2016, Blink and you’ll have missed something

Readers, It’s been nine months since my last confession (Blog), for which I apologise, but 2016 seemed very much to be a case of blink and you’ll have missed something.

I’m typing this in the production office of the Liverpool International Horse Show on the final day of the event as I have a half an hour to fill before I start preparing for the load out with Karl, our client from PHG. Neither of us can believe a whole year has gone by since we last did this show, but we have squashed a lot in, so take a deep breath, and…

January saw us moving our head office to Production Park in West Yorkshire, providing teams for Arena Cross around the UK and Ellie Goulding and Black Stone Cherry in Production Park. In February we covered Peter Kay at Production Park, Question Time in Bradford, Big Questions in Bradford, Leicester and Newcastle.

March Highlights included rehearsals with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis & The Last Shadow Puppets, two Ellie Goulding Shows in Leeds and Sheffield Arena’s (Thanks Bob). More rehearsals and Big Questions were covered throughout April and led us to the silly season.

We covered far too many festivals to name check between May and the end of September, but some of our biggest calls came from Leeds Festival, Latitude Festival, Electric Picnic (Dublin), Lollapalooza (Berlin), Secret Garden Party, Wilderness, Park Life, Tomorrowland (Belgium), Cropredy, PZYK Fest. I spent a lot of time working technical production for Festival Republic in Ireland and covered shows in RHK, Marlay Park, Longitude, Punchestown (Steve Harley came up and saw me!), nipped home to head up Leeds Festival, back to Ireland for EP, Greg, Ritch & I then went to Berlin to hook up with Barry at Lollapalooza and then back to Pzyk. Chantel moved to Leeds, Sam finished year two at University, Mark “Red 5” Hammill became a qualified diver. Meanwhile we supplied stage builders to Prism and Serious Stages for numerous shows around the UK, we did Question Time and Big Questions all over the UK, Stage Managers to Germany.

We’ve done much, much more besides, we’ve signed a lease on a second office (news soon), won a couple of large labour awards (again more news soon) are in the middle of putting together a new web site and updated our social media. So yes 2016 was hectic and with work booked right up to December 2017 it looks like this year will be busier than ever.
In conclusion, we hope you have a happy and prosperous New Year. Meanwhile here’s Bill with the weather…