Pop Up! Portable Dressing Rooms

I’ve told you about several of the hardware systems that we have available for rental through Rent What?, from kabuki solenoid systems to traveler track.

Today I thought I’d tell you about the dressing rooms / changing rooms that we offer.  They really do fill a niche in the touring marketplace.

Rental Hardware Collection – Pop Up! Portable Dressing Rooms and Changing Rooms

Specifics:

• 8′ x 8′ x 7h’
• Strong Steel Frame
• Wheeled Molded Carry Case
• Black Outside, White Inside
• Flame Retardant
• Mirror Panel
• 110v Plug and Play Light
• Flat Roof
• Overlapping Door for Privacy
• Weighs less than 100 lbs. in case

Why You’ll Love Them:

You are going to love the convenience of our portable pop up rooms. Use them to create tech spaces, or as dressing rooms. Gang them together to make a green room. They are quick and easy to set up and travel conveniently in a roadworthy wheeled case.

Famous Friends:

We’ve dressed the best – Usher, Trey Songz, Jonas Brothers, AR Rahman and Foreigner.

Without Warning

Here’s something you probably don’t know – Megan sings in the band Without Warning.  The band has recently launched a new website – check it out for bios of the band members, a play list, and much more.

If you are a fan of rock and metal, I’m sure you’ll like the play list, with songs from Ozzy Osborne, Van Halen, Journey, and many more (I personally love Megan’s lead vocals on Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”).

On a personal note, I love the band’s logo, designed by our favorite artist, John Rios of Grafix Jam.  Check it out!

Think of That

I recently learned about an interesting website and blog called “Why Didn’t I Think of That?”, which focuses on stories of business and entrepreneurial success.  The story of how Megan started Sew What? was recently featured on the website as well as in a blog post (the third installment in a series on Business Axioms) titled “Pursue Your Passion.” 

I especially enjoyed the blog post.  The author, Benjamin Christopher, makes a good case for turning your passion into a business, without sugar coating the challenges of doing so.  It seems that there are so many people who are passionate about something but never think outside the box on how that passion could translate into a business.  And there are probably just as many who think that starting a business will be easy as long as it is based on something you are passionate about.  Christopher is both realistic and encouraging in the post, and he offers concrete examples of entrepreneurs who have been successful in turning their passion into a business.

I’m looking forward to reading the first two installments of this blog series – the first titled “Rethinking Your Industry” and the second titled “Apply New Technology to an Existing Product.”

Rent What? on the Road

It is so much fun when our clients send us photos of our gear on the road – we’ve seen our Sew What? drapery bags across the globe, from Germany to Qater and beyond.

Now, Rent What? has gotten into the act, with customers sending photos of the Rent What? bags.  Recently, Joe from the Glee Tour sent us this photo of a Rent What? drapery bag, that he took on the road with him.

Thanks for forwarding the photo, Joe!  Seeing photos like this makes us all feel like we are on the road as well.

Road Ready Traveler Track

Continuing with my series of posts on hardware collections available for rent through Rent What?, today I thought I’d tell you about traveler track.  Most people think of traveler track as a permanent installation, but it is actually a terrific option for tours when clamped to truss.

Rental Hardware Collection – Traveler Track

Specifics:

• Variable Width
• Rope Operated or Walk Along
• One Way or Bi-Parting
• Strong Steel Construction
• Powercoated Black
• Durable, Quiet Carriers
• 10′ and 5′ Sections for Easy Install
• “Burgers” Clamp Straight to Truss

Why You’ll Love Our Track:

Just as important as having beautiful curtains is have reliable tracks that support and transport them across the stage. And when the drape fits the track and the track fits the drape, you’re in for a show!

We’re proud to feature a full complement of superior-quality American-made curtain tracks by ADC, one of the premier manufactures of theatrical curtain transport systems and the only brand that has won UL approval.

Available as a rental from the most basic manual walk along to a rope pull system, ADC tracks assure a moving performance at the highest standards.

Famous Friends:

R Kelly and Victoria’s Secret are just a couple of shows that opened far, using this Travel Far! Road Ready Traveler Track!

Rockin’ Clients – Linkin Park

This is Number 6 in my continuing series of posts on our Rockin’ Clients.  When I look at just a partial list of all the terrific artists for whom we have provided custom stage curtains, it is almost overwhelming!  I am really enjoying this opportunity to review the work we have done over the years and, along with my readers, learn more about these artists.

In the mid 1990′s in Southern California, three high school friends, Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon, along with several other musicians, formed a band that they originally called “Xero,” later changed to ”Hybrid Theory.” After struggling to get a record deal, the band, by this time named Linkin Park and with the edition of Joe Hahn and vocalist Chester Bennington, was finally signed in 1999 by Jeff Blue of Warner Bros Records and set to work on their first album (named “Hybrid Theory”).

Released in October, 2000, “Hybrid Theory” was a huge success, selling close to 5 million copies in its  first year and receiving a Grammy award for Best Hard Rock Performance along with two additional Grammy nominations.  Linkin Park also toured frequently, playing more than 300 shows in a year’s time.  The band continued to record over the next ten years, releasing one remix album and thee more studio albums, including 2010′s “A Thousand Suns.”

Sew What? was proud to be selected to produce custom stage curtains, including two cycloramas, for Linkin Park’s Fall 2010 tour.

Kabuki Solenoid Systems

I’ll told you a little bit about the different drapery collections that we have available for rental at Rent What?  But did you know that we also rent a variety of hardware systems to be used in conjunction with either our rental drapes or your own drapes?  From curtain track to pipe and base, we’ve got a wide selection to choose from.  Today I’ll focus on our solenoid systems.

Rental Hardware Profile – Kabuki Solenoid Systems

Rental System specifics:

• 1 Solenoid Holds over 500 Lbs
• Proven Release Locking System
• Single Or Double Hand Controller
• Operates on Standard 110v Outlet

A La Carte or Turn-key Rental System

• Solenoid Head
• Single Controller
• Double Controller
• 5 way loom
• AC Cable
• Travel Case

Why We Love Kabuki Systems:

There is nothing quite like the rush of excitement as the music builds, the lights illuminate the band and then the drape drops.

Just watch while the audience goes wild! This easy to assemble and easy to use Kabuki Solenoid System allows you to “reveal, drop and roll” just about any drapery element or backdrop.

Famous Friends:

Alice in Chains decomposed their stage scene with our Solenoid System while Brooks and Dunn illuminated their drapes with a mouth dropping Kabuki reveal. Even Jay-Z and Maxwell have rocked out from behind our magical Kabuki reveals!

April Anniversaries

It’s time to celebrate anniversaries again, and doing so made me think, I wonder what the average time frame is for the employees at Sew What?  So I decided to review our employee anniversary list and figure it out. 

I was amazed to see that, with about 30 employees, the average time that our employees have been with Sew What? is almost six years.  That is so gratifying to me to see.  I guess it means that we are doing something right!

That being said, please join me in congratulating three employees with anniversaries in April.

Lola, Project Manager – 10 years

Violet Rangel, Sales – 2 years

Alberto, Sewing Machine Operator – 9 years