ENTECH Evolves For 30th Birthday

Australia’s annual touring sound and light trade show is becoming less ‘blokey’ and more educational.

Thirty years ago ENTECH came about as a ‘big box’ trade show in Sydney, fast becoming a runaway success. In the hands of the Grafton family it was run with clear focus for the exhibitors - who paid for everything - and the tech trade who come to network, specify and select hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of staging, lighting, audio and video equipment each year.

After a decade the family sold ENTECH to a big trade show conglomerate who set about changing everything with a clear focus on shareholder return. The exhibitors and then the attending trade soon lost enthusiasm, and then the former event manager Louise Brooks invented the Integrate show which continues to this day. 

Ten years ago, Julius Grafton created the CX Summer Roadshow, covering the five main cities of Australia with a one-day format in each. That was the straw that broke the remains of ENTECH - he then bought back the rights and the database.

ENTECH Roadshow has grown every year since, except of course for the enforced holiday we all never wanted - Covid. Now it runs in NZ every second year and covers Australia each October. This year the roadshow has spread out with a more ‘regional’ focus, with a raft of single city exhibitors joining the core group of major distributors and manufacturers who underpin the event.

“We made some changes last year after feedback,” says founder and current co-owner Julius Grafton. “My partner Kate had come on board in 2018 and, presenting a friendly female face, she started hearing the show floor was a little bit ‘black T-shirt, blokey’. She fixed that by hiring three more girls on our touring management, such that we are now 50/50. And that’s really shifted the vibe up.”

Kate concurs, “I was told some sales ‘guys’ would direct the conversation to a male in a group. That stuff stopped in the motor trade a long time ago. I hope! But aside from the ‘gentrification’ of the attendance, big changes have come with the content. Originally trade would be there for two things” to look at gear (and talk), and then ‘Happy Hour’. We realised we needed to find compelling reasons to take the time to come to ENTECH. So we have.”

This year sees the introduction of the 'NW Group enTalks Theatre’ which builds on the previous seminar program, except that it now has local presenters telling different stories in each city. An example is ‘Lighting KISS! Flash! Bang!’ by Australian designer Motley. On another plane is ‘What is the colour of sound? That is presented in Adelaide by Cais Nitschke. Overall there are almost 20 sessions in each city, which include technical ‘how to do it’ sessions by some of the touring exhibitors.

Crucially this year a keynote session called ‘Rising Stars’ will assist tertiary graduates and people considering a career backstage, with job descriptions, pathways and tips for entry. This session, at 1pm in each city, is to help address a looming tech shortage that will damp demand if unchallenged.

National touring spaces sold out in July, but single city spaces are available in each city. These are being taken up by a wide range of suppliers of equipment and services, as well as trade associations and groups. Others are sampling the event with an eye to touring nationally in the years ahead.

ENTECH starts in Brisbane on October 8, Sydney 10th, Melbourne 15th, Adelaide 17th and Perth 22nd. Entry is free, show hours are 11am until 6pm. Info at www.entech-roadshow.com