Want to see backstage with me?
Let me guide you if you’ve never been backstage at a concert, esports tournament, or big event.
Seeing all this for the first time is always exciting. Being in a space where few have been building a sense of exclusivity. You can see and feel the show from the back, and it’s always a bit magical. The bigger the stage, the better.
Here’s the story!
I’ll do my best to spark your imagination without ruining the experience for when you get the chance for a real “backstage tour.”
What’s behind the curtain?
My first backstage experience was when my father was a lighting designer, so I grew up at the largest festivals. Starting at age 12, I often accompanied him to work, skipping school for a week—which was always fun. We usually arrived when everything was under construction, so backstage and the front of the stage was one, just as it is today when my team works on similar projects worldwide.
Setup
Setup and construction often look like a big mess—tons of cases, trusses, lighting fixtures, LED tiles, and scenic elements occupy the entire floor. There is no backstage yet. Once everything needs to be hung up and the set is built, a giant LED screen usually divides the stage into front and backstage. It’s as simple as that.
Backstage crew [during the show]
You’ll find guys sitting behind their consoles and control systems backstage. Yes, even with FOH (front-of-house) towers, there’s always additional control backstage. The guy sitting at the back mixes what the artists hear when performing. Another monitors LED screens to ensure everything works smoothly. There are people responsible for lighting, special effects, and other technical staff who react if something goes wrong.
Tech guys resting at the backstage
Some technicians often rest backstage during concerts, waiting for the end and immediately tearing down key stage elements. The rest of the techs are on standby. If some lights stop working, they quickly jump on the truss to fix them during the concert. They are like spiders in black T-shirts. I remember a tech rigger jumping to unplug a burning fixture during a live broadcast. Most people didn’t even notice the danger.
Backstage “mess”
What else is backstage? There are tons of cases. Some are loaded back onto trucks, some are stored, and some are used as tables. You might also navigate through tunnels built from those cases.
Cables everywhere
Have you ever imagined how many kilometers of cables are necessary to connect all this equipment? A lot! These cables are unrolled and rolled up for each show, everywhere. So, mind your step.
Who might you meet there?
You might meet a superstar backstage. This is where they come from before entering the stage. Don’t ask for an autograph; they are usually focused on performing. Standing close is exciting the first time, but it becomes routine unless it’s someone like Taylor Swift.
You can meet the show-control crew, who wear big headphones and microphones and are always in a hurry and focused on timing.
A man with a camera
Sometimes, you’ll see a man “wearing” a camera, looking like a robot with a strange metal jacket and robotic arm. He’s taking shots from backstage. If the camera is wireless, it has antennas with big “McDonald’s Shake” cups on top.
Ask your tour guide about the roles of the people you see for a clearer understanding.
From my perspective, being backstage is dull but magical, like being inside an engine and seeing how it works. If you’ve never been backstage, take the chance if you get it.
