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THE GAFFER 2022: PHAY MAC MAHON COVID MITIGATION TECH

108 AN ILMC PUBLICATION FEBRUARY 2022 | £25 | €25

IQ108 CONTENTS Cover: The Smile Magazine, London, 30/01/22 © Wunmi Onibudo

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NEWS

FEATURES

COMMENT AND COLUMNS

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Index In Brief The main headlines over the last month Analysis Key stories and news analysis from around the live music world New Signings & Rising Stars A roundup of the latest acts that have been added to the rosters of international agents

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Pandemic Lessons Learned by Live IQ talks to a number of business leaders to identify ten key lessons that the pandemic has taught us The Gaffer: Phay Mac Mahon “Phaymous” looks back over a stellar career and details how he successfully steered last year’s Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin tour through a web of state and city covid regulations Covid Mitigation Tools As governments slowly ease restrictions, we highlight ten products and services to help with reopening plans

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BACK in the Saddle Suzi Green explains why her music industry support group has organised a series of free workshops Working in Television, Again and Again Ric Salmon relives the success of The Smile’s live-stream triple header Your Shout What’s the best showcase you’ve ever seen?

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An epic adventure to explore uncharted territory and new frontiers

Shaping the new international live music business

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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN 34.ilmc.com/register

S A T H TA R E R D LO E R O LO H NN Y C H D H O A AT H O T L IO H N E N L H ,

LONDON | 26–29 APRIL 2022

Daring expedition made by possible by…

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MUCH TO DISCUSS

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s we put this issue of IQ to bed, it’s the eve of BRITS week here in the UK – one of the biggest weeks for music in the calendar, where the biggest selling acts collect their awards and get the chance for a sales boost through spectacular performances and raised profile across various media.

But, as a reminder that we’re still at the mercy of all things Covid, American act Doja Cat was forced to cancel her scheduled performance just days before the 8 February ceremony, as members of her crew tested positive for the virus.

It’s a sobering reminder that while governments around the world are easing restrictions, raising hopes that international touring might be able to resume at some point this year, the return to business hangs by a precarious thread, with the bubble around acts embarking on tours having to be meticulously planned – and reinforced – to ensure minimal contact with anyone who may be infectious. Don’t expect to be invited to many meet and greets this year…

However, as our Covid-mitigation update (page 34) reveals, there are a lot of technological breakthroughs that everyone involved in the live entertainment business can add to their armoury against the virus, for protecting the ticket-buying public, the acts and their crews.

Indeed, this year’s Gaffer award winner, Phay Mac Mahon (page 20), details how he and his road warriors established very successful Covid protocols that allowed Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin to complete their arena tour across America last year.

But as we prepare for ILMC in April, the challenges that face delegates as they try to resume operations are unprecedented: ticket refunds, insurance, public confidence, supply chain delays, a scarcity of skilled staff, border security and visas – the list goes on. There’s no panacea, making the discussions we are scheduling for ILMC 34 even more important than ever, with the knowledge of those who are finding and creating solutions to overcome each obstacle invaluable as we go forward. Our goal for the conference, as usual, will be that everyone leaves the Royal Garden Hotel with the information and contacts to deliver the tools they need to reboot their business, as well as an emboldened sense of optimism for the year ahead. And if you need an appetiser to kickstart your confidence, be sure to dip into our Covid Lessons feature (page 16) to share the experiences of business leaders from around the world.

ISSUE 108 LIVE MUSIC INTELLIGENCE IQ Magazine Unit 31 Tileyard Road London, N7 9AH info@iq-mag.net www.iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0300 Twitter: @iq_mag Publisher ILMC and Suspicious Marketing Editor Gordon Masson News Editor James Hanley Staff Writer Lisa Henderson Advertising Manager Steve Woollett Design Rather Nice Design Sub Editor Michael Muldoon Head of Digital Ben Delger Contributors Suzi Green, Ric Salmon Editorial Contact Gordon Masson gordon@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0303 Advertising Contact Steve Woollett steve@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0304 ISSN 2633-0636

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IN BRIEF INDEX The concert business digest

Evolution Artists, a UK-based international agency for DJs and MCs, joins forces with Londonbased Earth Agency.

Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Ye are set to headline the 2022 edition of Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival.

South Korea’s performing arts sector remains cautious despite rebounding by nearly 80% year-onyear in 2021.

The Dutch events industry calls for a fresh approach to the Covid-19 crisis as prime minister Mark Rutte begins his fourth term in office.

Australian trade bodies repeat calls for a government-backed insurance scheme for live music and events.

Sweden introduces a 500-capacity limit on live events following a request from the country’s public health agency.

LA-based startup AmazeVR closes a $15million (€13.4m) round of funding to support its vision for virtual reality concerts.

Move Concerts boss Phil Rodriguez says the company will be “100% open for business” by March as he shares his bullish projections for the year ahead.

AEG Presents CEO of European Festivals Jim King says the live business will need to “up its game” in 2022 to meet fans’ raised expectations.

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The global surge in Covid-19 cases is continuing to wreak havoc on the international live calendar, with a growing number of early 2022 tours cancelled or postponed.

StubHub Holdings, which operates ticket resale platforms StubHub and Viagogo, considers going public via a direct listing.

A man sues AEG Presents in the US after allegedly being injured when he tripped on a cable at a reggae festival.

Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings reportedly plans to acquire gaming smartphone manufacturer Black Shark in a move that could help the company build its own metaverse.

Germany’s €2.5billion event cancellation fund has hardly been used so far, according to a new report.

CAA’s merger with ICM Partners is delayed while the US department of justice investigates its impact on the entertainment industry.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis leads tributes to the festival’s long-serving commercial director, Robert Richards, who died aged 65 following a short illness.

Leading venue bosses give their insight into the Covid protocols that are expected to remain in a post-pandemic world.

The New South Wales government establishes a AUS$43m (€27m) support fund to boost the confidence of event organisers.

Flesh Festival, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ electronic music and camping festival, is set to launch this year.

UTA names Lindsay Wagner as chief diversity officer.

The Netherlands is set to gain a brand-new one-day rock and metal festival, Headbangers Parade.

Scotland and Wales announce plans to roll back their Covid-19 restrictions.

Industry executives in Asia warn that the ‘groundhog day’ caused by enduring restrictions could long continue.

The Bay of Islands festival becomes the latest event to fall by the wayside in New Zealand as a result of the uncertainty around Covid.

Sustainability heads say the pandemic has prompted a “real sea change” in the industry’s attitude towards green issues.

ASM Global acquires a controlling interest in AV technology specialist Anthony James Partners.

Sound Diplomacy appoints experienced executive and board member Rob Hain as global chief executive.

The Keychange initiative for gender equality in music unveils its 2022 class of artists and music industry innovators.

In Brief

GET INVOLVED Live Nation will take fans back to the “golden age of emo” with a new festival in Las Vegas this October, When We Were Young.

France announces a gradual easing of restrictions on live events, starting from the beginning of February.

European festival chiefs share their optimism for the summer season while warning of the challenges ahead on the opening day of ESNS (European Noorderslag).

Adele postpones her entire Las Vegas residency just 24 hours before opening night.

Emporium Presents, a joint venture with Live Nation, announces three senior appointments, as well as a relocation to Nashville, Tennessee.

Venues in the Netherlands temporarily turn themselves into hairdressers and beauty salons in protest at the ongoing shutdown.

Scam artists pose as Ariana Grande’s agents, claiming to offer 2022 European tour dates for the singer.

The National Independent Venue Foundation announces the relaunch of its Emergency Relief Fund to provide economic relief to independent music and comedy venues, festivals, and promoters across the US. Live-streaming will play a supporting role in the live industry’s return to touring, according to Driift CEO Ric Salmon.

The German events business warns that the industry faces a fresh round of layoffs without an extension to the short-term work allowance.

The UK’s live music business repeats calls for government support measures after a snap survey reveals close to half of remaining international shows planned for Q1 2022 have been cancelled.

Top agents call for a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable industry during ESNS. New Zealand sees a “staggering” number of event cancellations following the country’s move to red in the Covid traffic-light system.

Montreux Jazz Festival announces a partnership with TikTok for the festival’s new music initiative, MJF Spotlight.

US hip-hop festival Rolling Loud will finally make its European debut when it lands in Portugal this summer.

CAA announces that it will relocate to a larger space in 2026 to accommodate the company’s “tremendous growth.”

The Netherlands, Norway, and Northern Ireland announce the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions that were introduced in December.

Sydney-based live entertainment group TEG promotes Tane Oakes to chief technology officer.

Belgium festival behemoths Tomorrowland and Rock Werchter join forces to launch a new two-day festival in Brussels.

UK promoter Kilimanjaro Live is to launch a new “indie and alternative sounds” festival called Neck of the Woods.

The first round of Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2022 will go ahead with capacity restrictions at Stockholm’s Avicii Arena from 4-5 February.

Denmark’s live music business cheers “a day to celebrate” after it becomes the first country in the EU to announce it is ending all coronavirus measures.

ASM Global unveils tech giant Sage as the naming partner for its Newcastle Gateshead Quays arena and conference centre development in the UK. Twenty One Pilots delivered the most popular music concert experience on Roblox in 2021, according to a new report.

Live entertainment discovery platform Fever raises $227m (€203m) in a funding round that values the company at more than $1billion (€900m).

AEG earns 100% on the 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the 20th annual scorecard on LGBTQ+ workplace equality.

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F7 Entertainment Group, a new full-service national music promoter, launches in Canada.

Family members of Drakeo the Ruler are to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Live Nation, C3 Presents and Bobby Dee Presents after the rapper was fatally stabbed backstage at last month’s Once Upon a Time in LA music festival.

Warner Music Group is to create the first music-themed world in The Sandbox gaming metaverse, following a deal between the two companies.

Oak View Group announces ten-year naming rights deal with financial services firm Acrisure for its new arena in Palm Springs, California.

Chinese powerhouse Modern Sky Entertainment plans to launch a virtual edition of its Strawberry Music Festival.

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Analysis

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CANCELLATIONS MOUNT OVER OMICRON SPIKE

micron continued to wreak havoc on the international touring calendar in the first few weeks of 2022, causing a multitude of concerts to fall by the wayside.

Artists such as Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie, Blossoms, Billy Joel, Little Simz, Måneskin, The Fugees, and Rina Sawayama cancelled or postponed tour dates due to the ongoing Covid situation, while the Grammy Awards were pushed back from January to April.

Elton John pulled a string of US shows after contracting the virus, while Adele dramatically postponed her entire Las Vegas residency just 24 hours before the opening night. The Live Nation-promoted residency, dubbed Weekends With Adele, was due to run from 21 January to midApril at Caesars Palace’s 4,300-cap Colosseum, but the singer said the show wasn’t ready.

“Half my team have Covid, and it’s been impossible to finish the show,” she tearfully told fans via Instagram, adding that “delivery delays” had also impacted her plans, which have yet to be rearranged.

Dead & Company and promoter CID Presents cancelled their Playing in the Sand destination festival in Mexico due to a spike in coronavirus cases, and government measures put paid to Costa Rica’s BPM Festival. A raft of Australian and New Zealand music festivals were also axed due to tightened guidelines.

In Europe, a coalition of Italian trade bodies – Arci, Assomusica, Bauli in Piazza, KeepON LIVE, and MMF Italy – united to launch the #Nessunconcerto (no concert) campaign to draw attention to the ongoing shutdown of the country’s live music industry. #Nessunconcerto launched exactly one year after the associations’ previous campaign, L’ultimo Concerto? (The last concert?).

The country’s state of emergency has been extended, with the consumption of food and

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drink at concert halls and other indoor locations banned and facemasks compulsory until at least 31 March.

In a statement, the coalition said the enduring restrictions – particularly the ban on food and drink – render concerts “economically unstable.” Continuing: “Although, last October, there was a faint hope that we could start towards a gradual, albeit slow, restart, in recent months an entire sector, that of contemporary live music, is once again forgotten.”

Despite live events being given the go-ahead to resume in the Netherlands, they must adhere to a 10pm curfew and are currently restricted to a maximum of 1,250 visitors indoors, with fixed seats and up to a third of the capacity in outdoor spaces.

Access to music venues is limited to those who have been vaccinated, have recovered from Covid, or have been tested against Covid – otherwise known as the 3G model – and facemasks are required when walking around. One promoter told IQ that the rules made it “almost impossible” to stage concerts. Meanwhile, festivals are still banned and nightclubs remain closed.

In response, the Dutch government made an additional €56.5million available to culture, bringing its latest support package for the sector to €251.6m. Covering the period from 1 February to 8 March, the funding brought the amount allocated solely to the Performing Arts Fund (for music, musical theatre, dance, and festivals) to €122.5m since the start of the November lockdown.

“The corona crisis continues to hit the cultural and creative sector hard,” acknowledged Gunay Uslu, state secretary of culture and media.

The German events business warned the industry faced a fresh round of layoffs without an extension to the short-term work allowance. The allowance has provided partial compensation for loss of earnings due to the pandemic but has only been extended to 31 March by the federal government, with employers able to claim just 50% reimbursement of social security contributions.

Elton John’s Farewell Tour has become one of the latest outings to be hit by Covid

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NEW SIGNINGS & NEW MUSIC

LISTEN TO ’S ‘NEW MUSIC’ AGENCY PLAYLIST HERE

Each month, ’s partner agencies help us to compile a playlist of new music, much of it released by the new signings to their rosters. Among the tracks on February’s playlist are submissions from ATC Live, CAA, ITB, Paradigm, Primary Talent, Pure Represents and UTA.

WEDNESDAY

(US)

Duncan Smith & Nikita Lavrinenko, PlayBook Artists

© Charlie Boss

AGENTS

RATS AGENT

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Ben Winchester Primary Talent

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ednesday is a five-piece band from Asheville, North Carolina, led by guitarist/vocalist Karly Hartzman.

Their second album, Twin Plagues, which came out in 2021 via Orindal Records, weaves together twang, shoegaze and the scuzz of 90s college rock with ease, with Hartzman’s voice cutting through the din. The record garnered praise from the likes of DIY, Pitchfork and Stereogum.

Wednesday has gone on to sell-out headline shows in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and more, and agent Lavrinenko says the band has reached 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify pretty organically. “They’ve also started to sell out shows in the US and, looking at streaming numbers, more people are taking notice in Europe and the UK as well,” he says. “They are now also working with The Glow management (Sylvan Esso, The Tallest Man on Earth).”

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he best bands have both an intrinsic bond that binds them together and a natural flair that instantly wins over hearts and minds. That’s exactly what you have in RATS – four childhood friends who met on the streets of Liverpool but are now destined for arenas.

A blast of direct and anthemic indie that’s as infectious as it is heartfelt, the sound of RATS has already seen them burst out of their hometown, with their sizeable ambition lining up the rest of the world in their sights next. Lyrically, RATS take on all of the drama, turmoil, joy and celebration that comes with living in our modern society.

The full breadth and power of RATS becomes even more evident when on stage, where they’ve been hailed by fans and critics for sounding record-perfect in the live arena of Thousands but with a spine-tingling and raw delivery.professionals Having alreadyread achieved so much, and with the songs and the spirit to pullMake IQ every day. it off, it’s not impossible to imagine RATS as guitar music’s sure you get the next great hope.

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NewComment Signings

ARTIST LISTINGS Working in Television, Again & Again

Alice Auer (UK) Marlon Burton, ATC Live Mabe Fratti (GT) Jan Bouwhuis, Earth Agency Amyl and the Sniffers (AU) Alex Bruford & Will Church, ATC Live Major League Djz (ZA) Belinda Law & Hannah Shogbola, UTA Andrew Wasylyk (UK) Simon Tagestam, ATC Live Manu Delago (AT) Angie Rance, Earth Agency Anish Kumar (UK) Ollie Seaman, Earth Agency Massive Wagons (UK) Ed Sellers, Primary Talent Billy Nomates (UK) Sarah Joy & Will Church, ATC Live Matisyahu (US) Skully Kaplan, ATC Live Bo Ningen (UK) Caitlin Ballard & Graham Clews, ATC Live Mike Dimes (US) Kevin Jergenson, ICM Partners BoyWithUke (US) Mike Malak, Paradigm Montell Fish (US) Kevin Jergenson, ICM Partners Dijon (US) Tom Schroeder & Anna Bewers, Paradigm Morgan Harper-Jones (UK) Paul Buck, Paradigm DoomCannon (UK) Sinan Ors, ATC Live Namasenda (SE) Jan Bouwhuis, Earth Agency Eli & Fur (UK) Laetitia Descouens, Primary Talent Nap Eyes (CA) Eleanor McGuinness, PlayBook Artists Emily Scott Robinson (US) Olly Hodgson, Paradigm Nickel Creek (US) Rob Challice, Paradigm FelixThe1st (UK) Tom Schroeder, Paradigm Nonô (BR) Sol Parker, streams, you probably sell 35-40% of tickets at the front end, Paradigm or the last year or so, we’ve been considering how we GONE (FR) Palmer, Earth XLit(SE) Mike Deane, then drops off, and then you sell another 35-40% at the backEarth Agency could evolve what weNaomi do. The concept of Agency a ‘hybrid’ Oli Harriet Nauer (SE) event – where you have a traditional Tobbe tour Lorentz, UTAput Pantera MacSween, ITB end. The(US) other 20% of tickets are sold when it plateausRod in the show, middle. That’s throughout and then hope toICM sellPartners some live- Provoker Hayd (US) some cameras in the venue,Kevin Jergenson, (US) been replicated almost exactly Cris Hearn & Paul the Buck, Paradigm last 18 months, and it was the same with The stream tickets on top of the physical tickets – didn’t Holy Other (UK) Jan Bouwhuis, Earth interest Agency us RATS (UK) BenSmile.

Winchester, Primary Talent It was the first time we’ve promoted a show that&had at all.

I just don’t think the experience would be very good for Jana Horn (US) Nikita Lavrinenko, PlayBook Artists Sudan Archives (US) David Exley Lily two Oram, Paradigm types of ticket – a physical ticket and a live-stream ticket – and viewers at home. It would be no better than watching an old Jordss (UK) Daniel Turner, Earth Agency Surya Sen (UK) Michael Harvey-Bray, Paradigm the marketing involved is totally different for each. As DVD or something you can get on YouTube for free.

Julie Odell (US) Paul McGivern, PlayBook Artists THAO (US) Duncan Smith & Paul McGivern, PlayBook Artists a traditional promoter, the hope is that you book Ultimately, we wanted to focus on what we’ve Karen Nyamelearned KG (UK) over the last 18 months.

Clementine Bunel, Paradigm The Cool Greenhouse (UK) Sarah the right artist in the right sized room so that it Joy, ATC Live We’ve been L.A.X (NG) Sam Gill, Earth Agency The Wild Things (UK) Lucia Wade, ITB sells out. From a marketing perspective, there’s super-proud of some of the live-streams we’ve Laelo Black (UK) Danielare Turner, Earth Agency Tom VR (UK) really not that much going on: itDaniel Turner, goes on sale, itEarth Agency done without audiences. The artists filmed sells out, and that’s it. With this new format, the Paradigm it feels special Lil Lotus (US)in such close proximity that Beckie Sugden, Primary Talent Trees Speak (US) Cris Hearn, physical tickets sold out almost instantaneoushow do Paradigm Lilyisthatyouwhen (CA) you’re watching at home. But Mike Malak, Wednesday (US) Duncan Smith, PlayBook Artists there’s Lojay (NG) you continue to achieve that whenSam Gill,an Earth Agency Yung Filly (UK) ly, but we then had a further three weeks to con- Max Lee, UTA tinue to market the show to the rest of the world. audience in the room? It sounds like a simple The band wanted it to be as authentic an expequestion, but it’s fiendishly difficult to pull off. rience as possible. They didn’t want to do one show and The Smile show was a culmination of all of that. We then a delayed broadcast, they wanted to go fully live for sold tens of thousands of live-stream tickets, and then there three shows, hence why the 8pm stream was for Europe; the were 3,500 people in the room over the three shows. It’s prob1am was for the US, and you then had an 11am show for Asia ably the equivalent of two or three arena shows, but in a tiny and Australia. We couldn’t do it any earlier because the 1am setting so everyone felt like they had a front-row seat. It was a show didn’t finish until 2.15am, and you’ve got to allow the nine-camera shoot, but I doubt most people would have even THIS MONTH LAST MONTH ARTIST band and crew enough time to rest. noticed because it was done quite discreetly.

1 MUNI LONG (US) In future, depending on the artist size and fanbase, maybe The venue is basically just an empty warehouse – a beau2 ISHOWSPEED (US) you don’t need to do an Australian/Asian show. But it’s an tiful,- modern, empty rectangular space – and we chose it for 3 CL4PERS economic choice because you make the physical ticket sales a few- reasons.

It was(US) the right dimensions because we knew 4 BENU (US) we wanted to aim for, and the transport gross, but you have the expense of doing a third show with what kind of capacity 5 55are good, LUUDE (AU) camera crew. links so it was a perfect solution. Our singular chal6 5 was toEMMY MELI (US)anyone who saw the show enjoyed What I hope Driift is becoming, is the first specialist prolenge ensure that ducer and promoter of live events for the digital era. If you it equally, whether they(UK) were in the room or at home, and I 7 31 FELIXTHE1ST think about it – and this isn’t a criticism – the live music inthink closeJEAN to achieving that. I don’t think that’s ever 8 28 we got SADIE (US) dustry is ultimately almost entirely non-digital; hardly anybeen done before, and that’s exciting because it gives us a new 9 ASHLEY PARK (US) thing about it is focused for the digital world. There are very format as an industry.

10 2 ACRAZE (US) few industries you could say that about in this day and age, Thom, Tom and Jonny were so happy. They loved the ex11 19 SAUCY SANTANA (US) so it’s cool we’ve stumbled across this through the pandemic. perience, and we sold more tickets than we set out to. We had 12 18 CAT BURNS (UK) But through great challenges, comes innovation. a target number, but we oversold that by 20-30%. With live13 48 LEONY (DE) 14 DUTCH CRIMINAL RECORD (UK) 15 38 was GRENTPEREZ (AU) time we’ve promoted a show that had two types of ticket “It the first

The Smile – Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner – played three gigs in just over 12 hours at Magazine London in late January. Performed to a seated audience, the shows were live-streamed around the world in real time.

Here, Ric Salmon, CEO of event producer Driift, reflects on a captivating leap forward…

F

HOTTEST NEW ACTS

– a physical ticket and a live-stream ticket – and the marketing involved is Thousands of professionals read PAPER different for each” PREDICTIONS FOR HAZEY (UK), BENJAMIN EPPS (FR),totally

MARCH 2022

ROUTE EMPIRE (US), CHARLIEONNAFRIDAY (US), NOT THE MAIN CHARACTERS (US)

Artists not in the current top 15, but growing quickly

Fastest growing artists in terms of music consumption, aggregated across a number of online sources.

FEBRUARY 2022

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Feature_Ten Pandemic Lessons

The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly been the biggest challenge that the live entertainment industry has ever had to deal with. Thankfully, thousands of businesses around the world have survived two years of unprecedented hardship, proving that the ability of this sector to come up with creative solutions has been underscored. But just what are the main lessons we should be taking from the Covid experience? talked to a number of business leaders to identify ten key lessons that the pandemic has taught us…

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Ten Pandemic Lessons_Feature

1

Don’t trust declarations that we’ve won the war against Covid-19 “It’s not over (the pandemic) until it’s over, much as we wish it were,” says Teresa Moore, director of A Greener Festival. “We need to be innovative, flexible and adaptive as things change. Connected to this, we need to be able to diversify using the skills we have in the industry to create new experiences, new businesses, and more sustainable business models. These need to include environmental and social impacts, not just the economic ones.”

WME co-head of live music Lucy Dickins underlines the need to be flexible. “Be prepared for the unexpected,” she says. “Make sure you have multiple outcomes and have several backup plans.”

Moore adds, “Tough as things are, if any industry can do it and move forward into this new era, it's the live industry, where innovation and flexibility are its bread and butter.”

#LoveLive

#SaveOurVenues

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Politicians neither understand nor value live music…

With a remit that includes overseeing theatres and arenas, as well as all the content and shows that fill the seats in those venues, Jessica Koravos, co-chairperson of Oak View Group and president of The Really Useful Group, has spent much of the pandemic period talking to policy makers.

“Our industry is in the hands of government and public health decision-makers who still fail to understand how our business operates and the enormously positive impact we make on local economies and the general happiness of the nation,” she says. “We must make sure that, going forward, we have more seats at the decision-making table.”

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…but fans do!

“While some politicians may still not grasp the importance of culture, the general population has shown us how much they value it,” states Beverley Whitrick of the Music Venue Trust (MVT).

“During the pandemic, music, films, TV, books, art – making things and appreciating the things others make – became a focus for many people's mental wellbeing. We saw amazing public support for fundraising initiatives such as #SaveOurVenues and #ILoveLive; and pure joy when people could returnThousands to live music,of festivals, theatres, etc.” professionals read

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The Gaffer

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Phay Mac Mahon_The Gaffer

With a career spanning more than 40 years, Phay ‘Phaymous’ Mac Mahon is one of the go-to production managers in the international touring business. Gordon Masson talks to this year’s Gaffer about his journey to the top and his simple but effective Covid protocol that allowed Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias to get back on the road last year.

H

aving grown up in Shankhill near the port of Dún Laoire on the outskirts of Dublin, life could have been very different for Phay Mac Mahon, had it not been for his big brother, Mick, and a local punk band with ambitions to see the world.

“Mick was a DJ in the 70s, and he’d built up a lighting system and stuff for his mobile disco,” recalls Phay. “Although I was really young, I started helping him set up and everything, until he decided he wanted to wind things down a bit.”

Professional equipment was a scarce commodity in Ireland at the time, so it wasn’t long before Phay was approached by club promoter Smiley Bolger who was running the Much More Music gigs in Dublin. “It was on a Tuesday night, and it turned out Boomtown Rats were regulars.

One night, Bob Geldof and I were chatting, and he asked if there was any chance of them using the lights and the van to take them around the country. And that's literally how it started.

“The lights were very basic, just Par 36s on homemade boards. And because I didn't have a switcher, I used to literally plug the lights in and out in time with the music. In fact, when I turned 60, halfway through the party, the music went down and Geldof and all the [Boomtown] Rats marched into the party. And they presented me this golden plugboard, which they’d hastily made in their hotel because that's how they remembered me originally.”

know if he was allowed and I’d have to ask his mum. So, over a tea-time pork chop, peas and mash, Mrs Mac Mahon said she wasn’t sure: the job was steady and he could easily be a foreman by the time he was 32 – in 13 or 14 years’ time. I assured her he could still do that. ‘Give it a year,’ I said. ‘We either do it or we’re all coming back to Dún Laoire.’ Phay had one condition; that if we did make it, besides the lights, he’d be allowed to drive ‘wunna dem big troox dey have.’

So off we went. He got to drive the truck, us, and everything else. We never went back to Dún Laoire.”

Thus started a lifelong relationship and Phay switched his apprenticeship from toolmaking to everything involved with taking artists on the road – with The Rats’ frugal nature and Phay’s clappedout vehicle very much at the centre of things.

“Geldof did all the dealing on everything,” explains Phay. “One day, before a gig, he told me that Richard Branson and Simon Draper were coming to see the band, ‘So let's get this set up quick so we can go out and pick them up in the van.’ I pointed out that surely when it's a record company, you should be sending a limo or something. And Geldof looked at me like I had two heads – he was always cheap,” he laughs.

“At the time, I was stockcar racing and having fun with old cars. So we had a bench seat from an old Zephyr that I'd thrown in the back of the van, and of course it would slide around on the floor, and the band would all moan and groan: I'd hit the brakes and it would slide forward, their

knees up in their mouths. So… Richard Branson and Simon Draper found themselves squashed up against the sidewall of the van when I had to do a sharp turn, and there's Geldof just staring at me, about to kill me.

“But that night, they saw the show and offered Geldof a cheque for nearly a million pounds, and he turned it down because he thought the band could do better. We thought he was mad, but he got a deal with Ensign and we did better.”

Part of that deal involved a house in Chessington, Surrey, where bass player John Giblin already lived in the garden flat while Allan Holdsworth was in the attic. “The house had a huge rehearsal room, a tiny sitting-room and a tiny kitchen, so it was a little community, and it was hilarious, to say the least,” says Phay.

Stars’ Truck

“When the Rats weren't touring, I’d go off and do my own thing. My brother Shay taught me to drive trucks properly and I finally got my HGV license. This allowed me to legally drive trucks for Edwin Shirley, and I ended up doing two Queen tours and a Rolling Stones tour on the steel team.”

He also learned more about lighting, working with Pete Clarke’s Supermick Lights. “I did tours with Pete and all sorts of one-offs, as well as the Roundhouse every Sunday.”

As his skills repertoire grew, Phay realised that work elsewhere meant moving out of The Rats’ Chessington home. “It was 1980, and Simon Austin from LSD called to say this young band from Sheffield were looking for a lighting designer for a theatre tour. So I met Def Leppard’s manager, Peter Mensch, and he offered me the job. Jake Berry was the production manager, and we got along great, but it came to the situation where he had to go back to AC/DC, who Mensch also managed, meaning he couldn't do Leppard’s first tour in the States. Mensch also needed a lighting director that he couldn't afford. But Jake pitched the idea that I could do both. It was kinda true – with The Rats I did everything be-

Phayze 1

Without each other, The Boomtown Rats and Phay may never have left the Emerald Isle. When they met, Phay was an apprentice toolmaker, but as The Rats began to build momentum, they tried to persuade Phay – with the van and lights – to take a risk and move to England with them.

“He was a kid working in a no-hope job in a lightbulb factory,” says frontman Geldof. “Phay drove us round in his brother’s mobile disco van and started doing the lights for us – plugging and unplugging each lamp from a standard domestic extension cable. When he wasn’t blinding us, he was shorting the house and amps.

“I told him he should come with us on our mad bid to get out of Ireland. He said he didn’t

Ricky Martin, Puerto Rico, 2020

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The Gaffer_Phay Mac Mahon

Testimonials What can I possibly say about Phay that can be printed?! I can’t actually remember the first time I met him but do remember thinking ‘So that’s the infamous Phay Mac Mahon.’ I have never personally witnessed or been a part of any of the renowned shenanigans or skulduggery but, as everyone knows, they are legendary.

To combine all that with his undoubtable skills, as not only a production manager but in lighting and design, and let’s not forget his power of recovery from the previous night, makes him a true legend and giant personality in our business. This is well deserved and long overdue.

Arthur Kemish | Anak Production Company My only regret is that I only got to work with Phay for the first time a few years ago. I wish I had worked with him a lot more and a lot sooner. We started working together on a pretty complicated deal, together with a client in Colombia right before Covid, and despite the madness that surrounded it, Phay never changed and nothing seemed to rattle him – remarkable.

We got through that, the tour continued and went into Chile and Argentina, but three dates into the Mexican segment, the world shut down. The tour we were working on was a very big production but Phay was able to move this around effortlessly. He told us what he needed in terms of time to move equipment, and once we gave him this in the routing, he just took care of the rest. I think he’s truly one of the greats. I adore the man.

Chris Dalston | CAA I’d known Phay for over 40 years and watched his career blossom to eventually becoming the legend he is today, being one of the top handful of go-to PMs in the biz. Phay has a very even temperament and is never rattled even when threats of guns are mentioned, but that is another story best told by Phay himself. He’s extremely well liked by the band and crew alike and always ready with a solution to any problem that may arise. I am so proud of Phay receiving this well-deserved acknowledgement.

Paul Newman | Clair Global

cause we didn't have a PM. Robbie McGrath was the tour manager and sound guy, and I was the sort of production manager/LD. But the real first time that I put the hat on properly was for Leppard in the States.”

It wasn’t his first trip stateside, but it was a different ballgame. “With The Rats, we played clubs and things. We did a show at Frederick's of Hollywood, which is a lingerie shop, as a promotional stunt. Geldof always wanted to do stuff that was different.

“But Leppard was much bigger as they were supporting Ted Nugent. John Conk was the production manager on that, and I learned a lot from him.”

Indeed, picking up tips from others became the norm. “Support tours were the way people broke in the States,” Phay tells IQ. “Queen toured with Mott the Hoople and they broke; and then Thin Lizzy toured with Queen and they broke…

After the 1980 tour, Leppard were back out in 81 with Ozzy and the Blizzard of Oz. It was a great

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way for everyone to learn – artists and crew – because you saw the bigger tours and figured it out,” he says, naming the likes of Jake Berry, Charlie Hernandez and Bill Leabody among his mentors.

In between outings with Leppard, Phay worked as LD for The Pretenders. “I was back and forth with lighting. But once I hit 83, production became more prominent because it started to get very serious.” After Leppard, he took on the production/LD gig for Adam Ant for a few years.

“And then it was Paul Young after that but still back and forward into lighting and stuff – I went out on the Joshua Tree Tour as the lighting crew chief in Europe; Jackson Browne as lighting crew chief; The Communards as LD.” But the arrival of children brought a rude awakening.

“Our eldest boy, Eoin, was born in 1987, but two days after he was born I was off on a Paul Young tour to the States, Japan, all over the place. Then I went straight to U2’s Joshua Tree, and from that to Hysteria with Def Leppard. So I

Charlie Hernandez and Phay paying a visit to John ‘Lug’ Zajonc

No evil: Jake Berry, Rock-it Global’s Justin Carbone, and Phay

was gone the entire year – I had to get my wife, Ann, to bring Eoin out so that I could see him.

And then Hysteria kept going for so long. It was nearly a two-year tour.

“At home, we had the phone on the wall in the kitchen. So when I got home on a break from Leppard, Ann said to our son, 'Eoin, where's your dad?' And he pointed at the phone. My heart sank and I realised I needed to put the brakes on.”

Out of Phay’s

Committing time to home life again brought out the entrepreneur in Phay. “Along with a friend, we came up with an idea of a mobile stage in Ireland – combining my toolmaking past with all the stuff I’d learned on the road. We developed this truck and I got Terry Lee from LSD and Chris Cronin involved in its design.”

The result was ingenious: a 45-foot trailer with a 75 kV generator built on the front end; a backroom with amplifiers, dimmer racks, etc; and an opening of 35 feet in the middle so that the sides would fold down to give a stage of 24 feet in depth.

“LSD were building their own truss at the time, so we used that for the roof and hinged two sides on the truss so that it literally folded out using hydraulics,” Phay explains. “Two crew could basical- of Thousands ly set up in an hour. It had its own sound-system, professionals read lights built into the roof. Turn on the generator IQ every day. Make and there it was: a gig in a box that we'd toget car the suretake you parks and football fields and stuff like that.”

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Congratulations Phay!!

And thank you for that guided tour of Tokyo nightlife on the Paul Young tour in the mid 80’s…

What could possibly go wrong between a model agency and the Irish rugby team?!!

The Gaffer_Phay Mac Mahon

Testimonials Phay and I grew up on two different council estates on the south side of Dublin.

We hung out together in our early teens, went to the same clubs, listened to the same music, and had a few punch-ups with the same arseholes.

Phay, my friend, you deserve this award. You have gone from strength to strength since those early days in Dublin, and every time I’ve worked with you it’s been a fun-filled, professional, and very pleasurable experience. Take care of yourself, and please keep doing what you’re doing.

Robbie McGrath | house engineer What can one say about Phamous Phay? He is one of the true gentlemen of our industry. An accomplished lighting director for decades and a very successful production manager to date. He always comes with a smile and a nice word.

The business would be a much better place if we had more Phamous Phay Mac Mahons.

Chris Kansy | production manager I have known Phay for many, many years and his nickname, Phamous, brings light to the legend that he truly is. Even in the most challenging production situations, there is no better production manager than Phay to sort out everything quickly and without a sweat. He’s got the network, intellect and experience to handle any chaos that has been handed to him. And even better is the true passion and love for the music industry and people in general that makes working for him and alongside him a wonderful and memorable experience.

Paige Newman | ImageSFX

he was not getting vaccinated. And he stood firm on it. We didn't have any arguments about it, I just had to go off and find someone else.”

While the vast majority of tours remained postponed, a few brave pioneers were hitting the road, meaning normal communication between production chiefs intensified.

“We were talking to lots of people who had started going out in amphitheatres and stuff – Green Day were out doing stadiums – but they were all outdoor-type venues. We were one of the first full indoor arena shows, so we had to be very, very careful.”

Knowing that every state had its own Covid

protocols and cities within each state would have different rules, Phay quickly learned that every venue also had its own protocols. “My suggestion was that we just create our own protocols and implement them from the barrier back,” he reveals.

“We realised that if we lost one of the two artists to Covid, we'd be in big trouble. But if we lost anyone else, we could somehow get around it.”

As a result, the Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin tour locked down everything from the stage to the backdoor and relied on the venues to take care of front-of-house. “They're running venues for a reason: they know what they're doing. My thing was, we keep our own house in or-

Phay, Eion and Ros in The Dog House

der, rather than worrying about anywhere else.”

He continues, “Everybody got onboard very well, and we put a Covid officer in place. Most arenas have security at the backdoor anyway, so straight out of the security station we set up the Covid station to temperature-check people. We also had scanners on the buses, so people would scan that in the morning, fill out a form about what they'd been doing, how they felt, etc. We'd register everything on computer, they'd be given a wristband for the day, and that was that.

“But once we hit certain areas, like in Florida where nobody was wearing masks or anything, we realised that a lot of the stagehands weren't vaccinated. So we had to put serious Covid testing in place there. If they had a vax card, they'd come in, get a quick check, and be given a wristband. If they didn't, they had to wait for their test result before getting a wristband.

“It was sensible but expensive. Getting stagehands in some situations was tough. But we were following Harry Styles, so we'd talk to Ski, his production manager, to see how they'd handled things in certain cities. And they had an even tougher world where they would not let anybody in that wasn't vaccinated, so they were having to fly in crew, stagehands, from different areas with vax cards rather than testing.”

Phay’s strict strategy worked well. “We had one guy who caught the virus, ironically on the very first day at the MGM in Vegas: Alfredo, the video guy. He was not feeling well, and when he

Phay Mac Mahon_The Gaffer tested positive, we literally put him in quarantine in the hotel for ten days. And then he came back. It was a rude awakening for us. But it made people take it seriously, as everybody towed the line and that was it. We never had another case.”

Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

Once again, communication with peers proved vital. “We chatted a lot with Ski on the Harry Styles tour. We got Dead & Co's protocol, and different protocols from different people, so we could look it over and figure out what ours should be,” says Phay.

Renowned for his sense of humour, the situation also allowed Phay to pull some spectacular practical jokes.

“We’d gathered for a beer – Andrés, the stage managers, Gino Cardelli and Ethan Merfy, and myself – ahead of speaking to Ski to get tips on how we would approach Atlanta, where the stagehands and riggers didn’t have to be vaccinated. Anyway, Andrés was telling me that Ski had sent him pictures of his home after he’d renovated it. And he shows me a photo of his laundry room, so, of course, I used it as my background for the Zoom call.

“So there’s was a bunch of Live Nation people on the call – Ski sitting on a couch on his day off.

I come on and he goes, 'Hey, man, how are you?

Blah, blah, blah.' And then he realises. 'Are you

CRAIG STANLEY So happy to see your well-deserved nomination for the Unsung Hero Award We have witnessed your endless Zoom calls, conversations, committees and meetings throughout these many difficult months. Your tenacity, patience and tireless dedication to support and re-energize the live music industry is much admired.

Very proud to have you as our valued colleague, unswerving team member – and friend.

Barrie, Jenny, Doris and all the family.

Testimonials Many congratulations to Phaymous on picking up this much deserved award.

From walking into our spoon factory rehearsal space in 1980 to being leader of the “Attack” bus of 1988 (you had to have been there to believe it) and our stadium shows of 2018, Phay will always be a big part of Def Leppard’s story.

Well done, Phay!!

The Leps Nobody can make a smart-ass comment better than Phay, so I’m not even going to try. Phay is Phab! We first met on the Adam and The Ants Prince Charming tour in 1980, and it’s been a charm and a giggle ever since.

Thanks for the Irish charm and the laughs my friend. Congratulations!

Debbie Sharpe | Goddess and Grocer Phay who? Ahh, that bloke. Yes, we remember him – we did some club tours back in the day… he was the guy standing at the load-in telling stories about The Boomtown Rats. Congratulations, Phay, we are proud to call you our friend!

Ian Massey | Beat The Street

“Phay had one condition: that if we did make it, besides the lights, he’d be allowed to drive ‘wunna dem big troox dey have’” Sir Bob Geldof | The Boomtown Rats

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

PHAY MAC MAHON O N

R E C E I V I N G

T H E

2022 GAFFER AWARD! We are so glad you’ve been part of our lives for so many years. It has always a pleasure to work with you, and this award is so very deserved.

Please keep bringing your talent and experience - and, of course, the sunshine!

All our warmest wishes…

Barrie, Jenny, Doris and all your friends at Marshall Arts.

YourGaffer_Phay Shout The Mac Mahon every damn thing. So I got a call from Tag (David Hall) who ran Concert Sound, asking if I was free for the next two weeks.

“So I found myself in Germany with The Commodores, and as their promoter, Barrie was with us. One night, the truck broke down in Mannheim. Barrie found another truck, but they didn't have a driver. Pete Granger and I were the backline guys ,but we both had artic licences so we volunteered, and because it was nearly two o'clock in the morning and we had a gig in Montreux the next day, there wasn’t another option. So it ended up me and Pete in the truck, Barrie in the middle, driving over the Alps. And he was an absolute gentleman. What other promoter would have got into a truck with the crew? He’s one of a kind.”

Phay with friends Gary Kemp, Bob Geldof, John Giddings, Pete Clarke and Robbie McGrath

WhatLondon wasisyour best live well, they're great. They're managed really good venues. And, of course, a lot of it is moment of 2021? down to the promoter.”

in my fucking house?' And I'm sort of rooting around and all they can see is the washers and dryers. And next thing, ‘click’ on comes Andrés, sitting in the living room with Ski’s wife pictured behind him. So the call took about 15 minutes to get going because we caused complete chaos.”

UnPhayzed

Trucking comes up a lot in Phay’s history. Frank McGuinness of McGuinness Forwarding tells IQ, “We were in Stockholm, with a triple drive to go to Brussels, but just before load-out, one of the tour drivers became seriously ill, and because of our delayed departure, we were going to fall short of the venue. We discussed the issue with Phay, who in his calm, assertive manner said, ‘Okay, just get the truck away, and I’ll figure out

Asked about his favourite promoter, the reply is instant. “Barrie Marshall. Who else could it be?”

And he recalls one story that he says sums Marshall up. “The Commodores were out on tour and the drum tech got ill,” he says. “When The Road Ahead I promoted Foo in Fairbanks, with The on Rats,21 I'dAugust set their drumkits and Speaking from the home in Fighters Bray, Ireland, Phay I wasAlaska, 2021. only had had a major show in the city since tells IQNot he’s heading backthey out not to Los Angeles The Carlson in mid-February resume Ricky Covid, it was to the first touring major with arena rock show in the market in Center in Martin – this time for his own headline tour.

Fairbanks, nine years. The town did not have t-shirt concert security, so we And although restrictions are being relaxed, he Alaska, hosted got help from the military base down the road, The town had confirms that he will be imposing the same CovFoo Fighters in one rigger, flew in eight additional riggers from the States. id protocols forso thiswe outing.

August 2021 “We're going to keep everything the same,” The police call for the show was to be six, but Fairbanks as aPhay cityfor over 25 years. Phay opened the door for me, as he has I have known he states.

“A12 lot policeman of people feel ittotal will become like only has and could not makedone thatfor work, manyso others, to the world of concert touring. Everyone knows that the common cold or the flu, but we’re not there Phay isfrom a great production manager and an even better person to share a we called the towns around them and got our police the yet, so we're going to keep everything in place drink or two with, but he is much more than that. Phay is a selfless person. He north pole (not joking at all). for the time being.”

When walked on thetalent. stage at has a knack for spotting young talent and aFrank heartTurner for nurturing that Production betodriven from days away as concert In a career that had dates to back the 70s, in there Clapham ona 19 July. After 438 days of He has created opportunities and given manyGrand people career that they never are hundreds highlights Phayjust candid call not exist in knew silence. I don’t think it would be possible to sound and of light of thisthat scale the market.

The for them. was an option on. But one in particular springs mind.

“Live explain all the emotions went through my his accomplishments and accolades, he has neverthat changed as a venue team had never puttoon a concert before, butFor wealltalked Aid,” he says. “Andrew Zweck ran that one, but head inand words. person.

He is one of the most kind, helpful considerate people you will them through it all and pulled together to make it happen. we were all part of it. I just remember at noon Mark Davyd | Music Trustand you’ll ever meet. He fosters a fun and friendly environment onVenue his tours, The show a vaccine or a negative test.

The when Status Quorequired kicked in, proof literallyof I just got be hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t jump when he calls. I’m proud to vaccine rate in then Fairbanks very low, and the number offriend. tests goosebumps.

And there waswas Geldof flailKings of Convenience matinee show at Royal call him my ing the around like a flippin’ lunatic.”

And he demand, got to Festival Hall, 26 September: a warm Sunday Bazup Halpin | Silent House Group in market did not meet the so we set a free share that day with some of his favourite artists, afternoon on the South Bank; first of two shows. testing site at the venue for 24 hours leading into the show. too. “Paul Young was one of the nicest guys I've A large ofcenturies. the crowd had travelled Phay has been a stalwart in the touring worldpercentage for several I think we to Seeing the band on stage for soundcheck was adidmajor ever worked with… Spandau Ballet were a great Londontogether from around the UK and Europe. This the first tour to the US on the Mayflower (terrible accommodation, milestone life shame and career, only the no fans’ bunch of lads.in It’s my an awful they broke up to be topped the band’s first major showisinone years, and it no by alcohol, PDs, and the music waswas woeful).

Seriously, this man of the – one ofwhen the nicest tours seeing I've ever a done was with rock bandbest, sublime. faces finally world-class on stage their to have him aswas and I’min honoured a friend as well as a colleague. them. They werehouse a lot of fun.”

Rob Challice | Paradigm Bryan Grant | Britannia Row town as the went to black, and Dave and the boys brought When it comes to particular cities or venues the house down for well over three hours. The fans had been he looks forward to visiting, New York, of course, I canwith onlyPhay replyon self-centredly as it wasthe mostly I’ve had the extreme pleasure of working several tours over touched by“Everybody the rocksays gods, and the band had felt it, not only tops the list.

‘Madison Square a bleak year inamazing, terms of calm concerts other lasttoo, 12+ years and he has been the same cheerful, and(not skilful promising return but alsoAnd spreading the wordindividual to otherthe bands Garden, oh myto God, it's a nightmare.’ yeah, It was [early December] performing in entire time. There is notthings). much that can change his demeanour, it's a pain as a people venue it'sof fantastic – they re- earned more City in of the Vernacular which makes am grateful forthe allcourtyard the compassion and that thebut good Alaska have great rockhim &a joy to work with. I Mexico patience has shown through the most difficult sharing ally have down. need Chicago's great for one.these amazing Institute to 50times or so and arty the types.

I thinkof I Thousands of roll, andit they to another come play fans.he I was credit with his entire crew when he ischannelled really the reason everything worked out.

A lot of it's down to the local union or building all the fury that lingers inside me read professionals blessed to be in the room that night, as it was a reminder of how Amazing production manager and even more amazing Cheers to Phay. management. And there are some great buildfollowing two yearsman. of absurd struggle.

IQ you, every day. Make great live music is. Manchester Arena has Silbert Mani | DMANI Entertainment Nick Group ings around the place: Hobbs | Charmenko sure you get the always been a great spot, you know, The O2 in Dan Steinberg | Emporium Presents

TOP SHOUT

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Phay Mac Mahon_TheInGaffer Brief

“His attitude to work hasn’t really changed because if there’s a job that needs doing, it’s definitely going to get done. He never cuts corners or takes shortcuts” Robbie McGrath | Stage Manager

what happens at the other end.’

“At the venue, the next morning, as the truck reversed to the loading door, the driver was heard to say, ‘Come on lazy fuckers, let’s get this truck tipped!’ Phay had met the truck halfway and had become the tour driver overnight.

Nothing ever phases him, and he’s always willing to muck in. His door is always open, and he always looks after his crew.”

Production guru Jake Berry also tells a transport story. “We were on a Def Leppard tour and had finished playing St Austell in Cornwall and had to overnight to the Lyceum in London. In the middle of nowhere, the throttle cable broke, so Phay and I rigged the cable so it worked by hand.

Picture this: one person driving and changing gears and the other on the throttle cable: the co-

ordination was amazing! The motorway was not so bad but driving though London… Well, put it this way, it’s something I will never forget.”

And long-time friend and stage manager Robbie McGrath recalls, “The first time I saw Phay step up to the plate and save the day was on an early Boomtown Rats tour, when half the crew ended up in jail after a wild night’s entertainment in Dublin.

“One guy missing on parade the next morning was the truck driver. We had a 40-footer at the time, and I had no idea how we were going to get the bloody thing from Dublin to Belfast, until Phay perked up and with all the confidence in the world said, ‘I'll drive it.’ When I arrived in Belfast with the band later that day, the truck was perfectly parked and all the gear unloaded

Testimonials Phay is a worthy recipient of the Gaffer Award for sure.

He has been rock solid for so many artists over the years and it has always been a pleasure working with him. From Def Leppard to Nicki Minaj, he’s done it all and back again. Always helpful and always with great humour (nothing stresses him out) and always comes through for everyone. We wish him well and a BIG congrats from all at John Henry’s Ltd. John Henry | John Henry’s I’ve known Phay since my touring days at the onset of big-time touring: he was a great LD and Pro. I left the touring side for about 20 years, and when I came back to production, there was Phay: still a consummate professional and more importantly, always a steady hand for his clients and a superb human being.

Congratulations, Gaffer!

Mike Renault | PRG I’m delighted to celebrate this well-deserved recognition of my good friend, Phay, whom I’ve known for over 40 years. We first met doing early Pretenders tours and went on to do a seemingly never-ending Paul Young tour, which I think we both agree was the most fun tour we’ve ever done. I’d like to congratulate Phay on this honour and welcome him to the ‘Gaffer Club’!

Bill Leabody | Coldplay Production

and in the venue. ‘You know, Phay, I never knew you had a HGV licence,’ I said. He hit back: ‘I don't even have a dog licence… The first time I drove an articulated truck was yesterday at the TV studios when I spun it around the car park.’

“His attitude to work hasn't really changed because if there's a job that needs doing, it's definitely going to get done. He never cuts corners or takes shortcuts and always maintains a happy demeanour,” adds McGrath.

Indeed, leaving his own Mac Mahon-shape on the business, one of Phay’s proudest achievements is seeing his children, Eoin, Ros and Pearl, forging their own successful careers in the production business.

“I've worked with all three and tried to whip them into shape,” he tells IQ. “As Ros said, the worst thing you can do is work with your father because you're a target – he's always watching you, and you get it way worse than anybody else.

And it’s true. I nearly killed all three of them.

“Anyway, they’re all going out with Ed Sheeran this year; all on the video side,” he reveals. “Eoin is the video crew chief, so he’s also in charge of Ros and Pearl. I feel like I’m missing out, so I'll probably call Chris Marsh to see if he needs a double driver, so I can get the whole family on it…”

COVID

Feature_Covid Mitigation

MITIGATION

As more and more governments start to ease pandemic restrictions, venues and large-scale events are reopening. Gordon Masson talks to a couple of experts about the evolving world of virus mitigation and profiles ten products and services that are helping to get businesses up and rolling again…

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ality, tour budgets will dictate that their focus will be on protecting the artists and crew, thus leaving the audience and others in the care of the venue or promoter. He believes this will split the matter of Covid mitigation into two camps: the touring production and the venues it visits.

“Throughout the pandemic, we at Entec have been proactively working on solutions that will help the industry to regain its confidence and allow it to reopen,” says Pendleton. “Entec has been around for 53 years so we wanted to make sure we got things right by investing in the correct technology, and we believe we’ve done that well by bringing in UVC cleaning devices. UVC has been used in water treatment plants since the 1920s, while it has also been used for decades to clean hospital wards, operating theatres, and, during the pandemic, ambulances that have been used to transport coronavirus patients, so it’s a proven technology” (see page 37).”

Pendleton observes that while local promoters and venues are being tasked with making sure events do not become Covid super-spreaders among the audience, touring productions are also looking to bolster their Covid kits to keep everyone who is on the road healthy. “Management, artists, crews, promoters, all have a reason to use mitigation and avoid the experience – and cost – of cancelling shows,” he says.

Symphotech’s Grant agrees. Recalling the company’s involvement in the UK’s first large-

scale test event, he tells IQ, “Our onus was to protect the staff and artists, and I anticipate there will still be a need have protocols there.

“Touring artists will need/request protection and bubbling, so they can move on to other countries and protect vulnerable people in their party. Backstage protection will have to match the expectations to keep artists safe, so there could be hidden costs in creating these ‘safe zones.’”

When it comes to mitigation for front-ofhouse areas, Grant says, “The challenge will be that some public health authorities or safety advisory groups may suggest or even try to insist on events checking Covid control, such as the Covid pass.” But he observes, “There is growing disengagement across the public that the measures work, and current discussions revolve around what are the control measures the audience will accept.”

And while there are a myriad of solutions for both event organisers and touring acts to improve the safety of those in their charge, Pendleton warns that it’s very much a first-come, first-served environment for anyone looking for products and services to enhance their Covid-safe protocols. “The best equipment is in short supply,” he concludes.

In an effort to point you in the right direction, on the following pages IQ has highlighted ten of the best products and services currently on the market. We hope you find it helpful.

E N ZO

NE ZO

VID FREE O C

VID FREE CO

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s the evidence increasingly points to omicron being far less deadly than the coronavirus variants that preceded it, authorities around the world are allowing venues to reopen and live events to resume. But with tours still being cancelled on a near daily basis, the need for Covid-mitigation strategies looks like it’s here to stay, at least for 2022.

“We are entering a phase of a managed return to normal, which will be when Covid is taken off the danger list by world health authorities,” comments Edward Grant, director and head of safety for Symphotech. “The industry needs to balance the growing regulatory fatigue, with the public’s reduced tolerance and expectations, against the more cautious approach of safety enforcement and nervousness of the more vulnerable in society.”

He continues, “Some people won’t come back to shows this year because they’re anxious – I’d say we risk 20-25% of audience not returning if they can’t see any protection in place. A similar number will want no measures – and there will be a middle ground of people who will care and expect to see there are some measures in place.”

Nick Pendleton, chairman of sound, light, and vision equipment supplier Entec, notes that while, in an ideal world, the goal would be to protect everyone who attends an event, in re-

Covid Mitigation_Feature

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SYMPHOTECH SAFETY SERVICES Being a good event safety consultant takes more than training, it takes a hefty dose of experience, specialist knowledge, and a deft touch in bringing teams who are focused on event deadlines in line with legislation, which, at times, seems an awkward fit with the task in hand.

Symphotech’s lead safety consultants have built upon differing backgrounds in the music industry, policing, and fire safety, and each member has extensive experience within events and industry-leading qualifications in event safety management. This means that event organisers, and the authorities with whom they work, know that their safety representatives are recognised as amongst the best in the industry.

Ensuring that events follow a truly pragmatic approach to safety helps to ensure that the audience has a good time and that they, and the site crews, return home safely when the show is over. No better was this illustrated than during Symphotech’s work with Circus Music and The Events Company UK in May 2021 to create a Covid-safe test event in the city of Liverpool.

With the emphasis on the research and test-event aspect of the show, protocols had to meet the criteria required by the scientists and multiple stakeholders.

The success of that event was a catalyst for the UK industry getting back to work, and the Symphotech team has since worked on a number of live music events.

VID FREE CO

SEATS.IO SOCIAL DISTANCING

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Marketing its system as ‘the ultimate social-distancing solution” seating-chart technology experts Seats.io have developed an easyto-use ticketing add-on that can find fans seats that are spaced to ensure optimum safety in terms of coronavirus transmission.

Users of the system can programme their own rulesets and test them on the Seats.io simulator before applying them to actual events, providing a degree of flexibility as social-distancing regulations change. The company boasts that no coding experience is required, but users can state the appropriate gapping of seats between audience members while also letting family members and groups sit together.

Crucially, the Seats.io technology calculates the optimal layout to ensure a venue’s maximum occupancy and automatically prevents ticket buyers from selecting seats that would negatively affect the overall capacity while still ensuring social-distancing criteria are fulfilled.

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BIOSECURITY SYSTEMS Biosecurity Systems delivers integrated technology and services to diminish the risk of Covid-19 and other epidemic infections in the workplace.

Founded in Australia by an international group of technologists, manufacturers, health experts, and security experts, Biosecurity Systems analyses, manufactures, supplies, and implements global best-practice in risk minimisation, technologies, threat intelligence, and operations.

The company’s solution for high-volume sports and music events delivers high-speed temperature screening and disinfection for visitors and a continuous disinfection of public areas using robot-delivered environmentally friendly atomised disinfectants. Cleaning staff are protected and supported by hospital-grade disinfection of bathrooms and other high-contact areas of Thousands

by UV pulse robots. Biosecurity Systems part-read professionals ners with the leading passportsIQ forevery vaccination day. Make and testing. sure you get the

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ENTEC UVC SAFECLEAN As a supplier of sound, light, and vision equipment and services, Entec know more than most that nobody can afford the commercial and personal cost of disruptions caused by poor infection control. As a result, the company has invested in UVC cleaning units so that it can offer its clients leading-edge proven technology to ensure all surfaces, devices, and even the air they breathe is clean and free from all pathogens.

As an effective killer of the coronavirus, UVC light technology offers the live entertainment industry a practical way to deal with the Covid-19 threat. Entec uses equipment manufactured by Finsen Tech to clean everything from microphones and mobile phones to entire venues, while its UVC/ HEPA filter can also ensure that the virus is cleaned from the air we breathe.

Indeed, recognising that manual cleaning and mask wearing alone are not enough to keep indoor spaces safe, Entec employs devices that can even overcome the issue of “shadowing,” which can be caused by furniture or other objects in a room.

The Finsen Tech equipment ensures that those areas that would normally be in the shadows are also blasted by UVC light.

E V E N T, V E N U E & T O U R S E R V I C E S

SAFETY PRODUCTION NOISE symphotech.co.uk

0871 711 5264

claire@symphotech.co.uk

Your Shout

What’s the best showcase you’ve ever seen?

TOP SHOUT

London, October 2010. In the hotel bar after a music conference, the organisers arranged for three acts to play acoustically to the remaining delegates. The first two acts managed to reduce the audience to around 15 people. Then, the scruffy looking guy who’d been hanging around the outside “smokers’ club” all day, doggedly took his turn on his undersized guitar… it didn’t look promising for the poor chap!

From the moment he struck the first chords, the 15 of us shut up and listened in awe as young Ed Sheeran played songs from what would become his first album. Amazing impact and I still have that demo CD he gave me after an interesting chat. In my 45 years around the business, I’ve never met anyone so focused with such drive. A privilege.

Martin Goebbels | Miller Insurance

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Ed Sheeran took his one-man stagecraft from showcase to stadium level in under a decade

Paul Dainty invited me down to The Basement in Sydney for a showcase and to gauge my opinion on an artist he was considering touring.

It was the first-ever performance in Australia

by Michael Bublé, who blew me away with his raw natural talent. My comment to Paul, “Get in there now; he’s an amazing talent and might be huge!”

Don Elford | ASM Global I’ve been writing reviews of Womex showcases since 2003. It’s a weird hobby (I have a few). Each year I rave about a couple of the 30 or so acts I catch. This is one that stands out: Jagwa Music from Tanzania. My highlight of Womex 2005.

A team of eight youths from the ghettos of Dar es Salaam. They look great in face-paint, sharp haircuts, and painted torn tee shirts and skirts.

The singer has extraordinary poise; cool and simultaneously hot; diffident while transfixing

nothing has surprised me in a comparable way since. The story is rounded off beautifully by the fact that I was actually able to book Kaizers Orchestra for the RhEINKULTUR Festival in Bonn after this showcase.

Holger Jan Schmidt | Yourope For me, it was The Visual at Eurosonic Noorderslaag 2019. A man of great taste, Steve Zapp, took me there. The performance was so surreal, Lynchian, and intimate that I just held my breath. I still feel sorry for Steve, who had to leave after about a minute or so to watch all the other hundreds of bands on his list. But that’s his job.

Semyon Galperin | Tele-Club

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Muse at The 100 Club in 1998. Elbow were also on the bill, maybe even Coldplay? Matt Bellamy looked like a contestant on Rock School. Anyone else remember that?

John Empson | Emperor Management The most amazing and surprising showcase I have ever witnessed was Amy Winehouse at the Hôtel Martinez Ballroom during Midem in Cannes. She became a household name soon after that.

Georg Leitner | Georg Leitner Productions GmbH

the audience – quite beautiful and with a completely-in-the-music trance-chant singing style. The dancers are extraordinary: wild, violent, confrontational, haughty, lewd, sensual, brazenly sexual, pornographic, demonic, manic, contortionist, full-of-character, and taking breath-taking liberties with their bodies.

The band maintains an unflagging intensity throughout, full of body; a charged trance at peak energy from the outset, bordering on frenzy, completely local and sounding like they don’t give a damn about all the zillion other musics in the world. Brilliant!

Nick Hobbs | Charmenko Ela Minus at the Roxy. She performed on the floor, not on the stage, solo. It was amazing.

Power went out neighbourhood-wide in the middle of the show.

Marc Geiger | SaveLive

The best was, coincidentally, the first showcase I’d ever seen. It was 2003, at my first Eurosonic, and Stefan [Reichmann] from Haldern Pop said I had to see Kaizers Orchestra. I followed the experienced Eurosonic insider into the beautiful Stadsschouwburg Theatre, got our drinks at the bar and climbed the stairs, passed corridors and landed on the stage. This formed the auditorium for the night, while the band’s stage was erected above the orchestra pit. Behind it the empty tiers formed an impressive backdrop. And then a gang of crazy Norwegians came on stage, wearing gas masks and beating oil barrels with axe handles while they kicked my rear end in a crazy mixture of rock and polka. Perhaps the most impressive thing for me was that they managed to get super cool music industry guys from all over Europe singing Norwegian lyrics nobody understood – not to mention the dancing. I can say that in almost 20 years,

Those Hôtel Martinez gigs, organised by Allan McGowan on behalf of the British at Midem programme, were superb. But my most memorable showcase was at Nouvelle Prague in 2018, where I was blown away by the performance of a punk trash-metal act called Saint Agnes, who I assumed were local given that Saint Agnes Convent is one of the city’s most iconic Gothic buildings. But when I spoke to the band during load out, it turned out that they were based in Silvertown, about six miles from my flat in London…

Gordon Masson | IQ Magazine Repetitor at MENT 2016. They were playing on the main stage at Kino Šiška. I remember I was with François Audigier [EuroPavox], and we were both completely captured by their presence on stage – very good musicians and a strong attitude. A Serbian band singing in Serbian.

The perfect example that there is noThousands boundary of in music: when the music is good, the language professionals read is not a barrier. Of course, I booked them more IQ every day.

Make than once in Bologna. sure you get the Katia Giampaolo | Estragon

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