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NICKELBACK “Here & Now”

Event Planning Outlook - Linkin Park - Landgraaf, Hollandvolume 5 issue 5 2012 Updated on: Fri, May 25, 2012 2:00:00 AM Local (GMT +2)

Pinkpop Festival EVENT Landgraaf, Holland Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31 WDT Weather Triggers 7am 1pm7pm1am 7am 1pm7pm1am 7am 1pm7pm1am 7am 1pm7pm1am 7am 1pm7pm1am 7am 1pm7pm1am 7am 1pm7pm General Thunderstorm G G G G G G G G G G G G G Y Y Y G G G G G G G G Y Y Y Severe Thunderstorm G G G G G G G G G G G G G Y Y Y G G G G G G G G Y Y Y Non-Convective Sfc Winds > 25mph < 40mph G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G Non-Convective Sfc Winds >= 40mph G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

High Temp 72 73 79 78 80 74 77con Low Temp 55 56 59 63 65 59 61 Forecast Decreasing Scattered Scattered S unny Mostly Sunny Mostly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Clouds Thunderstorms Thunderstorms t 10% 0% 0% 50% 0% 0% 40% ents %Prob of Precip Platforms, Two Completely Different Approaches, Wind Direction ENE E NE NE E E InNE the News Average Wind Speed 15 mph 17 mph 12 mph 20 mph 5 mph 5 mph 20 mph and Yet They All Work Together Maximum Wind Speed 20 mph 20 mph 15 mph 30 mph 10 mph 10 mph 30 mph Sun Rise 5:34 am 5:33 am 5:32 am 5:31 am 5:30 am 5:29 am 5:286 am Cases Scouting For Cases 5 Star Style Sun Set 9:32 pm 9:34 pm 9:35 pm 9:36 pm 9:38 pm 9:39 pm 9:40 pm Moonrise 9:25 am 10:32 am 11:42 am 12:54 pm 2:09 pm 3:26 pm 4:46 pm Moonset 12:16 am 12:47 am 1:14 am 1:38 am 2:00 am 2:22 am 2:46 am Moon Illumination 19% 28% 37% 49% 60% 71% 82%6 Lighting Happy Days and Happy Mondays for 10 Robe LEDBeam 100s 24 Nickelback

Current Satellite/Surface Observations - 02:00 am 25 May 2012 Here & Now With a Much For Latest Map Click -> http://imap.tv/linkinpark 7 Sound Sennheiser 965 Is The Best Choice For Imelda May / Solotech Provides L-ACOUSTICS More Polished Show Systems for Bruce Springsteen 28 Vendors 8 Special FX 2012 Billboard Awards Light Up the 30 Crew Members MGM Grand Stage with Pyrotek Special Effects 32 Chris "Hawk" Louden 8 Trussing/Rigging MLOS Moves The House Discretion is the Better Part of Valor 9 Venues Community Cover’s University of South Florida Sporting Venues 34 eps america 12 Helping Preserve the Quality 10 Safety WeatherOps Supports Linkin Park of Your Production and the Event Safety Alliance 36 PRG Hits the Ground Running 12 Styx, REO Speedwagon & Ted for Another Great Year Nugent Midwest Rock n’ Roll Express Tour 2012 - Intense Cooperation at an Intense Pace 40 Advertiser's Index 16 Vendors / Crew Members 18 A Tale of Two Engineers Two Classic Rock Icons, Two Different Console 32 mobile production monthly 3 FROM THE Publisher

This issue of mPm features Nickelback’s Hear & Now Tour, one of the more enduring bands in this era. Supporting the feature are eps america and PRG. As you all know, we try to select features in our magazine HOME OFFICE STAFF that show how the different service companies support a 7 % g specific tours on our cover. I think you will find these two ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 interesting and informative. On a personal note, I want to 2961 Armory Dr • Nashville, TN • USA 37204 mobileproductionpro.com thank Mickey Curbishley at PRG for his continuing support of our work, both in the magazine and with the Tour Link For advertising inquiries: Conference. He is proof positive that good breeding [email protected] counts…I knew his father and had a great relationship with Publisher: Larry Smith him as well for many years. [email protected] Managing Director: Chris Cogswell Not to dwell on second-generation people in our business, [email protected] but it is gratifying for me to see so many young people Chief Writer / Photographer: Michael A. Beck coming through the ranks who had or have parents who [email protected] were in this game from the early years. Growing up in Art Director / Graphic Designer: Kristin Salaway [email protected] an environment like that has to be a strong motivator. Office Manager: Melanie Reininger Knowing the difference between real work ethics and slick [email protected] BS is invaluable and fortunately, so far all of the second Contributing Writers: generation people I have met recently have that gift of Bill Abner / [email protected] straight talk, straight deals and no BS. Hank Bordowitz / [email protected] Bill Evans / [email protected] Also in this issue is a story on a weather tracking system Todd Kramer / [email protected] Bill Robison / [email protected] being used by Linkin Park that is part of our continuing Mike Wharton / [email protected] effort to support more stage safety awareness and positive action. There is no more important issue in our business TOUR LINK BOARD OF ADVISORS than saving lives and keeping personnel safe on the job. Benny Collins, Jim Digby, Jon Nevins, Stuart Ross, We will do our best to keep the stories coming and to Bobby Schneider, Jay Sendyk, Seth Sheck, Nick Gold promote any and all safety-minded activities and activists. Nicki Goldstein, Chuck Randall, Michelle Freedman tourlinkconference.com Finally, as we are into the summer touring season, we will continue to look at segments of our business that support PUBLISHED BY Anvil Productions, LLC touring in so many ways, including transportation, hotels, ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 manufacturers and interesting support companies. Have a great season and keep safe. FOLLOW US Tour-Guide-Publications / Tour-Link-Conference @mobileprodpro / @TourLinkConf

Larry Smith

©2012 Anvil Productions, LLC. Nothing may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit any and all editorial content included in this publication. The publisher has made every attempt to insure accuracy and consistency of this publication. However, some listings & information may be incomplete due to a lack of information provided by various companies listed. Please send any inquiries to the attention of the publisher. All advertising appears at the paid solicitation of the advertiser. Anvil Productions, LLC, can not be held liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies appearing in this journal in the form of editorials, listings or advertising. Member of:

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Show, staged 13 x Robe ROBIN 600 Spots, 12 over three days x LEDWash 600s and a selection Cases at the Victoria of generics, so the Robe moving Scouting For Cases 5 Theatre in lights were very much the core of Star Style Halifax, with the rig. sold out perfor- 5 Star Cases has donat- mances attract- The lights were rigged on two ed some of its Arena ing audiences overhead trusses, on six different 600 cases to The Rig of up to 1000 height vertical towers onstage and Scout Active Support a night. 5star- on the deck. Unit which is based Scouting is a greatly inspirational cases.com in Huddersfield, West organization for young people Two LEDBeam 100s were Yorkshire, UK, for their nationwide, and The Rig is doing attached to each of the six upright day-to-day use. some excellent work including towers and used for colourful, offering a potential future genera- Lighting whizzy, chasey effects and to make ‘The Rig’ is a charitable organization hands-on experience and a up zany beam patterns through- tion currently managed by Jason glimpse into the possibilities of a Happy Days and out the set. For the MEN show, Robbins. It was originally set up career in entertainment technol- Happy Mondays for the count was boosted up to 24 in 2000 by parents of a local scout ogy, theatre production and event Robe LEDBeam 100s LEDBeam fixtures which helped involved in the lighting and sound staging”. fill the enormous stage space very industry to help his group weather Robe’s new, small and nicely. financial difficulties, and started The 5 Star cases are currently funky LEDBeam 100 fix- off running local discos with some being used to help with storage tures made their UK tour- Eight of the LEDWash 600s were scouts on the crew. and transport of The Rig’s ever- ing debut on the Happy positioned on the back truss, four increasing cable stock. Mondays recent three on drop-arms, with the other four Since then things have grown week outing, with lighting on the floor pointing at the towers considerably. A team of 10 regular Additionally, the Rig provides designed by Dave Farmer and highlighting the metalwork volunteers and others enable The schools and community groups of THC Design. which shaped the otherwise bare Rig Scout Active Support Unit with technology and expertise that stage. They also provided a com- to provide a full range of techni- they might not normally be able Equipment for the major shows, prehensive downstage wash. cal production services for stage to afford, allowing their aspiring including Manchester MEN shows and events, in the process young performers and stars to Arena and three sold out Brixton Farmer used the Robe LEDWash helping to support all scouting get a “Real sense of the magic of Academy’s, was supplied by Leeds 600s for the first time on last activities in the Huddersfield theatre”. based Zig Zag Lighting. year’s Roger Daltrey tour and North District. really liked them. However, he The first show on which the new 5 The iconic Manchester alt rock/ wasn’t able to use smoke then, Robbins approached 5 Star’s Star cases were used was the West ravers returned to live perform- so on the Happy Mondays, with Keith Sykes asking about the pos- Yorkshire County Scouts Gang ance with a huge bang, and the some serious ‘atmosphere’, was sibility of some flightcas- original line up for really able to fully appreciate the es, and Sykes responded the first time in 19 diversity and richness of the col- with the offer of two of years. our palette. 5 Star’s latest Arena 600 cases, complete with The LEDBeam He also likes the very versatile 15 removable trays, to add 100s were joined by – 60 degree zoom. Much of the to The Rig’s inventory. time the LEDWash 600s were so bright - even for He explains that they the Mondays - that he have been extremely ran them at around 50% fortunate with support intensity. from several major industry players over The ROBIN 600 Spots the years, and so it was he also found bright and brilliant to get another reliable. premium brand like 5 On the Monday’s rig, one Star involved who are was positioned on the top “Known for producing of each tower, five on the some of the best built back truss and two on cases in the industry”. the floor. They were used for supplementary beam- Keith Sykes comments, work and for general band “I was very happy lighting. ”Very responsive, to support The Rig. fast, and offer a good

6 mobile production monthly phones from a range of other built like a battleship, which is manufacturers, but none of them very important for touring. Sound were quite right. She found most Sennheiser 965 Is of them too clinical. “All-in-all the 965 is the best The Best Choice For choice for us and the support from Imelda May “As she likes to sing at a good dis- Sennheiser is second to none. The tance from the mic, both when only thing that would make it Irish singer-songwriter she’s giving it some power and better for Imelda is if they could gobo selection” says Farmer of Imelda May is just com- also when singing softly, I thought supply one in a tiger skin finish!”. these. ing to the end of a run a condenser would suit her style as sennheiser.co.uk of British and European they have a better proximity effect. Generics on the rig included shows, before taking a We tried the Sennheiser e 965 and Sunstrips, Molefeys, ACL’s and well-earned break to she loved its bite and fullness.” PARs – all adding their own Solotech Provides have her first child. As distinctive touches of Old Skool L-ACOUSTICS Systems if that and selling out The two 965s that Trevor subse- magic! for Bruce Springsteen the Royal Albert Hall quently purchased have been a wasn’t enough, she has feature of the shows ever since. Upstage was a 12 x 3 metre Bruce Springsteen’s finally found her perfect surface of X-sphere’s – supplied Wrecking Ball tour kicked vocal microphone – a “We have used them everywhere, by XL Video – fed with colour- off at Atlanta’s Phillips Sennheiser e 965. from tiny venues to arenas and ful ambient video content from they deliver every time,” he con- Arena on March 17 with Livid’s CellDNA software running an L-ACOUSTICS K1/KUDO Trevor Gilligan took over front of tinues. “You can get a very high on a laptop. WST® line source system house mixing duties for Imelda level before feedback and they provided by Solotech US and her band around 15 months are very punchy. They are also Farmer showed his Corp of Las Vegas. talents for making an expedient lighting rig Harnessing the power of go a long way, bring- Springsteen and his 17-piece band ing contemporary is FOH mix veteran John Cooper flourishes to the move- who has provided mixing services ment, excitement and for “The Boss” for the past 10 classic club looks that years. Cooper also performs mix- also immersed the ing duties for many other high- audience in the per- profile artists, including Sheryl formance, true rave- Crow, Wynonna Judd, Ringo Starr style. and Lionel Richie.

From a rental com- The K1/KUDO system pro- pany perspective, vided for the Wrecking Ball tour Zig Zag’s Neil Hunt consists of 60 K1 enclosures, 16 comments, “The light K1-SB subwoofers, 24 KARAs, weight, neat packag- 48 KUDOs, and eight SB28 subs. ing, low energy con- In many venues, the audience is sumption and huge in 360 degrees as the set design light output of all the allows for unobstructed views Robe ROBIN fixtures ticks all the boxes for me! ago and soon started the quest “Reducing both the actual weight for a vocal mic that of the luminaires themselves would really suit her and consequently the ‘trucking voice. volume’, coupled with the cor- responding reduction in required “After a couple of cabling, allows a rig that would shows, I realised have once needed an arctic of its that the dynamics own …. to fit comfortably into an in her incredible 18 tonne truck! Everyone’s a win- voice really needed ner, most importantly, the environ- a microphone that ment!!” would make the best of them,” he says. “We tried micro-

mobile production monthly 7 In the News

from the rear. Sixteen V-DOSC Back on the which he owns, to help solve the cabinets are also brought along awards stage, problem of moving the entire to provide delay fill in venues Nelly Furtado building to its new location. when necessary. brought her “Big Hoops At 7.5 metres wide by 9.5 long All L-ACOUSTICS speakers (The Bigger The and 7 metres high the building are processed and powered via Better)” to the was too wide to fit onto a vehicle the LA8 four-channel ampli- elated crowd. and negotiate the village roads fied controller and all LA8s Tomei worked closely with Native American whilst travelling safely to its new are contained and interconnected Designer Hokuto “Hok” Konishi, Hoop Dancers joined Furtado as concrete foundations 1.5 km away. via the LA-RAK. The tour also and Production Manager Tim she rose center stage on a lift using A bit of research and advice from boasts the first wide-scale use of Miller to create a stand out open- six Cryo Jets to create a rocket structural engineers revealed L-ACOUSTICS’ LA Network ing number. Twelve Cryo Jets “lift off ” look. that the dwelling’s design and Manager 2 software providing were used to surround the duo construction meant that it could advanced control and monitoring as they rose onto a center stage British Sensation The Wanted potentially be split into two halves of more than 76 LA8 controllers. riser. Two 20 watt full color laser brought their hits “Chasing the lengthways. systems were placed on 7’ ris- Sun” and “Glad You Came” to “Solotech personnel have been ers on stage right and left, while the Billboard stage as Low Lying The idea was that the inside of outstanding; they show a great two 25 watt full color lasers were Fog as well as Silver Gerbs were attention to details,” says Cooper. placed on stage left and right. used. With the help of Designer “At this point in time I have not Laser Operator Eric Taylor, also Brian Freidman, The Wanted heard a more refined, accurate had two 25 watt full color systems proved the new generation of boy and musical sound system.” placed on a truss above the stage bands is here to stay. in order to shoot onto the down- Springsteen’s first concert tour stage edge to create an all encom- Freidman also had a hand in cre- since 2009 is presently scheduled passing look. ating the performance of Justin to play dates in North America Bieber along with Production and Europe through September, Linkin Park performed their Manager Tom Marzullo. Bringing with stadium dates recently added new single “Burn It Down”. his single “Boyfriend” to the for Boston, Vernon (NY), Chicago, Collaborating with Production Awards stage for the first time, the Washington DC, Toronto, Manager Jim Digby and Designer number opened with blue emer- Moncton (NJ) and Philadelphia. Travis Shirley, Pyrotek President gency lights surrounding Bieber Solotech is providing full audio Lorenzo Cornacchia, had three as he danced his way across the production services for the entire 7’ long Dragon Tail Units placed stage. The set which included US Wrecking Ball tour. l-acous- behind the industrial set to ignite black lights and Low Lying Fog tics.com the band from behind. Low Lying also integrated multiple Silver Fog units were inverted and placed Gerbs and Cryo Jets into this within prop piping on stage left elaborate performance. and of the band as they stood Special FX atop 5’ and 3’ risers across the stage. Inverted Gerb fans that held 2012 Billboard Awards six 20 x 20 Silver Gerbs were Trussing/Rigging Light up the MGM hung center stage. MILOS Moves The Grand Stage with House (literally) Pyrotek Special Pyrotek worked with Creative Director Baz Halpin, and Effects When rigger and engi- Production Manager Harold Jones neer Peter Samzeilus from on Usher’s performance of his The 2012 Billboard Music Tanumschede in Sweden new single “Scream” as 1 x 25 Awards took to the MGM learned that the local Silver Gerbs exploded over the set Grand Arena Stage in council were replac- and Low Lying Fog was incorpo- Las Vegas, NV May 20th ing a certain dwelling rated into his performance. Carrie 2012. Pyrotek Special garage in the village with Underwood, who performed Effects and its sister new sea cabins, he con- “Blown Away” incorporated company Laser Design tacted the owners and Low Lying Fog as well as Silver Productions provided the offered to help with the Technoflek confetti and eight effects for the night’s challenge of moving the Cryo Jets. ceremony. Working with building from its current Show Producer Brian location. Stonestreet and Art Cee Lo Green, joined by Goodie Mob performed “Fight to Win” Director Alana Billingsley, They generously said he could and “Fight For Your Right” a trib- the telecast had the feel have the substantial dwelling – ute to The Beastie Boys member of a full fledged concert made from timber and ideal for a Adam Yauch who recently passed experience. summer house - in return, pro- away. Double Headed Dragon vided it was removed in time for units were used behind the four The event opened with LMFAO the sea cabins to be installed. performers as they stood on risers performing a medley of their Peter then applied his imagina- spread out across the stage. hits. Laser Design Productions tion, lateral thinking abilities and Director of Operations Victor experience using MILOS products

8 mobile production monthly each section was shored up with baseball, soc- The system is powered by three the help of a MILOS trussing grid cer, and soft- Crown DSi-4000 amps. Another structure, and this would ensure ball. DBX Drive Rack 260 covers that the two halves remained rigid system DSP, and another Ashly and stable for the journey to the Magnum Audio MX-508 mixer provides input new location, whereupon they Group of Tampa channels. could be reunited. recently provided powerful sound Four more R.5-99 short-throw He comments, “MILOS products systems for three loudspeakers are installed for have helped me many times in of the campus’ the Baseball and Softball batting unusual situations that are outside sporting facilities: a cages. That system is powered by the ‘standard’ scope of use, so this 4500-seat baseball a pair of Crown DSi-2000 ampli- was yet another chance to prove stadium, a 1500-seat fiers, with a six-channel Ashley their versatility”. softball stadium, and MX-206 mic/line mixer. a 750-seat soccer First, he produced some detailed stadium. Despite the Audio for the soccer facility is CAD planning on his laptop and magnitude of the handled by four R1-66 medium- double checked all the parameters three design-build throw loudspeakers and four to be sure the scheme would work. projects, Magnum’s more R.5-99 short-throw systems. Then he and a team of five Randi Crooks Powering the system is a pair of friends removed the dry-wall in reports things ran Crown DSi-4000 amps. Another the center of the building and quite smoothly. Ashly MX-508 mixer and DBX erected the bracing structures for Drive Rack 260 round off the both sides of the house uitilising “We do a lot of system. a combination of MILOS M290 athletic venues,” and M390 QuickTruss, I-beams, says Crooks. “I’ve In addition to coverage and cell clamps and aluminium tubes. been the head Audio performance, Crooks points to The wooden house’s roof and Engineer for the the all-weather durability of the walls were then completely cut in Tampa Buccaneers WET-Series and R-Series as half using a powerful sabre saw. for 19 years now, another factor in their selection. The open edges of both sides, and we also handle throw loudspeakers and two “We do get our share of extreme already braced, were lifted sepa- audio for the BUCS at Raymond R.5SUB subwoofers. Four Crown weather here in Florida, and rately onto a flat-bed truck using a James Stadium, and for the New DSi-4000 amplifiers power the Community’s weather-resistance 60 ton crane. York Yankees at Steinbrenner loudspeakers, with system drive has proven itself time after time,” Field here in Tampa.” and processing provided by a he observes. “After Hurricane The two halves of the house then DBX Drive Rack 260. An Ashly Wilma came through in 2005, made their journey to the new Indeed, with that level of exper- MX-508 eight-channel rack we used R-Series loudspeakers site, a 10 minute drive with a few tise, it’s hardly surprising that mount mixer completes the sys- to replace the destroyed systems stops to lift low flying telephone these jobs went off without a tem. in 13 football stadiums in Palm cables, tree branches and other hitch. “Baseball and softball ven- Beach County, and they’re all still obstacles. ues in particular are fairly simple Over at the softball stadium, working great.” distributed systems, and the soccer five WET W2-2W8 systems are At destination, the process was stadium wasn’t all that different,” installed, along with a pair of repeated in reverse. he explains. “The seats at the R1-66 medium-throw loudspeak- soccer stadium are ers and two R.5SUB subwoofers. only located on one side, but they Venues have long land- scaped berm areas DPL - 2011 Top Dog Award Winner. Community Cover’s where people can University of South sit on their lounge All Tracks written and performed by Bob and Inge Daitz. Florida Sporting Venues chairs. We set up With very special guests, Josh, Vanessa and Petra. the Community t: 614.847.4375 | e: [email protected] Founded in 1956, the R1 loudspeakers University of South Florida to fire down the has grown to become base lines, because one of the largest univer- we knew it was sities in the US. Famous powerful enough to alumni include actors provide coverage to n • S e l e t i o c t i r e o n Lauren Hutton and Drake that entire area.” s c • i D P e Hogestyn, wrestler Hulk • r f y e Hogan, and Major League The baseball sta- t c e t dium is covered by f i Baseball player/man- a o n S ager Tony La Russa. USF’s eight Community

WET-Series sprawling main campus t: 614.847

in Tampa is home to a W2-2W8 dual

7 SIDE 2

range of varsity sports 8-inch systems, 5

along with two

teams, including football, 43

R1-66 medium-

OUR RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

mobile production monthly 9 Safety

WeatherOps Supports Linkin Park and the Event Safety Alliance by Mike Wharton

ollowing the Indianapolis, Indiana stage collapse tragedy in 2011, a lot of time and energy were spent by various Fagencies looking into why it happened, and who was to For more info blame. During that time a coalition of entertainment tour- visit eventsafetyalliance.org ing industry professionals were formulating the embryo that became The Event Safety Alliance. Their response was to for- WeatherOps, a WDT subsidiary, worked with mulate a plan to prevent such tragedies from happening. the NWS to develop special trigger points unique to the entertainment industry. These trigger points run along the lines of wind Initially, Tour Link founder Larry Smith and Venue and Safety School (AVSS). During the speeds and proximity of lightening. members of The Tour Link Advisory Board, five day event, Digby met Harold Hanson, Stuart Ross of Red Light Management and director of the school. Out of their conversa- Recognizing that each outdoor event is Jim Digby, tour manager for Linkin Park dis- tions came the realization that though artists unique, WeatherOps saw the need for a cussed a way to bring the matter to agenda and venues had the same vested interest, Green, Yellow, and Red status alert system to at Tour Link 2012. More participants from common ground regarding safety had never be put in place. ESA then developed a matrix the industry joined in what soon became been discussed. Bridges needed to be built decision system encompassing the triggers biweekly calls numbering twenty people or to include tailoring of the class curriculum and status alerts. “The time to make these more. The Adelman Law Group, Doodson toward artist and production participation. decisions is in green status, not later,” states Insurance Brokerage, Pollstar, AEG Live, Hanson suggested Digby attend the Severe Digby. a wealth of production managers, Clair, Weather Preparedness Class which AVSS was Tomcat, Stageco, and Tim Roberts of The sponsoring, at the National Weather Service One of ESA’s goals is to get venue manage- Event Safety Shop, Ltd., added their support. (NWS) facility in Norman, Oklahoma. ment on board with the safety plan. Digby Karl Ruling, safety standards director of emphasizes the importance of all senior man- PLASA, brought up the fact that an official Michael Eilts, CEO of Weather Decision agement parties; promoter, venue, stage ven- document already existed in the UK. Technology was one of the presenters. “He dor, security, and production, meeting daily seemed to get the direction ESA is trying to discuss updates on the weather situation. Known as HSE 121, and commonly referred to establish providing a model for the event to as The Purple Guide, it detailed technical industry and a protocol for what kind of Digby says, “We’re gonna share our data regulations establishing the standards needed weather data is relevant,” Digby recalled. and allow everyone into our decision making to be met when constructing a temporary matrix, but we won't be controlled by outside stage or outdoor roofing system. The Event WDT’s main facility in Norman acquires forces in the case of life safety.” Safety Alliance was formed to adapt the data directly from NWS. The company’s guide creating a similar document to be location is literally across the street from the WeatherOps develops an Operations Forecast known as The Event Safety Guide US. ESA NWS and on the south research campus of Model packet of information for each tours’ teams of four or five have broken out chap- the University Of Oklahoma. This facil- routing and conditions surrounding the ters of this document to analyze for this ity, which also houses the National Weather event. iMap, the company’s proprietary soft- purpose. Deadlines for completion are set for Center, the OU School of Meteorology, ware program, services over three thousand Tour Link 2013. Severe Storms Laboratory and Storm weather information websites. VandenHeuvel Prediction Center, creates a “triangle and his staff customize the program to fit The history of ESA’s formulation began of collaboration” as Senior VP David each tours’ needs, utilizing their capability to when Digby attended the International VandenHeuvel at WeatherOps calls it. download information from a global network Association of Venue Managers Advanced of satellites. “We provide forecasting, not ‘now’ casting,” states VandenHeuvel.

Brown United utilizes WeatherOps services on all its sites. Bonnaroo and Wakarusa Festivals have signed on, as has the Red Rocks Casino in Las Vegas. Hadden “Hap” Hippsley, the PM for Bonnaroo uses the service for Phish and the other festivals he manages.

Two tiers of service are offered. One is completely automated (i.e. no human con- tacts) to transmit weather information via email, land line or cell phone. The second provides a live meteorologist 24/7 with eyes on the area surrounding the event. Both provide “push” technology capabilities to continued on 38

10 mobile production monthly Event Planning Outlook - Linkin Park - Landgraaf, Holland

Updated on: Fri, May 25, 2012 2:00:00 AM Local (GMT +2)

High Temp 72 73 79 78 80 74 77 Low Temp 55 56 59 63 65 59 61 Forecast Decreasing Scattered Scattered Sunny Mostly Sunny Mostly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Clouds Thunderstorms Thunderstorms %Prob of Precip 10% 0% 0% 50% 0% 0% 40% Wind Direction ENE E NE NE E E NE Average Wind Speed 15 mph 17 mph 12 mph 20 mph 5 mph 5 mph 20 mph Maximum Wind Speed 20 mph 20 mph 15 mph 30 mph 10 mph 10 mph 30 mph Sun Rise 5:34 am 5:33 am 5:32 am 5:31 am 5:30 am 5:29 am 5:28 am Sun Set 9:32 pm 9:34 pm 9:35 pm 9:36 pm 9:38 pm 9:39 pm 9:40 pm Moonrise 9:25 am 10:32 am 11:42 am 12:54 pm 2:09 pm 3:26 pm 4:46 pm Moonset 12:16 am 12:47 am 1:14 am 1:38 am 2:00 am 2:22 am 2:46 am Moon Illumination 19% 28% 37% 49% 60% 71% 82%

Current Satellite/Surface Observations - 02:00 am 25 May 2012 For Latest Map Click -> http://imap.tv/linkinpark

Professional Weather Maps for Safety and Efficiency sample: Linkin Park - Landraaf, Holland Forecasts and alerts are provided via Internet, SMS, mobile apps, mobile push alerts and phone access to one of WeatherOps' meteorologists regardless of time of day. Expert meteorologists monitor assets 24/7. Starting 7 days in advance of significant weather events, e-mails are sent every 6 or 12 hours with expert detailed forecasts. These threat matrix alerts are also available within the WeatherOps iMap (interactive map). 24/7 access to meteorologists for additional consultation and pre-scheduled conference calls.

mobile production monthly 11 Intense Styx, REO Speedwagon Cooperation at an Intense Pace

By Michael A. Beck

When three acts that could all headline in their own right tour on the same bill, there will always be the risk of clashing identities not just among the bands but with the crews as well. However, such is not the case with the Midwest Rock n’ Roll Express Tour featuring REO Speedwagon, Styx, and Ted Nugent. Everyone who has been around the touring industry for more than 10 years can recall that one hellish tour during which they were locked in with one or more people who had “It’s not my job” tattooed on their forehead as they headed for the bus as soon as their “job” was complete regardless of what kind of shape the overall production was in.

The Midwest Rock n’ Roll Express from the same genre and the same Production Manager, Frank As is typically the case on any Tour essentially has four differ- time period. Rozner explained, Trzaskowski. “His communica- tour, the biggest issues occur at ent crews, one for each act and a “Even though these two bands tion with everybody was great. the confluence of budget, logisti- universal crew that handles lights, have been great friends and com- Everything was surprisingly easy, cal management and creative sound, video, rigging and produc- petitors throughout the years they and I don’t say that too often. It’s aspiration. That is most certainly tion coordination. Despite the said, ‘This [tour] is a good thing. really important when you go out the case with this show, which is large number of distinct areas of So let’s do it in a way so that with three bands that there’s one admittedly not the highest bud- finite responsibility, it is difficult to everyone continues to get along neutral person who is just looking geted production on the road. distinguish who works for whom for a long time.’ The only way for at the facts and making it all hap- However, that does not impede during set change because of the that to happen was to set it up in pen without the personal concerns the intention to deliver a high overall air of support among the a manner that ensures everyone is of the artist coming into play. Tim level of visual impact. For that four teams. With a hard dead- playing on a level field.” did an excellent job on that.” reason, the entire pack has to line of 20 minutes for both set fit into four trucks. Efficient set changes, that support is vital to Rozner admits the job can have That being said, Rozner has an design is a big part of that effort. the production. it’s rough patches, “Frequently it’s interesting gage of how well his Long time REO Speedwagon a thankless position that I have job is being done, “If everyone Lighting and Set Designer Paul The job of maintaining a smooth because there are times when I thinks they’re getting f------equal- Dexter rose to that occasion when platform upon which the produc- have to make decisions that affect ly, I’m doing my job.” he redesigned the band’s set for tion can flow falls to the tour’s one more than the others. Perhaps this year, “We knew this tour was Production Coordinator Tim one band has an element in their When asked if there are any seri- coming. We’d been using the Rozner who was assigned to the set that acts a little as a wind sail ous logistical challenges on the other set for three years and the task the first time this [co-head- in an open air more than the oth- tour ,Trzaskowski didn’t think long band was ready for something lining] package went out in 1999. ers, and I may have to make a before answering, “Not Really. new,” said Dexter. “They wanted It was agreed upon by Charlie decision based on safety that will Everyone out here is super profes- something that would be a little Brusco of Red Light Management affect one band’s production.” sional. When you look around at more intimate and high tech. So (Styx) and Tom Consolo of Azoff the people on this tour they all we did some ‘back of the napkins Music, Inc. (REO Speedwagon) However, the value of Rozner’s have 15, 20, 30 years experience. stuff ’ in dressing rooms and from that there would have to be a neu- position is not lost on the indi- You can name any hard rock or those early beginnings, I brought tral party who could regulate the vidual band crews. “Tim [Rozner] classic rock band and these guys in some 3D drawings of what process of getting a show down did an excellent job of prepro- have been out with it. That is the I had in mind. It evolved from the road that included two bands duction,” said Ted Nugent’s case with Ted Nugent’s crew.” there.”

12 mobile production monthly Styx, REO Speedwagon & Ted Nugent Styx

Styx Tommy Shaw James "Y" Young Chuck Panozzo Todd Sucherman Lawrence Gowan Ricky Phillips Charlie Brusco – Red Light Management Midwest Rock n’ Roll Express Tour 2012

At the heart of the design is a REO Speedwagon move to present the band in a less Neal Doughty disjointed manner than occurred Kevin Cronin on the previous set. To that end, Bruce Hall the drum riser was lowered from Dave Amato four feet to 30 inches. This not Bryan Hitt only allowed the band to interact with drummer Bryan Hitt but - it also made Hitt more visually REO Speedwagon Touring Support Offices accessible to the audience. Artist Management Front Line Management Group Additionally the entire set is one Booking Agency long riser upon which band mem- Creative Artists Agency bers can walk freely from one end Travel Agency to the other. There is also more Entertainment Tour Design room on the drum riser, which FOH and Monitor Boards makes it easier for band members Solotech to engage Hitt.

The set has a high degree of practicality both in terms of func- Gallagher of Gallagher Staging tionality for the band and set up, & Productions, as this set con- strike and transportation. “It was struction was one of the first built in a tightly engineered way projects under the company’s so that we would not be backing new name. “We don’t do things ourselves into a corner in terms of the old school way,” Gallagher making set changes and load-ins explained. “Everything is laser happen,” explained Dexter. cut or CC cut and it’s all put together to aerospace standards. The issue of high engineering We had to fit the project into a standards was not lost on Joey pretty tight budget and part of that was refitting their old risers,

mobile production monthly 13 which we only had for a week- and-a-half. We were told that the set had to be able to leave the stage in five minutes.”

Cost, efficiency and portability were not the only matters to be addressed. The set also had to be lit. In keeping with the penny wise zeitgeist of re-tasking everything possible, Dexter also wanted to save the LED nodes from the previous set. “We had 392 channels of DMX running the LED nodes in the old set and I really wanted to use the modules we so carefully constructed. But when it came time to do the work it wasn’t a practical solution, and I decided upon using the adhesive light spools.”

Those spools are light strips called RGBW E-Tape put forth by Dallas based Pyro Tecnico (for- merly Excitement Technologies Group). Each zone of the set had a separate array of E-Tape - three strips; one RGB and two white. The control signals come from Fortunately all four crews work When it was pushed into a Celestial Audio 32 channel together cohesively to get the sets place it moved in four DMX controlled LED / 10-Amp changed out and it works in that pieces. Obviously the LED cluster dimmer. Because the 20 minutes. But to be perfectly centerpiece of the set is E-Tape uses only 1 DMX channel honest, until the first show in the drum riser, which has per color and each color runs the Hidalgo, Texas, we were wonder- an opaque fascia that’s length of the set zone, each zone ing if we were going to get it done back lit with Colorblast set is quite the opposite, incorpo- only requires five DMX lines. in the time we had allocated.” 12 LED. Flanking the drum riser on either side is what looks rating walls of functioning amp stacks decorated with a large col- “On the last set they wanted Possibly the most impressive [func- like walls of amp stacks reminis- lection of classic Gibson collector to control each color of every tional] feature of the set is that cent of the old Marshall stacks of guitars. In keeping with the Motor node which is where the high it travels in two set carts. That’ll the 80s. And while at one time the City Madman’s tough rebel- number of DMX channels came make any production manager amp stacks were functional [guitar lious style of performance, there from,” said Kelly Sticksel of Pyro happy. Because Styx and REO amps] they are now set pieces is nothing clean about this set Tecnico. “We wound up giving Speedwagon are co-headliners on that also have a back lit opaque whatsoever. “Ted is just as outra- them 64 channels on this one.” the bill, both bands get the full panel where the grill is. The amp amount of available stage area, lines also serve as backline sta- geous as he has ever been, maybe more,” says Trzaskowski. “Rock n’ The set also includes six pillars which means the entire stage has tions. Each of these set pieces Roll should be gritty, raw and in that stand upstage and are also to be cleared in order for the are themselves flanked by step your face and we definitely bring internally lit. The lighting for other set to be placed. In the case units rising to the tops of the faux the grit to this tour.” the pillars was the recycled mod- of most sheds there is enough amps. There is also a very austere ules from the previous set and room upstage to hide the closing circular keyboard riser that stands That rebellious style also fig- reengineered by REO’s Monitor acts set behind a 48-foot black alone downstage right. The entire ures into the way Trzaskowski Engineer Peter Roberts. Each pil- upstage drape. backline rolls in three pieces and mixes the band... REAL LOUD. lar has a disc shaped topper that connects as one unit once in place. Because most of the shows on has E-Tape lighting its edge. Although it’s not new for this tour, Styx’ set has the same Ted Nugent, who is also a co- this tour are shed dates, db levels are of critical concern... to most The biggest concern of the new combination of maneuverabil- headliner, has a serious presence people, “Most of these places set was the question of how fast ity and functionality as that of in the show. Whereas the Styx were built a long time ago,” says can they get it on and off stage REO Speedwagon. mPm covered and REO Speedwagon both play Trzaskowski, “and they came in during a reasonable fraction of the show at Verizon Wireless with full access to the entire stage, and built homes around them the total 20 minutes allowed for Amphitheatre at Encore Park in Ted Nugent’s set plays downstage without informing the buyers set change. “Certainly it was a Alpharetta, Georgia, which has a of the middle act in the standard of the consequences, which are concern when we were designing very deep stage. On this particular stacked formation one would that every weekend there will be it,” recalled REO Speedwagon night Styx was the closer and, expect to see on a multi-act bill. an event and there will be noise. Production Manager Michael therefore, their production set By contrast to the Styx and REO Afterward they tried to enforce db Richter. “I like to call the set was able to slide far enough back Speedwagon sets that are very limits. They talk about the health change ‘20 minutes of chaos’. out of the way to not be seen. clean and polished, Ted Nugent’s

14 mobile production monthly dent than in their lighting designs. goes with a far less saturated look. addressed in a story in this issue Ravitz leans toward the use of That being said, this system was of mobile Production monthly written fully automated system, “The wisely designed in order to bril- by mPm contributor Bill Evans. PARs are bright, of course, and liantly accommodate the lighting fill the stage nicely,” said the long styles of all three bands on the bill. All tours love to tout that they time Styx designer, “but they are One element to the Styx lighting have a flowing sense of harmony one color only and must be manu- team that can never be overlooked in their crew, and if they don’t ally focused every day on a tour or understated is the work of they’re certainly not going to tell that sometimes has quite a time Lighting Director Libby Gray. this writer. The Midwest Rock n’ crunch.” Ravitz described Gray’s work, “It Roll Express Tour is no different used to be that I’d go out on the with regard to the “kumbaya” Although Dexter agrees with the road running these cues myself feel of the tour. But in this case logistical assessment of the PAR all the way back in the early days. the claim couldn’t be more accu- can, he insists that the extra work Now I design it and send it out rate. “We’re the luckiest crew out and fixed position and color are and there’s always that worry there,” said Rozner, “because we

issues and I tell them that rock n’ worth the challenges they pres- Ted!Nugent roll is not something healthy in the ent, “The reason it is so impor- first place. You want something tant for me to have the PARs “Wild” Mick Brown healthy? Go to a spa.” is twofold,” counters Dexter. Greg Smith “One is, it’s an 80s group and Derek St. Holmes The visual anchor of the show is a that’s what we all used in the sensational looking 15mil 46’x13’ 80s and it’s about retaining some GTEK LED video wall supplied history in that regard. The second by Pete’s Big TV that was used to part of my reasoning is layering. about how am I stunning effect by all three acts. I really don’t think there is any going to translate This is beautifully contrasted substitute for a PAR can and the and teach some- by the lighting system that was quality of light that it produces. body else to run the cues that are work for bands that don’t just co-designed by Jeff Ravitz and And used in conjunction with in my brain as the designer, and know how to do a show, they Paul Dexter. The system has 46 automated lights, the layers that Libby is just so intuitive. She can know how to do a tour.” automated lights (14 Mac2000 they achieve cannot be dupli- take what we’ve worked on and XB Wash, 18 VL3000 Spot, 4 cated.” In the end both agree make it even tighter on the road “I don’t know what it is about the VL3500 Spot, VL2500 Spot - the show looks good and both day after day. I’m continually camaraderie between the crews,” floor mounted, 6 Mac 101 - floor designers met in the middle to get impressed with her abilities.” mused Michael Richter, “but mounted) and 6 Martin Atomic it there. “I like Paul a lot,” added we’re like best friends and broth- Strobes. That array of gear is Ravitz, “and I think his design Tim Rozner agrees with Ravitz’ ers to one another, and every- fairly common place on any of sense is really good. So, that [the assessment of Gray’s talent, “She’s body’s there to help each other. today’s shows. However, there are inclusion of PARs] was my con- got a great sense of timing. It That is a huge contributing factor actually 104 fixtures in this rig cession. He certainly yielded to really is a pleasure to go out and to the success of the way the set with 52 being PAR 64’s (36) and me on several issues.” watch her work. She calls spot changes are going down. To be ACL’s (16). cues as well as anyone on earth. honest with you it all worked from The choice of lighting instruments We get compliments from local day one.”  Despite the aforementioned fact is not the only place where the crews about her work all the that both bands came from the two noted designers vary in their time.” same genre and time period there approach to the execution of this are significant stylistic differences. design. Where the Styx show is lit While there are many audio Nowhere could this be more evi- in a deep, rich, vivid pallet, Dexter related facets to this show, they are

mobile production monthly 15 Doug McKinley - Sound Crew Chief, Kevin Dennis - Sound Tech, Greg Mackey - Sound Tech

Vendors Sound Clair Global Lights Epic Production Technologies Trucking Upstaging Inc. Reo Speedwagon Crew: front: John “Scratcher” Aldridge - One Armed Drum Coaches Tech, Guitar Tech - Steve “Smooth” Summers back: Jimmie “John Wayne” Senators Coaches Emerson - Bass & Keyboard Tech, Peter Roberts - Monitor Engineer, Tony Video “T-Bird” Byrd - Guitar Tech, Paul Dexter - All Things Visual, Ricky Lathrop - Merch/Stage, Michael Richter - Production Mgr, Neil Schaefer - FOH Engineer Pete’s Big TV Credentials Cube Services Publicity ABC Public Relations Video Content Tocrok Productions

Chris Leahy - Bass Tech, Chris Maguire - Lighting Director, Francis Ruiz - Drum Tech, Frank Trzaskowski - Production Mgr/FOH Sound Engineer, Paul Karoutas – Guitar Tech for Nugent, Mark Harvey - Monitor Engineer

Universal Crew: Bobby Carrel - Tour Rigger, Kevin McGrath – Video, Dale Long - Tour Rigger Tech, Wendy Catto - Asst. Production Coord., "Elvis Presley" - Production Coordinator, Brian Wong Stage Mgr/ Carpenter, Jeff Heintz - Keyboard Tech, Michael Richter - Production Mgr

Styx Crew: Paulie Carrizzo - Drum Tech, Libby Gray - Lighting Director, Brian Wong Stage Mgr/Carpenter, Greg Mandelke - Guitar Tech, Jimmy Johnson - Guitar Tech, Evan McElhinney Monitor Engineer, FOH Sound Engineer - Gary Loizzo, Jeff Heintz - Keyboard Tech “Howie the Great” entertains Styx FOH Engineer & Bassist Gary Loizzo & Ricky Phillips in catering.

16 mobile production monthly Styx Crew Tour Mgr - George Packer Production Mgr - Keith Marks Assistant Tour Mgr - Jason Powell FOH Sound Engineer - Gary Loizzo Lighting Designer/Show Director - Jeff Ravitz Lighting Director - Libby Gray Monitor Engineer - Evan McElhinney Guitar Techs: Jimmy Johnson, Greg Mandelke Keyboard Tech - Jeff Heintz Drum Tech - Paulie Carrizzo Stage Mgr/Carpenter - Brian Wong Styx Tour Merch - Casey Compton Styx Band Bus Driver - Tom Gregorio, Don Galloway Styx Band Truck Driver - Kelley Sparger REO Speedwagon Crew Tour Mgr - Walter Versen Production Mgr- Mike Richter FOH Engineer - Neil Schaefer All Things Visual - Paul Dexter Monitor Engineer - Peter Roberts Guitar Techs: Tony “T-Bird” Byrd, Steve “Smooth” Summers One Armed Drum Tech - John “Scratcher” Aldridge Bass & Keyboard Tech - Jimmie “John Wayne” Emerson Merchandise/Stage Mgr - Ricky Lathrop Truck Driver - John “Uncle Fester” Ruiz Band Bus Driver - Jerry Burnside Crew Bus Driver - Mike Mallatt Ted Nugent Crew Tour Mgr - Bob Quandt Production Mgr/FOH Sound Engineer - Frank Trzaskowski Tour Assistant - Toby Nugent Lighting Director - Chris Maguire Monitor Engineer - Mark Harvey Guitar Tech for Derek St. Holmes - Eric Gormley Bass Tech - Chris Leahy Drum Tech - Francis Ruiz Guitar Tech for Nugent - Paul Karoutas Ted's Pilot - Joe Jordan Bus Driver - Josh Meredith Truck Driver - Ted "Okie" Paiva MRRX 2012 Universal Crew Production Coord. - Tim Rozner Tour Riggers: Dale Long, Bobby Carrel Asst. Production Coord.- Wendy Catto Lighting Crew Chief - Glen Rupert Lighting Techs: Will Anglin, Mark Abra Video Tech - Kevin McGrath Sound Crew Chief - Doug McKinley Sound Tech: Kevin Dennis, Greg Mackey Production Bus Driver - Fred Anderson Production Truck Drivers: Jim Bond Lead, Les King, Vid Tidwell

mobile production monthly 17 By Bill Evans

Two Classic Rock Icons, Two Different Console Platforms, Two Completely Different Approaches, and Yet They All Work Together

Neil Schaffer and Gary Loizzo work together a lot. Neil has been REO Speedwagon’s guy since sometime in the 90s. Ditto Gary with Styx, a band he has mixed live since 1996. He has also engineered every Styx record since Cornerstone. He’s also been nominated for a couple of Grammy’s for that work.

REO and Styx tour together a approach. lot. The interview with Neil took REO sounds Neil Schaffer place on one of those co-headline like a really live they’re just different. shows at the Joint at the Hard band. Like that “How Can I Make It Rock in Las Vegas. The interview really good Better?” Neil’s weapon of choice is the with Gary was before a solo Styx band in your Avid Venue Profile. He likes the show a few months later at Green favorite bar but There is one fact about Neil size and layout and workflow, and Valley Ranch also in Las Vegas. better and a lot that has nothing to do with he has used everything. In fact, he That night they were working out louder. audio which, nonetheless, il- was among those pioneering spirits the final details for a summer tour lustrates his approach to live who were very early adopters of with both bands plus Ted Nugent. Gary started music and he never told us digital consoles on the road. He At least that was the plan as of as a performer about it. We found out from adapted the Yamaha DM2000—a the time this was written. With all and became Gary. In his off time, one of digital “production” mixer de- the fallout from the Motor City a recording engineer and studio the things Neil does is design golf signed for recording and maybe Madman’s recent political com- owner. After working a lot with clubs. installation in something like a ments, who knows. Styx, he was asked by former small theater but the designers frontman Dennis DeYoung to mix The duffers reading this will know certainly never envisioned it on a Back to the audio... The show at his live solo shows before he took that minute changes in the mass, rock tour. the Joint was especially enlighten- the helm for the band in 96. That weight, density, weight distribution ing. Two bands with a ton of hits studio background is instantly ap- or tiny change in the face of the “I started digital in, I think, 2003. makes it hard to decide what to parent in his mix. It is controlled, club can totally change the way it I saw an ad. I think it was in Mix leave out of a typical 75-90 minute and even live has a kind of studio performs. It’s why there is not just for the DM2000. I looked at it... set. There is no lull. The show sheen. one kind of driver or putter. Or and looked at it. I called them up is hit after hit after hit. Neil and to move back into musical terms, and introduced myself and said, Gary are both really good and Neither approach is right or wrong some people are Gibson guys and ‘I’d like to take it out with REO.’ both understand what the audi- and both bands sounded great, but not a fan of skinny maple necks, The guy I was speaking to said, ence wants. They both serve their it literally sounded like two differ- while others may play nothing ‘Why would you want to do that?’ artists really well and yet their ent PA rigs. Perhaps the interviews but Tele’s and 335s would feel like approaches to mixing are very dif- will shed some light on the situ- a foreign object in their hands. “Neil was the first guy in North ferent. ation. Or maybe not. However, Closer to the audio tip, some guys America to tour the DM2000. both guys are interesting, fun and like Yamaha and others swear by When the initial wave of audio Neil designs systems as well as know their stuff. Read on... DiGiCo and some insist on Midas. hackers—guys like Neil and Jim mixing shows - that informs his None of the choices are wrong, Roese—were done proving a small

18 mobile production monthly digital board could work on the road and companies like Yamaha and DiGiCo started making digital consoles specifically made for touring, Neil tried a bunch of different stuff before he settled on the Avid Venue Profile.

“I had a short run with the PM1D and then had the 5D for several years and then moved over to this (Venue) platform and, I’m happy with it. I have no intention on changing it.”

One of the oft-cited reasons engineers give for going with the Avid system is the easy integration of third-party processing plug-ins, but Neil is not a big plug-in guy. He’s not a “just plug it in and turn it up” guy, but he’s not big on a lot of processing, either. That said, he does have stuff from McDSP, Eventide, and Crane installed and recently bought the Waves Live bundle.

“I may have a bunch of stuff but I’m pretty straight forward. I like a good compressor on the vocal. A good de-esser, a good EQ. Nothing to fancy.”

It seems Neil’s approach is right for the band. It’s a big part of why he has been with them as long as he has and why they continue to keep him away from his Michigan home

mobile production monthly 19 with about 100 dates per year tion and got a very non-standard working on and then convinced amps onstage. The color-changing from January through October. answer. the band that the less harried vibe LED screens on the front of all away from the city would do them of the dummy speaker cabinets “It’s great. I am very grateful for “Well, I started out as a per- good. Then he started mixing the onstage should hint at that. They this schedule. Not only does it pay former,” Gary says. “I had a band singer’s live solo shows and then want their shows to sound like the the bills, but it keeps my chops up called the American Breed. I was the band asked him to do the same records and that is what their fans working with these guys (Styx). the lead singer on the cut ‘Bend for them. Gary has been with Styx come out to hear. Gary learned Over the years we have done Me Shake Me. Small world, right? ever since then. quickly that live is different from probably 100 shows together so the studio even when the goal is to it’s smooth. You almost don’t even That song was a big hit in 1968. Considering his studio back- provide a live experience of the re- have to say anything. It just hap- Sold something like two million ground, Gary keeps it pretty cord. It is all about exaggeration. pens.” copies. (“It would have been have simple. Yamaha PM5D with mini- been four million if the Amen mal extern al processing and no “I approach it like I was mixing Corner hadn’t recorded another plug-ins. Gary Loizzo version and released “It’s Like the it in England,” Gary “I’m a Pro Tools guy. My studio Records, But notes.) During the went Pro Tools in 2000, but for me More...” process of recording it doesn’t work live,” he says. that song and oth- When we finally sat ers, Gary became When we first heard that Styx down to talk with Gary, enamored of the was playing at Green Valley, we it was after seeing him studio process, so he wondered where exactly. We on a bunch of Styx gigs used the money that did not know about the “Events over a period of about “Bend Me Shape Center.” (BTW, the rig was 10 years. Every show we Me” had gener- L-Acoustic V-Dosc provided by went to that Styx was ated and opened PRG.) Knowing that Gary was a on, we were there to talk Pumpkin Studios PM5D guy, we asked if he would to the crew from the other artist about 50 miles out- take advantage of the XL8 in the on the bill. Of course, when we side of Chicago. room. The answer was no. finally did connect, it was not on a gig in a great room. The Joint “I worked with all of the Chicago “Most of the digital consoles are at the Hard Rock is a great room. area bands during the 70s. just so crystal clear and I need The “Event Center” at Green Producers knew me and knew I something with a little more dif- Valley Ranch is a typical Vegas ho- was musical and they sent their fuse. I am an analog guy and I tel ballroom. High ceilings, huge bands to me for pre-production know I’m fighting a losing battle,” chandeliers, the whole nine yards. work all the time. Many times, explains Gary. “The kids don’t (Irony is that upstairs in the same when it came time to actually know what analog even sounds a record but instead of a subtle building there is a club space that make the record, they wanted to like but to me the PM5D just has collage of sound it’s almost a boasts one of the priciest systems be closer to the city so they would more analog warmth and round- caricature. I poke at people,” he in Vegas including a pair of Midas go to Paragon.” ness. Everything is in the console states. “If there is a vocal part or XL8s. You can stop doing the so I don’t have to bring an iLok or a solo that is really a memorable math in your head, that’s about Gary still has Pumpkin and still re- my plug-ins which is a pain in the part of the song, I make sure that $700K in just consoles...) cords bands but the rhythm of his butt.” really stands out. To make sure I life changed when the singer from am not remembering it wrong, I After a bit of idle chat, we started one of the Chicago bands he had So what about that approach go back and listen to the original out with the standard “how did worked with chose Pumpkin to to mixing things? Styx is a very material all the time. Even though you get into the business” ques- record some solo material he was controlled band. There are no I engineered a lot of it, I still listen

20 mobile production monthly to the originals to make sure I am staying true to the spirit.”

It’s an approach that really works for this band and part of why Gary has been around for the better part of two decades. “I still do it because I love the work. I hate the travel but I love the work,” Gary confesses. So how does one get around that? Well, it helps that everyone in the band has families so they tend to do a lot of short runs throughout the year. “I’m good for about three weeks at a time and after that, I miss my wife. If they book a six- week run, I do the first three then sub out a week and come back for the last two weeks.”

Back to that “event center.” As the show was getting ready to start, Gary looked around at the less- than-ideal acoustic setting and said, “Now, don’t be judging me on just this show. Of course you would come out for a small show in a ballroom,” he said laughing. He had nothing to worry about. It sounding like a big bad rock show. It sounded like Styx. It sounded like the records, just more so. 

mobile production monthly 21 22 mobile production monthly lighting

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mobile production monthly 23 24 mobile production monthly NICKELBACK “Here & Now” With a Much More Polished Show

By Michael A. Beck “Nickelback comes out and plays their show and it’s like this party that everyone is invited to and your favorite band is playing in the back yard.” Those are the words of Show Designer Butch Allen when asked about the design theory of the production. However, in a 28 minute con- That being said, the show has a lot of moving parts versation Allen never once to it. At the heart of the design is the concept of took sole credit for the design time, which is in keeping with the title of the tour of the show. “I was thinking and CD – Here & Now. This theme is carved into the show on many levels right down to a time piece exactly what they [Nickelback] painted on the stage as well as on the skin of Daniel told me to think.” Adair’s kick drum.

With the exception of two 16'x20' side projection screens getting IMAG from 20k projectors, all of the video imagery is delivered via PRG Nocturne V-28 LED product. A 72'x3' riser runs along the upstage line that is faced out with V-28. A 3' high wall of V-28 rises up from the upstage edge of the riser that makes up the center 68' of the riser. Flying above the backline is a wall comprised of six vertical panels of V-28 each measuring roughly 6'x22'. The panels are flown off of a trolley that travels horizontally. This allows them to be configured as six, three or two separate panels or one wall measuring 36' across.

The video team on the tour, headed up by veteran director Jonathan Beswick, has a compliment of eight cameras; two long lenses, two handheld in the pit, to POVs on the drum kit, one wireless “guitar

The last hand that touches the video before it appears in the show is the programmer. Chris had never done anything like this before. We threw him into the deep end of the pool and tied a couple of Hippo’s around his neck to make it even harder to swim, and he just killed it.” ~ Butch Allen – Show Designer

mobile production monthly 25 I was thinking exactly what they [Nickelback] told me to think.” ~ Butch Allen – Show Designer

cam” mounted on the neck of guitarist Ryan Peake’s guitar shooting down the neck at his hands and a “Chad cam” which is a wireless handheld camera lead singer Chad Kroeger carries out into the crowd at three different times during the show.

Whereas many productions put content on the main video presentation and relegate IMAG to the side screens, that is not the case on this tour. There are times – as in the song “Burn it to the Ground” – when Beswick is switching a conventional IMAG set for the side screens but has isolated cameras hitting the V-28 display in its three panel configuration. “Burn it to the Ground” is also the only song during the show during which Beswick uses the “guitar cam”.

The video content of the show was created by Mark Devlin of Mark Devlin Designs and Olivier Goulet of Geodezik Design. Devlin had an interesting inspiration for the design of one piece of video, “I got the some direction from Butch [Allen] that the band wanted one – if not more – videos that were nothing but white lyrics on a black background.” He recalled, “My initial response to that was, ‘Isn’t that karaoke?’ Tragically at that same time my father had a stroke and a few days later passed away. That put me in a very different the black and white I was asked to provide producers. One very good example of this was mindset that made me extremely emotional but the way the words come in it illustrates the content for the song “Far Away” during and that emotion combined with the request the lyrics and tempo of the song. I did the which the video content was animation of the to do something with white lettering on a black whole piece in 18 straight hours immediately internal gears of a clock. Allen made the deci- background encouraged me to do what I did after hearing of my father’s death. I’d found a sion to take the video slightly out of focus in for ‘Something in Your Mouth”. I used a tech- wonderful peace with the fact that he wouldn’t order to create an illusion of depth of field. nique called ‘Frantic Type’, which delivered be lingering for years in the aftermath of his stroke. I had a wonder- Allen lays the success of the design squarely ful peace that said at the feet of the entire team, “Olivier Goulet everything’s good now, did a piece for this show that was off the chart ‘one monkey don’t stop beautiful and Mark did some really cool stuff no show’. We’ve gotta as well. Chris Maeder, the LD on the show, do this.” did all the video programming, and he also composed quite a few of the pieces and Benny Allen was pleased the Kirkham, who was my associate designer on product he got from this one did an unbelievable job of program- Devlin and Goulet, ming the lighting. We brought all these differ- but was quick to add ent artists together to create the look of this that the video content show. The result is it’s got a wide variety of wasn’t completed when looks in it.” it was submitted by its

26 mobile production monthly into the deep end of the pool and tied a tours, lighting and video in this production are couple of Hippo’s around his neck to make an inseparable visual one-two punch. The most it even harder to swim and he just killed it.” prominent facet of the lighting of this show is without a doubt the 96 Clay Paky Sharpies. Riding over the top of the fact that everyone Fifty-five of the sharpies are mounted on the down the line is considered by Allen to be back side of the edges of panels of the video an artist, there can be a bit of trepidation wall so that when the panels come together that takes place when the video is handed they can form a seamless unit. But when the off. Devlin explained, “I had to trust another panels separate into six pieces and the sharpies artists with whom I had never worked. I are lit up the effect is explosive. had to turn my vision over to another artist I wasn’t communicating with or with whom Although the Sharpie is fast becoming as ubiq- I couldn’t share my vision and let him take uitous as tour buses, this is without a doubt the a look at what I did and let him finish it off. boldest presentation we’ve seen so far. Lighting That’s a pretty uncomfortable feeling. And Crew Chief Matt Burden agrees, “If ever there when you’ve got this amount of work and was a production to showcase Sharpies, this only 10 days to do it, you kind of hope that is it. I’ve done a few shows with Sharpies and artist is a Butch Allen.” they didn’t look like this.”

As is the case in almost every show that That could be why Allen called the show

Although Maeder was grateful for the nod, he takes a nonchalant position on the matter, “We had carried media servers before and I’d done some updating to the [pre-existing] programming. But this was the first time I did the entire show. Butch and I were on the same page with what we were doing and that made it a lot easier. If he wasn’t really into what I was doing it definitely would have been a lot more difficult.”

Another interesting aspect of the creative team was that Chris Maeder, who has been with the band since it was playing bars, had never done this level of video programming. Allen described the situation, “The last hand that touches the video before it appears in the show is the programmer. Chris had never done anything like this before. We threw him

mobile production monthly 27 NICKELBACK vendors

Band Management Union Entertainment Group Business Management “Sharpageddon”. Gudvi, Sussman & Oppenheim, Inc. Booking Agency In addition to the 55 sharpies on the wall, The Agency Group there are also 41 on the floor. Eleven of those Promoter are posted along the top of the upper fascia Live Nation- US of the upstage riser with the rest positioned Agency Group- Canada Record Company on the off stage ends of the main stage apron. Roadrunner Records Allen also placed several Vari*Lite 3500 Wash Emi Music – Canada units blowing through the video panels of the Touring Security upper fascia as well as around the foot of the The Westpac Group drum riser. Down light was provided by eight Buses pods over the stage. Each pod is loaded with Celebrity Coaches eight VL 3000 Spots and two Martin Atomic Trucks Strobes. All of the visual elements of the Upstaging Inc. show are backed up by a massive scrim that is Lights washed with eight Color Kinetics ColorBlaze PRG Lights 72s. Audio Clair Global Video A standard part of the Nickelback show has PRG Nocturne long been the B stage and this was no different, Freight although the stage itself is a huge departure Horizon Entertainment Group from tours past. As opposed to walking down Staging & Motion Control a runway to the stage, which is what happened Tait Towers in the past, they come through the house as Pyro the stage, which was created by Tait Towers, Stage & Effects Engineering is being lowered from the roof. The unit has a Travel Agent very mechanical look due to the metal fascia Pro Travel, Inc Internet Tour that was cut out to look like the internal work- Tech Support ing of mechanical clockworks. As it descends, Band Catering the bottom of the platform is the only part of All Five Horizons the structure that is visible because it’s lit in a Merchandise vibrant green by 18 German Volkslicht LED F.E.A. Merch units. Because the show is general admission Passes on the floor, the audience is able to gather Hellcat Design Group Touring around the barricaded area where the stage Barricade/Cable Ramps is landing. It has the distinct look of an H.G. eps america Wells-esque spaceship.

The stage has a drum kit already placed upon it and the backline and carpentry crew place guitars and a bass on stands so that when the band members get to the stage they can just

28 mobile production monthly We did the ‘pyro all night long’ thing through the ‘04 to ‘09 years. And as their budget and fan base expanded, they wanted to go bigger and bigger. Eventually it got to the point where we decided to show our hand in the beginning with a big display, wind them back up in the middle, and then finish off strong in the end...” ~ Stephen “Steve J” Joseph – Stage & Effects Engineering

step onto it and play. Once the band members been the perennial pyro vendor for several are safely aboard the stage, the stage takes back tours. Co-owner of the company Stephen off to an altitude of about 20 feet, and they “Steve J” Joseph designed the pyro looks for play while the Lexand deck rotates. this tour. Joseph, who introduces himself as “the guy you keep in a glass jar with instruc- The stage is lifted by 8 Vario Hoists at 4 points. tions to break the glass in case of Led Zeppelin Each point has one chain being pulled at both reunion,” designed a smaller show this time ends through a block at the hook, which was out than in tours past. “We did the ‘pyro all also built by Tait, and attaches to the stage. night long’ thing through the ‘04 to ‘09 years,” This is as much about safety and backup as it said the ever vivacious Joseph. “And as their is load distribution. In the highly unlikely event budget and fan base expanded, they wanted to that one of the hoists quits, the other one can go bigger and bigger. Eventually it got to the take the entire load of the point and continue point where we decided to show our hand in functioning safely. the beginning with a big display, wind them back up in the middle, and then finish off Another place in the production where motion strong in the end. It makes the effects more control is used is the runways that extend powerful when they occur and it also leaves diagonally out from the downstage corners of more room to polish the rest of the show.” the stage. Each of the runways has a tread mill that can carry one of the band members out The show has 24 flame heads along the upper to the end of the ramp. The conveyer is always level of the riser fascia. Twelve are LaMaitre running in one direction or another so that all flame nozzles, and 12 are Smart Cube units they have to do is step onto it like a moving developed by Stage & Effects Engineering walkway at an airport and get off at the end. which allows for more precise control over the When they step off at the far end of the ramp flame. During the last song of the night, they a motion control operator reverses the direc- drop 200 purple “Falling Stars”. When the tion for the trip back to the main stage when song is over, the band says goodnight and does the band member decides to come back. The a musical outro during which the remainder belts are pickle controlled by Motion Control of the pyro inventory (300 pieces of product) is Tech Bianca Beauregard and Set Carpenter unleashed. Jack Deitering. Although FOH Engineer Oris Henry is never Another long standing element of a Nickelback overly talkative about his show and the System show is pyro. Stage & Effects Engineering has continued on 38

mobile production monthly 29 crew photos

1 Donnie Floyd – Stage Manager

2 Casey Lake - Pyro Tech, Freddie Price - Pyro Tech, Anthony Greene - Pyro Tech, Jason Jones - Pyro Tech

3 Kevin "Chief" Zaruk - Tour Manager, Claire Van Herck, Assistant Live Nation Tour Director, Chris 1 "Hawk" Louden - Venue Security, Bradlee Kind - Band Assistant/Meet & Greet Coordinator

4 Kimo Silva - Band Security

5 Mike Farese - Head Rigger, Ina Jacobs - Tour Accountant, Yvette Uhlmann - Production Coordinator, Kevin "Chief" Zaruk - Tour Manager, Jesse Sandler - Production Manager

6 Roger Gibbons – Clair Clobal - Nashville 2

7 Wendy Smith - Band Assistant/Wardrobe, Chris "Hawk" Louden - Venue Security 4

8 Front: Orris Henry - FOH Engineer, Michael Allison - Crew Chief/System Engineer, Erik Rodstol - Wireless Tech, Chris Holland - Monitor Engineer Back: Michael Mule - Monitor Engineer, Phillip Kriz – Audio Tech

9 Front: Phil Kriz - Lighting Tech, Matthew 3 Burden - Lighting Crew Chief, Chris Maeder - Lighting Director Back: Clayton Stewart - Lighting Tech, Thomas Dubas - Lighting Tech, Jason Hicks - Lighting Tech, James Jones III - Lighting Tech 5

10 Video: Jonathan Beswick - Video Director, Carson Austin - Crew Chief/LED, Steven Tomanek - Cam Op/LED Tech, Rick Trimmer - Cam Op, John Moore – LED Tech, Jason Lipton - Video Engineer

11 Bianca Beauregard - Motion Tech, Aaron Levy – Motion Control Crew Chief 6

These guys are one of the only bands I’ve ever worked for that really get 7 involved in the day to day functions of the tour. They’re very involved in the design process, and they really care about the crew. It’s not uncommon for them to come into the office and ask how the day is going or check on very specific aspects of the load in.” ~ Jesse Sandler – Production Manager

30 mobile production monthly NICKELBACK crew 8 Band Pyro Chad Kroeger - Lead Vocals/Guitar Crew Chief/Shooter - Steve Joseph Mike Kroeger - Bass Pyro Techs: Casey Lake, Jason Ryan Peake - Guitar/Vocals Jones, Fred Price, Anthony Greene Daniel Adair - Drums/Vocals Rigging Tour Manager - Kevin "Chief" Zaruk Head Rigger - Mike Farese Band Assistant/Meet & Greet Rigger - Danny Machado Coordinator - Bradlee Kind Rigger - Rick Wilmot Band Security - Kimo Silva Rigger/Motion Tech - Kenny "Skippy" Ruhman Production crew Production Manager - Jesse Motion Control Sandler Crew Chief - Aaron Levy Production Coordinator - Yvette Motion Tech - Bianca Beauregard Uhlmann Motion Tech - David Hernandez Band Assistant/Wardrobe - Wendy Smith Carpenters Stage Manager - Donnie Floyd Head Carp - Greg Gish Tour Accountant - Ina Jacobs Carpenters: Jack Deitering, Dale Venue Security - Chris "Hawk" Bryant, Jerry Prater Louden Catering/Production Assistant Band Catering Backline - Dawn Jeronowitz Band Chef - Jason Perry

Backline Crew Live Nation Guitar Tech- Ryan - Kris "Daws" Live Nation Tour Director - Keith Dawson Keller Pro Tools Operator - Gordini Sran Assistant Live Nation Tour Director Bass Tech- Mike Rob Dawson - Claire Van Herck Guitar Tech- Chad - Takumi VIP Coordinator - Genevieve 9 Suetsugu "Jenny" Neace Drum Tech - Tom Willhelm Backline Tech - Ernie Hawkins Merchandise 10 Head Rep - Jared Gery Sound Assistant Rep - Luke Underwood FOH Engineer - Orris Henry Monitor Engineer - Michael Mule Bus Drivers Crew Chief/System Engineer - Stephen W. Headley- Ryan Driver, Michael Allison Albert Harrilal - Chad Driver, Charlie Monitor Engineer - Chris Holland Warren -Mike Driver, Ricky Presley Audio Tech: Phillip Kriz, Matthew - Daniel/Chief Bus Driver, Lead Moser Crew Driver - Jeff Feightner Crew Drivers: John Paul, Newton Lighting Drivers, James Clifford Lee, Sidney Lighting Director - Chris Maeder Terrell Davis Jr., Billy Ray Nelson Jr. Lighting Crew Chief - Matthew Burden Truck Drivers Lighting Techs: Clayton Stewart, Lead Driver: Gary Nall Thomas Dubas, James Jones, Drivers: Randy Rhoton, Tyler Jason Hicks, Eric Marshall, Phil Kriz Rhoton, Bill Phillips, Marshall Mclane, Richard Genereux, Russ Video Imperiale, Mike Puckett, Geoff Video Director - Jonathan Beswick Cox, Tim Heeren, Kevin Thompson, Video Engineer - Jason Lipton Randy Ennis, Ray Niles, Hans Smith Crew Chief/LED - Carson Austin LED/Cam Tech - John Moore Cam Ops: Steven Tomanek, Rick Trimmer 11

mobile production monthly 31 Chris "hawk" Louden Discretion is the Better Part of Valor

By Michael A. Beck to play baseball, and I was really good at that. I played at a place called Toluca Lake, and Chris “Hawk” Louden is they played in the same Little League program I did, so we became friends. Now remember, the straight talking no nonsense the only thing I knew about Dweezil was that venue security director for he had a funny name. I would be up at that house and people like Adrian Belew would Nickelback. He’s also one of the come by, and I had no idea who they were. I busiest people in the industry. watched Steve Vai teach Dweezil the guitar. When we decided to sit down and To me, this was really cool. To me he was just Mr. Zappa. Not long after I met him, I was chat, it seemed like it would be a probably 10 or 11, I asked him if he wanted a pretty straight forward discussion door shut. I said, “Mr. Zappa, do you want this door shut?,” and he came back with, “If you’re about the career of a well going to be cool and hang out up here, you’re seasoned security guy. But from going to have to call me Frank.” I remem- the very onset, the exchange went ber when I was 13, I went and saw Missing Persons at the Whisky [A Go-Go]. Even then I places that fortified the the rule of had no idea what kind of royalty I was in. never, ever assuming how an open We’ll just leave that there and move on then. conversation might turn out. You served in the Marine That aside, you had no experience in the Corps. What sent you in that service that might have prepared you for direction? doing entertainment security nor did you have any experience in the concert environ- How did you get on the path ment? of security? When I finished high school, I felt like I wanted to serve so I joined the Marine Corps. After None whatsoever. The only thing I did in the I grew up at the Zappa House, and before I got Desert Storm and Desert Shield I returned. Because there were some parts of that conflict Marine Corps that came even close to that was out of the Marine Corps Frank had offered me I drove a commanding officer around. While I a job. Frank was like a father to me. that kind of scared me, I went back and saw everyone I had not seen in a very long time. was in, I studied Judo. It wasn’t long before I was getting mentored by Dave Molder who did How did you come to grow The Zappa family were the first people that I went to see, and Frank was just getting sick. bodyguard work for Ozzy and Duran Duran. up at the Zappa House? He got up out of bed and gave me hugs and He was a Royal Marine Commando, and he we sat down, talked, and he offered me a job. kind of took me under his wing and showed I grew up with Dweezil and Scott Marshall, He wanted me to get out of the Corps. He was me the ropes. (Garry Marshall’s son), and I was the kid going to run for President, remember that? He from the wrong side of the tracks. My parents was going to make me the Chief of Staff if he So what happened after you weren’t really ever around, so the Zappa’s kind won. However, right before I got out Frank did the European run with of adopted me, and I lived up at the Zappa passed, and Mrs. Zappa said, “He offered you Dweezil and Ahmet? House. Now I had no idea at the time who he a job, and we’re going to honor that. As soon was or what he did or that he was a famous as you get out, you come work for me.” After that I went to work at the office of Zappa musician. I was a kid playing Little League Records and Barfko-Swill. with Dweezil and Scott. How long had you been in? What did you do there? It never filtered down to you? 10 years. I worked in the office, and I did odd security In 1984 I wanted to play the guitar because Was that where security came jobs when the boys or Gayle [Zappa] wanted Dweezil was doing it, and my mom and dad into your sights? to go somewhere, or when they needed the could never afford one... we were poor. I mean house watched, I’d go up and stay at the really poor, and they couldn’t afford to get me house. After about three years, I met a young a guitar, so Frank built one for me. It was a Well, Dweezil and Ahmet were going to Europe and asked if I wanted to do security singer there, and he asked me if I’d like to go blonde Stratocaster. It’s the same one that he out on the road with him and train in martial played on “Shut Up and Play Your Guitar”. for them. Now I had never been in this type of environment. I was fresh out of the Marine arts. That singer was Maynard Keenan from It’s still in the case. It hasn’t been out of the Tool, and that was my first actual touring gig. case since I was 12. I burned my fingers on the Corpss, and I didn’t know anything about that work. He was just getting into Brazilian Jujitsu, and strings and said “no way” and never picked it I also did an art called Danzan Ryu, which is up again. Let’s back up for a second. another form of Jujitsu. What was your designation in Let’s back up a bit. How did a dirt poor Where did it go from there? kid from the wrong side of the tracks fall the Marine Corps? Did you do in with certainly more affluent kids like anything that might have pre- It all took off from there. My first tour manag- Dweezil Zappa and Scott Marshall? pared you for a security gig? er, Rick Smith, had worked with everyone. He and Chris Gratton – who is production manag- There was only one thing to do in the neigh- I held a top security clearance. I worked on an er for the Pumpkins now – pulled me aside and borhood when I was growing up and that was aircraft that was highly classified.

32 mobile production monthly told me exactly how to give a security brief, How long has the company How did Chico get involved? what to look for, how to set the barricades cor- been in existence? rectly... all that stuff. I owe my touring career Well when he was 16, I had to bring him out to those two guys. Since 2003. Back then it was just me, and on the road with Nickelback because I had no it was called Hawk Inc. After that I part- other place to put him. He stayed with us until What time period was this? nered with Mike Kroeger, the bass player for he was 18. Nickelback put him to work as a Nickelback. That was about eight years ago. carp. I have to tell you that every band I’ve 1996. When that happened, I opened arms that did ever worked for are very special to me because loss prevention, security, personal body guard they each did great things for me. Aside from Did you stay busy from there service and the fugitive recovery unit. the pay, they were each in tune with my feel- on? ings and needs. They each helped me out What’s Mike’s involvement in hugely. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all of Yeah, but there was more to it than just loving the company? those bands. being out on the road. I had to work because I had a daughter Andrea, who was born mentally I needed more direction in my company, and When I saw you on the most recent Nickelback handicapped. show in Atlanta, you told me that your staff want- Mike is a great business guy. He’s very secu- ed to get you nominated to the Top Dog Award rity focused. If any security related issues for security, and someone told you that you’re I wasn’t aware of that. come up on the road, he wants to know about profile wasn’t sufficiently high enough to get the it. I asked him if he’d like to come aboard and nod. That brings up an interesting question. She’s now 21, and she’s still with me. It’s a he did. beautiful thing, and she’s a wonderful young Isn’t a “sufficiently high” pro- lady. Remember when you did that story on How many people are involved me and Chico [Christopher Louden Jr.]? file counterintuitive to what in the company now? you do? Yeah. 15 to 20. Absolutely. I’m not the one who’s on stage, so I’m not the one the light should be shining At that time I was a single parent. I had to pull How involved is Mike on a day him out of school so he could watch his sister, on - EVER. If I make a stupid mistake, my so I could keep working because his mother to day basis? general liability insurance is going to pay for turned into a heroin junkie. it and I’m not going to get any work. I’m not Mike has since moved on. He got too busy a thug. I’m not there to smack people around. with the band so I just took it back over. It’s But everyone is doing well Those days ended decades ago. My sense of just me as the CEO. As I get older, I’m starting urgency about the job should never be visible now right? to move away from touring and I’m just over- either. If security issues do come up, the band seeing the company through my managers. I should never notice it. What I like to hear is, Amazingly, yes. Chico is a bounty hunter have an LA manger and a Florida manager. ‘Man, the show was an easy tonight, right?” down in LA, and Andrea is at home with my “Yes it was.”  fiancé. Andrea kicks butt in Florida and goes to school, so it’s amazing.

Okay, let’s talk Chico for a minute. He toured for a while. I met him out on Nickelback the first time I covered your tours, and then he got into bounty hunting. But when you first told me about that a couple years ago, you said something that was a little startling.

Chico only goes after the big cases. Did I get that right?

Yes. At the time he was chasing after gang bangers and pedophiles. He looks Hispanic, and anything that came over through South Central or East LA, I’d send him out on those.

What do you mean You'd send him out on those?

My company has a fugitive recovery unit, and Chico handles all that.

That’s the Westpac Group, right?

Yeah. We’re in California and Florida.

mobile production monthly 33 NICKELBACK Here & now eps Helping Preserve the america Quality of Your Production

What do you bring on of the stage, eps provided 100 black metal bar stools and 24 tables. While carry- tour? Probably lights and ing these furniture pieces on tour might sound equipment. Maybe seem cumbersome, eps america worked to ensure ease of equipment transport, your lucky black shirt. load-in and load-out, so Nickelback can provide the same quality experience to How about VIP guests in each city they play. infrastructure? eps designed and built specialty furniture For a tour to run smoothly, accurately, carts, focusing on a few qualities they and efficiently, all the parts have to come knew would be desired by production eps america’s Managing Director Andreas together like a well-oiled machine. That crew: they made the carts as compact as Sengebush & Account Executive Knute Brye, at the Tour Link Conference in January means no surprises. And that means deal- they could, able to hold the maximum ing with the same equipment. Every show, amount of tables and bar stools in the every city. minimum amount of space; and they Over two decades, and in countries all over made loading and unloading the carts as the world, eps has provided the fundamen- With 54 dates in 54 venues on their Here quick and easy as possible, knowing that tals to make events, and tours, happen. and Now Tour, Nickelback’s production the VIP furniture is often the last equip- Everything from ground cover to barri- carries infrastructure products from eps ment set-up and the first loaded-out. cades, access gates, sanitary systems, flag- america. They started their latest North poles, cable protectors, and more. They’ve American tour on April 10th. A few days For good measure, eps also supplied the been on tour with some of the biggest earlier, less than 200 miles away, eps amer- Here and Now Tour with a set cable protec- names in music, following the likes of AC/ ica’s Chicago storage facility was preparing tors. Yellow jackets, an industry standard, DC, the Rolling Stones, and Madonna all to deliver barricade, cable protectors, and are used throughout. Also included are around the world. an entire set of VIP-area furniture to the diamond plate metal ramps which are first tour stop at Moline’s i wireless Center. ideal for a confluence of cables and have a If you went to the U2 tour and didn’t long leading edge on the ramp - no harsh notice eps equipment, you were prob- More than 250 feet of eps america’s bumps or sliding if driving a fork or case ably standing on it. For the 360° Tour GIGS stage barriers were delivered, in over. The variety of products eps keeps in stadium shows, eps provided as much as a combination of straight, vario corner, its inventory allows tour production to get 90,000 square feet of Terraplas, and up to and flexi pieces. The variety of GIGS a whole range of equipment from just a 100,000 square feet of aluminum Arena units allows them to be built around the single vendor, making eps america a one- Panel ground cover. Perhaps you found uniquely shaped stages and FOH units. For stop-shop. yourself up against the railing during the Nickelback, vario corner barricade pieces Lady Gaga’s last tour, or Jay-Z and Kanye create an inside corner near stage left and West’s Watch the Throne Tour. Then you stage right, allowing for a slight audience would have seen eps’ GIGS stage barriers thrust that allows fans to get closer, safely. up-close. Their configuration also creates passage- way space for security personnel – who With additional offices in Germany, are able to pull out concertgoers with the Denmark, Poland, and Australia, eps can help of integrated steps on the back side. provide infrastructure and handle logistics when tours go abroad. When Nickleback At the completion of the show, produc- plays select dates on their European tour tion crews transport the GIGS stage bar- leg, eps equipment will be there, helping riers to the next venue - while this tour to preserve the quality of production even elected a dry-hire, eps america offers full- after it crosses the ocean.  service options as well.

Carrying GIGS along with the tour is often preferable over dealing with house VIP sections to the left and right of the barricades, which may not be properly stage feature bar stool and high tops sup- stocked with specialty pieces needed to plied by eps america accommodate a custom stage layout. And eps america’s GIGS barricades are made GIGS barriers surround the stage for Nickelback’s Here and Now tour of a lightweight but sturdy aluminum construction, making set-up and break- down quick and easy for the many back- visit to-back tour dates. MORE INFO eps.net

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34 mobile production monthly Get in touch!

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Australia Europe America Learn more about us: Melbourne, Sydney, Munich, Cologne, Berlin, Washington, D.C., www.eps.net Perth Copenhagen, Wroclaw, Udine Chicago, Los Angeles [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] NICKELBACK Here & now PRG Hits the Ground Running for Another Great Year by Mike Wharton

Mickey Curbishly is President Nickelback, a long standing of Concert Touring for client of PRG Nocturne is Production Resource currently out and utilizing Group with 30 years PRG’s Lighting division for the first time. Curbishly of experience in the live attributes the change in production industry. So, when lighting company’s to the he says this is the busiest he's fact that production is mounting a world tour ever been for this time of which requires global sup- year, he’s drawing on a wealth port and not to any dis- of history. satisfaction with the bands previous vendor. Chris MORE INFO visit prg.com Maeder, who has been with the band since it’s inception, is still at the helm Trying to carve out some time from his of the world wakes up. Really someone is as Nickelback’s Lighting Director, while schedule for an interview certainly backs always awake somewhere. It’s a 24 hour, Butch Allen continues as Show Designer. up that statement. Over the course of two 7 day role. Just when things are slowing The majority of the lighting rig rides days while in the field at the Coachella down here, Australia is waking up.” festival, Curbishly graciously filled mobile permanently in custom built pods by Tait Towers. Initial prep of fixtures, and cable Production monthly in on what PRG Lighting A huge endeavor that, perhaps only PRG management was done over 10 days in has going on these days. Out of the 150 could have pulled off, Australia is where PRG’s Las Vegas facility. The gear was acts appearing at the festival, 10 per- the How to Train Your Dragon tour launched. then sent to Lititz, PA to be mounted into cent are PRG clients, some of which are All elements of the production; light, the various pods by Tait’s crew under the AVICII, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, Bon sound, video, and scenic were awarded to supervision of Lighting Crew Chief Matt Iver, Florence and The Machine, Pulp, PRG. The Black Keys and Justice. Buren. Which begs the questions, why would a Of equal or perhaps more importance With Van Halen, Elton John, Mike Snow, seemingly Broadway type production fall to prepping and hanging a show before Bryan Adams, and The Fray all out on under concert touring and what deter- it tours is the gear itself. PRG has always tour, PRG has a good mix of well estab- mines which division in PRG does the had an eye towards proprietary gear in lished artists and upcoming bands. work? Usually the lighting designer is the their brand. Acquisitions of Light & Sound determining factor, but Curbishly is quick Design, then later Vari*Lite Production Curbishly attributes the workload to the to point out that a show like How to Train Services have melded together to create efforts of Julian Edwards in the USA, and Your Dragon tours like a rock n’ roll show. new unique products. The LSD ICON Scotty Sanderson in the UK in adding “A lot of the people we deal with on the desk best components have found their newly found bands to the PRG roster. “I’ve Rolling Stone’s tours are involved in this way into the V676 Console, while the known these two guys for almost 20 years, project, because it’s got to go in and out of ICON Luminaries speed and strength have and they are very enthusiastic, really tech- arena’s and trucks on a daily basis, which been combined with the Vari*Lite optics to nically minded; so they speak the lingo to is what we do,” says Curbishly. these younger bands,” he says. create the Bad Boy fixture. The Best Boy is the company’s newest product, which they As for the awarding of projects inside are introducing to the market place this PRG also helps these newer bands out get PRG, he points out that the concert tour- year. Several of the fixtures are currently a bit more bang for their buck. Budget ing division wouldn’t dream of trying to out on Sugarland. One hundred of them constraints will keep the lighting director mount a Broadway show since that is not will be in the Madonna lighting rig this from getting his ideal vision for the band where their expertise lies. “There is a dif- year making them the predominant light- when they’re first starting out. “We try to ferent skill set to that and another part of ing fixture on the tour. throw in a special effect here and there, the company has people well versed in which hopefully will create some loyalty those skills,” he says. too as the bands career progresses,” says “Proprietary products are key,” says Curbishly. “We place a lot of value on Curbishly. Consciously aware of the daily cost of them such as our automated truss system. touring, PRG built a rehearsal sound stage It’s the best in the marketplace and has The electronic world is a component of in LA to better serve its clients. Just about won us a lot of work. With the addition PRG’s concert touring makeup as well, every tour out the door gets hung there. In of Nocturne we now have a proprietary with artists like Swedish House Mafia, effect, this means that the first actual load video system as well.” As Curbishly puts it, Tiesto, and Deadmau5 on tour. in will be more like the second day of the “Lighting and video are virtually joined at tour. The lighting system will have been the hip now. Video content is often in the A typical day for Curbishly starts at 6 a.m. fully prepped and show ready. At the time lighting designers tool kit. In fact the two in his Los Angeles office, conferencing of this interview the lighting rig for Roger disciplines practically compete with each with the UK staff, since he is responsible Waters was being prepped there for the for Europe, too. Around 8 a.m., “the rest 2012 tour. continued on 38

AUDIO PRG is the world’s leading supplier of entertainment VIDEO LED technology for the concert touring market , as well as LIGHTING corporate and automotive events, sporting events, SCENERY RIGGING & AUTOMATION theatre, television, and permanent installations.

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mobile production monthly 37 Nickelback continued from 27 WeatherOps continued from 10 PRG continued from 36

Engineer Michael Allison and Although it doesn’t take long for cut through the standard clut- other in the budget process, since Clair Global Account Rep. Roger a tour like this to slip into auto ter inherent to SMS or texting each is equally important in the Gibbons were able to talk about pilot especially when one takes information. The current Linkin show presentation.” what Clair is doing on the tour, into consideration the people who Park world tour subscribes to “We’re using the Stack Rack are steering the ship. They make a both. Also packaged with both Visualization suites are a tool in amplification system on this one,” point of creating an environment services is data provided by a PRG’s arsenal as well. Each of the said Gibbons. “It used to be that wherein the crew wants to come company WeatherOps partnered offices in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, with, Earth Lightening Network, and New York are constantly in an arena system would take up to work. According to Production because as VandenHeuvel points use creating presentations for a truck of amps to run it. But Manager Jesse Sandler that starts out, “Lightening kills more people clients or programming shows for now you’ve got a block of maybe at the top, “These guys are one of per year than any other weather lighting designers, according to eight feet long, four feet high and the only bands I’ve ever worked phenomenon.” Curbishly. that’s running half the PA. We’ve for that really get involved in invested heavily in the PLM 4000, the day to day functions of the All WeatherOps meteorologists In today’s virtual mobile society which is four channel digitally tour. They’re very involved in the have a PhD. During an event, these visualization tools can of controlled amplifier that has given design process and they really care two meteorologists are on per course be taken to site when us a great weight savings along about the crew. It’s not uncom- shift specifically dedicated to that necessary. At Coachella, a suite with incredible performance. That mon for them to come into the particular event. This aspect of was up and running for incom- the service provides the client help ing LD’s to tweak their rig by LA all figures to the bottom line of office and ask how the day is interpreting information received. “WYSIWYG guru”, as Curbishly the tour.” going or check on very specific calls him, Milton Diego. “The aspects of the load in.” Says Steven Adelman, “Weather kid is amazing and constantly in In addition to the space savings predictive technology has demand,” he says. offered by Clair Global on the Of course as with any tour the improved so much that there is no tour, there are functional measures odd difficult day happens when excuse for having anything other During the last few years PRG has being taken as well. One such you pull into a venue with only than site specific and time specific also instigated an internship pro- measure comes in the form of one loading dock. The ever weather data.” gram. These days you’ll find more the Lake LM 44 digital matrix entertaining and pragmatic Stage college degrees on a stage than in system. Without this system, once Manager Donnie Floyd has the Digby fully acknowledges what he the past due to this internship pro- was told at the seminar. “Weather gram and the spectrum of tech- the audio consoles for the opening perfect solution for those instanc- forecasting is not an amateur nology that is constantly changing acts are placed, FOH Engineer es, “Just go on and do it. Because sport. There is more to the data in lighting and video. Oris Henry can’t come out and do you know the band ain’t gonna on radar than a layman could anything with his console without cancel.”  interpret, even though I’d like to One thing hasn’t changed though, affecting the other acts coming on think I know it all.” and it still separates the wheat before Nickelback. However, with from the chaff. That is the degree the LM 44 in the system Henry Linkin Park’s Stage Manager, of passion possessed by the people can do whatever he wants. Allison Ethan Merfy, had attended the putting these shows together. “I’ve explained, “Back when we were Norman safety training class with got 20 guys out here at Coachella, running Pro Tools we could do an Digby. In early May Merfy was and I swear they are all techni- out with Avenged Sevenfold in cal geniuses. They can be solving instant soundcheck through the Jakarta. He pointed out safety the most complex problems in [Digidesign] Profile console during concerns to the PM, promoter and any given instant, but when the Bush’s set if we wanted to.” venue. The show was cancelled time comes to run 4/0 in this 90 because the problems could not degree heat, they go for it without be rectified. a complaint.”

“In my humble opinion, ESA He then said that rain was coming has already saved lives,” con- in and doors were in an hour, so cludes Digby.  he had to go, and besides, “I’m just here to hand out the t-shirts,

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