Important Festival Kit

[HolyPhish]

I'm helping run an outdoor live music stage for a church family fun day.

 

All the kit is being hired in.

 

However I know that there a many small things that are easily forgotten which can prove vital.

 

Stuff like:

Batteries

LX Tape

Tarpaulins

Spade

 

What other things are useful to have around?

 

Having searched for a similar thread I couldn't find one but feel free to re-direct me.

 

Thank You

[DanHerbert]

Gaffer tape

Tool kit - adjustable spanner

Torch

[RichM]

A waterproof coat

[musht]

Crew specific catering, not the left over sandwiches from everyone else....

[Grum]

A big 4x4 and a tow rope.

 

Never laughed so much as when a van got stuck at a festival site in Wales last year. No towing vehicle nearby the whole town at a stand-still because in addition to this festival Oasis were playing in town on the same day. The van was bogged down so deep that the bottom of the engine was on the ground. In the end we used several ratchet straps (big ones) and around 12 people to drag the van back on to its wheels. Not sure what the hire company thought of the grass hanging from the front bumper when they got it back. Hard work but great fun taking the micky out of the driver (who shall remain name less). Probably the funniest lunch break I've ever had.

[stevefez]

A big 4x4 and a tow rope.

 

Never laughed so much as when a van got stuck at a festival site in Wales last year. No towing vehicle nearby the whole town at a stand-still because in addition to this festival Oasis were playing in town on the same day. The van was bogged down so deep that the bottom of the engine was on the ground. In the end we used several ratchet straps (big ones) and around 12 people to drag the van back on to its wheels. Not sure what the hire company thought of the grass hanging from the front bumper when they got it back. Hard work but great fun taking the micky out of the driver (who shall remain name less). Probably the funniest lunch break I've ever had.

+1, a few details different: this time a 7.5 lorry and a tractor...

[collism]

and warm clothes if it in September. FOH running a lighting desk is a cold place to be at about 4am in mid september :D

[jexjexjex]

Your own supply of loo roll and hand wipes... :D

 

Plus, obviously the usual tools/gaffa/LX tape/etc.

[kerry davies]

Personal experience has led me to believe that, as the sole professional events person, you should expect the unexpected. These community events are the most rewarding yet often far more problematic than major events.

Firstly get a comprehensive list of kit they have ordered.

Next get a list of activities, artists, tech specs and match these lists up. You will almost certainly find that the requirements and provisions do not match up. Never have in my experience.

Always carry too much kit as regards audio leads and adapters, power leads and adaptors and basic things like mics, stands etc. No-one ever has a lead for an iPod and some arrive with no guitar/keyboard leads or kettle plugs for their own amps.

Ensure that you have adequate, safe power supplies because young bands seem to believe that trees and paving kerbs have 13A sockets on them.

If you do have enough in the way of gennies, steps, staging, leads, cables, barriers, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, earthing kit, PA etc and a wet weather alternative venue then you have a good start.

You will probably be the only person to even think of risk assessment and they may want to use your freelancers PL/EL Insurance, they do mine, and I tend to have to deal with licensing officers and EHO's as well.

Disposables include; bin bags, for covering kit swiftly also really useful for litter, mops and towelling for stage wiping, wetwipes, tape of all kinds, cable ties, padlocks and chains for gennies etc, spare riggers gloves, your toolkit, a flask of tea/coffee and some sandwiches, an assistant even if only to "mind" kit while you attempt to be in three places at once and a whole lot of patience.

 

Best Hint; have a personal, hidden off button in case the PA needs to fail during the local bigwigs political ranting or when the youth clubs Gangsta rap includes anything begiining with "Mutha...". My own failure record is one MP, one chair of the GLA and two youth music groups in one afternoon at a catholic church. "Damned equipment!" giggle.

Hazard Warnings: dance schools believe that 32 little girls will fit on a 20 foot square stage and they have the most appalling quality of backing track. They also believe that CDR's will play on DAT machines etc, etc.

Do NOT, under any circumstances, allow the wheelchair dancers on stage. At least half of them will have been on the Gin, they can perform at ground level, it's less distance for them to fall.

 

Enjoy the day, be prepared for the weirdest stuff and maintain an aura of calm, they will depend on you coping with it all, even after they have booked the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to make a personal appearance.

[Mark M]

I have nothing to add other than to say I had a good chuckle at Kerrys post haha

[Dmills]

Kerry has the right of it, but I would just add one other gotcha, be very wary of catering!

 

They are the last people on earth to believe that 3 tea urns and a light is a reasonable load for a 13A extension, and they NEVER return paperwork requesting details of what electrical kit they are bringing.....

 

Your carefully thought out power arrangements can totally fall down because some clown has a 13A plug with a nail where the fuse should be.

 

Regards, Dan.

[kerry davies]

Apologies! Forgot to mention necessity of long-handled club hammer, electric kettles, for the use of.

[Yorkie]

+ a supply of string and at least one more torch than you think you'll ever need

[savage1]

A spare pair of boots and a couple of extra pairs of socks.

[charlyfarly]

Indeed. And make sure they are comfortable....you won't be doing much sitting down and could be doing a fair bit of walking! Something like Scholl foot spray and the aforementioned spare socks are bliss when your feet are aching.