For any music lover, concerts offer a unique and lively experience. While performers often steal the spotlight, the concert stage itself plays a vital role in wowing the audience. In this guide, we’ll explore the key aspects of custom concert stage design, ensuring it stands out and captivates attendees. So, let’s dive into the world of custom builds – concert stage design and discover the 5 things to keep in mind.

Things to Ask Yourself

Before you start the drafting process for your next design, ask yourself the following questions:

• What will the stage hold? Consider all of the necessary equipment, such as audio-visual gear and space needed by performers.
• Who’s going to be on it? How many people are going to be performing? How many people will be on the stage at any given time? Are there parts of the show where the stage will be empty? Will the audience’s attention need to be redirected at any point?
• How accessible does the stage need to be? How many entrances and exits will it need?
• Is the show going to be indoors or outdoors? Whether the venue is indoors or outdoors can significantly influence stage design. Outdoor venues tend to provide more of a “blank canvas” for stages, meaning there’s less restrictions in terms of space. Outdoor concert stage design may also have to account for equipment and sound distortion, as there’s much less for sound to bounce off of outdoors.
• Is the concert part of a multi-date stadium tour? Many artists tour the nation to perform, with many concert tours having 50+ show dates. Tours involve lots of traveling and lots of set up and take down, and sometimes the stage will only be up for one night before its torn down, transported, and set up for the next tour date.

1. Keep the Audience’s View in Mind

At the end of the day, the concert is for the fans, so it’s most important to consider how things will look from their point of view. This includes their ability to see the artist who is performing. The most intricate, jaw-dropping designs won’t mean a thing if concertgoers aren’t able to see the people they came for.

Will the audience be looking up from a level floor section? Is there stadium seating on an incline? A balcony? A mixture of all three? You’ll need to consider every person’s or every seat’s point of view and design a stage that maximizes visibility for everyone.

Consider the dimensions of the event space as well. A venue with low ceilings may benefit from a wide stage and filling the space horizontally (and vice versa for a venue with high ceilings).

2. Create Atmosphere with Lighting and Effects

Concerts are just as visual as they are audial. The right lighting and effects can take nearly any concert stage to the next level. Music stirs up a lot of emotions and using creativity and technical expertise to reflect that onstage with a killer lighting setup helps concertgoers live in the moment. Some popular examples include multicolored strobe lights that change according to the beat for higher energy shows, and fairy lights or mood lighting for more sentimental, toned-down shows.

3. Consider Extending the Stage Forward

Including an additional platform such as a catwalk that extends into the floor section of the audience can help from both a visual and engagement standpoint. Performers can safely position themselves in the center of the audience, and audience members who are further back have an opportunity to see the performer a little better.

4. Declutter

Your audio-visual equipment comes with a lot of wires, crates, and other unsightly nuisances that can be distracting to the audience, who should be immersed in the performance. In addition to being unsightly, having unnecessary clutter around the stage can be hazardous for performers.

You can mask your clutter by getting creative with design elements such as screens, platforms, curtains, and fences. Another way to hide your mess is to direct the audience’s attention with lighting. Keep the spotlight on the artists and the more eye-pleasing elements while leaving the wires and cords in the dark.

5. Understand Stage Flow

When throwing a concert, you can expect a lot of movement on the stage. Will there be choreographed dance numbers with backup dancers? Are there several high energy band members who will likely work the entire stage? Pay extra attention to objects that may impact movement on the stage, such as microphone stands and drum sets. Long ramps can often help.

Including the above five tips in your framework can help you put on a great show, but there’s always a chance of unforeseen circumstances arising! Whatever the needs of your event are, it’s critical to keep open lines of communication between everyone involved, from design ideas to changes in circumstance.

Putting on a show soon? Let us help you bring your unique vision to life! Contact us today for event production, custom fabrication, experiential concepts, and more.