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Live Events: TT Mayhem 2014 touring show

22nd June 2014

Event: TT Mayhem 2014 Touring Show

Client: Isle of Man Government

Live Date(s): 31st May to 6th June 2014

Location: Five separate locations around the Isle of Man – Peel, Port Erin, Ramsey, Nobles Park and Villa Marina Gardens in Douglas.

Brands Involved: Monster Energy / Poker Stars

Event / Project background:

TT Mayhem is the public entertainment show provided by the Isle of Man government for crowds visiting and attending the world famous Isle of Man TT race. The TT Mayhem shows involve petrol based stunt acts, live music and other entertainment and take place over a one week period. This year is the fourth consecutive year Gorilla have been chosen to produce the event by the Isle of Man government and for 2014 it was decided that TT Mayhem should go on the road, touring a number of venues around the island. The challenge faced was to create a show that could navigate the islands roads and lanes at one of the busiest times in the islands calendar.

We worked together with the IOM Government on a plan to distribute the action more widely around the island, in recognition that more visitors arriving for the TT races are finding places to stay outside Douglas and may not want to, or be able to, travel into the islands capital. The TT Mayhem 2014 touring show, travelled the island for seven days commencing on Saturday 31st May and ending on Friday 6th June and was staged at five different venues, with the show varying slightly between each to make the most of the specific locations.

The new show featured Infernal Varanne and their Globe of Death act for the first time and also Monster Energy’s Freestyle Moto Trials display with Monster athlete Fred Crosset. All of this was accompanied by the expected loud music, giveaways and crowd participation and MC’d by the inimitable DJ BBQ, Christian Stevenson.

GORILLA role summary:

Full show conceptualisation and design, production, event management and logistics of the TT Mayhem 2014 Touring Show

GORILLA role detail:

  • Show conceptualisation and creation
  • Project / Event management and production
  • Site mapping and aerial visuals
  • Athlete / talent selection and booking
  • Logistics and transport
  • On site build: Temporary structures, Crowd safety barriers, Branding
  • Sub-contractor sourcing and management
  • Working with Emergency Team – police, fire, ambulance
  • Organisation of daily road closures / movement of oversize stunt team display vehicles
  • Social media promotion
  • Health and Safety – planning, documentation and risk assessment

Timescales involved:

2 months planning, design and budgeting period. 7 show days with either 1 or 2 shows per day between 11.30am and 10pm. 4 hour setup and 3 hour de-rig for each show.

Result / Outcome:

7 highly successful show days in a row, covering 300 miles around the island, with the new touring format working well. All shows ran smoothly, to time and were received well.
The touring show performed to more people than the static show of previous years with over 14,000 people attending the Peel day performance alone. Taking the show out to the audience ensured that it coincided with a number of special days at the TT and we were able to reach a greater target audience than previously. The format was definitely worth changing and has provided us with plenty of ideas for the future.
Daily updating of Social Media with pictures and videos from each show worked well, proved popular and reached over 150,000 users.

Feedback:

“It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of experiential activities to the whole TT fortnight, they are instrumental in transforming an international race meeting into this amazing two week festival, broadening the appeal of the whole event by providing a range of events and activities, that go beyond the racing, for people to enjoy. TT Mayhem is a big part of the festival, and by touring it around Peel, Ramsay, Port Erin and Douglas, we were able to bring the show to many more people than last year. Gorilla’s ‘can do’ attitude made touring the TT Mayhem show possible, and it was, as always, enthusiastically received by thousands of motorsport fans. Of course the department will review this year’s TT in detail, but I think we have hit upon a successful and good value format for TT Mayhem in the future.”

Trevor Hussey, Head of Motorsport for the Isle of Man Government’s Department of Economic Development

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