The past few years have seen some notable show cancellations. A variety of reasons have contributed to this, but in the case of Adele’s Las Vegas show, the singer explained in an emotional video that the production was simply “not ready”. When the dust settled, the question remained what the next step would be. Several months later, and with a lot of new players working behind the scenes, Adele returned to Caesars Palace, Las Vegas in November 2022 with a show that garnered much acclaim. Amid its second run, TPi caught up with some of those responsible for this stunning…
Author: Alicia Pollitt
Connection Crew has been named a finalist in the UK Social Enterprise Awards. The awards recognise excellence and innovation across a diverse range of criteria, and Connection Crew is a finalist in the ‘Education, Training and Jobs’ category. Since 2005, Connection Crew has supported 381 people into work, who have delivered over 200,000 hours building and delivering iconic events including the Coronation, London Marathon, BAFTA, and the Ideal Home Show. Camilla Marcus-Dew, Head of Ventures at Connection Crew, commented: “We couldn’t be prouder to be recognised as a game-changing social enterprise, driving positive social impact into supply chains and industries.…
The summer of 2023 has been an unusual one for the live events industry. With festivals back in force, we have also seen more stadium tours than ever before. Although an equal share of TPi’s focus has been taken up by the likes of Coldplay, Harry Styles and Sam Fender to name but a few, we’ve been keeping up with our friends during the busy festival season. As such we were keen to bring some of the news from this summer and highlight some notable trends that we’re looking forward to seeing more of in the future. https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi277_digitallr/80 This article…
When did you land your first job in the live events industry? “I went to university for theatre to become a stage manager. Upon graduating, they laid out two strategies: go to New York, work at Starbucks, and try to make it on Broadway; or go on tour, have no bills, and see the world. I found the second option far more appealing, and my first tour was with Sesame Street Live. They didn’t have a stage manager opening, so I was hired as the assistant tour manager and my first task on tour was a meet-n-greet with Elmo and…
What was the idea behind SPACE by CODA? “Content is becoming more immersive, and most people now value 3D audio more than ever before, but there are still questions about how to play it. Many people listen to immersive content on headphones, but this doesn’t provide a totally authentic experience. It is much better to listen with speakers, but that means a lot of black boxes which can ruin the aesthetics. In a trade-off between looks and sound, most people choose looks. Our goal was to create something that meant no compromise was required. We adapt audio to life, not…
Why was the 2100-LFC created? “To introduce a new high-powered subwoofer that brought the power of an 1100-LFC, but the new technology and compact profile that our customers expected after the success of PANTHER.” Which key features of the subwoofer will end users benefit from? “A few things come to mind: the ultra-low distortion, extended bandwidth, and consistent linearity even at high power.” How did the pre-existing PANTHER family inspire the creation of 2100-LFC? “From our success with PANTHER, we saw that it was very important to keep dual analogue/Milan AVB inputs, prioritise size, weight, and ability to be easily…
Bubble Agency has released its third annual State of the Industry Media Technology buying report in partnership with Caretta Research. The key findings in the ‘Age of Efficiency’ include: 90% of buyers in the survey group say they would consider vendors outside of the media technology ecosystem for key parts of their supply chain, Buyers are moving away from end-to-end services, 53% of vendor survey respondents are active in markets outside of media and entertainment, most buyers are fundamentally concerned with delivering their core services with high reliability and high quality, rather than launching new services. 75% of vendors and…
What first sparked your interest in touring? “I grew up in a music-orientated household, I’ve played drums in bands and have been involved in music in some way from an early age. After spending my early teenage years learning music production, I decided to study studio and live music production at university. Initially, I wanted to work in a music studio and produce records. However, I fell into live music, began learning audio engineering from a live point of view and started mixing live gigs and absolutely loved it. The different challenges posed by live shows suits me as an…
What are the origins of the Triton laser? “We’ve collaborated with Strictly FX for years and it’s always led to some of our most creatively fulfilling projects. The Strictly FX team is incredible; they’re smart, focused, open-minded, and driven. The Triton came from Strictly FX wanting a system that was road ready for multi-year tours and had phenomenal colour balance instead of the more typical ‘blue-heavy’ systems you see in the higher-powered laser market these days. This was also a system intended for a decade or more of service, so it was designed to be incredibly serviceable and upgradeable over…
With 25 years of experience as an audio, lighting, staging, and video provider, Denmark-based Victory hit the road with Gojira – providing a turnkey solution for the French heavy metal band. https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi277_digitallr/20 This article originally appeared in issue #277 of TPi, which you can read here. Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Victory www.gojira-music.com www.victory.dk
Wireless LED products that are either worn or held by audiences have become increasingly popular recently with designers, giving the ability to turn a crowd into a giant screen. One of the forerunners of this technology is Enjoytech, which recently supplied its Enjoygalaxy product for the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi277_digitallr/22 Words: Stew Hulme Photos: Enjoytech www.enjoyvote.com www.cambodia2023.com
Created out of a shared love of music, Radiotek was founded in 1993 by the husband-and-wife team of audio engineers Nigel Morris and Tracey Morris. Having experienced receiving radios in crates and cardboard boxes while on tour, Nigel was inspired to start the business to supply the industry with something more robust and practical. Starting with tour kits in plastic peli cases, the company moved on to producing bespoke custom rolling cases that included all the communications kit a tour would need. Some 30 years later, with live touring accounting for more than 70% of Radiotek’s rental business, and the…
Since 2022, Andreas Huber has spearheaded Claypaky’s Sustainability Project, which recently achieved a notable milestone in becoming ISO 14064-1:2018 certified. Developed by the International Standards Organisation – a non-governmental organisation in Geneva, the ISO 14064 provides companies with a framework of best practices upon which to build a Greenhouse Gases reduction programme. Claypaky has now completed the first part of the initiative and is proud to have become the first company in the entertainment lighting industry to receive certification in the carbon inventory management system. As well as achieving this milestone, Claypaky has defined and implemented several projects to reduce…
There is a palpable sense of pride in Newcastle that an artist born 20 minutes from St. James’ Park has made it to the big leagues; reaching stadium status with two critically acclaimed studio albums under his belt. Far be it from conventional, Sam Fender’s touring team is reflective of the DIY ethos his band embody – a tight crew who have ridden the rollercoaster ride which has seen them go from operating in 600-capacity venues to 52,000-capacity stadium in a matter of years. https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi277_digitallr/54 Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Steve Sroka www.samfender.com www.adlib.co.uk www.cine-drone.co.uk www.er-productions.com www.kbevent.com www.nubsound.com www.stargrouplive.com www.unlimited-dream.com www.vision-factory.co.uk
What first sparked your interest in sound engineering? “I spent most of my childhood stood next to PA desks in pubs because my parents were in bands and toured the pub circuit. I also used to perform at open mic nights, playing piano and guitar. I stepped in as a lighting tech last minute for a school production, but my heart was with live sound, so I began learning the basics using ancient theatre equipment.” Have you faced any additional barriers breaking into the sector? “Most people are really interested in getting me on board their company, band or their…
Renowned for managing countless notable tours across the planet, TAG continues to earn the trust and admiration of the most iconic names in music. From one-off club shows to stadium tours, the organisation oversees comprehensive touring travel logistics and offers global solutions. Recently extending its reach to 18 global offices and adding Latin touring to its repertoire, TAG has surpassed milestones on its mission to further expand and broaden its client base. Since 2021, the popularity of the Latin music industry has been explosive. Artists like Bad Bunny, Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, Rosalía, Maluma, RBD, among others have taken the…
Discussions of a potential Pulp stage return between Jarvis Cocker and Lighting and Set Designer, Douglas Green began amid the maiden Glastonbury appearance of the frontman’s solo project, JARV IS… in 2022. Cocker handed Green a copy of Kevin Foakes’ Wheels of Light: Designs for British Light Shows 1970-1990 and shared his abstract ideas about a huge curtain, a staircase… and an orchestra. “He said it was going to be the final Pulp tour, so he wanted it to be a celebration of everything they have done up until now, and at the same time a completely new and contemporary…
What do Coldplay, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Gorillaz and Cirque du Soleil all have in common? This isn’t the set-up to some dreadful joke… the answer is that all have selected Wisycom’s wireless IEM solution on their tour riders in recent years. Supported by a 30-year history in the film and broadcast industry, the company is increasing its presence into the world of live events, with many artists now donning a Wisycom belt-pack to receive their IEM mix. Speaking from Wisycom’s Italian HQ, Sales Director, Marika Stangherlin shared the story of the company’s move into the sector. “We have enjoyed…
