The historic London venue, famed for 'creating legends since 1937' has hosted an array of events in its 77 years, and Blackout has been part of some of them. At the very beginning of the company 25 years ago, founder Steve Tuck's second job was to install the PA system in Earls Court 2. December this year saw the exhibition centre host Victoria's Secret annual show, the inaugural BBC Music Awards and its ultimate concert by Bombay Bicycle Club. Between the first and last jobs Earls Court 1 and 2 has been a frequent destination for Blackout's team.
For Pink Floyd's 1994 Division Bell shows Blackout created 70 painted banners, featuring the album artwork designed by the late Storm Thorgerson. The banners were commissioned to be sound bafflers, reducing the echoing effect from the venues acoustics. However, the bespoke paintwork also made for a final result that was visually amazing. This was the beginning of many Earls Court concerts for the team; from the Aida opera to Oasis and no less than 12 Brit Awards.
Other events that became milestones in the history of both Earls Court and Blackout include the 2001 Vodafone Ball, which at the time set the Guinness World Record for the largest silver service dinner. 11,483 people attended the ball and everything from corridors to pop-up kitchens were created with Blackout drapes. Earls Court can also boast of having hosted two Olympic Games, in 1948 and in 2012. Blackout was privileged to be part of the latter, when the venue hosted the volleyball tournament.
For the Earls Court curtain call events Blackout provided a full range of products, from hire drapes of various sizes to tab tracks, long drapes, manufactured ceiling drapes and truss structures. Blackout's Installation Director Chris Brain says, "We have been working on events at Earls Court ever since our foundation, so being part of these final shows meant a lot to us. We have so many fond memories of Earls Court, and now we have some more to add to the list. It is the end of an era and a fabulous venue. We will continue to work closely with EC&O Venues, who managed Earls Court and still manages the neighbouring Olympia conference centre."
Victoria's Secret first ever London show took place at Earls Court on 2 December and was aired on British television 10 December. The very next day the exhibition centre hosted the inaugural BBC Music Awards, which saw a host of British Artists, including Ed Sheeran and Paloma Faith, perform in its historic space. The final send-off came in the form of Bombay Bicycle's concert on 13 December, which also saw special guest David Gilmore return to the venue; all in all a fitting farewell before its demolition in 2015.
(Jim Evans)
