Located in the historic Morton Salt building, The Salt Shed is a relatively new indoor-outdoor music and entertainment venue adjacent to the Chicago River and Goose Island in Chicago. The indoor part of the venue recently opened in February 2023 and has expanded to take on rentals, including corporate events, to utilize the space between concert engagements more effectively.
AV Chicago collaborated with long-standing partner akire productions (akire) on an event for Clune Construction (Clune) encompassing a corporate meeting and celebratory party, highlighted by live performances and a ceremony honoring recent employee milestones like promotions and retirements.
AV Chicago served as the AV provider and technical liaison between akire and Clune, integrating and managing audio, lighting, and video elements within The Salt Shed. As a preferred vendor at The Salt Shed, AV Chicago technicians are familiar with the existing audio system and were able to work seamlessly to amplify speeches, presentations, and performances. Lighting design was focused on enhancing the ambiance, while video projection displayed various content during the awards presentation. AV Chicago leveraged some of the venue’s existing equipment, and in-house staff to streamline set-up and advise on best practices within the venue.
The Salt Shed is a union house but only requires certain operators to be union members, allowing AV Chicago to utilize house staff and freelance technicians for load-in, operations, and strike. The AV Chicago and The Salt Shed team have built a great repour and are able to build off each other’s expertise and experience to execute an exceptional experience for our clients.
To help create a more intimate setting within the 3,600 indoor concert venue, AV Chicago constructed a stage for the event, situated in the floor area of the venue, to allow presentations and performances to be closer to the seating section. This required supplemental lighting to ensure all programming was visible to event attendees.
AV Chicago worked closely with akire on the overall event presentation, developing a clear run of the show that tied in content from various presenters and award winners. Audio cues also had to be clearly defined to match the video presentations. AV Chicago supplied wireless microphones that accommodated speakers embracing the celebratory environment during the party, many coming to the stage with drinks in hand.
Time management was a critical concern, typical of live events with tight schedules where load-in and strike occur on the same day. Working through various venue constraints, efficient planning, and coordination amongst AV Chicago, The Salt Shed, and akire was paramount.
The collaborative team handled last-minute programming adjustments, requiring quick problem-solving and flexibility to guarantee a seamless experience for all attendees. akire organized all programming details before the event, and any last-minute adjustments were effectively communicated to all stakeholders, allowing for smooth coordination and timely execution.
When working with a venue, especially one in Chicago, it is essential to take away any helpful learnings for future special events. By always working with our partners and asking the questions of how we can make it better next time, it helps us always be Show Ready.
Interested in learning more? Contact us today!