Well there we have it – another year, another PLASA Show!
As those of you reading this will no doubt know, PLASA is one of the most important dates in the entertainment technology calendar. Over the course of three days, more than an estimated 6,000 industry professionals head over to Olympia London to engage with over 200 brands, network, attend seminars and see first-hand the very latest in audio, lighting, rigging, video and staging technology.
As someone who’s been attending the show for quite some time now (my first being in 1993 at Earls Court!), it’s been a privilege to see it grow and continue to flourish to this day. This year was another great success and the 3LR Lighting team were out in full force, attending every single day, speaking to manufacturers, customers and having some really exciting conversations about future projects from visitors across all the UK (sadly I can’t talk about these just yet!). Having such conversations reminded me how much I love the variety of work we deliver; given we were discussing big music halls, mid-scale theatres and even residential properties!
We spent a lot of time on the impressive ETC stand, who we represent, and it was fantastic to see their Architectural Systems on display; a range we’ve used to great effect in several venues. What was particularly nice about this year’s show was that the whole 3LR team was there, including Head of Design Joshua Allen, Project Manager Sandra James, Director of Special Projects Simon Needle, Business Development Manager Stuart West, Head of Finance Barbara Lloyd (who’s also my better half) as well as a Karoliina Helin who will be shortly joining us as 3LR’s own in-house Lighting Designer (keep your eyes peeled for the official announcement in a week or so). Seeing us all together reminded me of what a brilliant group we really have and how we’re all working towards the same mission and are all advocates of the 3LR ethos. It was also great to have my children attend the show, as well as see all the students walking around; an important reminder of how we must make the industry as accessible as possible to future generations.
A large part of the PLASA Show is celebrating innovation and, with that, I’d like to congratulate the well-deserved winners of this year’s Innovation Awards. The full list can be viewed here. Another significant part of PLASA is the fantastic seminar programme, which unpacks pressing industry topics, from sustainability discussions to leadership talks. I was fortunate enough to attend several sessions but one which really stood out was ‘How Light Affects Human Behaviour’, delivery by Frankie Boyle. Frankie is an artist who specialises in immersive and experimental design, with a particular focus on light and colour theory. Her session was genuinely fascinating, in that it explored the intricate connection between light and emotion; something that is at the heart of our company and something I wrote about in this recent blog. The session delved into physics, colour theory, and tried to understand how light influences human behaviour. It really did resonate with me, for obvious reasons, and I’d encourage anyone to follow Frankie’s work as it truly is captivating.
So, all in all, it was another brilliant PLASA Show. We caught up with old friends, made some new connections and even learned a thing or two along the way. If you did attend and weren’t able to say hi, then please don’t hesitate to do so now at [email protected]
In the meantime – same time next year?
