How is Keith Richards still alive? I cannot be alone in my confusion. Like the plucky classroom hamster that was found pacing its exercise wheel after a summer holiday of malnutrition, the man who snorted his own father has not only maintained an incomprehensible grip on existence, but is even getting ready to pack out a few more US stadiums, which, sure as his nostrils are ruined, he will do.

I can’t help wondering if he would leap onto the tour bus quite so readily if it weren’t for piratebay.com and the near vertical downturn in HMV’s CD sales. Hardly surprising therefore, that his band mate, Ronnie Wood, is frantically trying to hasten divorce proceedings to avoid sharing the many millions he is set to earn in the coming months.
But what have a bunch of enthusiastic, if slightly infirm hedonists got to do with the ABTT show? Well, like the Stones, the theatre industry is rocking harder than ever – thriving in a way that defies earthly logic. It’s an announcement from the camp of the bleeding obvious, I know, but the fiscal chips are down and, well, ticket prices to see Wicked are as well.

It’s brilliant that the respective booms in touring and theatre can co-exist. Ten years ago, if you wanted to see even a hardworking band such as Oasis, you had a choice of about, oooh… five dates (if they happened to be touring that year). If you wanted to see the Stones live, well, you could stick on your VHS copy of Live at the Max. These days it seems as though you can see any act that isn’t in rehab, within a matter of weeks and, on average, it will sting you a lot less than a trip to the theatre.

The simple fact is this: even as rock ticket touts turn to drug dealing because AC/DC are saturating the market by playing as many dates as their necks can handle, productions such as Mamma Mia are fast approaching gross earnings of $2.5 billion and have been seen by tens of millions of people. Of course, the heady heights of Broadway and the West End can’t be deemed representative of the industry as a whole but, for the record, a number of major installations have recently been reported at the opposite end of the spectrum, in schools and colleges.

It’s inevitable, so here are the stats: exhibitor space at the Association of British Theatre Technicians’ annual event sold out completely some time ago, with pre-registrations up 25 per cent on last year. Compelling evidence that theatre’s anti-recession weapons are well honed and an encouraging indication that the live events industry can enjoy success across the board.

The best news though, is that audio is getting a juicier slice of the show business pie than ever. First-time exhibitors this year include Yamaha, L-Acoustics, Midas; the list goes on.

With Ofcom due to publish its latest statement on the Digital Dividend during the summer, wireless technology – of colossal importance to the theatre industry – will be a major focus at the show.

Since Ofcom began to throw its weight around last year, mic manufacturers such as Trantec have been diligently beavering away to develop new apparatus that can cope with new and reduced spectrum bands that the industry will have to make do with.
Emphasis will also be on the new  breed of compact audio equipment, including smaller footprint boards, such as the Soundcraft Si2, which takes up significantly less valuable seat space than their predecessors.

Loudspeaker manufacturers will demonstrate systems compatible with historically important venues and their décor. Among several debuts from Alcons will be the LR7 bass unit.

ABTT show director Roger Fox commented: “We’re very pleased to see how the audio contingent of the show has grown over the years. It highlights the value that audio can add to modern productions, enhancing the experience through special sound effects and immersive sound reinforcement. The companies exhibiting at this year’s show exemplify this.”
www.abtt.org.uk