Do I Want an Outdoor Stage?
It's a good question. Outdoor stage or BigTop? We're going to answer that here. Plenty of our customers seem to understand the basics of putting on an event in a tent but what circumstances are better for an outdoor stage seems to be a lesser-known set of facts. So for the lovely people interested in the work of the Covered Stage Company, here's the lowdown....
So What are the pros and cons of both?
The main advantage of an outdoor stage is it provides a way to perform to the most amount of people for the least amount of money. Think about it, if you put everyone in a big top then you have to have a big enough structure to cover the entire audience. With an outdoor stage, you only have to cover the acts. And get big enough speakers so that everyone can hear them. More on that later. If you have a large attendance and want the audience to have lots of space, plus give them the chance to dance around in the sunshine then an outdoor stage is where you're at.
What about the Weather?
Well, we don't know. This is the UK, after all. It might rain, it might not. And that's a gamble. But in our experience, British people are pretty good at putting up umbrellas and what works for Glastonbury has to work for smaller events, right?
If you absolutely don't want there to be soggy audience members and you have the money, our tent company can put up a Big Top to hold up to 1600 people. Click here to find out a bit about that or give us a call to discuss your specific requirements on 0330 223 4104
OK, I think I want one. What next?
Remember - The Events industry is busy and competitive. An outdoor stage is the focal point for your event. It’ll be the most photographed and remembered thing. If you have more than one performance space then your ‘Main Stage’ is likely to be the an outdoor one. It's the image everyone will remember and the one which will feature most heavily in all of the publicity photos. If you want your event to live on, have repeat attendees and be set apart from others, then you need a stage that looks special.
If you're considering an outdoor stage then there's a good chance that you're running a ticketed event. An event you want people to come back to next year and the year after that, and to bring all their friends. The circuit is full of grey and black truss-based structures but in the modern events industry, people expect something more. Something innovative and memorable.
Make sure that your stage is like that or you'll blend into the background and look like everyone else. OR hire one that will help you to stand out....
Stage Size
If your event is under 2000 people, then the size of the stage is a lot less relevant in terms of the audience and a lot more relevant in terms of the acts. Our stages come with up to a 7x5m useable surface which is more than adequate to hold a 9 piece band or small orchestra if it has to. This is the plot out for a 7 piece band, so bigger than that....
If your event (or audience for that particular area) is expected to be over 2000 people, then you might want to look at getting something which is higher and allows for clearer sight lines for a greater number of people. We can advise you on this. Remember though, that once you go too much bigger than this, you're likely to have to either hire something that looks like a giant grey box OR get a bespoke scaffold frontage to make it look more individual and deliver a good show.
Other Factors
Your stage has to be structurally suitable for the task. If you're hanging lights (or sometimes speakers...) then it needs to be able to hold them. It also needs to have space for speakers if they can't go outdoors. Conveniently, we hire out full technical packages with our structures which we know work with them. That's why we bought them! Using one supplier for the complete package comes with a raft of advantages: • Simple and single point of contact for your production team • Simple payments • Reduced need for time-consuming communication between companies We also know that ancillary structures are likely to be required. This means a backstage tent and a sound desk tent. We supply those too, just ask.
So, I hope that's helped you think a bit about whether an outdoor stage is suitable for you. You know where we are if you have any questions, drop us a line on 0330 223 4104 or sign up for our free guide to hiring outdoor stages below.