Behind
ARIJIT SINGH
UK personnel play key roles in the Indian singer’s trailblazing production.
MUMFORD & SONS
The band’s latest show juxtaposes folk roots with modern stage spectacle.
KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA
Meet some of the crew behind this summer’s biggest co-headline tour.
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To paraphrase another Mancunian band – this is the one we’ve been waiting for. The most talked-about live tour in recent memory graces the cover and several pages of TPi #290. As one of the unlucky thousands who missed out on tickets back in 2009, finally stepping onto that Heaton Park field 16 years later, not as a punter but a roving reporter, felt like poetic justice. Speaking to the crew, it quickly became clear that this wasn’t just a gig of cultural significance but one demanding steady hands, seamless collaboration and innovation [p60].
In a year where nostalgic tours shaped the circuit, the pursuit of something new remains relentless. Reporting from London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Ali retraces the origins of some of this summer’s biggest shows – Arijit Singh [p14], Kendrick Lamar and SZA [p68]. Meanwhile, Stew lifts the lid on Mumford & Sons’ folk-meetsspectacle production amid the US leg of the band’s Rushmere tour [p32]; TPi sits down with several bussing and transport companies driving for a more sustainable future [p80] and visits Britannia Row Productions’ new HQ in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary [p98].
As t he curtain falls on 2025, thank you for devoting your time – one of life’s greatest luxuries – to reading, collaborating, or supporting the 736 pages that made this year so special.
With few periods of reflection in the fast-paced and dynamic world of live touring, Ali is already busy visiting Loyle Carner and Benson Boone’s respective touring camps. Meanwhile, I’ll be profiling Little Simz and Radiohead’s latest arena touring campaigns with Stew heading Stateside for THE Conference: Live at Lititz and LDI 2026.
Finally, tickets are still on sale for the TPi Awards 2026. Make sure you don’t miss out on the chance to witness the 25th anniversary of the industry’s biggest night out. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for the shortlist dropping in early December – where you’ll get a chance to have your say.
Live Forever, Jacob Editor
Issue #290
November / December 2025
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
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Email: j.waite@mondiale.co.uk
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Cover Photo Oasis by Joshua Halling
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Total Production International (TPi) is a controlled circulation magazine, published six times a year by Mondiale Technology Media Limited under licence.
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One of the most anticipated returns in touring history descends on Manchester’s Heaton Park with a dedicated team of touring specialists, creatives and suppliers behind the scenes.
EVENT FOCUS
12 Sennheiser and Neumann open their doors to industry press.
14 UK personnel play key roles in Arijit Singh’s largest UK show.
18 Ben Jackson deploys Radial kit on YUNGBLUD’s latest tour.
22 Concert Stuff Group reflects on a successful summer season.
26 Wasted Potential looks back on NBA YoungBoy’s MASA Tour
PRODUCTION PROFILE
32 MUMFORD & SONS
Mixing folk roots, and a modern production, the crew embark on the band’s first arena tour in years.
68 KENDRICK LAMAR & SZ A
A steadfast touring crew helps st age the duo’s record-breaking st adium danceathon.
80 TPi speaks to the transport companies making strides towards sustainable travel.
86 Rock-It Cargo opens its new HQ, a stone’s throw from Heathrow.
IN PROFILE
90 Nexus introduces Marketplace.
92 MOG Rent enhances its CODA Audio stock.
94 ETC Connect celebrates 50 years of business.
98 Britannia Row Productions looks to the future.
PRODUCTION FUTURES
106 Neg Earth Lights provides wor k placement opportunities.
GEAR HEADS
110 DPA Microphones’ René Moerch talks N-Series.
112 dBTechnologies highlight the benefits of VIO L1610 and S218.
114 Disguise’s Ollie New land previews the GX 3+.
FEEDBACK
116 Françoise Cardoso shares how L-Acoustics is driving a sustainable future for li ve events.
117 Tupac Martir previews his new podcast – G lyph.
118 PSA launches the Dave Keighley Bursary to support growth.
BACK CHAT
122 NTU London and WILM’s Olive Olin t akes the hot seat.
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In a bid to further foster meaningful dialogue and exchange within the professional audio ecosystem, Sennheiser and Neumann open their doors to the industry press.
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Nady El-Tounsy
With over 37 global journalists in attendance, Sennheiser’s 80th Anniversary International Press Trip was designed as a journey through the past, present, and future of the Sennheiser Group – a celebration of 80 years of innovation, independence, and a passion for sound.
By hosting the experience across two locations – the Sennheiser headquarters in Wennebostel and Neumann’s home in Berlin, Germany – the brand aimed to showcase the shared DNA that unites the Sennheiser Group brands: a commitment to excellence, a pioneering spirit, and of course, a deep respect for craftsmanship.
In Wennebostel, attendees explored the story of Sennheiser from its farmhouse beginnings to the state-of-the-art production facilities, seeing first-hand the precision and dedication that underpin every product.
The roving newsroom experienced innovations such as Spectera, AMBEO and Sennheiser Mobility’s in-car audio solutions, highlighting the audio specialist’s commitment to future-facing technology that continues to redefine what’s possible in professional audio.
“T his press trip allowed attendees to experience how heritage and innovation coexist, showing that every Sennheiser Group product embodies the pursuit of extraordinary sound. For 80 years, we have been building the future of audio, guided by a belief in sound that is authentic, unfiltered, and deeply engaging,” stated Maik Robbe, Manager Global Communications at Sennheiser, proudly. “As an independent, family-owned company led by the third generation of the Sennheiser family, we are driven by responsibility, courage, and vision, and we are committed to continuous investment in meaningful innovation.”
The farmhouse and factory tours were an invitation to step into the heart of Sennheiser,
to see where passion and precision come together to create exceptional sound. Guided by Gritta Gramm, Curator of Heritage Archives, and Andreas Grüning, Director of Plant Management, the tour offered a rare glimpse into the spaces where craftsmanship meets cutting-edge technology.
A recurring theme throughout the press trip was a deep appreciation for the enthusiasm and knowledge of the teams across the Sennheiser Group. “Attendees noted how genuinely committed each presenter was to their craft, from the detailed explanations of Gritta Gramm and Andreas Grüning during the factory tour, to the demonstrations led by Volker Schmitt, Theresa Vondran, and Gerhard Spyra showcasing the new Spectera system,” Robbe recalled.
There was also high praise for the AMBEO sessions led by Kai Detlefsen and Renato Pellegrini, and in-car audio demonstrations by Véronique Larcher, Felix Teufel, Sarah Talaat, and Marcell Varga of Sennheiser Mobility, which offered a glimpse into how Sennheiser sound extends beyond traditional environments.
“We wanted visitors to sense the continuity that runs through our story, and how the curiosity that sparked our beginnings in 1945 remains alive in every stage of production today,” Robbe said, further underlining the enduring spirit behind the brand.
“W hether observing the meticulous handassembly of microphones or witnessing modern automation in action, the aim was to show that Sennheiser’s commitment to quality is as personal as it is technological. Each product is a reflection of the expertise, dedication, and pride of the people behind it.”
The following day in Berlin, journalists were introduced to the world of Neumann, a brand that has shaped studio sound for nearly a century. From legendary products such as
the U 47 and U 87 microphones to the KH series studio monitors, RIME plug-in and MT 48 audio interface, Neumann’s story is one of uncompromising quality, precision, and dedication to detail.
Journalists were further impressed by the expertise of Boris Kummerer, Martin Schneider and Medzid Veseli during the HQ tour, and the technical mastery displayed by Jorma Marquardt and Felix Lau during the product demonstrations on show.
Across both sites, the sense of pride and unity among the in-house teams was palpable. “Every presentation, conversation, and handson session reflected the shared belief that sound has the power to connect, inspire, and transform experiences, a conviction that has driven Sennheiser and Neumann for decades,” Robbe explained.
These press days, as Robbe elaborated, were not only an opportunity to showcase innovation but to connect people and to bring the industry together through shared experiences and genuine interaction. “By opening our doors and sharing our spaces, we hope to inspire trust, transparency, and collaboration across the global audio community,” he added, earnestly.
St rolling through the award-filled corridors of both locations – meeting the minds behind the development, and at times the revival, of revered and forward-thinking sonic solutions – it became clear: within the wider Sennheiser Group, sound is not merely a product, but a profound devotion.
“Moments like these remind us why we do what we do,” Robbe reflected, philosophically. “Behind every breakthrough lies a shared pursuit of excellence – and an enduring reverence for the art and science of audio.” www.sennheiser.com www.neumann.com
The Indian artist takes to the stage for a history-making performance at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with lighting, special effects and fireworks aplenty
Singer, composer, music producer and instrumentalist, Arijit Singh, and his touring crew recently treated crowds at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to a spectacle which featured close to 1,000 lighting fixtures, around 1,000sqm of LED, a 78m long thrust, and pyrotechnics, fireworks and special effects provided by three different technical specialists. TPi goes behind the scenes to retrace the visual elements of the project.
Si yan’s Tom Grant assumed the unique role of ‘production wrangler’ for this special show – working alongside show promoter TCO’s Production Director Anthony Tang and Production Coordinator Sophia Livett, to take Arijit’s production team technical requirements and concepts and deliver them as a technical reality for this huge standalone production.
To do this, Grant and Tang enlisted the technical support of Creative Technology (video), All Access Staging & Production (risers and staging), H2H Rigging (rigging), BPM SFX (lasers) MistFX (SFX and pyrotechnics), Explosive SFX (fireworks) and, not forgetting, Siyan (automation, lighting and rigging).
“I ’m honoured to be involved in such a huge show in Arijit’s career; it is special,” Grant said. “From Siyan’s perspective too, we’re proud to be involved alongside all of the other suppliers, and it is rewarding seeing all of the crew come together to create a truly brilliant show.”
With a day job as Business Director at Siyan, Grant isn’t shy to accept field work while also ensuring the smooth running of the business. “I juggle many balls of responsibility, and jumping onto gigs like this to deliver solutions to people is quite fun,” Grant said. “It also shows how dynamic the industry is. There are many people in the industry who work on both sides of it, which just proves there are tons of transferable skills in this world, so when opportunities come up you rarely turn them down.”
Si yan provided 228 ACME LIGHTING PIXEL LINE IP; 150 GLP JDC Burst 1; 112 CHAUVET Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16; 98 Robe Robin FORTE, 90 Robin iFORTEs, 28 Robin iFORTE LTX WB, four Robin iFORTE LTX F; 78 SGM Lighting Q-8; 48 Ayrton Cobra and 32 Claypaky HY B-Eye K25 / TEATRO lighting solutions with 12 MA Lighting grandMA3 processing unit Ms, two grandMA3 desks, and three grandMA3 light consoles chosen for control. “It’s certainly big,” Grant laughed. “With the number of lighting fixtures and special effects, I believe it is the right combination of big and bold.”
Collaboration was the foundation of Siyan’s approach. “It was enjoyable and especially rewarding seeing all of the crews come together to help create this truly brilliant show,” Grant added. “We’re proud to be involved and working alongside all of these other great
suppliers, this was a step up, taking on a lighting and rigging project of this scale.”
MistFX were brought on in the beginning stages of the show, with the company having worked with Arijit for the past three years and brought on BPM SFX and Explosive SFX for the task. MistFX provided 28 Magic FX ECO2Jets, 14 Stadium Shots, 18 positions of Galaxis Pyro, and 12 Explo X2 Wave Flames. MistFX Director, Amrit Natt, commented: “It feels like an amazing achievement to be a part of such a large show, this is our fourth year working with Arijit and his team so it’s great to be a part of his return to the UK, and for his biggest show yet!”
BPM SFX provided 16 Kvant Lasers Atom 58s which were deployed on the downstage edge, in the wings, and on the downstage Kinesys truss; the company also provided 10 Look Solutions Viper deLuxe for atmospherics.
Overseeing the feat in real time was Head Laser Technician and Programmer, Olly Yates; Laser Technician, James Manning, and Laser Systems Technician, Harry Snell.
“It’s always a pleasure to work with Tom and the team at Siyan, as well as our colleagues in other departments, we have a great working relationship with Amrit from MistFX and Myles from Explosive SFX,” Matt Heap, Director of Projects, commented. “The great thing about working together is that we were all striving to give the audience the best show possible.”
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Taking care of the high-altitude pyrotechnics element on the show was Explosive SFX, who enlisted 17 crew members that worked tirelessly to ensure the roof fireworks, which featured over 1,500 shots of pyro, went off without a hitch.
The vendor utilised a FireCTRL G3 System with 30 slave modules, and for the finale sequence a Galaxis firing system.
“Inevitably, a one-off show will always feature curveballs, but it was generally straightforward for us,” said Myles Wynne-Pedder, Director at Explosive SFX.
“T he team at Siyan were fantastic and provided us with everything we requested for this show. Additionally, George from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was integral in allowing us to shoot such a large quantity of pyrotechnics from the roof of the stadium.”
Carbon offsetting was important to Explosive SFX, with the vendor supporting the Just One Tree Project, which sees them planting a tree for every 10kg of CO2 produced, with the aim to be net carbon zero by the end of the year.
“So far, we have planted 3,000 trees! We’re proud to support the project and ensure all our used pyro is stripped and recycled after the show,” Wynne-Pedder said.
Creative Technology were drafted in for the video element of the show. “For a one-off show there was an enormous amount of screen used for the show, it was a huge wrap around set, and the pixel count was through the roof,” Tom
Walsh, Music & Touring at Creative Technology, said. CT supplied an enormous amount of ROE Visual CB5 LED panels. “It was great to be a part of a project that is out of the mainstream; you could tell that it meant a lot to the audience that we put on a good show,” Walsh added. “The whole crew put in a huge effort to pull it off in time and left no stone unturned.”
All Access Staging & Production provided five carpenters for the production and looked after three 45ft truck worths of equipment for a 250ft long stage, Martyn Drew, Senior Project Manager, took up the story: “It was a privilege to be involved in such an incredible event with such a great artist, we used our Versa staging walk through framing system to allow Arijit to move around without any trip hazards – aiding his walk to get to the two scissor lifts and stair lift that we had installed.”
Despite working across different departments, Grant doesn’t forget to mention the expertise of Clair Global and Team Audio. “Andy Walker and Mark Isbister were crucial to ensuring we had a show,” Grant said. “We could not have done it without their help and flexibility.”
www.arijitconcerts.com www.siyan.co.uk www.ct-group.com
www.bpm-sfx.com www.explosivesfx.co.uk www.mist-fx.co.uk
www.allaccessinc.com
Siyan’s Tom Grant and Production Coordinator Sophia Livett.
Behind the biggest stages, you’ll find us-All Access. From LA and NY to London and beyond, our Versa Rolling Stage System sets the touring standard worldwide.
Guitar and Backline Technician, Ben Jackson enhances YUNGBLUD’s setup with Radial Engineering guitar and amp switchers from POLAR Professional Audio.
Photo: Alex Beamis
With 18 years in the game, Ben Jackson knows the road like the back of his hand. He got his start behind the wheel, quickly moving up to backline tech for a string of touring acts – including two runs on the Vans Warped Tour Since then, he’s gone global with Neck Deep and added names like Good Charlotte, Bullet for My Valentine, Deaf Havana, and Frank Turner & the Rattlesnakes to his collection of AAA passes.
Jackson first crossed paths w ith YUNGBLUD in t he early d ays, striking up a st rong working relationship as t he artist’s career took off. Since 2019, he’s been t he ar tist’s go-to G uitar and B ackline Technician, also looking after stage-right duties for Guitarist and Musical Director, Adam Warrington and B assist, Silke B lansjaar.
“It’s a high-energy, fast-paced show w here performative elements c an be unpredictable, so having a r ig t hat is rock solid every night is essential,” s aid Jackson, YUNGBLUD’s G uitar and B ackline Tech since 2019. My biggest challenge is keeping t hings consistent across every stage, country, and venue, every night. There’s no t ime for tech issues mid-set, so everything’s built for reliability and speed.
Radial Engineering gear plays a big part in t hat –it just works, every t ime.”
Jackson has been using Radial Engineering products since 2017. Neck Deep’s stageleft guitarist, Sam Bowden, introduced t he engineer to t he Radial Engineering StageBug SB -6 Isolator.
“On my first d ay w ith YUNGBLUD, st age-right guitarist and Musical Director, Ad am Warrington, had me build him a stereo amp setup, and t he SB-6 was t he first t hing I added to t he r ig. It’s still t here to t his d ay,” t he technician fondly recalled.
Up until March, Jackson was using one line of RF each for Warrington and B lansjaar.
“At t he start of t his album cycle, we were given a budget to upgrade t he r igs and to employ a second tech to split t he workload. T he first thing I ordered was t he JX42 – I always felt I was pushing my luck having only one line of RF on such a high-profile show. Having four lines of RF easily interchangeable was essential not only for slick guitar changes but, should any of my RF get stomped on mid-show, I ’m able to switch to a backup guitar on a clean f requency. I ’m blown away by how user-friendly t he JX42 is, especially w hen coupled w ith t he JR5 remote,” he added. “ Having t he JR5 remote in t he w ings means t hat I c an easily engage and disengage each input w hilst 20m f rom my guitar world. This is a must, especially w hen handing off t wo guitars at once!”
Earlier t his year, w hile designing t he new rigs, stage-left G uitar Technician Elliot Russell, and Jackson quickly settled on t he JX42s as an essential part of t he build. “ With high-pressure shows it is so important to relieve any tech responsibility f rom your artist. T heir focus should be on t he performance and nothing further,” he explained. “ Eliminating t he need to sw itch packs on and off is just one less t hing for t he artist to worry about, and achieving t his without compromising tone is essential. T he JX42 sounds like it’s not even t here! It’s t he industry standard for a reason.”
Jackson spends a lot of t ime working and talking w ith other technicians about issues that arise. One t hing t hat comes up t ime and time again, he s aid, is t he reliability of Radial products: Once t hey’re installed you c an stop t hinking about t hem – you power on and they work. Having t his reliability is ultimately why I look to Radial in every instance. We have countless Radial products over t he whole YUNGBLUD stage and w ings, f rom JDIs, B acktracks and HotShots,” Jackson
commented, citing t he “build quality” and “durability” of Radial’s portfolio. W hen building YUNGBLUD’s redundant Q uad Cortex rack in April 2024, Jackson consulted a “pioneer of fly racks”, B rad B artosz of Best-Tronics Pro Audio (BTPA). He immediately pointed to t he Backtrack for its practical implementation and rock-solid application. Since installing t his unit, I have had it s ave my skin multiple t imes. With seamless switching between A and B machines, having such a reliable analogue sw itcher for essentially t wo computers is now the only way to go!” Jackson enthused.
The team currently tours w ith t hree SGI R X/ TXs. With stages expanding in w hat feels like a weekly occurrence, we have had to allow for our tech worlds getting f urther away. W ith 20m looms, our concern for r unning unbalanced cables had to be addressed,” Jackson noted.
Cue t he SGI T X/RX, w ith its c apability of sw itching an unbalanced signal into a balanced signal and back again. Jackson elaborated: “It was a no-brainer for us to implement t his product. W ith its ability to do t his comfortably up to 100m, it could handle our 20m easily.“
Radial solutions have also found t heir
way into YUNGBLUD’s audio package and playback world, w ith Playback and Keyboards
Technician, Luke Collins, harnessing Radial
Backtrack and ProD8 d aily.
“ Having an attentive service like POLAR in t he UK has made getting hold of Radial products a breeze,” Jackson s aid. “ They have a fantastic customer service team w ho pick up the phone w hen you need t hem, and even post things out w hen you’ve most certainly missed their next-day cut-off t ime – and I ’m speaking from ex perience…” www.yungbludofficial.com www.radialeng.com www.polar.uk.com
Concert Stu is a premier end-to-end concert and event production company specializing in delivering world-class live entertainment experiences through their dynamic range of businesses. With over four decades of industry expertise, Concert Stu partners with leading promoters and artists to deliver unforgettable performances to audiences around the globe.
Concert Stuff Group (CSG) reflects on a successful summer season, culminating in two stadium shows, two major music festivals, and eight large-scale productions executed in unison...
As flightcases wheel back to warehouses following another whirlwind summer season, Concert Stuff Group (CSG) cemented its reputation as one of the ‘go-to’ names in fullservice event solutions. With its headquarters based in North Carolina, CSG capped off the summer in style, delivering five back-to-back concerts at Chicago’s Soldier Field during the final week of August, featuring Oasis, My Chemical Romance, The Lumineers, and a double-bill of System of a Down.
Just over eight miles away, CSG’s sister companies – G2 Structures and Guardian Barrier Services – were simultaneously working their magic at Wrigley Field, constructing the live infrastructure for a headline performance by Chris Brown, while also deploying teams to support both ARC Music Festival and North Coast Music Festival, located on opposite sides of the city. “Very few companies in the world are capable of executing multiple stadium shows within one city, night after
night,” stated Jim Brammer, CEO of CSG. “Our ability to deliver simultaneously at Soldier Field and Wrigley Field illustrates exactly why Concert Stuff Group is such a valued partner for artists and promoters across the globe.”
At Soldier Field, G2 Structures utilised its K2i staging systems, while Guardian Barrier Services provided a full range of barrier configurations to ensure robust crowd management. Together, they laid the foundation for unforgettable fan experiences,
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drawing tens of thousands of attendees to Chicago’s largest open-air venue each night. Meanwhile, the very same collaboration at Wrigley Field helped bring Chris Brown’s show to life, without skipping a beat, even as Guardian’s experienced crews raced against time to support two genre-spanning electronic music festivals across the city.
Reflecting on t his impressive logistical feat, Greg Hareld, Managing Director of G2 Structures, informed TPi: “Whether it’s one venue in a city or fi ve, we make sure to never lose sight of the client’s needs. Every deployment is treated with equal importance and is led by a dedicated Crew Chief whose sole focus is to ensure a successful delivery. Behind the scenes, our centralised operations team supports them every step of the way, this is how we deliver locally while thinking globally.”
Managing morale, alignment, and technical performance across several large-scale venues and festival sites running in tandem is no easy task, even for seasoned veterans. So, what makes CSG so uniquely positioned to pull it off? The success of G2 Structures, and indeed the wider CSG family, boils down to one crucial element – our people,” Hareld emphasised.
“We work relentlessly to maintain clear communication, show real appreciation, and ensure every team member feels both valued and heard.”
While the company is rightly proud of its commitment to offering highly-competitive pay and benefits, Hareld was quick to note that material rewards are only part of the picture. “Those things mean little if our field crews don’t feel genuinely supported,” Hareld acknowledged. “Every person on our management team has spent time on the show floor, we’ve lived t he challenges our crews face. That shared experience helps us lead with empathy and connect in ways that are both authentic and impactful.”
Equally important, Hareld noted, is the company’s ‘people-first’ culture, built on open communication, early alignment, and active support throughout every project.
“From the outset, we focus on setting our teams up for success – clearly defining goals and equipping them with the right tools, both digital and analogue. We stay closely connected throughout the lifecycle of each deployment, using real-time feedback loops to troubleshoot potential issues before they escalate,” he added.
“Above all, we prioritise respect – respect for the work, and for the people doing it. That consistency helps create a strong, unified culture, where mutual trust and shared purpose underpin everything we do.”
A key advantage in CSG’s arsenal, according to Hareld, lies in its network of highly specialised companies, seamlessly integrated to deliver turnkey solutions across multiple sites and disciplines. “We’ve woven together a collective of like-minded partners, all pulling in the same direction: our clients’ success. So, when an existing client engages one business unit and then wants to expand their collaboration, they can do so confidently, k nowing t hey’ll receive the same culture of excellence and unwavering commitment across the board,” he explained.
With a successful summer season now behind them, CSG isn’t slowing down. As the company looks ahead, Hareld is clear-eyed about the road ahead: “Our primary goal is simple – to deliver the same high level of performance, reliability, and creative excellence to clients.”
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In collaboration with The Aunties Production, design and touring company, Wasted Potential, brings Louisiana’s Baton Rouge to arenas across the US.
Conceived within the confines of a prison cell, the creative vision for YoungBoy Never Broke Again (NBA YoungBoy)’s Make America Slime Again (MASA) Tour had been taking shape long before it hit the road. Founder and Designer at WastedPotential, Chadrick Fellers, along with Lead Designer, Zach Berget, delve into the creative process behind the tour – from ambition to fruition.
“This is basically NBA YoungBoy’s first ever tour w ith legitimate production,” Fellers s aid. “It was interesting as we had t his massive production finalised way before t he tour was even routed.”
Production vendor, Fuse Technical G roup, Gallagher Staging, and P yrotechnico were enlisted by production to help create a replica of NBA YoungBoy’s childhood home, a local cemetery and, in keeping in t he t heme of nostalgia, his living room.
“ We t ake fans on a journey t hrough B aton Rouge, a place t hat means so much to him,”
Berget commented. “ It is a story of NBA YoungBoy returning home for t he first t ime in a long w hile, and w hen he returns, t here is an abstract phenomenon happening.”
T he WastedPotential team collaborated with G allagher Staging, continuing t heir decade long working relationship, to develop t he scenic elements of t he production. “One of my favourite t hings about working on a set is that t hey are completely unique to each artist; whether it’s something personal or meaningful to t hem, it is uniquely t heirs,” Berget s aid. “ We come up w ith fabrication ideas but w hen it comes to putting it together and making sure it is tourable we must rely on great vendors to support us in t hat regard, and G allagher have been nothing but supportive.”
Fabricated across G allagher’s L a Mirada and Nashville facilities, t he project combined foam c arving, CNC machining, t raditional carpentry, aluminium and steel welding, and detailed scenic painting to achieve a cinematic
on -stage world. T he centrepiece, a f ull-scale house t hat splits and flies apart mid-show, was supported by multiple integrated lifts and fl ying systems. G allagher also created additional custom elements such as a sculpted t ree, telephone poles, and a replica statue f rom t he ar tist’s hometown.
“Our goal was to make every piece feel alive,” s aid David Chin-Feldsberg, Design and Project Manager at G allagher Staging & Productions. “ Seeing t he initial renderings come to life on tour – especially t he house split and t he automated lifts – was incredibly rewarding for our team.”
Berget and Fellers attributed t he arena tour tr im heights and space to t he fact t hat t hey were able to go above and beyond w ith t he st aging design, w hile not forgetting t he hard work of Production Manager, V ictor Reed & his GEP team on t he road. Victor is a great production manager, he really pushed for things t hat made t he w hole process smooth
and successful. Massive thanks to him for helping turn this all into a reality” Fellers said. “He was a game changer in making sure the show was ready to go before doors opened.”
As well as the set design, video and lighting were a crucial element to the show, WastedPotential chose ROE Visual CB5 LED panels for video because of their robust nature. Among lighting fi xtures chosen were Robe MegaPointes and Spiiders; GLP JDC1s; TMB Solaris Flare LR Q+s; Martin Professional Jem ZR45s, while MDGFog ICE FOG Qs and theONE TOURING CRADLEs provided atmospherics.
Berget noted the importance of the “brightness” of Solaris Flare LR Q+s output brightness and ability to cut through and highlight haze emitted from a selection of MDGFog ICE FOG Q units.
Py rotecnico provided 1,175 Flashtubes with B ang & Spark, four G alaxis G -Flames w ith Flame B ars and six G -Flame Units, 12 Cryo Jets, and four Freeze Fogs. “We love getting behind an artist’s vision and bringing it to life. T hat meant turning arenas into f ull-on ex periences t hat hit every sense. Every night, our seven-person SFX crew was on it, making sure every cue connected with the moment,” Pyrotecnico’s Rocco Vitale said. “What makes this work special is the trust and collaboration.
We support t he music, bring it to life w ith fl ames, flashes and fog. T he effects are important, but it ’s really our crew’s experience and attention to detail t hat keep everything flowing f rom t he load-in to finale. We appreciate t he confidence YoungBoy’s team placed in us to help turn the unexpected into t he unforgettable.”
Fellers also extended his appreciation to the NBA YoungBoy team, mentioning Andrew Lieber (MAC Agency), Dre Davis (TM), Kevin Puig (Tour Director) and A lex, Fee, and Montana f rom management. “ It was a real collective effort to get this project from inception to fruition and I am so grateful for everyone involved,” he said. Now that the tour is up and running on the road, Fellers reflected on his favourite moments from the show, including the automation element where the replica childhood home breaks into two and unveils the inside of the house. “When the house lifts up, we have a virtual NBA YoungBoy ripping it apart,” Fellers said. “It is a really cool moment, and Zach and the team worked hard to integrate it perfectly into the show.”
www.youngboynba.com
www.wastedpotential.net
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www.pyrotecnico.com
www.gallagherstaging.com
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Only a few weeks into their latest live campaign, TPi checks in with some of the new and familiar names on the crew sheet of the band’s first arena tour in six years.
It’s been some time since Mumford & Sons hit the road with an arena production, with their last, the Delta Tour, wrapping up in early 2019. Covering the show at Manchester’s AO Arena back then, one element all the crew mentioned at the time was the flexibility the band brought to their live offering – with changing setlists and instruments, as well as one or two trips out into the crowd, being common occurrences. Suffice to say, despite the break and the release of a new album, these hallmarks remain.
The difference t his t ime around is several new faces joining t he ranks, including Production Manager A ndrew T hornton and
Tour Manager Carlina G ugliotta. Having most recently worked side by side for Meghan
Trainor, t he duo jumped into 2025 w ith t he band. Prior to t he autumn arena tour, t he band set out on several smaller c ampaigns, including the R ailroad Revival Tour – a four-stop, t rainbased r un of shows.
“ There are quite a few of us t hat are new to t he band,” stated T hornton, w ho brought many of t hese new crew out on t hese smaller runs before t he preceding arena tour. “ This included a few of my regulars in t he production team, such as Duncan L adkin, Stage Manager, Production Coordinator ‘CJ’ Harrison and Road Manager B ales Karlin.”
The tour also s aw a few new suppliers, including Solotech providing t he t riple t hreat of audio, lighting, and v ideo. Meanwhile, t he
production also brought on TAIT (staging and automation), Ox Event House (scenic), Reed Rigging (rigging), Strictly F X (SFX), Upstaging (trucking), Dreamliner (buses), and Freight Minds (freighting). A lso on board for the first t ime was Rebus – a newly rebranded production arm of Treatment Studios overseen by W illie W illiams, Mike Smith, and Chris Booth. Off t he back of working for acts such as Harry Styles and Shawn Mendes, T hornton commented on t he difference working for t he Mumford contingent. “Carlina and I are used to working on ‘structured’ pop tours. Setlists are established way in advance, and everything is strict and choreographed to t imecode –however, t his tour is t he opposite,” he s aid. “ The setlist is amended on a d aily basis,” Gugliotta remarked. Both described enjoying this different way of working. “ There is no doubt it brings its own stresses, but t here is also a part t hat makes it really f un and all about t he music,” Thornton said.
The production goals were certainly quite ambitious compared to some of t he band’s previous tours. In t he US, we are t ravelling with 16 t rucks f rom Upstaging w ith seven buses f rom Dreamliner,” stated t he PM. “ I suppose t hese d ays t hat would be classed as a medium-sized show, but it is a decent scale of production, and we’re loading in at 7am most days to be ready for soundcheck at 4pm.”
Thornton highlighted t he value of having Solotech provide audio, lighting, and v ideo
packages. “ Having to quote one project manager is very useful w ith individual project managers overseeing each department. On this tour, I c an t ap into t he vast experience of Luther Edmonds, Paul Macca’ McCauley, and Oli James.”
Lee Moro, Senior V ice President for Live Productions at Solotech commented: We have been working w ith Mumford and Sons for a decade, only missing a couple r uns – it’s great to see t he band on top of t heir g ame and love seeing t hem embracing such a beautiful and ambitious design. Solotech has always been on t he f ront line in supplying 360 tours. Having your teams work together is beneficial and
Solotech does it incredibly well. A ndrew and ot her productions are seeing t he efficiencies of all coming f rom one place, f rom early planning as one team to d aily implementation.”
In closing, t he PM was keen to shout out t he work of Head Rigger Colin Raby and supplier
Reed Rigging. The build is quite intricate and specialised, but Colin and t he team at Reed have been really good,” he noted.
Leading t he design conversations was W illie Williams. Despite k nowing t he band’s manager and Marcus Mumford personally, t his was t he first t ime W illiams had t he chance to work with t he band. There’s a great f reedom w hen you c an come into something completely new. E arly on, it was clear t hat t hey wanted
something more forward-facing and modern. But one of the first things that struck me when I got to see one of their shows in Verona was the relationship between them and their audience,” stated Williams, sharing his desire to heighten this connection.
This production also provided an opportunity for the newly established company, Rebus, to demonstrate its capabilities to everyone, from both a design and delivery standpoint.
Founded by Willie Williams, Mike Smith, and Chris Booth, Rebus brings together creative vision and technical expertise under one banner. “Productions – specifically in live touring – are becoming much more complex, and with time scales to create shows continually shrinking,” explained Booth. “Our niche at Rebus is that you have the design and delivery all in one place, with a show being able to be delivered as one piece to a touring production team.”
Smith added: “For us, it’s about bridging the gap between design and production. By managing both the design and delivery, we’re able to get ahead of the process and spot any challenges long before the build begins.”
“Our team are not just from rock ’n’ roll, with several of them from the ceremonies and
theatre worlds,” noted Booth, underlining the diversity of ideas they can bring to all projects.
It ’s certainly a new method of crafting a show, but Smith was keen to highlight that the goal of Rebus is to aid productions rather than replacing existing key roles in the sector. “We’re still testing the waters, but on productions such as Beyoncé and Mumford & Sons, both productions and suppliers have been complementary of the fresh approach and level of support coming from us.”
With a design coming from Williams, and Rebus’ team, Cate Carter as an Associate Designer for the project, along with Matt Ockenden, who acted as Project Manager, and Erik Blomdahl, who worked as Technical Director, creating all the drawings for each department and liaising with everyone to highlight any potential issues. “Erik has come from the touring world and is seasoned when it comes to knowing all the potential issues,” stated Smith. “Production suppliers appreciated the support and the attention to detail,” added Booth.
The main centrepiece of the design was five automated concentric circles that would descend a few songs into the show, featuring
several motifs including stars, hearts, and birds — all of which were created by light ropes.
“It’s a technique I used in the ‘90s with R.E.M.,” reminisced Williams, admitting that he thought the days of using this solution were behind him. “It seemed appropriate for Mumford & Sons, as they have used festoon lights in their shows for such a long time. One of the design briefs I had at the beginning of the project was that going to a Mumford’s show was a cross between going to church and a fairground, and the rope lights with the circles certainly achieved that.”
OX Event House provided the giant tiered flown installation with 123 hand shaped motifs, using the vintage style non-neon rope light.
“T he motifs were shaped over hundreds of working hours, as stars, hearts, birds, flowers and leaves and affixed to structural aluminium frames, which were rigged in tiers to the lighting trusses,” commented Ben Levitt, Technical Director at Ox Event House.
“To ensure the correct connectivity to circular trusses we incorporated an aircraft pin frame system to allow the build and breaks to be as quick and slick as possible To allow the frame items to tour correctly, we fabricated 18 custom carts that would allow the frames to travel by air.”
Kieren Ward, Head of Design Ox Event added: “The whole Rebus team have such a wealth of creative and technical knowledge combined, which made working with them an absolute pleasure and guided us through regular visits to our workshop on all elements to make sure everything was as Willie would have expected.”
The other notable element of the design was the lack of pre-rendered video content. “Most of the shows we have designed over the last few years have been really content-heavy,” stated Booth. “And that then becomes a big part of the design process, doing a lot of back-and-forths with bands and management. It was nice not to have that element. The show is very personal to the band, and it’s about them on stage rather than the content. The IMAG certainly helps with this, but even that is not used on every song.”
“It’s ballsy!” added Williams, referring to the band’s confidence in their stage show without relying on too many production tricks and visuals. “They really interact with their audience, with Marcus several times going into the crowd. I thought he was speaking metaphorically when he said he’d walk from the B-stage back to the main stage, but sure enough, he just walked through the crowds – there is a real trust there between the band and the crowd.”
LOVER OF THE LIGHT
A mainstay of the Mumford & Sons camp, Ed Warren was back again creating a lighting
design to work alongside Rebus’ show design. “I saw the first design around two months before the tour and began figuring out how I could supplement Rebus’ design with the lights,” said Warren, explaining his process of approaching a brand-new design with songs he’d been working on for years. “There are certain songs in their set that have a colour scheme that never really changes, and it can be hard. But it’s always interesting adapting a song to a new design.”
The lighting rig was kept simple, featuring Robe iFORTEs, GLP JDC1s, and CHAUVET STRIKE 1s. “We tried to strip everything back and left the stage and motifs in the circles to do a lot of the work. I didn’t need the lights to be too complex.” Then, for the B-stage, the production deployed GLP Impression FR10 Bars to provide a perimeter to the stage, with the musicians lit from above by a single iFORTE.
Going into specific choices, he explained that the iFORTEs were “super bright and clear,” with the production not even needing to run them at 100%. To maintain consistency, the fixture fulfilled followspot duties. “We’re using the RoboSpots we used during the summer, and they worked well,” stated Warren. “You just need good operators,” he chuckled, referencing Marcus Mumford’s antics of running into the crowd during the show.
“We had a few conversations at the start of the run about restraining ourselves and not lighting the audience as much, keeping it a bit
darker,” continued the LD. “It was a bit of a risk, but it made a huge difference.”
One of the hallmarks of the band’s performances are a ‘live’ experience – meaning there is no timecode to be seen. “I’m just used to it,” shrugged Warren, admitting that with so many new people in the camp, it was a slight change from more modern arena shows.
Operating the show on the road was Neil Holloway. “He started with the band in the summer,” stated Warren. “He cares so much about the show and really takes his work personally; I feel very safe leaving the design in his hands.”
Both Warren and Holloway spent nine days in Solotech’s new Rochdale offices in their Syncronorm Depence suite to create looks for the 31-strong back catalogue. “It was handy having that time in the studios. We also had the aid of programmers José Lorenzo and Ali Pike.”
Solotech also provided a Syncronorm Depence suite for Holloway on the road. “We figured that some of the load-ins might mean it would be a bit of a stretch to do any programming from FOH, so he’s able to make any amends to the show file from the comfort of backstage,” stated the LD.
Warren closed by discussing the collaboration with the Rebus team: “Not only was it invaluable to have Willie’s input and wisdom, but having Eric’s help with all the plots was very helpful. Sometimes you can have a bit
of friction when working with other departments but having Eric constantly updating the lighting plots made things neat, and he would feedback any issues, making it a real team effort.”
BELOW MY FEET (AND ABOVE MY HEAD)
Overseeing the automation department was Christian Mikkelsen, responsible for the movable rings, a large mirror ball, and a prop lift used for the lead singer’s kick drum.
“We’ve got 32 Nav hoists,” Mikkelsen said, explaining how the chandelier of automated circles was revealed a few songs into the set. “When it comes in, it’s really quite impressive and is much bigger than it first appears in its home state. It’s not a ridiculous number of hoists but they do huge things.”
He was quick to point out how this was the first show he had ever worked on without timecode. “Our standard stage racks at TAIT come with a Distripalyzer, which is able to pull in timecode,” he stated, adding that he quickly learned there was no such thing within the Mumford & Sons’ camp. “Nobody believed me when I told the team at TAIT to strip them out of my stage box for the tour.”
Automation Operator Jeb Fields and Crew Tech Megan Hutchinson made up the automation department. “It’s a lot of work for three people but very achievable,” stated Mikkelsen, complimenting the work of
Hutchinson and Fields. “As we are the ‘top of the cake’, it’s vital that we get ourselves in perfectly and quickly.”
As alluded to previously, the band had no interest in having pre-rendered video content as part of the show, with the upstage LED screens only being used for live footage of the band.
“To not have IMAG on the left and right of the stage can be quite uncomfortable when you are doing a big arena show,” mused Warren, while discussing the overall look of the stage. “That said, this design really does draw your eyes to the stage rather than just staring at a screen.”
The LED screen comprised ROE Visual CB5 LED panels rigged using a Twenty Three bracket system and driven by Brompton Tessera XD video processors and two PIXERA FOUR RS media servers. Manning the IMAG using Ross Carbonite was Director Jack Banks.
“Jack is a great video director and is always exploring ideas of how to light the band differently,” stated Warren. “He doesn’t want it to look like a TV show, and in rehearsals that was also a note from the band – they didn’t want it to look too clean. We dialled it back to make it not look like an expensive slab of video.”
“For me, the beauty of this band is that they really ‘play’ their instruments,” reflected Banks. “There is nothing hidden and for me my role with
the IMAG is to reinforce this that what you are hearing is really coming from them.”
The director went on to explain how some of the decisions were made as to when IMAG would be used for certain songs. “There are certain moments in the show when it was important not to have video to ensure the focus was on the three musicians - for instance during the b-stage segment,” stated the director.
Along with Panasonic UHD Studio cameras – long lenses and handhelds – the video department also deployed a track system to create more cinematic shots.
“T he pit camera was very important when it came to the shots I was keen to capture,” explained the Director. “The band were keen to have a shallower pit area to be closer to the crowd, so we installed a shallow 3ft track. For this I used a Motion Impossible AGITO and a Luna Remote Junior 5 on the track which has a dogleg back around stage right to give us a great down the line shot of the guys.”
To c apture the crowd action, the team also used a wireless Panasonic S-S18 along with a SONY FR7 PTZ robo camera package. “I was also keen to have a robotic reverse camera behind Marcus to get a shot of the whole crowd,” added Banks.
With a long history working with media servers, Banks made the conscious decision to opt for a news solution when it came to the
server of choice – the PIXERA FOUR RS. “The colour processing is very impressive,” than other options according to the Director, and at a very competitive price point compared to other options on the market. “I’m not running mountains of content with layers and loads of deep Notch – I needed a machine that was robust when it comes to processing live inputs. It was interesting to try something new and do soothing in a different way.”
He also complimented the support the PIXERA team gave him and the team during the run giving a special shout out to Craig Harrower from the UK office. Like the rest of the visual departments, the lack of timecode meant the video team had to be very reactionary to what the band were delivering on the stage.
“T he band very much don’t want to be tied down so why should I do that with my crew,” stated the Director outlining his wish for all his camera crew to have some creative freedom with the shots captured. “I would say 20% of the show I have shots I like to hit – often points at the start of songs – but then the rest of the show is more freeform and fun as no two shows are ever the same. Even up to our last show on the US run, the camera team were still finding new shots and levels. As a director you must always be aware that this is a team effort. If I were to micromanage everything it would just suck the
fun out of the work. I want to give the camera operators the freedom to find new things which mean everyone continues to be engaged with the show.”
On t he topic of the team effort, the rest of the video team was made up of Engineer Briony Margetts, AV Stumpfl PIXERA Programmer and Operator Braxton Turner, and Lead LED Tech Harriet Woollam. The camera department was made up of Tom Hodder, Russ Latham, Matt Clarke-Irons, and Natt Lim.
A mainstay of the band’s previous campaigns, Strictly FX was happy to answer the call to provide special effects and pyrotechnic elements for the tour. “The design of this show is technically marvellous – the concentric lighting rings look beautiful, especially when the automation moves them,” commented Myles Wynne-Pedder, SFX Crew Chief, about the stage design on the tour. Adding its signature flair, Strictly FX provided 10 Galaxis G-Flames alongside 130 pieces of pyro within the show design. “We also supplied spark machines around the top three circles of trusses to really add to the depth and height of the rig,” stated Wynne-Pedder. “My personal favourite moment is in the song Wolf where the flames erupt from all locations on the stage. This always gets an
awesome reaction from the crowd. The second favourite moment is when we shoot the pyro waterfall intertwined with red falling stars – it creates a beautiful falling effect that wraps around the trusses to the stage.”
St rictly FX provided one other technician, Dave Evans, to work alongside the Crew Chief. “We implement multiple safety protocols for this show. All the pyro is operated wirelessly via Galaxis, and the spark machines are operated from an [MA Lighting] grandMA,” stated the Crew Chief. “The flame system can be E-stopped at control or by the spotter. The crew, including stage management, are all able to talk to each other, so it’s super easy to warn people that an SFX cue is approaching.”
For the band’s 2025 run, the sound department welcomed several new faces to the team. One of those was Audio Crew Chief Nick Pain. Having worked with Thornton on previous projects, he was carried over by the PM when he started working with Mumford & Sons.
“It’s a band I’ve always wanted to work for, having been a fan for many years,” enthused Pain. “We’ve got quite a new team. Cain Hogsed had done a few shows with them prior, but the rest of us, including our Monitor Engineer Ricky Leon, are all new for the 2025 shows.”
He was quick to compliment the team at Solotech for how they aided in deploying the crew for the show. “Solotech tends to get their crew chiefs involved in making sure we’ve got the right mix of people with the right skills.”
The supplier was also essential in sourcing the PA of choice – L-Acoustics L2. “When the design for the arena tour came in, there were a lot of conversations about how big the speaker hangs would be,” stated Pain. “Then Cain got to hear the L2 system at a show in Forest Hill. He said he liked it and would be interested in trying it for the arena run.”
With the PA being a lot smaller, it was very popular with the design team. “There were some challenges for Solotech in sourcing the cabinets, but they’ve now been able to supply systems on both sides of the Atlantic,” Pain said.
“Mumford and Sons always love to throw a curve ball now and then,” stated Solotech’s Lee Moro. “Switching to L2 was a great move into technology we are fully behind and our relationship with L-Acoustics has been essential to the success. Nick and his team have implemented L2 with incredible success.”
In total, t he audio team deployed six flown hangs of L2 alongside SL21 subs. “It’s a great box and is very quick to rig,” Pain reported. “It only t akes us 20 minutes to fl y!”
Both mixing engineers utilised Avid S6L consoles for control. While Hogsed was running an outboard rack with analogue inserts and a
Waves system at FOH, Leon was running the desk clean w ithout any additional effects units or plug-ins. “Although they are running their own stage boxes, it is beneficial to have them both on the same surface as we only have to carry one set of extra parts when it comes to servicing,” said Pain. Along with a major change to the audio team, the band’s equipment inventory also had a bit of an alteration for their in-ear monitors. “We moved to Sennheiser Spectera for this run,” stated Pain. “This was partially driven by Ricky, who used it during the Sphere with the Eagles. Marcus had commented that during the previous run, when he ran through the crowd, sometimes his ears were dropping out. It was not surprising, as the transmitter was over 100m away, and sending a signal in a crowd of bodies was a tough task.”
But following several conversations with Sennheiser, the company believed the new system would be able to provide a solution. “We are running four antennas from a single base station, with a pair on the stage and the others out front, so he can now go anywhere in the arena bowl without any issues. I’ve been very impressed with the system.”
For wireless inputs – from vocals to instruments – the team used the Shure Axient system with 28 channels in total. “Each guitar tech has four channels at their desks, then I had another fi ve on a control rack stage left,” ex plained Pain. “Everything is then direct via an
antenna w ith an RF over fibre system provided by Wisycom.”
With the US run coming to an end, the production looked to make the trip across the pond to finish t he year in Europe. “ We have a Boeing 747 taking all our custom pieces of kit, from control packages to set and staging elements,” commented Thornton, complimenting the work of Freight Minds.
“They’ve historically worked with the band, but this is my first t ime working w ith t hem,” he s aid.
“T he move is tight, but I’ve enjoyed working with them. Working with smaller companies is good as you get to know everyone very quickly.”
With the band still being relatively early in the Rushmere cycle, there is likely to be more to come from this latest iteration of the band’s live chapter. This family of crew that the band have built around them seem set for any future challenges that might come their way.
www.mumfordandsons.com www.24-7productions.co.uk https://rebus.industries www.solotech.com www.oxevents.co.uk www.dreamlinercoaches.com www.upstaging.com/trucking/ www.freightminds.com www.strictlyfxuk.com www.taittowers.com
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TPi goes behind the scenes at Heaton Park to meet some of the team behind one of the most anticipated returns to the touring circuit in recent history. ‘Cause when it comes on tour, you gotta make it happen…
When Oasis announced their long-awaited return on 27 August 2024, the news instantly struck an emotional chord with live music fans worldwide. As tickets vanished swiftly and speculation swirled around support acts and production details, a dedicated team of touring professionals, creatives, and rental specialists were quietly assembling behind the scenes. Their mission: to deliver a production that not only exceeds expectations but is, above all, ‘biblical’.
In response to overwhelming demand, Oasis added extra dates across the UK and Ireland before heading to North America, Australia, South America, and Asia. Support acts included Cast, Richard Ashcroft, Cage the Elephant, and Ball Park Music, with experienced Production Manager, Tony Gittins orchestrating the complex logistics.
He brought together some of the touring industry’s best; Paul Normandale (show design), Star Live (staging), Lite Alternative (lighting), Urban Audio (audio control and monitors), Britannia Row Productions (PA), Universal Pixels (video), TAIT (set design), I’m Your Boss and Shop (video content), Production Park – The Mill (band rehearsals), Popcorn Catering, Vanguardia (noise management), and others.
As one of the unlucky thousands who missed out on tickets – and having last heard Oasis echo through the bedroom walls of my
childhood home during their 2009 Heaton Park show – finally stepping onto that field some 16 years later, not as a punter but a roving reporter, felt like a moment of poetic justice. Sentimentality aside, it quickly became apparent, speaking to the crew, that not only was this a gig of cultural significance – with the eyes of the world watching on eagerly – but one which required steady hands, crossdepartmental collaboration and innovation.
To set the stage, Star Live Account Director Pete Holdich coordinated closely with promoters and the production team during the advance stage of the production, liaising with site leads to manage the Ultra Stage System’s delivery in Manchester, Edinburgh, and Dublin.
Star Live enlisted its in-house design team, including Technical Director Roger Barrett, Design Director Andy Grantham, and Structural Engineer Pierre Gendreau. They worked in close collaboration with on-site Project Managers Ryan Robinson and Fraser Muir, alongside the touring production team.
“A full-scale test build ahead of the first show prompted several detailed changes that hugely improved the final result,” Holdich explained, speaking to TPi following the success of the opening shows. “From the outset, the overarching requirement was that the show had to look and sound exceptional.”
Show Designer Paul Normandale came up with the concept. The PA system came
first, quickly revealing that the planned video screen wasn’t wide enough for the intended visual content. “Expanding the screen’s width seemed impossible without blocking vehicle access and audience egress routes –especially at Wembley and Murrayfield – where tickets were already sold out. This challenge led directly to the development of a wing cantilever system, extending the screens by 9m on either side of the supporting towers,” Holdich explained.
The audio system also needed to be positioned as far downstage as possible, with flown subs and main hangs arranged side by side. Combined with lighting requirements and the eventual addition of a ‘vanish’ horizontal screen above the stage, this drove the design of an 11m cantilevered roof structure. “This solution not only supported more than 27 tonnes of hardware but also incorporated a canopy for weather protection,” Holdich stated.
Fur ther innovations included an all-new active back wall system, which Holdich points out is “faster and safer” to rig, and in-floor tech areas – also known as the ‘bunkers’ – featuring wide-open clear space and rolling roofs.
Tour Rigger James Heath, who began his career with Star, helped bring the complex design together with expert precision.
Wor king alongside the wider Star Live team, a meticulous on-site approach helped realise the combination of triple cantilevered
solutions and swept-back wings created optimal sightlines, allowing promoters to release seats across a 200° viewing angle. Holdich elaborated: “With the main audio hangs positioned 11m downstage of the first roof support and intermediate audio hangs rigged at 28m to clear the video screens, audiences experienced impeccable sound and exceptional views from every location.”
With the system proven and the early shows complete, focus turned to the logistics of taking it on the road. “Given the need for two identical stage systems but only six installs across 19 shows, Star Live made an early decision to assign one team, led by Ryan Robinson, to handle every installation, while another team, led by Fraser Muir, managed all show standbys and load-outs. In addition to the two-stage systems, Star Live transported six trucks of equipment to every show.”
Working closely with WS Transport, we developed a logistics plan that kept the production moving seamlessly across multiple cities,” Holdich explained.
“But the real story is how the project drove innovation – from the structural design to the modular efficiency of our Ultra Stage System. Oasis gave us the opportunity to push the boundaries of what a touring stage can achieve: faster, stronger, and more adaptable than anything we’ve delivered before.”
The set pieces dressing the stage were supplied by TAIT’s Wakefield office. TAIT
provided the main set elements, including the iconic Oasis sign, band risers, and printed masking drapes covering the top truss and masking the main stage and bunkers. Marley flooring was used on the main stage, with custom-printed marley added atop the bunkers and pedal board covers for extra waterproofing. From concept to delivery, the set design was a true team effort across multiple departments at TAIT. Initial inquiries typically land on Adam ‘Bullet’ Bettley’s desk for evaluation before being handed to Project Manager Holly Saul. “It all started in design with our team – Mark, Richard and Andrew – working alongside Emily and Chris in procurement; Leroy, Joel, and Sean leading machining and fabrication; Julian and our paint team; Jonny in integration; and not forgetting Olivia, our seamstress. This is only a small portion of the larger team – in total, over 30 people across the business contributed to making this a reality,” Bullet explained.
“It’s been an honour to work on this project with the entire team,” he added. “We really appreciated being part of such a momentous occasion in the lead-up to opening night. It was exciting from start to finish, and now our work has been seen by audiences all over the world!”
Before hitting the road, the band spent six weeks rehearsing at Production Park’s London studio, The Mill. “It was great to hear the
old songs again, and catch up with the tour team, led by the excellent PM Tony Gittins,” commented Production Park’s Ant Forbes.
“We’re proud to have played a pivotal role in this historic comeback and to support the fantastic production team in bringing it to life.”
Once the performance was dialled in, production rehearsals took place in the days leading up to the opening show at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. The venue’s ability to close the roof was ideal, keeping the show under wraps until the band took the stage.
“Having lived with this project for several months, it was great to see the reality emerge, from a scribble to a stadium reality,” reflected Show Designer Paul Normandale.
The designer explained the basic principle behind the design: having waited so long to see this iconic band reunite, there should be enough screen real estate for everyone to see the band, while avoiding the standard IMAG screen format. This allowed for an interplay of “live feed and video content to move over the scope of the screen,” he remarked. “This was a ground-up design with a desire for this to be contemporary and clean, of 2025... Live.”
The visual aspect of the project was a highly creative and collaborative effort. Ideas and solutions flowed freely between the band and Video Director Jon Shrimpton, Lighting Director Graham Feast, Media Server Operator Anthony Condon, Content Designer Chris Curtis, and design studio Shop. Normandale
worked closely with Darren Murray at Lite Alternative, using Vectorworks to draw the production design. The team harnessed the power of Syncronorm Depence software for previsualisation, alongside MA Lighting grandMA3 software and hardware for control.
“T he process of programming the show took two weeks,” Feast recollected. “Paul and I were keen to have Jon Shrimpton and Anthony Condon in the same room early on, so the video and lighting elements were tied together from the start using Syncronorm Depence software. This was also the first show I’ve programmed on MA3 software.”
A small team from Lite Alternative, including Account Handlers and Crew Chief Scotty Owen, developed the system assembly plan. Systems Technician Jay Walker, Racks Engineer Chris Hill, Automation Operator Cameron Hewitt, and Lighting Technicians Martin Golding, Rhys King, Dave Beaumont, Grant Wilson and Oli Wilson joined the warehouse team for eight days prepping the rig before it hit the road.
“Everyone worked tirelessly to get the system ‘gig ready’ for a smooth load into Cardiff for production rehearsals,” said Lite Alternative’s Andy Scott.
The bulk of the lighting rig consisted of Ayrton fixtures such as Veloce Profile, Argo 6 FX, and Perseo Profile S, complemented by GLP JDC Line 1000s, Robe iFortes, MegaPointes, and a RoboSpot followspot system. TMB Solaris Flares and 90 LED 2 Lites were chosen for their cold white and warm looks. To achieve this, Lite Alternative collaborated with AC-ET and PROLIGHTS to develop and manufacture
a new variable white fixture – the Sunrise 2FLX VW. “Huge thanks to Ben Steppenbeck at AC-ET, who worked tirelessly with PROLIGHTS to get the new fixture manufactured in time,” Scott noted. “Being part of this tour, especially given its scale and global attention, has been both a huge responsibility and a real privilege. There’s a kind of electricity around this tour – not just onstage, but behind the scenes as well. Contributing to that atmosphere has been immensely rewarding.”
Clean lines of light were created onstage by long runs of CHAUVET Professional PXL Bar 16, with strobing courtesy of Strike-M solutions. Lite Alternative supplied a Kinesys APEX Automation system to move lighting trusses and the LED ‘ceiling’ screen.
“Automation was used during Noel Gallagher’s three-song mid-show performance,” Normandale explained. “A screen was lowered to create a scenic change and allow the visuals to present as a 3D element. The truss moves change the morphology of a couple of songs to add to the chaos and occasionally break the line of the vast screen, while the lighting defines the linear nature of the screen design.”
Feast elaborated on lighting’s role in defining the architectural space: “It’s not really a light show – we just define the space. During the summer, we were conscious that the first 45 minutes would be in broad daylight, so a conscious decision was made between Paul, Jon, and me that the lighting would be stark, with no real colour swatch.”
The opening 45 minutes rely predominantly on tungsten, daylight, and light blues. Feast
added: “The most pleasing thing for me is the reaction of the crowd and how the band has been received. One thing that’s impressed me more than anything else is their performance. I feel very lucky to be involved.”
Reflecting on the design process, Normandale said: “I was very happy to be invited along – it was a unique experience, and I am grateful for the confidence shown in me.”
‘ONE OF THOSE UNICORN TOURS’
In the build-up to the tour, Universal Pixels (UP) undertook a series of detailed test builds to prepare for one of the most anticipated live shows in recent memory. At Star Live’s Milton Keynes base, the production team assembled video wings and rigging alongside the staging crew. Simultaneously, a camera workflow test was carried out in a studio environment with Video Director Jon Shrimpton, and a full-scale test of the mid-stage LED screen was executed at a film studio in London – allowing Universal Pixels to fine-tune the tourable system and plan deployment with precision.
Over 1,000 sq m of 4.8mm high-resolution Absen Venus LED panels were inventoried and tested. The panels were purchased specifically for the project, selected for their lightweight properties and high contrast – critical for a show that opens in full daylight.
“In Heaton Park, the show starts in daylight and shadow – and if you begin from a strong black point, you’ve got a fighting chance,” explained UP’s Phil Mercer. “We couldn’t prep the screen at full scale in our warehouse, so we hired a film studio nearby. We spent a week
QC’ing and inventorying the brand-new screen. A key moment in the show sees an LED ceiling descend on automation, so we had to work out the engineering well in advance.”
Custom looms, LED processing racks, and cable systems were prepared in advance. “We built racks with mains distro and placed all the LED processing cabling in hoppers at the top,” said Mercer. “There are only six load-ins on this tour, but we’ve approached it with the same care as a 40-show run. It’s almost like executing a series of high-spec installations. From a sustainability perspective, we only power the screen on show days – which requires immense confidence and planning.”
UP Project Manager Mark Strange dubbed it a career milestone: “This is one of those ‘unicorn’ tours – the kind you never expect to happen. Oasis are the soundtrack to my youth, so working on this is huge. We’re a team of 30, with 14 video crew on-site, but almost everyone at the company has touched this project, from finance through to QC to operations. The scale is incredible.”
At Heaton Park, the expanded site allowed for an additional 3m of LED screen on either side of the wings, increasing the visual scope and an additional hang of PA to cover the extremities of the field.
To c apture it all, a Luna Remote Systems Tower Camera was placed mid-field, fitted with MO-SYS broadcast lenses for a clean centre shot, but without killing precious sightlines. “With FOH split left and right, we wanted that
dead-on stage view,” said Strange. Two Polecam AutoPod systems, complete with foot pedals, were installed on stage for Shrimpton’s PTZ cameras, giving him real-time control over vertical movement. “During the Supersonic intro, the AutoPods rise and slowly descend,” Shrimpton said. “The crowd plays a big role in our coverage – that’s where the energy is.”
The team also ensured that camera effects were deployed thoughtfully. “This isn’t a camera-effects-heavy show,” said Shrimpton. “We’ve used Notch for four tracks, but generally the visual style is clean, well-balanced, and supportive of the band. Slide Away uses CRT televisions as the main screen look – we play with the vertical hold to create a broken TV feel. I’m a sucker for tactile, analogue gear.”
Each song was treated as its own visual moment. Hello opened with an eight-way camera block matching promo artwork. Whatever unfolded as a scenic journey inspired by its single artwork, while Slide Away leaned into lo-fi analogue aesthetics. “It’s ethereal and simple – showing off the panoramic scale of the screen,” Shrimpton said. “Having Lighting Director Graham Feast, Media Server Programmer Anthony Condon, and I working together in proximity makes a real difference,” Shrimpton underlined. “It creates a collaborative environment. The crew are next-level brilliant!”
As t he Video Systems Engineer, Richard ‘Dicky’ Burford was responsible for the day-today technical guarantee of the camera, vision
mixing system, recording, and communications systems. During the show, he ‘racks’ 13 cameras and oversees two Ai cameras. “It’s every bit as good as I remember it!” he said, having worked with the band’s touring camp in the late ‘90s and mid-2000s. On this tour, Dicky harnessed Advanced Framing Ai software from Panasonic, which has not been used in such dynamic conditions before. “It works surprisingly well, controlling two of our on stage robotic cameras, holding shots of Gem and Andy all night long and picking them up automatically as soon as they walk on stage. With its fluid camera moves it’s like having two extra camera crew with us. Except it doesn’t moan about catering – which is delicious on this tour – or long hours!”
Like the wider crew, the responsibility weighed heavy at times but drove the team to deliver their best. “The opening is ‘biblical’! The Absen Venus screen is beautiful, and the LED crew are incredibly diligent about maintenance. We are also ISO recording the main cameras in UHD HDR for posterity, while maintaining a regular SDR signal through the rest of the system,” he said, praising the crew. “The humour and good natured banter is plentiful. A good measure of how well we have gelled is how much
time we spend together on days off… I’m very proud to have had a small part in this tour. At home, I’ve become quite a cool dad thanks to my involvement.”
Working with Universal Pixels, Shrimpton said, felt personal. “They’re friends. We share the same annoying attention to detail. The foot pedal system for the Autopod next to the drum kit was built especially for me. The vision mixing desk folds flat to keep it safe, and truck friendly for transit and is configurable to operate the show standing up – or sitting down… which I never do! They accommodate all my quirks.
‘Dicky’ Burford, and most of this video crew, are royalty. It’s been a total thrill to be surrounded by such brilliant people.”
‘A PASSION PROJECT’
“This is a dream gig for me. UP have put together a fantastic video team and it’s a privilege to be involved,” Media Server Programmer Anthony Condon said. “Oasis were one of the first bands that made me pick up a guitar and get into this industry. Being part of this team has made it even more special – a real passion project.”
Condon managed four Disguise GX 3 media servers – three active with one as a failsafe
understudy. Routed through a Blackmagic Design 40 by 40 matrix, the system received 32 HD auxiliary camera feeds and pushed out 12 active HDMI 4K outputs via a Lightware MX224x24 Matrix into Brompton Technology video processors, supported by a Netgear AV Line 10G infrastructure. All cues and playback were triggered via an MA Lighting grandMA3 console over sACN. “While the show was sequenced on the Disguise timeline, all cue triggering, play modes, and IMAG control were done through the desk,” he explained.
A 14K-wide, 10-bit Notch block sat inside the 18K-wide canvas, with NVIDIA Virtual Background used on four tracks to combine live camera feeds with stylised masks and blend modes. Condon used Disguise PreComps and expressions to create dynamic borders and cut-outs. “It allows us to manipulate everything together, rather than edit multiple feed maps one by one,” he said. “I also used the Quantiser feature in rehearsals to sync the visuals to the track structure to the disguise timeline. Working in beats and bars rather than time, makes programming and operating much simpler, given there is no timecode and the band doesn’t play to click. That let me pre-program MA cues
before pre-vis. It’s a great, underutilised feature.”
Among Condon’s favourite looks were Rock ‘n’ Roll Star and Bring It On Down by Neil Harris using a Notch-powered zoetrope effect.
“It had this left-to-right wave motion that reset on every cut,” he explained. “Some Notch layers were exposed so I could keyframe timed flashes and scale transforms, hitting cues just before each verse and chorus so that the flashes would hit perfectly in time with the drum fills. Special thanks to Media Server Engineers, Tom Denney and Matt Morris for their unwavering support.”
‘COMPLEX AND GENTLE’
“There was a brief inhale of breath when we saw the pixel count,” admitted Neil Harris of Shop, “but we quickly got to work with Anthony Condon to evaluate the workflow. We broke the screen down into sections to make sure the audience always sees the band clearly.”
The filmic aesthetic was intentional. Shop focussed on cinematic, immersive backdrops that enhanced – rather than distracted from –the band’s performance. Whatever featured the band’s CD single artwork recreated in Unreal Engine, sending audiences on a five-minute journey through the moors. Rock ’n’ Roll Star included cut-up gig posters, tour passes, and unreleased archival footage, all layered in a punk-style collage.
“T hat’s the only time archive footage of Oasis appears – and only right before the encore,”
Harris said. “It’s a great payoff – you finally see Oasis in ’95 on screen, with them performing in 2025 on stage. We held that back deliberately for dramatic impact.”
Unreal Engine, Adobe After Effects, Cinema4D, Blender, and Notch were used to build the visuals. Cigarettes & Alcoho l was a standout, blending live camera shots with “punk zine-style” textures using Notch’s Background Remover. “It makes the live feed look like it was ripped from a ’zine in real time,” explained Harris. “It’s a fun way to bring the concept to the show, without hiding the band.”
The show’s intro VT, set to Fuckin’ In The Bushes, set the tone. “It encapsulated the media frenzy around the reunion,” Harris explained. “A collage of headlines from around the world filled the screens. We had to license some of the imagery and audio and sync it with dialogue. It was a wild ride!”
Show Designer Paul Normandale brought in an additional conceptual layer. “It was Paul’s idea to incorporate mixing-desk dials from a recording studio. Every intro was customised for each city,” Harris added. “It was satisfying to see our work land so powerfully.”
Br ing It On Down featured a zoetrope-style structure using 12 camera shots of the band, offset in time via Notch, creating a sense of immersion inside a 3D loop. “As a fan of the band, it was a dream gig. We pride ourselves on being a small, focussed studio with just seven
members of the team, based in Bristol. To have Paul trust us with the biggest show of the year… that’s massive,” said Harris.
Having design content for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Chris Curtis – Creative Director at I’m Your Boss Films – collaborated with Shop, John Minton and Paul Normandale to develop visual content. “We want something that feels like it has legacy yet remains forwardthinking. Nothing is on the nose or predictable. The only through-line, in this digital world, is that our approach is analogue. Every texture or cut-out we used is something we’ve created by hand,” Curtis said, citing the punk aesthetic of Stand by Me. In addition to the video content, Curtis points out the lighting change with a yellow scheme for Roll with It as one of his highlights. “I especially enjoy Champagne Supernova – we lean into the surreal side of the track: Salvador Dalí meets Oasis. It becomes a lovely, hypnotic addition to the setlist, capped off with fireworks,” he added. “To be part of it, and to contribute to the tears and the joy, is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.”
Jon Shrimpton closed with praise for the content team: “Neil and Chris’ attention to detail is amazing. It’s a fun show – complex when it needs to be, gentle when it should be.”
‘THE RESULTS SPEAK VOLUMES’
The dual role of mixing the show fell to experienced FOH Engineers Dan Lewis and
Sam Parker. Having previously mixed Noel and Liam Gallagher, respectively, the pair reunited to deliver sonic clarity from one of the most coveted fader positions in recent memory. In addition to mixing FOH and co-designing the PA system with Britannia Row Productions, Lewis – also Technical Director at Urban Audio –oversaw the control package supply for the tour. His relationship with the band stretches back across three world tours, culminating in taking over FOH duties in 2009. “This show seems to have struck an emotional chord with the country,” he reflected. “After a 16-year break, the shift in technology has enabled us to enhance the signature Oasis live sound.”
Following rehearsals, Lewis described the result as “Oasis in HD”. He explained: “We’ve smoothed off some of the edges but kept the rawness and ‘wall of sound’ that’s always been there. A lot of work has gone into engineering the on-stage sound – both from the backline and PA interaction – to ensure the band feel good on stage and the audience gets the best possible experience. Having two FOH engineers may seem unconventional, but it means every detail is covered.”
Parker handled Liam’s vocal mix, sending two buses to Lewis – who mixed the band – along with effects sent to Monitor Engineer Bertie Hunter for Liam’s stage sound. “It’s great to be part of this slightly unusual setup because Dan and I work so well together,” said Parker. “We had a clandestine planning session about six months before the tour was announced to map out the workflow. It’s technically one input,
but I’ve found a few more faders to play with... The last LG tour was great preparation for this. I always knew once Noel’s engineers were on board, it would come together beautifully. It’s a dream gig.”
FOH equipment, supplied by Urban Audio, featured two Yamaha PM5 RIVAGE consoles sharing two RPio622 racks over a Twinlane loop, with 128 inputs and 64 outputs. “Having the Rupert Neve Designs circuitry built-in has nailed the sound of the Yamaha desk, and the PM5 RIVAGE surface layout is something Sam was familiar with,” Lewis noted.
“I love what’s available onboard,” Parker added. “You have got Bricasti reverbs, two Eventides, phase alignment tools like Interphase, and the Master Buss Processor –all running natively, which makes for a greatsounding mix.”
The outboard for the band included a TC Electronic M4000, SPL TD4 Transient Designer, Empirical Labs EL8X Distressor, Smart Research C2, and a DBX 120A Subharmonic Synth. System control came via a Lake LM44 with tablet remote, a Focusrite AD16R for Dante to analogue conversion for inserts, an Apple Mac Mini running Smaart and Network Manager software, and a custom-built PC handling 128-channel Reaper playback for virtual soundcheck. The vocal rig featured Korg DL8000R and Bel BD80S delays, plus a separate laptop multitrack Reaper setup. “I keep it simple,” said Lewis. “Transient Designers give punch without overloading the drums. Noel’s vocal reverb has always been a TC, so we brought
that. The DBX 120A is just there because it’s not built into the desk – we carry only what we need.”
Warren Fisher, Managing Director at Urban Audio, summed it up: “It’s a privilege to be asked to supply both the audio control package and crew for one of the most anticipated tours in decades. The collaboration across all the audio departments was central to this tour’s success. It’s been a massive team effort. The results speak volumes.”
‘A BAND THAT VALUE SOUND’
Before the tour had gone on sale and venues were confirmed, Production Manager Tony Gittins brought Britannia Row Productions on board to begin evaluating the PA design, working closely with FOH Engineer Dan Lewis.
“We were fortunate to specify delay tower positions and system weights well in advance,” said Josh Lloyd, Head of Engineering at Britannia Row Productions. “Oasis is a band that values good sound. My existing relationship with them – having worked as their Monitor Tech on the 2009 tour – fed into the design process. With a mix of IEMs and wedges, we had to be sensitive to what was happening on stage. Ultimately, it was about making sure the band was happy.”
Having previously toured with Oasis as technicians, Lewis added: “I trust Josh implicitly. I mocked up Cardiff in L-Acoustics Soundvision, drew up the stage and plotted a design. He came back with almost the exact same approach. It’s been a collaborative process.”
The comprehensive L-Acoustics PA system
featured over 100 K1 and K2 cabinets on the main hangs, respectively, and K3 loudspeakers as front fills. K1SBs were flown alongside to enhance the LF directivity of the main arrays while also providing extra LF extension into the middle of the stadium with KS28 subs on the ground packing further punch, all driven by LA12Xs. “We were lucky to get that in place before the broader production design was finalised,” Lloyd noted, emphasising that the design needed to work in every territory. “By the time we hit rehearsals in Cardiff, it was clear the system was delivering – and the band were happy. Dan, [Systems Engineer] Ben Webb and I were aligned on the design and the outcome.”
With a famously vocal audience, maintaining consistent SPL across the entire crowd was a priority. At Heaton Park, an additional delay tower and expanded side hangs were added to compensate for the extended video wings.
In Dublin, Cardiff, and many of the Australian shows, ring delays were deployed to maintain even coverage. Crucially, the placement of these towers was led by the audio team to ensure every audience member had the best possible listening experience. “I prefer the tonality of the L-Acoustics box – especially for a guitar band – the mids and highs are fantastic,” said Lewis. “The real fundamental of this design has been about line length and pattern control, keeping the low-mid off the stage to create a clean, not overly loud environment, while still
delivering impact to the front and back of the venue. Typically, you’d design a large-scale PA to roll off around 6dB or 9dB over distance. Ours was built with a 3dB drop-off, meaning it stays punchy from the barrier to FOH and right to the back – and that’s paid off.”
System Engineer Ben Webb worked closely with on-site noise consultants Vanguardia to keep coverage focussed and compliant.
“L-Acoustics K1 is a fantastic cabinet – you don’t need to do much to it. You get out what you put in, and everyone on the team is at the top of their game,” he said.
During pre-rig, Webb assessed delay tower positions and made any final adjustments before the system was flown. Once rigged, he carried out measurements and tuning.
“We rely on Autofilter in Soundvision. I also use the M1 Measurement and Tuning module in LA Network Manager software to control the amplifiers and fine tune the PA,” Webb explained, referencing the impact of changing conditions. “The Autoclimate feature in LA Network Manager is critical – the environment shifts so much through the day. We make HF adjustments depending on the atmosphere. As FOH isn’t always central, achieving consistent low end across the field is tricky, but we’ve been experimenting with time alignment to get it as tight as possible.”
Lloyd added: “The beauty of the PA system is how precisely it can be steered. We’re able
to manage the interaction between the ground subs and the camera track to focus energy into the audience while keeping low end off the stage. Having such a skilled crew – many of whom are experienced system engineers – has made this a genuinely collaborative project. Being able to deliver this tour globally under the Clair Global umbrella has been an advantage.”
The success of the tour relied on the entire Britannia Row team – from engineers to logistics and warehouse staff. While Lloyd led PA design in collaboration with FOH Engineers Dan Lewis and Sam Parker, Carlene Annon, Crew Logistics Manager, assembled the touring team and booked personnel; European Operations Manager Tim Mole, along with Daniel Foster and the wider operations team, ensured all equipment was ready for prep and load-ins.
Fi ve touring freelancers handled installation, operation, and de-rig quickly and safely, while the warehouse crew worked tirelessly behind the scenes. “All of us are proud to be part of the team,” said Britannia Row’s Dave Compton. “This is what Britannia Row has always done best –delivering big PA systems for the best rock ’n’ roll shows in the world. It’s why I knocked on the door 20 years ago.”
With a 23-song strong setlist to contend with, Parker cited Bring It On Down as one of his favourite tracks to mix. “It’s already high energy, but with the full band behind it, it’s even more aggressive. But to be honest, they’re all bangers
– Champagne Supernova, Wonderwall... the list is endless. Oasis crowds always step up.”
For Lewis, songs like Acquiesce, Rock ’n’ Roll Star, and Live Forever stood out. “It’s all killer, no filler,” he said. “That first rehearsal in Cardiff, with the full PA and the band back on stage – it gave me goosebumps. But I had to switch off emotionally, put the blinkers on.”
With the level of hype, Lewis said, the entire team had to “come out swinging” and make sure the show sounded as good as possible. Judging by the audience reactions and widespread media acclaim, they have done just that. “There’s something truly special about this band,” he said. “It feels like we’re part of writing a bit of history.”
Like FOH, monitor mix duties were split between Noel and Liam Gallagher’s long-standing Monitor Engineers, Steve Weall and Bertie Hunter, respectively. Weall handled in-ear mixes and wedges for Noel Gallagher, Gem Archer, Andy Bell and the three-piece brass section along with their associated backline technicians and production mixes, assisted by Monitor and Stage Technician, Dan Speed, while Hunter was
responsible for Liam Gallagher’s wedges and side fills, as well as three of the band’s in-ear monitor mixes plus their technicians and some of the LG production team.
Weall mixed on a DiGiCo Quantum 852 console, supported by a Fourier Audio transform.engine on Dante, a 128-channel Reaper recording rig at 96K, three Rupert Neve Designs 5045 Primary Source Enhancers, two Summit DCL200s for vocals, two Rupert Neve Designs Master Buss Processors for IEM outputs, and a Bricasti M7 for reverb. Weall’s analogue outboard setup ran through his own local SD Rack. He utilised a local instance of Shure Wireless Workbench 7 (WWB7) software in remote monitoring mode to be able to view and monitor all the RF infrastructure and performance in real time as that was physically located away from his position in ‘monitor world’. He fed 16 channels of the combined 28 channel Shure Axient Digital PSM (ADPSM) IEM system via AES from the shared SD Racks. On-stage monitoring, which was split across both engineers, included two pairs of d&b audiotechnik M2s and a pair of three V8s, as well as V-sub sidefills for Liam, along with four pairs of d&b M2s and a B6 drum sub for the rest
of the band. All the d&b D80 amplifiers were fed via both consoles local AES outputs. “The original conversations were about maintaining familiarity between both camps and merging them together,” explained Weall. “Once we knew that was the plan, we spent around six months developing a technical solution.”
The monitor package, supplied by Urban Audio, featured two DiGiCo Quantum 852 consoles and two shared SD Racks with 32-bit cards and AES outputs – with 112 inputs maxed out and 56 AES outputs feeding IEMs, alongside additional line outputs for returns.
A DiGiCo SD11 was deployed for matrix routing, communications and shout system duties, with all desks networked via an Optocore auto-router. “DiGiCo seemed the obvious choice,” said Weall. “Bertie and I have worked on their consoles for years, and this time a dualengine setup made sense. The Quantum 852 is a beast – and Urban Audio has been brilliant. Most of the gear is brand new, and with the company’s co-owner mixing FOH, we just jump on the shout system if anything’s needed.”
Hunter agreed: “It’s the best desk for the job. We’re both familiar with the snapshot workflow, and the pace of the show demands that speed.
Urban Audio packaged everything exactly as we like it – it’s well thought-out.” The band used a mix of JH Audio IEMs – JH13v2s and Roxannes – based on personal preference, with Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs choosing Ultimate Ears UE Lives. “We keep stage volume comfortable for everyone,” said Hunter. “Bonehead’s great to mix for – he wants every channel and doesn’t want to miss a thing. Brass, strings, guitars – all as loud as each other.”
Weall furthered: “The PA design has helped. We’re not getting excessive low end or spill, but there’s still energy and punch. It’s so controlled.”
Of his hardware setup, Weall noted: “It’s not a heavily processed gig – it’s a proper rock ’n’ roll show with great inputs from the stage. We had a long rehearsal period, so everyone was well dialled-in. We hit the ground running. It’s a singalong from start to finish – no dips. Every night, the atmosphere is electric. It’s great to be mixing Oasis back on stage.”
Hunter’s outboard rig included two Midas XL42 Channel Strip Preamps, two Empirical Labs EL8 X Distressors, two KUSH Audio Clariphonic MS parallel EQ mastering EQ plug-ins and two Bricasti M7 Reverb units. “It’s amazing to mix these iconic songs with the full band,” he said, citing D’You Know What I Mean as a personal favourite. “It’s mega biblical!”
Monitor Technician Dan Speed echoed the sentiment: “It was great to be asked to join a gig of this scale. Masterplan and Little By Little are definite highlights for me.”
Wireless operations featured around 28 channels of Shure Axient Digital PSM running via AES in encrypted Wireless Multichannel
Audio Systems (WMAS) mode, routed through two Shure AD8C combiners in Spatial Diversity Mode to cover both stage and bunkers. Each combiner fed an Omni and a Helical antenna, with full ShowLink control via Shure WWB7 and an AD600 Spectrum Manager. There were also two AD2 PPT radio mics used for communications, along with P9HW packs and a full rechargeable infrastructure.
Shure’s Stuart Moots – a self-confessed Oasis superfan who attended the band’s third-ever gig at Manchester’s Hop & Grape, now Academy 3, in 1993 – worked with the team pre-show to support the transition to ADPSM. “Running in WMAS mode, the team can operate four sub-carriers on one frequency, so spectrally they’re using fewer frequencies while delivering more. With Digital Wideband mode, the system provides full-fat audio,” Moots commented. “They’re using the system to its full potential – Wideband, Spatial Diversity, and ShowLink for pack monitoring. It’s a true global touring solution.”
Watt added: “It’s compact, offers more channels, and Spatial Diversity gives us improved antenna coverage. Each of our two combiners runs dual antennas, and with 28 channels of WMAS, we’ve got plenty of flexibility and spares. While we’re running 28 channels of WMAS, an average show still sees around 45 channels of RF coordinated overall, so that headroom really helps in crowded RF environments.” The Shure system also included trusted wired Beta 57 and Beta 58 mics for vocals, Wireless Workbench for remote control, and mixture of Royer R121 Ribbons, AKG C414
XLS mics on guitar and rhythm positions. Ambient microphones were used throughout the show, with Weall riding them live to match the venue dynamics. “We’ve got solid support in ‘monitor world’,” Weall said, speaking from the confines of stage left, surrounded by a fortress of sound equipment, starring two behemoth DiGiCo Q852 monitor consoles. “It’s a calm, well-organised environment with a sizeable footprint – four DiGiCo consoles at stage left. We’ve built quite the fort!”
In the backline department, Noel Gallagher’s Guitar Technician, Mick Winder; Bonehead’s Guitar Technician, Peter Carroll; Gem Archer’s Guitar and Andy Bell’s Bass Technician, Dave White; Keyboard Technician, Gary Hodgson; Strings and Keyboard Technician, Paul Stoney and Joey Waronker’s Drum Technician, Tim ’Soya’ Solyan were responsible for providing, setting up, maintaining the band’s instruments. “Being brought into the world of this band has been an incredible experience. Every show is a rollercoaster, and I am beyond grateful and full of love to be a part of this tour.”
‘OASIS EVE’
If you weren’t among the lucky thousands who managed to get tickets, you might still have caught a glimpse of the band’s iconic logo lighting up the sky the night before each show. Dubbed by the press as “the bat signal” and widely referred to as “Oasis Eve”, the drone show – orchestrated by Celestial – quickly became a signature spectacle, marking the band’s arrival and the beginning of each new leg of the tour. Formed by 471 drones and spanning 120m –
roughly the same width as Wembley Stadium’s pitch – the logo was flown at an altitude of 400ft, operated by a team of two pilots and eight ground crew. Over time, each activation attracted up to 1,000 fans in person, with the resulting social media content amassing over 30 million views at the time of writing. Each video was released on the morning of the show day, adding to the sense of anticipation.
Celestial provided Oasis’ media team with footage from multiple drone cameras, immediately upon landing. “This allows them to quickly turn around TV and social media content overnight ready for release on the morning of the concert,” said Celestial’s John ‘JP’ Partridge noted. “The pressure on the first flight in Cardiff was incomprehensible – with the world’s media present, alongside production and management – and just one chance to get it right. It was make-or-break territory. Initially, we thought we’d take off from the general admission area of the Principality Stadium, but that quickly became a non-starter due to rehearsals taking place with the roof closed, to block any drones or helicopters from filming. Most importantly, I wanted to ensure our presence had no meaningful impact on the production team’s load-in.”
Unable to launch from within the stadium, the team shifted to the neighbouring Cardiff Arms Park pitch. “They were brilliant at accommodating us during a busy time. We launched a 120m-wide Oasis logo above the Cardiff Principality out of nowhere at 12.01am – like a bat signal in the sky it signalled the start of the world tour” he recalled, fondly. At Heaton Park, Celestial set up in front of the festival
stage – a show that quickly went viral. Ahead of the first Wembley date, the team launched the drones from an astro turf pitch at a school some 600m away.
Following the success of the UK dates, Celestial went on to produce one of the first public drone shows in Ireland, working closely with local aviation authorities and airports to make it happen. “It was a monumental effort to fly in Ireland – it was no small feat – and only because it was Oasis were we able to pull it off,” JP remarked.
With each location, once the drones were in the air, JP and his team were already advancing preparations for the next, coordinating with local authorities and support crews to replicate the spectacle across the Atlantic and rest of the world – maintaining the same standard of quality for global audiences.
“It’s been a huge privilege to be involved,” JP concluded. “This has been a highlight of my career – to produce and direct something so ambitious. Challenging, hugely rewarding… and one hell of an adventure!”
www.oasisinet.com www.lite-alternative.com www.uaproductions.com www.britanniarow.com www.universalpixels.com www.taittowers.com
www.stargrouplive.com www.im-your-boss.com www.weareshop.co.uk www.productionpark.co.uk
www.popcorncatering.com
www.vanguardia.co.uk www.celestial.show
Celestial’s ‘Oasis Eve’ drone show that took place the night before each of the UK dates of the tour.
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With a history of critically acclaimed solo projects and collaborations, Kendrick Lamar and SZA team up to treat audiences to a non-stop danceathon with a production that is a feast for the eyes, ears and mind…
Breaking records as the biggest co-headline tour in history, Kendrick Lamar and SZA and their respective support, production and creative teams united in the name of hip-hop and R&B to descend on venues across the globe with a stadium-sized spectacle befitting the duo’s respective back catalogues.
Behind the scenes, Tour Director, Christian Coffey of Coffey Black and Production Manager, Bryan Scheckel headed up the production for the Kendrick side. Helping them achieve the feat of staging a three-hour show across multiple territories was a collection of technical suppliers including: Upstaging (lighting), TAIT, (staging), G2 Structures (roof), Strictly FX (special effects and pyrotechnics), Clair Global (audio), Screenworks and VisA-Vis (video). “It’s the largest tour I’ve ever done,” Coffey said, reflecting on his time spent chasing the artist around the globe since 2022. “Working with an artist like Kendrick challenges me because he’s a consummate professional. It makes us put our best foot forward. We’ve worked so hard to get here, it’s so rewarding.”
The environment on tour is important to the tour director; this is clear with the team
both he and Scheckel assembled – many of them handpicked from Childish Gambino’s New World Tour [see TPi #285] and Kendrick Lamar’s The Big Steppers Tour
“We work consistently with many people, which allows us to operate with a shorter lead time. The most important thing is, we know how to talk to each other, so we can cut to the chase,” Coffey explained. “I love Bryan to death. He works for Coffey Black, and I’ve worked with him nonstop since 2018. We have a great relationship, and I’m glad to work with him.”
Coffey explained to TPi how the GNX Tour has taught him to streamline the stadium tour process. With tour rehearsals starting almost immediately after Kendrick Lamar’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, it was down to Coffey and Scheckel to lay out as much of the groundwork as possible before hitting the roads two months later.
“We were able to tee up as much as we could, preparing our vendors for what was to come, and hold onto as much kit as we thought we needed at the start,” Scheckel recalled. “Christian and I are lucky to work with the teams that we do; it’s been a lot of the same players on
a couple of projects we’ve worked on together, and it has made us this unit that goes from one tour to another.”
With such little lead time to prepare the tour, Scheckel praised Kendrick for his “vision and determination”, which led to no late changes.
Scheckel oversaw the deployment of 40 trucks for the run, but despite it being the production manager’s first stadium tour, he drew knowledge from working on smaller shows. “I like to view it as the same elements that exist in every single show, whether you’re playing the 9:30 Club or Wembley Stadium, you should have the same efforts and ethos behind both,” he said. “The statistics and records we’re breaking are cool, but the best part of being involved is feeling like you’re doing something important, not just for the people at the show, but culturally. It feels way bigger than myself, and that is a really cool thing to be a part of.”
The production design came as a result of a creative collaboration between Kendrick Lamar’s creative company, pgLang, Stage Designer and Show Director, Mike Carson and
Executive Creative Producer, Cory FitzGerald. Speaking to Carson and FitzGerald after the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium show, they divulged the process behind getting the tour on the road, beginning their processes amid Superbowl rehearsals and weaving the broadcast performance and its creative into that of the GNX Tour
“We carried over a lot of the visual language into a fuller production design; there were specific rudimentary shapes that resembled a video game that Kendrick and Creative Partner, Dave Free wanted to keep in,” Carson said. “We took the isolated shapes and created a thrust and added a giant B-stage, paired with a lot of LEDs to support where Kendrick is right now as an artist. Moving from our previous tour, which was more thematic, to something where he can get up close and personal with everyone in the stadium, no matter how far back they are.”
Carson, as an experienced filmmaker and creative director, sought out LED as a crucial part of supporting the tour’s cinematic ambition – the addition of the LED screens has allowed the camp to directly separate the nine acts of the tour, with movement from the screens, and the addition of props. “Having a production design that supported the progression of the show was really important
for us; through this we were able to do set and costume changes with the audience not impacted,” Carson explained. “As a collective, we approach a show the way we would a music video, film or commercial and bringing those sensibilities to a live format is what I think separates Kendrick from other artists.”
Getting the creative off the ground and into a touring product was FitzGerald, who also worked closely with SZA’s creative team, Human Person, to ensure the smooth running of both projects intertwined. “It was a great challenge; they have a lot of history working together as artists, but also as friends, and with their different aesthetics, it was interesting piecing it together and finding their individual moments as artists, but also how to mark the moments in which they came together,” FitzGerald said. “Not only with the setlist but with the architecture of the stage, to make it flow seamlessly through their two worlds.”
The nine acts of the tour were crucial in adding dimension as the show went on and creating ample space for the switches between SZA and Kendrick. FitzGerald noted one of his biggest lessons on the tour was learned from blending the two worlds, while focussing on the show progression. He ensured that themes from the recent GNX album flowed through the
design, from the brutalist aesthetic through to the incorporation of multiple inflatables and, of course, a 1987 Buick GNX.
“A lot of the props and the stairs were these big concrete-feeling structures, so it became how to transfer that into something that was tourable,” FitzGerald recalled. “We had to take the engine out of the Buick GNX to make it suitable for freighting, and for overall safety, given the sheer amount of special effects used on the show. The team were very keen on flames, which really helped punctuate the music and gave it a very physical feeling.”
FitzGerald also took on the responsibility of creating the lighting design for the project, and adopted the mantra, ‘less is more’, by keeping the rig smaller than anticipated for a stadium show, while still packing a punch. His fixtures of choice included Robe iFORTEs and a RoboSpot followspot system; ACME Lighting PIXEL LINE IPs; BLINDER LINE 10 IPs, LYRAs and LEOs. “I like a big fixture with a lot of components because you can get various looks out of them, and these are specifically dynamic,” FitzGerald said of the PIXEL LINE IPs.
Looking after FitzGerald’s lighting design on the road was Lighting Director and
Offices - Redditch, Dublin, Amsterdam, Tilburg, Cluj Rehearsal Studio - Redditch
Programmer, Davey Martinez and Lighting Programmer, Jason Steel, who oversaw the SZA portion of the show. Both operated on MA Lighting grandMA3 consoles. “Working within the same show file would be challenging if it were a crew I didn’t like, but thank god we all get along and it has been great,” Martinez said. “We started working together before the tour hit the road with rehearsals at Rock Lititz, and we spent a lot of time integrating our show files into a master file to streamline the touring process.”
With 719 lights on the rig, Steel referenced the benefits of the shared rig between the two artists: “We’re both able to pull different strings from the lights’ abilities; the aspects of the show are programmed differently to utilise them for the varying aesthetics between them both.”
Martinez and Steel split responsibilities on load-in and pre-show, from followspots, audience lighting to ensuring the onstage lights are focussed. There was a lot to be done, but the addition of Upstaging Crew Chief, Matthew Helmick and Lighting Programmers, Joey Troupe and Roland Schuijren and the eight members of touring crew in the lighting department, led to a smooth-running operation. “Communication is key,” Helmick said, praising
the collaborative nature of the camp. “We work very closely, so I try to pick a crew that gets on to make days that little bit easier.”
Special effects were crucial in the direction of the show. Strictly FX’s Sam Lees elaborated: “The tour carries a wide-ranging special effects and pyrotechnics package. We have four largescale pyro positions on the roof of the stage structure, along with four Sigma Super Salvo flame units that each are capable of throwing an 80ft flame, which creates a huge stadium filling effect,” Lees highlighted, not failing to mention that to ensure this effect was practical on a touring scale, Strictly FX built custom platforms for the Salvos, which were freighted on carts and could be hauled to the roof and mounted each day. “This approach gives us a consistent, repeatable workflow while still allowing us to bring the flames as close to the audience as safely as possible, making the effect immediate and impactful.”
St rictly FX provided 24 Galaxis G-Flames, which were fired through a custom TAIT grated floor [more on that later] as well as 24 stage pyro positions on the deck and satellite stages, 24
30W lasers, six 70W lasers and four Solinger units, which were used to trace video content to link with the lasers utilised.
The supplier also handled atmospheric conditions such as the GNX burnout, fog tubing in the upstage wall, and under all the grated elements of the stage. All pyro was fired wirelessly, utilising a FireOne system, while flames were operated on an MA Lighting grandMA3, and lasers were run from Pangolin BEYOND software from Strictly FX’s custombuilt control racks.
Lees has worked with the special effects company since 2021, and in that time has played a crucial role in over 100 Kendrick Lamar shows. “It’s a strong environment to be a part of and it allows us to deliver consistently on big, complex productions like this,” Lees said. “Touring a show with this many moving parts only works if every link in the chain is strong, and this crew has become a tight-knit unit that delivers night after night. Being part of that environment has been just as rewarding as the effects themselves.”
TAIT worked with the Grand National Tour team to create a package that featured different
bi-directional
•A range of control options including DMX512, 12-24V, ext. contact, radio and RS-485 offer unparalleled versatility
•The internal fitted battery provides up to 110 h stand-by time with no tethered power cables giving greater portability
•Water resistant, with improved water drain system
•Operation with readily available and inexpensive gas canisters, aerosol canisters or gas cylinders possible
•Fuel canisters are completely encased in the housing and therefore well protected
•Canister holder fitted with non-return valves for additional safety
•All components are equipped with quick-couplers for fast assembly
•Independent operation when used with the optional Advanced radio module or wireless DMX receivers
•Integrated fine filter prevents particle ingress and leakage of solenoid valves
•Equipped with two solenoid valves connected in line for increased safety
•Electronic flame monitoring by means of a highly selective optical sensor
•Equipped with digital tilt sensor for maximum safety
•Bi-directional communication with the PFC Advanced controller and USB Radio Modem PFM Advanced for remote programming and remote data requests
•Prepared for quick mounting on stands and truss elements
•Illuminated text display with convenient menu navigation
•Optical warning when armed
•Delayed ignition after gas release programmable (Atomic Effect)
•Fast step sequences possible because the flame extinguishes within a short time of solenoid valve closure, even during canister operation
•Additional features: Flame quota, flame duration limit and optional sleep mode
Control Inputs:
•Radio: -
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•External
•Voltage
•DMX512,
elements, such as performer flights, hydraulic lifts, NAV hoists for prop movement and trolley screen tracking. Automation Crew Chief, Matthew Garrett, worked alongside eight crew, and worked closely with Screens Producer and Media Server Programmer, Danny Purdue, to ensure the content matched where the screens were, whether open or closed. “I like that this show has a little bit of everything that TAIT has to offer,” Garrett said. “We move props, dancers, and have two big lifts that go 13ft above stage level to bring Kendrick and SZA closer to even more seats in the audience.”
With safety a priority, Garrett recited the company’s safety card procedure to pinpoint any potential issues quickly. “For the most part, we carry enough spares to rebuild almost everything when we’re out on the road,” he said. “I’m not alone working for a company like TAIT; I can always call somebody for support.”
Working with TAIT as a freelancer on the run is Head Carpenter, John Gordon, who oversees a crew of six, and deploys a local crew of 30 to help with the build. “TAIT are at the top of their game at the moment; they have a great system for setting up and the tour has gone smoothly,” Gordon said. “We’ve been able to adapt to different roof heights in stadiums across Europe
and have even tackled a baseball stadium in San Francisco, which shows the determination of the team to overcome any challenges.”
Displaying the content and featuring cuts from the live show were ROE Visual CB5 video panels with Brompton Processing supplied by Screenworks, with LED Crew Chief, Kevin King taking care of the video panels on the road.
He described the intricate orchestration and implementation associated with the tour’s cable work: “Due to the automation, we have to think about the cablework more than we usually would, but our philosophy as a crew is not to rush and make sure everything goes smoothly the first time,” King said.
Purdue noted that the popular touring products specified aided the worldwide viability of the tour. “ROE Visual CB5 and Brompton Technology video processors are a winning combination, which we’re able to find worldwide,” Purdue stated. “We’ve had different configurations of the screen across the tour, but in its full form, it is roughly 9,000 pixels wide and 2,300 pixels high.”
Operating and programming on an MA Lighting grandMA3 Light console, Purdue utilised Disguise media servers and Notch effects. Inside Notch, the screens producer
used an AI plugin called Nvidia Virtual Background, which allowed him to generate a greenscreen effect from a live camera feed onto existing content. “We cut Kendrick out and add him into the content created by Mike Carson, Dave Free and Lauren Halsey to ramp up the creative intent of the looks.”
Embedding Kendrick into the content was especially important through the inclusion of Halsey’s collage piece, Untitled from 2022, which is a celebration of Southern Los Angeles and its black culture. “We wanted to use the AI visual effect in its purest form; cutting him out and layering him among a signature look of what Kendrick represents,” Purdue recalled.
Reflecting on working with Screenworks as a vendor, Purdue mentioned that a supplier was needed that not only could provide the sheer amount of LED required for the show, but also one that could work with the team to create custom LED frames that reduced seams in the screens. “I have a long-standing relationship with Screenworks – I’ve worked with them in different capacities over the years – and having the support of the NEP Group makes our life so much better when travelling far and wide.”
With an unusual show by design, Purdue also commented on a trial feature he is using
through Disguise. “It allows us to apply multiple pixel mappings to one layer of content, so in moments of the show where screens are in motion, our single video file is mapped to both static and moving surfaces,” Purdue added. “These experimental features simplified our show file from an organisational standpoint and streamlined our programming methods.”
Mid-tour, Disguise came out with a release that allowed for colour-coding in timeline layers. “Normally, once we design a show file it goes out the door and you never change software versions. Along with Megan Buyn who handled Disguise programming for SZA, I decided it was worth spending a week or so validating the new version to leverage this organisational tool. As simple as it sounds, having colour-coded layers was absolutely worth upgrading to,” Purdue said.
The Grand National Tour featured a mixture of content and live feed cameras, so Purdue collaborated with Damien Gravois, Video Director, who looked after a plethora of Panasonic PLV1000 cameras, supplied by Screenworks, fitted with Fujinon lenses from Vis-A-Vis.
The company also provided a bespoke 8m tower for high and wide shots and two 4m towers stationed downstage left and right, with the provided towers utilising a selection of Duvo HZK24-300mm, 14-100, 25-1,000 long lenses. Vis-A-Vis also created a fixed camera
track on the stage to follow Kendrick. “It was about getting as intimate coverage as we could without intruding at all, while also having other bigger shots,” Vis-A-Vis’ Andrew Shaw said. “All of the elements of the lenses are that you get this fantastically filmic look, no matter the direction you’re coming from.”
Gravois added: “It is an incredible workflow between the two vendors, because there isn’t a dedicated vendor to all of the products we have put on the road, being able to work with two companies that can put easy to understand business differences to the side, and come together to make our final product better is really cool to see in the industry.”
THIS IS BIGGER THAN THE MUSIC
FOH Engineer Toby Francis needs no introduction; given his years of experience touring with critically acclaimed artists, his involvement in the Kendrick camp is a natural fit.
“W hile we’re mixing two sides of the show, we thought it would be easier if we worked as one big audio team, rather than two separate units facilitating each other,” Francis said. “There are 17 Clair Global employees on this show, and each of us is working hard to get the best mix possible for the fans, especially in what can be difficult acoustic environments in stadiums.”
Francis’ PA of choice was a Clair Global Cohesion system. He mixed the show on a
DiGiCo Quantum 852 with a raft of outboard, including Focusrite’s RedNet A16R and D64R.
“I ’m utilising a digital console that stems into an analogue summing setup. I am enhancing most of the inputs and all of the groups with a lot of mastering equipment,” Francis explained.
“We’re creating that bottom octave and the clarity to stay within the volume levels while still having people feel it in their chest. The one comment we’ve had is that it sounds significantly louder than the metre says.”
The microphone of choice was a Sound Devices A20-HH handheld. “There are two songs in the show that take place behind the PA; we aren’t altering the system for the microphones and are instead working on it through the consoles,” Francis said, praising Sound Devices’ latest microphone solution.
Reflecting on the show, the engineer discussed the nature of alternating artists between himself and Jaymz Hardy-Martin, who was at the faders for SZA. “It’s been inspiring working with two completely different approaches to mixing – just two completely different sounds,” he said. “My favourite part about mixing this show is I think it demonstrates the best of analogue and digital hybrid mixing, which is getting more and more typical.”
With a PA 20ft further upstage than usual, the camp deployed three delay towers for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium show, which
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Thomas Huntington, Sound System Designer, explained was better for the shape of the building. “I don’t really need the rear hangs on this show, but I’ve implemented them so I don’t have to aim the side hangs as high, and I can focus more on audio directly at the people all the way around,” he said, also noting that he was trialling a prototype of a new canvas software from Clair Global for the tour.
The system designer further highlighted his traditional approach to optimising PA by walking the venue. “I like to iron out any issues before the audience gets in the building, but make sure I am adaptable for when they start filing in, as I find the sound changes completely,” he stated.
Francis furthered: “Once Thomas came in, things started making sense and now the changes I make to my mix are constantly improving the show night on night. While he’s doing the right math to make sure it works scientifically, if the math doesn’t match what sounds right in his ears, he will always go with his ears, and he hasn’t been wrong yet.”
On -stage, Musical Director, Tony Russell worked in tandem with Playback Engineer, Jaron ‘Huggy’ Lamot to put together the track for the show, with Russell also being the only member of Kendrick’s live band. “Everything that exists
here is because of the music; it all starts with that, so if you don’t have a good playback person, it can cost you the whole show,” Russell laughed. “Huggy is a great playback guy; we work hand in hand, and he is basically my right arm when it comes to touring.”
As has become commonplace in high-end touring, ‘playback world’ featured Ableton software. “Ableton is the go-to software for playback – it’s stable, fast and intuitive,” he said, with Russel even continuing the praise for the software. “It was a no-brainer that we were going to use Ableton; nothing touches it and it is absolutely the best option for live.”
Discussing the rapport with each other, Huggy recalled the rehearsal period in Rock Lititz, and how Clair Global assisted with the technical side of his rig so that he could work closely with Russell and Kendrick. “Clair Global don’t usually provide my kit, but they did this time, which is a huge help and meant that at rehearsals I could just pop over to see everything was going smoothly,” he said.
Before the house lights dropped and the crowd went wild, Showcaller Blair Nicholson ensured everyone was in the right place, utilising a Riedel Communications system as well as a spy cam system around the venue to ensure
everything from dancers, props, and cues are ready to go if the verbal communications become congested. “It requires keeping direct communication between all departments to ensure everything runs smoothly across both camps,” he said. “I came from the SZA camp as a video programmer and showcaller, so to step up to this has been great, and when the lights go down, it reminds me of why I do this job.”
In closing, Huggy put it best: “A lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into the show, but I can positively say it’s unique to pull off a show of this calibre and that is a testament to Kendrick, pgLang, and everyone behind the scenes who have worked so hard to make it happen. www.oklama.com www.szasos.com www.upstaging.com www.screenworksnep.com www.clairglobal.com www.cohesionaudio.com www.strictlyfxuk.com www.taittowers.com www.g2structures.com www.visavis.video www.silent-house.com www.humanperson.com www.coffeyblack.com
From eHGVs to HVO, TPi speaks to some of the industry forerunners in trucking and bussing who are driving toward a more sustainable future.
Words: Stew Hume
Photos: Tia Simpson, Stagetruck, Vans for Bands, TRUCKINGBY, Fly By Nite and Pieter Smit
In a world of social media finger-pointing, it is hard not to feel sympathy for transport companies in the live touring industry. Anytime the topic of sustainability comes up, too often naysayers in the comment sections state how terrible the vehicles are for the environment. But often, these are the very companies that are thinking outside the box to create more sustainable solutions for their customers. It was for this reason that we opted to put together an article to highlight this hard work. Then, serendipitously, the topic made headline news when it broke that Sam Fender’s latest summer run of shows had utilised electric HGVs.
With this news ringing in our ears, we set course (via train) to dig past the mainstream headlines and learn how the production industry is pushing the limits of sustainable travel. Our first stop was an industrial estate just outside Nottingham – the home of logistics specialist KB Event who provided four Mercedes-Benz eActros 600s for Fender’s latest run. “Our history of using electric trucks started during the first ACT 1.5,” commented KB Event Managing Director, Richard Burnett, discussing the company’s involvement with Massive Attack’s project that aimed to reduce carbon emissions created by a live show.
“T he band’s Tour Manager, Jamal Chalabi, came to us explaining that they were looking
to power the show by batteries and therefore required the creation of an electric tank,” stated Burnett, who then explained how this required weeks of planning and collaboration with e-trucks from Volta [a company that has sadly since gone out of business] and using specially ADR-trained drivers.
Following the successful solution, KB was asked to aid in Massive Attack’s LIDO performance, which led Burnett to reach out to all the major trucking manufacturers to see if there might be another solution out there.
“T he biggest issue with all the trucks on the market was the range, which was only around 120 to 160 miles,” stated Burnett, noting how this is impractical in the world of live events.
However, the launch of the new MercedesBenz eActros changed this reality. “It has a range of 500km [310 miles],” Burnett revealed. “It’s a real game-changer.”
With the right tools in place, KB Event began working with the Massive Attack team to create a plan for LIDO Festival, which not only involved the load-in and load-out to the festival site but also a run into Co-op Live to pick up the production. During the planning, Burnett was approached by Sam Fender’s Manager, who asked if the same package might be used for a multi-date tour for the Geordie superstar. This use of eHGVs is a giant step forward when it comes to sustainable travel, but Burnett
highlighted the logistical challenge of moving an entire tour onto electric. “We couldn’t fail,” chuckled Burnett, while explaining the pressure of delivering a show to thousands of people waiting in the next city. The entire team agreed they had to commit to the idea and not simply have several diesel trucks on standby if anything went wrong. He was complimentary of the KB drivers who threw themselves into the project. “They were sceptical initially, thinking it would be like driving a milk float, but after some driving, they were very impressed and keen to push the limits of the range.”
THE E-REVOLUTION
One of the biggest issues facing a full move to electric vehicles – which Burnett and the KB team admitted – is the logistical challenge of where to charge. For the Sam Fender project, the company had to rely on publicly available charging points. “None of the major arenas in the UK have the ability to charge the vehicles, so our only option currently with this solution is to drop the trailers and take the trucks to a car charger,” explained Burnett, adding that this solution, if taken on, would require an even greater level of planning than a standard tour. Another company that has invested in the electric vehicle market is Stagetruck, who last month took delivery of two new MAN electric trucks at its HQ in the Netherlands, with the
company also installing charging facilities for them at its base. “They are at such an early stage of adoption that the infrastructure required is a huge obstacle,” stated Director Sarah Tobias, describing the strain charging vehicles has on the local power supply as well as their lack of range. “It’s crucial that we make these strides,” she continued. “The Netherlands is such a small country that the range limitation isn’t a problem, and we’ll continue to scale our fleet there at pace. However, in other parts of Europe, electric vehicle infrastructure is years away.”
She continued to suggest that hydrogen options might effectively leapfrog electric vehicles as a solution for the touring market. “The evidence is clear that the range limitation of eHGVs, the lack of charging infrastructure, and enormous power requirements for charging are huge barriers to the adoption of electric trucks at scale. We feel there is an education job to be done with the wider public and touring community, who naturally look to this as the answer as awareness about EVs has grown exponentially.”
Pieter Smit, in recent years, has made major investments in the EV market – with vehicles and by building a dedicated charging hub for its truck fleet. “In the coming years, we will expand our electric fleet,” stated CEO Louise Smit, explaining how it is one pillar of the company’s
green initiatives. “This autumn, Pieter Smit Group is running three tours fully electric, and we are now entering into formal agreements with productions to tour fully electric going forward. This demonstrates our proactive approach in sustainable touring.”
Smit highlighted how recent European Regulatory Support has meant that electric touring across Europe is becoming increasingly feasible thanks to the AFIR regulation. “This requires EU member states to install truck charging stations every 120km,” she explained. “Combined with the development of megawatt chargers, this infrastructure will significantly accelerate the adoption of electric heavy vehicles for touring.”
Although these latest developments in electric power are important to pay attention to, logistics companies are making great strides in finding alternative fuels – namely HVO. “The emission reductions with HVO are staggering and the technology is here now and in use,” said Tobias. “The only limitation is knowing where trucks can refuel and covering the additional costs of its usage.”
St agetruck recently concluded tours with Coldplay and Ed Sheeran, providing trucks that all ran on HVO, along with a full summer of shows with Billie Eilish also using
this fuel source. “HVO reduces emissions by a staggering 88%,” stated Tobias. “There is some resistance to the additional costs due to the lack of awareness, but more awareness through publicity and peer-to-peer education will be a huge step forward.”
It is this goal that led Stagetruck to partake in the Coldplay-led study currently being carried out by MIT. “They [MIT] usually specialise in urban metabolism but have applied their expertise to carbon emission reductions in live touring. We’ve loved being part of the advisory committee and the work they have done is brilliant from what we’ve seen so far,” she reflected.
KB Events CEO Stuart McPherson started on the HVO journey back in 2018. “We started to offer it to some of our corporate clients, although some were still sceptical of this solution,” he recalled, revealing that he once spoke to Google’s Sustainability team, who were unsure of the solution, but then after seeing the research, invested in the solution for a project.
“Sustainable diesel – or what we call HVO –in the journey to Net Zero is the only way to get there while we bring in other solutions,” added Burnett. “That, paired with Euro 6 engines and ensuring that the HVO is palm oil free,” continued McPherson, who explained that when KB offered an HVO solution to customers, they always stipulate that their fuel is palm
oil free. “Since 2019, while travelling through Europe, it is so much easier to offer an HVO solution to our customers.”
TRUCKINGBY has made significant investment in HVO in recent years with the installation of a 50,000-litre HVO tank at its Featherstone HQ.
“Most production managers now request an HVO option and while we know tour budgets are always a key factor, we work hard to provide the most competitive rates possible,” stated Melissa Ness, Live Events Office Manager at TRUCKINGBY. “Currently around 25% of tours by us are running on HVO.”
All the operators expressed that the investment in this alternative fuel requires buyin from artists and upper management.
“Our fleet has all been brought up to Euro 6 standard and we are going to implement the use of HVO by the end of the year. Demand is growing from artists, promoters and venues, but more sporadically than an outsider might perceive,” explained Tom Curtis of Fly By Nite.
“We’re seeing a clear and growing demand for sustainable solutions from the artists and productions we work with,” commented Smit on the demands that Pieter Smit had received in recent years.
“In some cases, this is driven by external requirements to meet environmental standards. In others, it stems from a strong internal commitment to sustainability. We’re currently running a project involving 120
trucks powered entirely by HVO. Which shows the momentum toward greener practices continues to accelerate.”
As well as the trucking companies, the likes of Vans For Band is pushing the envelope when it comes to alternative fuels. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to reduce our environmental footprint,” began the company’s Director, Tarrant Anderson.
“T his has involved progressively upgrading the fleet to all Euro 6-rated vehicles, and we ran our first European bus tour fuelled by HVO last year for Australian band Lime Cordiale, who were filming a documentary for Netflix about sustainable touring.” Anderson and the team asked for the advice of KB Events, which enabled them to offer HVO as an option for bus tours and van hires from mid-2024 onwards.
Despite the success of incorporating HVO into its business, Anderson pointed out the “harsh economic realities” that are holding back its widespread adoption.
“We’re by far the largest provider of passenger transportation services for grassroots and mid-level touring artists in the UK, so we get a good overview of what the pressures are,” he commented. “If artists can make a sustainable choice, they virtually always will. But there are harsh economic realities at play, and the difference between fuel with HVO for a month’s tour and normal diesel is not insignificant to them.”
One trend that emerged while bringing up the conversation of sustainability with many of these transport operators was how many were thinking outside the box to find sustainable solutions for day-to-day operations.
Fl y By Nite, for example, at its rehearsal facility, is recycling all its cooking oil, which gets turned into biofuel, while also installing air-sourced heat pumps. Vans For Bands meanwhile has experimented with the use of solar panels on its sleeper buses. “This is to help offset the power draw from landlines when parked, enabling buses to park without shore power or engines running,” said Anderson.
St agetruck, in the Netherlands and the UK, has installed giant water tanks to collect surface water. “This means we can keep our vehicles spotless by using grey water with minimal environmental impact,” stated Tobias.
Many of the companies also expressed their constant analysis of working practices out on the road that can significantly reduce carbon emissions. “Fuel emissions are monitored each month, and drivers’ performance is reviewed regularly,” explained Ness, outlining TRUCKINGBY’s internal procedures.
“Eco-drive training is provided where needed, and our fleet managers work to minimise empty journeys.”
A similar protocol is also run at Fly By Nite, as Curtis explained: “All our trucks are GPS tracked with up-to-the-minute location information, which allows more accurate planning, less dead mileage and wasted time. Internal system changes allow more efficient route planning, reducing unnecessary mileage.”
Smit added: “I’m a strong advocate for circular thinking. The construction sector is leading the way with modular building, material
reuse, and CO2 tracking throughout the entire process. These frameworks are measurable and scalable, and touring can benefit from adopting them. It’s not always about replacing everything with something new; it’s about using what we already have in smarter ways. That mindset helps reduce impact without overwhelming the system.”
Many of these beliefs are being incorporated in the fabric of Pieter Smit’s new facility, which is in the process of being built. “It’s a big project, and an opportunity to learn and apply new techniques,” remarked Smit.
There is a sense among logistical operators that they wish to be ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainable offerings. The fact is that in the UK, by 2035, there will be no new diesel cars or vans sold, meaning that in only 10 years there will need to be a shift in mentality when it comes to transport.
However, as is characteristic of those working in the events industry, many transport companies are attempting to find solutions before problems arise and are offering options for artists wishing to do something different.
The future seems uncertain as to what the vehicles may look like – and be fuelled by – but at the heart of this journey, the same age-old dilemma of better communication between promoters and productions seems to be one way the sustainability needle can be pushed.
“More sharing of best practice case studies to inspire and benchmark others,” commented Curtis, while discussing what incentives might lead to change.
“If everyone was transparent about successes and failures, it would lead to greater changes, as sustainability is often about
incremental improvement and trade-offs.” Ness concurred: “From a live events perspective, one of the most effective ways to drive sustainability is through collaboration across the entire supply chain – from promoters and production managers to transport and venue teams. Incentives such as supporting venues with renewable energy sourcing or highlighting sustainable practices in marketing materials can all encourage wider adoption. Ultimately, visibility and recognition for sustainable efforts can be just as powerful as financial incentives in driving change across the industry.”
Anderson added: “Mark Davyd from the MVT [Music Venue Trust] has a vision for the future of sustainable touring, which is pretty inspiring and critically recognises that sustainability in touring will only be achieved by also tackling the economic barriers that both artists and venues currently face. It’s not just about having environmentally friendly transport solutions; it’s also about making it economically viable for artists at all levels to use them, and for venues being able to afford to invest in the technology and infrastructure to facilitate this.”
There will never be a one-size-fits-all solution, and no doubt there are still multiple chapters yet to be written in a more sustainable touring industry, but as always, we at TPi are interested in seeing what new innovative solutions the transport companies and the wider live events community bring to this everevolving conversation. www.brianyeardley.com www.flybynite.co.uk www.kbevent.com www.pietersmit.com www.stagetruck.com www.vansforbands.co.uk
TPi takes a trip to Rock-It Cargo’s new UK HQ to hear more about its in-house process of screening equipment before it’s sent to its next destination.
Words: Stew Hume
Photos: Chris Hill
Entering Rock-It Cargo’s new UK headquarters – with the roar of jet engines overhead – it’s clear why the freighting experts chose this building, just a stone’s throw from Heathrow Airport. A significant upgrade from its previous office, the 50,000 sq ft facility is now home to several divisions of the Rock-It family, including Rock-It Cargo, SOS Global, Dynamic International, and Dietl International Services.
Before Rock-It moved in, the former Air Canada building underwent a full refurbishment, which included the installation of heat pumps, solar panels, and EV charging
points – making the facility among the greenest within the Heathrow ecosystem – as well as allowing space for a state-of-the-art, in-house shipment screening process. TPi caught up with Chris Palmer, Executive Commercial Director at Rock-It Cargo, to hear what this move means for the company’s future. “Prior to moving into this new space, we had several UK offices spread all over,” he began. “After the acquisitions that have taken place over the past four to five years, it was time to bring all the companies into one location. It allows us to consolidate our lease spend while encouraging better collaboration between the brands.”
Spread across two floors, the open-plan office now houses all the companies side by side. “It’s like creating a supergroup,” laughed Palmer, discussing the benefits of having experts from different markets working together. “Rock-It has traditionally done some work in film and TV – around 5% to 10% of our business – but now, with the likes of Dynamic being part of the group, we’ve been able to go to long-standing clients and explain that we now have this additional branch of expertise.”
Palmer was also keen to emphasise that none of the companies had to downsize during the process. “We haven’t consolidated the
teams at all – in fact, we’ve been able to learn from each other. You’d think it would be a similar working process, as we’re all in the business of moving boxes around the world, but the way things are done in, say, the art world compared to music is actually very different.”
One of the most exciting developments at the facility is the installation of the company’s own X-ray and ETD (Explosive Trace Detection) machines. The company also works with a sniffer dog team that visits the warehouse daily to assess outgoing shipments. Implementing these procedures has been a time-consuming and costly process, requiring Rock-It to employ certified staff – all of whom are specially trained and background checked.
The offices are also inspected regularly by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) and audited, often without any prior notice, to ensure that everything is to code.
“Previously, when we were screening large shipments, we had to rely on an external third party as all of our competitors still do and setting us apart,”explained Palmer. “The benefits of having these processes in-house are efficiency and speed. We no longer have to send three or four staff members to oversee a shipment being screened by another company, where we might have had to wait in a queue.”
To meet CAA standards, Rock-It implemented stringent security measures throughout the premises, allowing all personnel movements to be tracked, and ensuring the facility is always ready for an audit from the authority. “You can’t move around the building without screening in and out of any room,” said Palmer, emphasising the importance of ensuring the site remains secure. “We’ve already had some really big shipments that have benefitted from this new procedure,” he
added enthusiastically, making special mention of the Post Malone production this summer. Due to its success, the company hopes to introduce similar processes at other facilities –particularly in Los Angeles and New York.
“We’re currently looking at LA, and our UK team has been doing a lot of consultancy calls with them to guide our US colleagues through the process. We’re using London as the blueprint we want to replicate worldwide.”
During a tour of the warehouse and screening facilities, TPi also met Simon Jackson and Chris Hill. The duo explained that the expansion has not only improved operational efficiency but also an increase in its storage options for artists and productions looking to park equipment between touring campaigns, adding another service that the company can now offer the community. www.rockitcargo.com
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TPi makes the trip to Nexus’ Macclesfield base to get acquainted with the dry hire specialist’s new AI-assisted platform…
Designed to connect rental houses and production teams, Nexus Marketplace combines AI-powered search, real-time inventory visibility and end-to-end logistics to provide live availability and pricing so that users can build orders through multiple companies, as TPi discovers.
“It’s a bit nerve-wracking to completely overhaul our business model to run Nexus Marketplace, but we hope that this new system will ensure that there are options for those productions that need specific products,” said Tom Agar, Managing Director at Nexus, reflecting on the company’s recent strategic shift. “We have very much built this platform to support the smaller to medium-sized companies that have the extra equipment but are without the routes to the market.”
Ag ar and Niall Rodgers, Head of Rental at Nexus, disclosed that in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape for the dry-hire completely changed, and for Nexus, it was important for productions to be able to use UK-based companies to reduce their carbon impact. “To make using multiple companies a viable option, we had to make sure that it was both cost and environmentally effective, which is what Marketplace does,” Agar explained. “A supplier might have to source a specific product from multiple smaller dry hire companies like us, and when that happens, Nexus Marketplace configures the best options for convenience, carbon emissions and cost. The user can then decide which option works best for a specific production.”
With Nexus Marketplace aimed at streamlining the sub-hiring process, the developers want users to rely on it for transport coordination and customer support, with the platform taking care of any admin. “We’re trying to make the process as simple as possible; Nexus Marketplace does all of the linking together between the systems, as we thought it would be the best thing to use existing
software the companies are already using,” Agar said. “That way, when an order enters into the system it exists just as any other order, and the user doesn’t have to continuously check Marketplace and that it’s all automated.”
Nexus then assigns barcodes to each piece of kit, so it gets returned correctly but most importantly, if something goes wrong, Nexus can know exactly where it has come from and act accordingly. “We will know about any lost or damaged items before they return to their original home, this means we can take care of it with the production or even vice versa, if an item arrives damaged, we can solve it as quickly as possible,” Agar said.
To keep emissions down, Nexus is committed to reducing the number of empty truck journeys – with teams on the way to collect or distribute equipment, utilising Haulage Exchange to fill the trucks with any load from the 20,000 loads posted every day on the site.
“It can be anything from flowers to cereal, but it means that we’re making a difference environmentally by never travelling empty,” Agar commented. “We also feel like we’re serving a purpose by providing an additional service to those not in our industry, but it means that customers are paying the absolute minimum possible for transport as we’re not charging for empty miles.”
For Agar, the point is to bring convenience to the industry; early adopters of the software include IPS (Impact Production Services). Karl Saunders, Managing Director at IPS, commented: “As one of the first vendors on Nexus Marketplace, we’ve seen first-hand how this platform can streamline sub hire for our customers. Nexus Marketplace is an interesting development with a high opportunity to enhance our equipment utilisation. Marketplace starts the path of an innovative step forward for the rental industry.” www.nexusdryhire.com
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Based in north-western France, MOG Rent boasts one of the largest footprints of CODA Audio in Europe.
Photos: MOG Rent
With an inventory of 600 CODA Audio loudspeakers available to providers for major events, dry hire specialist MOG Rent has become one of the biggest stockists of the brand’s sonic solutions on the continent. Highlighting CODA Audio’s “proprietary technologies, powerful performance, and compactness”, TPi explores why MOG Rent’s clients consistently turn to the brand for a wide range of projects.
“The first element t hat makes CODA Audio at tractive is t he technologies used, particularly the annular diaphragm t hat drives t he t weeter.
This clearly made us want to explore CODA Audio products,” MOG Rent Technical Director, Ét ienne Maurin s aid, referencing t he raft of CODA Audio technologies such as Sensor
Control, w hich allows for extremely precise bass control, and t he brand’s entire hardware section – designed to facilitate connectivity thanks to a system of integrated pins. “ We feel a real quality of manufacture, both in t he assembly and in t he materials used –which inspires real confidence in CODA Audio products,” Maurin remarked. A longside t he capabilities of t he boxes, t he French outfit has also seen a surge in demand for CODA Audio solutions. Our existing customers, as well as new ones, regularly approached us to expand their portfolio or cope w ith peaks in activity. CODA Audio was beginning to generate real enthusiasm,” Maurin continued. “One of t he things t hat made t he difference was t he quality of t he contact w ith t he CODA Audio France
team. From t he very first exchanges, we were very well received. T here was a real desire to build a solid partnership, and a k ind of exciting challenge to t ake on, w ith a brand t hat c an still be described as an outsider.”
According to Maurin, customers c an have complete confidence in both t he quality of t he products and t he technical support offered by CODA Audio, regardless of t he t ype of project they are considering.
“ The team is available, responsive, and capable of providing support on everything from simple recommendations to complex technical issues or pre-tuning,” he explained, citing t he products’ ease of use.
“Their compactness and simplicity of implementation, w ithout compromising on
performance, are real advantages in the field,” Maurin noted. Today, production designs often impose significant constraints: discreet, highperformance systems are required, capable of adapting to demanding specifications, so the ability to deploy a compact system that offers performance comparable to configurations twice as large is an undeniable advantage for CODA Audio.
“We are proud to have a substantial portfolio, which covers a very large part of the CODA Audio range,” Maurin commented. “This is a real asset for deploying complete solutions across the country. We are clearly seeing an increase in opportunities. We have more than 600 loudspeakers, all categories combined. This allows us to cover projects as varied as conventions, tours, festivals, arenas, and even stadium sized spectacles. There’s no limit to what we can equip.”
MOG Rent recently supplied equipment for the King Arthur Festival in Brittany in
collaboration with Spectaculaire, whereby; the local provider was equipped with CODA Audio. Reflecting on recent successes, Maurin proudly shared: “Internationally, we participated in the Mawazine Festival in Morocco with Dushow for a large-scale event with an impressive main stage. We also contributed to the 2024 Olympic Games with Videlio, equipping the audience reception areas in various stadiums, with more than 120 HOPS8 speakers deployed throughout the entire Olympic Games infrastructure. This largescale project demonstrates the reliability and versatility of CODA Audio solutions,” Maurin concluded. “Both the Rugby World Cup 2023 Fanzone with Concept Group, and more recently, the return this year of Cinéma Paradiso Louvre Festival with Aquila Events held in Paris, relied on CODA Audio systems. Long may this collaboration continue!”
www.mog.rent
www.codaaudio.com
Half a century after its founding, ETC is entering its next chapter with purpose, optimism, and a deep commitment to the community that built it.
Photos: ETC
At ETC’s London building, colleagues, collaborators, and long-time partners gathered not only to celebrate the company’s remarkable 50-year journey, but to look forward to what’s next. This wasn’t just any party; it was a landmark occasion honouring ETC’s 50 extraordinary years and the people who made them possible.
It was December 1975 when four innovators: Fred, Jimmy, Gary and Bill set about making the first ETC console – the Mega Cue – and with that the company was born. What began as a passion project quickly grew into a company that would go on to redefine stage and architectural lighting around the world.
Fast-forward to 2016, when ETC Sales Manager, Darren Beckley first walked into
the company’s Middleton, Wisconsin headquarters. “The energy was palpable,” Beckley recalled. “The 2015 financial results were the best on record, products like Source Four Series 2 were hitting its stride, and a brand-new 350,000sq ft manufacturing facility had just opened.”
It was clear from the outset: this wasn’t just a lighting company, this was a launchpad for innovation. “I remember being struck by the scale, creativity, and imagination,” he added. “It was at this point that I knew I wanted to join ETC. It was clear that this company had an incredible platform for success, and I was curious to see how far it could go.”
The past decade hasn’t been without its trials. In 2019, the company lost its beloved
founder Fred Foster, a visionary whose legacy still shapes ETC’s DNA. That loss was soon followed by the global pandemic, which brought the entire entertainment industry to a halt. Then came crippling supply chain shortages that made it impossible to build and ship products.
“A nd let’s not forget the political upheaval and ongoing conflicts across the globe,” he reflected. “These were incredibly tough trading conditions for everyone, and certainly for ETC. But what happened next was remarkable.”
Rather than retreat, ETC leaned into change, and came out stronger. In 2017, ETC acquired High End Systems, welcoming 75 new colleagues from Texas and adding moving lights to its portfolio. A year later, the
company established ETC France through the acquisition of ATF, bringing 25 new team members into the fold. Major investments followed: a new 75,000sq ft R&D facility in Middleton, expanded premises in Los Angeles, Florida, Paris, Munich — and now London.
The company also acquired GDS’s architectural product line, ventured into agricultural grow lighting, and in 2024 made the landmark move to become a 100% employeeowned company. In just 10 years, ETC has added 400 new employees and nearly doubled its revenue. Yet even after such monumental growth, the question remains: How far can this company go?
“I still don’t have that answer,” Beckley admitted. “However, what I do know is this: ETC has never been in better shape than it is right now. Despite all the challenges, in those 10 years I have witnessed so much positive change and growth.”
As much as this celebration was about ETC’s past and future, it was just as much about the people and the wider ETC community that has powered its journey.
“Back in 1975, when those four friends started building that console, they created more than a company. They created a community. A global network of employees, sales and rental partners, approved service engineers, and importantly an incredible collection of users, specifiers and designers,” he added.
It ’s this community that has always been at the heart of ETC’s strength. “When you’re using ETC equipment, showcasing it, or supporting it, you’re helping to drive this company forward.”
Unlike many companies of its size, ETC doesn’t answer to shareholders or private equity. “Everything we make is reinvested back into the company and into this community,” said Beckley.
On t he topic of community, ETC took a bold step during this year’s celebration – shining a spotlight on something they’ve traditionally kept quiet: their charitable giving.
“For years, we’ve donated significant amounts to charity, but we’ve always done it quietly. Our charitable partners have sometimes wished we’d shout a little louder. Well, tonight we’re going to do just that,”
commented Beckley. During the party, ETC unveiled a £35,000 donation to long-time charity partner Back Up – The Technical Entertainment Charity, an organisation that supports technical industry professionals and people working in the technical supply chain across the UK entertainment industry.
This gesture reflects ETC’s commitment to giving back to the community that has supported the company over the past five decades and continues to do so.
Representing the charity that night was Jess Allen, accepting the donation on behalf of Back Up.
As E TC marks this incredible 50-year milestone, it does so by looking forward with purpose. The challenges have been many, but the company’s resilience, innovation, and deep commitment to its people and partners continue to set it apart.
“T he past 50 years have been an incredible success story,” concluded Beckley. “But I get the sense that the next 50 might be even better than that.” www.etcconnect.com
TPi visits the live event audio, communications and data company’s new UK headquarters to meet the team shaping its vision for the next 50 years.
Words: Stew Hume
Photos: TPi, Britannia Row Productions, DiGiCo (The BRIT Awards), Jill Furmanovsky (David Gilmour), Belinda Enthoven (Robbie Williams).
The storied history of Britannia Row Productions can almost be charted through the various facilities the rental house has called home over its 50-year journey. From its Islington birthplace – established to keep Pink Floyd’s equipment in use during their downtime – the company grew as the live industry itself began to professionalise.
With increasing demand came the need for more space, prompting several moves further from central London to ever-larger premises. From Wandsworth, then Twickenham, and most recently, Weybridge, Surrey, on the historical Brooklands site. While the new facility houses the company’s existing stock and staff, it was also designed to accommodate the people and equipment from Eighth Day Sound and Skan PA, companies that have also recently joined Clair Global.
Fi ve decades on, as TPi sat in the company’s new boardroom with founders Bryan Grant and Mike Lowe, it became clear that the real story wasn’t one of bricks and mortar, but of a brand that has successfully walked the tightrope between bespoke service and corporate scale in an ever more complex live events landscape.
When it came to selecting the new space, Grant and Lowe, now Non-Executive Directors, were quick to praise the role of the upper management and directors who oversaw the
design and fit out of the new premises. “Size was the major element we had to consider,” commented Managing Director, Nicola Amoruso. “Essentially, we were moving three warehouses under one roof – Britannia Row’s Twickenham base, Eighth Day Sound and Skan PA’s operations.”
The new build provides freedom to design the space specifically for the group’s needs. Spanning three levels and 110,000 sq ft of floor space, the site accommodates 150 to 200 people daily – from office staff to crews preparing for shows.
The warehouse has two levels of mezzanine accommodating operations, crew logistics, preparation areas, maintenance and storage serviced by two large lifts.
The main warehouse floor also boasts a 10-tonne load capacity rigging gantry, allowing the team to hang a full left-right rig for a small arena and one side of a large A-market arena or stadium show.
Warehouse Director Chris Fitch highlighted the focus on workflow during the build: “One element I was keen to bring from Skan’s Newbury building was having walls around the preparation areas to create actual prep rooms, allowing people to concentrate on the job in hand,” he said.
These prep areas now include small lift platforms so technicians can work on racks at a height that suits them. Another major upgrade
Row’s board of directors;
came in the form of loading docks. “This is the first time in 50 years we’ve had truck height loading docks,” enthused Sales Director Lez Dwight. “It’s been a real time saver, especially with the incredibly busy summer we’ve just had servicing an ever-increasing number of stadium shows in the UK. Working in this bigger facility certainly made things easier.”
The company has also invested in comfortable office spaces, including dedicated classrooms, a canteen and breakout rooms designed to give staff moments of calm during busy days.
Although TPi’s visit was prompted by Britannia Row’s 50th anniversary, it’s impossible to discuss the company without acknowledging the wider Clair Global group of companies, which it joined in 2017. In an industry familiar with acquisitions, there’s a unique mindset that respects each company’s individual identity and client relationships rather than merging under a single brand.
“Every company that has been acquired globally has its own nuances and reasons why its clients choose to work with it and those nuances and relationships are incredibly important. I believe this is why the Clair Global Group model has been so successful” explained Bryan Grant.
Many familiar faces from those companies remain integral to the operation. Since its acquisition, Skan PA’s Chris Fitch has taken the role of Warehouse Director at Britannia Row alongside Amoruso, Financial Director Christina Bosch, and Les Dwight. Following the recent acquisition of Plus 4 Audio its former
owner, Stewart Chaney also joins the senior management team as Broadcast Director. Due to the timing of the acquisition, Plus 4 still has its own buildings in Surrey. “We’re working on how we’ll eventually integrate,” stated Chaney. “Our workflows are slightly different, but the process is very positive and the additional resources at our disposal have allowed us to expand our activities this year.”
Discussing how the wider Clair Global network operates for each brand, Bosch added: “We’re incredibly interconnected, with our people in constant contact with the other global teams. This is essential because we operate as part of a global pool of equipment and people, which is now a 3,000-strong international workforce.”
The UK warehouse not only houses a vast stock of various PA and console brands but also provides access to global inventory. Operations Supervisor, Joshua Thomas and European Operations Manager, Tim Mole explained how this system works: “We all use a bespoke, proprietary software developed by Clair,” said Mole.
“Let’s say I get an input list with a microphone I’ve never seen before,” added Thomas. “I can search the system and, guaranteed, one of our warehouses will have it. If it’s in Nashville, I can book it, and it’ll be here in the UK within three days.”
This shared database allows the team to access equipment worldwide, ensuring consistent client service. “Although we work under the Britannia Row name, within Operations, we’re fairly brand neutral,” Mole
Live Audio Technician Apprentices, Julia Bochenska and Louis Briggs with Marcel Van Limbeek, Head of Training and Warehouse; European Operations Manager, Tim Mole and Josh Lloyd, Head of Engineering; Crew Logistics Manager, Carlene Annon; Operations Supervisor Joshua Thomas.
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explained. “If a client prefers an Eighth Day Sound-style rack for example we can provide that. It gives clients more choice and flexibility.”
Both praised the benefits of the new facility. “We couldn’t have handled this summer without the extra space,” said Mole. “With the new docks, we can unload trucks in minutes. Being under one roof saves huge amounts of time.”
The same software that tracks equipment also tracks personnel, ensuring the right crew for each tour. Crew Logistics Manager Carlene Annon, who has been with the company since 2006, explained how the system supports her work: “Bryan always used to say that putting a crew together is like casting a play – and he wasn’t wrong!” said Annon. “There are so many personalities with different abilities and skillsets it’s impossible to always get it right but having long-term and loyal relationships with a lot of our crew helps us to know who works well together and how to get the balance right.”
Annon’s system tracks skills, qualifications, and work history, allowing for global crewing flexibility. “Of course, there are multiple conversations outside of the booking system, too. You can’t rely on data alone when your job is to know people.”
She also pointed out the company’s focus on crew welfare. “There are some gruelling schedules out there coupled with incredibly long working days. Combined with being away from family and friends back home, it can be a huge strain on mental health regardless of how experienced you may be. In the UK, we have invested in Mental Health First Aid Training –staff and crew alike, which is delivered through Music Support. We also have a great Crew
Management Team that are on the end of the phone for our touring crews should they encounter any issues.”
This ‘people first’ culture not only helps to build strong relationships with freelancers but also aids long term staff retention and recruitment in a business that is consistently growing and changing.
With ever-expanding workloads, nurturing new talent has never been more vital. Britannia Row continues to develop its apprenticeship programme, taking on eight recruits twice a year for a two-year training scheme.
“We’ve always done training because we have had to,” reflected Lowe, who developed Britannia Row Training. “There never used to be colleges providing courses geared towards the live events industry, and even now, most people graduate with the basic skills but not the specialised knowledge that we need for our niche industry.”
Amoruso added: “The scale we work at is fast paced. Our apprentices can find themselves on large, international shows soon after qualifying.”
Fitch agreed: “When they’re out in the field, they represent us and our brands, so professionalism is key.”
Marcel Van Limbeek, who joined Britannia Row eight years ago, oversees the delivery of the company’s in-house training programme. “During the first year and a half, trainees rotate through different departments and cover all the fundamentals, both practical and theoretical. In the second half of year two, they are allocated
to any technical role on an event by the crew logistics team, where they are monitored and mentored by the crew chief.
“Every apprentice rotates through all departments in the warehouse during their training. “They’re the backbone of the company and they make up a third of our warehouse staff,” said Fitch.
The entire training process took on a new dimension in 2020, when in-person classroom sessions were not possible due to COVID-19. This led Limbeek and his team to record online training sessions for remote learning.
“T hese visual aids are available to all our apprentices,” commented Limbeek, explaining that when trainees rotate through the various departments, they can watch the relevant training videos as an additional training tool. While on site, TPi met Julia Bochenska and Louis Briggs, two Live Audio Technician Apprentices currently progressing through the course. Like several of the trainees, Bochenska started out working in the warehouse to gain some hands-on experience before applying for the apprenticeship. Briggs, meanwhile, learned about the course when a freelance engineer visited his university to give a guest lecture and encouraged him to apply. The roles are full time, paid placements.
“Everyone has an idea of what they want to do when they start, but it doesn’t really matter, as you end up coming through each department twice and begin to specialise,” explained Bochenska, adding that since starting the training, she’s been particularly drawn to the world of RF. “I’ve been really intrigued by the topic and how complex it is,”
she continued. “It feels like the technology is advancing constantly, and the industry is always coming up with new solutions.”
Both apprentices have already gained some hands-on field experience, with Briggs working as a Monitor Tech on JADE’s set at Glastonbury this summer, while Bochenska joined the RF department for a major League of Legends event at The O2 arena.
“One of the best parts of the programme is getting to see the whole process – from prepping the job in the warehouse to seeing the end product out in the field,” said Briggs. “Being trained across all departments also means that when we finish the course, we’ll be very flexible in the shows we’re able to cover.”
Another pillar of Britannia Row’s service is its in-house engineering design team, led by Josh Lloyd, Head of Engineering and Events Support, alongside Laurie Fradley and Nick Boulton. The department advises production teams on the technical design and deployment of systems ranging from innovative and bespoke comms solutions to audio system configurations for arenas, stadiums and largescale events.
“Everyone in our department is ex-touring,” explained Lloyd. “We tend to look at projects as ‘the whole’ rather than being just PA or desk specialists. We’re also fairly brand-agnostic –it’s about using the right tools for the job.”
Lloyd went on to explain the growing need for the company to provide a more specialised design service reflecting the overall evolution and demands of the industry. “The industry has matured massively in so many ways, even just in my time at Britannia Row. The shows we’re
designing now are far more complicated, and even on a relatively straightforward arena tour there’s an elevated level of technology being used and expected. These days, systems are all integrated and communicate with one another in multiple formats.”
The sheer demands placed on an audio system have also changed fundamentally in modern shows. “One of the things artists now need to be aware of is that they’re not just performing for the in-person audience,” he explained, referring to those watching live footage captured on phones in the crowd.
“We now have the tools to make audio systems far more consistent, but it means we’re doing a lot more pre-planning. On most arena tours we’re looking at every individual venue to optimise the PA design, rather than creating a cookie-cutter setup.”
He also noted that almost all shows now incorporate staging elements such as catwalks or in-the-round setups, which of course need to be considered from a system design perspective. Although, unfortunately not always the case, Lloyd recalled numerous occasions where the PA design had been central to the early creative discussions.
“T here’s an in-the-round show we’re working on at the moment where the PA was the first thing plotted!” he enthused.
Continuing the conversation, Lloyd discussed some of the upcoming innovations he and his department are exploring. “Audio networking is a big focus for the company, and for projects such as Adele in Munich alongside audio, we also provided communications and data services, becoming critical to the entire production communicating and operating safely It’s opened up new levels of flexibility
and helped streamline workflows.” He also commented on the increasing sophistication of RF solutions in a landscape of tightening bandwidth restrictions, with productions demanding ever more from their systems.
“You look at a show like Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning, which we worked on this summer – with so many incoming artists all arriving with different setups, it led to an incredibly complex RF plan to keep the show running smoothly.”
Lloyd went on to say that in this area, he believes AI and machine learning will play a major role in the future - helping determine optimal frequencies and streamline system setup for large-scale productions.
HERE’S TO THE NEXT 50
In many ways, Britannia Row Productions mirrors the evolution of the modern live events industry – from its beginnings in the ‘70s to today becoming a key part of an international network with vast global resources. Despite its scale, the company remains rooted in artist relationships. “We always keep an eye on who’s coming up,” said Dwight.
“B ryan instilled in us that every engineer you meet could be a future client. Investing in support acts is also something we’ve tried to do as they could be the next big thing. Our work with productions such as The BRIT Awards, which we’ve worked across for 30 years, has also helped us connect with emerging talent.”
He explained that spotting the next wave has become trickier amid venue closures and the rise of artists breaking through online. “But whatever happens,” he concluded. “The key to the future is to stay aware.”
www.britanniarow.com
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Millie Weston, Cameron Moore and Stuart Taylor get a career head start through placement opportunities with the lighting and rigging specialist...
Neg Earth Lights believes that being ‘jobready’ is about more than just technical skills. As an employer, the proudly independent lighting and rigging specialist values those who align with its culture and demonstrate a desire to learn – through reliability, attention to detail, and the ability to offer a quality service and collaborate across the teams that make up the live events sector.
Millie Weston joined the CAD and Fabrication departments at Neg Earth Lights after discovering the placement programme during her search for a route into the industry following a Fine Art degree. “I was eager to
explore how I could combine the creative knowledge I’d developed during my studies with more technical skills,” Weston told TPi.
“T his placement stood out as a unique opportunity to bridge that gap. Knowing it was the first programme of its kind at Neg made it even more exciting – I felt privileged to be part of the early stages of this initiative and wanted to contribute to shaping its development.”
Coming into the role with limited experience, Weston described the placement as a learning curve – “in the best way”. She elaborated: “One of the biggest takeaways has been understanding how each department
contributes to a project and how even the smallest decisions can have an impact. Seeing the level of collaboration involved has given me a much deeper appreciation for the process behind every outcome.”
A particular highlight for Weston was gaining in-depth exposure to the fabrication department. “Seeing both the design and physical production sides of Neg Earth Lights’ custom fabrication has been incredibly valuable, especially as I learn software like Vectorworks and CAD,” Weston added.
“It’s helped me understand not just how to draw something. When asked if she would
27 NOVEMBER 2025
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encourage others to apply – particularly those at the start of their burgeoning careers – Weston was emphatic: “In just four months, I’ve already developed skills in CAD, Vectorworks and project development, and being involved in custom fabrication has helped me understand both the creative and technical sides of the work. The team are always willing to teach, which makes it a brilliant environment to grow.”
Neg Earth Lights offers t hree t ypes of paid placement opportunities – lasting three, six, or 12 months – designed to ensure each participant finishes with confidence and a clear understanding of t he ex pectations involved in meeting client demands. The three-month placement is aimed at individuals exploring a career in live events, while the longer placements are typically undertaken as part of a formal qualification.
Cameron Moore, who joined the Network and Control department, discovered the programme through Neg Earth Lights’ Instagram page. “What stood out to me was how much the company values its placement students and the hands-on experience we get,” he shared. “I’ve learnt a great deal about lighting control networks and gained a clearer picture of how technical and creative elements work together in large-scale productions. The placement also made me more aware of how much I still must learn.”
Moore cited assisting with the control network build for Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage in his second week as a particular highlight. “It was eye-opening to see how the system came together and understand the level of detail that goes into preparing for a show of that scale. Having completed my placement, I’m leaving with a stronger technical foundation and a clearer sense of direction for my future in live event lighting.
The experience has been invaluable, and I’d encourage others to apply if they’re interested in learning how large productions come together behind the scenes.”
Short-term placements – up to two weeks – are also available for those aged 16 and over who are still in secondary or further education. These opportunities provide real-world work experience and include standard onboarding, with health and safety embedded in every aspect of operations.
Stuart Taylor, who spent 12 months with the Motors and Automation teams, discovered the placement programme at Production Futures during his final year at t he Academy of Live Technology. “This was a valuable opportunity to expand my knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of motors and automation, while working alongside industry professionals to build connections and advance my career,” he said.
Taylor shared how much he learnt about the behindthe-scenes preparation required before a production even reaches rehearsals. “It’s been eye-opening to gain insight into pre-production. Some of my personal highlights include working in the studios alongside industry professionals and understanding their requirements and the needs of each production.”
Now that he has completed the programme, Taylor is keen to continue developing his automation skills and growing his professional network. “I would highly recommend this programme to anyone interested in a career in the live events industry,” he added. “Whether you’re already in the industry or have no experience at all, I believe t his placement c an offer something new for everyone to learn from.”
www.negearth.co.uk/negearthcareers/placements/
With offices across North America and Europe, we have your live special effects needs covered — wherever your audience may be
René
Moerch, Director of Product Development at DPA Microphones, delves into the manufacturer’s new fully digital wideband system.
Words: René Moerch
Photo: DPA Microphones
What inspired DPA Microphones to move further down the signal chain and develop a wireless system?
“Great sound doesn’t stop at the microphone, which is why we have moved down the signal chain to create a wireless solution. For over 25 years, DPA has been dedicated to delivering the most natural, transparent sound possible, and this philosophy has guided the creation of every microphone we have designed. Since most of our microphones are already used with wireless systems, it seemed only natural to develop a wireless solution that can preserve the clarity and precision of our microphones. As a result, we have extended our mission to ensure the same uncompromising sound quality is carried through the wireless chain, with N-Series. We worked to design hardware, firmware and software with the audio engineer’s needs in mind.”
Did the team encounter challenges in bringing the N-Series to the market?
“Developing a fully digital, wideband, truediversity wireless system that lives up to the DPA sound standard required integrating high-quality mic preamps, state-of-the-art A/D conversion and robust radio frequency (RF) engineering. What’s more, getting a wireless system to work in a world of ever-increasing RF congestion takes robust equipment, hard work and skill. Additionally, entering a new field of audio engineering required us to expand our expertise (and vocabulary!) and build on the skillsets of the organization’s partners across Europe. This meant not only significant collaboration, travel and testing, but also a new approach to engineering.”
How does the N-Series integrate with existing products in the DPA Microphones family?
“N-Series is designed to work seamlessly with all of DPA’s existing microphones, including handheld vocal mics, headsets and lavaliers,
as well as the newly revamped 4099 CORE+ Instrument Microphones and the 2024 Vocal microphone that was designed specifically for the N-Series. Additionally, the N-Series handheld transmitters feature an industrystandard SL1 thread, which are compatible with a variety of handheld microphone capsules.”
Why is the flexibility of the N-Series such a valuable asset for rental houses and production companies?
“The N-Series offers ease of use, even for the inexperienced users. With a wide tuning range of 470 to 870 MHz, and 400 MHz of bandwidth per unit, N-Series makes it easy for engineers to quickly find open microphone channels, even in the most congested RF environments.
This wideband philosophy also makes N-Series a secure investment for rental companies, since a single unit can be deployed across multiple regions without concern for frequency shuffles. Combined with true diversity operation for reliable, dropout-free performance, the N-Series ensures smooth setup and operation for both seasoned professionals and less experienced users.”
Where do you expect the N-Series to feature in the coming months?
“The N-Series is perfect for a wide variety of live and installed applications. We expect to see it quickly adopted in corporate events and presentations, houses of worship, touring productions and fixed installations such as conference centers and government facilities. Several installations are already underway in Europe across these exact use cases, and we’re seeing an incredible level of interest from customers in the US as well.”
What benefits can sound engineers expect by using the N-Series in the field?
“Engineers can expect that DPA will remain true to its original promise: preserving the original
sound with complete transparency. Beyond delivering outstanding sound quality, N-Series provides a secure RF Link without dropouts, thanks to its true diversity and digital design. It was also important to make the system easy to operate everywhere. We have therefore delivered a solution with wideband operation that gives engineers more flexibility than many high-end systems, making setup faster and more reliable in challenging RF conditions. This counts for both the transmitters and receivers, which are designed with a DPA look and feel – intuitive and built for professional environments. In short: it sounds fantastic, is easy to operate anywhere and delivers both maximum stability and pristine audio!”
How will the introduction of the DPA Audio Controller enhance the wireless system?
“The DPA Audio Controller is an intuitive software that allows for remote control and monitoring of the entire system via either PC or Mac. It features a comprehensive, built-in frequency analyser that covers the entire bandwidth of the system – 470 to 870 MHz – and gives users complete visibility into available channels and RF activity. Designed for ease of use, it doesn’t require lengthy training and provides a way to manage N-Series systems in live or installed environments.”
How significant is the inclusion of AES256 encryption when working on highly sensitive or secure productions?
“AES256 encryption is essential for applications in which privacy is non-negotiable, such as boardrooms, governmental facilities and high-stakes events, where you want to ensure that no one is listening in. With AES256, users can be confident that no unauthorised party can intercept the audio feed, which is why encryption was a critical feature for N-Series from the outset.”
www.dpamicrophones.com
Marco Cantalù, Senior Application Support – Education at dBTechnologies, and Marketing Coordinator Stefano Bini, discuss the engineering benefits of VIO L1610 and S218 in real-world applications.
Words: Marco Cantalù and Stefano Bini
Photos: dBTechnologies
What was the idea and inspiration behind the creation of the three-way active line array?
MC: “The VIO L1610 now stands as the brand leader of our core business – small to midsized line array systems. Historically, the brand began developing powered line arrays two decades ago, and we’ve carried on that legacy with the launch of VIO over 10 years ago. This model targets the dual 10” format – a compact, powerful system designed with ease of use in mind. It’s flyable by a single person. Our early prototype was the two-way VIO L210, followed by the improved version– the three-way L1610. We retained the compact size but boosted the output. A winning formula with it becoming our fastest-selling line array system to date.”
How does L1610 differ from other products in the dBTechnologies portfolio?
MC: “The secret lies in the unmatched power to-size ratio. I don’t know of another system that delivers this level of SPL and clarity in such a compact format. If it were easy, we’d have done it 10 years ago. But it wasn’t – which led us to design a three-way system to gain definition, clarity, and other benefits. Instead of a traditional paper cone midrange, we employ a coaxial component within the same enclosure.
The result is a compact, high-performance, premium product that complements our wider portfolio.”
How does the design of the L1610 benefit sound engineers in the live environment?
MC: “It’s our most powerful compact range model to date, ideal for touring. It delivers a 100° horizontal and 10° vertical dispersion pattern. What makes its coverage so precise is the fact that it’s the only line array we’ve developed that transmits the midrange through both a waveline and a horn. Beyond its acoustic performance, the L1610 is also easier and safer to rig. We’ve added custom weatherproofing to protect the electronics, upgraded water treatment for the transducers, and used a fibrous foam behind the grille to improve water resistance. It includes all our latest technologies– inclinometer, digital audio compatibility, isolated preamps to eliminate unwanted noise, NFC for positioning, a bright front LED, and much more.”
What kind of time savings and reliability advantages does the three-point rigging system provide?
MC: “Time is key – and this system saves a lot
of it. Every line array in the VIO family avoids the need for heavy lifting. They travel on dollies pre-set to the correct relative splay angles for each model. Once on site, it’s simply a matter of attaching the motor for the chain hoist. The three-point rigging is also ideal for long arrays –up to 20 or 24 boxes – because one person can manage the setup. You can lift with one hand, pin with the other. It allows single person flying of multiple units. Like the L212, it’s also service friendly: if anything goes wrong, the rear spine can be swapped out on-site by removing four screws.”
To what extent is integration between the L1610 and other products in the VIO family seamless, both acoustically and mechanically, especially in mixed configurations?
MC: “We invested heavily in research and development during the COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown. As a result, we redesigned the DSP structure and redistributed CPU power to focus on what really matters. Now, every VIO box running firmware 2.0 or later can be mixed and matched – just like Lego – with full phase compatibility, identical latency, frequency response, and input sensitivity. This consistency is greatly appreciated by users
and underlines our focus on delivering a user centric product family.”
What was the driving force behind the active bass reflex subwoofer?
MC: “We created S218 in response to shifting demands in pro audio culture. There’s a growing need for extended low frequency performance – driven by genres like EDM and hip-hop. We created a subwoofer capable of reaching as low as 28 Hz at -6 dB – something we’d never achieved before. It delivers from 80 Hz down to 28 Hz, covering the same range as many infra-subs, without compromising on punch. Thanks to a new amplifier and premium transducers, it’s one of the most high-fidelity subs we’ve ever offered. It also pairs exceptionally well with other VIO models, especially the L212.”
How have the S218’s networked control, diagnostics, and NFC technology improved deployment speed and reliability on tour?
MC: “Our focus has been entirely on reliability. As manufacturers of active loudspeakers for many years, we understand what matters most. The PSU includes a power factor corrector and supports voltages from 90 to 265 volts. If the
system exceeds safe limits – for instance, due to a missing neutral at a festival – it will shut down safely rather than fail. We continuously monitor transducer health and temperature. The cabinet is made from high-quality birch and finished in a polyurea-like elastic coating– far more robust than traditional water-based paint. It’s flexible and it doesn’t crack.” Additionally, firmware updates keep everything current. For faster setup, we designed the system with wheels on the bottom – rather than the back – so subs can be transported in their performance orientation. You can roll them into place, even in cardioid configuration, and start playing. Just add power and signal. The flyable version offers the same performance.”
How does the cardioid preset and onboard delay module enhance sub-array configurations in acoustically difficult venues?
MC: “We understand the challenges of deploying cardioid and gradient sub arrays in the field. Our onboard cardioid preset mitigates many of the inherent design limitations, delivering maximum summation at the front and cancellation at the rear – without wasting energy in either direction. Thanks to DSP down to the component level, creating your
own cardioid setup – whether it’s End-Fire or classic gradient – is significantly easier than with passive systems.”
Is S218 future-proofed for compatibility with evolving networked audio infrastructures?
MC: “ Several years ago, we began equipping our VIO products with modular card slots –like digital mixing consoles – allowing users to upgrade without replacing their entire system. Our VIO family supports multiple audio protocols: analogue, our proprietary A2Net, and Dante. We’re actively exploring further integrations. A2Net was developed as a simpler alternative for users who aren’t IT specialists –making networking far more accessible.”
Where can we expect to see these systems?
SB: “With festival deployments across Europe and North America – and several European tours under our belts – VIO is now stepping confidently on to the global touring stage. Next up is the 23rd edition of Club to Club (C2C) Festival in Turin – Italy’s largest indoor music festival – followed by something we’re not quite ready to talk about… but all will be revealed at NAMM and ISE 2026.” www.dbtechnologies.com
Engineered with more generative graphics power, Ollie Newland, Product Manager at Disguise, previews the latest addition to the GX range…
Words: Ollie Newland
Photo: Disguise
What challenges did you face bringing GX 3+ to the market?
“A challenge faced during development was working to ensure that we can guarantee the increase in power requirements for the NVIDIA Blackwell GPU architecture, which has a maximum power consumption of 600W. This has meant that we have had to validate a new power supply unit (PSU), as well as managing the increased cooling requirements. Beyond that, development has been smooth, incorporating extensive validation across GPU, CPU and motherboard types, together with rigorous environmental testing for heat, shock and drops. This level of testing goes beyond standard server requirements and ensures the GX 3+ is prepared for the demands of touring.”
From a live touring and production standpoint, what improvements does the GX 3+ deliver over its predecessors when it comes to deployment speed, system reliability, and day-to-day operational efficiency?
“The GX 3+ delivers a 175% increase in Notchmarks – a benchmarking metric in Notch that assesses key rendering techniques such as shading, procedural operations and texture sampling, and at least, 40% more video layers, enabling far more intricate projects.”
How do you see the GX 3+ elevating the creative possibilities for visual performances?
“The GX 3+ provides creators with more
headroom to focus on intricate design and experimentation, without altering familiar workflows. By building on the full Disguise ecosystem of tools and features, it sets a new standard for large-scale productions, empowering set and content designers to push creative boundaries while working with the reliability they know and trust.”
What refinements or new features are included in the Designer platform?
“We’ve introduced a few new features in Designer to help teams get the most out of the GX 3+. RenderStream is our bidirectional protocol for transporting rendering information. It supports engines like Unreal Engine, Notch, TouchDesigner and Unity. One of the key advantages to RenderStream is its remote mode, which allows us to distribute the real-time rendering capabilities to a cluster of dedicated render nodes via a 25Gb or 100Gb network. The video frames are then returned from the render node cluster back to the VX or GX range media server(s) for composition and output. We have since extended its functionality with RenderStream Local, which allows rendering to run directly on the media server itself. That reduces latency by removing the need to send frames over the network, something that’s especially important for IMAG, and the GX 3+ provides the graphics headroom to take full advantage of it. We are also working on enabling full support for SMPTE ST 2110
video input into the GX 3+, as well as the other VX and GX range media servers, via their high-speed network ports. This enables video teams to increase the number of available video inputs into a Disguise media server and enables more creative possibilities for IMAG.”
How do you envision the GX 3+ influencing the next evolution of live shows?
“Audiences today expect much more from live events. They’re looking for unique experiences, the kind of moments that feel immersive, engaging and worth sharing online. For concerts and festivals, that expectation for high-quality, responsive environments is only going to increase. Younger generations have grown up surrounded by technology and experiences that already feel highly interactive and immersive. As this continues to evolve, it’s very likely their expectations will only rise. That makes it important for venues and event producers to be equipped with technology that meets today’s demands and positions them to deliver the kinds of standout experiences audiences will want in the future.
“T he GX 3+ gives designers the power to do exactly that. Its performance means you can run complex real-time visuals, trigger effects on the fly, or synchronise content with audience and environmental inputs. That opens the door to shows that react in the moment.”
www.disguise.one
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for L-Acoustics, Françoise Cardoso, shares how the company is staying ahead of regulations and developing new ideas to drive a more sustainable future.
Words: Stew Hume
Photo: L-Acoustics
Last year, TPi had the pleasure of sitting down with Françoise Cardoso, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for L-Acoustics. With a history of working in the food industry, she brought her skills over to the entertainment sector with the goal of helping L-Acoustics formalise a comprehensive strategy for sustainable practices. Now with her feet firmly under the table at the loudspeaker company, we were keen to reconnect and get her thoughts on what companies within the sector could be doing to push the envelope.
“W hen it comes to sustainability, we have three pillars of focus: planet, people and sound,” explained Cardoso. “This involves preserving and caring for our planet, empowering our people and communities, and promoting sound in society.”
Cardoso highlighted some of the endeavours the company had enacted in relation to that first pillar. “Our teams led the creation of a carbon assessment for the company, analysing all our 2023/2024 data,” she stated. “We partnered with expert thirdparty Ekodev Limited to validate our work and ensure its credibility. We’re also engaging in the SBTi (Science Based Target Initiatives) to calculate our trajectory in line with the Paris Agreement. Both these initiatives mean we can identify areas for improvement.”
The company has also renewed its contract with the WEEELogic programme, a pan-European one-stop compliance hub for the take-back and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment, as well as waste batteries and packaging.
Recently, L-Acoustics rolled out its ‘reparability index’. Cardoso elaborated: “Our focus on this index will extend the life of our products and naturally result in less waste as time goes on. Our goal by the end of the year is to have an index for all our loudspeakers, and then we’ll turn our focus to indexing our electronic components.” While discussing many of the internal projects, Cardoso expressed the need for collaboration between
businesses when it came to the topic of sustainability. “One project we’ve joined is M.A.T.R.I.C.E., a French government-supported initiative aimed at fostering green alternatives for touring, which has also brought in names such as Live Nation. The goal is to find the ‘pain points’ as far as carbon consumption – be that transport or energy consumption.” This collaboration led L-Acoustics to work on the life cycle analysis of its products.
Cardoso was keen to shine a light on other projects that have been borne from the entertainment industry, which she believed were making huge steps forward in terms of environmental awareness – notably the Sounds Right campaign, started by the Museum for the United Nations.
The aim is to recognise the value of nature, prompt conversation, raise funds for conservation through an innovative mechanism, and inspire millions of fans to act.
“A rtists use our sound solutions, so it’s important that we are part of this – without artists we would not have any solutions in the market – and more musicians are conscious of environmental issues,” Cardoso added. “If we can support and help with our products and the amplified controllers and the way we manufacture our loudspeakers, then we should do so.”
She added: “ These initiatives are the result of our teams’ commitment to environmental challenges and their determination to combine sustainability, quality, and performance throughout the value chain.”
In closing, Cardoso underlined the importance of staying ahead of the curve, as in a short time many sustainable actions would soon be enshrined in law. “Take the sourcing of materials such as wood,” she explained. “This is already being regulated more strictly, but we see this as an opportunity to explore alternative ways of sourcing raw materials. It’s about reframing the challenge and asking: what opportunities does this create?” www.l-acoustics.com
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for L-Acoustics, Françoise Cardoso.
Satore Studio’s Tupac Matir launches a brand new podcast – Glyph – that looks to tell the stories of those crafting the visual world of entertainment.
We never imagined that this is what we would be doing, yet the choices and things we liked brought us to this industry, whether that is live entertainment, film, immersive or any other of these misunderstood industries. The key, the turning point, much like during the Renaissance or other great artistic eras, came down to exploration, and most importantly, curiosity.
The idea of creating a podcast came to me after decades in these industries, reinventing myself every time, while at the same time, meeting some of the most amazing, intelligent and curious people.
I was born just as the digital world began to emerge as a domestic technology and grew up as what would now be called ‘a nerd’, someone who explored coding and programming tools purely for fun - well, that’s a polite way to put it, but you get the point.
Following that impulse, many in my generation pioneered paths that didn’t exist before us, unknowingly shaping professions that would give birth to a new artistic discipline and industry.
We used to think of artists as painters or sculptors, but all this technology, in the hands of the talented people I’ve met over the years, turned cameras, consoles, and lights into the new canvases and pencils. It all began with a simple realisation; I knew many of my friends’ and colleagues’ stories, but only in fragments. I had worked alongside brilliant people for years, yet there were entire chapters of their journeys I had never heard.
I also saw extraordinary creators who were deeply respected within their fields yet almost invisible outside them. Some chose to stay behind the camera, the console, or the stage light. Others simply didn’t care for the spotlight, they just wanted to do the work.
Of ten, the average person doesn’t even know these roles exist, even though they’d be fascinated by the backstage worlds if only someone opened the door.
That’s why I launched Glyph, a podcast that sees a career as a process and sets out to peel it back.
I called it Glyph because it’s about decoding these paths. A glyph is a small mark packed with meaning. On its own, it’s tiny. Together, they form a language audiences feel – but rarely see. www.satorestudio.com
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The PSA renames its bursary scheme in memory of Dave Keighley. Co-Chairman Tom Rees outlines what the bursary entails and how the association can aid in upskilling freelancers.
The UK’s live events and production industry runs on passion, creativity and the incredible skill of the people who bring shows to life. At the Production Services Association (PSA), we believe that supporting those people means investing in their growth – helping them build new skills, stay safe, and keep developing throughout their careers. That’s exactly what the Dave Keighley Bursary and our wider training initiatives are all about.
Renamed in honour of Dave Keighley, a longserving PSA council member, past chairman and stalwart of the global event production community, the bursary celebrates his dedication to supporting and uplifting others. The scheme exists to reduce financial barriers to training and development for freelancers and small business employees across the live events supply chain. Whether it’s funding for essential safety qualifications, specialist technical courses, or personal development training, the bursary gives members the chance to take that next professional step.
We k now it’s not always easy to keep investing in yourself when work
is unpredictable and budgets are tight. Freelancers, in particular, often carry the weight of personal and financial risk in an industry built on passion. That’s why the Dave Keighley Bursary can be a lifeline. It helps make training accessible when it might otherwise be out of reach. Not only that, it also reminds the recipients that they are part of a community that genuinely cares.
Beyond the bursary, the PSA also works hard to connect members with good training opportunities. We build relationships with trusted providers to make sure our members have access to relevant, high-quality courses –we are working to cover everything from safety and compliance to leadership, sustainability, and emerging technologies. We also negotiate discounts and encourage tailored programmes so that PSA membership continues to deliver real, practical value.
But development isn’t just about courses and funding. It’s about being part of a network that shares knowledge, offers guidance and looks out for one another. PSA members have access to a supportive community of peers
who understand the realities of working in production, where advice and experience are shared freely.
The impact of the bursary can be seen through the experiences of members who’ve benefited from it. As Conor Murphy, a freelance production professional, shared: “When the PSA got in touch with me, they were so friendly and supportive. It’s not always easy being a freelancer taking on personal and financial risks, so being awarded the bursary made a huge difference – not just financially, but in knowing there’s an industry organisation standing behind you.”
Conor’s words sum up what the PSA and the bursary are all about: community, encouragement, and opportunity. Being a PSA member means having access to that support, as well as the tools and connections to keep growing. Through the PSA’s initiatives, we’re proud to reinvest in the people who make our industry thrive – and to continue Dave’s legacy of helping others reach their full potential. www.psa.org.uk
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Course Leader for Event Production at NTU London and Women In Live Music (WILM) project coordinator and board member, Olive Olin takes the hot seat...
Can you tell us a little bit more about your dual roles at the non-profit and beyond?
“I am a project coordinator and board member of Women In Live Music. I focus on a few different projects each year for WILM and I am often the face you will see at our UK workshops that we arrange and the tradeshows that we attend! I am also a freelance live sound engineer as well as a full-time course leader at NTU London for the Event Production course. As a course leader, I educate young people to get into a career in the event industry by giving them hands-on experience, introducing them to key companies and highlighting all the different jobs one can do backstage!”
How long have you been with WILM?
“I joined the team in 2021 and have been a member since 2019 and remember seeing Malle Kaas (CEO) and Hannah Brodrick (cofounder) posting in the WILM Facebook group that they would have a stand at PLASA, I attended, met them in person and then started to get more involved from there. I volunteered for the WILMAwards and was brought onboard as a team member and project coordinator and now I am also a board member.”
Have you found that being a senior lecturer at NTU has changed your approach to working in the field?
“Yes and no, yes because I take more time speaking to young people and educating them whilst working at venues, festivals and touring and use any extra time I have to show people my set ups and offer shadow opportunities where I can. No, because my approach in the live field often influences my teaching. For me it is important to still be active in the industry, and every gig is a school day so I bring that back to my students and use it as case studies!”
What steps do you think the industry needs to take to ensure more opportunities are available to women?
“I think we need to promote it more to women as a viable career to have, whether you are young, old, have a family or not. Even if there are more opportunities, we need to make those opportunities sustainable and open to a worklife balance, which not only benefits women but men too! Often, we only talk about touring but there are jobs in the industry that do not require us being on the road but they are often not presented to young women as career paths.”
Why is WILM so important for the industry?
“WILM is currently the only organisation in Europe that actively works to highlight women working backstage in the industry, educating the next generation as well as carrying out research on several topics related to women in the live event industry. We are a place for people to come to for advice, for job opportunities, for acknowledgement of their work and for overall support. For companies on or off the road looking to diversify their crew roster, we offer a crew list containing all of our WILM members that are based all over Europe.”
What is next for you?
“Well, we have the WILMAwards happening on 16 December in London. That is the event of the year for us! We are also trying to fundraise to help us create a sustainable future for the WILM team and our members. We’d love to expand and work more with our industry partners but without the funding we can’t operate at the level we would like to! Outside of that I’m hoping 2026 will bring some exciting opportunities, on and off the road.”
www.oliveolin.co.uk
www.womeninlivemusic.eu
