Entec celebrates 30 years on a long and winding road with The Bootleg Beatles
It’s a happy twist of fate that the close of Entec’s 30th anniversary year as the first-call production supplier to The Bootleg Beatles has coincided with the Fab Four themselves returning to the top of the singles chart.
The world’s greatest tribute band, the Bootlegs are currently traversing the UK on another successful Christmas tour as they wrap up 2023 – a year that witnessed the tragic summer passing of co-founder and partner, and original ‘George Harrison’, Andre Barreau.
“It’s hit us all hard and I miss Andre so much, as we all do,” says management partner Neil Harrison who, as ‘John Lennon’, founded the band with Andre in 1980 after co-starring in the hit West End musical ‘Beatlemania’. “He knew The Beatles’ history with forensic detail, and was able to direct the authenticity of the costumes, the video content and the music with absolute precision. He instinctively knew what was right or wrong.”
At a time when the tribute band market was non-existent, the Bootlegs’ ascent began in pubs and small clubs, and rose as headliners at the London Palladium where roller blind-type drapes indicated set changes. “It was all very Heath Robinson,” remembers Neil. “That was the point at which Entec came in, and they’ve been helping us to realise our production dreams ever since.”
Entec’s arrival with the band in 1993 roughly coincided with that of Raj Patel, the Bootlegs’ affable company manager. “We were progressing from the university circuit to theatre tours, but it was Oasis who gave us the biggest break,” comments Raj. “They’d become big fans of ours and that resulted in us supporting them at Earls Court and Knebworth at the height of BritPop. Soon, we were also playing to enormous audiences at Glastonbury, T In The Park, Wembley Stadium, Buckingham Palace and festivals in Europe.”
THE INNER LIGHT
Following in the footsteps of Mike Adams, Brendan Albrey, Joost, Richard Hutton, Colin Jones, Dave Byars, Mark Jones, Adam Copland and Simon Tutchener, Fraser Elisha became the Bootlegs’ lighting designer in the autumn of 2016. When he is not “Bootlegging”, Fraser can often be found touring with Stevie Nicks, with whom a connection was forged through working with Paul Normandale on the last Fleetwood Mac tour in 2019.
“One of the biggest changes over the years has been to specify moving LED lights for things like key lighting, that were previously handled by conventional fixtures,” Fraser says. “They inevitably require much less truck space and set-up time.”
For 2023’s September-October run, the band travelled with Entec lighting technician Leo Tierney and a back truss consisting of Ayrton Eurus, Elation Dartz 360 and Martin MAC Aura XBs. For the remainder of the lighting, they relied on each venue’s resident front of house rig. The production has now expanded for the pre-Christmas tour as the Bootlegs are playing a range of larger UK venues with Rich Hoxley joining Leo as his ‘number two’.
“We are now carrying a front truss with Martin MAC Viper Profiles and Martin Aura XBs, plus additional washes,” Fraser explains. “The Auras give us a really nice wash and we’ll look for other options to add an extra something. One year, I had some ArriColor L7C [LED fresnels] so I could try to recreate a studio environment. At other times, I’ve had Elation Dartz 360s [LED floor beam lights] and ClayPaky Sharpys to break up the look.”
Other fixtures among Entec’s kit for the December tour include a return for the Eurus, along with full-colour ROXX Cluster B4s, Showtec Vintage Blaze 55s, Martin StageBar2s and a range of spares.
A dedicated MA console user since he came onboard, Fraser is piloting a grandMA2 lite on the road, with a back-up at hand. “At some point, we’ll move over to an MA3 but I’m more than happy with what we have,” he says. “That it’s probably the most frequently specified desk in the world means that you can find one anywhere, and that’s sometimes a huge advantage when we play abroad.”
CREATIVITY
Devising new ways to present the Fab Four’s history has been a constant challenge for the Bootlegs. As Neil Harrison confirms, the team works with a finite array of songs and costumes, but gives each tour its own subtle flavours. “We shuffle the pack and often theme the show around an album anniversary,” he explains. “Sgt Pepper was a great example of that in 2017. We’re keen to inject appropriate video content when those events arise, and that’s another way of keeping it fresh.”
Lighting and video were Andre Barreau’s priorities in the build-up to each Bootleg tour. His uncannily quick mind and “encyclopaedic” knowledge of The Beatles informed many decisions, says Fraser Elisha. “Andre had a back story for every song and it was very interesting to learn the reasons behind some of the lighting moods that he wanted. There’s also some second-guessing about the kind of lighting to use for the later, non-touring years. That would include much more saturated colours and gobo projections. When we get into the last section, with Abbey Road and Let It Be, beams play a big part in the stage look.”
Fraser’s responsibilities have recently extended to managing the video content. “I used to spend a day or two in Entec’s Northolt, west London warehouse with Andre to program the Catalyst files and making notes on cues. With his passing, I’ve taken this onboard myself,” he comments.
The LD’s association with Entec stretches back to 1992, when he initially worked on TV shows for the supplier. “I’ve always had a healthy, drama-free relationship with the company,” says Fraser. “In fact, Noreen [O’Riordan, Entec’s managing director and head of lighting] couldn’t be more helpful if she tried. If I ever want to look at a new piece of kit, she go the extra mile to accommodate me, and it’s always a friendly open house.”
UNIVERSAL RESPECT
Andre Barreau’s name continues to be a feature of all conversations with the band and crew, not least Neil Harrison, who feels his absence acutely. “Andre was a special, wise, gifted, much-loved and admired man, and above all else he was a loving husband and a doting dad. As close friends and colleagues for nearly 45 years, we worked, planned and travelled on an almost daily basis. We were two sides of the same coin, and no longer having him to consult is lonely and painful.”
He added: “One thing of which I’m sure is his amazing legacy. Andre achieved so much with his writing and his music. The guitar solo he contributed for Robbie Williams’ classic ‘Angels’ is one of many major accomplishments and, of course, his role as ‘George’ brought such joy to the countless numbers of Beatles fans who saw him play. I know he will be there in our thoughts and hearts with each Bootleg performance to come.”
There is also notable respect shared between Entec and the band’s management. Raj Patel considers the vendor and its team to be part of the family. He insists: “I don’t see Entec as an entity outside of the Bootleg Beatles’ umbrella because they’ve outlasted every other supplier we’ve hired, and that record will never be broken.”
Noreen O’Riordan sums up Entec’s side of the relationship: “The last 30 years have been an absolute pleasure. We are very proud to support The Bootleg Beatles, whom we count as friends as well as highly valued clients. Their attention to detail is contagious, and everyone who works on the show develops the same sense of enthusiasm and privilege. We look forward with pride to the next 30 years!”
enteclive.com
Photography courtesy of The Bootleg Beatles
