# Hello from the UK!



## ted_westwood (Jan 24, 2021)

Hey Everyone,

My name is Ted and I'm from the UK - specifically from Leeds (which is in the North) but working across the country and in a full-time position at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre as the Senior Theatre Sound Technician. I also work freelance in both live environments but mostly as a producer, recording and mixing engineer on records. 

I came across this group after watching the "Hitting the Go Button on Your Entertainment Industry Career" stream on the NAMM Believe In Music virtual event. I didn't know the group existed, and while I know is likely more US focussed, I would love to be part of what seems like a wonderful community of people! While I am not in the immediate infancy of my career in the industry, I found the discussion to be really interesting. I, just like most of us are, am trying to navigate my way and find the progression and interests that I want to pursue and elements of what was discussed certainly resonated.

Thank you for the seminar, and I look forward to being involved in this community and talking to you lovely people. I'll certainly join on the Discord chat aswell!

Cheers,
Ted


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## egilson1 (Jan 24, 2021)

Welcome to the Booth Ted. Glad you joined us.


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## almorton (Jan 24, 2021)

Hi, Ted; I'm from Caterham in Surrey. Welcome to the controlbooth.


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## JohnD (Jan 24, 2021)

Welcome Ted, enjoy your stay here, also check out the Wiki above and the search function is very nicely done here. We also have many members here from Canada who post a lot. There is also a pocket of members Down Under, from Australia and New Zealand. Also, are you familiar with Blue Room technical forum (blue-room.org.uk) . That might be handy for you if you ever have one of those "Help I need a __________? Does anyone local have one?"moments.


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## almorton (Jan 24, 2021)

Good call on the blue room - more of a uk bias.


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## Crisp image (Jan 25, 2021)

Welcome from the land down under.


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## TimMc (Jan 25, 2021)

almorton said:


> Good call on the blue room - more of a uk bias.


Yep. The USA is still the Colonies and we can't be trusted with electricity. /nudge, wink


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## What Rigger? (Jan 25, 2021)

Hello Ted! Welcome! What do you hear regarding the summer festivals? We know Glastonbury is cancelled.... any news on anything else? Wacken says they're sold out, but these are "unprecedented times" to overuse a phrase.


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## almorton (Jan 26, 2021)

TimMc said:


> Yep. The USA is still the Colonies and we can't be trusted with electricity. /nudge, wink


Say no more, squire.

But seriously, the point made above is true - if you _do_ need to say "has anyone near me got a ..." when you're based iin the UK, then a forum with a more UK bias is probably a better place to ask, and yes, I know we have members here from all around the world, but I'm less likely to ask on here if someone has a fixture they could drop off in Caterham than I am on the blue room. If I want advice, though, perhaps on a new fixture, then why not ask here (too)?

Contrary to how it is popular to make out, the blue room doesn't hold this place or North America in contempt.


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## TimMc (Jan 26, 2021)

almorton said:


> Say no more, squire.
> 
> But seriously, the point made above is true - if you _do_ need to say "has anyone near me got a ..." when you're based iin the UK, then a forum with a more UK bias is probably a better place to ask, and yes, I know we have members here from all around the world, but I'm less likely to ask on here if someone has a fixture they could drop off in Caterham than I am on the blue room. If I want advice, though, perhaps on a new fixture, then why not ask here (too)?
> 
> Contrary to how it is popular to make out, the blue room doesn't hold this place or North America in contempt.


Contempt is a stong word, perhaps the phrase "contemplative dismissal"....


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## almorton (Jan 26, 2021)

I'm not even sure I'd go that far. People are directed to controlbooth as an alternative and possibly better source of answers sometimes, and the blue room does have North American and Canadian members. Not as many, granted.


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## ted_westwood (Jan 28, 2021)

Hey everyone! Thank you for your hellos. 

@almorton I'll PM you at some point, it'll be lovely to touch base.

@JohnD Noted! I'll be sure to look into Blue Room.

@TimMc I love good UK/US banter, especially being deprecatingly British; we deserve the flack! 

@What Rigger? There's not very much yet, we've been pushing back over and over again and I really wouldn't be surprised if we see more cancellations following Glastonbury, pushing back towards the end of the year. In my theatre, I am very doubtful that we open to more than just over a 1/3 capacity until at least September, honestly. Pessimistic? Maybe. However, steering from politics as far as I can, this government's handling has left a lot to wish for...


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## TimMc (Jan 28, 2021)

I have this dystopian fantasy about the U.S. colonizing England and then discovering we can't give it back when we don't like taking over Mum's house... Might have to write that bad radio play some day.


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## What Rigger? (Jan 28, 2021)

ted_westwood said:


> Hey everyone! Thank you for your hellos.
> 
> @almorton I'll PM you at some point, it'll be lovely to touch base.
> 
> ...


1/3 capacity indoors is nothing but a dream here in the US. Keep us updated.


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## almorton (Jan 28, 2021)

We had venues open at 25-30% capacity over the summer with mandatory masks etc but look where we are now and I think people will be warier next time we open up, which isn't ideal.


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## ted_westwood (Jan 29, 2021)

As @almorton says, generally some larger venues were open to 1/3 for a little while but weren't really turning a profit. Regional theatres and smaller venues didn't stand a chance so didn't open.


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## TimMc (Jan 29, 2021)

ted_westwood said:


> As @almorton says, generally some larger venues were open to 1/3 for a little while but weren't really turning a profit. Regional theatres and smaller venues didn't stand a chance so didn't open.


If only our respective nations had the wherewithal to do as Australia and NZ did; the AU production of Hamilton has resumed rehearsals for an opening around 1 March, IIRC. 

Churchill said "there will always be an England" but I guess he wasn't thinking about theater.


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## Crisp image (Jan 30, 2021)

almorton said:


> We had venues open at 25-30% capacity over the summer with mandatory masks etc but look where we are now and I think people will be warier next time we open up, which isn't ideal.


I think our standard at the moment is 75% capacity up to 1000 and masks to be worn. When we saw Come From Away the other day I think they might have been over the 75% capacity but I could see a number of empty seats in the stalls but could not see the balcony. We had to check in on a QR code for contact tracing if needed. We have had no community transmitted cases for 24 days in our state and 13 days across the country and only 72 active cases (mostly from overseas returning travellers in hotel isolation) 
Capacities will hopefully be able to go back to 100% soon with the appropriate covid safe plans in place.


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