Dutch Barrier Services certified sustainable
Dutch Barrier Services reduced the carbon impact of its sales and rental crowd safety barriers by a further 35%, to an overall certified 3.8 kg CO2 per kilogram of used aluminium, by sourcing the most sustainable certified aluminium from two sources: Speira and Hydro.
Dutch Barrier Services was formed in 2022 with sustainability a core ethos across product development, manufacture, feeding into sales and rental operations. The use of sustainable aluminium has always been in place, centred around a shared ethos to minimise environmental impact with neighbouring ‘sister company’ Dutch Barrier Solutions. Dutch Barrier’s manufacturer has progressed from using recycled aluminium at the beginning to research and source aluminium with the lowest possible carbon footprint, which is now 80% lower than using aluminium from most of the world’s standard aluminium producers.
Dutch Barrier Services CEO, Cees Muurling, says:
“Together with our manufacturing partner, we have painstakingly researched and sourced the most environmentally friendly aluminium, with a low CO₂ footprint, to create the most sustainable front-of-stage crowd barriers. It’s so important to us that we minimise the environmental impact of our activities on the planet and support like-minded clients in their effort to produce sustainable events.
“The official certifications validate our efforts, validating that we source responsibly manufactured aluminium for Dutch Barrier Services. I’m proud to work with our manufacturing partner and innovative aluminium suppliers, each on their own journeys to transition towards net-zero.”
Since 2025, Speira, a leading producer of sustainable aluminium sheet material, has supplied Dutch Barriers with innovative RIVOS aluminium sheet material, characterised by its excellent sustainable properties.
The sheets contain a significant percentage of recycled aluminium, produced at a plant that uses electricity generated entirely from hydropower. The aluminium has a carbon footprint certified as a maximum of 4 kg CO₂ per kilogram of aluminium, compared to a traditional footprint of 10 to 22 kg CO₂ per kilogram.
The manufacturer and Speira are fully circular in this process. The aluminium waste generated during barrier production (off-cuts and the holes punched in sheets) is returned to Speira. Here, it is remelted and converted into new, high-quality sheet material, ready for the next series of high-quality front-of-stage barriers.
The shaped barrier components, the extrusion profiles, since Q2 2026, are produced by a different manufacturing plant of sustainable certified aluminium engineering specialist Hydro that allows for a more sustainable alloy. This new alloy reduces the CO₂ footprint or those materials by 35% and reduces the overall CO₂ footprint of a barrier to a certified 3.8 kg CO₂ per kilogram aluminium for a DBS stage barrier.
Dutch Barrier Solutions manufacturing plant is located alongside Dutch Barrier Services, at its head office in the Netherlands. This gives the advantage of reducing transportation to nil, enhanced cooperation in the research, design and development of all products, as well as rapid responsiveness when requiring new stocks or products to meet client requirements.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Roskilde Festival first for Dutch Barrier Services
Designing and manufacturing three new barrier products to expand the range of specialist safety barriers to meet the needs of Roskilde Festival, Dutch Barrier Services was contracted to supply barriers to the Orange, Arena and Laguna stages, in Dyrskuepladsen, Denmark, July 2026.
Dutch Barrier Services’ (DBS) supplied over 1,500m of barriers, and introduced three new products used at Roskilde Festival for the first time in 2026, strengthening the Company’s proprietary crowd barrier range, launched in 2022. Coupled with customer-focused service, it has established the company as firm favourites with many European festivals, World Tours and venues.
Lars Liliengren, Roskilde Festival’s head of production, stated:
“Dutch Barrier Services has been involved from the very beginning of the planning process for our barrier system.
“We worked with a highly competent team, and the collaboration was a pleasure. Installation and dismantling went exactly according to plan, accompanied by smiles and a great atmosphere.
“DBS’s All-Terrain barrier provided an excellent finish and a highly effective barrier system.
“Dutch Barrier is an industry leader, and a perfect match for Roskilde Festival, and supports our ambition of elevating the Audience experience.”
Stanley Jilesen, DBS senior account manager, familiar with the festival, and has been liaising with the festival team over the past years with DBS, visiting the festival and building on the requirements to create a safer festival site. Stanley states:
“Roskilde is a special festival I admire because of their total determination to make it as safe as possible for the public, artists and staff. With 130,000 people on site, effective crowd management and crowd control infrastructure are crucial.
“Our discussions centred around several specific challenges they identified, which were common to many festivals. Roskilde worked with us to overcome them. They visited our design and manufacturing partner and we developed specific products, used for the first time at Roskilde this year. DBS is uniquely positioned to do that as we work so closely with our barrier manufacturers as a neighbour at our HQ.”
DBS collaborated with Roskilde to develop a new and improved Security Walk Way that creates a continuous security step behind the barrier. This new unit is smaller and takes much less space. The previous design was one meter deep behind the barrier, which meant that the barrier had to be further from the stage, or larger gaps between the inner and outer units in the secondary barrier. The new system takes the same space as a normal barrier, allowing more square meterage for the audience, whilst maintaining the same working area for crew, security and first aid staff, with a safer working raised platform.
All Terrain Barrier: because no festival site is totally flat, DBS created the All Terrain (AT) barrier, with improved flexibility to follow the terrain, incorporating a bespoke floorplate with two horizontal hinges. Roskilde Festival was the first time this certified product was deployed at a large scale, it worked 100% as expected and the client was really happy with it. Very few wood pads to fill gaps underneath the barrier line were required, as would have been the case working with only traditional gear to negotiate the uneven terrain. It makes a safer, stronger barrier line to traverse uneven ground, reducing potential trip hazards.
DBS made new special Bar Barrier corners. This created a continuous serving surface with no gaps on corners, giving an expanded serving area, so the public could order anywhere at the bar.
Although not a new product but new to Roskilde Festival, DBS also installed the increasingly in demand 1.5m wide Cable Gates in the front of stage areas, which gave better access routes for the ADA cable ramps.
Stanley and the team also considered the visual aesthetic of the stages. They manufactured more black barriers, so the whole Arena Stage used black barriers and doors, while the World-famous Orange stage used all silver barrier. Stanley commented:
“It just looked so much nicer. I know its only barriers, but if possible we want to make it look nice.”
DBS supplied a “Sightline Friendly” Front of House structure at the EOS stage, which, with the clear upper panels, improved sightlines for the audience compared to the traditional structures.
Pictures: Roskilde Festival Barriers, please credit Christina Brandt
Please note: This is a promotional feature
One Event Infrastructure invests in new barrier system from Dutch Barriers
Four-hundred metres of newly manufactured Dutch Barriers are taking pride of place in the new One Event Infrastructure warehouse, Dublin, Ireland, and will be deployed at events and TV shoots this summer.
One Event Infrastructure launched in October 2025, combining decades of experience supplying a wide range of services and products to concerts, festivals, public events, film, and TV in Eire.
Sarah Morelli Carroll, director of One Event Infrastructure, said: “Starting a new company has allowed us to search out new products and introduce the best in the market to the Irish market and raise the bar.
“We became aware of Dutch Barrier Services through tours coming through 3Arena in Dublin. Their crowd barrier system has introduced several design elements that make it logistically better than others, from transportation to easier handling for crews during installation/derig. The attention to detail is really well thought through.”
The Dutch Barrier Services team also brings decades of experience supplying crowd safety barriers to all types of events globally. That knowledge has underpinned the design and manufacturing partnership that created the crowd safety barrier system used on multiple world tours, festivals and sporting events throughout Europe.
Stanley Jillesen, project manager at Dutch Barrier Services, said: “We are delighted to welcome One Event to our expanding international network of partners. They are highly respected event professionals, so it's great to know that once they got to know and use our system, they were prepared to invest and recommend it to their extensive list of clients. We wish them every success with their new company, if ever they need to expand their inventory, they can either rent or purchase from us.”
Sarah concludes: “Dealing with Dutch Barriers has been great, and already, our clients and crews are loving it.”
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Pink Bows Foundation joins US professionals at NCS⁴ Conference and reveals advisory board
Having been invited by NCS⁴ to share details of the Showstop® Procedure, the only internationally accredited training and Showstop-specific qualification, Pink Bows Foundation is proud to have partnered the 17th Annual Sports Safety and Security Conference, in Palm Springs, 23-25 June, 2026.
Sports and entertainment events, spanning World Series finals, FIFA World Cups and concerts, are bringing joy to millions of people across the US this summer. It’s largely thanks to event and venue safety professionals gathered in Palm Springs for the NCS⁴ conference that those fans return home safely.
Dr. Stacey Hall, NCS4 executive director, stated: “We are deeply grateful for the partnership and participation of the Pink Bows Foundation at our 17th Annual Conference. During the impactful opening keynote, the Foundation’s founder, Brian Dubiski, reminded our industry why we strive every day to ensure the highest standards of safety and security at events — to save lives and ensure participants, spectators, and staff return home safely. The NCS4 industry stakeholders are highly engaged in training, research, and outreach initiatives in pursuit of safety and security standards and benefit greatly from the Foundation’s resources.”
Pink Bows Foundation Co-Founder Brian Dubiski delivered the keynote session, opening the conference with an emotionally insightful talk, dedicated to his daughter, Madison Dubiski, one of the ten young people who lost their lives at the 2021 Astroworld Travis Scott concert.
Brian recounted his personal experience of how the horror of November 5th, 2021, unfolded for him, as a father, and the family, through the ensuing years of pain and how they are coming out of that darkness with the Pink Bows Foundation, with a mission to reduce the likelihood of other families being devastated by events in the future.
This began by working with Steve Allen and Dr Mark Hamilton to establish a global Showstop® Procedure, launched in March 2025, which has trained more than 850 event professionals to date, making events safer for audiences over 50 million. They have also established a Safe Spaces initiative, which has welcomed more than 400,000 fans to its relocatable facilities across a range of US events.
At the conference, Brian revealed that Pink Bows Foundation is strengthening its collaborative links with the global events safety community. It has formed a Pink Bows Advisory Board, comprised of a stunning array of 16 global event safety professionals, eight of who are expert witnesses.
The Pink Bows Advisory Board Members include:
- Steve Allen - Expert Witness and Crowd Safety Management and Event Safety consultant
- Dr Mark Hamilton - Expert Witness and Crowd Safety Management and Event Security consultant, Tour Security Director for Sir Paul McCartney
- Anne-Marie Chebib – UKCMA Chair, Global Expertise in Operational Risk, Sustainability and Programme Development
- Professor John Drury – Expert Witness and Crowd Management expert
- Professor Keith Stills – Expert witness and international Crowd Management expert
- Lloyd Major – CEO of Halo Solutions
- Morten Therkildeson MSC – Roskilde Festival Director of Safety and Guest Relations
- Dr Pascal Viot – Professor of Sociology, Event Safety and Security consultant
- Dr Steve Frosdick – Expert Witness, Sport Safety Consultant
- Tami Richter – VP Operations at SXSW, VP Event Safety Alliance
- Tim Roberts – Expert Witness, CEO Tess and Creative Safety
- Jim Gaffney – Expert Witness, stage and crowd barrier design
- Doug Bruce - CSSP, Senior Director of Operations, Creative Safety Inc
- Andrew Tatrai – CEO of Dynamic Crowd Measurement
- Bryan Huneycutt – Event Safety Alliance Board Member, Mental health advisor
- Colin Lish – Tour Security Professional and Crowd Management consultant
As Brian summed up with the following words, he received a heartfelt standing ovation from the audience: “We are inspired by the support of these incredible people and excited by the vast experience and professional capability this highly respected and knowledgeable group adds to the progression of The Foundation to contribute to safer events.
“A huge thank you to the NCS⁴ board. We feel a strong bond with the conference organisers and delegates and admire their professionalism and devotion to prevent the likelihood of similar future incidents.”
Pink Bows Board President Stephanie Stegall also addressed the conference, outlining the importance of the strong bond being created with NCS⁴, with the common ethos to "Make Events Safer" through training and driving positive progression.
Steve Allen was the lead guest on a panel called Showstop Procedure: A proven Emergency Intervention Measure for the Sport and Entertainment Industry. Moderator Graham Brown curated an educational, interactive discussion, with the audience engaged throughout.
Panelists Doug Bruce, CSSP, senior director of operations, Creative Safety Inc, Donald Paisant, CSSP, Vice President, Security and Guest Services, Texas Rangers Baseball Club and Kevin Swope, Security Director, Illitch Sports and Entertainment (Tigers Baseball) contributed fabulously, sharing their experiences and insights having recently hosted Showstop® Procedure courses. They commented on the positive benefits:
Kevin: “A great course which has improved procedure with consistency across our venues, staff and stakeholders.”
Donald: “The best training course I have partaken. This has improved our emergency response protocols, which we have implemented at all of our events.”
Steve Allen also hosted two Decision Making Under Pressure workshops across the conference programme.
Delegates were encouraged to partake in one of Showstop® Procedure training courses being rolled across the US after the Fall, and take advantage of the Introduction to Showstop Procedure e-learning course. Details can be found HERE.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Dutch Barrier Services launch Smart Access Turnstile
Dutch Barrier Services' Smart Access Turnstile (S.A.T.) is a new safety tool for events to monitor and control crowds, by combining a physical access control turnstile with integral scanning and counting software for speedy entry with accurate counting.
The new system underwent three successful trial events in December 2025, where it was a great hit with the organisers and production teams.
Frank Verbeek, Head of Production & Operations, GLORY Kickboxing Worldwide, used the system in December 2025. He describes how it gave complete operational control in one platform
“For us, the DBS S.A.T. gates brought speed, flexibility, safety, and control together in one solution. Ticket scanning, backstage accreditation, crowd monitoring, and security flow management all came together in one clear, centralised operational overview.
“A major advantage for us was that we could scan both public tickets and backstage accreditations within one single system. This gave us a complete, real-time overview of who was where and what was happening across the venue.”
S.A.T. was also successfully deployed at the Winter Paradise Theme Park and the ‘Top 2000’ TV show in December. At all events, it enabled speedy scanning for ticket checking, monitorin,g and control of crowd flow, so that production and security could respond quickly to any busy peaks.
Duco Verhaar, 4pm Entertainment BV, says:
“From December 13th 2025, until January 3rd, 2026, we used the Dutch Barriers’ Smart Access Turnstiles at Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs. During this event, we welcomed around 250,000 visitors. The system has worked very well for us. We have had zero issues, and the Dutch Barrier team was super quick if external help was needed. Visitors quickly adapted to the new way of entering the event and have been very positive as well.
“I am expecting to use the system for years to come.”
The relocatable S.A.T system combines a standard turnstile unit with upgraded hardware and software, integrated into the company’s proprietary aluminium crowd barrier system, to create a robust, temporary event ticket scanning and audience counting system.
The proprietary software developed specifically for this by software partners, Event Accreditation (EVA), reads tickets from any ticketing platform, giving a live timeline of data on when people are entering and leaving a venue or controlled space. An integral scanner can process a wide range of tickets, barcodes, and QR codes, providing a quick scanning process, for speedy access, without the need for personnel to check tickets. This supports personal security checks, but removes the need for an additional person with a hand-held ticket scanner before physical security searches. The software will also spot a duplicate scan, preventing ‘human error or fraud’.
The S.A.T. also gives the option to just count the audience in and out, which means organisers can confidently set an automated crowd limit. It will only let new people in when other people have left the area, which means audience numbers are compliant with the safety capacities agreed in licenses.
Erwin Sprengers, Dutch Barrier Services Account Manager, comments:
“We have worked closely with our clients and software partner EVA to develop the Smart Access Turnstiles to improve the safety and efficiency of access control for events. We have a very robust, temporary system with the same ability as a permanent turnstile system that you’d expect to see in a train station.”
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Serious Stages’ magnificent seven at Leeds Festival
Ninety-thousand fans descended on Bramham Park for an incredible weekend of music at Leeds Festival, with headliners Travis Scott, Chappell Roan and Bring Me The Horizon.
Serious Stages provided seven stages as varied as the line-up, spanning hip hop and EDM to pop and rock. Simultaneously, Serious provided Festival Republic with an almost identical stage roster to Reading Festival, which shared the same line-up.
The centrepiece was an imposing TZ 25m six-tower main stage, which created a stunning focal point in the sloping arena, housing a range of spectacular sets and productions brought by the headliners. Serious extended the frontage to 45m with goalposts carrying the curved video screen giving the audience immersive views of their idols from all angles. VIP guests enjoyed elevated side-of-stage platforms in the stage wings, offering exclusive perspectives over the performances.
Throughout the weekend, the on-site team reconfigured the stage, with a front-of-stage thrust, working seamlessly with the incoming productions to accommodate extensive video screens, scenic elements and special effects. Serious installed bespoke branding by cladding the four-story front-of-house tower with the Rockstar Energy Drink livery, which incorporated a VIP guest bar on level three, with level four allowed for follow spots.
The award-winning Chevron Stage returned for a second year, with Serious’s 20m Stellar Stage hosting a stellar line-up of dance and electronic music. Flanked by video screens (on truss goalposts) and giant LED Chevrons, a striking LED net curtain roof suspended over the audience in front of the stage created an immersive visual experience.
Serious Stages installed a range of stage platforms into tented arenas for the Festival Republic stage, BBC Introducing and Aux stage.
The Picadilly Stage was a 5m roof-raised DJ podium, with LS 23 in the woodlands having a pair of speaker towers focusing the sound into the audience under another LED canopy suspended from six Serious scaff towers. These stages were positioned away from the main festival arena, creating vibrant late-night venues for the campers.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Green Gathering pioneers recycled ocean plastic wristbands
Green Gathering Festival was the first UK event to use Nordic Wristband’s Recycled Ocean Plastic Wristbands to reduce the impact of waste plastic on the world’s oceans, 31/07-03/08, 2025.
The Green Gathering festival community gathered at Chepstow’s Piercefield Park, for a weekend of partying in the sun and under the stars. The original off-grid festival, has been a trailblazer of many sustainable festival initiatives, which this year introduced an array of coloured wristbands for the audience, artists and crew.
Nordic Wristband’s UK distributors introduced the new Recycled Ocean Plastic (ROP) wristbands to festival organisers in March (25) as a new product, certified as manufactured from ocean bound plastics. Green Gathering director Em Weirdigan immediately embraced the opportunity to reduce the festival’s impact. Em says:
“We are always looking to progress and add to our sustainability action. I was always confident in Jone and Graham’s hands and these new wristbands were well received across the board. They looked great, were really comfortable and our audience loved the fact that they were supporting ocean conservation.”
Saving our environment for future generations is central to our ethos. We hope the introduction of recycled ocean plastic wristbands will not only reduce impacts, but serve as a catalyst to spark conversations for all those festival attendees wearing an ROP wristband. It was a big THUMBS UP across for 'save our oceans'.
Pictured: Em Weirdigan at Green Gathering 2025
Please note: This is a promotional feature
TESS - 25 in 25 inspiring careers for future event professionals
The Event Safety Shop (TESS) is partnering with Production Futures to invite anyone looking for a new career path to their ‘25 in 25 Inspiration Day’, in Bristol on October 14th.
TESS, celebrating 25-years in business (as covered in the 200th edition of Stand Out), will present aspiring event professionals with a day of insights; 25 in 25 will describe a wide range of roles, along with practical advice on how to start a career in the event sector, with the support of Production Futures, which has launched its new online portal, building on an extensive community focused on engaging with young people about roles in the production industry.
Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures, says:
“We’re honoured to work alongside TESS to bring this idea to life. ‘25 in 25’ isn’t just another careers event - it’s a full-on experience packed with learning, real industry contacts, and fresh ideas from every corner of the events world. It’s a rare opportunity for 25 people to get up close with the professionals who make live events happen, and maybe even find a path they hadn’t considered before. We’re proud to partner with TESS and even more excited to see where it takes everyone involved. We can’t wait.”
The program for the day will include insights into the world of event safety, production, and the wide range of career opportunities.
Anyone interested in attending can apply by completing an online form.
What does a career in event safety entail? This summer, the TESS team has been working with clients ranging from Formula 1’s 75th Anniversary at the O2 Arena, Glastonbury Festival, Riot Games Global e-Sports, Festival Republic, Redbull UK Poll Position, whilst also supporting around 20 international artists with compliance and documentation for their European legs of World Tours.
Tim Roberts, TESS Director, states:
“To mark our 25th Anniversary, we were keen to we look forward to the next generation of event professionals. We feel so fortunate to have forged careers in this fantastic sector and want to help others take their first steps in doing the same.”
TESS is committed to making the day available for anyone, offering to assist participants with travel and costs, where needed.
Pictured: Tim Roberts and Simon James speaking at Production Futures, AO Arena, Manchester, 2025.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Serious go stellar with Deftones
An energetic, capacity crowd rocked out in front of the Serious Stellar stage for the Deftones Crystal Palace Park concert, June 26th, 2025.
Festival Republic’s production team, led by production manager Alice James, delivered a great sound and visually strong show, for the 15,000 fans on the venue's Italian Terrace, who enjoyed a strong supporting undercard featuring Qendresa, Health, Hi Viz, Weezer.
A day of blistering performances emanated from the 20m Stellar concert stage, flanked by video-screen goalposts to create a 35m frontage. Serious also installed four speaker towers relaying sound to the whole crowd on the long, narrow site, along with two x three storey front-of-house towers for lighting and audio engineers and a raised assisted viewing platform.
The stage was designed and manufactured by Serious Stages’ in the UK, by project manager Andrew Ridler, who was on site to supervise the build. Operations Manager Abbey Thomas says:
“It was great to be back in Crystal Palace with Festival Republic for this concert. It was a testament to everyone, from our office staff to site crews, who all worked tirelessly to deliver stages amidst our busiest period. This Stellar stage is proving to be an ideal mid-sized configuration for concerts or festivals.”
That same weekend Serious provided the stages for Glastonbury Festival, Finsbury Park Concerts and were building the TZ Tower roof used for the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix concerts and Wireless Festival.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Serious new main and big top stages at Parklife
50 Cent and Charlie XCX headlined Parklife on a Serious Stages 25m four tower TZ roof, with a new Big Top Stage added to the festival for 2025.
Serious answered the promoter's request to increase the capacity of Parklife’s main Valley Stage and supplied the platform for the new Big Top Stage, continuing a long history of supplying stages and buildings to Manchester’s premier dance festival.
Engine No 4, Parklife’s event production partner, has constantly refreshed the site and infrastructure since the festival moved to Heaton Park in 2012. For 2025, it entrusted Serious Stages to support its delivery of a new main stage to accommodate larger headline productions and for an expanded audience.
Tommy Sheals-Barrett, Production Manager at Engine No 4, said: “We needed to increase capacity in the Valley area for our stand-alone Friday show, which meant some significant changes to the stage position. We also needed to increase rigging capacity, storage space and dock space to deal with the size and scope of the touring productions coming through. The Serious TZ roof gave us exactly what we needed. Abbey [operations director at Serious] was excellent during the advance and the on-site team were great to deal with too.”
The 25m four-post TZ Roof, flanked by 9.6m wide goal-posts, gave an impressive 50m frontage, with Parklife scrim branding, carrying the giant LED screens either side of the stage and at the rear of the performance area. The roof also carried the technical PA and lighting equipment, with two ‘underworlds’ under the stage providing technical working areas and valuable storage areas.
The three-storey front-of-house tower accommodated sound mixers on level one, lighting desks on level two, with the upper storey fitted out as a VIP hospitality bar for Parklife’s main sponsor, Rockstar Energy Drinks.
Serious Stages also installed a 25m wide x 15m stage platform, with loading ramps, into the new giant Big Top Stage, which saw packed fans partying to a stellar line-up of DJ’s throughout the weekend.
Sixty-thousand fans per day partied to Rudimental, Jorja Smith and Rapper 50 Cent’s legendary Saturday sets, then the Serious site team worked overnight to add a thrust to the front of the stage, along with steps for artists to access the pit area, ready for Sunday’s sets, including Confidence Man, Peggy Gou and headliner, Charlie XCX.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Nordic UK to supply recycled ocean plastic wristbands to sustainable UK festivals
Green Gathering, Shambala, End of The Road and Lakefest are the first UK festivals to confirm they will introduce Nordic Wristband’s recycled ocean plastic (ROP) wristbands in 2025.
The recently established Nordic UK distributors will supply the four festivals as they launch their ROP initiative to support festivals and events in reducing the amount of plastics polluting the world’s oceans.
Nordic UK’s Graham Brown states:
“We are super-proud to be working with these festivals that are showing a true commitment to reduce their impacts and engage their audiences in sustainable conversations.”
Green Gathering was the first UK festival to engage with Nordic at the AGF Conference ROP launch, their director Em Weirdigan says.
“I’ve been impressed with Nordic's commitment to sustainable solutions in recent years, and these Recycled Ocean Plastic wristbands are a really great option. Green Gathering organisers are passionate about finding new cost-effective ways to improve our sustainable practices - and our audience expect us to keep upping the game! Nordic Wristbands is helping us do that.”
Benny Lock, Head of Programming, End Of The Road Festival, states:
"End of the Road Festival has enjoyed working with Nordic for several years. Jone and his team are always attentive to our requirements and we're pleased to be one of the pioneers introducing their Recycled Ocean Plastic wristbands into our range of sustainability activities in 2025."
Nordic’s ROP wristbands are certified as manufactured from recycled plastics diverted from polluting the ocean, reducing the amount of plastics in the world’s oceans. They can be printed in colour on both sides, with Nordic’s range of secure locks, QR codes and RFID products. They are competitively priced and reduce CO2 emissions by 70% compared to a standard polyester product.
Interested in helping keep our oceans plastic-free? Visit the website or contact Andy on +44 7930 430781
Pictured: L to R Graham Brown. Em Weirdigan. Jone Nuutinen
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Showstop course attendees top 100
Showstop® Procedure courses have welcomed 125 event professionals since launching with The Pink Bows Foundation in the US at Houston, Texas in March, followed by sessions in the UK and Denmark.
Course Facilitators Mark Hamilton FdA MA (Dist.) HonD Univ and Steve Allen FdA MIFireE FIIRSM RSP delivered two accredited Showstop® Procedure courses, hosted by Roskilde Festival. They welcomed attendees from across Europe, including Paleo Festival and Engage Festival, May 10-11, 2025. The next (sold-out) courses will run in Dublin (Ireland) and Glasgow (Scotland) in the coming weeks, with future courses scheduled from September being announced shortly.
Steve Allen comments:
“The overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received from highly respected industry safety and production specialists, along with all of the courses selling out, has been humbling.
“We’ve updated the syllabus, and this weekend’s course content felt laser focused. There is no doubt in our minds that this (course) will contribute to a safer events culture as we roll it out across the world.”
The ability to stop the show decisively was also one of the desired learning outcomes after the accident at Roskilde Festival in the year of 2000. Roskilde has developed, evolved, and consistently improved its emergency procedures year on year, recognising there are still old, new, and emerging safety challenges in the global entertainment industry. Having attended the courses across both days, Morton Therkilsden, Director of Safety, Roskilde Festival, states:
“Never stop learning and improving! I believe that we have a good system for stopping a show at Roskilde Festival and RFX. We still hosted a course on Showstop procedure today on behalf of Pink Bows Foundation. Wow, that was good!”
Also present throughout the weekend was Pascal Viot, Security Coordinator at Paléo Arts & Spectacles and Yourope Event Safety Group, (Association of European Festivals). Pascal says:
“The first certified European Showstop Procedure course at Roskilde Festival was delivered with outstanding clarity and professionalism by Mark Hamilton and Steve Allen, on behalf of the Pink Bows Foundation. This course is part of a collaborative international initiative I am proud to co-develop, to promote a shared culture of responsibility and create global standards for stopping shows safely.”
Details on attending future courses HERE.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Nordic Wristbands adds to sustainability initiatives
Nordic achieved 44 per cent emissions reduction through recycled materials in 2024, and has introduced Recycled Ocean Plastic wristbands in 2025.
Nordic Wristbands, a pioneer in event identification and smart access technology, has achieved a significant CO2E reduction through sustainable manufacturing policies. By switching to recycled polyesters and organic materials to produce fabric wristbands and integrated NFC tech elements, the company has announced that it reduced production emissions from 302 tons to 168 tons of CO₂e – a 44 per cent decrease compared to the previous year.
Nordic has strengthened its ongoing commitment to the environment with the addition of Recycled Ocean Plastic wristbands to its range.
This substantial emissions reduction highlights the powerful impact that material choices can have, even in small, everyday products.
The environmental benefit in 2024 is equivalent to:
• Saving approximately 4,041 trees
• Recycling 8,746 full bags or 69 tonnes of mixed waste
• Replacing 7,658 light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs
• Preventing the burning of 1.1 railcars of coal
• Cycling 518,013 miles instead of driving gas-powered cars
• Removing 44.8 gas-powered vehicles from roads for one year
• Powering 39.3 homes with 100% renewable electricity for one year
“Sustainability isn't just a checkbox—it’s a responsibility,” said Jone Nuutinen, founder of Nordic Wristbands. “This shift to recycled fabrics and Stand For Trees partnerships are part of our larger mission to minimise our environmental impact while delivering premium, tech-integrated solutions to events and experiences worldwide.”
In addition to its emissions-reduction efforts, Nordic Wristbands offsets its annual production-related emissions via certified carbon offset initiatives. Nordic is entering its fourth year partnering with Stand for Trees to balance unavoidable associated impacts, reinforcing its commitment to long-term climate action.
Pictured: Stand For Trees, Nii Kaniti project
Please note: This is a promotional feature
Serious Stages summer finalé with BBC Radio 2 Party in the Park in Moor Park, Preston
Serious Stages wrapped up a successful summer, providing stages and site structures for BBC Radio 2’s Party in the Park concert in Moor Park, Preston September 6-8, 2024.
More than 60,000 fans enjoyed artists featured on the Serious TZ 25m roof main stage for two days, including Sting, The Pet Shop Boys, The Manic Street Preachers, The Sugarbabes, Sister Sledge, Travis, Paul Heaton and Snow Patrol. The stage was designed in collaboration with clients’ Festival Republic and the BBC, creating a striking performance area. It was flanked by goalposts carrying PA speakers and giant LED screens, with extensions for a DJ platform, stage right, for Radio 2 DJ sets between bands, with a total frontage of 55m.
Serious Stages also installed the stage platform in the tented Radio 2 stage, which featured DJ sets on Friday night and throughout Saturday and Sunday, along with front-of-house towers, assisted viewing platforms and speaker delays.
Abbey Thomas, operations manager at Serious Stages, said: “The BBC’s designers came up with a fabulous aesthetic once again. Our TZ Stage looked great for the varied bands presented to the live audience and viewers on BBC iPlayer. We’ve seen organisers transforming our TZ system to suit their needs this summer, from Download and Glastonbury to Wireless and Electric Picnic festivals. This roof is very versatile for rigging different configurations of lighting, screens, PA systems and headliners sets, with plenty of capacity to enable the quick turnaround of sets and backline equipment throughout the weekend.”
This was the final weekend of the busy summer for the company, which also installed the stage for Glastonbury’s Pilton Party. In keeping with the summer's unpredictable weather patterns, two days of sunshine preceded a day of torrential rain in Moor Park, where structures protected artists and technical crews from the downpours.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
New stage for Crystal Palace concerts
Serious Stages unveiled its new Stellar concert and festival stage at a series of concerts presented by Festival Republic, at Crystal Palace Park.
The new Stellar stage was designed and manufactured by the vastly experienced team at Serious Stages' Wells headquarters.
Serious Stages operations manager Abbey Thomas said: “The concept for the Stellar stage was born out of clients' feedback, who identified their requirements for a medium-range flat-roof version of the Company's larger TZ Tower stages. From initial designs created by our in-house CAD/technical team, components were manufactured in our Wells workshop, before Stellar made its first appearance in London.
“Our investment in this new system, along with the new video towers we produced for Download Festival, underpins our ongoing commitment to help our clients deliver outdoor shows. It was great to see the stage performing so well on this first outing of the summer and it will be next seen at Leeds and Reading Festival.”
Stellar is a 20m wide roof, with a 14m trim height, which features 7.5m covered stage side-wings, to give technical teams ample working room in addition to the rear-stage area for artists equipment change-over. The Crystal Palace roof was a four-bay, 20m deep system, with a branded front extension protecting artists from the rain. The stage incorporates a motor system to raise the roof, removing the need for working at height during installation or de-rig, incorporating pa and screen support goalposts and side wings, which gave an overall 36m frontage, with 17m overall height.
After the inaugural headline show by The National on the Friday night, the stage was reconfigured with a front-of-stage thrust for Skepta’s Big Smoke Festival, getting performers close to the audience, before Sunday’s 20 years of Bloc Party concert.
Please note: This is a promotional feature
TagMix boosts social media engagement for UK festivals by 300 per cent
Leading UK festivals including Creamfields, The Isle of Wight, 2000 Trees, El Dorado, The Big Feastival and Lakefest are among 20 pioneering events that experienced a significant increase in social media reach and engagement this summer, thanks to TagMix-enhanced content.
TagMix’s breakthrough technology allows clips from live performances, captured on any phone or video device, to be seamlessly merged with professional audio direct from the sound desk. This means high-quality content can be instantly posted online, even while performances are ongoing, without the hindrance of traditional editing or poor audio quality.
The resultant boost in both views and likes averaged 300 per cent* across the festivals covered in 2023 (*Instagram), when compared to content posted by the same events whose audio had not been enhanced by TagMix. This is consistent with data from Independent Venues Week earlier this year which also highlighted that 71 per cent of artists tagged in a TagMix-enhanced post would share it to their own audiences.
Andy Owen, Head of Marketing and Creative at Cream Global, remarked on the impressive results: "TagMix surpassed our expectations, delivering outstanding content backed by hard numbers."
Agreements with the major labels ensures automatic rights clearance for the majority of artists. As an additional service to the festivals, the Company provided individual consultations with artists, guaranteeing their support and awareness of the content produced.
TagMix founder and CEO Andy Dean says: “Artists greatly appreciated our presence at the festivals, as it allowed their live festival moments to shine online, capturing the true essence of their sound rather than the usual poor reflections they’re used to from phone-captured audio, or an overdubbed studio recording.”
Max Holmstrand, Manager for Swedish House Mafia remarked that he was: “Very impressed and the sound quality is incredible.” Elsewhere, The Chemical Brothers utilised TagMix at their Isle Of Wight headline appearance to preview new single ‘Live Again’ on Instagram, while a clip of Craig Charles' DJ set at Cambridge Club Festival achieved viral status with over 10.5 million views on Facebook.
Andy Winmill, Lakefest Festival Director, emphasised the economic impact for festivals: "TagMix played a pivotal role in Lakefest's sell-out success this year, enabling us to more efficiently reach our target audience and register record early-bird sales for 2024. As an independent festival, TagMix is now integral to our marketing strategy."
Steve Jenner, TagMix’s Director of Festivals, expands on this financial upside: "The data from this summer shows conclusively that, if only one per cent of the new, highly targeted fans delivered by TagMix convert to ticket sales, festivals can anticipate an average revenue bump of £290,000 each, per year. In these challenging economic times, TagMix offers a compelling strategy for festival organisers to fortify their online relationships with fans. It also presents an avenue for festivals to shift towards a more robust, year-round, data-driven business model and for brand partners to engage audiences much more effectively and measurably."
Building on this success, expansion into 2024 will cover up to 40 festivals across the UK and Europe.
Pictured: Andy Dean & Steve Jenner on site at Lakefest, Aug 23.
To experience TagMix content follow them @TagMixme
Please note: This is a promotional feature