News Archive

'The Wanted' Confirmed as headline music act by Doncaster Racecourse

4th March 2011

Doncaster Racecourse has lined up one of 2011's hottest pop sensations to perform as its first headline summer music act later this year.

The Wanted will rock Doncaster Racecourse after an exciting evening of racing on Saturday May 14.

The band's appearance at Doncaster follows the great success of the venue's major music concerts in 2010, which featured other number one acts and drew the crowds in their tens of thousands.

This year the racecourse has plans for an even bigger programme of summer racing and music events and The Wanted is due to be joined by a number of other exciting groups to be announced shortly for dates in June and August.

Mark Spincer, managing director of Doncaster Racecourse said: 'It is our ambition to make Doncaster Racecourse as significant a music and event venue as it is a world famous racecourse.

'Being able to announce such an exciting group as The Wanted for the first of this summer's headline music acts is superb and we're looking forward to revealing more big names in the coming months.

'At Doncaster Racecourse we are proud to be able to offer an experience to our guests which offers something for everyone whatever the budget. With top class music, thrilling racing and stacks of glamour and fun, Doncaster Racecourse really is the best bet for a great day or evening out this summer.'

NOEA Convention

4th March 2011

COLLABORATE, Create and Control was the theme of this year's annual NOEA Convention which took place on February 24 at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport.
A series of interactive sessions, speakers and workshops were packed into the day which was kick started by keynote speaker, Robert Ashton , better known as the 'Barefoot Entrepreneur.' Robert encouraged the events industry professionals present to collaborate and work together to ensure future success and provided six inspiring and thought provoking tips on how to think creatively in business.
A lively debate followed with speaker, Phil Cholewick, Head of Supply Chain Management, Government Olympic Executive (GOE) who reinforced the theme of the convention by inviting NOEA to consult and collaborate with him on the supply chain issues facing the events industry during the 2012 Olympics. Several questions from the floor were raised regarding the accessibility of contracts and timescales and the lack of information on the procurement opportunities available. Phil now plans to work with NOEA to ascertain the situation and identify and address any risks.
A series of three workshops were then held on the theme of collaborate, create and control which included how to write press releases and communicate with the media, how to collaborate with other businesses and how to create effective branding.
'It would never happen to me" explored some of the worst case scenarios that can occur at events and an expert panel was on hand to answer questions. Closing remarks followed from the NOEA President, before the delegates enjoyed the annual dinner and presentation of the NOEA Awards in the evening.
NOEA President, Richard Limb of Capita Symonds, said: 'This year's convention was by far the best one ever. I've received lots of excellent comments and the two keynotes were stimulating and enlightening. There was a lot of time for debate, exchanging ideas, business opportunities and making new friends as well as a lot of fun. It definitely had life changing and beneficial qualities. The result of an amazing team effort by all, in particular NOEA Secretary Susan Tanner and Dome Event's Tara Silverman.'

GL events goes from strength to strength

4th March 2011

GLOBAL event services supplier GL events, owners of UK based Temporary Structure suppliers GL events Owen Brown and Snowdens today announces the acquisition of 70% of Slick Seating Systems Ltd in a deal that will further strengthen GL events' Services division.

Created in 2000, building on experience acquired as a consultant for installers of temporary equipment for the Sydney Olympic Games, Slick Seating Systems has become a leading designer and manufacturer in the universe of grandstands and seating solutions for the UK and Commonwealth markets.

Its offering covers the installation of fixed infrastructure and long-term rental including grandstands for stadiums as well as temporary installations for events.

Olivier Hohn Managing Director of GL events Structures and Grandstands Division said: 'This acquisition will enable GL events to strengthen its presence in the market for grandstand installations and seating solutions for events and complete the Group's range of expertise by becoming both a designer and manufacturer of grandstands and seating systems.'

Founder Lea Adams will remain CEO and shareholder at Slick Seating.

Tom Jones & Alexandra Burke perform

4th March 2011

LEGENDARY Welsh singer Tom Jones and X Factor winner Alexandra Burke will be among the performers at this year's Henley Festival, organisers have revealed.

The festival is a five night, star studded, black tie event on the banks of the river Thames in the beautiful town of Henley-on-Thames and acts will entertain fans from a floating stage on the river, against the backdrop of the Henley skyline.

The riverside setting provides an intimate environment for festival goers to experience magical summer nights. Each evening, over 20 acts from the world of jazz, opera, classical and theatre, from the UK and abroad, perform live music and comedy. The Roving Company of Eccentrica will also entertain guests as they wander through art galleries and sculpture lawns.

Later on, guests can watch a dazzling firework display, then follow the revellers to Chinawhite Club and party late into the night.

For elegant dining, festivalgoers can also book a table at Albert and Michel Roux's Riverside Restaurant, the largest a la carte restaurant in Europe, along with other inviting riverside restaurants and bars.

The event takes place from July 6 - 10.

Theme unveiled for second Manchester Day parade

4th January 2011

THE theme has been unveiled for the second Manchester Day Parade, which takes place throughout the city in June.
A Voyage of Discovery is designed to give groups the chance to explore the historical, political, scientific, digital and personal stories of their city, taking them on a voyage that starts in their own streets and ends in the city centre with the massive parade.
The event will once again be delivered by Walk the Plank and co-founder Liz Pugh said: 'We're extremely happy to be working on Manchester Day Parade again."

'Outdoor events must bring London to life in 2012 ...'

4th January 2011

BRINGING London to life through outdoor events will be a key part of the 2012 Olympic Games, according to the CEO of LOCOG.
Paul Deighton said that although there is still plenty of work to be done, plans for the Games are right on track.
He revealed that the focus now - with less than two years to go - is on making sure everything is completely ready.

Video projection brings location alive

3rd December 2010

THE Projection Studio's Ross Ashton created artwork and designed a large format video projection system for a striking event at Caerphilly Castle.
The commission from Cadw was the first time that an entertainment spectacle of this genre has been commissioned for one of their historical monuments.
The 20-minute work depicted the history and stories of the castle, accompanied by an audio track produced by sound artist Karen Monid - running twice nightly for two weeks to a paying audience.

University launches new degree in events management

3rd December 2010

ABERDEEN'S Robert Gordon University has launched a new degree in events management, which includes an innovative approach to traditional work experience placements.
The Bachelor of Arts Events Management degree features newly devised modules delivered by experienced events professionals and is coordinated by Daniel Turner, programme leader for Hospitality, Tourism, Retail and Events.
The course structure differs from the traditional placement system as students instead complete an industry experience portfolio, requiring them to undertake relevant work experience at every stage of the programme in the form of a credit bearing module.

'It was more than just a normal show ...'

9th November 2010

SUCCESSFUL teamwork combined with a relaxed atmosphere and good behaviour from the crowd ensured the Heroes concert at Twickenham Stadium was a great success for all those involved.
The event - which attracted 60,000 people to the venue - included performances from artists including Robbie Williams, Katherine Jenkins, The Saturdays, Pixie Lott and Alexandra Burke - and raised over £500,000 to support British troops.
After the concert, The Main Event spoke to Live Nation's project manager Emma Kemshell who revealed why it was such a special event to work on.

Welsh company swings into Ryder Cup action

9th November 2010

A WELSH events company was responsible for three events that took place in the lead up and during the first Ryder Cup tournament to be staged in the country.
Push4/Greenfield, an events management and media company which came together in the summer, were commissioned to project direct the Welcome to Wales event at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which attracted a crowd of more than 13,000 and was screened live on Sky Three.
Project director Matthew Wordley told The Main Event that the show, which was attended by HRH the Prince of Wales, featured well known Welsh stars such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dame Shirley Bassey and Katherine Jenkins.