APRIL | WELCOME
Colophon
EDITOR
Tom Hall
CONTRIBUTORS
Martin Fullard
DESIGNER
Sean Wyatt-
Livesley
PUBLISHING
DIRECTOR
Duncan Siegle SALES DIRECTOR
James Linin
PRODUCTION
CONTROLLER
Elizabeth Nixon PRODUCTION
ASSISTANT
Matthew Vertigans
VIDEO
PRODUCTION
EXECUTIVE
Karam Dhillon CIRCULATION
MANAGER
Bret Weekes
DIGITAL
MARKETING
EXECUTIVE
Kimberly Mullany
SUBSCRIPTIONS
EXECUTIVE
Kayode Adedeji
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T
his complete redesign marks 25 years of Access All Areas, which
has stood the test of time since its founders worked diligently
between glasses of Soda-Stream and episodes of The Fresh Prince
of Belair.
Events have evolved significantly since then, as the ‘Carlton’ dance
gave way to the ‘David Brent’ dance.
The last 25 years have seen festivals shed their ‘outsider’ image,
increasing a hundred-fold and embracing high-end experiences.
Meanwhile terrorism’s spectre sent shockwaves through arenas
worldwide, and digitalisation transformed everything from ticketing to
travel. The 2012 Olympic Games was also a game-changer, paving the
way for greater industry recognition.
There have also been broader cultural shifts. The millennium ushered
in a spate of online piracy sites, which were later replaced by offerings
from Apple and Spotify.
These services broadened musical tastes and led to more diversified
festivals. Consequently, clothing choices and cultural references
became as eclectic as our playlists.
It’s unsurprising then, that nostalgic references and legacy acts
now dominate festivals. Vaporwave, the recent digital art and music
movement that inspired our cover design, is a sign of the times, with
90s nostalgia meeting the Internet age. No one could have seen it
coming, but event trends are perhaps a little easier to predict.
As Access looks to the future, our cover feature (p24) reveals the
logical way forward for everything from blockchain to LED screens.
As technology increases event options, the future is whatever you
make it.
Tom Hall, Editor
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