Behind the screens: Video & screens business focus

IQ dives into the cutting-edge innovations, logistical challenges, and fierce competition in the high-stakes sector of video and screen technology.

Once upon a time, concert screens were an afterthought – grainy, oversized TVs ensuring the folks in the cheap seats got a glimpse of the action. Now, they’ve become an essential part of the spectacle, almost as much a headline act as the artists themselves. From Adele’s colossal LED backdrop in Munich to U2’s mesmerising transparent walls, video and screen technology has transformed live touring into a high-definition, bombastic, immersive experience.

But behind the dazzling visuals lies a fast-mov- ing industry facing unprecedented demand… and numerous challenges. With 2025 set to be one of the busiest years in live touring history, is there enough gear – and enough skilled professionals – to keep the show on the road? What’s the next evolution in screen tech and how is it reshaping performances from stadiums to underground clubs? Is bigger always better? Like many other aspects of the live touring industry, 2024 was something of a bumper year for video and screen technology providers. With more and more top- tier artists hitting the road, tours stretching longer and longer, and the spectacle level being pushed ever higher, demand surged – for some, such as 80-six, an independent video technology company, by as much as 25%. “And we’re expecting a further increase in 2025,” says Aura Popa, the company’s marketing director.

Solotech, a “global leader in audiovisual and entertainment technology,” reports “a solid increase in our business worldwide,” thanks to what Ian “Woody” Woodall, vice president of business development, calls “artists and productions pushing the usual boundaries of touring to new levels.” This, he says, includes longer stadium runs such as Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour and artists setting new production levels with ambitious LED designs.

“2025 is shaping up to be our busiest year yet,” adds Phil Mercer, commercial director of Universal Pixels, an award-winning provider of cutting-edge video solutions. Great news for balance sheets, then, but increasing capacity to cope while maintaining all-important standards is a tricky challenge. “To meet rising demand, we’ve invested in an additional 1,500m2 of LED screen and continue to grow our pool of experienced freelance crew,” says Mercer. “We aren’t turning away projects that are a great fit for us, although we cannot service festivals, as they sit right in the middle of the peak touring season.

“The growing demand is putting more pressure on crew resources than equipment,” notes Popa. “The UK is well stocked with equipment these days, but it’s far more challenging to find skilled freelance engineers than it used to be. We’re taking the time to upskill our internal teams for what is set to be a busy year ahead.”

“Without a doubt, transparent screens are having a moment – they’re great, as they enhance lighting design rather than blocking it”

For PRG, a market leader in live event technical delivery, the current level of “extraordinary demand” means they occasionally have no choice but to say no. “We strive to accommodate every client, but there are times when demand surpasses even our global capacity,” says Mike Renault, vice president of sales. “Despite significant investments – including 1,000 sub-3mm LED tiles, transparent LED, and LED flooring – we occasionally have to turn down projects due to the sheer volume of requests, but we’re continuing to grow our workforce and inventory to meet demand.”

Clear winners
This constant demand is largely being fuelled by creative one-upmanship – each A-list star wants a spectacle that’s bigger, brighter, and bolder than the last, driving innovation and what’s possible. At the extreme end sits somewhere like Las Vegas’s Sphere, but such state-of-the-art technology is becoming increasingly tour-able. So, what are the latest “must-haves” for superstars on the road?

“Without a doubt, transparent screens are having a moment – they’re great, as they enhance lighting design rather than blocking it,” says Popa. “Concerts are often designed by lighting designers first, and they love them as they allow beams, strobes, and moving lights to shine through. Transparent LED screens also allow for holographic and 3D effects without AR, and we expect them to evolve further, potentially serving as augmented reality surfaces using video, projection mapping, and real-time generative visuals for even more interactive and immersive stage designs.”

Holograms and associated effects are increasingly being requested, as are unique, one-off solutions that cement a tour’s USP – such as the inflatable LED spheres PRG designed for Coldplay. “We engineered a touring-friendly solution from scratch, sourcing LEDs from China and rigorously testing multiple ‘skin’ materials to ensure durability,” says Renault. “The final design had to withstand daily inflation and deflation while maintaining reliability and visual impact.”

Other artists have asked providers to explore volumetric LED techniques for 3D illusion effects, as 80six did with the Pepper’s ghost technique for Glass Animals’ Tour of Earth. “This effect relies on projection to create the illusion of 3D objects floating in space, but by using high-quality, carefully positioned LED screens, we were able to achieve a more vibrant effect,” notes Popa. “The LEDs gave us greater control over brightness, colour, and movement.”

Another layer of complexity becoming increasingly common in today’s live shows is adding real-time elements into the mix, such as Notch camera effects and using TouchDesigner to take in loads of data and manipulate it to output different results to create more dynamic shows. And this increase in data volume and flow is also driving another more behind-the-scenes aspect of innovation.

“To achieve these seamless curves over that distance, at that height… was one of the biggest challenges any of us had undertake”

“The next big change is the increasing use of IP technology to move data around,” says James Hancocks, technical systems specialist for video at PRG. “The days of dedicated video interconnect technologies are numbered as we move towards converged IP-based system designs. As high-bandwidth networking equipment has fallen in price, the availability of IP technology to the world of live events has increased, so a world where all the technology on-site is networked together, not only for control but also for video transport, is fast approaching. This will increase the level of redundancy that’s available, as well as making systems more flexible.”

Giants of the silver screens
Of course, sometimes, for sheer spectacle, size matters. “We built the largest single batch of LED ever manufactured in a single curved wall for Adele in Munich,” says Solotech’s Woodall. “Essentially, the screen was a 250tn monster that was made up of ROE CB5 MarkII tiles at 600mm x 1200 mm, measuring 220m wide by 18m tall. There was a huge amount of detailed engineering that went into the screen, structure, and custom bracketry to achieve the curve. To achieve these seamless curves over that distance, at that height – and in an LED screen that had to be seen by everyone during daylight and brilliant sunshine – was one of the biggest challenges any of us had undertaken.”

Another noteworthy development is that, as Woodall says, the “resolution race” is all but over. “The market has stabilised in the 5–8mm region, and now the focus has turned to efficiencies in things like packaging, structural bracing, and power consumption – the industry has a more ‘green’ focus.” Mercer agrees: “We’re seeing significant improvements in sustainability features – reduced power consumption, increased shipping density, lighter weight, quicker deployment, and increased wind-loading for outdoor shows. These things ultimately save artists money in the long run.”

Size doesn’t matter
But what of those artists not playing stadiums or enormodomes? Many electronic and dance acts push technical boundaries around their music and sound itself and want visuals to match. What can be done in smaller clubs or repurposed industrial settings? “It’s about how you use it – it doesn’t have to be big to be better,” says Woodall. “Some of the electronic acts have great ideas, and that comes across so much more in their content than ever before.”

“LED and media servers are effectively Lego, and with imagination, they can be just as effective on a small scale as they are in a huge venue,” adds Mercer. “In fact, ideas for the biggest shows are often inspired by those with tiny budgets.” He also notes an interesting trend here – with the prevalence of social media and influencer content and the need to impress, designs are frequently done bearing in mind how the stage will look in phone or portrait camera format.

And for truly inspiring innovation and “doing more with less,” one can look beyond live music to the world of theatre, where space restrictions – and perhaps older, more traditional venues – force designers to get really creative. “The Broadway musical Redwood is a great example of how spectacle can be achieved effectively on a smaller scale,” says Renault. “Our experience with large-scale projects directly informs and enhances our approach to smaller productions, ensuring high-quality execution regardless of venue size.”

“Maintenance is a constant process – it never stops”

Keeping all this equipment on the road and in tip-top condition is no longer just a question of logistics – as the technical specs have continued to increase, so too has the need for careful handling and maintenance. “Maintenance is a constant process – it never stops,” says Popa. Preparation is key – Popa says that 80six preps their equipment specifically for each project before it leaves their warehouse, and it goes through rigorous testing and recalibration when it comes back – but so is smart design and anticipation.

For Universal Pixels, this means designing around single points of failure and supplying the correct quantity and type of spares likely to be needed; for 80six, their on-site teams are trained to handle most on-site issues with spares kits, and they also offer remote troubleshooting to keep everything running smoothly. “Touring crews’ greatest skill is making shows happen after all,” adds Hancocks. “So it’s vital there’s support available to get them what they need, when they need it, wherever they are in the world.”

The whole kit & caboodle
The level of technical wizardry and special effects has also required an increase in corollary services and expertise, with many players in this sector offering complete creative solutions as opposed to simply providing the physical equipment. “Our core offering extends beyond just dry hire – we rarely provide video equipment without expert personnel,” says Popa. “Our expertise lies in providing complex video solutions, from large-scale LED installations to seamless content management systems and site-wide video infrastructure – we manage every detail to ensure an exceptional experience. These services in concert touring extend to pre-production rehearsals, too – our 11,500ft2 studio in Slough [UK] is becoming more and more popular as it can fit up to arena-scale shows.”

PRG have a similarly comprehensive offering. “We provide a full suite of broadcast-quality video services, including camera operators, live video production, and content creation,” says Renault. “Our broadcast TV specialists support large tours with advanced camera systems, switching, fly-packs, and more – essentially creating a travelling TV studio that ensures seamless, high-quality visuals for every performance.”

But not every provider is so keen to get involved with content. “We have a saying: ‘If you can’t correctly crew it, don’t do it,’” says Mercer. “We don’t produce content, as it’s such a specialist field, and there are so many excellent companies out there, so we stick to supplying video hardware and experienced crew. And coming back after Covid, we’ve seen there continues to be a real shortage of the correct calibre of crew – particularly for long-term international tours.”

The race to embrace
Staffing issues aside – a factor across the entire live music industry – the future seems bright. The relative competitiveness of the video and screen technology sector appears to have fuelled a race to achieve excellence, not a race to the bottom, and those who can provide the new, the creative, and the incredible will continue to thrive. “To stay relevant, significant investment in both equipment and people is constantly required,” says Mercer. “This is why remaining as a single discipline video specialist helps us.”

For, as Mike Renault puts it, what’s demanded of suppliers is “a complex series of equipment supply, technical support, and customer satisfaction, where failure is not an option. What truly differentiates vendors is this expertise – the technical support and know-how to align a client’s creative vision with financial and logistical realities. In the end, success comes down to experience and these specialised skills, not just equipment.”

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