From load-in to showtime: what goes into your live music event

Your guests arrive. The lights come up. The screens are running, the sound is clear, the presentations play when they should and everything looks effortless.

And that's exactly how it should look.

What your audience doesn't see is everything that happened before they walked through the door. Because a successful event doesn't start when the first guest arrives. It starts days, weeks or sometimes months beforehand.

Load-in: when the clock starts

Long before the event opens, the MRL productions crew is already on site. We've been working on your event for many weeks arranging logistics, loading equipment, arranging Carnets and flights/travel for our team.

Equipment arrives. Trucks are unloaded. Cases are moved into position. The stage, lighting, sound, video and other production elements all have to come together in the right order.

It's a carefully planned process take involves an army of people often across multiple agencies and contractors. A well choreographed part of the show that the public doesn't see but is just as important as the main show itself.

We couldn't simply turn up and start plugging things in. There's an orderly dance of trucks being loaded into the venue in a particular order that's also taken weeks to arrange. We've got detailed plans explaining where kit needs to go, how the set up works with other partners and how long each part of the build is going to take. If one part of the build falls behind, it can have a knock-on effect across the whole show.

Structure first. Then the production comes alive.

Stage and structures go into place. Rigging goes in. Lighting is positioned. Screens are installed. Speakers are flown or positioned. Control equipment is set up and the miles of cabling needed to make everything work are carefully routed.

Power, audio, video, lighting and control data all need to work together and every part needs to be checked. It might look like a lot of equipment sitting in a venue, but there is a reason behind where everything goes and in what order.

Testing times: what goes into your live music event

This is where the difference between "we've put it in" and "it's ready for the show" becomes very clear.

The sound system is tested throughout the venue. We check coverage, levels and clarity so the audience gets a great experience wherever they're standing, from the front of the crowd to the back of the room. Lighting is programmed and tested. Video systems are checked. Screens, cameras and playback are all run through their paces.

We also look at the things that can make or break a live show, stage monitoring, microphones, DI boxes, changeovers and communication between the stage and the production team. If something isn't right, this is when we want to find out, not halfway through the first band's set.

Rehearsal isn't just about the bands

A soundcheck and rehearsal are about much more than making sure the musicians can hear themselves. It's about making sure the whole production works together.

Audio, lighting, video, stage management, artists, crew and timings - it all needs to be synchronised and work correctly. We ask hundreds of questions during soundcheck such as:

• Does every microphone work?

• Can the drummer hear what they need in their monitors?

• Is the vocal clear across the room?

• Are the lighting cues working as they should?

• Can the next band get on and off stage quickly and safely?

• Does the video system behave when it's needed?

• Are the sound levels correct across the venue for all the audience?

These are the things that get checked before the doors open.

And when you're running a busy live music venue, having a plan for the unexpected is just as important as getting everything right first time.

The audience is there for the music

When a live show is working properly, the audience doesn't think about the technical production and they shouldn't have to. They're there for the band.

Audiences want to hear the music clearly, see the stage properly and enjoy the atmosphere you've created. They shouldn't be distracted by feedback, poor coverage, lighting problems or a changeover that takes twice as long as it should. That's the point of good live event production.

The audience sees the show. We see everything that makes the show happen.

So if you're choosing a production partner for your venue, don't just ask what equipment they have. Ask them:

• How they approach a venue.

• How they approach soundchecks.

• How they manage about changeovers.

• How they'll work with your artists and venue team.

• What happens if something goes wrong.

Remember, a great live music experience doesn't start when the first artist walks on stage.

It's been planned, built and tested long before the audience walks through the door and that's where MRL productions can help. We know what goes into your live music event. Get in touch with the team today to discuss your live music production.