Cheltenham Stage Services - Your Production, Our Experience.

Cheltenham Christmas Lights November 2006

McFly pull in 30,000 youngsters to free town-centre show

We've provided Concert sound for the Cheltenham Borough Council's Christmas lights "Switch-On" for some years, and this is usually accompanied by a couple of artists singing to backtracks, and perhaps a school choir singing carols. The reindeers would arrive, drawing Father Christmas and the festivities of turning on the lights would begin.

In 2006 however, the principle sponsor, Star FM, engaged the singing talents of none other than current super-group McFly.

With a different sort of presentation clearly to be had therefore, CSS set about maximising its sound coverage throughout the Promenade and beyond, in the belief that the free event would be beseiged by a sea of teenagers. We insisted upon the installation of proper Mojo barrier and suggested a couple of screens be erected both above the stage and also further down the Promenade.

In the event, there was no additional budget for this, so only one screen was supplied by Production:av, who managed to find a small amount of local advertising sponsorship. Nevertheless it was a very necessary addition, as somwhere between 30 to 40 000 youngsters found their way to the event.

With our trusty MeyerSound MSL4 rig on the FOH, the Band performed just 5 numbers in near sub zero temperatures. Outfills of Shermann Concert equipment took the sound further down the road.