Solotech enjoys record-breaking summer season
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Solotech’s Live Productions Division increase surpasses even pre-pandemic levels, a clear sign of organisers, artists and festival devotees’ eagerness for the return of this summer staple. Chances are if you attended a popular festival this summer, Solotech was also there. These included headliner Harry Styles’ epic shows at Coachella, the International Montreal Jazz Festival, the 15th anniversary of Osheaga, the Festival d’été de Québec and the multi-disciplinary artistic works of the Luminato Festival Toronto. The celebrations continued as electronic music took centre stage at Veld Music Festival, while popular headliners and rising stars collided over several weekends at the UK’s BST Hyde Park festival.
So far in 2022, over 280 festivals around the world have been supported by Solotech’s dedicated teams and cutting-edge equipment. And with this season running well into September, this total will increase. Upcoming major productions in Toronto include the hip-hop-centric Rolling Loud music festival and in Las Vegas, the Life is Beautiful Festival.
“After the two-year break in Canada, it was only natural that many festivals wanted to go bigger and bolder. I couldn’t be more pleased, or prouder, of the increased volume of projects Solotech teams have successfully delivered across the country in collaboration with our partners,” said Martin Chouinard, president, Live Productions Canada and global operations, Solotech.
During the pandemic, “new opportunities were seized, services were broadened, and activities diversified”. It allowed Solotech to strategically pivot through unchartered territory but also take transformative steps towards growth. In 2022, the group opened new facilities in Las Vegas and Nashville, both major hubs for live entertainment. These structures house an inventory of all things AV as well as on-site rehearsal and stage setups.
In the UK, new leadership will navigate Solotech’s current leading position in the audio field to new levels as a full-service AV provider. Five established warehouses in Manchester, Redditch, Hemel Hempstead, London and Southampton as well as expanded video development and live production departments will sync up to align with Solotech’s overall business model.
Mickey Curbishley, president, Live Productions, US, UK mentions, “Summer festivals are at the heart of the European music scene and for the first time this year, we added video solutions at BST in Hyde Park. Our UK Live Productions Division is building on the reputation and legacy established by powerhouses SSE Audio, Wigwam, Capital Sound and BCS audio, and in doing so, seeking real integrated growth opportunities.”
