The 22nd annual Parnelli Awards welcomed the live entertainment production industry to the sold out dinner event which took place at the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday, January 26 during NAMM 2024. Terry Lowe, President of Timeless Communications, publisher of PLSN and FOH magazines, welcomed the capacity crowd as Executive Producer and Co-Founder (with the late Patrick Stansfield) of the sold-out event. There was an array of creatives, technicians, as well as manufacturers, vendors, and rental houses present to honor the backstage professionals who worked on some of the biggest concert tours and live events during the past year. This year’s list of nominees were a diverse industry cross section from early career through to time tested veterans, with many of this year’s biggest tours and events represented—Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Luke Combs, P!nk, and U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere.
This year’s Parnelli Awards featured three awards for career achievement, with the Visionary Award, going to pioneering Video Director Carol Dodds, who since the 1970s has worked with a wide range of artists including Bruce Springsteen, U2, and Jimmy Buffett. Patti Conners Thurston did the honors in presenting Dodds with her Visionary Award. The Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jim Brammer, CEO of Special Event Services by his son, Michael Brammer. Brammer built his company over the years to include lighting, video, audio, as well as staging, rigging, and trucking. He recently expanded by creating Concert Stuff Group and 360 Festivals with Music Matters Productions. The Parnelli Awards also honored the career achievements of Buford Jones with the Audio Innovator Award. Meyer Sound Co-Founder Helen Meyer presented Jones with his Audio Innovator Award. The other Parnelli Award presenters were Tour Manager/Accountant David “5-1” Norman, Tour Manager Stuart Ross, FOH Engineer Jim Ebdon and Lighting Designer/Programmer Vanessa Arciga.
22nd Annual Parnelli Awards Winners
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Jim Brammer
VISIONARY AWARD: Carol Dodds
AUDIO INNOVATOR AWARD: Buford Jones
NEXTGEN AWARD: Sam Boone
- Nook Schoenfeld Lighting Designer of the Year: Rob Koenig/Metallica
- Lighting Director of the Year: Carter Fulghum/Shinedown
- Production Designer of the Year: Baz Halpin/P!nk
- Lighting Company of the Year: Solotech/Taylor Swift
- Hometown Hero Lighting Company of the Year: Music Matters Productions
- Pyro/Special Effects Company of the Year: ImageSFX/Disturbed
- Indispensable Technology/Lighting: Robe iFORTE
- Video Director of the Year: Stefaan “Smasher” Desmedt/U2 at Sphere
- Media Content Creator of the Year: Treatment Studio/U2 at Sphere
- Video Production Company of the Year: 4Wall/Metallica
- Indispensable Technology/Video: ROE Visual Topaz LED Video Panel
- Staging Company of the Year: Gallagher Staging/Sam Hunt
- Rigging Company of the Year: Five Points Production Services/P!nk
- Set Construction Company of the Year: TAIT/Taylor Swift
- Indispensable Technology/Staging & Effects: Stageline Promobile Stage
- Patrick Stansfield Production Manager of the Year: Helen Himmons/Ed Sheeran
- Patrick Stansfield Tour Manager of the Year: Curt Jenkins/Miranda Lambert
- Coach Company of the Year: Hemphill Brothers Coach Company
- Trucking Company of the Year: On Tour Logistics/Averitt
- Freight Forwarding Company of the Year: Rock‐it Global
Photos by Kathy Eddy:
