LIVE MUSIC PRODUCTION
We explore the top-end production tech that’s turning music performances into immersive experiences
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON
B ack in the day, live music was of an audience. But, like most forms of entertainment, it’s evolved, becoming as much a visual spectacle as a sonic one. Today, live music means exquisite stage design, complementary video content, LEDs, projection – the whole nine yards. Camera operators move alongside the performers, capturing footage either to be displayed in real time or stored in archives. Background graphics also enhance the concert experience, while intercom systems ensure smooth operation. all about audio – it was a singer- songwriter alone on a stage or a band playing their top hits in front
We’re now in an age of ultimate sensory stimulation, and live music is no different, whether an artist prefers to keep shows low-key or is looking to break world records. Below, we dive into the creative and technical elements involved in the production of live performances, looking at four recent examples. SWEET SENSATION One of the biggest hits of 2024, Hozier’s Too Sweet has long surpassed the one billion Spotify streams mark. The track owes its popularity largely to TikTok, on which it went viral almost overnight amid the Irish artist’s Unreal Unearth tour, showcasing his third album.
“We came in one day and it was number one in the US,” recalls Mark Strange, senior project manager at Universal Pixels – the company behind the tour’s technical set-up. Though the tour began in 2023, Hozier’s sudden spike in streams ultimately had an impact on the stage design. “We had a 2023/24 design; they were always going for a natural look, which included set pieces of trees,” describes Strange. “Technically, we were doing upstage LEDs and risers,” with panels supplied by ROE Visual. The team also employed Disguise servers and Panasonic cameras, which fed video content to the LED screen.
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