Editor’s Note

Life on the road, living the life of a roadie: What does that really mean? It could mean many different things, depending on who you talk to and what type of tour. Rock legends go on and on about the old days. We have all heard the stories. If not, do a YouTube search and you’ll find plenty of rock stars reminiscing about the “good old days.” One of my favorites has to be Van Halen’s rider that specified a bowl of M&Ms for the dressing room, with all the brown ones removed. If you’re a rock god, I guess you get what you want — but David Lee Roth has since explained that it wasn’t the brown M&Ms that he hated, but inattention to detail, which increases safety risks.

No, there’s nothing wrong with your eyes — you are reading PLSN and we are talking about sound. It is something I thought I would never in my life touch, other than the volume button on the remote. “As long as I can hear it, I am good,” has long been the extent of my experience with audio. In a visual media like lighting and projection, hearing is the last thing we think about.  But it shouldn’t be. Our sense of hearing is just as important to our jobs as our vision is.

Being your own boss (or lack thereof) is everyone’s dream: Working for yourself with only you telling yourself what to do and where to go. No reporting to someone, turning in those damn TPS reports. Ah, the ultimate American dream, it is what this country of ours was founded on.

You know, the April issue of PLSN is a milestone for me. It marks the one-year anniversary of when I took the reins as editor of the magazine. What a different a year makes! Some of you may know I hail from the D.C. area. This means I grew up around the pomp and circumstance of the government. One of the big traditions in D.C. is the President’s annual State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. I’ll borrow from this long tradition and use this historic anniversary in entertainment technology journalism to look back on the year and cast an eye forward to changes and trends in event technology.

Last month, I wrote about the bill that the Indiana State legislature was planning to pass, and how it will affect our industry. Since then, Indiana’s state OSHA has issued the report based on its investigation. The report reflects the scope of IOSHA’s inquiry, which was more focused on possible violations to worker safety than on risks to the public at large.

Do you realize our lives are in danger every day we step out onto a stage? It is unnerving to think about it. There are thousands of  pounds of pipes, truss, wiring; you name it above our heads. Of course we work under the assumption all of the equipment is hung correct and safe.  Unfortunately, accidents happen. This was the case this past summer with not just one stage collapse, but around the globe.

The mantra of the industry has been, “The show must go on.” It has been that way for years. Regardless of what happens, we must entertain the masses. A light goes out, a cue is missed, but the show must go on. Too many times I have been backstage and a glitch happens before or during the show. Being resourceful and talented people, we find a way to fix the problem and move on. Sometimes it is not the best solution, or even the safest, but the show must go on. We make that square peg fit into the round hole.

The fall is the most exciting time of the year — at least for me it is. I love the changing of the seasons, the vibrant colors in the Blue Ridge mountains. Football is back, the pennant race has begun, the crispness in the air. It’s a wonderful time of year. Most importantly, two of our industry’s biggest trade shows happen. I consider this time of year important for our industry. Call it our Super Bowl, if you will. Two times during the fall, we come together to learn, explore and celebrate.

This summer has turned out to be a costly one. The recent stage collapses have brought to light a call for stricter standards and a closer inspection of rigging practices. It is heartbreaking to hear about the number of people that lost their lives to these devastating events. Could these tragedies have been prevented? We may never know.

I recently looked at my calendar for an upcoming event and realized we are already in August. Where has the summer gone? Before you know it, it will be the winter holiday season, and I will still not have pulled out my swimsuit.