Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century

4

Arena Rigging

ROY BICKEL

Introduction

While it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint exactly when arena rigging began, it’s a pretty safe bet it started with the touring ice shows somewhere in the early to mid-1960s. By today’s standards, the methods used at the time were pretty crude. There was very little truss. Most of the hanging pieces were made of steel pipe and the methods used to hang the pipe, block and tackle, as well as manual chain falls were cumbersome at best. As rock ’n’ roll shows became more sophisticated, their crews took this technology and began adapting it for their own use. Instead of block and tackle they started using electric chain hoists. Rudimentary truss replaced pipe to hang lighting and sound equipment. Almost overnight, ...