AIR ANATOLIA
BRILLIANT TO BE BACK AT THE SOUTHBANK AND WORKING WITH SERIOUS AGAIN
LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL
TOM GRENNAN
BEDFORD HOMECOMING GIG AND VARIOUS SHOWS ALL SUMMER
Been absolute pleasure working as PM for this incredible bunch of people, Such fun working with them alongside Doug Dalziel the TM
LD Jon Trincas
SPIRITUALIZED
USA AND AUSTRALIA TOURS 2022
Superb time had by all the legends on these shows , LD PADDY FARR
KASABIAN
ARENA TOUR 2022
DESIGNED BY NICK GRAY AT RENEGADE KASABIAN MAKE AN INCREDIBLE RETURN TO THE ARENAS
BRING ME THE HORIZON
UK ARENA TOUR 2021
Bring Me The Horizon Did first show in almost two years and were one of if not the first band out of the traps to do an Arena tour post covid. Joined by You Me at Six and The Nova Twins
MADNESS LIVE AT
THE LONDON PALLADIUM
SUPPORTING WE MAKE EVENTS AND WE NEED CREW
FLASHBACK 1988
Bunch of photos popped up on facebook from a show way back in 1988 with Love and Rockets in the USA . Charles Robinson kindly allowed me to use them.
TEXTING TEXTING ONETWO
Text ONETWO plus donation amount to 70085 to help the thousands of crew affected by the pandemic.
For example text ONETWO5 to donate £5.
A lot of time over the last 8 weeks has been spent by the Ambassador team of we make events This has resulted in a brand new fundraising campaign
TEXTING TEXTING ONETWO.
Designed to get much needed funds to the thousands of crew affected so badly by the Covid 19 pandemic.
If you can help simply text ONETWO plus your donation amount to 70085
All proceeds go direct to BACKUP charity.
ARTISTS GET BEHIND
WE MAKE EVENTS CAMPAIGN
“TEXTING TEXTING ONETWO”
Text ONETWO plus donation amount to 70085 to help the thousands of crew affectedby the pandemic.
ARTISTS HAVE BEEN GETTING BEHIND AND SUPPORTING THE NEW CAMPAIGN
TEXTING TEXTING ONETWO.
Designed to get much needed funds to the thousands of crew affected so badly by the Covid 19 pandemic.
ARTISTS INCLUDE:
THE ROLLING STONES – THE KOOKS – TOM GRENNAN
SAM FENDER – FRANK TURNER – JAMES BAY
BIFFY CLYRO – KATHERINE JENKINS – FEEDER
ENTER SHIKARI – MIDGE URE
If you can help simply text ONETWO plus your donation amount to 70085
For example text ONETWO5 to donate £5.
All proceeds go direct to BACKUP charity.
SIMON CALLOW JOINS FORCES WITH
WE MAKE EVENTS ON THEIR NEW CAMPAIGN
“TEXTING TEXTING ONETWO”
SIMON CALLOW HAS TAKEN TIME TO RECORD AN INTRO AND ENDORSEMENT OF THE NEW WE MAKE EVENTS CAMPAIGN TEXTING TEXTING ONETWO CAMPAIGN THAT LAUNCHED ON MARCH 12TH
If you can help simply text ONETWO plus your donation amount to 70085
For example text ONETWO5 to donate £5.
All proceeds go direct to BACKUP charity.
FRANK TURNER HAS WRITTEN SONG AND RECORDED VIDEO IN SUPPORT OF CREW AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC
FRANK TURNER WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY WITH WE MAKE EVENTS FOR MANY MANY MONTHS NOW RELEASED HIS NEW SONG AND VIDEO ALONGSIDE THE LAUNCH OF THE TEXTING ONETWO CAMPAIGN
WATCH VIDEO HERE
If you can help simply text ONETWO plus your donation amount to 70085
For example text ONETWO5 to donate £5.
All proceeds go direct to BACKUP charity.
MELTDOWN 2015
ALL SMOKE + 3000 MIRRORS
I am super proud to have been asked for many years now to be part of the MELTDOWN FESTIVAL at the SOUTHBANK CENTRE every year.
2015 was turn of James Lavelle and one of the shows involved Keaton Henson.
He played with a quartet and unusually they played on a floor of 3000 car wing mirrors which enabled some beautiful delicate refraction looks.
An amazing evening . Audio “painted” beautifully too by Mark Portlock
I happened to stumble across few videos from the event.
One of which was this.
Sweetheart,What Have You Done To Us?
THE GOVERNMENT CAN’T SEE US
Big Ant Productions are proud to be part of We Make Events.
Yesterday We Make Events campaign launched a brand new digital platform highlighting how many are feeling invisible to the people in power
Sign up for the Video Wall and learn more about we make events right here.
https://gcsu.wemakeevents.com/
FLASHBACK TO MAY 2009 BRIXTON KABUKI DROP
THE SPECIALS
Not sure who recorded this and posted it but I,m glad they did. These truly were 5 of my favourite EVER shows. The atomosphere in the Academy was electric each night. A Kabuki at top of the show always adds to the nerves as well, luckily Toby and I had visited the Trinity Arms post doors each night to calm them a little. Happy days.
AMUSING REVIEW OF THE ROUNDHOUSE SHOWS BACK IN 2019
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=430894528030940
Thank you Andy Coules for sending this link to Adam Buxton Podcast with the description from Stewart Lee of his evening in Camden with his family and the “dangerous” nutty boys.
GALLERY UPDATE
DUBLIN AMBASSADOR 2006
Was made aware of some nice pictures I didn’t know of from the one and only Irish show Northampton’s finest Bauhaus ever played back in January 2006. I only went along as a punter and Kevin Haskins called me as I was just walking into the pub over the road to ask me if I could do the lights. Of course I jumped at the chance and declined going to the pub for around 8 hours. So it was nice to see some pictures. I have added them to the gallery. Thanks to Vincent, Anja Reid and the bauhaus & beyond facebook page
JANUARY 2021
BACK TO DRAWING BOARD WITH WYSIWYG R45 .
Spending a good bit of time back at the drawing board after refreshing my knowledge and completing the CAST wysiwyg online course during first lockdown. Great to get the creative juices flowing again. Hopefully one day some of these will become reality in an arena somwhere soon.
BREXIT INTERVIEW FOR GERMAN TV
I was asked in the week to do an interview to share my thoughts on the industry post Brexit. I mean it’s all speculative at the moment as the situation is so fluid but I’m never shy to offer an opinion. I’ve never been dubbed before.
https://www.3sat.de/kultur/kulturzeit/brexit-benachteiligt-britische-musiker-100.html
MORE RETRO NEWS
Nice old review that I was reminded of this week from CTUN tour a few years back . I still think it was a lovely looking gig, Thanks to Toby Vogel as always.
https://vplt-live.eu/enjoying-the-colour-sounds-of-madness%EF%BB%BF/
RETRO NEWS
As News was all a bit gloomy this week I ended up in a you tube rabbit hole looking at old punter footage from gigs I have had the pleasure to light or production manage, or both with some of them.
THE KOOKS IN TOKYO 2013
No moving lights needed you may note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjiQD57LRTo
KODALINE AT HAMMERSMITH APOLLO 2016.
Many Moving lights needed, Great night with a great band. Note Mark trying to blind Cammy and I at front of house with reflection off his guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nVKc9J5oDw
KILLING JOKE AT HAMMERSMITH APOLLO 2013?
Another great band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXniK2J-x-8
And last year at Meltdown The Viagra Boys,
a real highlight for me amongst many brilliant artists at Meltdown as always.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6wuegSJbuw
Right…out of the Vortex but thanks to the punters for the memories of live gigs.
THE HACKNEY EMPIRE APPEAL
I was absolutely thrilled to see that The Hackney Empire have used picture of one of my designs on their homepage. What an incredible privilege that is for me considering the history of the venue.
Back in 2019 I spent a great week in Hackney, one of my former stomping grounds when working at the Ocean. This time it was over the road at the historic Hackney Empire. I designed two stages based on the breif of 1001 candles for two members of The Libertines and later in the week for Spiritualized. Two completely different looks that I was very proud of.I felt the stage looked fantastic for both shows . Great week spent with a lot of brilliantly talented friends who were part of both performances.
Sadly the venue, like many others, is in grave danger and in need of urgent help. Please click on link below to donate to the cause if you can spare a few quid.
Video of one of the shows below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk2O1pVugCM&list=PL1xfSZnP5GGfoM2R16vpyEC_pAiSDg_pG
2021
Covid 19 seems in no hurry to leave us and the industry we all love is still on hold, I will continue to support and work on the We Make Events Campaign helping to raise funds and awareness for all the people affected by this dreadful situation.
We will get through this together and there will be better times ahead , take care of yourself and each other.
SURVIVAL SESSIONS
One of the more fun parts of the campaign was collating a roster of DJs musicians etc who took time out to produce sessions online mainly from home, Check out all the great sessions that happened last year and get in touch if you fancy doing one yourself.
Big thanks to all that took time out to do this last year.
This is a shout out to Bands, Crew Bands, Classical musicians, Comedians, Dancers anyone basically that is prepared to put together an online Survival Session to help raise awareness and funds for all the crew and freelancers out there struggling so badly.
https://www.wemakeevents.com/survival-sessions/
There is also the Roadievision Song Contest to enter,
THIS WILL BE CONTINUE AFTER THE INITIAL CHRISTMAS CONTEST SO GET INVOLVED
Congratulations to Max Bisgrove who won gained the Christmas Number One slot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpIl_9gGABI
BAUHAUS UNDEAD
During the pandemic I was asked by the amazing Kevin Haskins to write a piece for his book
Bauhaus Undead Expanded Edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmHbsFm4S_4
Obviously I was delighted to have helped as they are the band that started it all for me.
If you want to read my Bauhaus Memoirs (PAGES 180+181 btw) why not buy the book, it is an absolute work of art
https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/bauhaus-undead-expanded-edition-book/
COVID -19 UPDATES
Clearly as of February all dates slowly but surely dissappeared from the diary. Due to the state of things worldwide and the outbreak of COVID -19 there are no shows planned for quite a while.
Any changes will appear here soon hopefully
In the meantime I fear for a lot of friends and colleagues who will be struggling.
Please see links below to campaigns and agencies that are there to help.
Anyone in need of help in anyway can contact the great people at music support 24/7
Proud to be part of #wemakeevents and #wemakeeventsNI teams working to help the STAND AS ONE campaign for all at need during and after the dreadful COVID situation.
Please visit
for updates and join the campaign today