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SUMMER 2017 // ISSUE 4

Production Crew Joins the Trip Down Memory Lane on Tom Petty’s 40th Anniversary Tour

Tour Link Magazine 1 2 Tour Link Magazine Britannia Row Productions Goes Global with Clair Global

Following a successful strategic alliance which About Clair Global: has been in place since the beginning of the year, Britannia Row Productions recently announced Building on over 50 years of experience, Clair its acquisition by Clair Global, Inc. Global continues to boldly advance the entertainment experience in the touring, festival, broad- Clair Global has a long-established history and is cast, and corporate markets. Our clients are ex- one of the most respected entertainment industry traordinary. We strive every day, at any hour, to suppliers with serval international operations. exceed their expectations. Our employees’ crea- tivity, talents, problem-solving skills and commit- Britannia Row Productions is one of the leading ment to service set us apart. Our passion is to UK audio companies with links throughout the provide our clients with solutions that meet their world. “Both companies see this as the perfect needs in audio, communications, backline, and way to expand and strengthen their worldwide data services. client base, allowing them to offer consistent service in all major territories,” said Britannia Row www.clairglobal.com Directors Bryan Grant and Mike Lowe in a joint statement.

“The synergies we’ve experienced with the entire Britannia Row team have been over- whelmingly positive. Culturally and profes- sionally, we are on the same page. We are excited to bring this new level of global support to our clients and better serve their pas- sions to advance this industry.” Troy Clair, President/CEO, Clair Global.

About Britannia Row Productions:

For over forty years, we’ve been listening to what our customers want while keeping one ear close to the ground for the very latest developments in audio technology and the other ear out for the finest technical talent in the business. Altogether, we’ve clocked up over 100,000 productions – from global sporting events, concert tours, corporate and theatre shows to live radio and worldwide television broadcasts. www.britanniarow.com Tour Link Magazine 3 CONTENTS

SUMMER 2017 // Issue 4

EDITORIALS

3 // Britannia Row Productions Goes Global with Clair Global

6 // PixelFLEX is the ideal LED video solution for Piranha Productions

9 // Meet SIR, the company that’s been helping musicians sound their best on tour for over 50 years! 14 // Tom Petty’s 40th Anniversary Tour 12 // Airworks Provides Smooth Flights for Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary Tour

14 // Feature: Production Crew Joins the Trip Down Memory Lane on Tom Petty’s 40th Anniversary Tour

26 // Planet Ten Recasts The Dream With Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 2017 Tour

30 // Festival News 12 // Airworks Provides Smooth Flights for Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary Tour 26 // Planet Ten Recasts the Dream

For the latest info on the industry’s leading conference check out - www.tourlinkconference.com

30 // Festival News 4 Tour Link Magazine LARRY SMITH PUBLISHER

The cover feature on the Tom Petty 40th Anniversary Tour in this issue gave us an opportunity to examine the rapidly growing area of video. We present an interesting piece on Planet Ten, a business with a vision and one we think is a company to watch in the future. We predict they will be involved in many more major tours. [email protected] Also in this feature is a piece on Airworks, a well-established aviation company that is supporting the Petty tour. It is no secret that I have been an aviation enthusiast since my teen-age years. I was involved, since the mid-80s in touring air charter and was the first journalist to encourage the quality charter companies to promote themselves to our Industry. Airworks represents the qualities I have encouraged since those early years.

We are pleased to congratulate Studio Equipment Rentals, better known as SIR, on their 50th Anniversary! We are just as pleased to present an article in this issue giving a little of their history and some of what they offer you in their various locations.

On a different topic, we previously launched a series of stories and news on festivals this year. This issue presents an article by Laurie Kirby and Beka Breneman from FestFo- rums on the explosion of and demand for culinary experiences at festivals. We plan to follow the festival series with a new one on tour & festival security-- an issue that unfor- tunately, continues to concern all of us. We plan to include these discussions at a high level at the next Tour Link Conference.

So, we hope you enjoy this issue and watch for more expanded features in the future as we try to identify the issues impacting our Industry.

Get the Magazine app for exclusive interactive extras! Larry Smith Publisher

Publisher & Advertising...... Larry Smith - 615.260.6699 STAFF Editor ...... JJ Janney - [email protected] Accountant …...... Sharon Baldwin - [email protected] Ad Traffic ...... Rachel Janney - [email protected] Layout / Design … Warehouse Multimedia Inc.- ph: 615.420.6153 • f: 866.929.9651 3050 Business Park Circle suite 500 Goodlettsville, TN 37072 www.warehousemultimedia.com Websites Graphic Design Online Marketing Video Contributing Writers...... Jordan Haymaker, Mike Wharton, Laurie B. Kirby, Beka Breneman Feature Photographer ..... Chris Brooks Cover Photo: Chris Brooks

Tour Link Magazine 5 PixelFLEX is the ideal LED video solution for Piranha Productions

The Texas-based live event production provider invests in FLEXLite Plus 8.9mm LED video technology for its rental inventory to create powerful production designs

Located in Weatherford, Texas, Piranha Productions is a full-service production company specializing in all the design elements needed to create a powerful, live event production designs. With LED video becoming a consistent component to many of their most successful designs, the decision was made to make an investment in the technology for their rental inventory. Needing a high- resolution and durable solution from a trusted provider, they called upon Nashville-based PixelFLEX and made an investment in FLEXLite Plus 8.9mm LED video. photographs and videos extremely well and its tiles are “Piranha Productions began in 2000 as an event produc- calibrated directly out of the box to decrease failure, and tion company providing sound, light and event manage- ensure the perfect color and brightness of any LED video ment, but as the technology has progressed we began design. to get into video design and production as well,” began Greg Teagarden, Vice President of Production. “Previ- “Over the years, I’ve seen so many different iterations of ously we had sub-rented the LED video screens through video screens and within the past few years everything other companies, but we recently decided it was time to had progressed to the small, lightweight LED video pan- invest in the technology for ourselves. I’ve kept an eye els,” continued Teagarden. “For our designs, we needed on PixelFLEX over the years so when it came time for a solution that was durable enough to be mounted on a us to make the purchase, it was a quick call to discuss trailer, but also had the ability to create custom, modu- what they had to offer and the FLEXLite Plus 8.9mm was lar configurations. We also wanted a product that was exactly what we wanted.” a higher resolution than what we have dealt with in the past, and it was great to be able to look through the Pix- FLEXLite Plus from PixelFLEX is one of the highest res- elFLEX catalog of products to get down to the precise olution curve-able LED displays on the market and is 8.9mm pixel pitch we needed for our shows.” capable of a 15-degree curve in any direction. With its bright, dense display and high refresh rate, FLEXLite Plus As FLEXLite Plus was identified as the ideal LED video solution, there was another characteristic that Teagarden was looking for in a technology partner. Wanting to make an investment [email protected] in a company known for quality products tourcatering.com and support, the industry reputation of Pix- 530.307.0003 elFLEX solidified the new relationship. “In making this investment, I really wanted T to partner with a company that was estab- O ATS lished in the United States with plenty of in- U ventory and a proven ability to respond to C any service needs,” admitted Teagarden. “I R didn’t want to have to send product over- seas or wait for spare parts to arrive from another country, and I knew the PixelFLEX

6 Tour Link Magazine technology has onsite and how quickly it all goes together and comes been road- down. Even though we haven’t had any issues with tested over the the system whatsoever, should we need to service the years so we panels, it is extremely serviceable in the field, and it that purchased 70 makes the FLEXLite Plus a quality LED video solution.” FLEXLite Plus LED video pan- For more information on Piranha Productions, or to in- els.” quire about their FLEXLite Plus 8.9mm LED video panels, call 817-598-0511 or visit www.piranhashows.com. With the purchase now An American-based LED manufacturer, PixelFLEX offers complete, Pi- creative solutions, reliable products, and dependable ranha Produc- service for our industry-leading LED display technolo- tions wasted gies and solutions. Driven towards excellence to meet no time putting your standards, PixelFLEX offers a one-of-a-kind design their new LED for your tour, event or installation through our award-win- video panels out on the job. Often placed in challenging ning line of LED video walls and video screens. Working outdoor and rodeo arena environments, the FLEXLite with architects, designers, engineers and consultants, Plus has performed in every situation and is providing PixelFLEX is proud to develop custom LED solutions for Piranha Productions with the powerful LED video solu- each and every customer while also providing top-tier tion they needed. customer support throughout the entire experience. For more information on the complete line of PixelFLEX LED “Since we’ve taken the new panels into inventory, we’ve video walls and video screens, visit PixelFLEX at : had them out on a number of projects and our calendar is quickly filling up with summer events,” concluded Tea- www.pixelflexled.com garden. “We love how easy the system is to configure

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8 Tour Link Magazine On the Road Again…And Again… hats and serving customers. Op- And Again erations Manager Fred Rose is also a familiar face at Meet SIR, the company that’s been helping SIR LA. In 1984, musicians sound their best on tour for over 50 he started in the years! rehearsal department, and then SIR’s Original LA Location in 1967 REHEARSALS • BACKLINE • STORAGE • CARTAGE Studio Instrument worked as a dis- Rentals, better patcher before his current role. He’s now the guy known as SIR, is customers call first to convert their needs into the celebrating its 50th equipment and services that’ll get the job done prop- anniversary! Over 750 Cowan St. 3542 -A East TC Jester 1901 E. 51st St. Stage 4 erly. Production Coordinator Ron Pak works closely the years, SIR has Nashville, TN 37207 Houston, TX 77018 Austin, TX 78723 with Fred to ensure that all orders run smoothly and become the pre- 615 - 726 - 1165 713 - 290 - 0335 512 - 444 - 0023 customers receive a high level of service. Studio mier source for art- www.soundchecknashville.com www.soundcheckaustin.com Manager Jesse Stewart has his finger on the pulse ists needing equip- of all seven studios at this location, knowing exactly ment rentals and what customers need and making SIR their home rehearsal facilities away from home. Founders Ken Berry and Dolph Rempp for major tours, music festivals, and The New York location opened TV shows. Combined, SIR’s road warriors clock as in 1974 and soon hired Bo many hours on the road each year as any top-name Holst, a musician who hap- tour. But just as important as the amount of service pened to walk past manager they provide, SIR has become the place touring pros Backstage custom cases Michael Johnson and another lean on because of the level of service they deliver. employee having a hard time Many employees have been at SIR for a long time, loading a truck. Bo offered offering their clients a familiar face and experience to help and was hired on the each time, as well as the commitment to make their spot. Over 40 years later, Bo tours and productions run smoothly. 740 Cowan St. is now a CEO of the New Bo Holst, CEO of the York facility, supporting both SIR started in 1967 when founders Ken Berry and Nashville, TN 37207 NY Location up-and-coming and legend- Dolph Rempp rented out a bass guitar for a record- ary artists. Bo’s location also services a region as far ing session in Hollywood. Today, they have 12 loca- north and south as Boston and Philadelphia/D.C. tions across the U.S. In honor of the 50th anniver- 615-259-0046 sary, let’s look at SIR’s locations and the people who Production manager Ralph Petrosino is an unflap- work hard to serve our industry 24/7: pable, 30-year SIR veteran who knows all the equipment and everyone in the business. Clients rely on him im- WWW.BACKSTAGECUSTOMCASES.COM Los Angeles is SIR’s flagship location, capable of mensely because he fully understands the business from servicing any size event, from intimate performances their perspective, he’s willing and able, and knows New at the Troubadour to large-scale tours at the Staples York City like the back of his hand. Baker Lee is the audio Center. On any given day, company founders Dolph production coordinator and has decades of experience in Rempp and Ken Berry can be seen wearing many continued on pg. 10 Tour Link Magazine 9 SIR Las Vegas serves an impressive roster of clients including Blue Man Group, Electric Daisy Carnival, Mariah Carey, Donnie and Marie, and local casino venues like Gilley’s at Treasure Island. General Manager Terry Berkey worked in music retail before join- ing SIR in 2003, then continued learning about the rental business and took business classes. Terry’s philosophy of creating long-term, satisfied customers mirrors SIR’s corporate philoso- audio production. Having started out in clubs, he’s fully phy. One such example: many years ago, Don Felder’s immersed in the audio world. Many touring pros rely on manager requested a backline quote and haggled on the him for their needs, emergencies, and to make sure the price. Terry brought down the numbers a little bit, explain- equipment performs as it should. ing that he didn’t want just this one job; he wanted them to be a happy client over many years. So now – every Head Audio Tech Rod Ossa and many others from the time – Don’s manager calls SIR! New York team are also always out in the trenches at TV shows, performances in the parks, tour venues and Chicago is the newest SIR location, serving Illinois and clubs, assisting their customers on site day after day. its neighboring states. Manager Joey Duchscher came to Chicago by way of SIR NY, where she started in the stage Joe Kernich, Miami’s long-time general manager, came department. She then headed to SIR LA, where she pol- from SIR NY in the 80s. He can – and does – get every- ished her guitar/bass/vocal chops, handled payroll, A/P, thing done, whether it be taking orders; showing up at A/R, and worked alongside Fred Rose taking orders, venues; purchasing, programming and setting up equip- earning the nickname “tour mom.” As a top production ment; or running a crew of weekend warriors. He over- coordinator, Joey was always very in tune with customer sees a large cross section of artists such as Phil Collins needs and schedules, and took her vendor relationships and Enrique Iglesias, as well as corporate events, cruise from LA to the local Chicago market. A true “Yes I can lines, and television award shows. The Miami facility also person,” she’ll always figure things out for her clients. Her specializes in serving the Latin community, nearby Carib- most bizarre SIR memory? Gene Simmons once licked bean islands and South America! The 4-acre property has one of her boots! Cesar Lavin was the location’s original also been used for TV productions, and boasts Florida’s GM, and today is the face of SIR Chicago at gigs and largest inventory of instruments for hire. clubs. He’s a tireless road warrior, running seven days a week to tech shows, check gear, and ride along with cli- The Nashville location ents. runs under the direction of Laura Ford, who Opened in January 2013, SIR Arizona serves the needs joined SIR in 1988 and of clubs, resorts and stadium venues in Phoenix, as well has the distinction of be- as the unique needs of large corporate meeting and spe- ing their first female gen- cial events across the state, plus large sporting events eral manager. Her team such as the NCAA Final Four March Madness champion- serves areas as far- ship. General Manager J.B. Stuart began working in the reaching as Dallas, New backline industry in late 1989 and says that adapting to Orleans and Charleston, different situations is his location’s specialty, “Since day and provides service one, we’ve never had the same day twice, and it’s not un- SIR Nashville to many large festivals common to shift from multi-day festivals over a weekend each year such as Bonna- to corporate special events and parties during the week, roo. When she was hired, she trained for a few weeks and back to a mix of festivals and corporate events the in NY, then took the ball and ran with it. She knows and next weekend”. loves everyone in town and they know her. Despite the stress of the job, Laura is always upbeat and puts her In 2001, the Seattle location brought SIR’s award-winning best foot forward. 10 Tour Link Magazine services to the Pacific North- joined SIR in 2006, working in the San Francisco location, west, followed by the Portland where he would QC guitars, keys, and anything else they location, which opened in 2006 put in front of him. After a year, he was promoted to gen- as an extension of Seattle and eral manager of his current location. San Francisco’s services. An- dre Leknovich is a managing partner at both locations who’s been at SIR since the late 1980s. He and his reliable team service some of the largest Indian Casinos in the area Dan Rempp, Managing Partner and many of the Northwest’s largest festivals, including Sas- quatch, Bumbershoot and Wa- tershed. They also provide backline for local jazz fests. Andre manages their growing list of clientele by treating clients as he would friends, getting them what they need, and continually looking at the market to be sure popular items are in their inventory and they’re on top of current trends. Sheldon Pifer met Joey Duchscher in 2007 when she was working at the LA location, and he began working 72-hour weeks there as a driver, then later was SIR LA Location promoted to dispatch. For the past two-and-a-half years, he’s been helping to run the show at the Portland location The San Francisco location has been serving the Bay as the operations manager and production coordinator. Area music scene since 1971. Co-Founding Partner Mi- chael Johnson came to San Francisco to help open this The San Diego location, along with sister location Palm location that went on to aid in the production of albums Springs, was opened in 2005 to fill the need for a back- by legendary artists such as Green Day, Santana, The line and studio space in Southern California. Opening Grateful Dead, and others. Today, they also serve top- with just four amps, four keyboards and three drum sets name NorCal festivals such as High Sierra. Paul Monteiro, in their inventory, the San Diego location has since more a 16-year SIR veteran who worked his way up from drum than tripled their rental offerings! The Palm Springs loca- tech to general manager, has many years of experience tion serves the Coachella Valley, providing equipment for out on the road in the ‘80s and ‘80s. That prepared him the area’s casinos, nightclubs, churches and music festi- for his role today, where he’s out in the trenches 24/7, vals. General manager James Lata keeps things running serving his location’s clients. In 1991, Managing Partner smoothly, with a diverse music background that includes Dan Rempp started at SIR, dividing his time between the playing drums from a young age, then guitar, and having San Francisco office and the Los Angeles location. These a mother who was a singer. He even produced entertain- days he will often be on the other end of a phone call to ment events while in the Navy, and studied opera! James SIR SF!

Tour Link Magazine 11 Airworks Provides Smooth Flights for Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary Tour by Mike Wharton When Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers records and their ability to meet or exceed FAA standards. embarked on their 40th Anniversary Tour, their longtime tour manager, Richard Fer- “I like to tell operators that Airworks is an information company,” nandez, once again called upon Airworks. says O’Toole,” in that; we are the middleman, who gather and The company has enjoyed an easy going disseminate the proper information to the client. We expect the and relaxed relationship based on trust truth from the operator no matter the circumstance. We, in turn, for three decades with the Petty organi- can provide total transparency with our client. It is a core value zation. that builds trust.”

Ryan O’Toole, President Airworks is an on demand, air charter Airworks provides a charter aircraft, G450/GIV, for the tour. “We broker that specializes in music tours. The company charters work directly with Richard Fernandez on the day-to-day opera- everything from helicopters to large airliners. They are on-call tions of the flights,” says O’Toole,” in terms of manifest, cater- 24 hrs a day to assist clients with the various aspects of any ing, and any issues that may arise. Mr. Petty has his preferred given flight, and custom tailor in- cabin services to meet their crew of pilots and cabin attendant. We work with the operator, clients’ needs and comfort. with whom Tom has flown for a decade, to ensure he has the right crew on all flights.” A wholly owned subsidiary of Rock-It Cargo USA, Airworks op- erates independently on a day-to-day basis with the backing of O’Toole feels the fact that Airworks treats “all of our clients as the worldwide company. if they are family,” is what sets their charter company apart and above the competition. “We have a long list of well-established Airworks has extensive experience in North & South America, touring artists and many of them come to us for their personal enhanced with strategic business partners in London (Premier and family travel, as well. We try to know what they will do be- Aviation) and Sydney (Air Charter Network). This aviation cote- fore they do.” rie refers and looks after each other’s clients when tours span different continents as each business knows and can offer in- “Many tour managers send us just the show dates, trusting sights to their respective market. us to form a routing that fits with their style and preferences.” Using data based on previous tours with the artist, Airworks is “Our philosophy at Airworks is to offer the most economical able to develop an efficient and economical flight plan. options for any given mission in a safe and reliable way, and we do that honestly and ethically,” says Ryan O’Toole, Airworks The company has a long list of clientele including Bruce Spring- President and account rep for Petty and The Heartbreakers. steen, Billy Joel, Sting, Roger Waters, Jimmy Buffett, and Car- rie Underwood to name just a few. O’Toole started his career with a degree in Business Adminis- tration and working at AT&T for their Global Real Estate Divi- “With all our clients,” says O’Toole, “our goal is to make their sion. In 1999, he was offered an opportunity to try something aircraft travel as easy and enjoyable as possible. A tour man- new, aviation. ager’s job encompasses a wide variety of situations and re- sponsibilities to handle during any given day. Our job is to take “I took a leap of faith and have been losing sleep ever since,” the worry of the many details involved with air charter off their he jokes. plate, so they can attend to the details they need to focus on.

As a broker in the aviation business, Airworks does not own “Tour managers as well business and personal managers, or operate any aircraft. Most of the company’s operators have have come to trust Airworks. We work with and have refunded been in their network for many years. “We know the employees, money to clients when unavoidable situations happen, such crew and how they operate their companies,” says O’Toole. as itinerary changes, selling a positioning leg, etc. We honor our commitment to get our client to their destination, even if it Airworks requires all their operators pass an audit by Wyvern causes a negative impact on our finances.” and ARG/US before hiring their services. “We value our relationships that have been cultivated over dec- Wyvern Consulting is the premier aircraft safety-auditing firm in ades, so doing the “right thing” is always at the forefront,” he the USA. says in closing.

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Tour Link Magazine 13 Production Crew Joins the Trip Down Memory Lane on TomTomTom Petty’sPetty’sPetty’s 40th40th40th AnniversaryAnniversaryAnniversary TourTourTour

14 Tour Link Magazine Production Crew Joins the Trip Down Memory Lane on Tom Petty’s 40th Anniversary Tour Production Crew Joins the Trip Down Memory Lane on Story by Jordan Haymaker; Photos by Chris Brooks A ruby is the traditional gift for a 40th anniversary, so we’re presenting just a few of the gems working behind the scenes for Tom Petty and the Heart- TomTomTom Petty’sPetty’sPetty’s 40th40th40th AnniversaryAnniversaryAnniversary TourTourTour breakers on their 40th anniversary tour. Included are a couple positions that don’t often get mentioned, tour accountant and wardrobe assistant, that prove while your crew can figuratively be considered family, sometimes they’re also literally family as well. With an arsenal of classic songs and innovative technology, Tom Petty kicked off this tour in Oklahoma on April 20th and will continue on the road through mid- September. Tour Link Magazine caught up with the crew at Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville, IN to learn about what has gone into making this particular tour bigger, better, and more technologically ad- vanced than ever.

Chris Adamson, Production Manager

Chris Adamson, Tom Petty’s Production Manager of 20+ years, started playing music and lugging around production equipment with David Bowie’s guitarist, Mick Ronson, some fifty-one years ago.

Adamson was a young guy in Hull, England studying to be an engineer and already thinking, “There must be more to life than this.” One day he was late at the firm he was working for, got chewed out by his boss, and “that was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he reminisced.

Adamson completely changed his life and career tra- jectories. “I received a job offer in Lincolnshire working for a band, and the guy I replaced had moved to London. I thought that sounded like a good idea too. So I went and sold all of my fishing gear, moved to London, and lived off of the kindness of a friend of mine.”

His first major gig was at the Royal Albert Hall for Frank Sinatra. “I was so nervous because I was in charge of his gold SM58 mic,” laughed Adamson. He would go on to work for Fleetwood Mac, John Mayer, and Peter Frampton, among others. Noncha- Tour Link Magazine 15 lantly adding, before showing photos of himself with it up, might play a couple of covers, and really the band, “Oh yeah, I’m also the first voice you knows how to keep things spicy. It gets boring hear on Dark Side of the Moon and also in the playing the same thing, and some people actually background of various other Pink Floyd songs.” follow this tour, so it keeps it fresh for them too. Music is a big part of people’s lives. I was go- Adamson’s explanation for his impressive career? ing to retire, but decided against it because this is “It’s all about being in the right place at the right what keeps me young.” With the exception of one time and keeping in mind that no one is irreplace- show in Hyde Park, this 40th Anniversary Tour is able…except for the artist.” Explaining a bit more, focusing on North American stops in a variety of “There’s always someone willing to do your job venues, from outdoor “sheds”, arenas, stadiums, better than you and for less pay, so you have to and even 7 festivals for a real cross section of the work hard and keep in mind that you get a lot far- US. ther by just being nice.” Adamson stressed how lucky he feels to be doing what he’s doing, “I get Stanley A Green, LD/Programmer/Production a great buzz from the energy and all of the people Designer once the artist hits the stage. It’s such an adrena- line rush.” Stanley Green, LD/Programmer/Production De- signer for Tom Petty, said he began making his Petty has kept the same crew family for many own lighting system as a kid. By 1981, he was years. “I’ve been 20 years with Tom Petty, and I’m renting it out to bands in his hometown of Seattle. still one of the new guys! This is the best crew He worked for West Sun before branching off to to work for, and I couldn’t think of a better job. other gigs like Third Eye Blind, Robert Cray, and You’re with these people 24/7, and only a certain Sarah McLaughlin. Green began working for Tom type of person can do this. You either get it or you Petty in 2001. don’t. You have to be willing to live and breathe this industry. I just hope that I’ve done a good job For this tour, Green started by making six initial in everyone else’s eyes too.” designs then molding them to what Tom Petty wanted. He said it was important to him to make Adamson put all the production together. “I love sure Petty had the setup he desired. “The design Upstaging trucks and have used them since they for this tour morphed from all soft goods and no first started,” he said. Florida Coach buses, VER video, to 4 video panels, to taller and wider iMAG lights and video, Sound Image audio, Cat Power LED screens above and to the sides of the stage.” AC, and SGPS rigging round out the powerhouse Green explained, “Out of all the concepts I cre- team of production companies used. ated, Tom picked the last one he saw and sought a very slick and clean look.” Green programmed As far as this tour in particular, “I love it all,” admit- about 50 songs for this tour, but Tom has so many ted Adamson. “The sets change, and these songs hits, so you never really know which ones will are all about reminiscing. Petty likes to change make the cut. “The setlist stays relatively solid

16 Tour Link Magazine once picked,” he continued, “but when Pet- ty decides to mix it up, chances are I already have FXs it programmed and ready to go.” because, “They can either be tighter or all the way out, so Petty chose a couple different content creators they’re great for a wash or spot. I also use them from several that Kevin Cassidy and Green him- to light the audience for a nice front wash.” self brought to him. Planet 10 was chosen to do the bulk of the setlist, while Treatment Studios Utilizing 160 individual Glow Motion 40cm RGB was used for a few choice pieces. Green added, spheres hung on 160 separate Stage-Kinetics “Petty really liked the graphic novel-esque piec- high speed DMX controllable winches, Green es that Planet 10 brought to the table. We had was able to control each battery operated orb custom content for most of the songs but cov- wirelessly via his grandMA console and use them ered any gaps with more stock type content sup- as more of a set piece. “They can be very linear plied by Gary Radocovich, who also supplied the or very organic and fluid,” he explained. “They grandMA VPU Plus for the tour.” move via a pixel map movie in the desk instead of a typical chase engine. There’s actually a black While Tom Petty is celebrating 40 years of his all and white picture of a circle that is uses...black American, old school rock and roll, most of the means up and white means down. I can move lighting gear is as state of the art as it gets, in- and change the color of each one as needed as cluding Ayrton’s new MagicBlade FXs, Magic- opposed to making it seem like a flashy gag. Dur- Dot Rs, MagicPanel FXs, MagicBurst Strobes ing slower songs, even just lowering 8 of them with 68 cells each, HighEnd System’s SolasSpot makes them appear like glowing lanterns. They Pro 1500s, Clay Paky Mythos and B-Eyes, and were helpful in being able to underscore Tom and Martin Mac Auras (which Tom calls “dressing the band’s huge dynamic changes.” room mirror” lights) hung vertically in between the screens. Green especially loves the MagicPanel Kevin Cassidy, Creative & Technical Director Like many, Cassidy started working for local bar bands (including Shoot- ing Star, where he met FOH mixer Robert Scovill), but also did some theater production in college in his hometown of Kansas City. Cassidy said he originally aspired to be a pho- tojournalist, but gravitated to a love for lighting when he started working for Showlights (now SGPS) some 37 years ago. A move to England for a bit and a job with Meteor Lights later led Tour Link Magazine 17 18 Tour Link Magazine Tour Link Magazine 19 to tours with Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. eight cameras, three of which are manned, along Cassidy is now on his 27th year with Petty. with two robo’s, and three lipstick cameras. He’s also the sole operator of the Ross Carbonite ME2 He keeps everyone focused and acts as the liaison Switcher and the Vista Systems Spyder Montage between Stan Green (LD) and Matt Howe (Video Di- II controller. “It’s really a glorified router,” he laughed, rector) and is in charge of anything to do with the “but doing both consoles is pretty hard. Typically look of the show. Cassidy thinks the MagicBursts there would be a separate operator for each one, specifically are impressively bright and add a nice so it’s like cutting 2 shows at once. But honestly I wash on the cycs. He also added that, “The orbs love the challenge and the creative freedom I get turned out very well. They perfectly compliment the too.” There were 3 video walls from VER at Klipsch, show but aren’t overused.” Of the 47 songs pro- but at larger venues they add 2 more on each grammed, Cassidy reiterated that they only use side. They also utilize a different mixture of formats maybe half, though every show is different. “We with the Winvision 9mm video walls, from 16:9 for created a lot of content that may not see the light the main, portrait for the sides, and landscape for of day, but that’s just part of the job,” he said. “We the outer ones. The main wall measures 30x16, with don’t generally have 10 trucks, but Tom really want- the sides being 10x16 and 16x10. ed to go big for this tour.” And since Petty doesn’t like heat, they found a way to incorporate as much Robert Scovill, FOH LED as possible to help keep the temperatures on stage manageable, even hiring a separate HVAC For over 35 years, Robert Scovill, FOH Mixer, has tech for special air vents from Cat Power located at been working in professional audio, starting at a the front of the drum risers. young age with regional stalwart Superior Sound in Kansas City, MO. “I always wanted to be in pro au- Matthew Howe, Video Director dio,” admitted Robert, “and studied toward an EE in electronic engineering after high school. There was Video Director Matthew Howe has worn many hats a flyer up at my school for local live sound work. in his career from his start as a drummer-keyboardist After I volunteered for my first event, they didn’t call to Recording Engineer/Producer, and on to a Video me back, but I kept showing up every week any- Editor and Cameraman. He’s worked for many acts way. I met some of the most meaningful mentors including Journey, Neil Diamond, and Whitney Hou- of my career there and continue to stay in touch ston. When asked what he does on the Tom Petty with them even today.” In 1980, he started on tour tour, he joked, with a band named Shooting Star, as they had just signed a record deal and began opening for acts “I don’t do anything. Our video crewmembers are like Cheap Trick and ZZ Top. He started work with really the ones that do all the hard work!” Tom Petty in 1994 after being recruited for a period of years by Tom’s manager, Tony Dimitriades. His In reality, Howe helps set up the system and schooling has seemingly come full circle after taking

20 Tour Link Magazine Tour Link Magazine 21 hundreds of times, those 2 hours are sacred to me. I get the feeling it’s a similar thing for the band. To paraphrase Charlie Watts, the other 22 hours of the day is just waiting.”

“EWA’s Anya PA system is some of the finest technology I’ve sat in front of,” continued Robert. “We took the Anya PA out for the first time on a major tour in 2014. I was given the opportunity to sit and evaluate it at a big sound stage in Hol- lywood, and after 6-8 hours of digging in on it, and more importantly listening to it, it was a bit of a no brainer.” This PA from Sound Image uses processes described as “adaptive” and takes user generated geometry of the seating for a given event. Then through DSP, it is able to build a coverage polar pattern optimized to that specific seating arrangement. DSP does all the aiming, so there’s no need for angling of physical enclo- sures. The sound can essentially start and stop at a specific location, and in so doing, adjust- ments via recalculating can be achieved with the simple click of a mouse. “In my opinion, it’s the way of the future and provides a more consistent audio experience for a bigger percentage of the audience than at any time in the past,” said Rob- a position with Avid technologies in 2000 as a cen- ert. “This PA actually plays to my own philosophy tral contributor to the design and manufacturing of in how this job should be done. The mix I have on their highly-lauded VENUE line of consoles, which the console is very consistent night to night, but day he uses on the tour. to day, the PA interaction with the room is the big variable. With Anya, that variation is dramatically re- This anniversary tour can often provide a different duced and more manageable, which translates to emphasis on the setlist compared to other tours. very consistent shows.” According to Robert, “Of course it’s anchored in his big hits, but he has such an impressive catalog of Carly Scovill, Wardrobe Assistant music to choose from that it allows him to rotate and keep things unpredictable and fresh if he chooses Carly Scovill, Wardrobe Assistant, followed in her to do so. My favorite part of my day is mixing this father’s footsteps (FOH Robert Scovill) and set out show. Even though I’ve mixed many of these songs on her first tour this year. Carly studied visual design

22 Tour Link Magazine and production at the Fashion Institute of Design Joshua Hassell, Tour Accountant and Merchandising in San Francisco. “I realized I could do what I wanted to do with wardrobe, so I Accountant Joshua Hassell was asked to join the jumped right in for the tour,” she said. crew while on tour with his very first boss, Bob Dy- lan. “I was invited into this camp, and I of course Travel is one of her favorite aspects of the tour. She accepted the offer.” Initially, Hassell was a Produc- uses her days off to venture out, take photographs, tion Assistant and also dabbled in construction. and cross off stops on her coffee shop bucket list. When he started with the Tom Petty crew, he be- “It’s important for me to get to know everyone on gan as Chris Adamson’s assistant for a while. As our crew. These are the people I’m learning every- he’s moved up the ranks, Hassell describes what thing from, and they all have different stories to tell,” he does now as “the perfect job” with overseeing she admitted. “I’ve made a lot of friends already, and figuring out the financial implications of poten- and since I’m the youngest on the tour, I hear a lot tial tour dates and locations as the tour schedule of stories from the road. Linda “Queenie” Burcher is laid out. “Once the tour was set, I made 40-50 (Wardrobe Mistress for the band for decades) has budget versions and sent them back to GSO Busi- taught me a lot too, not just about wardrobe and ness Management. This is a huge production, and the road, but also about life outside of touring. She it’s our job to make sure Tom Petty is able to have has an unbelievable amount of life experience and what he wants.” He continued, “It’s not threaten- advice that I value.” ing, but just hard sometimes trying to stay within budget.” But at the end of the day, not only is the Carly helps Queenie prepare the dressing rooms by tour very successful, Hassell confessed, “I’m doing creating an environment that makes the band feel what I love, and I’m working with people I consider as comfortable as possible. She also handles meal family. I have actually turned down other gigs just to prep for hospitality and dressing rooms, commu- work with Tom and this crew. To me, it just doesn’t nicates the rider with the caterers, and helps take really feel like work with them.” care of the clothes. “Each of the guys has a special look that represents their personal energy; such www.TomPetty.com as guitarist Mike Campbell’s vibrant and detailed collection of pieces juxtaposed with keyboardist Benmont Tench’s polished, classic style,” Carly added. “These looks aren’t costumes; they’re elevated representations of their normal style, and I think that’s just a small part of what draws people in and helps these guys seem so down to earth on stage.”

According to Carly, the band is easy going, accommodating, incredibly insightful, and won’t hesitate to stop and strike up a conversation with you. “They’re playing music they love, true rock and roll, and they’re showing the crowd an intimate look at who they are through their stage presence,” she explained. “No gimmicks, no costumes, just six guys playing music. It’s quite welcoming.”

Tour Link Magazine 23 Tom Petty’s CREW

PRODUCTION COMPANIES & ORBS SCOTT THURSTON TOUR RELATED GLOW MOTION TECHNOLOGIES Guitars / Vocals RADIOS TOUR PASSES STEVE FERRONE AAA COMMUNICATIONS OTTO PRINTING Drums CHARLEY WEBB BUSES ITINERARIES Vocals EGO TRIPS & FLORIDA COACH SMART ART HATTIE WEBB TRUCKING MANAGEMENT Vocals UPSTAGING INC. EAST END MANAGEMENT TONY DIMITRIADES Tony Dimitriades MERCHANDISING Artist’s Manager LIVE NATION MERCHANDISE Laurence Freedman RICHARD FERNANDEZ Mary Klauzer Tour Manager AIR CHARTER Tiffany Goble Evan Bright AIRWORKS CHRIS ADAMSON ACCOUNTANTS Production Manager FREIGHT GUDVI, SUSSMAN & OPPENHEIM JOSHUA HASSELL ROCK-IT CARGO Tour Accountant BOOKING AGENCY MARK CARPENTER RIGGING GEAR WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEVOURE SGPS SHOW RIGGING Assistant Tour Manager TRAVEL AGENCY DEAN CORREA TZELL TRAVEL VIDEO Security VER PUBLICITY LARRY YAGER VIDEO SERVERS SACKS AND CO. Stage Manager GARY RADOKOVICH ALEX MERCER Tour & Production Assistant VIDEO CONTENT PLANET TEN TOURING PERSONNEL ALAN “BUGS” TREATMENT VISUAL PRODUCTIONS Dispatch Technician THIRD COMPANY TOM PETTY MARK SCAGGS VocaIs / Guitar Guitar Technician SOUND MIKE CAMPBELL STEVE “CHINNER” WINSTEAD SOUND IMAGE Guitars Guitar Caddie LIGHTING BEN TENCH JOHN BUNKER VER Keyboards / Vocals Keyboard Technician RON BLAIR STEVE RINCOV HVAC Bass / Vocals CAT POWER Drum Technician

24 Tour Link Magazine LINDA “QUEENIE” BURCHER KEVIN CASSIDY Web Video / Photo Blogger Wardrobe Mistress Tech Director MARK HAYNES CARLY SCOVILL ARMANDO “MONDO” FIGUEROA Merchandise Assistant Wardrobe Lighting / Power Technician DR. JIM O’NEIL WILLIAM TELL AGERTER OSCAR CANALES Tour Doc Head Rigger & Operator Lighting / Automated Technician CHRISTINE ROGERS ROLAND CASTILLO JOE GONZALES Premium Package Host 2nd Rigger & Carpenter Stunt Oscar (June & July) ELIZABETH PICKREL ADAM BEASLEY BLAKE “FLASH” RODGERS Live Nation Rep Carpenter Lighting Technician YOGI NORRIS RYAN BRINKWORTH AUSTIN TOWER Backline Bus Driver 3rd Rigger Lighting Technician JIMMY ORCUTT ROBERT SCOVILL MATT HOWE Production Bus Driver House Engineer Video Director JAY TONINI GREG LOOPER WALDO ALFARO Monitor Engineer Video Engineer Lighting Bus Driver VICTOR WAGNER JOSH RAHALSKILED VEL BELL Sound System Technician Technician Sound Bus Driver MARCUS DOUGLAS MIKE TENGDINLED TURK BLACK Sound Crew Chief Technician Video Bus Driver FUMI OKAZAKI PIERCE SCOTTORB TODD SCHROCK Monitor Assistant Technician TP Bus Driver MATT MCQUAID GARY BOLDENWECK Sound Technician HVAC Technician / Carpenter MICK WALKER Tele Prompter MICHELE MECCA STAN GREEN Ticketing LD-Set Designer ANDY TENNILLE

Tour Link Magazine 25 Recasts The Dream With Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 2017 Tour by Mike Wharton

After a three-year hiatus from touring, Tom Petty “Tom really liked the graphic novel style of motion and the Heartbreakers returned this summer for graphics we did,” said Koubek, “which is what ulti- their 40th Anniversary tour. Claiming it may be mately won us the tour.” their last arena tour; Petty clearly did not intend the shows to be simple nostalgia, by introducing new Planet Ten were tapped as principal content crea- video content and animation into their production. tors for the tour, alongside London’s Treatment/ For Planet Ten, a creative production company Third Company. based in Delaware, Petty’s 40th anniversary provided a lift into the big times. George Murphy and his “As soon as we found out that we’d been selected, brother, Kenn Koubek are the owners and principal I asked for access to whatever archival material we content creators. could get our hands on,” said Murphy. “Kevin sent me to see Mary Klauzer, a longtime fixture at Pet- With a background designing immersive video con- ty’s East End Management and resident historian. tent for Las Vegas nightclubs and flair bartending She helped us for two days, pouring through his competitions, the brothers formed Planet Ten in archives, scanning photos, and compiling whatev- 2011 as an opportunity to expand and refocus their er inspiration we could possibly use for reference. creative output in the greater Philadelphia region. Kevin and I also took a trip to the Heartbreakers’ Since then, Planet Ten’s work has ranged widely, Clubhouse, where the band rehearses and records. including theatrical visuals, cross-platform creative I took a few dozen reference photos of that space – campaigns, and interactive design. one of which ultimately became the walk-on scene for the show.” In 2013, the team created a few backgrounds for LD Kevin Christopher under the Lightswitch um- Planet Ten began the creative process in late Janu- brella for the 25th anniversary Journey Tour. Kevin ary, with rehearsals set to start on April 1. To further Cassidy, Petty’s TD, noted their work and reached complicate matters, both Cassidy and Lighting De- out to them for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers signer Stan Green were finishing up previous tours, 40th Anniversary tour. while Petty’s time was focused on preparations for an all-star performance celebrating his 2017 Mu- “When we heard from Kevin, we were floored” said siCares Person of the Year Award. Given the tight George Murphy, citing that both he and his brother timeline and the challenges associated with getting are huge fans of the band. “Kevin, as well as Tom content approved, the brothers put forth a unique himself, had this vision to do something completely proposal to Cassidy: they offered to come to re- different with this tour. We were tasked to create hearsals at Sony Pictures Studios to develop con- some jaw-dropping visuals that would supplement tent on site, up until the last possible minute. and enhance the rest of the production without pull- ing the focus away from the band’s performance.” “We came out with a decent amount of content cre- In consideration for the project, Planet Ten was ated and some concepts in place,” says Koubek, asked to submit a treatment for “Forgotten Man.” “but the band was still kind of kicking around ideas one of Petty’s recent songs that addresses themes as to what songs were going to be used on the tour. of isolation and inequality. Obviously there some givens like American Girl and 26 Tour Link Magazine Tour Link Magazine 27 “Tom is very much about moving into the next thing,” said Murphy. “The challenge was to show the long road the band has walked but not make it into a total nostalgia trip”.

Though the team created much of the content on site, they had the help of additional production support and computing power from their east coast studio. Files were transferred back and forth across the country in real time, while remote access software allowed for first- George Murphy & Kenn Koubek person control of powerful workstations for intensive rendering. Running Down a Dream. It was only when we landed in LA that we learned of the final set of songs the band had decided to take on the road. That gave us less than two weeks to create a wealth of content and build the visual aspects of the show, right ‘in the trenches’ with the rest of the production team.”

This unique opportunity allowed the creative team to put imagery behind the band in real time, under actual production conditions, and get immediate feedback. “It also heightened our sensitivity to the personalities and vibe of the entire band on their home turf,” notes Mur- phy. While Planet Ten did not have carte blanche, they could broadly interpret from those kernels of feedback. “It was invaluable to essentially be in their backyard,” adds Kenn.”It gave us a chance to assimilate their inspi- rations in an immersive environment.” A critical component of their design philosophy is to think about what the end user wants to experience. “We’re “Admittedly there was a bit of trepidation and anxiety on motivated to create same kind of content we bonded over, growing up together,” says Murphy. “Years of going to concerts, watching old b-movies, collecting records together - on one hand, it’s created a common visual vocabulary where one of us can start a concept, and immediately, the other can step in and add something that takes it in the perfect direction. But the whole time, we’re thinking about what it’s going to be like, sitting at that concert and watching it all unfold. We’re constantly saying, ‘what’s going to make the audience pop?’ That led to us adding a lot of little Easter eggs throughout the content for the Petty super fans.”

“To be among 20,000 screaming fans, seeing the whole production come together – that’s the real test,” says Koubek, “That’s our sink-or-swim moment. To know that we’ve had the privilege to work with two artists that are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one thing, but to our part leading up to the first reveal, especially since see their fans react to our work in such a positive way is this was new to their production, using this type of video something we never could have imagined.” content, but the band really took to it.” www.planet-ten.com The team at Planet Ten was tasked with maintaining that delicate balance of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band without delving into a nostalgic vibe.

28 Tour Link Magazine Finallysomeone cares about the Sound Guys

www.stealthchair.com 800.417.4122 [email protected]

Tour Link Magazine 29 Santa Barbara Nov 16-18 2017

30 Tour Link Magazine Festival Send your Festival News to [email protected] NEWS pages 30 to 40

Making Music Taste Better: Music Festivals Embrace the Culinary Obsession

by Laurie Kirby and Beka Breneman, FestForums

Talent-laden lineups draw vast amounts of people pop up tailored to niche food tastings. Always to music festivals every year, providing attendees seeking to expand the attendee experience, it is with the opportunity to see all their favorite artists no surprise that gourmet cuisine is seeping its in one magical location. This year alone, copious way into many music festivals like Coachella, amounts of people swarmed to Coachella, with Outside Lands and Bottle Rock, to name a few. numbers exceeding a record-setting 125,000 attendees (LA Weekly, April 17, 2017). Celebrity Chefs such as Da- They come to hear the music and see the art in- kota Weiss, stallations – as well as to be seen themselves. Paul Khan, and While musicians used to be the primary draw for Perry Cheung such high attendance, the new culinary experi- were featured ence at music festivals may be the newest trend in a variety of that increases attendance while enhancing the culinary events fan experience. at Coachella throughout the two weekends. In the leadup to Explains Alex Machurov, Sr. Director, New Busi- Coachella’s newest culinary addition to the festival, ness & Partnerships, Superfly, producer of Bon- Food and Wine Magazine gushed about Coachel- naroo, Outside Lands, Lost Lake and other fes- la’s “Outstanding in the Fields” events (four-course tivals, “Producing a successful festival doesn’t sit-down dinners with some of LA’s top chefs). Santa Barbara start and stop with programming the musical “Imagine a gigantic communal table with elegant acts. In this day and age, fans are asking for full plateware, cocktails, wine pairings and food Nov 16-18 360 degree experiences from their festivals, so that actu- providing robust, well curated culinary & drink of- ally merits 2017 ferings is now almost as important as what bands the term are playing.” ‘farm-to- table,’” The phenomena of “foodies” and food festivals wrote can be seen in social media in the last decade as Andy images of waffles, eggs benedict, cronuts, sea- Wang for food and farm-to-table dishes. These food imag- Food and es swamp Instagram and every day new events Wine.

Tour Link Magazine 31 Every year more music festivals take advantage of While popular TV cooking shows, cooking series, this “foodie” fascination by using it as a marketing dedicated culinary magazines and social media tool to increase their festival attendance and experi- websites have driven the popularity of the food and ence. Some have even melded these two creative wine industry, music festivals are incorporating more industries into one festival creating a “foodie” and exquisite eats into the core of their events to keep music lovers event that attracts people from all over their festivals relevant and farm-to-table fresh. the country. FestForums® is a festival conference for food, bever- BottleRock in age, music and film festival industry leaders that takes Napa Valley, for place biannually in Santa Barbara, CA and New York example, exe- City. Addressing cutting-edge technology, talent, cutes this blend ticketing, sponsorships, scheduling, merchandising, of music and operations, sustainability, charitable work, innovation food perfectly, and safety, FestForums® brings together festivals and marketing both events of all sizes for collaboration and professional as the stars of development. Laurie Kirby and Stuart MacNaught the show. Al- produce FestForums® bi-annual professional confer- ways bringing ences, tradeshows and networking events for music, the best of the film, and food + beverage festival organizers in Santa best, this year, BottleRock paired artists such as Barbara, California and NYC. Macklemore, Maroon Five and the Foo Fighters with celebrity chefs Martha Stewart, Jose Andres and FestForums.com Iron Chefs’ accomplished Masaharu Morimoto.

BottleRock was a sell-out in 2016 and 2017, total- ing approximately 120,000 attendees for the three-day festival. BottleRock clearly displays how combining the music and Coach generators for culinary industries draw a wider audience to festivals, allowing the long road ahead. numbers to increase every year. ³ Competitively priced, 7KW to 100KW commercial-grade generators powered by a rugged Kubota or Cummins diesel engine. Festival producers now aspire ³ RVIA-approved models and multiple options available. to create lasting culinary-music ³ Enclosed units feature convenient single side service and experiences where chefs per- removable doors for easy access to maintenance parts. form demos alongside live mu- ³ Experienced engineering and support staff to help guide you. sical acts onstage as they do ³ Generator service in the Charlotte area – from simple repairs at Outsides Lands in San Fran- to complete replacements on most makes and models, with cisco. States Machurov, “It’s also convenient interstate access. Mobile service available! a perfect opportunity to differen- © 2016, EPS tiate your festival from the pack by choosing great regional food vendors, pouring craft beers, and partnering with local mixolo- gists to serve elevated cocktails. The days of pizza, hot dogs and pretzels are over and are being replaced by lobster rolls, Korean tacos, and artisanal sweets.” 32 Tour Link Magazine fonts: Arial - Regular 12pt Arial - Regular 8pt lighting • sales Eurostile Reg 6 pt service • production support trucking • storage • prop/scenery fabrication

Tour Link - Issue 4 (2016) /2 Page Horizontal - Color Dimensions: 7.5" x 5" We accept artwork at a resolution of 300 dpi in one of the following formats: Adobe Illustrator (.eps or .ai), Adobe Photoshop (.psd or .eps), TIFF (.tif or .ti ), JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg), or PDF (.pdf). Woodroffe Bassett Design For les under 100 MB, upload to our photos by steve jennings server via FTP. Only le formats listed above will upload successfully. Our FTP upload page is located at https://mobileproductionpro.com/ad- vertise. FTP Password: bU49pjZez

Black Sabbath - THE END Tour

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Dedicated touring agents available 24/7 for any and all of empirecls.com your travel needs, making life a little easier on the road. (800) Tour 451-5466 Link Magazine 33 34 Tour Link Magazine RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, P!NK, TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS, MUSE, WEEZER, JANE’S ADDICTION, DAVID GUETTA, ICE CUBE, JASON DERULO, LOGIC, ALANIS MORISSETTE, JACKSON BROWNE, ANDY GRAMMER, AND MORE FOR 2017 KAABOO LINEUP Three days of blockbuster names in music & comedy, gourmet cuisine, contemporary, and indulgencies oceanside in Del Mar, CA

KAABOO Del Mar is excited to announce the 2017 spa and relaxation reservations at INDULGENCES; music lineup for its third annual music and enter- CLUB ELEVATE late night dance party (18+); and tainment experience happening September 15-17, the ability to lounge poolside with a BASK upgrade 2017. Alternative Rock icons Red Hot Chili Pep- at the GRANDVIEW Stage. HANG FIVE and HANG pers, trailblazing Pop songstress P!nk, American TEN (VIP) passes include additional access to AM- treasure Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and inter- PLIFY zones which provide premier stage viewing national stadium rockers Muse will headline. They areas, access to the Thursday Night kickoff party, will be joined by previously announced California and more. favorites Weezer, plus Jane’s Addiction, David Guet- ta, Ice Cube, Jason Derulo, Logic, Alanis Moris- “I am thrilled with this year’s extraordinary lineup and sette, Jackson Browne, Andy Grammer, Kesha, proud to be building on the success of our last two LīVE, X Ambassadors, Garbage, Michael McDonald, KAABOO Del Mar events,” says KAABOO founder and many more. A confirmed lineup is listed below. and CEO Bryan Gordon. “We strive to curate an event that is multi-generational and diverse - some- Three-day passes are on sale now via KAABOOd- thing for all of our fans. When you look at this lineup, elmar.com. Hang Loose (GA) passes are currently we have everyone from Alt Rock legends and bucket $259, while HANG FIVE and HANG TEN (VIP) pass- list icons, to today’s hottest hitmakers and incredible es are currently at $799 and $2799, respectively. At up-and-comers.” KAABOO, all guests receive an amenitized experience with access to the HUMOR ME comedy club; In only its third year, KAABOO Del Mar has carved an on-site Contemporary Arts Fair in the indoor out its name among national and destination mu- ARTWORK area, plus a display of outdoor murals sic festivals by offering a curated feast for all sens- and installations; PALATE gourmet food tastings; es. Featuring equal parts music, contemporary art, gourmet cuisine, and hilarious comedy, the highly-amenitized event is conveniently located at the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds in South- ern California. Celebrated as San Diego’s largest multi-day major music and entertainment festival, KAABOO Del Mar overlooks the Pacific Ocean and enjoys pristine weather, ocean breezes, and numerous easy to access lodging options.

kaaboodelmar.com Tour Link Magazine 35 36 Tour Link Magazine DELICATE SUPPORTS BOTTLEROCK 2017 WITH MARTIN AUDIO

For the fifth year in a row, Delicate Productions provided audio, The crew included: Andrew Freid, (FOH/A1), Hussein Sami lighting and video for the BottleRock Festival in Napa, Cali- (MON A1) and Jake Gukowsky (Patch). fornia, supplying Martin Audio speaker systems for the main stage and three other stages. Showcasing super chefs such as Jose Andres, Hubert Kel- ler and Masaharu Morimoto paired with leading musicians and BottleRock is by now a popular and well-established three-day celebrities, the culinary stage featured a Martin Audio system celebration of music, gourmet cuisine and drink with an eclec- that included eight W8LC cabinets and two WS218X subs, tic musical lineup of over 70 bands that included Foo Fight- four WT2 for front fills, and LE1200 stage monitors. The crew ers, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Maroon 5, Macklemore included Dave Williams (FOH, A1). & Ryan Lewis, Modest Mouse, Ben Harper, Mavis Staples, Ani DiFranco and Gavin DeGraw, just for openers. The VIP tent open stage had four WT3 cabinets, two WS218X subs, 4 WT2 for front fills, and Martin Audio LE700 stage moni- Typically, Delicate deployed a Martin Audio MLA system for the tors. Rob Speight served as audio engineer and stage tech. main Jam Cellars stage because of houses just a few hundred As Jason indicates, “This stage was only 300 feet away from feet from stage right and the fact that the stage also faces main stage left. Luckily no one was on the main stage when downtown Napa 700 feet away. This required maintaining they were performing in the tent––but we did send a live audio 105dB c-weighted front of house with a mitigation system to and video feed from the main stage to the smaller stages which stay within the noise ordinances. allowed us to create a real festival experience for the VIP audience.” As Delicate President Jason Alt explains, “We’ve come to de- pend on MLA for the main stage because you can control the Summing up with an evaluation of the MLA system’s audio per- output really well. Plus, the versatility of the system and being formance, Jason concludes, “I’m a huge fan of Martin Audio able to steer it as the day progresses lets us stretch the audio and the MLA technology stands on its own. I don’t think there’s back through the festival grounds so it never gets to the point another speaker that does what it does. It’s an amazing system where we exceed any of the limits for Napa and the surround- and we love deploying it.” ing neighborhoods.” Photography © Bob McClenahan The actual setup for the main stage was 16 MLA and 2 MLD www.napasphotographer.com per side for the main hang; 12 MLA Compact on the stage left as a single side hang; 24 MLX subs ground-stacked in front of the stage in a broadside array; 12 MLA Compact per side for infill/front fill; two delay hangs with eight MLA Compact; an Avid Venue Profile console for FOH and a Yamaha PM10 for monitors. The main stage crew included Scott Edwards (Stage Tech), Kenny Kaiser (FOH, System Tech), Arturo Acosta (Moni- tors, A1), Mark Ramos (Stage Patch) and Ryan Trefethen (RF Tech).

To further complicate the issue, the other Martin Audio stages were all close to the main stage. As Jason points out, “BottleRock is not a very large site, so you’re trying to keep the sound away from other stages––the 4th stage, which is small, and the main stage literally fire at each other from one end of the festival to the other, so we had to keep the noise away from there as well.”

The 4th (Lagunitas) stage was dedicated to smaller electric and acoustic ensembles and was rigged with eight Martin Audio W8LC cabinets a side; 8 WS218X ground-stacked subs; four WT2 for front fills, two W8C and two W8CS a side for side fills and LE700 stage monitors. Tour Link Magazine 37 Tripping the SpiIders Web

Tel Aviv based Light Architects Cochavi & Klein are known for their style and propensity for invention … and they are also really impressed with Robe’s Spiider LED wash beams!

The leading designers seized the opportunity of the ‘Picnic Passover with Black Coffee’, a pumping electronic music event presented by The Tripping in Tel Aviv’s most famous urban oasis, Hayarkon Park, to uti- lise 48 x Spiiders and 24 x Robe Pointes on a circular trussing structure, forming a massive ‘sun’, which was winched above the crowds on a crane.

The sold-out event featured incendiary sets from award-winning, rising-star South African DJ and music producer Black Coffee, plus DJs Jenia Tersol & Benji. They, together with a hugely enthusiastic audience, enjoyed the unique setting of the park, which is known for its magical aura and ancient rocks brought from all over Israel, including yellow sand rocks from Mount Hermon … reportedly over 70 million years old!

These rocks provided a perfect backdrop to the show. The Tripping is also known for its staging concept of having a large VIP area around the DJ booth that pro- motes harmony, inclusion, peace … and encourages positive energy and connection between humanity and the environment.

Eran Klein explains that taking all this into consideration, together with Oren Heknin mastermind of The Tripping group, “we all dreamed about creating our own artificial sun that would rise behind the DJ booth and create a focal point for the party”.

Cochavi & Klein were one of the first design practices to use Spiiders when they arrived in Israel via distribu- tors Danor at the end of 2016 after their launch a couple of months earlier. In fact they debuted the idea of a circular structure loaded with Spiiders at an indoor event at Tel Aviv’s Hangar 11 the end of the year, which 38 Tour Link Magazine out the show.

“Spiiders are probably the best moving LED fixtures of their class on the market today,” he concluded. In addition to that, 8 x BMFL Spots were mounted on ver- tical truss towers positioned in an arch upstage of the DJ booth adding depth to the stage and extra punch to the dance floor. was a huge success. Early in the evening, the audience had the impression that Since then, they had been wanting to make it larger and these back BMFLs were in fact the main lighting rig … even more striking … and here was the perfect opportu- maximising the surprise element when the sun burst into nity! action!

For obvious reasons, they needed lightweight fixtures and Another four BMFL spots were located behind the hill ones that provided the right dynamics and functionality to throwing backlight across the entire scene and making sustain the vibes and excitement so essential to dance magnificent silhouettes of the rocks! music. For key lighting the DJ booth two PATT 2013s aside Three concentric circles of trussing at 8, 5 and 2 metre brought a warm tungsten glow and their distinctive shape diameters were cross braced by 12 x 4 metre scaffolding also assisted photographers in getting a nice background poles to make the sun skeleton rigid. The Spiiders and in which to frame their artist shots. Pointes were rigged on the front and back rails of the trussing circles in an alternating – pattern for balance. Lighting was controlled using a grand MA2 system, programmed by Omer Israeli for Cochavi & Klein, the lighting Forty-eight blinders were also rigged on the structure be- crew chief was Dor Aichner and stage manager was Itay tween the Spiiders and Pointes to create a classic warm Harpaz halogen feeling that contrasted with the LEDs. Lighting and audio equipment for the event was supplied ‘The sun’ was lifted in to place behind the DJ booth using by Argaman Systems, one of Israel’s leading production a 66 metre high crane and trimmed at 20 metres so the and rental companies. Structures and trussing came from lights on it had to throw at least 30 metres to the dance- Stage Design, lasers from Saar Lasers and the crane was floor / audience … and still be powerful and effective. provided by Dror Cranes.

The Spiiders were run in extended mode and pixel- Photos by Yosi Mamia and Albert Lalamaiev mapped through an MA VPU media server allowing Eran and his team to create an entire new world of looks and effects with video treatments.

The single pixel functionality of the Spiider and the flower effect is “super cool” says 800-541-9333 Eran, “this added a very nice twist to the show even at that throw distance!”

He continues that they “absolutely love the colour system, the sharp fast optics and wide range zoom” of the fixtures which helped create different ambiences through- Tour Link Magazine 39 VME CONJURES UP MLA MAGIC ON THE FLY AT HOPETOUN HOUSE

Having successfully produced Edinburgh’s first open air dance have bounced around on a stage that needed to be under- festival for the Fly Club in the city centre’s Princes Street Gar- propped.” dens last Autumn, alongside sister company Creation Live, Martin Audio partners VME moved to the outskirts of the Scot- Concerns about shaking the windows of the 17th century tish capital, and the spectacular 6500-acre Hopetoun House mansion were allayed by the clever way in which the sound Estate overlooking the River Forth, for the second Fly Open Air was tapered off in the Martin Audio Display software towards Festival. the perimeter, without the need to use the Hard Avoid function.

Unlike the fixed Princes Street bandstand a festival infrastruc- “We delivered sound at an SPL of 95dB(A) to the concession ture needed to be created in the grounds of the 17th century areas back to the road but were able to maintain 100dB(A) mansion and sound levels closely observed — a challenge that in the main arena,” said Mark. Meanwhile, his offsite readings Martin Audio’s award-winning MLA Multi-cellular Loudspeaker showed just 57dB(A) — at the rear point of the properties es- Array was more than equal to. tate, whilst it was 70dB at the front which faces the bridges (the majority of this low end). “The scaffolding structure didn’t help us — we couldn’t get the height we wanted, which created a number of physical chal- Tom Whittle who worked with promoter Tom Ketley to deliver lenges,” admitted VME Head of Sound, Mark Cleator. “This the event from a production and logistical point of view said, required some late changes to the loudspeaker array.” “Once again I was impressed by Martin Audio’s MLA product; it delivered a good coverage whilst giving the central audience But the company is used to working on the fly (no pun in- a very high level for an outdoor event. tended) and the reduction to two hangs of four MLA’s per side, flown off the scaff and bolstered by an MLD Downfill on the “Headliners Bicep passed comment that they thought it was stage lip to provide front fill coverage, was without compro- among the loudest and highest quality systems they had mise. played on.”

VME’s skill was in in the way they created a broadside cardioid Thus MLA had the dual purpose of satisfying both the 4,000 ground array of nine MLX subs, seven forward facing and two dance aficionados attending the sell-out event, the local envi- reverse, to optimise the levels without threatening thresholds. ronment requirements, and of course the landlords, Hopetoun This enabled VME to crank up the levels for artists such as House. Artwork, Bicep, Midland, Denis Sulta, Hunee, and Fly resident La La. As for the promoters, they were so impressed they have re- booked Creation Live and VME for their next event this Autumn “As a result the rejection was really good,” said Cleator, who — back at the Princes Street Gardens Bandstand. system teched the event while VME’s Oliver Fallon mixed the sound. “Without that rear rejection the turntables would simply

40 Tour Link Magazine VME CONJURES UP MLA MAGIC ON THE FLY AT HOPETOUN HOUSE

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