TECH ESSENTIALS FOR LIVE SHOWS: Prepare Like a Pro for the Stage

Just before festival season kicks off, join us for an essential guide to technical live show preparation. Learn how to create a well-crafted tech rider, stage plot, and channel list tailored to your music project while understanding the importance of lights, gear, and clear communication with the venue. Participants will also gain the necessary terminology to grasp the technical aspects of their show and communicate effectively with venue and festival technicians. This session is your go-to for making every performance run smoothly and flawlessly.

Speakers: Elmar Fank, Jaakes Hoffmann, Jimmy Maltez, Charles Stoltz

Moderator: Josh Island

Elmar Fank (Technical Production Supervisor at Rockhal)

Elmar picked up the trumpet at 8 and soon added drums, e-bass, and vocals to his repertoire. In 1997, he formed his first band, and since then, he’s been playing in various groups, creating original tracks and rocking covers. After training as an educator for people with disabilities, he spent 8 years working in that field. From 1997 to 2006, Elmar organized concerts and events for DJs and bands, making music and event planning a core part of his life. Driven by his passion, he became an event manager and founded his own music & event agency, FANKevents GmbH. Between 2006 and 2013, he collaborated with Rockhal concerts through his agency, then further honed his skills with advanced training in event technology. Since 2013, he’s been a technical production supervisor at Rockhal.

Jaakes Hoffmann (Founder of Amplitude)

Jaakes Hoffmann, born in 1987, developed a passion for amplified music at a young age. He started learning drums at 10, but soon realized his interest was more in rock ‘n’ roll than classical instruments. At just 13, he began organizing concerts with the youth club in his hometown of Tuntange. What started as small events soon grew into festivals attracting over 5,000 people. This effort led to the creation of the asbl Food for Your Senses, a group that continued to organize festivals and shows across Luxembourg.

Jaakes served as chairman of the board from 2006 to 2014, after which he took on the role of technical manager for the festival. In 2008, he completed his education as an educator in Luxembourg, and on the same day as his final exam, he co-founded his first company, a music studio, with Charel Stoltz. In 2011, Jaakes acquired Discolux, a small company providing technical support for events. Over time, this evolved into Amplitude, which now employs 25 people.

In 2014, Jaakes, along with Luka Heindrichs and Ben Thommes, took over Decliq and founded the café-concert « de Gudde Wëllen. » Since then, the venue has hosted over 700 artists and groups. Over the last decade, Jaakes has focused on growing his companies, which now have a dedicated team of 40 employees. Amplitude has become the leading provider of technical support for Luxembourg’s top festivals and concerts.

Jimmy Maltez (Musician & Secretary at Attitude Music)

Jimmy Maltez is a musician and bass player for nearly 20 years. He has brought his groove to bands like Infact and, more recently, Sharpshooter. Becoming Attitude’s Secretary has allowed him to expand his general knowledge of the music business by exchanging with bands on all levels and ages, from the smallest club bands to the bigger stadium tourers.

Charles Stoltz (Sound Engineer, Music Producer & Musician)

Charles Stoltz is a sound engineer and producer from Luxembourg. After stops in London and Amsterdam, he went on to build his own recording studio, Holtz Studio in Tuntage. A few years into the job, his customer base keeps growing, always exploring new styles and trying to contribute to his clients’ visions. With the company Amplitude he works as a live sound engineer on various projects, festivals and tours. As a musician, you can see him on stage with the band MAD FOX and Don Piano.

Josh Island (Singer-Songwriter & Touring Musician)

Josh Island is a recording and touring singer-songwriter based in Luxembourg. Since starting out in the local scene in 2015 at Rocklab’s Screaming Fields, he has gone on to perform around Europe both solo and with band, support major acts like Passenger and James Morrison and release two EPs and an album. His DIY approach and international collaborations have allowed him to grow a loyal fanbase, learn to overcome the challenges as an independent artist and deepen his understanding of the music industry.

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