GOING BACKSTAGE – An interview with Perruche
No festival is ever complete without a backstage and VIP area. Most of us can only imagine exactly what goes on in these areas (band members drinking Dom Perignon whilst being mobbed by super models??). But is this how it is in reality?
To find out exactly what does go on backstage and how it all comes together festivalmonster.com recently caught up with Perruche, a Hertfordshire based company who specialise in advanced event hospitality and unique VIP lounges.
Festival Monster: Hi, tell us a little about Perruche and exactly what you guys do?
Perruche: Perruche was founded 3 years ago when we saw a gap in the festival market, festivals had these amazing bands and sponsors involved and didn’t have a suitably amazing area to entertain them - that’s where we come in! We are a small team of event managers and designers who create backstage/VIP lounges at festivals (amongst other things).
FM: So apart from VIP areas what else do you do at festivals?
P: We create brand activation experiences at festivals, designing areas at festivals where the public can come and interact with the brand, and have the entire brand experience. We have some mobile hospitality vehicles which help us do this, we also have Europe’s’ largest mobile roof terrace which makes for an amazing viewing platform at any event. You can look at it and everything else we do at www.perruche.co.uk
FM: Are the VIP areas as glam as we all like to think them to be? Do you get a lot of celebrities backstage at festivals? Footballers? Actors etc?
P: We make our VIP areas as cool as possible, we put in different structures from your traditional marquees for cover as well as funky furniture and quality entertainment and no detail is overlooked, the VIP experience we believe should be fun for all involved so the atmosphere is always good and everyone is having a good time, so yes they are as glam as you think. As for celebrities, the VIP area is usually pretty full of them; it’s a cool place to hang out, free food, free drink and free clothing as well as spending time with the coolest bands around is a pretty big draw even for the biggest of celebrities, last year for example Josh Harnett was at South West Four!
FM: What festivals have you worked on in the past?
P: We have worked at almost every major UK festival so that list would include V Festival, Leeds and Reading, T In The Park, LoveBox, SouthWest 4, NASS, Boardmasters, Wakestock to name a few! We are expanding constantly with more festivals realising the need to have a VIP area which sets them apart.
FM: How important do you think it is for festivals to provide a backstage area these days?
P: We think it is very important. Gone are the days when bands waited in their van to perform, the festival industry is now very big business and the only thing that separates one festival from the next is their line-up and their sponsors ( and obviously the crowds), so its very important to give these people a place where they can relax, feel at ease and entertain their guests. It also provides amazing backdrops for interviews and media coverage which is also extremely important for festivals. A good backstage experience means bands and sponsors will be happy to return year after year giving festivals longevity.
FM: How much of a say do you get in deciding what exactly a backstage/VIP area is going to look like? Are the festival organisers quite specific as to what look/theme they want?
P: It all depends on the festival and the sponsors themselves, if a festival doesn’t have a sponsored VIP area then usually we get free reign. We do however,OK everything with the organisers weeks in advance so they know what we plan to do. If it is a brand sponsored VIP area then we create the VIP area to have synergy with the brand. This way the brand get the exposure they want, but we usually come up with a concept and then the brands or festivals involved agree and we go ahead.
FM: What has been your biggest and most enjoyable challenge to date?
P: Last year and this year we have helped the drink brand Relentless with their activation at various lifestyle events. This involved taking our mobile roof terrace to lots of sporting and music events such as NASS, Wakestock and some super bike events. It involved lots of logistics and lots of time on the road for the team but it was great fun and worth all of the hard work
FM: Do the bands spend a lot of time backstage socializing or do they tend to stay in their dressing rooms?
P: From experience I would say this depends on the area that is provided for them, most bands love to party and have fun and given the chance and a cool area to do so, they will. I have been at festivals in the past where they seem to just provide some patio furniture and call this the VIP area, obviously the bands won’t leave their dressing room for this and it leads to a more sombre backstage area. However when we create our VIP areas they are different and fresh and we maintain a fun vibe and it makes for a better festival as everyone is having fun, not just those the other side of the fence.
FM: Thanks guys, have a great festival season and make sure you get back to us with any backstage gossip should you stumble across any!
Perruche are providing the VIP experience for South West Four and Get Loaded In The Park this year on the 29th August and 30th August and have very kindly provided festivalmonster.com with two VIP experience tickets to give away as a competition prize.
The lucky winner will get to choose which one of these amazing festivals they would like to attend and get two VIP tickets! This VIP experience is not your average VIP ticket prize, the winner will get to share the exact same backstage area as the artists’ at the festival.
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic VIP prize, all you have to do is answer this simple question:
Where are South West Four and Get Loaded in the park held?
A. Clapham Common
B. House Of Commons
C. Hackney Commons
Simply send your answer, A, B or C to PERRUCHECOMP@festivalmonster.com together with your full name, date of birth, postal address and a day time contact number.
Closing date 20th July. The winner will be notified by 21st July. Terms and conditions apply (see below).
www.perruche.co.uk – Find out more about Perruche.
Follow Perruche on twitter this summer and see what festivals they’re at!
Join Perruche on Facebook for even more competitions!
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