Irène Drésel transformed Petit Palais into an immersive audiovisual experience, hosted by Radio France. The rising artist and producer of electronic music delivered the interactive show, harnessing a Modulo Kinetic media server by Modulo Pi to produce real-time interactive animations. Drésel collaborated with Hervé Déjardin, Audio Innovation Project Manager at Radio France, to synchronise video mapping with the electronic music composition. Sound spatialisation was achieved using the L-ISA immersive sound technology from L-Acoustics, with Syva loudspeakers and 12, 21-inch subwoofers distributed around the audience. https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi276_digitallr/20 This article originally appeared in issue #276 of TPi, which you can read here. Photo:…
Author: Jacob Waite
“I can’t justify encouraging young women to consider a career in the live music industry without addressing the fact that having a child could effectively end your career,” began Bryony October, FOH Engineer for Ward Thomas and Katie Melua. The latter artist was currently sitting next to October nodding along profusely in the grand setting of Birmingham’s Symphony Hall – hours before doors opened to punters keen to hear some of the singer-songwriter’s latest material, along with hits from Nine Million Bicycles and The Closest Thing to Crazy. At a cursory glance, as the crew set about putting the final…
No stranger to a tour itinerary, Pet Shop Boys have been enthralling live audiences with their signature blend of genre-defining hits for the best part of 40 years. Fresh from their co-headlined Unity Tour with New Order, the Dreamworld Tour descended on Primavera Sound before arriving at OVO Arena Wembley for a sold-out show – fittingly in the same suburb as the duo’s first ever live show. “Like I said the last time TPi visited us on 2017s Electric Tour [TPi #211] ‘You never say no to the Pet Shop Boys’ – we do everything in our power to figure…
What first sparked your interest in NRG? MP: “I first found an interest in the NRG programme during my first year in college while visiting PLASA Leeds. Being able to see all these job opportunities really excited me!” BA: “With CCSW partnered with NRG, we get great opportunities to work with Robe and regular NRG workshops.” AO: “The world and lighting is changing. With RoboSpots taking over at so many fantastic and large events, it allows the operator to work in such a different way. There’s no more hanging from trusses or harnessed in awkward places in the depths of…
Taking place a stone’s throw from the contest, Liverpool City Council staged Eurovision Village – a hub for Eurovision fans and locals to experience the joy of live music on Liverpool’s Pier Head. Production management was provided by Events Design Company, led by Josh Keogh. The wider production team included Adlib (audio, lighting and video), ES Global (staging), Marshall Day Acoustics (noise management), PS Events Crew, Roadphone NRB (communications), STS Production Services (backline), Titanium Fireworks, UK Events Group (SFX) and UK Rigging. Programming from Liverpool City Council reflected the host city’s slogan ‘United By Music’ and included performances from Ukraine’s…
With 160 million viewers and thousands on site, the prowess of the live entertainment industry was thrust into the spotlight in May, as the UK hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 on behalf of Ukraine, welcoming 37 delegations to the biggest music competition in the world. Behind the scenes, collaboration among some of the best technical suppliers and minds the sector has to offer was key to the success and legacy of the operation. Eurovision has become something of a ‘white whale’ for me. So, walking into Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena ahead of the first of nine live shows was…
Skan PA Hire builds on two-decades of trust with Muse, by providing audio infrastructure and expertise to the band’s The Will Of The People Tour. The band – Matt Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Dominic Howard (drums) – have entrusted their nuanced repertoire to FOH Engineer, Marc Carolan since 2001. “I’ve only missed one show since!” confirmed Carolan. “It’s been incredibly satisfying working with them, and to hear their evolution; nothing has ever stagnated, and they consistently perform at the highest level. As musicians, they are very good at expressing specifics, so working…
From top to bottom, whether you’re organising your own festival or coming in during show week to help on the last push, the events industry is demanding. It’s likely you, a colleague or someone within your circle has spent a good period away from home during your career, working long days in a high-pressure environment to overcome whatever challenges are thrown our way. The doors will open, and the show must go on as they say. The industry is strongly supported by a network of freelancers, who often feel that they can’t take time off during high seasons for fear…
Miami Music Week: the gathering of gatherings for the global electronic music community. Seven days of parties, which conclude with the grand finale, Ultra Music Festival. This is where Ultra Worldwide’s house and techno brand, Resistance, shines brightest, which is saying something considering its ever-increasing profile around the world. The 10,000 capacity Megastructure hosted a slew of talent, including headliners Eric Prydz, Adam Beyer, Camelphat and Carl Cox, and was home to a Funktion-One Vero sound system. The Megastructure is a tour de force of technical production expertise. Each year the team, led by Production Director Jim Baggott, who worked…
She began creating Little Earthquakes, went To Venus and Back and is currently travelling and touring Ocean to Ocean. Tori Amos has always stunned audiences with her unique, often quirky but always exquisite style, musicianship and expressive lyrics. Lockdown was a tough time for the live performance and events industry. Amos herself, according to her website, “…descended into an emotional state lower than she had been for a long time.” From this emotional turmoil came her current album Ocean to Ocean, which she is currently touring across Europe and the USA. The show, which had been in production and performer…
Since Showforce was launched back in 1991, the company has become a familiar name within the live events scene, providing crewing services to some of the biggest events in the world. Over the years, the company has expanded from its London HQ to also have bases in Liverpool as well as Middle East outposts in Dubai, Riyadh and Doha. Throughout this expansion, the company has remained determined to ensure it upholds crew welfare – no matter where in the world an event is happening. “Showforce is the only truly global event crew company having established bases throughout the UK, Europe,…
The Secret Garden Party was born from the rave and free party scene. Spaces that, seemingly for the first time, provided an inclusive freedom for all who attended. The Garden Party was our way of bringing that attitude and culture out into an even more inclusive space that wasn’t just about large sound systems and monotheistic attachment to one style of music. Bands, solo artists, and performers of all types – from the serene to the absurd – were included. Every guest had the opportunity to play their part in this celebration of creativity and much of the content quickly…
The technical ingenuity of Roger Waters’ latest campaign has perhaps been shrouded by the very thing that has shaped the narrative of his artistic output over the past six decades – politics. With no fears of alienating the room, This Is Not A Drill Tour boldly opens with the public service announcement: “If you’re one of those ‘I love Pink Floyd but I can’t stand Roger’s politics’ people, you might do well to fuck off to the bar right now.” For those who stick around, the reward is a spectacle over five years in the making – an in-the-round production…
What first sparked your interest in live entertainment? “I’ve always loved music and live productions. As a kid, I would put on concerts for my parents with disco lights and tickets. I admired the detail behind everything and how things come together to create something great. When deciding the courses I wanted to take at college, I was looking for something to tie in alongside performing arts and I remember this little stall called Production Arts. I thought it’d be really interesting to understand what goes on behind the stage. I very quickly discovered that I actually loved it more…
What does your new role at 4Wall UK entail? “As Assistant Technical Manager, I manage 4Wall’s space at Production Park, Unit 2, make sure everything is running accordingly, facilitate tours of the space and demonstrations. I also do a lot of onsite work at exhibitions, festival sites and concerts with 4Wall as an LED Technician. Exploring and discovering new things is one of the reasons why 4Wall is a perfect fit for me. Since joining, I’ve attended the IBC Exhibition in Amsterdam – which was my first excursion abroad – as well as All Points East, Bluedot Festival, and the…
With the band’s planned multi-night headline show at Brixton Academy having to move to a single night at Alexandra Palace at short notice, the Pendulum team had to act quickly to rethink the show design to fit into the historic venue. But despite the change of scenery, the band was still keen to make a huge impact. Having been brought in for the 2022 festival run, Ben Inskip – Production Designer from ARTDPT – has been working with Pendulum in the role of Show Designer for almost a year. https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpi275_digitallr/28 This article originally appeared in issue #275 of TPi, which…
To ensure its confetti offering is more sustainable and environmentally friendly, MAGIC FX recently announced a new TÜV-certified confetti solution that biodegrades in soil within the norm of maximum two years, meaning that this essential part of a live show can be maintained without having an adverse effect on the environment. “We believe that confetti is an essential part of any event or festival and always gets the party started!” began MAGIC FX CEO, Bram Veroude as he spoke to TPi about his company’s latest development. With MAGIC FX getting its start as a fireworks company, safety has always been…
Pre-pandemic, there were few artists that had such a rapid rise in popularity as Lizzo with hits such as Juice and Good As Hell dominating the zeitgeist and providing a much-needed breath of fresh air in the somewhat melancholic popular music charts. This popularly didn’t dwindle through the early 2020s in the midst of lockdown, with her new album Special cementing her place among music’s A-listers and scooping the GRAMMY for Record of the Year in the process. There was no doubt that the singer would want to back up this hype with a standout arena tour, but what stood…
