Adlib brings fans closer to the action with innovative camera solutions for YUNGBLUD's world tour
Adlib has delivered integrated lighting, video and rigging solutions for the UK and Ireland leg of YUNGBLUD’s IDOLS World Tour, alongside a specialist camera package for the USA dates, helping translate the energy and intimacy of the artist’s performance to audiences at arena scale.
Supporting YUNGBLUD’s biggest headline tour to date, the production required a visual language that matched the artist’s renowned connection with his fans. Working closely with the tour’s production team, Adlib developed and delivered a series of creative camera solutions designed to bring audiences closer to the performance and create unique moments that changed with every show.
One of the most distinctive camera elements of the production was the touring crew’s affectionately named ‘Ring Master Camera’, a bespoke overhead camera system inspired by the descending microphones seen in a boxing ring.
Suspended above the stage, the camera could lower directly into the performance space before sweeping out towards the audience, capturing highly intimate angles that were displayed live on the iMAG screens. During one of the show’s memorable moments, YUNGBLUD lay on the stage floor as the camera descended towards him, creating an immersive perspective shared across the arena.
At the centre of the system was a Panasonic AW-UB50 compact cinematic camera, selected for its shallow depth of field, advanced real-time recognition autofocus and flexibility within challenging live environments. The camera was mounted within a custom rigging cradle designed to deliver smooth, controlled movement while maintaining the rigorous safety requirements demanded by touring productions.
Rather than using a motorised winch, the movement of the ‘Ring Master Camera’ was achieved through a manually operated pulley system, giving the rigging team precise control over the camera’s positioning and movement throughout the performance.
The audience’s journey into the show began before YUNGBLUD even stepped onto the stage, through a live wireless backstage-to-stage camera sequence. Starting in the dressing room and following the artist through the corridors and onto the stage, handheld cameras captured the anticipation and atmosphere moments before the performance began. The live feed was mixed with additional visual content and presented on the iMAG screens, allowing every audience to experience a unique introduction to the show.
Blue Leach, Multi-Camera Director, said: “It’s an idea I first used on a tour in 2011. I wanted a camera which becomes first person and throwable to the crowd, as well as being tailored to Dom and the YUNGBLUD show. Those opening moments are incredibly powerful because they remove the barrier between the artist and the audience. Every walk to stage is different, thought about and being able to capture that genuine anticipation helped make each performance feel like a one-off experience.”
A third custom camera position was built beneath a 12ft x 8ft downstage centre platform, shooting through a Perspex surface to create another unconventional perspective that contributed to the show’s dynamic visual language.
Beyond the camera systems, Adlib supplied the complete lighting package for the UK and Ireland tour dates together with video, iMAG screens and rigging infrastructure delivering an integrated technical solution across the production.
Jake Mazzuca Production Manager said: “The ambition for IDOLS was to create an arena production that never lost the sense of closeness that has always been central to YUNGBLUD’s shows. This show is all about capturing Dom's energy and translating that to the screens so that everyone in the room can feel close to it. Adlib understood that objective from day one and worked collaboratively with us to find practical technical solutions that allowed those moments to happen safely and consistently on a tour of this scale.”
Jordan Willis, Project Manager, Adlib, added: "Sam Tozer and Blue Leach were really pushing the boundaries of what this technology could do throughout the tour, and it's been a genuine joy watching the whole Adlib team, from technical to warehouse to the techs out on the road, get behind that and make it happen together. The most successful technology is often the technology audiences don't notice, they simply feel closer to the performance, and that was the objective throughout IDOLS. As always, a big thank you to Jake and the team at Only Helix for continuing to put their trust in us to deliver."
The IDOLS World Tour marks YUNGBLUD’s most ambitious live production to date, supporting his fourth studio album Idols (Part 1) and taking the artist into his largest headline venues across the UK, Ireland, North America and beyond.
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Adlib celebrates festivals and tours across the UK and Europe
With the Met Office confirming 2025 as the UK’s warmest summer on record, Adlib looks back on a standout season of festivals and headline tours.
From the Hebridean Celtic Festival (HebCelt) in the Scottish Isles, to Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool, Radio 2 In the Park in Chelmsford, to Glastonbury, the Green Man Festival and Manchester’s Sounds of the City, Adlib’s teams across the UK successfully delivered integrated technical production across audio, lighting, and video.
The summer months also saw an impressive roster of headline acts partner with Adlib, including Noah Kahan, Sam Fender, Yungblud, Nelly, and Pitbull, from stadium tours to unique outdoor events across Europe.
Adlib’s account managers, technical specialists, and crew supported both new and long-standing clients throughout the season. In July, Adlib once again partnered with Scotland’s biggest music festival, TRNSMT, where 50,000+ people were expected each day during the weekend-long heatwave. Adlib’s Scottish-based team have worked with TRNSMT since the festival’s inception in 2017, and this year continued to provide a complete house system setup for visiting artists’ productions, including 50 Cent, The Script, Fontaines DC, Biffy Clyro, Gracie Abrams, and Snow Patrol.
A welcome return to the Adlib portfolio this summer was the acclaimed Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi, who has dominated the classical album charts for many years and has composed the scores for award-winning Film and TV productions. Einaudi gave incredible performances at venues including Edinburgh Castle, Cavea in Rome, Co-op Live in Manchester, and the Royal Albert Hall. Adlib worked closely with Einaudi’s team to reflect the artist’s atmospheric style through its considered video, lighting, and audio integration across the varying outdoor and indoor venues.
Tom Edwards, director, Adlib, comments: “ The summer is always a special time for the Adlib team. We get to collaborate with a whole host of talent across our industry – from festival organisers to artists and crew. It’s where we get to support emerging talent, as well as celebrate the journeys of the headline artists we’ve partnered with for years”. Edwards continues, “as the Adlib team has grown over the past 40 years to a 220+ person independent company, we’ve built a team of technical experts whose knowledge, experience, and commitment are second to none. Our 360 technical production work across high-profile festivals in 2025, including TRNSMT, Creamfields, and Radio 2 in the Park, reflects the trusted reputation we’re proud to hold in the industry.”
Andy Dunlop, head of concert operations, DF Concerts comments, “We’ve worked closely with Adlib for a number of years across both indoor and outdoor shows, with their team delivering the full technical package - audio, lighting, video, and rigging - on the main stage at TRNSMT Festival. Their consistency, reliability, and willingness to collaborate make them an invaluable partner on one of our busiest and most high-profile productions. At a festival of this scale, technical delivery must balance high expectations from touring artists with the operational realities of a complex, multi-day outdoor event. Adlib always strike that balance. Their team are proactive and professional - working seamlessly with touring crews, noise consultants, and other on-site suppliers to ensure a high-quality fan experience. It’s a testament to their approach that main stage audio and visuals are rarely areas that generate concern - no small feat given how production demands have continued to grow. Adlib goes the extra mile, adapting quickly to changeovers, tight load-in schedules, and ever-evolving tour needs. Their contribution helps ensure that TRNSMT continues to meet the standards expected by both artists and fans alike.”
As part of this summer’s programme of work, and Adlib’s ongoing commitment to supplying the industry’s leading technical products, Adlib has been delighted to work with trusted industry technical partners including: L-Acoustics, DiGiCo, CODA Audio, Allen & Health, Chauvet, SGM, Martin, Ayrton, ROE, Unilumin, Ross, Panasonic, grandMA, Yamaha, Shure, Robe, Disguise, Avolites, and GLP.
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Adlib completes its role in the major refurbishment of Glasgow's Citizens Theatre
Adlib confirms the completion of the supply and installation of the stage engineering systems for the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, which is due to reopen in August 2025, with a full season programme launching in September 2025.
Working in partnership with architectural practice Bennetts Associates, specialist technical design consultancy Theatreplan, and KIER Construction, the Adlib team is proud to have played its part in the new building which is set to be a vibrant hub at the heart of the Gorbals community.
This ambitious project is the first comprehensive redevelopment of the iconic building since it began life as a working theatre in 1878. The goal has been to ensure that the Citizens Theatre is accessible to everyone, while retaining its distinct Victorian features.
The technical infrastructure has been designed to support more performances than ever before and to meet the needs of a new generation of modern theatre-makers. Adlib has collaborated with delivery partners and manufacturers to provide a range of new and upgraded structures and capabilities – including a new counterweight flying system, updated motorised and fixed lighting positions throughout the auditorium, a rigid safety ‘iron’ curtain and an adaptive stage floor to accommodate diverse performance requirements.
Mark Taylor, applications engineer and project manager, Adlib, comments “ Working with a Victorian theatre presents a unique set of challenges, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together across the wide-ranging teams involved in this project. We’re looking forward to seeing how performers and audiences respond when the theatre opens later this year”.
Graham Sutherland, technical director, Citizens Theatre, comments “Adlib has been an outstanding partner throughout this complex and ambitious redevelopment. Their collaborative approach, technical expertise and attention to detail have been invaluable in helping us realise a modern, flexible stage infrastructure that meets the needs of today’s theatre-makers. What makes a truly great delivery partner is not just the ability to meet a brief, but to engage with the spirit of the project – and Adlib has done exactly that.”
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Adlib secures service and support contract with the Barbican
Adlib, a leading technical production partner for sound, lighting, video and stage engineering, has been awarded the service and support contract for the Barbican’s theatrical lighting system infrastructure.
The Barbican Theatre and The Pit studio theatre are major venues in the Barbican Centre, the largest performing arts centre in Europe. The Barbican Theatre was purpose-built to host large-scale theatrical performances and has a 1,156-seat auditorium with excellent sightlines and acoustics for drama and dance, while The Pit is a smaller scale, fully-flexible, black-box studio space dedicated to experimental live performance.
The Barbican Theatre has one of the largest stages in London, equipped with a fly tower and advanced rigging for complex staging and scenery changes. It is renowned among professionals for its technical sophistication and infrastructure, making it suitable for bold and innovative productions. The technical systems are integral to the operations and success of the Barbican and are supported by a dedicated team of in-house technicians who assist incoming productions with rigging, focus, programming, and show operation. Adlib’s role is to support the in-house team with specialist challenges, inspections and regular servicing of the Barbican Theatre and The Pit’s dimming systems, electrical safety, and lighting consoles.
Joe Sunley-Smith, account manager, Adlib, comments “We are delighted to have won the service and support contract for the Barbican’s technically advanced theatres. With our trusted track record spanning over 40 years, and established partnerships with manufacturers across the industry, our local and national teams are looking forward to working alongside the Barbican’s in-house team.”
Stevie Porter, Technical Manager, (HOD Lighting), Theatre & Dance, comments
“I'm really pleased to be working closely with Adlib, a company with an impressive 40+-year track record in the industry and a clear passion for putting customers first. The Barbican is going through an exciting period of transformation, and it's important that we have the right people alongside us to support that journey. Adlib will be supporting us with key areas that are critical to the running of modern theatre spaces - their professionalism, experience, and collaborative approach give me real confidence in the work ahead. This is more than just a service contract—it’s a step forward in preparing the Barbican Theatre and The Pit for the future, and ensuring we continue to provide a top-tier technical environment for everyone who works on and off stage.”
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