9/3/2012 2:50:00 PM
SUMMER'S WINDING DOWN but up here at Big Sky we had plans for a huge finale. Chamberlin Productions was on the scene setting up for what ended up being an absolutely amazing evening and event. That’s right; the 2nd annual Spruce Moose Festival was here in town with Michael Franti and Spearhead as the headliner and special guest The Whigs. Presented by The Moose Radio with the help of Chamberlin Productions, the Spruce Moose festival drew a huge crowd here at Big Sky Resort this past weekend. And with Chamberlin putting it on, you can rest assured that it was an awesome show.
While many of us show up when the doors open and are blown away by the scale of major music venues, most of us don’t know what goes on during the set up. Production companies complete these feats in just a matter of days and at a scale that most of us can’t begin to comprehend. Working like a finely tuned machine and with a great deal of blood (hopefully with none spilt), sweat, and tears; production companies like Chamberlin set the stage for memorable evenings that last just 5 hours but become permanently ingrained in our minds for a lifetime.
Chamberlin has been around for a few years now and has become the go to for large events in the region like our now annual Rail Jam held every winter. They’re so dialed, that they can set up a venue for 5,000 people in under 3 days. We’re talking the works here too. Fencing to corral the crowd and keep out the non-paying hooligans, VIP lounges that bring mad swagger, high-end stage and lighting that rivals most any show around, and the all rest facilities that any attendee needs when consuming a few festive libations.
The first day is usually the frame work of what will be the entire venue. Fencing and markers are placed throughout the area to mark where the stage and vendors will be setting up. This requires staking fences, marking obstacles, and lugging around/placing large sections of fence much to the chagrin of the event staff. Day 2 is little more exciting. The stage usually arrives mid-day and that’s when things really start coming together and looking like a real show. With some fine-tuning to get it adjusted just right, the stage is set and the lighting and sound wizards go to work. Soundboards, scaffolding, and miles of extension cords are set up to meet the needs of the entertainers and crowd. On the third and final day Chamberlin Production’s masterpiece is finished. Sound checks and a few rehearsals are the last hurdle to overcome before the show goes on.
With a little rain Friday night and Saturday afternoon the standing area in front of the stage got a little muddy but that wasn’t going to stop the show from going off. After the clouds cleared and provided us with an amazing sunset, Franti and The Whigs went on and absolutely rocked the house. One of the most memorable parts of the evening was when Franti filled the stage with kids from the crowd and had one little boy sing the chorus of “Say Hey (I Love You).” Chamberlin set the stage and Michael Franti and Spearhead rocked the house for what ended up being a fantastic night!
-Kipp Proctor
