volume 6 issue 4 2013 BON JOVI A Crew Still Doing It ‘Because They Can’ Control Freak Systems If You Can Think It, They Can Do It TourJet The Only Constant is Change Tales from the Road with Mark Monroe of Country Coach Plus Clair Inside Sheraton On the Road with Bon Jovi’s Indianapolis Because We Can Tour StageCo Barry Fey Pros of On Call Labor Gigs N A E, S A A. W ... B W N A E, S A A. W ... CONTENTS B W vol.6 issue 4 2013 21 >The Who Crew+Vendors >IN“XL T VideoHE NEW ProvidesS Specialist LED >“The Who Reign FO’erEATUR ES for Mumford & Sons US Tour” Quadrophenia” 4 >“Bandit Lites Catches Its Breath 10 > Pros of On Call Labor Gigs- >“Pete’s With Big NeedToBreathe” TVs Provides Video PTT of Florida Pays to Train and Then Retains Equipment for Dreamgirls Tour 23 >”LMG’s Music City Center Office 12 > Tales from the Road With Mark Monroe Opens for Business in Nashville” >“Wisdom of the Gods” of Country Coach >”Rihanna’s Diamonds World Tour 16 > Barry Fey: Two That Knew Him Well Sparkles With DiGiCo” 14 (A Remembrance of a Legend) 20>“Rush > Bon Finally Jovi: Gets A Crew Some Still Doing It ‘Because They Can’ 5 >“TAIT Creates Massive, Inflatable >“Prevost Joins Family Respect of Classic Buick for Bon Jovi’s Official Nascar26 Partners” > Bon Jovi Crew Because We Can Tour” 28 30>“Clair > Control and Rush Freak Playing Systems- to If You Can Think It, They Can Do It >Obituaries Their Strengths...As Usual” 6 >“Kenny Chesney Travels with Gear 32 > Blinded by the Dashboard Lights Worth Over $100,000 in Reunion > The Who: ”Quadrophenia & Blues Guitar Cases” 32 33 > Stageco on the Road With Bon Jovi A Bit and More” a Classic Car Stage 8 > New Hires 34 > TourJet-The Only Constant is Change 33 38 > Clair- On the Road with Bon Jovi’s Because We Can Tour 39 > Sheraton Indianapolis at Keystone Crossing- If Walls Could Talk >> IN THE NEWSFROM THE Publisher In this issue, we are taking a look at the recent Bon Jovi Because We Can Tour. In addition to Clair Touring, HOME OFFICE STAFF one of the heavy-weights in our industry, we had an ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 opportunity to profile a couple of fresh faces for us; 2961 Armory Dr • Nashville, TN • USA 37204 mobileproductionpro.com TourJet and Control Freak Systems. As a publication, tourlinkconference.com we are always trying to report, educate and entertain our readers. Therefore, it is a real treat for our writers to have For advertising inquiries: [email protected] an opportunity to write about a company that we have not covered previously, and in this issue we have two. Publisher: Larry Smith [email protected] Internally, we have a new staff member, touring pro Lori Managing Director: Chris Cogswell Meadows. Lori is not only our new Office Manager, but [email protected] is also our new Tour Link Coordinator as well. She is a Art Director / Graphic Designer: Anna Cherry veteran of several conferences and has a strong history [email protected] Office Manager: Lori Meadows of event production. We also have a strong group of [email protected] returning support pros at Tour Link, including Nick Gold, Contributing Writers: Henry Bordeaux, Joseph Farriella and Michelle Pekrol. Mike Wharton / [email protected] Of course, the rest of the home office staff will be there as Richard Bennett / [email protected] well as several of our writers. Bill Evans / [email protected] I mention these people, because Tour Link is unique in the industry. There is no other event that has people and relationships as the driving force behind the event. PUBLISHED BY Certainly, issues are discussed and new technology is Anvil Productions, LLC presented and without a doubt, there are fun events and ph: 615.256.7006 • f: 615.256.7004 awards. Still, the most important part of Tour Link is the person-to-person experience for three days. If you have FOLLOW US never been to one of the recent events, just ask anyone Tour-Guide-Publications / Tour-Link-Conference who has been there and you will probably hear the same @mobileprodpro / @TourLinkConf thing from everyone….you need to be there in Scottsdale, AZ February 6, 7 and 8! Publisher Larry Smith ©2013 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 informa- tion 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: 2 mobile production monthly >> IN THE NEWS Bandit Lites Catches fixtures. As part of the growing onsite team, LMG has hired several new key staff members, its Breath with “Our production manager, Tyler Scott, led by accounts manager Curt Wallen, NEEDTOBREATHE gives a good amount of support with the who has been working in that role since advanced rigging,” explained Waddell, February. New additions to the MCC team Bandit Lites is on the road with American “and figuring out, you know what kind of include Chris Royea as account executive, rock band, Needtobreathe on the second room we have, and giving some ideas of Grace Anzelmo as operations supervisor, leg of their tour entitled The Reckoning. things we can fit in a particular space.” and Niki Cardwell as show assistant. The tour began on April 2 and will Bandit technician Erich Hudgens and continue through August 17. Taylor Chandler make up the additional In addition, to round out the Nashville lighting crew. management team, Stephen Presti was The first leg of the tour featured a promoted to regional manager, and leads custom-made typewriter, an addition that, www.banditlites.com the LMG Nashville and Orlando show while elaborate and impressive, could account teams. Steve Austin, hired in be distracting for audience members. September 2012, manages LMG’s local Fortunately, inspiration struck guitarist Bo LMG’s Music City Center 24,000 square foot office/warehouse as Rineheart as he looked over at the fly rail accounts manager. system lit by back light. Office Opens for Business in Nashville “We are very excited to be a part of the Jay Waddell, Needtobreathe’s lighting MCC team, and to be able support the designer of the last five years, drew upon LMG, Inc., a national provider of video, celebration to mark the opening of this that inspiration to create a unique but “less audio and lighting support, recently took one of a kind facility,” said Les Goldberg, flashy” set production: 1800 feet of rope part in the grand opening celebrations on CEO/President of LMG. “We look hang from a custom-built touring frame May 19-20, 2013 for the Music City Center forward to the future at the Music City with a rope nail attached underneath, in Nashville, marking the official opening Center, and our new onsite staff brings a lot creating a look of a fly rail system. VL of LMG’s onsite office as the audiovisual of experience and energy to help the MCC 2500s and Martin MAC Aura’s light provider for the facility. elevate Nashville as the next great meeting the set from all angles, a task for which destination.” Waddell said the Auras were especially Operating onsite under the name Music well suited. City Audiovisual, LMG signed a multi- The Music City Center features 1.2 million year audiovisual contract with the Music square feet, a 350,000 square foot exhibit “They really are the perfect fixture for this City Center to support the 1.2 million hall, a 57,000 square foot grand ballroom design,” Waddell said. “The zoom feature square foot facility with dedicated onsite and 18,000 square foot junior ballroom, in it helps us light the ropes from any staff and equipment. LMG supported the and about 1,800 parking spaces. It also angle, including close or long range, and grand opening celebration with video, offers 90,000 square feet of meeting room they provide a lot of power to wash the audio and lighting equipment for the two- space – approximately 60 meeting rooms - ropes from any direction. Also, I really like day celebration in Nashville that included and 32 loading docks that provide ultimate the color, as they produce a lot of good a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, with Brad flexibility and ease of loading in and out for earthy tones. I really like the natural rope Paisley showing up to play the Mayor’s convention planners. color.” State of Metro address. The Nashville Symphony, Phil Vassar, Ten Out of LMG has provided video, audio and Another interesting aspect to the tour is Tenn, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and Sheryl lighting support for some of the world’s the moving element, giving the tour a Crow all played free shows as part of the largest conventions and meetings, nationally more theatrical look. With the full rig in, celebration. televised events, international concert tours, the show consists of four scene changes. and FORTUNE 500 company business The top of the show opens with a kabuki presentations. curtain hanging mid-stage. The band plays a stripped down performance with a two- www.LMG.net piece drum kit and guitars.