Amazing artists in intimate or unusual venues. Sounds like a no-brainer, right?
No wonder there was such a buzz around the recent Brits Week 25 For War Child delivered by DHL gig series, which saw Nova Twins pack their explosive alt-rock noise into south London’s 320-capacity Omeara and pop innovators Clean Bandit transform Soho’s London Palladium into a star-studded extravaganza. Delivered by DHL, the 11 shows were in aid of War Child, raising vital funds for children caught in conflict.
What might be less obvious is that none of this could happen without the crew behind the scenes – the sound engineers, tour managers, lighting technicians and many more. These are the unsung heroes of live music.
Here’s why we should raise a toast to the backstage superstars whose work is always delivered with passion…
The show can’t go on without them
“I think people think a band’s a band and that’s it,” says Nova Twins’ Amy Love, “but there is literally no show without the whole crew.”
“It takes a village,” adds her bandmate Georgia South.
Ahead of Clean Bandit’s stunning set at The Palladium, the band’s multi-instrumentalist Grace Chatto agrees: “There are so many people involved. There’s a huge army that’s worked on this show.”
That team created an impressive curved train carriage, inside which the guest artists – including Jess Glynne and north London rapper Ndotz – waited to make their appearances onstage. “All of the sound and music preparation has a lot of people involved,” says Grace. “We’ve been working with them for very long hours for the last two weeks, so they definitely need to be given their flowers.
All in all, she concludes, the indispensable crew “are really almost in the band”.
And they can’t grow without a little help from their friends
Anyone who’s seen Nova Twins live will know that their show is an epic assault on the senses (Georgia’s brutal basslines will bring you to your knees), but their onstage presence has grown over time. And that has required more helping hands.
“As you start to upscale, [the crew is] even more important,” says Amy. “When we first started, we were a punk band and Georgia’s dad would be helping us with our pedalboard. That was fine at the time, but as everything starts to get bigger and a little bit wilder, the shows require more attention. Suddenly everyone has such an important role to play.”
The team that plays together, stays together
It’s a sign of the bond between a band and their crew that both Clean Bandit and Novas have been with some of their team through thick and thin.
The Bandits have now been a band for 17 years, and front-of-house engineer Jack Eveleigh has seen it all. “He was the first crew member to join,” says Grace with a smile. Production manager Tec Beint has been in the gang for over a decade, while the group have also fostered a long-running relationship with production designer Jack Fox, whose company Really Creative Media helped to pull off the astonishing Palladium show.
Similarly, Nova Twins have come a long way since Georgia’s dad was on the pedalboard. “Our sound engineer, Joe Simpson, has had so many job titles throughout our team over the years,” says Georgia. Driver, tour manager – Joe did it all: “He’d go to all odds to make sure the show was as great as it could be and that we were happy on tour.”
“Then Meera came along” Amy adds, “she’s now our tour manager and she’s incredible.”
In fact, adds Amy, we have Joe to thank for much of the pulverising sound that crashes from stage: “He helped us really grow in terms of the tech stuff beyond our pedalboards and what we could bring. That sound that you’re hearing out front is controlled by Joe.”
You can always rely on the crew
Nova Twins even admit that their drummer Jake Woodward can be more rehearsed than them. “We’ll come in like a mess and Jake will be like, ‘I know it all backwards,’” laughs Amy. “We’ll be like, ‘Just give us a minute, Jake…’”
Because they truly care
Touring the world with your mates might sound like the best job in the world – and it probably is – but all that travel and hard work can create an untenable strain. This is why it’s important to have dedicated, caring people around you.
“Passion is so important in this industry because it can get really intense doing long stints on the road,” says Amy. “It can impact your mental health. It can impact you that you can’t go home all the time and see family. You have to have that element of passion there to be able to keep on the road and doing it every day.”
The band’s crew are so woven to the group that Amy and Georgia’s fans have got to know them and how important they are. “And for people that don’t know,” adds Amy with a grin, “this is why we’re doing this [interview]! Now you do!”
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