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Festival Spotlight

Photos by Michael Sparks Keegan

Rhythm and Roots Festival

Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI was the setting for the 20th annual Rhythm and Roots Festival held on Labor Day weekend 2017. The festival has become a “must do” event for hundreds of families who enjoy a variety of musical styles including Zydeco, Celtic, Cajun, Tex-Mex. People of all ages enjoy the laid-back vibe at the 220 acre park in the seaside community of Charlestown, RI. The park features picnic areas, a freshwater swimming pond and the Frosty Drew Nature Center and Observatory and hosts a number of events over the summer months.

The Milos MR5 Heavy-Duty pitched roof measured 31 by 18 meters.

TimeShift Festival

The inaugural EDM event in Bucharest, Romania required a lot of gear. Milos had the main stage covered with the largest MR5 heavy-duty roof structure ever assembled. The tilted roof measured 31 by 18 meters.

The inaugural TimeShift festival in Bucharest, Romania also served as the debut of the largest roof ever engineered and sold by Milos. The MR5 heavy-duty pitched roof, which measured 31 by 18 meters, or about 102 by 59 feet, covered the main stage for the four-stage event, which was held July 20-23, 2017 and drew big crowds with a lineup that included David Guetta, DJ Snake and Bloc Party.

U2 performed at Bonnaroo this year

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, now in its 16th year on the 700-acre site in Manchester, TN opened on an historical note with U2 as the opening night performer. It marked the first time in their 41-year career playing a festival in America, and only the second time they have ever performed on a festival stage. More than 65,000 people attended the four day event.

Toucan Productions helped transform a rural Texas ranch into a musical playground. Photos - aLIVE Coverage, courtesy Euphoria Music Festival

From Field to Festival

The Sixth Annual Euphoria Music & Camping Festival

On any other day at Carson Creek Ranch, one might hear crickets chirping in the grove of pecan trees, while cattle grazed and horses neighed under the hot Austin, TX sun. But for four days in April, its 60 acres of fields along the banks of the Colorado River were transformed into an entertainment venue with the Euphoria Music & Camping Festival.

The festival rig included Strike 4 and Rogue fixtures from Chauvet Professional. Photos courtesy Creative BackStage.

Pot of Gold Music Festival

10th Annual Event Gets Versatile Assist from Creative BackStage

It was late March, and the 10th annual Pot of Gold Music Festival outside Phoenix had just completed a successful run. John Garberson, the owner of Creative BackStage, which supplied the lighting rig for the two day event, was in his Chandler, AZ shop talking to friends. “This was a very big deal for us,” he said. “I think it holds a lesson for other small and mid-sized rental houses too. You know, we could not have built this two or three years ago.”

Widespread Panic at SweetWater 420 Festival. Photo courtesy Dave Vann

SweetWater 420 Festival

Premier Global Production Sets the Stage for Another Successful Show

The SweetWater 420 Festival is celebrating its 13th year as an Earth Day environmental celebration. The eco-friendly showcase focuses on music, SweetWater Brewing’s craft beers, food and art. The weeklong event, held in Atlanta’s Centennial Park for the last three years, hosts more than 50 national and local musical performers. Statistics from last year’s performance indicate attendees traveled from 46 different states in the U.S. and seven different countries.

Side panels added to the ‘alien temple’ vibe. Photo by Andrew Jorgensen

Welcome to the Jungle

Warren Flynn and Max Mackintosh Brave Insects, Reptiles and More to Light an Alien Spaceship for the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival

The Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival (OMF) returned to Florida this year on March 2-5 for its second year. Once again, festival producer Soundslinger offered the main stage lighting duties to Max Mackintosh, a young man trying to make his LD bones in America.

Travis Shirley brightened the Ranch Arena after sunset.

Electric Forest Festival

Travis Shirley Electrifies Main Stage of Unique Event

The annual Electric Forest Festival features jam band/EDM music on five stages at the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, MI. But more than that, Electric Forest Festival has, as part of its unique identity, the goal of enhancing the music with a multi-sensory fan experience with art installations throughout the (actual) forest in which the fest takes place.

The Chick Corea Trilogy and Gregory Porter were among the few performing after sunset. Photo by Ayano Hisa

The Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals Embrace Tradition and Technology

Ever since Bob Dylan “plugged in” at The Newport Folk Festival in 1965, the annual music event has been synonymous with both music tradition and innovation. Although Dylan once jokingly referred to the electrified style he helped to pioneer as “Folk rot,” roots or Americana music hasn’t disintegrated in the last 50-plus years. Instead, it has fused somewhat with rock and other genres to create a hybrid beast.

Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon, center stage. Photos by Aaron Wallace

Eaux Claires 2016 Festival Gets Clearwing Assist

Clearwing Provides New Fixtures for the Stage and Surrounding Grounds

More than 20,000 festival goers were treated to a weekend of memorable musical performances, art installations and light displays at the second annual Eaux Claires 2016. The two-day festival, curated by Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon, was held Aug. 12-13. The event has drawn widespread acclaim for its eclectic lineup and an innovative lighting design that turns the festival grounds — Foster Farm in Eau Claire, WI — into an extension of the stage.

Full Color Lasers supplied over 40 laser projectors for the 2016 event, which moved to the Atlanta Motor Speedway and added a third day to the schedule.

2016 Imagine Music Festival

In its third year, the Imagine Music Festival moved to the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, GA, expanded to a three-day format (Aug. 26-28) and offered camping for the first time. The EDM festival was deemed a huge success, drawing close to 45,000 with a lineup that included Dillon Francis, Benny Benassi, Bogore, The Disco Biscuits, Excision, Gramatik, Nero, Showtek, Steve Angello, Zeds Dead and more.

Even the opening acts looked big at Rock in Rio Lisbon. Photo by Vickie Claiborne

Backstage Programming at Rock in Rio in Lisbon, Portugal

For the last two years, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved with the Rock in Rio festival in different roles, giving me a unique perspective on the festival both in the U.S. and Portugal. In May 2015, I managed the front of house control system for the Palco Mundo (World Stage) in Las Vegas and assisted incoming LDs with everything from setting up their consoles, connecting them to the main data distribution system, providing timecode connections, programming support, etc., etc. I even punted for a couple of the bands that traveled without an LD.