After graduating from ACM’s Audio & Music Production Degree Course in 2010, Martin Omond has been making a name for himself as a live sound and stage technician – we caught up with Martin to review 2011 and look forward to 2012.
What have you been up to in the last year?
Since leaving ACM I’ve worked as a stage technician at many large shows, including Ethio-jazz legend Mulata Astatke & The Heliocentrics at the Barbican, and more recently spent 2 days as Beardyman’s stage technician for a one-off show he performed with his band at the Brixton Electric in December.
In addition, I’ve worked on large festival stages, including 2 consecutive years as a stage technician on the 5,000 capacity ‘Far Out’ stage at Green Man festival in 2009 – 2010, and this year worked as main front of house engineer on the 4,000 capacity ‘Roller Disco’ stage at Bestival.
What’s been your proudest moment so far?
That has to be working for Chai Wallahs. They are a 1,000 capacity venue which tours the UK festival circuit every year (this year we did seven festivals; Sunrise, Beach Break Live, Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Mannifest, Green Man & Shambala). They showcase underground and emerging artists from the UK and around the world and have played host to a number of ACM bands including Free Peace, 8fold, The Drop, Brother & Bones and recently my own band, Coda.
So what’s on the horizon for 2012?
In the new year I’ll be working as a freelance engineer at venues including the O2 Islington Academy and Heaven, until April when Coda will be touring the UK and Europe. After that the festival season will start again where I’ll be doing Chai Wallahs for 2 or 3 months again, this time working more as front of house engineer than a stage technician.
