Paul Weller, Paloma Faith, Blondie, The Charlatans, James, The Script, Elvis Costello, Olly Murs, Jessie J and Jools Holland headlined a total of 23 Forest Live shows through June and July this year, the majority of which were sold out. The nature - both figurative and literal - of the sites hosting combined audiences of over 125,000 presented different challenges to many venues. AP's experience played a major role in ensuring that the family-friendly events enjoyed such a relaxed atmosphere.
"Each site has its own quirks and variables in terms of access, car parking and so on," says AP national sales manager, John Phillips. "After over a decade of working closely with the Forestry Commission and programming and production company DB Event Services, we have a lot of experience of making the shows run safely. But we never take anything for granted, each year we go through the whole planning process because a lot of changes can take place at the sites since the previous year."
"With AP Security looking after the artists backstage and the customers in the arena, I would say 2013 was one of the smoothest set of Forest Live shows I have done in the 13 years. From my side AP played a major role in this smooth operation," says DB Event Services' David Barrow.
In planning Alive@Delapre - a new, three-day open-air event for Northampton's Delapre Park - Northampton Borough Council's events team were equally impressed with the running of the Forest Live shows. They approached David Barrow, who recommended AP.
"Part of my contract with the council for Delapre Park's inaugural set of concerts was that the key proven production contractors used across the Forest Live shows should be used here, a move which made financial and operational sense," he says.
AP provided staff covering arena, backstage, pit and pedestrian teams across the three very different, sold-out shows; Paul Weller, James Morrison and The Wanted with Lawson.
(Jim Evans)
