tube catches the Manchester festival buzz
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tube's Melvyn Coote oversaw all the projects, collaborating closely with the festival’s technical director Jack Thompson.
The tube project management team of Adam Taylor, John Redfern, Dan Steele and Melvyn ran the numerous jobs from a pre-production and planning aspect – then a top team of seven warehouse and logistics staff, headed up and orchestrated by Jamie Sharman, implemented the equipment preps and the hectic delivery schedules.
A further 15 - 20 regular freelance engineers and technicians implemented the installation, rigging and operating of the various shows and gigs.
The pace was relentless with tube’s crew working 16-18 hour days for most of the period, so it was essential to have a team who could function well on minimal sleep and under serious pressure to deliver amazing service … keeping good humoured throughout.
“The whole team was fantastic,” enthused Melvyn after a successful and highly acclaimed festival that entertained and enthralled with a raft of invigorating new works. “The passion, dedication and commitment by everyone has been incredible,” commented Melvyn.
All the kit that tube owned was deployed, leaving a bare warehouse. It worked hard throughout the event for which the company supplied 80% of the audio requirements – from full theatre productions to small idiosyncratic installations, from banging DJ systems to refined orchestral and spoken word PAs, most of which were unconventional and challenging, needing lateral thinking and creative implementation!
Equipment from a wide range of brands was featured, including d&b, Tannoy, Yamaha, Sennheiser, DPA, Crown, Crest, QLab and MAX.
There were many challenges. The advanced logistics of what needed to be where and when was a real brain-teaser, together with the scheduling and time-planning. This had to factor in transportation, rigs, de-rigs, preps and re-preps and on top of that, the different facilities on offer at the venues and what was needed for rigging and physical installations in the found spaces.
Venues ranged from regular theatres and concert halls to site specific gems like Mayfield depot, and incorporated everyday public locations like the elevator concourse between Selfridges and Marks & Spencer or Victoria Station, St Anne’s square, Whitworth Park and numerous others.
tube also supplied the PA for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
The OC What is the City but the People? was staged in Piccadilly Gardens featuring a 200 foot long catwalk, traversed by a diversity of people representing all communities making Manchester the vibrant, colourful and friendly place it is – local heroes, celebrities and ordinary people from all backgrounds.
A ground-stacked d&b V series PA was installed with M4 monitor wedges and two Yamaha QL5 consoles, one for FOH and one for monitors which ensured the large and exuberant crowds could hear the catwalk show soundtrack played live by music-maker and producer Graham Massey assisted by an unexpected mix of local musicians.
Ceremony was a world premiere by Turner-nominated artist Phil Collins, a collage of two films to conclude 18 extraordinary days of art, passion, performance and engagement.
tube supplied a d&b PA & monitor systems, Yamaha control and Sennheiser IEM systems, to two stages in Tony Wilson Place. Multiple RF and microwave links beamed audio, vision feeds and comms between this site and the nearby NCP Bridgewater Hall Car Park where another d&b V series system covered the large audience watching the proceedings on an impressive 100m sq LED screen.
For the full duration of MIF17 four separate sound systems were built in different venues at the main ‘Festival Square’ hub in Albert Square just in front of Manchester Town Hall.
The Pavilion was a large tepee multi-purpose space with a lively programme primarily of DJ based performances … which rocked till late.
The Pavilion Theatre was a 500 capacity live stage hosting an extensive range of bands who utilised a d&b Q series PA and Yamaha control, together with the facility to accommodate monitors and other ‘rider extras’ as requested, complete with a standard wired mics package.
Melvyn and the team are extremely proud to have been involved in such a massively successful event, “MIF17 really captured the spirit and imagination of Manchester perfectly and embraced so many remarkable locations, opening new perspectives to all working on the event and those enjoying it as members of the public.
“It was a truly awesome 18 days – and we loved every minute of it – the challenges, the brain-teasers, the chance to try new and distinctive designs and technical solutions. It was a pleasure working with Jack Thompson and his team and all the many talented artists, directors, creatives and producers who offered us the opportunities to help them deliver their work.”
(Jim Evans)
