Liverpool-based sound, lighting and audiovisual specialist Adlib has been back to school continuing its commitment to inspiring young people into the business.
The Speke company, which is currently working with artists including The Script, Placebo, Lady Antebellum and 5 Seconds of Summer, has just completed its first School Tutorial Event of the year working with 30 students at Gateacre Comprehensive and Liverpool Community College.
The day is designed to deliver a realistic understanding of ‘live’ sound and lighting and provide an insight into technical production as a potential career.
Andy Dockerty, managing director, who was himself a pupil at Gateacre Comprehensive, said: “The School Tutorial Events are part of our real commitment to providing a realistic look into the ‘live’ production industry. Too often further education courses tend to be glamourised somewhat and we intend to squash that myth and enable young people to have a better understanding of the potential career paths.
“Also a school’s focus tends to be on the performer so it’s nice to be able to show the real industry behind the scenes to the students who want to be part of our profession.”
Following the visit Adlib found four students who have been granted work placements with the company, which in the past, has led to apprenticeship opportunities.
Adlib has been running the School Tutorial Events for 15 years and now employs former pupils in various roles following earlier events at Gateacre Comprehensive.
This year’s event catered for students mainly on music tech courses and involved two 7.5 tonne trucks full of sound and lighting equipment and eight members of staff.
The students were taught the various disciplines of the business beginning with health and safety, loading and unloading the trucks, through to cabling, wiring and running a multi band stage setup, how to ‘mic-up’ the bands and how to store the information from sound check to show time.
Following the day’s instruction and sound checks the doors opened at 6.30pm when more than 200 people came along to enjoy an evening of entertainment with six of the school’s own bands performing together with the headliner, touring band ‘The Gurus’.
The evening finished at 11pm after all the kit was broken down and loaded back onto the trucks – a full production day and a real insight for the students into what the job really entails.
