The Boy Who Played the Harp Tour features several striking production design elements and cameos which not only do their job in eliciting a reaction but deliver fleeting, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that require months of planning, collaboration and rehearsals to realise. Yet, as has become a hallmark of DAVE’s output, nothing is predictable. Setlists, guest artists and backstage cues change. This not only keeps the crew – an award-winning team whose stories TPi have charted over several years – on their toes, but in an era of artifice, provides an organic experience. Production Manager, Paddy Hocken, was enlisted to orchestrate the…
Author: Alicia Pollitt
In celebration of The Mountain, the four animated cult-heroes: 2D, Noodle, Murdoc Niccals, and Russel Hobbs, go on a journey of love, loss and everything in between. Nowhere was the evidence of the devotion fans have towards the fictional band more on show than in Dublin’s 3Arena, where the final night of the UK and Ireland leg of the tour took place and where TPi met with some of the creative and technical minds behind the run. Tour Director Neil McDonald and Production Manager Tyrone Brunton enlisted the help of Lights Control Rigging (lighting), Entec (audio), Opto (playback, network and…
With decades of material and experience to draw from, Deftones returned to the touring circuit to support the release of their 10th studio album, Private Music. The tour has seen the band visit bigger venues, with an innovative production and technical finesse courtesy of creative and technical suppliers. Production Manager Tyrone Brunton welcomed TPi to Birmingham’s bp pulse LIVE, and following a recce of the venue, he shared an insight into the tour’s origins. “This process has evolved over a couple of years to get to where we are now, at arena level, and through the introduction of Matt Pitman,…
From its beginnings as a supplier of products in the field of precision metalworking, for example to the Swiss Army in 1957, right through to launching its first ever chain hoist in 1963. GIS has a seven decade track record of manufacturing and developing systems for the live touring market, built on innovation, adaptation and a progressive company culture that has seen them expand outside of Switzerland and develop over half a million chain hoists and counting. With bases in Germany, United Kingdom, and the US, GIS’ worldwide distribution network includes 95 companies – 40 specifically focussed on serving the…
The MOBO Awards arrived at Manchester’s Co-op Live for its biggest ceremony yet – with Olivia Dean, FLO, Slick Rick, and even a Grime tribute among a catalogue of notable performances. Behind the scenes, a production design by DMX Productions shaped the look and feel of the show, while longstanding supplier SWG Events provided a comprehensive audio package. Production Manager, Rob Smalldon of Marvellous Inc, whose role began on the MOBOs in 2006, oversaw production elements, from red carpet and brand activations to the elaborate stage setup, which had to be suitable for both streaming viewers and those in the…
After two successful years of hosting GTL Sessions on the island of Mykonos, for 2026, TPi opted to move the European chapter of the event to a new venue, the Higuerón Hotel Málaga. The event drew interest from the wider industry with over 40 new tour managers and provider delegates gathering for a networking experience like no other. With service providers of all disciplines – from hoteliers to travel agents, insurance specialists and more – the diverse lineup also included a variety of tour managers at different stages of their careers, which provided open conversations about how different levels of…
The 46th edition of the BRIT Awards, which saw the ceremony’s first foray outside of London, can count performances from Harry Styles, ROSALÍA, and a touching tribute to Ozzy Osbourne among its highlights. Behind the scenes, The BRIT Awards longstanding vendor, Britannia Row Productions, deployed audio equipment and professionals as well as offering a unique work experience opportunity for 18-year-old students, Bo Sorensen and Tyanne Lloyd, from The BRIT School. ”We were impressed with how prepared they were for their interviews and the experience they already had working with live audio. They clearly had a passion for the industry, and…
Universal Pixels has expanded its investment in Panasonic’s AV technologies. The company recently deployed its stock of Panasonic’s AK-UC4000 4K studio cameras, AW-UE150 4K PTZ cameras, and AW-HE145 HD PTZ integrated cameras across a series of complex global music tours for major artists. One of these standout projects includes Oasis’ long-awaited Live ’25 Tour, reuniting Noel and Liam Gallagher for their first performance together in 16 years. With sell-out audiences keen to capture every moment, Universal Pixels equipped all tour dates with Panasonic’s Advanced Auto Framing Software (AFS), running on six UE150 PTZ cameras. AFS is a plug-in for Panasonic’s…
Creative Director Liam Griffiths and the team at Vision Factory, celebrated Arthur Hill’s creative world in March 2026 when the 26-year-old phenom appeared before a sold-out house at OVO Arena Wembley with an evocative and immersive production that somehow managed to create the intimate feeling of a private space in the giant venue. Working with collaborators that included Scenic Designer Flora Harvey, Content Creator Midnight Movement Studio, and Tour/Production Director Joseph Carter, the Vision Factory team created a transformative environment on stage that, thanks to scenic flourishes like a verdant garden and an isolated red door, was dreamlike in its…
Florence + The Machine’s Everybody Scream tour is a production masterclass, delivering otherworldly sound to encapsulate an offering so sonically captivating and visually moving, it transcends Florence Welch’s alt-rock artistry and lands somewhere between high-end theatre and anguished folklore. The live show is led by a production powerhouse of Tour Director Lucy Graubart, Production Manager Wob Roberts and Tour Manager Emily Holt. The show itself is equal parts feminine softness and vulnerable rage. “I’m so proud to work with some iconic female artists, and Florence is certainly that,” began Holt, who has worked with multiple Clair Global brands over the…
John Featherstone and his daughter Hailey Featherstone, both of US-based visual design studio Lightswitch, have imagined the stunning lighting design for legendary film composer Hans Zimmer’s current The Next Level world tour. Hailey is out on the road as lighting director, together with 225 Robe moving lights and 13 RoboSpot Systems, among other lights. Robe was a go-to choice for John and Hailey, picked for the consistency and quality of the products that are helping achieve the desired creative results. John’s journey with Hans Zimmer started five years ago, and he relished the opportunity and creative scope of working with…
DAS Audio of America is expanding its U.S. sales rep network with two new partners: AVL Alliance and Luxsonix Group. The appointments bring additional local representation in key territories, strengthening how DAS shows up day-to-day with integrators, production teams, consultants, and retail partners. AVL Alliance appointed for the Rockies and Arizona AVL Alliance, led by Principal Nick Dressler, will represent DAS Audio across AZ, NM, CO, UT, WY, ID, and MT. AVL Alliance officially launched on March 1, 2026, a clear focus on hands-on, market-specific representation across its territory. Dressler brings 14 years as a freelance audio and lighting technician in the Greater-Phoenix…
Celestial has been revealed as the company behind the spectacle over Belfast Harbour that has captured global attention. Commissioned as part of the BBC’s Made Of Here campaign, the project set out to symbolically bring RMS Titanic back to life using drone show technology. The activation saw 950 drones rise from the water, forming a full-scale replica of the iconic ship. The effect created the illusion of the Titanic emerging once again from the harbour where she was built 114 years ago. The concept began with a deceptively simple brief: recreate Titanic in the place of its origin and see…
Ahead of Earth Day, A Greener Future (AGF), the not-for-profit company dedicated to making the live event sector sustainable, highlighted how festivals are leading the way on green initiatives with innovative solutions that are cost-effective and reduce emissions. While Earth Day is a time for reflection, the global events industry is already taking action and making progress. From energy and food to infrastructure and travel, festivals around the world are implementing strategies to reduce their environmental impact. Smashing the narrative that being green costs more and that plant-based menus won’t work, festivals are the catalyst for the transition that is…
Global public art producer Wild in Art has announced the first recipients of the Greater Manchester Grassroots Music Fund, awarding £36,000 in touring support to 15 artists from across the region. Launched by Wild in Art as part of its summer-long, city-wide Music for the Senses art trail and delivered by Forever Manchester, the fund was significantly oversubscribed, receiving 29 applications and highlighting the increasing financial pressures facing emerging artists seeking to tour. Grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 have been awarded to help cover essential touring costs, including transport, accommodation, promotion, and production, as well as paying technicians and fellow musicians. The artists selected…
Music Venue Trust (MVT) has unveiled a major new package of funding and initiatives designed to tackle the long-term economic challenges facing UK grassroots music venues, alongside the publication of a new booklet, Developing The Future of Grassroots Music Venues. Across the UK, a coordinated programme of infrastructure upgrades is now underway at grassroots music venues, targeting the core barriers that have restricted touring, increased costs and reduced venue viability in recent years. Production systems are being upgraded, artist accommodation is being built, energy audits are in progress and touring activity is returning to locations that have fallen off the…
CES Power has completed the acquisition of three Ireland-based businesses – GH Energy Rental Ltd, Event Power and Purecore. The acquisition supports CES Power’s global growth strategy, targeting sustained year-on-year revenue growth. Together, the three new businesses will significantly enhance CES Power’s existing fleet of generators, lighting towers, transformers, distribution boards, cabling infrastructure and specialist power management systems, making it the largest power fleet in the UK and Ireland. This expanded capability will increase capacity to deliver complex, multi-site projects across both the events and industrial sectors. All three business’ colleagues will join CES Power as part of the acquisition,…
Young Voices, the world’s largest children’s choir, brings together school children aged 7-11 with the aim of inspiring a lifelong love of music through the experience of a professional concert production. For 26 years, Britannia Row has supported the organisation with audio design, equipment and crew, becoming dedicated to its unique touring client, which has shown over 2.5 million children what it feels like to be a star for the night by singing in an arena. On its 30th edition, Young Voices CEO, Ben Lewis, reflected on three decades of visibility, inclusion and production values aided by Britannia Row’s live…
