Archive for 2026

Bringing Military History to Life

The Capel Military Show is an annual not-for-profit event, held at Aldhurst Farm, Capel, Surrey. Spanning five fields, the three-day event features a diverse range of military exhibitors, including more than 750 vehicles, alongside British, German, Russian, and American re-enactment groups. Together, these displays bring military history to life, tracing the journey from the Second World War through to modern day. The show attracts more than 25,000 visitors and raising over £10,000 for military charities.

Supporting a Worthwhile Cause

We were delighted to provide both our support and sponsorship for the event, supplying the lighting package alongside our professional expertise. Our ongoing commitment to excellence was reflected in both the equipment and support provided. As the director of Capel Military Show, Squadron Leader Andrew Davidson MBE RAF, commented,

“The quality of the equipment and support provided helped transform the arena environment and contributed greatly to the polished professional appearance of the event.”

For Andrew Davidson’s full testimonial, read below:

“Dear Dave, Melissa, Sam and the Neg Earth Team,

On behalf of everyone involved in the Capel Military Show, I would like to extend my sincere thanks for the outstanding support and sponsorship that Neg Earth provided to this year’s event.

The lighting package and professional expertise supplied by your team had an incredible impact on the overall delivery and presentation of the show.   

The quality of the equipment and support provided helped transform the arena environment and contributed greatly to the polished professional appearance of the event. 

With over 25,000 visitors attending across the weekend, the enhanced lighting played an important role in showcasing the displays, supporting public engagement and helping us deliver the high-standard experience that our visitors have come to expect. The support from Neg Earth enabled us to achieve an effect that would otherwise have been beyond the reach of a charitable event of our size.

Beyond the equipment itself, I would also like to recognise the professionalism, flexibility and enthusiasm shown by your team throughout the planning and execution phases. It was clear that everyone involved wanted to help make the event a success, and that commitment was noticed and appreciated by both the directors and our exhibitors.

As a not-for-profit event raising funds for military charities and local good causes, we rely heavily on the generosity of organisations such as Neg Earth. Your support has not only enhanced the visitor experience but has also directly contributed to our ability to continue supporting the military community and local charitable causes.

Please pass on my thanks to everyone involved, including the wider crew who helped make the lighting support possible. It was a pleasure working with you all and I very much hope that we can continue our relationship; planning for the 2027 Capel Military Show will commence later this year, and I would be grateful if Neg Earth would consider supporting the event once again. Given the outstanding impact your lighting package had on the show, I believe there is significant scope for us to build on this year’s success and further showcase Neg Earth’s capabilities to our audience of over 25,000 visitors. I would welcome an opportunity to discuss potential options with you in the coming months.

Please pass on my thanks to everyone involved, including the wider crew who helped make the lighting support possible. It was a pleasure working with you all and I very much hope that we can continue our relationship and welcome Neg Earth back to the Capel Military Show in future years.

Thank you once again for your generosity, professionalism, and valued support.

Kind regards,

Sqn Ldr Andrew Davidson MBE RAF 
Director 
Capel Military Show”

A Landmark Production

The iconic English heavy metal band, Iron Maiden, embarked on their 18-month ‘Run For Your Lives’ world tour in May 2025, and we are proud to have provided the lighting package for this landmark production. Celebrating half a century of heavy metal magic, the tour brings an ambitious production and creative vision to audiences across North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The tour has already demonstrated its global appeal, with more than one million tickets sold across the first 32 shows in Europe alone.

Five Decades of Heavy Metal

Few acts can claim a legacy spanning five decades, and even less have continued to release new music and perform at the very highest level throughout that time. Formed in 1975, Iron Maiden have built a reputation not only for their music, but for the scale and visual identity of their live productions. For the ‘Run For Your Lives’ world tour, the band’s production and creative teams have once again pushed the boundaries to create a show worthy of this historic milestone. It is a privilege for us to contribute to a tour celebrating such a significant milestone in Iron Maiden’s history, and to support one of Britain’s most iconic bands as they take this production to fans around the world.

A Setlist Celebrating Iron Maiden’s Legacy

To mark the occasion, the 18-month tour features a setlist spanning the band’s remarkable career, including songs that haven’t been performed in North America in over 20 years, including: Run to the Hills, 2 Minutes to Midnight, and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The popularity of Iron Maiden continues to grow, with Pollstar ranking the band as the 19th most popular touring artist of the millennium. Fifty years after forming, Iron Maiden continue to attract audiences across generations, cementing their position as one of the world’s greatest heavy metal bands.

What does it take to light one of the most complex live broadcasts in the world?

We caught up with Tim Routledge of @Tim Routledge Design, the creative force behind the Eurovision Song Contest lighting design, to get an inside look at the process behind the spectacle.

From managing vast teams across multiple departments to balancing the intense daily routine of rehearsals and live shows, Tim shares how collaboration sits at the heart of Eurovision. With dozens of national delegations contributing to the overall production, the design is never created in isolation—it’s a dynamic, evolving process that brings together creative visions from across Europe.

Now designing Eurovision for a third time, Tim reflects on how those first experiences shaped his approach today—refining workflows, embracing scale, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with lighting technology.

And while months of planning and pre-visualisation set the stage, there are always elements that only truly come alive in the moment—when the arena is full, the cameras are rolling, and millions are watching.

It’s this blend of preparation, collaboration, and live energy that makes Eurovision unlike anything else.