On a perfect Las Vegas evening, a recordbreaking audience gathered in a Venetian Hotel Ballroom to pay tribute to the very best of the year in our annual “Oscars of the Live Event Industry” affair.
“When you think about it, it’s against our very nature to attend an event like this,” observed master of ceremonies and president of Timeless Communications Terry Lowe during the ceremony’s opening moments. “We tend to be the kind that shuns the spotlight. We’d rather be pointing it. We’d rather EQ than speak into a mic.”
With that disclaimer noted, a few laughs had and the announcement of the PLSN/FOH/ Parnelli Scholarship to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the ceremony began. The star-studded list of those handing out the awards included Carol Dodd, Buford Jones, Marilyn Lowey, Michael Tait, Nook Schoenfeld, among many others. Toby Keith’s tour was a big winner, garnering three Parnellis; other tours and events recognized include the Rolling Stones, Rascal Flatts, Billy Joel and Tool.
Longtime Bill Hanley fan Dave Shadoan of Sound Image introduced the Hanley tribute video highlighting the life of this great, influential man who was honored with the Sound Innovator Award. A visibly moved Hanley took the stage, thanking his family, most of whom were in attendance. PRG’s vice president Darren DaVerna took the stage in another highlight and spoke of Lifetime Achievement Honoree Jere Harris’ relatively young, but inspiring career. Harris, who had many friends, family and coworkers in attendance, gave thanks to his parents, family and all those who worked with and for him over the years.
There were two new awards handed out this year: Video Rental Company of the Year and Sound Designer of the Year.
And the awards went to…
Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeremiah “Jere” Harris
Audio Innovator Award: Bill Hanley
Production Manager of the Year: Dale “Opie” Skjerseth, for his
work with the Rolling Stones.
Tour Manager of the Year: David Milam, for his work with the Toby Keith tour.
Lighting Designer of the Year: Steve Cohen, for his work on the Billy Joel tour.
Lighting Company of the Year: Bandit Lites
Regional Lighting Company of the Year: Delicate Productions
Set Designer of the Year: Bruce Rodgers, for his work with the Rascal Flatts tour.
Staging Company of the Year: Brown United
Set Construction Company of the Year: All Access
Rigging Company of the Year: Branam West Coast
Video Director of the Year: Breckinridge Haggerty for his work with Tool.
Video Rental Company of the Year: Screenworks NEP
Pyro Company of the Year: Pyrotek Special Effects.
FOH Mixer of the Year: Dirk Durham, for his work with the Toby Keith tour.
Monitor Mixer of the Year: Earl Neal, for his work with the Toby Keith tour.
Sound Designer of the Year: Mick Potter, for his work on Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular.
Sound Company of the Year: Sound Image
Regional Sound Company of the Year: Clearwing Productions
Coach Company of the Year: Hemphill Brothers Coach Company
Trucking Company of the Year: Upstaging
Freight Forwarding Company of the Year: Rock-It Cargo
Parnelli/PLSN/FOH Scholarship Announced
President of Timeless Communications, publisher of PLSN, FOH, and now Stage Directions magazine, Terry Lowe, announced at the Parnelli Awards Dinner the launching of a one-of-a-kind Entertainment Engineering and Design program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas ,and the Parnelli/PLSN/FOH Scholarship Fund that will be supporting it.
“We have sought and received advice and support from the industry leaders, and the response has been overwhelming,” Joe Aldridge, UNLV’s head of the Entertainment Engineering program, said from the Parnelli podium early in the evening. “The establishment of the Parnelli/PLSN/FOH Scholarship is evidence of that support.”
Aldridge explained that the goal of the program, which will be a degree program in both the Colleges of Engineering and Fine Arts, will admit its first students in the fall of 2007 and will offer a curriculum including elements from Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Art, Architecture, Film, Music and Theatre.
“The goal is to find a way to address a growing need in the entertainment industry for a new breed of students who would be well-versed in engineering principles while understanding the artistic demands of the entertainment industry,” Aldridge said. “We sincerely appreciate Timeless Communications, and the Parnelli Awards and its sponsors, for investing in the future of students in the Entertainment Engineering and Design program.”
Photograph by Lisa Marie Hall
