Who turns on the lights?

In this day and age in time almost everyone, at one time or another has gone to a concert or show, but have you ever stopped and wondered who turns on all those lights? Who puts the stage together, how did the equipment get set up, how is there sound out towards the crowd, how did those speakers get all the way up there, where does the power come from, and who sets up all this stuff?

I’m sure out of the 200,000 people who will be stopping in on the 10-day event down in Austin, Texas called the South by Southwest (SXSW) someone will be thinking about it.

According to Rachel Magee, President of IATSE Local 205, “We have stagehands all over, union and non-union, and I think we need to reflect on all the people who make this such a successful event every year”.

Terry Hale who not only is the bassist for George Strait’s Ace in the Hole, but also is the President of the American Federation of Musicians Local 433 said, “Musicians and their audiences cannot thrive without the hard work behind the scenes and in supporting roles”. AFL-CIO

The Texas Tornadoes drummer, Ernie Durawa, said, “Stagehands, mechanics, electricians, bus drivers, caterers, security and many other categories help make concerts work”.

A show of this caliber takes thousands of workers, long hours of multiple days to set up and prepare for an event like this one. There are hours and hours of prep time prior to the build, and lot of time for safety to create this event.

The South by Southwest is a 10 daylong event of music, film, and technology that is internationally known for some times introducing us to the “next big thing”.  Approximately 200,000 people or more attend this event. Not to mention the hundreds of filmmakers, musicians, workers, and more.

Check out SXSW for more info.