One of the UK’s best-known touring companies, Cato Music, has been acquired by Production Park.
MBW understands that Cato CEO, Glen Rowe, will become a Director at Production Park and receive an equity share in the business.
The deal promises to be an interesting one for artists and managers. The combined might of both companies could provide complete touring and production services for artists.
Cato already provides services ranging from rehearsal rooms, to ‘the best tour shop in London’, plus backline hire, crew, transport, storage and, of course, tour management.
The acquisition will see Production Park’s Backstage Academy and Cato’s specialist ‘Roadie School’, Cato Academy, jointly create a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for training the next generation of touring and production professionals.
Production Park currently owns five rehearsal studios and over ten events businesses, with subsidiaries including LS-Live Stage Rental and Studios, Brilliant Stages, Litestructures, Advanced Profiling Services, Brilliant Automation and Perry Scenic Creative.
Co-Founder of Production Park, Lee Brooks, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Cato into the Production Park family. We’ve been hugely impressed by how Cato has developed over the last fifteen years and, from the moment we met, it was clear that we both shared the same values and vision for supporting the live music industry.
“Our Academies are at the forefront of training in touring and production and the synergies are evident. Our teams even share the same infectious mix of professionalism and energy, so we can achieve great things together.”
Cato Music Chief Executive and Tour Director for Muse – Glen Rowe – added: “2016 is a huge year for Cato and the collaboration with Production Park is only just the start. We have exciting plans for working together but perhaps the jewel in the crown of this collaboration is our shared belief in educating the crew of the future.
“This is a real example of where adding two and two together will make five and we can’t wait to get started.”
The Cato Academy – based in South West London – is the only training centre in the world that educates future tour and production managers, backline techs and live sound engineers under one roof; whilst the Backstage Academy is renowned for its high quality delivery of backstage training to support the live events industry.
Both Academies have been pioneers in the field of vocational education in the entertainment sector and, together, will provide a comprehensive training solution to emerging, aspiring and talented crew.
Cato Music will continue to operate from Wandsworth Mansions, formerly home to Mick Jagger and the British Olympic Authority.
Later this year the firm will move to purpose-built premises in the Wandsworth Borough.
The new site will house additional storage facilities, two brand new rehearsal studios, and an expanded backline hire department.Music Business Worldwide
