Well the festival is over, but what a successful show it was. This year brought a few changes including a new concert roof, the new Martin Aura lights, and more extensive use of digital consoles as requested by the artists.

The new roof was particularly spectacular as we had it completely certified as per the new ANSI standards. Now I know that we are not required to follow these new stringent requirements, but we have decided to just ‘bite the bullet’ and become compliant early. Can you really be too safe?
The most notable and funnest part of the new requirements is surely the weather station. We are required to have a High Wind Action Plan, and notify authorities of it as well as submit it to the Client. Everyone wanted to know what the wind was doing, and what the expected weather was going to be. Plus it was a new gadget at monitor world! 

The unit is wireless and attaches to the top of the roof structure. It also measures rainfall, barometric pressure, shows the sunrise/sunset, and the moon phase. It shows a graph of the wind, and the highest gust all day, or maximum gusts in as low as 2 minutes.

Interestingly, the 4th day was very windy, and we took the backdrop down due to the 30+ mph winds. But since the wind plan had been previously turned in to the client, we didn’t really have to notify anyone. When the gusts occurred, we performed our due diligence and removed the backdrop. The client was completely understanding and appreciative. You see the plan and measurement gave us justifiable cause, and removed the typical judgement call that creates tension and poor mistakes.

Maybe there was something good out of Indianapolis after all? Do you think we would have taken the backdrop down without the weather station?

The JazzFest had one 32 mph gust, but the roof didn’t budge. 

‘Techno’ music rocked the beach! These guys chose us to hammer, –and I mean absolutely hammer the Spring Breakers with music, lights, LED screens, staging, misting stations, CO2 blasts, DJ booths, and seriously ridiculous volume. We shook the beach 550 feet deep with subs and created a dazzling display of lighting and video. After 12 hours a day, ending at midnight, thousands of kids just kept insanely screaming for more.

RIP Panama City Beach!

Truly this would have not been provided  so efficiently without our layout services. We made and revised many drawings numerous times to allow the client to get exactly what they wanted without spending enormous time in Panama City Beach.

Thank you to our friends Michael, Duckie, and Todd and their event companies who chose us to provide this entertainment package. We look forward to next year! We will do it better next year, some how…

1) What size stage do I need?

There are a few ways to go about this. There are some standard stage sizes, but it is very adjustable by nature. We build custom sizes for clients on a regular basis.

Consider these 4 concepts:

1) The width of the deck is useful for audience and video perception of size. Wide decks look bigger.
2) The depth of the deck is useful for working space. Bigger bands, and multiple bands playing the same show, require more space. Our larger decks accommodate band set-ups behind performing artists. Audiences don’t usually perceive depth.
3) Grab a stick and go outside! Draw a box on the ground, and measure it. Just remember that people don’t typically stand near the edges of a deck. (Unless we provide rails!)
4) Don’t forget stage risers, camera risers, press risers, FOH decks, and other stair packages!

You can always call for assistance on deck builds, but feel free to make drawings and e-mail them to us. There are custom shapes available.

2) What size roof do I need?

Concert roofs fall in generally two main categories: Load-bearing and non-load-bearing.

The load-bearing roof is engineered to handle a additional weight, which allows it to fly lighting, sound, backdrops, video, etc. However, the loads have to be distributed correctly and special attention to detail is imperative. We certify our roofs and follow the ANSI standards to be as safe as possible.

The non-load-bearing roof structures are for providing sunshade and rain protection. They are less expensive, but still require skill and attention to detail.

We provide both styles of structures and even have small crank-up roofs for that “Big Concert” look, in a small venue.

3) How much space do I need to have for an event stage and roof?

Of course the physical size of both the stage and roof are part of the answer, but there is much more to it than that. The roof has guy wires, and potentially ballasts to consider. We adjust how we perform our tie-down procedures on a case-by-case basis, depending on many factors that are venue- and client-specific.
Pro-Tech provides layout service to help our customers layout an event safely, as well as help you provide for other professional needs. When you find a nicely laid out event, you can rest assured it lives somewhere on
paper. That is the beginning essence of an intelligent event plan. Our layout services are available to you too!

4) Do I need power for the stage and roof setup?

The larger motorized roof structures all utilize motors for erection. Therefore, we need power on the roof setup day. These motors are 3-phase units, but we carry distribution (typically 100’) to power them. We just need access to power, either through electrical Grid or generators.

We are proud to be very self-sufficient in most cases, and even have single-phase to three-phase power converters to allow us to use these motors in single phase locations. This saves the client from renting generators in those medium-size show locations that would otherwise be able to survive on single phase power. This is a real cost savings on less than 3,000 people shows that require motorized roofing structures.

5) How tall should I make my stage?

A tall stage height allows people to see the artist or event well, but can become more costly and difficult to construct as you approach the higher levels. We like portable staging to be high enough to see well, and high enough to provide space for what we may stow underneath the deck. On outdoor shows we regularly place racks of equipment, and other various gear under the deck. Large shows allow us to walk underneath the deck and create secure areas for gear and storage.

Call or e-mail us for further details!

But by far the greatest thing to ever happen to my installations was the addition of our live production services.  

Now it all makes sense. I could never fully respect an install-only company now, because I know they lack perspective. These guys do not mix under the gun, and they aren’t responsible for great sound. They install gear and stair at test equipment. A seasoned live production engineer will make their systems better with just his ears.

You see when we are not installing systems; we are providing productions services. Demanding clients expect the system to sound great immediately. Everyone wants the concert to be perfect. It’s the job.

It’s the ultimate acid test. The only thing that counts is results. And fast!  

Nothing will ever train an installer company like the demands of dropping all different size PAs in all different type rooms every time. It is the ultimate shotgun experience.

Contractors install systems but walk away and cash your check when the real fun begins. Live Production companies make systems sound great.

My friend Paster Jerry Weaver of my hometown First Baptist of Panama City Beach, Fl, said it to me best. He proudly boasted it to me as prolific words of wisdom.

” Steve, my other pastor friends told me that the best way to get a great sounding system is to go find the guys that setup the big rock concerts and make them install your system. “

“They do it for a living.”

But you know what the funny part is?

Production gave me the best part of perspective I needed to be a great installer. We don’t just install; we make systems sound great.

Installation experience made my production systems better than most. My portable racks -n- stacks are built with features like permanent input transformers for ground isolation and use the most reliable connectors in the business. All thanks to the install business. It’s almost like the install end teachs what to do, and the production end teachs how to do it. Go figure.

You know why I know it’s true?

‘Cause my install customers reap the benefits.

Hmmm…now where is that George Benson rider? Do we really have to make an Acoustic Grand Piano sound great outdoors?!?  

Until next time.

steve pizza

OK, to be fair, I doubt this applies to any of the “big guys” out there – I highly doubt the real business CEO’s out there are watching me (but one can only hope).  But the ‘ex-rock-n-rollers’… well, they don’t like us very much.  Look, I have said it before and I’ll say it again.  CHECK OUT THE COMPANY YOU ARE DOING BUSINESS WITH!  These guys are going to say and do anything to get you to send them a deposit.  Yeah, we all want to make sales… but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about doing things.  This is a high tech business!  Desire is not enough, –GET EDUCATED!

I’m astonished at how many times a customer in our industry will not consider the liabilities involved with their production.  Do you really want your church cluster hung with Home Depot hardware? If your staging or concert provider has an accident at your event, does he have the insurance to protect himself? (or you!)  Who do you think is next in the legal firing line?  I’ve been to some of my competitor’s shows and been stunned at the danger I could find. I’ve raged through storms myself and thanked God for the extra ‘oomph’ we designed into our system.  I’ve seen corporations gamble with the largest liability, and ironically, since they don’t know the hardware, watch the gear swing over their own corporate & customer heads with a smile, ignorantly not recognizing how the legal trickle will appreciate their bank account. Our industry is high liability!  Ignorance is no excuse after an accident.

Think about that the next time you save a few dollars on your selection of Production Provider.  Take the smart road.  Pay for the safer, stronger company; consider it better than normal insurance & enjoy their professional advantage.  Save instead, on something benign like your selection of plastic trinkets.  You don’t have to be industry educated to recognize risk,  just be street-smart enough to protect yourself against the unknown.

The last email that I got was decent and the question was – “why do you do it (the ranting) and do you think anyone reads it?  Hmm.. well… I do it because I don’t like seeing people get ripped off.  I do it because I can.  I do it because I want to.  I do it because it is the right thing for me to do.  And do I think anyone reads this?

Until next time,
Steve