.
Top to bottom: Studio General Manager Scott Matthews, Studio Coordinator Max Walters, Chief Operations Officer Emma Gomez, CEO Lee Brooks, Operations Director Alan Clayton, Campus Operations Manager Sam Wilkinson, and Business and Projects Support Officer Alysia Patsarou; Alex Warren’s rehearsals ahead of his latest tour, a project involving Production Park residence TAIT and Fuse; this year’s ALT undergraduate intake.
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IN PROFILE
There is so much experience here and such a good labour group to call.” The labour calls made on campus are often made up of ALT students, and companies based on site can post callouts on Campus Crew, giving students the chance to get paid work while they study. “Everyone needs to earn money during their studies,” added Rachel Nicholson, Head of Institution at ALT. “There’s nothing wrong with working at a bar or restaurant, but we can create opportunities for our students to work within the industry they actually want to move into.” Nicholson continued to discuss some of the benefits she sees in more companies coming to Production Park to the overall ALT experience. “We do not believe that education just happens in the classroom, and we make sure that education happens across the site. Our students are integrated into every part of the campus, and during lunch you can’t really tell apart students from touring productions that are in for rehearsals. The growth of Production Park is not just about expanding, but the choice of partners coming onto the campus will have a critical impact on the educational experience for students, adding to the ecosystem and expanding more partners for students from different parts of the industry.” The Head of Institution was also keen to highlight the latest news that ALT now has New Degree Awarding Powers, rather than the previous setup in which degrees were awarded in partnership with an affiliated university. “With these powers, we can now design courses to best fit the industry’s needs and not be tied to other guidelines.” This gives ALT the ability to offer more options, such as one-year diplomas alongside the more traditional three-year undergraduate programme. “We can also offer support for those already working in the industry but are looking to make more of a progression with specialist models and courses.”
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ENTERTAINMENT OF TOMORROW Brooks continually returned to the idea that collaboration at Production Park would open up multiple possibilities and future solutions for the entertainment industry. That mentality led to the creation of xplor, the production innovation consultancy. With the tagline “where possible begins”, this element of the campus ecosystem helps organisations across the creative industries explore, create, evaluate, prototype and adopt new and emerging technologies, shaping how experiences are made. “As concert touring moved from being the circus to a big business, arguably our workflows have led other forms of entertainment,” asserted Brooks, speaking about the opportunities for the live entertainment sector to support other verticals. To see some of these innovations in action, TPi visited Studio 004 and the campus’s permanent Virtual Stage. “We have one of the longest-standing virtual production stages in the industry,” stated Brooks, adding that despite many similar facilities popping up during the pandemic, many were dismantled so the LED technology could be used elsewhere. Although it may not have delivered a huge ROI immediately, Production Park and its specialist xplor team have spent over half a decade experimenting with the technology and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Most recently, they have used these years of work to reinvent the studio setup for ITV Studios morning programming. Speaking in the virtual studio, David Pauliuc, Head of Projects at xplor, discussed how he saw the progression of the work that happened within this branch of the business. “xplor started very R&D focussed, and we’ve certainly done a lot of that, but we would already try to highlight the problems the entertainment industry was having. We are also looking at the live events industry and asking what the sector is going to
look like in 2030 or 2040, and we’re helping the industry get ready for these changes.” These changes extend to other verticals, from gaming and broadcast to immersive events. He said it had been interesting to bring a stronger R&D focus to the live events industry. “Live events are often quick, but there is often a lack of documentation. Then you have work done in spaces such as CoSTAR, done collaboratively with the University of York, where everything is written down, and the focus is on creating papers and research. There can sometimes be friction between these two mindsets, but I think friction is a good thing.” He alluded to how many of these learnings are manifesting in some very interesting projects, but, as you might imagine with some of the work at xplor, the team has remained tightlipped about some of them. “In our industry, a tech shift often happens too soon,” stated Brooks, explaining that the imminent demand for solutions like virtual studios might not have been clear immediately. “But now you think about the demand for hyperrealism for shows such as ABBA Voyage, and through that we have been studying these precedents at xplor.” A NEW PHASE Ultimately, this latest expansion of the Production Park campus looks set to become a notable chapter in its history. The OTR development, the establishment of the new central space and, of course, the venue will bring more companies, personnel and ideas to the campus, adding to the already established melting pot for the live events sector. At a time when people are calling for more opportunities to connect and network away from trade shows, sites such as Production Park will prove invaluable as industry leaders look to build the next chapter of the live events industry. www.productionpark.com
IN PROFILE
INTRODUCING RIG88 JRI Group launches a specialist rigging equipment sales and rental company.
JRI Group has launched RIG88, a brand-new rigging equipment supply and rental specialist. Founded as a sister company to Just Rigging & Inspections, the brand gives the JRI Group the capability to provide comprehensive rigging resources for its clients. RIG88 offers the sale or dry hire of an extensive range of hoists, loose rigging and truss equipment. From kitting out new event spaces or upgrading a venue’s equipment, to plugging temporary stock gaps, or supplying one-off performances, the company’s inventory is designed to meet the needs of customers in a dynamic and constantly developing market. The JRI Group workforce has a wealth of knowledge gained through its combined experience of more than five decades in the rigging industry, allowing RIG88 to create a tailored, integrated and consistent service that gives customers greater value. JRI Group Founder and Managing Director, Dan Holme, commented: “Working in product supply for truss and hoist manufacturers is where I started in the industry, and since I founded Just Rigging & Inspections, sales and dry hire for those products have always played a part in the makeup of our business,” he added. “Creating RIG88 to take on those specific roles was a natural progression that gives the business more flexibility and clarity, allowing us to service clients’ rigging equipment requirements throughout the lifespan of their gear.” In conjunction with its launch, RIG88 has announced that it is an authorised key sales and rental partner for SIXTY82 in the UK. Just Rigging’s lifting gear engineers have long been impressed with SIXTY82’s innovative trussing design and strength, and its company’s industry heritage, making them a natural partner for RIG88. The first fruit of the partnership has already been realised in the supply of TPM390S truss to Blackpool Winter Gardens for the creation of a custom-designed mother grid. SIXTY82 Managing Director, Tom Richter, said: “We’re delighted to work with RIG88 as our authorised UK key sales and rental partner. We’ve had a long and constructive relationship with Dan, whose extensive knowledge of the industry will play an important role in expanding our availability in the UK.” Among its inventory, RIG88 are delighted to confirm that they also offer ‘famously robust’ ChainMaster D8PLUS hoists for sale or rental throughout the UK. Commenting on the launch of RIG88, Rick Williamson, Sales Manager of Liftket/ChainMaster UK, said: “Dan brings many years of experience within the industry, along with extensive knowledge of all things rigging-related. We wish him every success as he steps into the world of equipment hire. LIFTKET UK would also like to thank Dan for the trust he has placed in us by choosing ChainMaster hoists to help kickstart this exciting new venture. We look forward to seeing RIG88 grow from strength to strength.” RIG88, based in JRI Group’s Aviation Park premises in Chester, also offers a wide range of GIS hoists, and stocks a wide variety of slings, hard rigging and many other items. www.RIGG88.co.uk
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IN PROFILE
A DECADE OF UNIVERSAL PIXELS Following a decade in business, with US expansion and the doubling of its warehouse capacity on the horizon, Universal Pixels demonstrates that significant growth doesn’t mean abandoning the principles on which the company was founded.
Words: Jacob Waite Photos courtesy of Universal Pixels
How does a company grow without losing what made it good in the first place? Over the past decade, UP has grown into a 40-plusperson operation working internationally across music, theatre, film and television, while remaining a specialist focussed solely on video. The scale and scope of the company has changed considerably, doubling in size since 2024. Having spent the day at its Tring HQ, TPi explores how the underlying approach has been maintained through that growth – moving from values shared by osmosis to a more defined and structured approach. “We’ve survived 10 years… getting to this point is an achievement and not something we take for granted. It’s been an interesting journey, which feels like it’s gone by in a flash,” Phil Mercer, Commercial Director at Universal Pixels said, welcoming TPi to UP’s Tring headquarters amid plans to double the footprint of the space by moving into the facility next door. Universal Pixels was established by people who felt there was a better way to approach video production: answering the brief properly, preparing thoroughly, investing in the right equipment and people and taking responsibility for delivering the job well. “That’s what we’re about,” Mercer stated. “We embrace the challenge.”
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Initially, many of those standards were maintained directly by the founders and passed through a small team almost instinctively. As the business grew, that became more complicated. Mercer believes that being “brave, adventurous and disciplined” and taking “calculated risks” underpin UP’s approach. “We wouldn’t propose anything that wasn’t a solution. We stand behind what we agree to take on and promise to do, and that’s never changed,” he said. UP remains independently owned and focussed solely on video, with Managing Director Gareth Jeanne and Commercial Director Phil Mercer closely involved in its day-to-day running. Despite increasingly competing with much larger multinational organisations, the company has retained its specialist approach. “We specialise and we don’t generalise when it comes to video,” Mercer explained. “Our lane is narrow, and as we’re not the largest company we can sit in the middle of it and occupy it,” added Jeanne. That specialist approach has seen UP work with artists including Robbie Williams [the company’s first and longest-running client], Radiohead, Roger Waters, Oasis, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, Hozier and Dave. Its theatre credits include
American Psycho, Beetlejuice, Mean Girls and The Lehman Trilogy, while the company recently supported the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Beyond touring and theatre, UP’s film and TV work kept the company in good shape through the lockdown’s live music shutdown, while the company has more recently explored opportunities in the trade rental market. “Coming out of COVID, we realised we needed to be in other markets. Over the past year, we’ve explored the trade rental market,” he added. “We are part of a wider ecosystem and we all need one another.” STAFFING As UP has grown, so too has the importance of passing its standards and values on to a new generation of staff. Over the past three years, UP has developed a leadership team responsible for decisions in the business. “This industry provides wonderful opportunities, and they have grabbed them with both hands. We are starting to see another generation of talent like Katie, among others, coming through the ranks. It’s great being able to promote from within,” said Jeanne. Katie Whiting joined Universal Pixels as a Projects Administrator before moving
IN PROFILE
into marketing 13 months later. Six months after that, she began a Marketing Executive Apprenticeship, completing it in early 2026. “It’s an interesting and unique industry,” Whiting commented. “I’m looking forward to the US expansion and learning how different markets operate globally.” Like Whiting, most of UP’s recent hires are people under 30 and from outside the industry. “We have reaped the reward from that,” Mercer said, happy to offer opportunities that he was once granted. “I’m proud of taking a crew, new to us, and watching them become an integral part of the team.” According to Jeanne, in addition to recruitment, retention and development are key markers of a healthy work environment. “There is nothing more satisfying than watching people step up and succeed. Diversity in the industry is something we are conscious of and are trying to address, working with colleges to bring students through. As an industry, we are not so good at promoting ourselves, even at an educational level we remain invisible, which is a shame as it’s such a welcoming and neurodiverse community and sector. Fundamentally, we all benefit from fresh ideas and perspectives built from lived experiences.” Recently, Universal Pixels supported The Music Industry Therapist Collective (MITC)’s Pay It Forward Fund, helping make specialist mental health support more accessible to
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artists and crew working on smaller tours. “It’s so important and one of the few areas underrepresented,” Mercer added. SUSTAINABILITY That sense of responsibility also extends to sustainability. “We are fortunate to work with artists that care about sustainability,” Mercer said. “There is an unspoken and unwritten understanding that we do the best we can.” UP has formalised its commitment through B Corp Certification, something often associated more with consumer-facing brands. Stuart Walton, Head of People and Sustainability – a role uncommon for small companies – was crucial to landing the certification. Like many companies, however, UP’s journey to Net Zero is tied to airlines and service providers. “B Corp Certification drives decision making, and not sustainability for sustainability’s sake,” Gareth Jeanne, Managing Director of Universal Pixels, explained. TRENDS Alongside its commitments to people and sustainability, UP’s specialist approach is reflected in its investment in technology and its relationships with manufacturers. “I see manufacturers as partners,” Mercer said. “We are prepared to work with new and small manufacturers, which come at a great risk, but the reward is seeing the innovation and
creative capabilities of equipment that has a benefit beyond cost.” As well as relationships, the technically complex projects which require “head scratching” and experimentation such as the 2025 Radiohead Tour [see TPi #291] are equally satisfying. Jeanne elaborated: “We’ve always been an industry that takes technology built for one purpose and uses it for another, which comes with a level of risk. We like to push beyond the cutting edge but within reason, mitigating failure with R&D and testing.” Mercer cited the rise of cinematic cameras in touring as a trend worth monitoring. “Cameras are to the video creative what a moving light is to a lighting designer nowadays; they are specific about what look they want to achieve and why, and I love it. This is where we come into our own and embrace it and invest in it as a video-focussed company.” For Robyn and Lorde’s recent respective tours, UP provided full sensor Sony and ARRI cameras. “We have learned so much in that colour management and live, cinematic filming space over the past 18 months,” Mercer noted. The creation of super transparent screens like ROE Visual Vanish Air, and the emergence of Acoustic LED panels are also gaining traction. While it is easy to do this in a controlled environment with an installation, more shows like Indochine in Paris and Harry Styles’ Together Together at Madison Square
Garden, are recent examples referred to by Mercer. “Concert design is going to change, it’s always been bookended by these two slim line arrays, so we will see larger screens which is music to my ears and maybe audio changes because of that, distributed audio behind screens.” However, technology is not the only thing changing. The international live entertainment market is evolving too, creating new opportunities and challenges. Like TPi, UP is interested in the growing influence of artists performing in languages other than English. “The world is changing and with the rise of artists like Bad Bunny and BTS, across South America and in Asia, some of the spectacles are huge and they’re really pushing outer limits of size, scale, creativity and execution away from western Europe and North America.” On the flip side, the European live scene is suffering from the prices that artists can charge in North America, so understanding where UP fits in is important. “Music routing will change and where tours visit. India, for example, is huge and has a young population. We are going to see different demographics attending shows, but the wider industry needs to be careful to not price people out,” Mercer forewarns. An example of UP’s involvement in these developing markets came through Dave’s first headline shows in Nigeria, held in Lagos and
presented by Live Nation in partnership with local promoter MASSIVE Dynamics. THE FUTURE So, what will the future hold for UP? While recent headlines decree the end of civilisation at the hands of AI, spending the day with UP, it’s apparent that this sector, for all its invisibility and unquantifiability by the powers that be, is relatively AI proof. “While AI and machine learning may be utilised to supplement and improve processes, fundamentally, we are a people industry,” Jeanne said earnestly. “It’s an evolving world and we are open about the fact that we don’t know and understand everything…” Mercer added: “Humanoid robotics will certainly help with manual tasks, but nothing can replace human connection.” For UP, the next chapter is about increasing capacity without diluting what has made the company successful. Expansion in the US, more space at its Tring HQ and continued investment in people and technology will support that growth, while the business remains specialist and focussed solely on video. Reflecting on the company’s first decade, Mercer said: “There are so many amazing moments and highlights over the past 10 years. It’s a really rewarding industry and we are proud to play our part.” www.universalpixels.com/10-year-anniversary
The Universal Pixels team; Oasis, Dave, Robbie Williams, Depeche Mode, Roger Waters and Radiohead’s respective touring productions are among those benefitting from UP’s videofocussed technical equipment and expertise.
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IN PROFILE
STEP INSIDE NEG EARTH LIGHTS Having scooped Favourite Lighting Rental Company at the TPi Awards 2026, TPi discovers the resillience of the company and how it is preparing for the future...
Words: Alicia Pollitt Photos: TPi
Based in North West London, Neg Earth Lights has been a pillar for lighting and rigging rental across the live events industry since it was founded in 1983 by husband-and-wife duo, Dave and Pip Ridgway. “I’m still amazed that we have done so well; we always strive to make things stronger, and our passion is to do a great job,” Dave smiled, giving TPi a tour of the company’s 83,000sq ft HQ. “Pip and I started Neg through hard work and determination, and off the back of that and the understanding of the industry, we have managed to create a great team of full-time staff and an extensive network of freelancers.” Values are important to the team, with family at the core of everything the team achieve – for the Ridgways, other principles include community, high standards and delivering sustainable efficiency. Community, especially, has been a key focus, with the company organising initiative days for its staff from neurodiversity training, which saw the team attend a talk from Maisie Cass, Neurodiversity Consultant, who discussed how work can fit people, rather than people fit to work. Other highlights in fostering the community at Neg Earth Lights include litter picking down the Grand Union Canal for World Earth Day, a partnership with ABEP and The Zoo XYZ to advocate for greater diversity, and representation and a visit from Nicola Moore, Nutritional Therapist, to discuss the
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importance of healthy eating. “People are at the heart of everything we do at Neg Earth; from our longest-standing staff members to new additions. We always support our people and want people to know we always have their back,” Dave commented. “We have had staff members that have left us to move across the world, and yet they always pop back to visit. A lot of people have been here for a very long time, from the early ’90s; it’s lovely to work with these people.” That family ethos extends well beyond the present, with Dave and Pip’s son, Sam, dubbed “the future of the company”. Dave elaborated: “We are a true family-run business, and we’re excited that Sam will be taking on the mantle whenever it is time for us to step away – he is currently our Business Development Director, and we’re so happy the business will continue growing with a Ridgway.” Sam added: “I’m so proud of what my parents have achieved. I grew up as a child of the entertainment industry, with many weekends spent driving up and down the country with my dad. Seeing how the business started and where it is now fills me with excitement for how we can continue to develop and grow.” Indeed, growth in the company has been proven specifically in the People & Culture department, which has doubled in size since Haley Simmonds joined the company in January 2025.
“I started as an HR business partner, and I rebranded the entire department to People & Culture because I believe that we do so much more than traditional HR,” Simmonds said. “Something that sets Neg Earth apart is the investment in individual development. We put a lot of effort into resources focussed on empowering and upskilling our people, and I haven’t seen a company so dedicated to employee development before.” In the time since Simmonds joined the company, Neg Earth has updated its benefit portfolio for staff with the introduction of enhanced maternity and paternity schemes, Medicash, and life insurance for all staff, among other benefits. “Pip, Dave and Sam are encouraging about investing in the right places, and to them there is no better investment than their people. I’m proud to work for a company that bolsters individuality in everyone,” Simmonds added. Placement Technician Samuel Hagger first had a taste of the industry when he did work experience at Neg Earth at age 15, and he is now reaping the benefits of the company’s focus on people and after returning to the supplier following his studies. “I was one of the youngest people to come and get a taste back then, and I was told to come back when I was 18, and here I am,” Hagger said, smiling. “I’m a month in, and I am just getting to grips with things. I feel like I have the resources I need
IN PROFILE
to keep growing in my career in lighting. From team morale to future training courses, I feel very supported. I have also been nominated for a Breakthrough Talent Award at Production Futures and some of the team and I will head up to Wakefield for that, so I am excited that they are supporting my achievements.” Gus Modeste, Head of Governance and Compliance, joined the company and immediately got to work introducing ISO 9001 to help streamline operations at Neg Earth. “I didn’t want my role to be a daunting one for everyone here,” he stated. “It’s important to me to ensure that I am constantly working with people to show that I am here to support everyone and show the importance of quality.” As for ISO 9001, Neg Earth is in the process of implementing the standard across the business; for Modeste, this means working closely with each department’s manager to ensure that procedures are robust across the board. “Every person in a management position in this business is a subject matter expert; it’s not my job to tell them they aren’t doing their job properly, but rather to look at it from the ISO standard side. It’s important for me to empower each department,” Modeste said. “When looking at other certifications we could acquire, I spoke with certified bodies who told me that ISO 9001 is the foundation of business – so we listened, and hopefully in the future we will look at other certifications. I am putting a lot of energy into fostering a strong foundation.” It’s not only lighting and rigging that the company has provided for some of the world’s major tours – such as Take That’s The Circus Live [TPi #295], Harry Styles’ Together, Together [TPi #294] and Dave’s The Boy Who Played The Harp [TPi #293].
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The company also has an on-site rehearsal space in its LH3 studio at its Park Royal base where productions can give the Neg Earth Lights team exact specifications to be followed for ease of use. The studio is 6,800sq ft, has one level dock, two lower docks and access to the full inventory of Neg Earth’s stock – with access to over 13,000 lights, 1,500 motors, lighting consoles and 20,000m of cable. Live productions that have taken advantage of the space include Kylie Minogue, Florence and The Machine, and Pet Shop Boys. After a recent promotion to Warehouse Operations Manager, Dan Skinner, who has spent the past 14 years at the company, is most proud of the standards that the Neg Earth follow day in, day out. “Ultimately, everything comes from Pip and Dave; our standards are high because theirs are I am personally most proud of our attention to detail as a company,” Skinner said. “From having the same hex code silver colour across our vans, to replacing our logo on flight cases often enough that they don’t get worn out. We even go as far as placing our truck signage further down the truck so that when the doors are open, you still know where the kit came from.” More than a decade on from a devastating fire that destroyed the company’s HQ in 2015, Skinner believes that the support from the wider industry played a huge role in helping Neg Earth bounce back so successfully. “While there are competitors in the industry, there is still a real togetherness that comes with it, so when the fire happened we felt more than supported as we had lighting companies all over the country stepping in to help us,” he recalled. “When we came back, there was a desire to start afresh, so that’s what we did.
Multiple departments of Neg Earth Lights team; the company’s hex-code specific silver trucks. Opposite: office mascot, Buluu, a Rhodesian Ridgeback amid the award-winning workforce.
The building has underfloor heating and cooling when necessary and we have the advantage of recycled air. Pip and Dave get everything right, and that’s what makes people work the hardest they can.” For Dave, rebuilding after the fire was a privilege. “Our insurance company told us that only 12% of companies survive after a fire, and after facing so many obstacles on the way back to life, we fought our way through to get where we are now.” As well as working across some of the world’s biggest tours and festivals, which are often seen in the pages of TPi, the company is also pushing to support grassroots, offering its services pro-bono. Anna Gould, Head of Marketing, explained: “We invite grassroots productions to our site to experience our facilities first-hand, and work alongside them – sharing our expertise and equipment to help bring their projects to life. We’ve supported events including the Capel Military Show and Hanwell Hootie, as well as working extensively in theatre. Supporting grassroots productions is an important part of what we do.” With the company winning its tenth TPi Award for Favourite Lighting Rental company in 2026, Gould asserted that it is an honour that is never taken for granted. “We work every year to make our expertise, technology and innovation better, so to be recognised for it is something we’re hugely proud of,” she commented. “We have over 110 people across our warehouse and offices and it’s a huge effort from them to deliver the service we do – so to be able to see it in an award is great.” Looking to the future of Neg Earth, Sam concluded: “We are a family-run business, and we want to remain that way – we want people to feel like it’s the company that works for them rather than the other way around. We’re looking forward to taking on new challenges, expanding what we do, and proving we’re just not a small London outfit anymore.” www.negearth.co.uk
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PRODUCTION FUTURES
GRIP: TRAINING NORWAY’S NEXT GENERATION Eva Rowson, Managing Director of Bergen Kjøtt in Norway, helps transform a non-profit cultural centre into a space for educating the next generation of production professionals.
Photos: Runa Halleraker
Bergen Kjøtt is one of the largest independent, non-profit music production houses on the west coast of Norway, based in Bergen. A former margarine factory that later became a meat-processing facility, the building dates back to 1905. In 2010, it became an artist-run organisation and studio. Since 2019, the non-profit Bergen Kjøtt Foundation, established by the city council, has owned the building, with a vision to create a long-term, stable resource for the city’s musicians and artists. Today, the building houses 28 studios and more than 100 longterm tenants. It has also hosted international acts including CMAT, Maisie Peters, Enslaved, girl in red and Sigrid for everything from recording to mastering. As much as Bergen Kjøtt is a home for creativity, it has more recently become a hub for education and training the next generation of audio engineers. Under the name GRIP, the venue’s own education programme has trained almost 300 people since 2021, with no signs of slowing down. “GRIP started as an idea when we were installing a new sound system in our main venue Fabrikkhallen in 2021,” stated Bergen Kjøtt Managing Director Eva Rowson. “We received a lot of public and private funding for the new system, and I felt a strong responsibility to make the most of that investment. At the same time, sound technician Irene Bjørke was working with me. She felt there was a real lack of opportunity and space for new technicians to practise, which often
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created a barrier to gaining the experience needed to start working in the field.” Rowson also highlighted the industry’s significant demand for a new generation of engineers working within the industry. “A report from Kulturrom, the Norwegian funding body for technical equipment, found that a third of technicians left the field during COVID,” explained Rowson. The report also helped inspire her and the team to create an inclusive training programme. “The same report found that 93% of technicians in Norway are cis-male, making it one of the most gender-imbalanced sectors in society,” she explained. With these challenges in mind, a coalition of organisations in Bergen, including AKKS Bergen, Bergen Internasjonale Teater, Carte Blanche - Norwegian National Dance Company, and Creative Technology, came together to lay the foundations for GRIP. “The goal from the start was to increase diversity in technical roles behind the scenes in culture and the number of cis-women, non-binary and transgender people working as sound technicians,” continued Rowson. “We decided to make this goal clear in all our marketing. We also agreed that GRIP should be open to everyone, all genders. This way, we aim to empower good working practices, encourage respect and support between different genders and an understanding that this huge inequity is a shared responsibility of cis-men.” The team is pleased with the results so far. Of the almost 300 people trained through
the programme, Rowson noted: “93% of our trainees are cis-women, non-binary, transgender or gender-diverse. So we have completely flipped the statistic of the ‘norm’.” To date, GRIP has delivered 85 workshops covering sound and, more recently, lighting engineering. These include one-day introductory courses covering the basics, followed by a Stage 1 course that runs over several months and offers hands-on learning with technicians from theatre, touring, music and recording. The Stage 2 course then delves deeper into programming, mixing, working with musicians and establishing yourself as a freelancer, helping trainees prepare for professional work. The programme also offers numerous shadowing opportunities at events, festivals and venues. “An important aspect of this shadowing is that we pay trainees to take part, so that they can prioritise this and we can help support them to keep going and not fall off the radar after the course ends,” enthused Rowson. Looking ahead, GRIP will pilot its first Stage 2 course in lighting engineering, led by course instructors Maja Bergebakken Sundt and Ola Fredenlund,taking a small group of new lighting trainees through the programme in the hope of helping them begin working professionally. “We are really excited to see where this group goes,” Rowson concluded. “We’re also working on the future with the aim to expand courses for under 18s, people in smaller towns in the wider region and people with disabilities.” www.productionfutures.com
Congratulations to all the nominees of this year’s Production Futures BTAs. Find out more at awards.productionfutures.com
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Thursday 19 November 2026 • Production Park, West Yorkshire OUR PARTNERS
GEAR HEADS
CAMEO ZENIT W1200 G2 & W300 G2 Francesco Punzo, Product Manager, Static Light Technology for Cameo, previews ZENIT W1200 G2 and W300 G2.
Words: Francesco Punzo Photo: Cameo
What do the new W1200 G2 and W300 G2 bring to the overall ZENIT product range? They take the compromise out of the middle. The W600 G2 has become a real workhorse for our rental and dry-hire customers this year. But any fixture sitting in the middle of a range forces someone to compromise: on a big festival stage you hang more of them than you’d like, and on a small truss it’s more fixture than you need. The W300 G2 and the W1200 G2 close exactly those two gaps – one compact and light, one with 45,000 lumens for the really big surfaces. What I’m proudest of, though, is what doesn’t change. All three sizes share the same LED engine, the same colour calibration and the same beam and field angles. So ZENIT G2 is no longer one product with siblings; it’s a system. What makes both products particularly suited to touring environments? Touring is less about the show than about the twenty minutes before doors and the two hours after. So we started with weight and handling: the magnesium housing keeps both fixtures remarkably light for their output, and the handles and safety points sit where your hands actually go when you rig – not where they looked nice in CAD. Also, with Cameo CONNECT you simply tap your phone against the fixture to set it up, check diagnostics or update firmware. Wireless DMX is on board for the days when a data run just isn’t happening, and power is linked through outdoor-rated connectors. And the most ‘touring’ feature of all is probably Legacy Mode. Tours rarely get a perfectly uniform rig, because many rental companies still carry firstgeneration ZENITs. In Legacy Mode, a G2 drops straight into a G1 patch with the same colours and looks. So a mixed shipment of fixtures is no longer a programming emergency.
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What demands did you have from show and lighting designers? The first was: “Give me fewer fixtures for the same surface.” Large outdoor surfaces – stage wings, scenic backdrops, the facade behind a festival stage – eat wash lights for breakfast. With 45,000 lumens, the W1200 G2 changes the maths on a lighting plot quite quickly. The second was: “And don’t give me a big dumb flood.” Designers didn’t want brute force at the expense of quality. The W1200 G2 has exactly the same colour science as its smaller siblings, from warm candlelight to cool daylight, with smooth dimming and halogen simulation. Vertical segment control means a single fixture can carry a gradient across a surface instead of just flooding it. Almost every show is filmed today, even if it’s “just” for socials. That’s why the fixture is built to stay flicker-free on camera – no rolling bars on the big screens.
Cameo has also just introduced the OTOS LC12 IP65 moving bar. How do you see these fixtures working together in a rig? I think of it as a division of labour. ZENIT paints surfaces, the LC12 draws lines and movement. Each of the LC12’s twelve heads can be tilted and zoomed individually, so a single bar can do curtains, waves, chases and ramps. A picture I have in mind: W1200 G2s washing the backdrop and set, and a row of LC12s along the stage edge drawing movement in front of it. Both are IP65, so the whole outdoor rig plays in the same league when the weather turns. The two use different LED engines, so they’re not identical by design. The OTOS family is colour-consistent within itself, and ZENIT gives programmers very precise colour tools to place the wash exactly where the look needs it. I’d rather say that openly than promise a magic match button.
In terms of output, what aspects of each fixture do you think designers will be particularly excited about? For the W1200 G2 everyone will talk about the 45,000 lumens – fair enough. But I think designers will fall in love with the white. With a CRI of 98 and a TLCI of 95, skin tones still look like skin at the back of a festival stage and on the broadcast feed. Add segment control for sunrise gradients or split looks, plus the optional SnapMag FX filter – an electronic frost you control from the desk, so you can change the beam spread mid-show instead of from a ladder. Where as the W300 G2, for me, is the sleeper. 14,000 lumens in a fixture you can comfortably carry, with exactly the same colour science as its big brother. That means you can put the W1200s on the towers and the W300s on the stage floor, and the colours match without a fight.
Where will we see the W1200 G2 and W300 G2 in the future? Festivals, obviously. But I’m more curious about the places where a wash light normally must apologise. Classical open-airs and outdoor TV productions, where colour on camera and operational quality matter as much as output. Corporate formats like annual general meetings and conventions, where the W300 G2 can be a discreet, camera-ready stage wash. Temporary architectural lighting at city festivals, washing facades with the W1200 G2. I’d really love to hear about the uses we didn’t plan for. With the first generation, some of the most interesting feedback came from places you wouldn’t expect an IP65 wash to end up. In broadcast studios and theatres, nobody needs weather protection, but people chose ZENIT for its colour, its quiet operation and because it simply keeps working. www.cameolight.com
GEAR HEADS
SIXTY82 LIGHTING POD TPi sits down with SIXTY82 to discover how the Lighting Pod will benefit live events professionals on the road... Words: Rainer Smeding Photo: SIXTY82
What was the inspiration behind the Lighting Pod? Like many of our products, the Lighting Pod started with conversations with customers and end users. In this case, the first ideas came from brainstorming with a touring company about how this type of product could be improved. We focussed on where we could add something of our own, both technically and in the way the product could be used during a show. From the start, the idea was that the Pod should make transport and deployment easier, but should also look good enough on stage. Did you face any challenges bringing it to the market? One of the key considerations was finding the right balance between transport, handling, structural performance and appearance. The Pod has to work in the truck and backstage, but it also has to work as part of the stage design. In 2026, we developed a custom version together with 4Wall Entertainment. It was made wider and higher, allowing, for example, a two by two arrangement of LED panels to fit inside. We also added extra wheels for easier loading over truck ramps, additional forklift access from several sides, an upper beam for mounting fixtures above the Pod, and dedicated brackets that allow the touring configuration to be built without loose bolts and nuts. How was the Lighting Pod developed with lighting and touring professionals in mind? The practical details usually come from the people who have to load the truck, build the show and take it down again every day. Things like where a forklift can enter, how easily a Pod moves over a ramp, or whether you need loose hardware during assembly
can make a big difference on tour. 4Wall’s requirements influenced several of the changes, including the extra wheels, multiside forklift access and bolt-free brackets. The resulting Pods were supplied for The Prodigy Warriors Dance Summer 2026 and Lenny Kravitz’s Live 2026. How can the Lighting Pod streamline loadins and enhance visuals? Instead of unloading equipment, rebuilding a structure and mounting the fixtures again, the Pod can be rolled into position and prepared for use much more quickly. It is designed to remain visible on stage. Pods can stand on the floor, be flown, or be connected horizontally and vertically to create larger configurations. These combinations have been structurally calculated, so they can be used as part of the show design rather than simply as transport equipment. The larger version also makes it possible to integrate LED panels, while the additional upper beam provides an additional position for lighting fixtures. What has the response been like? The response has been good, particularly because the product has continued to develop through actual touring projects. The version shown at ISE 2025 introduced the basic concept. The 4Wall project in 2026 took it a step further. Since then, we have seen clear spin-offs. Other customers are now approaching us with similar requests, as well as their own ideas about how they would like to use or configure the Pods. That is also how we expect the product to continue developing: not as one fixed solution, but as a system that can be adapted to different requirements. www.sixty82.nl
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GEAR HEADS
YAMAHA: DM5 SERIES Following the release of its new DM5 Series, Tom Rundle, Application Engineer at Yamaha, highlights some of the key features of the new offering.
Words: Tom Rundle Photo: Yamaha
Why bring a product to market for the smallto mid-sized live sound sector? The live sound market is incredibly diverse across theatre, broadcast, live music and corporate AV. Engineers work across different industry sectors every day, and production companies supply a wide range of industries. An ecosystem that fits all these sectors and meets the expectations of engineers and suppliers is critical. We wanted to bring the DM7 Series workflow and user experience into a more compact format, without asking engineers to compromise on the tools they need to deliver the same result, and The DM5 Series is about making that level of capability accessible to a broader range of applications and budgets. How similar is the DM5 Series to the previously released DM7 Series? One of our key objectives was to retain the workflow that engineers are already familiar with from the DM7 Series, but also in turn some of our slightly older products. The DM5 Series isn’t simply a smaller console with a different operating philosophy; it brings the same core approach to channel processing, mixing, touchscreen operation and system integration into a more compact footprint. This means sound engineers moving between the DM7 and DM5 can benefit from a consistent way of working, rather than having to learn a completely different interface for different applications. The consoles also share compatible files through DM Editor, which makes it easier to prepare sessions on one platform and transfer them between the two. There are differences in physical layout and available analogue I/O, particularly between the DM5 and DM5
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Compact. But the underlying philosophy remains consistent: give engineers quick access to the parameters they need, keep the interface intuitive, and let them concentrate on the application rather than navigating the mixing console. Why offer standard and compact versions? We recognised that no single console format suits every engineer or every production. Sometimes you need a substantial control surface with plenty of physical faders; in other situations, the priority is keeping the footprint to a minimum. Importantly, the compact isn’t a stripped-back mixing engine, but ultimately, offering two formats gives engineers the freedom to choose the physical console that suits their work. How will sound engineers benefit from the ‘glass keys’ feature? The glass keys are one of the most interesting aspects of the DM5 interface because they combine the flexibility of a touchscreen with the tactile response engineers expect. Our glass keys can change their labels dynamically to reflect the current operating mode. The idea wasn’t simply to put more functions on a screen. It’s to give engineers more direct access to the functions they need without making the surface more complicated. How can the ‘Yamaha Assist’ functions reduce setup tasks in a real-world environment? For me, the value of Assist is that it recognises how much of a live engineer’s time can be spent on essential but repetitive preparation before the creative work really begins – but also, it can help a less experienced engineer get into the workflow faster.If you are a less
experienced operator, rather than working through every channel entirely from scratch, the engineer can use these suggestions to establish a strong starting point. We’re keen to stress that Assist is there to support the engineer, not replace their judgement. These functions provide recommendations that the operator can assess and adjust. The real benefit is reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks. What other key features are you excited for engineers to start experimenting with? First, the consoles have a strong processing capability, with four types of EQ, extensive dynamics options and 43 built-in effect types. Engineers can also add the optional PY-DSP card to access Yamaha Premium Rack plug-ins, including processing developed with Rupert Neve Designs. That gives users scope to shape their sound without immediately needing an external processing system. Second, is connectivity with both consoles supporting up to 64 channels of Dante input and output at 96 kHz, which brings support for Yamaha R Series I/O racks but also a whole host of third party options. Third, the remote-control options – DM StageMix allows engineers to adjust the mix from different positions around the venue, while MonitorMix lets performers manage their own monitor mixes. Finally, I would encourage engineers to explore the customisable controls and Dynamic Mode. Being able to tailor the controls to your own working style means the console can become a more personal, efficient instrument rather than a fixed interface that everyone must operate in the same way. uk.yamaha.com
GEAR HEADS
NEDACOUSTICS VENUE SOUND BAFFLE LT05 Designed for the Johan Cruijff ArenA, Peter van der Geer, co-founder at NedAcoustics, discusses the pros of the Venue Sound Baffle LT05...
Words: Peter van der Geer Photo: NedAcoustics
Can you tell us about NedAcoustics? We founded NedAcoustics, having learned over the past 20 years that there is a large demand for temporary acoustical measures. We developed a temporary installation system, suitable for touring timescales, focused on two key areas: improving sound quality within a venue, and reducing noise pollution, particularly in outdoor/festival venues. There are a lot of venues with acoustic issues and blind spots. The sound may be okay immediately in front of the PA, with a full audience, but there are often reflective surfaces that simply can’t deal with the sound levels modern PA systems deliver. The result for the audience can be inconsistent, indistinct sound quality which is not acceptable when fans have paid a lot of money to hear a show. How long did the process take? This was about two years from design and manufacture to rolling it out. Results have exceeded expectations, with very positive feedback from the venues, system engineers and audiences. We are almost ready with the next product aiming at sound isolation and acoustic improvement. How will LT05 benefit touring productions? The main application will be multipurpose stadiums and venues to temporally adapt the acoustic properties of the building/ venue. With the rise of the stadium and
arena market, it’s becoming important that audiences have a positive experience and can hear their favourite artists properly. We are expanding our thoughts around how the system can be deployed and how the Baffles could be part of a touring production, so that tours carry the material themselves to adapt their venues to suit their own touring production. A touring production could use it to adapt to the individual venues’ acoustic characteristics, for example during the setup of the stage. Why should we take note of NedAcoustics? We have come from their industry and want to solve their problems. This solution is not only technically effective, but we’ve thought about overall logistics, such as being lightweight, quick to deploy, and remaining compliant with international fire regulations. How has the product been received? With 23 concerts in the stadium this year, the most satisfying thing was that there were barely any complaints about audio quality. In the past, comments included: “The artist gave a great show we think but as usual in this “Galm bak” (Dutch for very echoey Hall) the sound quality was bad.” Or: “I will never go to a concert in this hall again.” None of this in 2026. When there were remarks, it was more about the mix, so apparently people were able to hear details. www.nedacoustics.com
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WHY WE BACK MUSIC SUPPORT Jeff Singh shares why Samurai Events is backing industry charity, Music Support — and why it’s personal...
Words: Jeff Singh Photos: Music Support and Samurai Events
I’ve spent over 30 years in live events. I’ve worked in this industry from the ground up. Which is why partnering with Music Support wasn’t a marketing decision. It was personal. In one way I was lucky – my late father worked in psychiatry and addiction, so I was made aware of these issues early in life. But going into this industry, you’re surrounded by substance abuse, alcohol addiction, and the toxic behaviours that inevitably come with it. In the early days, I’d start a load-in with a line, and end the day the same way, with a line, and a bottle of red wine. That was how we sorted our problems. I’ve had two mental health crises in my career, struggled with cocaine abuse, been diagnosed with clinical depression and borderline personality disorder. I’ve had suicidal thoughts, self-harmed, and I’ve been in psychotherapy on and off for close to six years. I still deal with my own struggles, but I’m stable, and I’m happy. I have the love and encouragement of an incredible partner who has told me I’ve a lot to offer. For a long time, I blamed my job for a lot of that stress and there was truth in that. Getting my own health back on track meant making changes, and stepping away from the day-today of the business was one of them. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right one for me. Things have gotten a lot better since. This industry has given me so much joy and love – 30 years of it, or I wouldn’t still be here. People outside of this industry never quite understand the camaraderie. You get thrown together with people you’ve never met, and by the end of a job some of them are friends for life. People who’ll pick up the phone, anywhere and at any time, no questions asked. However, the whole production chain carries the weight of this business. Long hours, high pressure, the same culture of push-through-it. We’ve built an industry on the myth of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, and that
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myth has let us ignore what the work does to people. Thankfully, the industry is changing. At the top, however, like every business, it’s still the numbers that get looked at first, not the wellbeing. Some companies are making real changes, and that’s welcome. There aren’t many industries where 16 to 18 hour days are the norm. Whether you’re out on the road or working the local circuit, everyone in this industry has faced some version of the same battle: mental health, exhaustion, or being overworked. You saw it starkly during COVID – crew were stretched thin on the ground, and so many people left the industry altogether. Then the big promoters came back, the bands wanted to tour again, each bigger than the last, and there simply weren’t enough of us left to crew it properly. That strain hasn’t gone away. A load-out that finishes at 2am, then a 7am call the next morning. By the time you factor in travel home, a shower, and whatever sleep you can grab, there’s barely any rest before you’re back on site. Add to that how touring personnel can sometimes treat local crew as hands rather than people, and it’s no surprise drink and drugs become how people cope. I know, because that was me. What’s slowly becoming the new norm is having the courage to be honest and ask for support. Bringing that to the industry’s attention is the main drive behind partnering with Music Support. We have now signposted a handful of crews for addiction help and therapy. There’s an opportunity here, too. As we grow, Samurai crew bookings could offer a genuine soft entry back into the industry for people coming out of recovery – a lower-stakes way back in, rather than jumping straight onto a long tour with all the temptation that comes with it. As the one doing the booking and the recruiting, I’ve watched people come in at the very bottom of this industry and go on
to become some of the best in the business. Watching that climb happen, and knowing you played a part in it, is one of the most rewarding things about this job. Recent Music Support figures show a 71% increase in demand for their services, with over half of those reaching out already in acute crisis, and more than 1,000 UK industry professionals supported last year alone. Our clients are invited to donate as part of their booking, and we back that with a percentage of our own profit on every job, because if we’re asking people to give everything to a show, the least we can do is make sure there’s something there when the show takes more than it should. We contributed a substantial donation to Music Support in January, before the partnership was even formally signed. We’re also in early talks with Backup Tech about extending that support further. This is why we’ve started building wellbeing into how we book crew, not just into what we say about it. As a London-based crew company, we already offer clients a pre-bookable on-site Sports Therapist for physical strain, and we’re now looking at the same principle for mental health – working with Music Support so Samurai can be engaged to organise prebookable, confidential online therapy support as part of a job, the same way a client comes to us to book a forklift or a followspot operator. The aim is: make support something that’s already there before anyone must ask for it. If you are reading this and looking for help, Music Support is there, confidentially, whether you’re touring or local, crew or management. And if any of this speaks to your own ethos – as a venue, promoter, production, or supplier – we’d welcome the conversation. Come and talk to us. www.samuraievents.co.uk www.musicsupport.org
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THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE NUMBERS Fresh from the UK Chancellor’s latest Budget announcement, the PSA turns its attention to the budgets of touring productions and the financial hurdles currently facing the sector.
Words: Tom Rees and Liz Madden Photo: Cal Halliwell
Budgets arrive in billions. But for productions, the numbers that matter can be rather smaller: the day rate, the diesel bill and the invoice still sitting in somebody else’s accounts department. The Budget on 28 October 2026 included increased business rates relief for eligible pubs and live music venues in England from April 2027. That is welcome. Keeping venues open protects places to work, develop skills and build careers. But our industry does not stop at the venue door. Behind every event are people and businesses supplying the expertise, equipment and labour. Their long-term financial health deserves attention too, whether they work on tours, festivals, conferences or corporate events. There are positives for individuals. Making higher tax-relief mileage rates permanent recognises the cost of using your own vehicle for business journeys. Planned parental pay for eligible self-employed fathers, partners and adopters in Great Britain from April 2029 is another welcome step. However, a busy diary is not the same as a healthy business. A booking needs to cover
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more than the hours spent on site. Travel, accommodation, preparation, insurance, training, equipment, maintenance and administration all need paying for. So does the time between jobs. If you can’t recover those costs, working harder doesn’t necessarily mean you’re moving forward. Cash flow matters just as much. From April 2029, self-assessment taxpayers who make payments on account will move to smaller, more regular payments during the tax year. The payment schedule is still to be decided. It must recognise that freelance income can be seasonal and unpredictable, rather than assuming everyone receives a steady monthly salary. That also makes this a conversation about how we treat each other commercially. We cannot rewrite the Budget, but we can agree clear terms, confirm bookings promptly, pay invoices on time and discuss changes before asking someone to absorb them. A freelancer should not become an unofficial overdraft facility for the rest of the supply chain. For individuals, this is a useful moment to look beyond turnover. What does a job actually leave
you with? Are expenses clearly agreed? Is your rate supporting the training and maintenance needed to keep delivering professionally? Those are business questions, not an apology for charging properly. At the PSA, our membership of more than 2,500 gives us a collective voice. Our financial resources and business support help members navigate working life, alongside the experience and knowledge within our community. We also need your evidence. Tell us where costs, payment terms or uncertainty are affecting your ability to work, employ people or invest. Specific experiences help us explain the pressures behind the headlines without pretending every member’s circumstances are the same. Government support should help sustain the whole production community, not simply the most visible parts. Our own working practices should do the same. Keeping the doors open matters. So does ensuring the people arriving through the loading bay can afford to keep doing the job. www.psa.org.uk
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THE SUPPORT THAT COULD HAVE KEPT ME ON TOUR Sarah Rushton-Read reflects on workplace bullying and isolation, and the difference The MITC’s free Tour Health Package could have made...
Words: Sarah Rushton-Read
Ten weeks into a 12-week tour, I left. I was a single parent who could ill-afford to lose the income, but sustained bullying from two colleagues had left me feeling like I had no choice. The stress was surfacing as panic attacks on every lighting focus day. I was relighting two shows a week across 12 very different venues – a demanding schedule requiring close collaboration. Two tour electricians believed they had been overlooked for my role. Rather than raise a complaint, they retaliated by doing the bare minimum, mocking me and undermining me at every opportunity. Their mistreatment was so blatant that it was commented on several times by venue crews. Their refusal to collaborate added to my workload and the pressure I was under, but it was their cruelty that did the most damage. This was compounded by a lack of support from the production manager or original lighting designer, who claimed that things would work themselves out. Instead, the tension escalated. I felt ostracised and insecure. I began to doubt myself and whether I was suited to touring. Eventually, I left. Looking back, I can see that the people I turned to did not have the language or knowledge to deal with what was happening. An early conversation with an independent professional outside the touring bubble might have helped me name it, understand it wasn’t my fault and advocate for myself while there was still time. Instead, I carried the shame until I could no longer cope. Perhaps had senior members of the team understood how to manage difficult behaviour and bullying, things would have improved enough for me to stay. These are familiar problems for Tamsin
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Embleton, Psychotherapist and Founder of The Music Industry Therapist Collective (MITC). Describing the difficulties people bring to the confidential online Tour Check-ins, which can be booked at short notice, she said: “Often, the difficulties raised involve problems between people. Scapegoating, exclusion, cliques, harassment, intimidation, job insecurity and poorly communicated changes that go on to affect morale.” That’s why MITC’s new Pay It Forward Fund really matters. The industry-funded initiative offers small and mid-scale tours a free Tour Health Package, centred around ten confidential, 50-minute online Tour Check-Ins, available 24/7 to anyone in the touring party. Crucially, the Tour Health Packages also address leadership. Tour and production managers receive a 90-minute occupational health consultation, while the whole team gets a 90-minute healthy touring workshop, supported by handouts and videos on psychological safety, tour welfare, mindset and tour health. This gives managers and crew a shared language to spot tension and other problems early, and the confidence to act. On my tour, someone could have intervened, and the two electricians might not have gotten away with it for so long. Embleton said: “Tour and production managers are often highly skilled at delivering complex productions, but people management skills vary considerably. Leadership sets the tone and influences behaviour; they can also add to or alleviate stress around communicating change, roles and responsibilities and managing conflict. That’s why Pay It Forward takes both a topdown and bottom-up approach, moving
beyond individual resilience to consider how teams work together under pressure.” Keely Myers, Tour and Production Manager for Global Touring Office, accessed MITC’s Tour Health support while touring with Anastacia, said: “Whilst running my tour, I experienced first-hand just how invaluable MITC’s support can be. Touring can be an intense environment, and having someone who understands its unique pressures to talk things through with and gain perspective from was a real gift. What I particularly valued was that the support isn’t just for those struggling themselves, but also for managers supporting others. Having somewhere to turn for confidential guidance on boundaries and how best to support someone can take away a huge amount of pressure and help you feel less alone in those decisions.” Myers’ experience is echoed by reports from larger tours that have worked with MITC, which say their experience includes stronger working relationships, tensions resolved earlier and less pressure on leadership. Smaller tours face similar pressures but rarely have the budget for that support. The £272,000 Pay it Forward fund aims to provide free Tour Health Packages to 150 tours over three years, including the audiobook of Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual. I still remember those show-focusing days when I self-consciously stood on stage with the house crew, while two colleagues watched, laughing from the auditorium. In retrospect, I can see how much difference independent support and someone willing to intervene might have made. Thankfully today, that support exists. To apply, please visit: www.musicindustrytherapists. com/payitforward/apply/
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THE BACK LOUNGE: AI AND TOURING How should the touring community approach the use of AI? Suzi Green weighs up the potential benefits and pitfalls of one of the defining topics of our time.
Words and photo: Suzi Green
It’s hard to scroll a news feed without the mention of AI. Putting the fear of data centres, and god forbid, global annihilation aside, in the short term most of us feel a deep unease as to where it may be taking us. We’re sold the idea that AI will reshape how we learn, create and work, it’s moving faster than many of us can process. Can we trust it, and can we trust who controls it? What happens to our information and where in all of this will people fit? Such questions lack clear answers, and as I finish writing this, a news story is breaking that French supermarkets have had their systems hacked, causing refrigeration to fail and vast food wastage as a result. The BACK LOUNGE recently hosted a session with Richard Turrell from Handle, and the discussion moved from the global to the personal. No doubt AI is here to stay, but how is it already affecting our jobs? As Turrell argued, if it can help us build better shows, safer productions and careers with longevity, it deserves our attention. But if it’s just a way to cut costs without improving outcomes, we need to ask tougher questions. You may be using it already, whether openly or discreetly. If your role is back office, it can streamline paperwork, from production advancing to travel planning. If you’re designing or operating the show’s look and sound, then as Turrell pointed out, it can’t replace a skilled engineer on the day, even if it can catch problems faster than a hand on a fader. It struck me how quickly our discussion turned to trust. When an artist walks on stage, they aren’t trusting software. They’re trusting the people. We might be coming to terms with AI supporting a show, but perhaps far fewer are comfortable with it running one. And when something goes wrong, management still looks to a person, not a platform. There are practical worries too. If AI lets one person do the work of two or three, reducing headcount makes commercial sense, and the once-existential fear of being replaced by a machine is a tangible anxiety. But fewer people mean individual responsibility becomes even
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greater, and that’s risky. What happens when critical knowledge sits with one person and one system, and that person leaves mid-tour, or the software license suddenly costs ten times as much? Add to that mix the potential for power and connectivity issues, and the need for watertight cybersecurity, and the real danger here may not only be AI replacing people but creating single points of failure. We can’t ignore the human cost of that frailty, and ours is an industry built on precarious work always at the mercy of market forces and local conditions with every new venue, city or country we visit. We’ve learned that resilience comes from community and from looking out for each other, but it’s far harder to stay resilient or creative in isolation. Is this perhaps about where we place our value? The crew most likely to thrive - or survive - will be those who combine technical expertise with AI literacy, a willingness to keep learning and, undeniably, sound judgment and expertise that’s hard to learn from AI. If we stop practising the skills, we may be held responsible for a system we no longer understand, and have no way to help if itfails. None of this is about rejecting technology. We’ve embraced digital consoles and virtual soundchecks, and AI may very well ease some workloads. The judgement to know something’s wrong before the data says so, and the knowledge to fix it when the power’s down and the doors are already open, are learned on the job, under pressure and often in less-thanideal conditions. We risk losing the very instincts that get a show up when everything else fails. As those French supermarkets found out, systems can be vulnerable. When they fail, it’s people who keep the show on the road. The challenge is to embrace AI responsibly, to let it serve us rather than the other way round, and to keep sight of what really matters: the people and the moments that make a live show unforgettable, before we find we’ve handed over more than we meant to. www.healthy-touring.com/the-back-lounge-live
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FRANKIE TEE After 45 years, Dick Tee steps back from EnTEEtainment as daughter Frankie takes the helm...
Photo: Frankie Tee
What first sparked your interest in live events? I never set out to work in events. It was in the family, but my dad (Dick Tee, EnTEEtainment Founder) actively discouraged me from it. The moment it clicked for me was a small event I put on at secondary school. Nothing fancy, but I remember watching a room full of people having a genuinely good time and thinking, “I want more of this”. Not long after, I went to help out in the admin office at Glastonbury, and I’ve never really looked back. How has 2026 treated you and the team? Honestly? A bit of everything. We started early, in January, assisting with production management for a special premiere at Windsor Castle. Not long after that, a few clients cancelled or scaled back their shows, and for a while it looked like it might be a very quiet year for us. Then things picked up, and quickly. I need to remind myself of that more often, because they always do. Once the season got going, we were back for our sixth 6 Music Festival, looking after technical production and artist liaison. We ran technical production across two weekends at Brockwell Live, and delivered Vanlove at Thruxton and Nelson Mandela Day in Trafalgar Square. That last one came together at short notice. Boardmasters was our first year, and we’re already looking forward to 2027. Then, just as I was about to settle into a break, I was asked back to Reading Festival. It had been five years since I was last there, and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces. Hiring well was one of the best things we did this year. We brought in a new colleague, and a few of the other people who applied were so good that we worked with them freelance over the summer.
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Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? It’s a toss-up between “Everyone’s job is as important as everyone else’s.” and “Don’t ask your team to do something you wouldn’t be prepared to do yourself.” I think about it on every site. The show doesn’t open without the steward on the gate in the rain, or the runner who finds the missing cable at 6am. It’s shaped how I run a team. Nobody’s job is beneath anyone else’s, including mine. What’s one myth you’d happily debunk? Ask my friends and they’ll tell you I spend my summers partying with famous people. I’ve kind of given up correcting them. The myth I’d actually like to put to bed is that show day is the hard part. Show day is the reward. The hard part is the months before - the licensing, the safety documents, the advancing, the budget conversations. Then there’s the get-out after everyone’s gone home. If the planning’s right, the best show days are almost boring. If a show day is chaotic something went wrong long before the gates opened. If you could change one thing about live events, what would it be? Loyalty. When I first came into the industry, you could more or less rely on your calendar for years ahead. Shows ran on a rolling basis: you did it every year until you didn’t. It was the promoter asking whether you were coming back, not the other way round. Unless you got something wrong or costs jumped, you’d work with the same client for years, and the shows were better for it. I understand the need for competition, and tenders and quotes are the right way to keep pricing honest. But when every project could be up for quotation every single year, it
changes how everyone works. If you always think this year could be your last, you stop looking ahead. You don’t plan the improvement that would take three years to land. You can’t commit to suppliers in the same way, so they can’t commit to you either. You also lose the team that knows the site and knows which gate floods. When you know you’re in it for the long run, you build the show together and it gets better every year. Continuity isn’t a luxury. It’s how a show gets better. What’s still on your professional bucket list? I’ll be bold: going back to Glastonbury. It’s where this all started for me, in the admin office, and I’d love to go back doing what I do now. Proper full circle. And a country music festival, a proper UK version of Stagecoach. Someone’s going to build it (or maybe already is), and I’d love to be part of it. 45 years of EnTEEtainment and stepping in as MD – what does the next chapter look like? The first job is looking after what’s already here. EnTEEtainment has 45 years of values that have served us really well, and I want to keep them. At the same time, I want to change how we work to fit how people actually want to work now. A big part of that is people. I want to build a company where women in this industry can shine, without it having to be a statement. That means hiring the best people in the business, whatever their background, and then actually supporting them. I also want us to lead the way on staff and freelancer welfare. I don’t mean a policy document. I mean how it feels to work on one of our sites. Beyond that, there are some new avenues for the business I’m really excited about. Watch this space.