Jan. 16, 2026
FUTURETECH Featuring RZI Lighting - Backstage Heroes: The Service & Support Behind Stage Lighting
Chris and Lacy dive into the behind-the-scenes world of stage lighting service, repairs, and technical support. Discover how companies like RZI keep the show running smoothly through expert maintenance and on-site solutions. Hear real-world anecdotes and discuss the growing importance of technical support for diverse venues.
1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,520
Welcome back to Geezers of Gear
Future Tech.
2
00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,160
I'm Chris here with Lacey, and
today we're peeling back the
3
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,880
curtain on the real MVPS behind
the scenes, the people keeping
4
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:11,720
your events lights actually
working.
5
00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,280
You know, not the rock stars,
but the ones who make sure the
6
00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:17,840
stage doesn't go dark 5 minutes
into the set.
7
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,480
Lacey, how often have you shown
up to a gig and worried if the
8
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:22,880
gear is even going to turn on
Ah?
9
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,720
More times than I want to admit
Chris, but honestly with
10
00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,480
companies like RZI, you almost
get spoiled.
11
00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,040
Their whole thing is making sure
the stuff you rent is totally
12
00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,400
show ready.
I mean, it's not just here's
13
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,040
your crate, good luck.
It's they prep, they test, they
14
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,080
double check everything before
it leaves the warehouse.
15
00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:46,600
Right.
And that prep is not just a
16
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,960
checklist, it's a lifesaver on
show day.
17
00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,480
They've got a full team of
certified repair techs, too, so
18
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,680
if a fixture's got a weird
flicker or a moving head decides
19
00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,400
no, not today, there's an expert
ready to jump in.
20
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,120
You're making it sound
glamorous, Chris, but I've seen
21
00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,080
those folks working after hours
with a soldering iron just
22
00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,520
cranking through repairs.
Oh, it's far from glamorous,
23
00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,640
definitely not as fun as being
under the stage lights, but
24
00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,360
honestly, it's where shows are
saved.
25
00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,640
I remember this one festival
maybe eight years ago.
26
00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,680
Was it the one in Houston?
Doesn't matter.
27
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,480
We had this massive storm, took
out a fixture right as the main
28
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,760
act was about to go on because
the rig was so well prepped.
29
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,600
Everything was labeled, spares
were in the right spot, and
30
00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,760
boom, Tech swapped it out,
patched it, and the show didn't
31
00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,880
even pause.
Utterly seamless.
32
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,600
That's the magic people rarely
see.
33
00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,720
And those moments are the
difference between an epic show
34
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:47,000
and an epic disaster, right?
I always tell people you want
35
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,520
your crew to know more than you
do about keeping things running.
36
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,040
The real heroes are sweating in
the wings, so let's talk about
37
00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,040
what happens when stuff does go
sideways.
38
00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,640
Companies like RZI don't just
hand you gear and vanish.
39
00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:02,280
They do repairs on site for all
the big brands.
40
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,320
And if you're moving, light
takes a leap off the Truss or a
41
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,120
dimmer axe up.
There's warranty support too.
42
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,880
That's huge.
Absolutely.
43
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,880
If you need something fixed, you
submit a repair and their
44
00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,920
technicians handle it right
there at the shop.
45
00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,680
Major manufacturer, minor brand,
doesn't matter, they'll sort it.
46
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,080
I mean, think how much downtime
you lose if you have to ship a
47
00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,480
fixture halfway across the
country versus just popping it
48
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,800
in for a quick turn around.
And quick isn't an exaggeration.
49
00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,240
So I had a touring act.
This was a few years back, and
50
00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,640
two days before Showtime, one of
their main wash lights quit.
51
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,200
Total panic, but I called in,
brought the unit in and
52
00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,720
overnight, no joke, they had it
repaired and ready to load back
53
00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,440
out.
I don't think anyone in the band
54
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,000
even knew how close we came to
just improv lighting with a cell
55
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,760
phone.
The tech support is like worth
56
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,600
its weight in gold.
There's a whole process, and
57
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,000
some jobs are faster than
others, but they really try not
58
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,240
to leave you in the lurch.
Warranty repairs, getting parts
59
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,560
from the big manufacturers.
They navigate all that so you're
60
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,760
not stuck Googling model numbers
at 2:00 AM.
61
00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,600
Yeah, and as tech keeps getting
more complicated, thinking about
62
00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,400
some of the wireless data and
control stuff we talked about a
63
00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,000
few episodes back, it's just not
something most single venue
64
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,520
folks can DIY anymore.
Having real on call repair and
65
00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,360
warranty service is becoming
essential, not a bonus.
66
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:31,920
And it's not just big touring
rigs either.
67
00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,040
RCI handles installs and support
for all sorts of venues,
68
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,960
Churches, schools, theaters.
They don't push just one cookie
69
00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,960
cutter solution.
It's tailored for the event, the
70
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:44,920
space and the team that will use
it.
71
00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,120
Oh yeah, churches especially,
they've got such unique needs.
72
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,120
Daylight, video, live
production, maybe even stage
73
00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,120
haze.
And a lot of times it's
74
00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,760
volunteers running the boards,
not pros, so you need a system
75
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,200
that works for them, not just
your standard pro touring setup.
76
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,000
Exactly.
I think there was a recent
77
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,520
project, don't quote me on which
church it was, but RCI designed
78
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,480
and installed a full lighting
system, trained up the staff,
79
00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,720
handled all the Technical
Support even after opening
80
00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,680
night.
That's the sort of thing that
81
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,760
makes the transition from a
blank slate to a full on grand
82
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,000
opening just smooth.
No panic, no guesswork.
83
00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,160
That extra support means those
spaces can keep rolling no
84
00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,080
matter who's at the controls.
And for theaters, schools, same
85
00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,040
deal.
Tech support isn't just for
86
00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,160
breakdowns.
It's about helping folks get the
87
00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:37,800
most out of the gear from day
one.
88
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:40,440
Makes all the difference,
doesn't it?
89
00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,360
If the gear is tailored for the
folks using it and you've got
90
00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,720
seasoned pros on hand for the
hiccups, everybody looks good.
91
00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,520
And hey, as these systems get
fancier, I bet this sort of
92
00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,440
service supports only going to
be more in demand.
93
00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,800
Absolutely, and as we keep
exploring how technology's
94
00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,880
changing on this podcast, we'll
definitely keep coming back to
95
00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:02,400
the people side of it, not just
the flashy new fixtures.
96
00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,760
Chris, thanks for diving into
the service trenches with me
97
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,640
today.
Always a pleasure, Laci, and
98
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,640
thanks to everyone listening.
If you've got stories or burning
99
00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,960
questions about backstage heroes
or support, let us know.
100
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,360
We'll see you next time on
Geezers of Gear Future Tech Take
101
00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,640
care, Lacey.
See you, Chris.
102
00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:22,240
Bye everyone.
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,520
Welcome back to Geezers of Gear
Future Tech.
2
00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,160
I'm Chris here with Lacey, and
today we're peeling back the
3
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,880
curtain on the real MVPS behind
the scenes, the people keeping
4
00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:11,720
your events lights actually
working.
5
00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,280
You know, not the rock stars,
but the ones who make sure the
6
00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:17,840
stage doesn't go dark 5 minutes
into the set.
7
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,480
Lacey, how often have you shown
up to a gig and worried if the
8
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:22,880
gear is even going to turn on
Ah?
9
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,720
More times than I want to admit
Chris, but honestly with
10
00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,480
companies like RZI, you almost
get spoiled.
11
00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,040
Their whole thing is making sure
the stuff you rent is totally
12
00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,400
show ready.
I mean, it's not just here's
13
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,040
your crate, good luck.
It's they prep, they test, they
14
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,080
double check everything before
it leaves the warehouse.
15
00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:46,600
Right.
And that prep is not just a
16
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,960
checklist, it's a lifesaver on
show day.
17
00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,480
They've got a full team of
certified repair techs, too, so
18
00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,680
if a fixture's got a weird
flicker or a moving head decides
19
00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,400
no, not today, there's an expert
ready to jump in.
20
00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,120
You're making it sound
glamorous, Chris, but I've seen
21
00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,080
those folks working after hours
with a soldering iron just
22
00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,520
cranking through repairs.
Oh, it's far from glamorous,
23
00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,640
definitely not as fun as being
under the stage lights, but
24
00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,360
honestly, it's where shows are
saved.
25
00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,640
I remember this one festival
maybe eight years ago.
26
00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,680
Was it the one in Houston?
Doesn't matter.
27
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,480
We had this massive storm, took
out a fixture right as the main
28
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,760
act was about to go on because
the rig was so well prepped.
29
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,600
Everything was labeled, spares
were in the right spot, and
30
00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,760
boom, Tech swapped it out,
patched it, and the show didn't
31
00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,880
even pause.
Utterly seamless.
32
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,600
That's the magic people rarely
see.
33
00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,720
And those moments are the
difference between an epic show
34
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:47,000
and an epic disaster, right?
I always tell people you want
35
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,520
your crew to know more than you
do about keeping things running.
36
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,040
The real heroes are sweating in
the wings, so let's talk about
37
00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,040
what happens when stuff does go
sideways.
38
00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,640
Companies like RZI don't just
hand you gear and vanish.
39
00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:02,280
They do repairs on site for all
the big brands.
40
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,320
And if you're moving, light
takes a leap off the Truss or a
41
00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,120
dimmer axe up.
There's warranty support too.
42
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,880
That's huge.
Absolutely.
43
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,880
If you need something fixed, you
submit a repair and their
44
00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,920
technicians handle it right
there at the shop.
45
00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,680
Major manufacturer, minor brand,
doesn't matter, they'll sort it.
46
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,080
I mean, think how much downtime
you lose if you have to ship a
47
00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,480
fixture halfway across the
country versus just popping it
48
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,800
in for a quick turn around.
And quick isn't an exaggeration.
49
00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,240
So I had a touring act.
This was a few years back, and
50
00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,640
two days before Showtime, one of
their main wash lights quit.
51
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,200
Total panic, but I called in,
brought the unit in and
52
00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,720
overnight, no joke, they had it
repaired and ready to load back
53
00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,440
out.
I don't think anyone in the band
54
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,000
even knew how close we came to
just improv lighting with a cell
55
00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,760
phone.
The tech support is like worth
56
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,600
its weight in gold.
There's a whole process, and
57
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,000
some jobs are faster than
others, but they really try not
58
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,240
to leave you in the lurch.
Warranty repairs, getting parts
59
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,560
from the big manufacturers.
They navigate all that so you're
60
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,760
not stuck Googling model numbers
at 2:00 AM.
61
00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,600
Yeah, and as tech keeps getting
more complicated, thinking about
62
00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,400
some of the wireless data and
control stuff we talked about a
63
00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,000
few episodes back, it's just not
something most single venue
64
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,520
folks can DIY anymore.
Having real on call repair and
65
00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,360
warranty service is becoming
essential, not a bonus.
66
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:31,920
And it's not just big touring
rigs either.
67
00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,040
RCI handles installs and support
for all sorts of venues,
68
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,960
Churches, schools, theaters.
They don't push just one cookie
69
00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,960
cutter solution.
It's tailored for the event, the
70
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:44,920
space and the team that will use
it.
71
00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,120
Oh yeah, churches especially,
they've got such unique needs.
72
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,120
Daylight, video, live
production, maybe even stage
73
00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,120
haze.
And a lot of times it's
74
00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,760
volunteers running the boards,
not pros, so you need a system
75
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,200
that works for them, not just
your standard pro touring setup.
76
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,000
Exactly.
I think there was a recent
77
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,520
project, don't quote me on which
church it was, but RCI designed
78
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,480
and installed a full lighting
system, trained up the staff,
79
00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,720
handled all the Technical
Support even after opening
80
00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,680
night.
That's the sort of thing that
81
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,760
makes the transition from a
blank slate to a full on grand
82
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,000
opening just smooth.
No panic, no guesswork.
83
00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,160
That extra support means those
spaces can keep rolling no
84
00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,080
matter who's at the controls.
And for theaters, schools, same
85
00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,040
deal.
Tech support isn't just for
86
00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,160
breakdowns.
It's about helping folks get the
87
00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:37,800
most out of the gear from day
one.
88
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:40,440
Makes all the difference,
doesn't it?
89
00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,360
If the gear is tailored for the
folks using it and you've got
90
00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,720
seasoned pros on hand for the
hiccups, everybody looks good.
91
00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,520
And hey, as these systems get
fancier, I bet this sort of
92
00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,440
service supports only going to
be more in demand.
93
00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,800
Absolutely, and as we keep
exploring how technology's
94
00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,880
changing on this podcast, we'll
definitely keep coming back to
95
00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:02,400
the people side of it, not just
the flashy new fixtures.
96
00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,760
Chris, thanks for diving into
the service trenches with me
97
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,640
today.
Always a pleasure, Laci, and
98
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,640
thanks to everyone listening.
If you've got stories or burning
99
00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,960
questions about backstage heroes
or support, let us know.
100
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,360
We'll see you next time on
Geezers of Gear Future Tech Take
101
00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,640
care, Lacey.
See you, Chris.
102
00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:22,240
Bye everyone.