From prog-rock pipe dream to the stages of Knebworth: Britannia Row on 50 years of touring

Britannia Row Productions has been at the forefront of live event technology for 50 years. The rental house has worked with some of the biggest names in music, beginning with Pink Floyd back in 1975 and servicing everyone from Oasis to The Cure, Bob Dylan and a Black Sabbath ballet show ever since. Headliner sat down with its company directors to gather half a century's worth of touring tales…

Over the past 50 years, Britannia Row Productions has grown into a globally recognised provider of audio solutions, working with some of the biggest names in music, sports and live event production, guided by its leaders in the development and application of technical innovation, training and crew logistics.

The story began in 1975 when prog-rock pioneers Pink Floyd purchased a building at 35 Britannia Row, Islington, London, to house their rapidly growing touring equipment. “I guess the name was born out of a need for a hasty decision and pragmatism with creativity not really being in the frame,” Mike Lowe, Britannia Row company director tells Headliner. “Using the Britannia Row Street sign as the company’s logo did turn out to be a good move though!”

Pink Floyd owned their lighting and sound equipment and by 1975 had accumulated a large amount which they stored in their warehouse and studio building in Britannia Row. They set up the Britannia Row companies to keep their crew employed servicing other bands while they were recording between tours, providing services for The Cure, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, Roxy Music, the Damned, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and many others. These companies were headed up by key crew members Robbie Williams, Mick Kluczynski and Graham Flemming; Bryan Grant joined four years later to coordinate the rental activities under the banner of Britannia Row Productions.

“The members of Pink Floyd who founded it were always passionate about delivering an exceptional audio experience to their audience,” recalls Grant. “They were constantly looking to enhance that experience, whether that was by using surround sound or by using cutting-edge loudspeaker and control technology.”

“In the ‘70s we operated by the seats of our pants,” adds Lowe. “We made it up as we went along. Good, glitch-free audio is now expected by artists, musicians and audiences. We have gone from a certain amount of forgiveness to zero tolerance in 50 years. The live industry has progressed well, of which we should all be proud, whatever part we have played.”

In the early ‘80s, fundamental changes were occurring within the Pink Floyd band and their organisation. In 1984, Williams and Grant took ownership of Britannia Row Productions in a management buyout, to concentrate on providing live audio solutions. Lowe joined the company in 1988, and after buying out Williams in 1991, he and Grant continued to co-own and co-run the company until it joined Clair Global in 2017. Both remain with Britannia Row as non-executive directors.

“The business has evolved and, I suppose, grown up over the years, so we’ve had to adapt to dealing with increased regulation and bureaucracy,” Grant reflects. “What encourages me is that the passion for our core purpose – great live audio – is still there throughout the company.”

A huge gig for Britannia Row was Oasis’ Knebworth show in 1996. The rental house took over from the band’s former supplier in 1993, and in those very early days, Oasis were still on a steady rise to fame, playing modest venues across the country before Brit Pop took the world by storm. After the release of Supersonic in 1994, Oasis’ popularity skyrocketed, taking the band from smaller clubs to the stage of Knebworth in the space of two years, where Britannia Row provided the full kit.

“I guess some of the success of our relationship was that we dealt with the speed of it all, from clubs, to theatres, to arenas to massive outdoor shows like Knebworth,” explains Lowe. “We regard Pink Floyd at Knebworth as Britannia Row’s first show. I don’t think there is another sound company in the world whose first gig was for an audience of 125,000. The company was born wearing a big show hat! It worked out well for us. And it worked well for Oasis.”

Britannia Row also worked with the Gallagher brothers on their long-awaited return to the stage at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on the 4th and 5th July 2025. “Our relationships with our customers are complex, management changes, as do production people, engineers and band members,” says Grant. “All of these people have their own preferences. I like to think that we’ve managed to provide a consistency of service through our account handlers and our crews that encourage people to keep coming back to us.”

Other recent shows under Brit Row’s belt include ​​The Cure at London’s Grade II listed Troxy venue, David Gilmour’s stint at the Royal Albert Hall and Andrea Bocelli at the O2 Arena. “Some artists take a personal interest in every aspect of their productions, whilst others leave it to their creatives and technical staff to deliver a suitable platform for their performance. Either way, we need to make sure that we provide the best result for them,” shares Grant.

Steering the company forward and into its next chapter is Britannia Row’s second wave of directorship, comprising managing director Nicola Amoruso, sales director Lez Dwight and finance director Christina Bosch. In addition, since Skan PA Hire and Plus 4 Audio have become a part of Clair Global, Chris Fitch and Stew Chaney have joined the Britannia Row board of directors.

​​Five decades on, and having recently moved into its new, state-of-the-art facility in Weybridge, Surrey, Britannia Row continues to see the global delivery of audio reinforcement and comms solutions to an impressive roster of major international artists. Projects ranging from large-scale, complex, multi service productions, to supporting new talent on their first tours, are made possible with the expertise of highly dedicated operations, office and warehouse teams.

“I'm excited to continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in live sound,” says Dwight. “While we've built an incredible legacy in delivering world-class audio solutions for the biggest tours and events on the planet, there's still untapped potential in immersive technologies, sustainability, and global accessibility. A key area will be bridging the gap between touring excellence and environmental responsibility – developing and deploying systems and logistics that support a more sustainable future. I also see a huge opportunity in mentoring the next generation of audio professionals, ensuring that knowledge and experience are passed on while staying open to new approaches and innovation.”

“The industry has matured over the past 50 years, to the extent that it’s now a significant part of the global economy and with that comes the responsibility to deliver a consistent service to a worldwide audience who expect ever greater levels of sophistication from all departments in an event,” concludes Grant.

“As suppliers, we also need to be aware of sustainability and nuances of doing shows in different territories, hence the Clair Group of companies being positioned in strategic areas of the world. 50 years is a long time for any business to survive, especially in our relatively young industry serving the concert touring market. We've never been complacent. You’re only as good as your last show and shouldn't ever feel that you have a right to do the next one."