Matt started his time in the industry at Resolution X back in 2007, before moving to the UK in 2013, where he worked for Neg Earth, in their consoles department for two years. There he met many industry professionals, and got to work on some amazing concerts and festivals such as Glastonbury Festival.
After returning from the UK Matt worked locally in Australia for various artists and companies, before touring with Ed Sheeran from 2017 onwards as Lighting Director.
What would you normally be doing this time of year?
Usually, I’d be on tour somewhere warmer in the world! Or I’d be over in the UK working the festival scene for the UK summer. Either way I wouldn’t normally be this cold!!
What’s a fairly normal day at the moment for you?
Usually, wake up, make coffee then go for a walk with the dog. Sometime in the day I’ll have a look for new things to try and cook – cooking has become somewhat of a side passion now I’m spending more time at home. I don’t get the opportunity to cook while on tour!
Are you learning anything to improve your skills set?
I’ve started teaching myself a bit of LUA scripting. Previously, I’ve only really just dipped my toe in the water with LUA, but this prolonged period of no work has given me the chance to explore the power of LUA plugins for the MA2.
What bad habits have you slipped into?
I think, like many, I’ve found myself enjoying an extra glass of wine or gin and tonic more regularly than I would normally consume when at home.
The wine collection is impressive now, but it’s becoming a challenge storing it all!!
How are you coping financially?
Obviously, things are a little more restricted financially, as a result of not having the same level of work as I did this time last year, which is a little stressful. Having bars and restaurants closed and eating in at home has reduced my outgoings.
When do you think live entertainment with return and in what format?
I think it will be sometime before we will be back doing shows in the way we remembered, pre-pandemic, but we will be back. I think we can expect to be back to doing smaller local acts and shows before the end of the year, but larger international touring shows I think will not be back until we can all travel freely internationally again. I can’t say I know when that will be, but I’m not expecting to be back touring until next year.
As to what this will look like, its hard to know for sure, but I expect there to be a level of hesitancy from the general public about being in large crowds again. I also don’t see how concert or festival organisers would be able to enforce social distancing rules. In theatres or seated concerts, this would be easier, but a General Admission concerts or festival would have a lot more challenges to deal with if the virus were still spreading.
I think that the online experiences for concerts has been an interesting innovation to maintain some live entertainment where crowds cannot attend, but I don’t see this being an ongoing replacement to live concerts or shows. You cannot replicate the same feeling of a live concert or show on a living room TV. There is just so much of the physical experience that cannot be replicated in that format.
Do you have any words of encouragement?
Its important to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel for us. There are shows and plans in the back ground that are in the process of being developed. Even large international tours are still doing work on an organisational and production level.
I would also encourage people to reach out to friends within the industry. Remain in touch with the people that make you happy and you enjoy the company of. Reaching out to someone you haven’t heard from in a while can make that persons day, even if its just a brief chat.
What makes you happy at the moment?
Chatting with my tour friends from all around the world. Its great to hear how people are using this time to find new hobbies like cooking or making things.
Also, now that we are able to socialise again, its made me happy to be able to see friends locally that we haven’t been able to see for a number or weeks. Its been nice to hear from them about how they’ve spent their time these last few months.
