In any complex situation, there are fundamental factors that have to be in place for the systems that contribute to combine effectively to achieve the desired result. That's a grand statement, but let's look at an example, albeit extreme perhaps. What does it take to complete a successful space shuttle mission? How can so much complexity be controlled in such a way as to ensure the crew and ship are delivered and returned safely, and that they can carry out their specific tasks whilst orbiting Mother Earth at 25,000mph?
I'm no astronaut, but I would suggest that a few key factors need to be recognised before the enormous amount of work required is broken down into manageable chunks and distributed amongst groups of people specialising in specific areas — engineering, ballistics, flight systems, medical, cosmologists, and so on. Whilst the particular disciplines of these specialists may have very little in common with each other on the surface (what could a doctor possibly have in common with a ballistics engineer?), what lies beneath is a singular binding force — that of a desire to see a successful mission through from beginning to end, with the knowledge that their contribution has been the best it possibly could be.
While the mental journey from space shuttle missions to gigging may seem a giant leap, when it comes to festival season there are analogies to be had, and lessons to be learnt, for a modern festival stage is nothing if not a complex situation. You, musicians and crew alike, are the astronauts, and we, the festival sound crew, are mission control, and these articles are about making sure we all work together to achieve a great result. We are there to provide you with a fully functional, fully operational platform for you to deliver your performance into orbit. So it makes sense if a bit of cross-disciplinary knowledge is exchanged, and any band arriving on a festival stage that has their act together technically as well as musically will instantly earn respect and encourage cooperation from the festival sound crew. Let's start with a breakdown of what it is that everybody does at Mission Control. Not every festival is the same, but by taking the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury as arguably the ultimate festival stage, we should be covering most possibilities.