The readers have spoken, and now we present to you the six regional lighting company winners of the year. Several have been here before, some are new, and all are doing a spectacular job serving their region from corporate work to festivals to tours. While all of these companies are winners (they all receive a snazzy frame-able certificate to go along with the bragging rights), one will now be named “Hometown Hero Company of the Year” at the 21st Annual Parnelli Awards held at the Anaheim Convention Center on April 14. All are on the Parnelli Awards official ballot and voting is now open to PLSN subscribers at www.parnelliawards.com/vote. For more information on the gala and to get your tickets now, go to www.ParnelliAwards.com.
NORTHEAST: BML-Blackbird, Fair Lawn, NJ
One of BML-Blackbird’s recent events of note was a wedding — a typical gig for a hometown hero. But there was nothing typical about this one as the wedding performers were internationally known A-list artists. NDAs were involved, but CEO Eric Todd can say a few things about it. “It had an amazing 60’ high clear span structure right on the water on Long Island,” he explains. “The rigging of the flowers alone ran into six figures. There were over 80 ½-ton motors in the rig and more than 300 moving lights and 120-plus static fixtures involved.”
Another notable event was a seven-figure 21st birthday party for 200 college students in Connecticut. “BML was hired to provide all the concert lighting, audio, LED screens, staging, generators, special effects, and book two celebrity EDM artists, Galantis and Cedric Gervais.” It was designed and operated by Max Blackman as part of BML team with decor lighting by Frost Productions/NY. “Other notable events were record release parties for The Smashing Pumpkins and Coldplay, and a concert film taped at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn for Arctic Monkeys.”
Todd then adds that just surviving the pandemic was perhaps their biggest achievement. “Navigating deep, fast, and uncharted waters taught every production company worldwide that survival of the fittest is not just a concept, it is our reality.”
During the pandemic they determined the business that they want as opposed to a “shotgun” approach. “We have retooled certain processes internally, brought in Joseph Pedragon as new CFO, and developed other talent that will benefit us in the long run.” Today BML-Blackbird has around 20 full-time employees. Gear-wise, they have been strategic. “No more pushing the envelope and getting caught holding the bag when the faucet shuts off. We have made very useful investments in MA Lighting grandMA3, CHAUVET, Motion Labs, and added considerable amounts of Generico truss and staging.” They have also moved to a new location, downsizing into a more sustainable space.
As for BML-Blackbird winning this honor, he says: “It is an honor to be part of an esteemed group of nominees, all of whom do great work and deserve the recognition.” www.bmlblackbird.com
SOUTHEAST: Deep South Productions, Sulphur, LA
“It’s been a remarkably exciting year for team DSP,” says Marvin Simon, owner of Deep South Productions (DSP). “Having to make a comeback from losing so much from two hurricanes as a company, including some of our employees personally losing just about everything they own, to making a comeback from Covid, there were reservations on how 2022 would pan out.” Apparently, things panned out well. The Raising Cane’s River Center, a large entertainment complex in downtown Baton Rouge, named DSP their official lighting and sound company. The list of clients they served includes the Float Fest in Gonzales, TX; Whiskey Myers at Ford Park Arena in Beaumont, TX; Krewe of Rio in Lafayette, LA; the Charlotte International Arts Festival; and the successful Tobe Nwigwe tour. They were also part of the production for Showtime Boxing at AT&T Stadium.
Their growth made necessary a move into a new office and warehouse space, tripling their size to accommodate the vast investment of inventory they have been making. This includes “becoming the proud owners of a new Stageline SL320, a top-of-the-line stage with all the bells and whistles, including video bays.” They have also doubled their SGM lighting inventory and added additional gear from CHAUVET, Elation, and Martin. Today DSP has 40 employees, including head lighting engineer Rich Barrett, who Simon says has been instrumental in the company’s growth.
Simon adds that he’s grateful to have won this regional spot for the first time. “We thank our family, friends, and amazing clients for casting votes for us along with the support they provide team DSP every day. To have been nominated, and be in a group of other companies that are true rockstars in our industry, is an honor in itself. I am beyond proud of how much we have grown and how far we have come — and yet more excited for what’s in store next.” www.deepsouthproductions.com
MIDWEST: Allied Productions & Sales, Mendota Heights, MN
“In the last year, people have been so focused on coming back together that they have increasingly looked to us to design and create visually stunning, memorable events,” says Vanessa Vensas, Allied’s Creative & Communications Manager. “Our design team uses the latest trends and technologies to help our clients’ events truly shine.” Those events include the Super Bowl, and for a sixth year Allied supported festivities on football’s biggest weekend. “We lit up the L.A. Convention Center and a number of large buildings around the city,” Vensas says. “In addition, we provided production support for an upscale brunch, a sports business conference, and supported an epic party for Sports Illustrated magazine.” For another recent corporate event, more than 1,000 people from nine countries came together for their first-ever in-person conference at The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, CO. The closing party featured The Chainsmokers.
Allied has also helped The Armory in downtown Minneapolis with audio, lighting, rigging, and video systems for more than 100 shows. These included major acts like Armin Van Buuren, H.E.R., and Lorde, as well as non-profit community events. “The artists and venue always need professional rider-friendly equipment and crew which we are always happy to provide.” Allied has been updating their inventory, especially IP65 rated fixtures, including Ayrton Domino Profiles. They note that they are looking forward to receiving the Ayrton Cobra laser-source fixture. Also new to their warehouse are CHAUVET Color STRIKE M and COLORado PXL Bar 16 fixtures. They are expanding personnel as well, having added 14 full-time team members in just the last two years, for a total of 24. “This puts us back to where we were in 2019 in terms of number of full-time staff.”
As for this honor, Vensas adds: “It’s great to see the dedication and hard work our team puts into making every moment of every show picture-perfect recognized by so many.”
NORTHWEST: Northern Lights, Livermore, CA
Northern Lights returns to this list for a second time. Recent highlights include lighting design and rental for the Tri-Valley Starlight Ball in Pleasanton, CA, a dance for people with special needs. There were some high-end weddings, including one at the Santa Barbara Ritz-Carlton hotel. “We handled the lighting design, rental, and programming for a four-night synchronized swim show in Walnut Creek, CA that starred past and present Olympic swimmers,” says owner Mike Rinaldi. “And the Dublin, CA music festival, Splatter.” Northern also worked on local musicals, including High Fidelity and Little Shop of Horrors.
Northern Lights’ biggest recent investment was in the APEX 3224 mobile stage from Apex Stages. “With this addition, we can now have four stages with roofs out at the same time,” Rinaldi says. Other additions to the company’s inventory include Elation Proteus Rayzor 760s; Proteus Lucius Profiles; and ADJ Vizi CMY300 fixtures. These are in addition to the CHAUVET, Robe, and Martin gear he’s been using for years. Since last appearing on this list, Rinaldi has added John Owens as a lighting programmer.
Rinaldi started out as a union stagehand in Oakland, and while going to school, he “started the lighting company to supplement my needs, basically working with bands.” Since 1992, he has been at it full time. Of course, it started in his parent’s garage before moving to a storage unit, and today he makes it all work in a 4,000 square foot building. He’s not interested in being all things to all people or working with people who don’t “like being around entertainment and wanting to have fun.”
“I would like to thank all the people who work with Northern Lights, as their knowledge, creativity, dedication, and professionalism make us stand out from others,” he adds. www.northernlightspro.com
SOUTHWEST: Brown Note Productions, Thornton, CO
Brown Note Productions was founded by Sara and Ryan Knutson in May of 2004 in a two-car garage. She was a corporate event manager, and he was a monitor engineer for Sound Tribe Sector 9. As they now approach their 20th anniversary, they have much to show for it — and this has been a particularly exciting year. The list of notable festivals includes Danny Wimmer Presents: Inkcarceration; Welcome to Rockville; Bourbon & Beyond; Louder Than Life; Aftershock; and Golden Sky. A-list acts include Illenium at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats at Ball Arena in Denver, and GRiZ for the two-day Another World event at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, CO.
There was more investment in gear this year, including Ayrton Perseos, Diablos, and MagicPanels; Robe Fortes and Spiiders; Martin MAC Ultra Washes, Ultra Performances, and Aura XIPs; and Elation Proteus Brutus and Excalibur fixtures. For control they lean heavily on MA Lighting grandMA consoles plus some by Avolites, ChamSys, and High End. Additional managers, operational staff, and show staff were added as well, and today there are more than 100 working on the Brown Note team. All this is helping them expand their offerings into backline, trucking, and staging.
“Brown Note Productions would like to thank PLSN and FOH voters for consistently nominating us for the Parnelli Awards and for naming us Hometown Hero Lighting Company of the Year in 2013 and 2017, and Hometown Hero Sound Company of the Year in 2018,” states CEO Sara Knutson. “We are so proud of our team for their passion and care while providing a quality, consistent product for our customers’ experience. It is an honor to work with all the talented production managers and crew when they come through Colorado, and we are forever grateful to be able to work in the best venue in the world, Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Thank you to our show crew and operations staff, our clients, and to the fans who show up night after night to see their favorite artists perform.” www.brownnote.com
CANADA: Soundbox Productions, Stoney Creek, Ontario
For Soundbox CEO/Account Manager Jamie Altena, it all began over two decades ago when he and partner Tran Langford (CEO) started a modest operation serving the Hamilton and Niagara regions. They have grown the old-fashioned way—by providing for bigger, more complicated events in their area. Today they are handling full tour and event production, product sales and repair, and installations, building repeat clients at every step. Altena says they have been grateful to work with some big productions over the last few months. “From Billy Talent to Hillsong United to Brett Kissel, we relish the opportunity to take on a wide array of performance styles and production requirements,” he says. In addition to their concert work, they also had the chance to provide AVL to other high-profile events like the Dreamcatcher Foundation Awards and a Unified MMA fight night.
There has been more investment in gear, including their rental inventory of MA Lighting grandMA3 consoles and Robe MegaPointe lights. “And we’ve been thrilled to welcome several new faces to our technical support team, as well as promoting Ben Norman to head of lighting.” Today, Soundbox has 35 full time employees.
Going forward, Altena says they are working to continue to expand into the Toronto market while also moving from their current office location to a new one in Hamilton Mountain (an hour southwest of Toronto). “Here we’ll be able to house a larger inventory and serve our clients better.”
As for being a Regional Hometown Hero winner, Altena says, “We would like to thank everyone that worked with us and supported us throughout the years to help us get to the point where we can be a company that can compete for honors like this. We’d also like to tip our hat to the other nominees. It is a fantastic field to be a part of and each of the other companies do stellar work. Finally, we’d like to thank the voters of the Canadian region for selecting us to represent the country at the Parnelli Awards!” He adds, “We’re really looking forward to everything the coming year will bring—which will hopefully include a Parnelli Award!” www.soundboxpro.com
