Soldiers of Steel: The staging sector’s challenges and successes
IQ checks in with the steely individuals who provide stage infrastructure and scenery for concerts and festivals
Feature By Lisa Henderson | 24 November 2025
On 16 July 2025, Stageco Belgium COO Wouter Van Mierloo received a call: the stage his company had supplied to Tomorrowland was on fire. With just days until the electronic music festival was due to kick off, the future of the 2025 edition was suddenly in jeopardy.
Acting swiftly, Stageco joined forces with other vendors and Tomorrowland’s creative team to build a brand-new stage, pulling in staff and resources from across the region.
In just 36 hours, the team completed a 300 x 30ft replacement for the Orbyz stage – making what seemed impossible, possible – and allowing the 70,000-capacity event, which takes place in Boom, Belgium, to proceed as planned.
“We have a lot of people who are used to acting in difficult situations,” Van Mierloo told IQ. “That’s the…
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