The last time TPi covered a Niall Horan show, the world was in the throes of a global lockdown, which meant that going to gigs was an experience we could only reminisce on. Back then, the singer-songwriter and his crew had decided to support the wider live events workforce by staging a live stream that fundraised for WE NEED CREW [see TPi #257]. Almost three years later and with the industry back to full strength, descending on Manchester’s Co-Op Live to witness a full-capacity show with all the bells and whistles felt like a full-circle moment.
With the tour 73 dates into its 87-show run, Production Manager Andy Colby ruminated on the tour as it approached its curtain call. “It’s been a busy year. The guys and the girls on this tour have been amazing. It’s been a long slog, but everyone has really pulled together, and it’s been a great tour,” he began, reserving special praise for Stage Manager, Torin Arnold. “He, like all the crew, has worked so hard across this tour, and we’ve been lucky to have him.”
Colby mused over the live-streamed WE NEED CREW event and how support for crew has changed over the past four years, from coming out of the pandemic to being on the road again. “The Royal Albert Hall gig feels like a lifetime away,” he reflected. “I think COVID changed the industry; there is an increased awareness among roadies now and when we’re travelling the world, the support is available. Australia is certainly different – there is a person in every venue who you can go to talk to – and even in the US there are QR codes with access to online advice. While I think the industry is making a step forward, I believe in the UK we’re behind on making resources readily available and we need to do better.”
Having been with the camp since 2017, Colby has worked with the suppliers on this run before, enlisting help from Lite Alternative, Solotech, Universal Pixels, TAIT, Ox Event House, CSUK and KB Event. “It’s a small world, isn’t it?” he laughed. “More importantly, it’s a small industry and the suppliers on this have been brilliant. They are all so supportive and reliable and I cannot fault them.”
One of the biggest challenges arose when it came to transporting kit. “Getting the gear around the world is always the biggest adversary, but Freight Minds has been amazing,” he reported. “Even before this run, Ant Carr, [Head of Production for smallbrownrobot Productions], has used Freight Minds religiously and they’ve been very good, on this side and in America.”
Andy Lovell, Director at Freight Minds, commented: “We were brought into the planning at a very early stage, beginning with helping Ant put together the Asian leg’s itinerary in a cost-effective and logistically achievable manner. This was then continued through the US and European shows, which resulted in us transporting 3,000kg worldwide, including the South American tour. The assistance and cooperation of both Andy and Ant has been great, it has been far from a hardship working with them.”
Contributing to the logistical feat was KB Event, which provided 12 Megacube Artics with an additional pre-rig truck for venues that had particularly tight deadlines. The tour routing ensured that transit routes were the most efficient and sustainable with trucking space optimised to keep vehicle numbers low. “It is always a delight to work with Ant Carr and Andy Colby and the rest of the team,” Stuart McPherson, CEO of KB Event commented.
“Ant and Andy involve us from the early stages. This allows us to advise on if there are any unrealistic moves or whether it would make more sense in terms of cost or sustainability to route in a different way. These decisions must be made in conjunction with artist requirements and venue availability, but being involved from the very early days allows the tour to take advantage of our experience and expertise. It is very rewarding to be made to feel like a key part of the tour from start to finish.”
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Words: Alicia Pollitt
Photos: Christian Tierney
