CSG at Lovin’ Life – PLSN
Concert Stuff Group (CSG) is a network of companies dedicated to delivering clients a comprehensive solution for live events. CSG is made up of Special Event Services, Special Event Services Integration, Special Event Transportation, G2 Structures, G2 Mobile Structures, Musical Coaches, Guardian Barrier Services, Field Protection Agency, and Fabrineering. Recently, CSG supported the Lovin’ Life Music Fest in the heart of Charlotte, NC from May 3-5.
Jason Alt, Managing Director of Technology with CSG led this project. “For the Lovin’ Life Fest, which is a first-year festival, CSG provided the staging, including main stage and second stage,” says Alt. G2 Structures provided a K1 stage for the main stage and G2 Mobile supplied a SAM575 for the second stage. Guardian provided all the barricades, platforms, VIP decks, rolling risers, and then SES provided lights, video, and sound on all three stages. “We do the design internally, which is led by Je Cran ll, one of the principals at SES. The LED screens were a request from the client to go with something big for the first year of this festival, so we went with some oversized LED I-Mag screens and an upstage video wall. We did more delay towers than we’ve ever done for a festival for 30,000 people, but there was elevation changes and we were in the middle of downtown Charlotte.”
In terms of solutions brought to challenges for this festival, Alt cites “overall communications through technology. We used some WhatsApp groups to solve some communications challenges. Obviously, radios solve a lot of problems, but it was really just relying on good communications. Also, being part of one umbrella with all our di erent services. Because we’re all under one roof and working interdepartmentally, we all work together really well. If Guardian had an issue with moving something around, or somebody could give up a forklift to help somebody else, it was really good to all be under one umbrella. We all communicate well together, and it’s a very uid situation. In the past if you went to do a festival as an audio vendor, sometimes the lighting vendor didn’t want to be your friend.”
At this festival, the 360 services that CSG provided really made it more seamless for the client. “This year’s festival was really successful and they’re already planning out year two, and I think it’ll be even bigger and better when we do it next year,” says Alt. “In terms of improving, we’re working towards a model where there’s a point person that interacts with the client. Since we had only a few heads that the client had to go to get a problem solved, it made for a seamless solution. When there’s a small problem, there’s not 20 di erent vendors that the client has to go to; now there are three or four people, any of whom can get your problem solved. One call does it all, is sometimes a better thing for clients these days.” Learn more about the work of Concert Stuff Group at www.concertstu .com.
Originally posted on plsn.com in July, 2024.
Written by Michael S. Eddy