FutureTech Featuring Delicate Productions - Delicate Productions Past and Future

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All right, welcome back to
Geezers of Gear Future Tech

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Chris here, and I'm joined, as
always by Lacey.

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Now today's a special one.
We're pulling back the curtain

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on delicate productions, and
honestly, it is one heck of a

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legacy, isn't it Lacey?
Absolutely, Chris.

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And before we dive in, quick
shout out.

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Geezers of Gear are proud to
officially announce Delicate

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Productions as their newest
podcast sponsor.

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Geezers of Gear host Marcel
Fairbairn and podcast producer

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Sarah Burnie would like to say
thank you to Chris Smother,

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Smythe, Stephen Vitale and Jodie
Doggie for their support.

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I mean, could that be a more
perfect fit?

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It's like peanut butter and jam.
Or as we say in Britain, maybe

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scones and jam.
Anyway, legend has it delicates

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founder Chris Smoother Smythe
had just about the wildest path

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into this industry you could
dream of.

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Left school, joined the RAF,
somehow wound up working for Pan

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Am.
Then BAM makes a leap to become

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a roadie for Flash with 0
experience.

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That story blows my mind every
time.

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Didn't he just kind of ask what
if it was me and basically

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hopped on a flight?
No real plan.

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Exactly.
Straight into it.

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First gig at Fairleigh Dickinson
University.

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Knew nothing, just absolute
willingness to learn.

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And that started a journey
through bands like Genesis, The

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Clash, Supertramp.
Bit of trivia?

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The company's name, Delicate
Productions, actually nods to

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Supertramp's Delicate Music.
That's cool, didn't know that

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detail.
What always stood out to me

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though is the culture.
I remember my first delicate

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gig, NASCAR Clash at the
Coliseum.

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It was a sea of cables and
trusses, sure, but honestly, the

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crew's energy electrifying,
everyone, just flying, grinning,

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getting things done, It made a
huge impact on me.

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There's that if you love what
you do, success will follow

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mantra with smoother, right?
And I think for anyone coming up

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in this field, it's a bit of a
template.

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It's not only about technical
brilliance, but that sense of

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camaraderie, learning from the
best, all that passion wrapped

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up in live event madness.
Yeah, and Delicate's done it

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all.
Audio, lighting, video, total

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package from that first gig with
The Clash to what they've become

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today.
It's wild.

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But that's kind of your story
too, isn't it, Chris?

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Well, not quite as rock'n'roll
as smoother, though I've carried

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my share of flight cases in the
rain, but you're spot on.

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It's about loving every minute,
even when it's chaos.

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So Speaking of total package,
delicate really is a one stop

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shop right?
Audio, lighting, video rigging,

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production management,
production design?

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What am I missing?
That's about it.

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And it's not just covering the
bases.

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They do it at the highest level.
I mean look at the projects.

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Music Cares, the quail, bottle
Rock, NASCAR, even the mocha art

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plus film gala.
Those aren't run-of-the-mill

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events.
Those are like hold my beer

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productions.
I get tired just saying that

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list.
But Chris, something else that

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stands out.
In earlier decades, live event

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production was honestly the Wild
West, right?

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Oh, absolutely.
In the 70s, artists, the band,

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everyone ran the show, crew,
management.

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You kind of just muddled through
the 80s.

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Suddenly management steps in,
cracks the whip.

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By the 90's, the accountants
show up.

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And now, let's be honest,
lawyers have built offices in

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the truck pack.
But it's true, we've lost a bit

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of that dangerous seat of your
pants innovation At the same

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time we've gained safety
accountability.

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It's much better for everyone's
health and sanity, if maybe a

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bit less fun on paperwork.
And you still get those behind

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the scenes mishaps though.
Wasn't there that story about

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the Dire Straits Brothers in
Arms tour?

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Oh yeah, that was a classic.
I remember a lighting hiccup mid

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show, frantically swapping fuses
and connectors.

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But what's cool?
Charles Herrington, who ran

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Lighting back then, is now over
at Zenith.

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Funny how these relationships
last decades in this business.

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Such a small world.
I kind of love that everyone's

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paths keep crossing, even if
it's sometimes over a blown

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cable or three.
Fast forward to today and

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Delicate isn't just delicate
anymore.

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They were now officially part of
the Live Events network.

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So not just live events,
productions as such, but a whole

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web of production expertise
that's active production and

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design in Atlanta, Gemini LSV in
Dallas, Zenith Lighting in

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Orlando, and then of course
their sister company

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Pyrotechnico out East.
Those are the fireworks and

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drone show folks.
Coast to coast, end to end, it's

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all connected.
Yeah, that's what blows my mind.

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You've now got a network that
can do everything like

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jaw-dropping fireworks, out of
this world effects, drone, light

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shows, perfectly integrated
audio and video, you name it.

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They're not just producing
another show, they're crafting

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memories.
Like actual moments that stick

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with you for life.
And it's that partnership.

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Yeah.
It turns an ordinary corporate

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dinner or festival into a
spectacle.

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It's not about which company
owns what.

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It's about blending all these
incredible teams and talents.

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Makes RFPs way more interesting,
I'll say that much.

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So, Chris, from your
perspective, how do partnerships

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like this keep companies like
Delicate on the cutting edge?

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Isn't there a risk you could
lose your, I don't know, local

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identity?
Good point.

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I'd say it works because
everyone brings a unique

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culture.
Delicate has it's get it just

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right vibe.
Pyrotechnico has fireworks in

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its DNA.
Gemini's all about technical

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muscle.
But when you combine them you

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get these event superpowers and
innovation follows.

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Almost like you're bench
pressing double what you could

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solo.
Bit of a wonky analogy, sorry,

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but you get it.
No, that's perfect.

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It's like, well, having access
to every tool in the box, plus

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the people who know how to use
them.

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It's why those network wide
collaborations turn out so epic.

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All right, let's look ahead.
Where's all this going?

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I mean, you can't throw a cable
without hitting talk about

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augmented reality, virtual sets,
AI running show, logistics

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behind the scenes.
In a way, it feels like that

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spirit of if you love it, you'll
learn it.

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It's still alive, just with way
fancier toys.

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Yeah, the gear geek in me loves
this stuff, even if I have to

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Google DMX mapping every time.
But it isn't just about new

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shiny things.
It's, you know what's

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sustainable.
Delicate really leans into eco

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friendly materials and energy
efficient tech right?

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Spot on.
They do.

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From the LED rigs to recycling
scenic flats.

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They're thinking about the
environmental footprints.

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I think it matters.
Our industry can chew through

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resources, so setting a standard
there, it's huge.

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And what about people Delicate
seems keen on bringing up that

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next Gen. talent?
All those mentoring moments,

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getting folks backstage hands on
learning.

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It's like Smoother said, follow
your nose if you care and you're

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curious.
You'll find your lane even if

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you start out hauling gear or,
you know, making a pot of coffee

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badly.
Classic rite of passage.

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But you're right, this industry
still rewards those who roll up

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their sleeves, who never think
they know it all, and who helped

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make each show better than the
last.

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If that doesn't sound like a
great future, I don't know what

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does.
Couldn't agree more.

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And hey, for everyone listening,
we hope this episode leaves you

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a bit inspired or at least less
afraid of your next events crew

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call.
You can check out Delicate's

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website www.delicate.com For
more information.

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That's it from us for now, we'll
be back soon.

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More gear, more stories, maybe
even a few more tales from the

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road.
Laci always good chatting with

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you.
Always a pleasure Chris.

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Thanks everyone.
Until next time, keep your

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cables coiled and your ideas
bright.

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Music to your ears.
Hey, hey, hey.

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Let's go.
New gear vibes, new tech jive

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gearheads unite.
We keep it live.

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Oh yeah, the Lunar's gear.
The Lunar's gear.

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We got it here, Got it here.