ROTTERDAM – Kerstcircus Ahoy has pretty much everything fans expect to find in a circus, from trapeze artists and acrobats to jugglers and clowns, including the disarmingly charming Austrian clown, Don Christian. But this popular wintertime event, which has been captivating audiences for over a half-century, doesn’t stop there. Drawing unique acts from across the […]
NEW IPSWICH, NH – The ability to think outside the box is often the lifeblood of a successful production design, even when that “box” is the actual stage itself. Such was the case recently for the team at Events United when they had to come up with a way to light the artists performing at […]
CHANDLER, AZ – At times it seemed that everything that could go wrong would go wrong at the one-day Desert Sky Music Festival. Not only did rain delay the 2pm start of the first act by over 30-minutes, but once the music started playing, bumps in the road kept threatening to derail the best-laid plans. […]
WINDOW ROCK, AZ – When asked what he attributes Megadeth’s enduring success to, Dave Mustaine, frontman and founder of the iconic, Grammy-winning band quips, “stubbornness.” Of course, fans, like the 10,000-plus who packed the fairgrounds at the 75th annual Navajo Nation Fair would respectfully disagree. For them, there’s much more than mere tenacity behind the […]
LEYLAND, UK – How do you create vibrant stage lighting during daylight hours? This is an issue that every designer working an outdoor festival has had to grapple with. When Ollie Wilkinson was putting together the lighting package for Music in the Park, his response to this challenge was simple: rely on an abundance of […]
SCOTTSDALE – The big crowd oohed and aahed when they witnessed extreme rider Clint Ewing do his wheelie stands and rolling endos at Arizona Bike Week, just as they marveled at the 30-foot-high motorcycle acrobatics by the Brigade Freestyle Motorcross Extreme team. But these weren’t the only jaw-dropping feats at the annual event, which drew […]
ANTWERP, BELGIUM – Since recent reviews of the Nerdland Festival in Wachtebeke, building on the enthusiasm of nerds of all ages, were universally positive, it was decided a spectacular show at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp would be next. Featuring captivating presentations on scientific wonders, and a captivating visual spectacle, the “Nerdland for Small Nerds” […]
AMSTERDAM – There is an element of illusion in every winter attraction. That is what makes them so special! Who cannot be charmed by entering a space during the dark days of the year, and suddenly finding themselves transported into a magical wonderland? Visitors to Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs know this feeling well. For 18 days […]
BLACKPOOL, UK – It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, sooner or later, you’re going to be in a situation where you find yourself doing something for the first time. Ollie Wilkinson can vouch for that. A lighting designer for over 15 years, Wilkinson has been involved in shows, large and small, in all kinds […]
WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Garrett McConchie experienced a brief moment of disorientation recently, and was both confounded and excited by what he saw. The project manager of CNXN Live, a real-time in person and livestreamed corporate event that took place simultaneously at two sites, McConchie was watching a panel discussion occurring at the Armory […]
PHOENIX – Rain can play havoc with any outdoor festival. That much is true, but in Phoenix Arizona? The second driest city in the USA (only Las Vegas gets less precipitation), Phoenix has gone as long as 160 days without rain; that happened back in 1972. The organizers of the inaugural Zona Music festival had […]
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – Competitive indoor percussion troupes often rely on lavish scenic elements to help advance the narrative of a performance. Even by the standards of its peers, however, the highly-acclaimed STRYKE Percussion ensemble has often taken things a step further. In 2018, for example, the smart-looking ensemble used an actual airplane in […]