Technical

I am a techie. No… not a “Treckie”. I have no close fitting lycra top with the Star Federation emblom emblazoned on my chest. I don’t go to conventions and speak Klingon or discuss why episode 23 was a revolutionary moment in my life and how I’ve now committed my life to the warrior code.

No…. I am a techie, a technical person. You can keep your fantasy conventions, give me large amplifiers and stacks of speakers and throw in a huge video projector while you are at it.

At the end of this week I will be running a large “Christmas at the Park” concert for around 10,000 people. With clipboard in hand and a communication headset firmly attached to my head I will direct my team to a flawless performance…. hopefully. I say hopefully because I know it won’t be that easy. A stage that big, with that many performers and instruments leaves plenty of room for disaster.

Last year it was the wind that was nearly our undoing. The large scaffold tower that held a projection screen was pounded by the wind and during the afternoon we noticed that the back was beginning to lift out of the ground and the tower was starting to lean out over the stage! Needless to say there was a quick phone call made to get the scaffold riggers back to fix their work.

At another gig recently one of our young video crew was so engrossed in the shots he was getting of the band performing that he stepped backwards off the stage. To his credit and the ongoing respect of his peers, he managed to keep the band in focus until the moment he hit the ground!

Anyway, only a few days to go and so far disaster is nowhere in sight. Maybe the large (and very expensive) LED wall mounted on a truck that we have hired will suddenly burst into flames and engulf the crowd in a blazing inferno. Maybe the stage will suddenly tilt up and send the band into a tangled heap of limbs, trumpets and plywood. I’ll keep you posted.