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…
Author: Stewart Hume
With a 40-year history as a key player within the theatre market, Unusual Rigging has grown from strength to strength – which is evident from the major expansion at the company’s Northampton HQ. Opened last year, the wood-clad, two-storey building is a feat of engineering that pushes the boundaries of sustainable construction, reflecting some of the core principles of Unusual Rigging. Founded in 1983 by Alan ‘AJ’ Jacobi following a successful career as a freelance production electrician, Unusual Rigging started with the aim of providing a service for the theatre world. This remit soon expanded to providing large-scale national and…
With an esteemed career behind the faders, Bill Sheppell has mixed for the likes of Beyoncé and Bon Jovi over the years. This year, he lent his talents to Shakira, mixing for her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. Sheppell sat down with TPi to discuss his workflow for the tour, which included the Universal Audio Apollo X16D. “I started with Shakira in June, mixing the 2024 Copa América final halftime show,” began Sheppell. “Tour rehearsals started in October and went through to January 2025 with the first show taking place in early February in Brazil.” When it came…
How does feel to step into Piers Shepperd’s shoes as Chair of Backup Tech? “Succeeding Piers Shepperd is a privilege. He took on the role after the passing of John Simpson, who had been such a driving force for Backup, personally dedicating so much time to every applicant, trustee, and aspect of the charity. What Piers quickly saw was that John had carried much of this work himself, and while it was done with huge care, it was a manual process which worked well for John because he had the available time, but not so well for others who were…
In what is shaping up to be one of the busiest summer seasons for the live events industry to date, we thought we would take a beat to catch up with the hard-working crew members and companies who have been busy creating magical experiences in the fields of the UK and Europe for the past few months. Although there is an ever-present threat facing the festival industry with many events sadly having to close their gates – in some cases for good – there were still several production highlights from the summer. There does seem to be a shift with…
The past 12 months has been an interesting time for arena tours coming through the UK and Europe – notably with the number of newer acts that have made the step up to the big leagues such as Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and, the subject of this profile, Tate McRae. All three of these women have made huge headway in the past five years, cementing themselves as arena headliners on the world stage. As McRae explained during her Munich show from her elevated B-stage, she got the attention of many by uploading videos as part of her Create with…
At TPi, we often explain to readers how we split our focus between all three major segments of the live production machine – touring crew, rental houses, and manufacturers. However, recently, we had the opportunity to bring some of these segments together, as we gathered three notable voices from the world of video, to get their thoughts on the growing developments in the sector, and some of the changes we’re likely to see. Joining the conversation were; ROE Visual’s Marketing Manager, Marina Prak, Universal Pixels’ Head of Technical, Gareth Manicom, and Brompton Technology’s UK Technical Sales Manager, Patrick Goodden. All…
The topic of sustainability in the outdoor events space is not new, with the UK and European festival industry often flying the flag for ‘out of the box’ thinking when it comes to lowering the environmental impact of live shows. These incentives have varied in scale dramatically but one common thread we often see is that all these actions are there to demonstrate that productions don’t have to always be run the ‘same old way’ – from questioning how to power a show to the types of equipment used during a performance. This certainly seemed to be a recurring theme…
At LDI 2024, Elation revealed its new offering to the market, PARAGON. With an adaptable design, new TruTone technology, and weatherproof IP54 rating, Elation states that PARAGON redefines colour fidelity and control for more refined creative expression in indoor and outdoor environments. Designed for applications requiring superior output, powerful beams, ultra-quiet operation, and precise gobos, colours, and framing cuts, it features Elation’s custom TruTone variable CRI technology, enabling designers to achieve intelligent adaptability with exact control over colour fidelity. “We are extremely excited to present PARAGON, a masterfully designed lighting solution that perfectly underscores our commitment to pioneering innovation in…
SWG Events extended its long association with the Glastonbury Festival, again deploying Martin Audio systems in a number of feature areas. According to Head of Audio, Simon Purse, SWG made significant changes to two stages; BBC Introducing and Woodsies, while also providing Martin Audio systems for The Park Stage and Leftfield. BBC Introducing embraced Martin Audio for the first time, having traditionally had its sound delivered by another brand. The move from its usual enclosed tent behind the Pyramid Stage to a more open, saddlespan structure required a fresh, upscaled approach to the PA, as it was able to attract…
Two companies within the TAIT Group – productionglue and Thinkwell – will now operate under the a singular TAIT brand. “TAIT has always pushed the boundaries of storytelling,” stated Adam Davis, Chief Executive Officer of TAIT follow this latest announcement. “With the creative and producing capabilities of Thinkwell and productionglue, we are offering an unmatched depth and breadth of skill to our partners. We bring a legacy of innovation and a desire to solve impossible problems. Solidifying this singular brand represents a fusion of creativity and technology, which provides unparalleled possibilities for our partners.” TAIT’s transformation and evolution with Thinkwell…
Founded by Tour Manager Carl Lewis, TourStock is an industry pro-shop based out of the famed SW19 Studios, London. Launched this year, Lewis, who TMs for acts including Holly Humberstone, Thomas Headon and Kamal, speaks to TPi’s Stew Hume about this new venture and what he thinks it will bring to the live events community. What was the original idea behind TourStock? “I was kicking the idea around in my head for a while. I wanted somewhere that had all of the efficiency and online availability of sites like Amazon, but more bespoke, tuned to suit our business and the…
With a headline performance at London Stadium alongside an appearance on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, Patchwork London discusses the company’s experience working with the Afrobeats artist and his crew. How did Patchwork’s relationship with Burna Boy and his production begin? “They reached out to us on Instagram then came to visit us at Patchwork. After a meeting to discuss how things might work, they offered us the chance to do their album launch at Prism and underplay at Roundhouse, London in August 2023. Both shows went well, we’ve been working together ever since.” When did you start planning for…
CH Vintage Audio’s Chris Hewitt is noted for his collection of salvaged pieces from classic rock concerts of the 1960s and 1970s, which are curated and presented as exhibition curios. Last year’s PLASA Show drew the great and the good from that era to his stand like moths to a flame and the recent ISE Show even more so. Having famously rebuilt (and displayed) Floyd’s Live at Pompeii WEM PA the missing piece was the original Allen & Heath 28/4 quadrophonic Allen & Heath mixer, built by Andy Bereza and Ivor Taylor, which was no longer in existence. This was…
In what has become a major date within the annual events industry calendar, Kart-Fest 2023 was a historic year for the incentive with the Backup Tech organisers announcing that it smashed previous years fundraising targets, raising £50,000 – money that will go on to provide financial support to industry technical professionals, crew/production personnel and people working in the technical supply chain across the UK entertainment industry including those from live events, theatre, TV and film. Under the theme of a traditional British Fete, 350 of the industries finest came with cake, bunting and a healthy dose of competitiveness all in…
Fresh off the back of the European leg of Avril Lavigne’s much-anticipated Love Sux Tour, Jake Roeber talks to TPi about curating the visuals for the Canadian singer-songwriter’s latest live production, his experience behind the desk, and what it was like to collaborate with Christie Lites, Pixl Evolution and TAIT. How long have you been working with Avril Lavigne? “After leaving AREA15 Las Vegas as the Senior Production Manager, I joined the Avril Lavigne team last spring as Lighting Director when she joined the Mainstream Sellout American tour as direct support for Machine Gun Kelly. Initial design scribbles for the…
Taking place from 14 to 17 May 2024, TPi Magazine will host an event aimed at uniting tour managers and service providers – including hoteliers and travel companies – for several days of networking and discovery. “In an era where every business trip must be accounted for, the GTL Sessions pledge is simple: to provide an equal platform for hoteliers and transport companies to meet with tour managers looking to book their services for upcoming tours,” explained TPi Commercial Director, Fran Begaj. For tour managers, GTL Sessions is a chance to come together at a stunning five-star resort to network…
Sterling Event Group has recently completed a multimillion pound investment in new equipment. Managing Director, Richard Bowden spoke to TPi about the latest investment and what it means for the Manchester-based rental house moving forward. “This recent investment is part of our plans to service our production work but also to facilitate our growing trade dry hire department,” Bowden explained. “Part of this investment included the purchase of almost 300 CHAUVET Professional fixtures. Many of these lighting fixtures are IP-rated which gives us the flexibility to use them anywhere, from outdoor stages to intimate indoor events, and they require less maintenance…
