Extensive temporary seating galleries are erected around the castle's Esplanade for the tattoo's spectators and, since 1991, advantage has also been taken to use the facilities for live concerts. 2007 saw two Castle Concerts taking place, Blondie with Echo and the Bunnymen on 13 July, followed by Pink two days later.
Star Events provided a 50ft SAM Stage with two fully enclosed, wheeled PA wings for the shows and, in a venue which combines very tight clearances with an ever-present horde of tourists, the Star Events crew were provided with a unique set of challenges.
"The Esplanade is surfaced with tarmac and slopes," says Andy Drew, Star Events' crew boss at the event. "But visitors to the castle also need to have access throughout the day, including a minibus service for disabled visitors. On a site that is already very tight on clearances, this makes for an interesting few days' work."
The temporary seating galleries mean that there is very restricted clearance either side of the stage, so the crew has to position the structure with pinpoint accuracy. However, there is not enough room for the PA wings to be in place during the day, so these are built in front of the stage, meaning that access to the castle can be maintained each side throughout the day.
Only once the final visitors had left the castle in the evening, could the PA wings be pushed into place, meaning that the schedule was very tight before the beginning of the shows. "The public are around all the time so, together with helping local crew and instructing on procedures as needed, we really need to have eyes in the backs of our heads," adds Drew.
As soon as the headline band is offstage and the monitor consoles disconnected, the PA wings are moved back in front of the stage, the crew taking care to observe the strict 11pm curfew.
With the castle's exposed position, the Star Events crew also has to be on hand throughout the show, monitoring weather conditions and wind speeds. "Edinburgh has its own micro-climate which can change very quickly. You have to keep a close eye on wind speed in particular," says Drew.
This was certainly proved on the Friday evening, as a gloriously sunny morning and early afternoon gave way to lashing rain and a cold wind from 4pm, which continued throughout the night. A sea of umbrellas and waterproofs may have belied the fact that it was mid-July, but as Blondie played hit after hit, Debbie Harry was moved to observe "You are the craziest bunch of people I've ever seen!"
(Jim Evans)
