Nola

It’s easy to label New Orleans as a “problem city” for finding reliable crews. We see it differently. This field report breaks down why NOLA is not the risk many planners assume: a strong base of experienced local technicians, a proven network of partners, and a disciplined approach to pre-production, communication, and onsite leadership. From airport logistics to late-night strikes, we outline how ShowPhaze structures crews, call times, and accountability so national production teams can load in with confidence. If you’re avoiding New Orleans based on old stories, this is what the market really looks like today. The result: consistent, professional crews ready to support high-stakes shows without surprises.

 

Reliable Event Crews in New Orleans: Debunking the “Problem City” Myth

Another successful show wrapped up in what’s often been described as a “problem city” for finding reliable local event crews.
 At ShowPhaze, we know better.

Yes, New Orleans has its challenges — as every major event destination does — but it’s also full of talented, hard-working technicians and production professionals. Whenever someone says New Orleans is a tough market, we remind them that the issue usually isn’t the city itself — it’s the vendors they’ve used. The local AV community here is strong, skilled, and dedicated.

The Facts: New Orleans Is Built for Big Events

New Orleans is one of the most active event destinations in the U.S., and for good reason. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (ENMCC) ranks among the top six largest convention centers in the country, with:

Top U.S. Convention Centers by Exhibit Space

According to Wikipedia and industry sources, here’s how ENMCC stacks up against the biggest convention centers in the country:

Rank Convention Center & Location Exhibit Space
1 McCormick Place – Chicago, IL ~ 2.6 million sq ft
2 Las Vegas Convention Center – Las Vegas, NV ~ 2.5 million sq ft
3 Orange County Convention Center – Orlando, FL ~ 2.1 million sq ft
4 Georgia World Congress Center – Atlanta, GA ~ 1.5 million sq ft
5 Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center – Dallas, TX ~ 1.0 million sq ft
6 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – New Orleans, LA ~ 1.1 million sq ft (3 million total)
7 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center – New York, NY ~ 850,000 sq ft (3.3 million total)

Why New Orleans Remains a Top Convention Destination

With its rich culture, unmatched music scene, and world-class bars and restaurants, New Orleans will always be a magnet for conventions and corporate events. The key is working with the right partners to make your event seamless.

That’s where ShowPhaze comes in.

Event Staffing You Can Count On

Whether it’s audio, video, or lighting technicians, general session crews, or breakout-room staffing, ShowPhaze provides reliable, experienced personnel across North America — including strong local rosters in New Orleans.

We also specialize in trade-show carpenters and booth-build labor, ensuring every aspect of your production runs smoothly.

Don’t let the wrong labor partner compromise your event experience.
 Choose ShowPhaze — where great techs, fast financials, and competitive rates come standard.

Vetting Technicians

Vetting technicians has always been a cornerstone of reliable show execution, yet it’s one of the hardest skills to standardize. In the early days of ShowPhaze, the only true measure was seeing a tech perform live — a method still unmatched for accuracy but limited by time and access. Today, referrals and interviews fill the gaps, but both come with bias and uncertainty. This piece explores the realities of vetting in a fast-paced industry, where the right hire can save a show — and the wrong one can derail it.

 

The conversation around vetting technicians has been coming up a lot lately so I wanted to talk a bit about that topic.

When I first started ShowPhaze the vetting was done by physically seeing the techs do the work in person. This is and always will be the best way to judge someone's competency in a particular role. For instance, an A1 who you witnessed have a flawless show is a safe bet to hire on another event. 

While this method is the best it’s very limited to your time and accessibility to be on show site. The next best option is to have trusted eyes and ears who can observe individuals in these roles for you. This method presents a degree of separation and, therefore, is less reliable depending on the reliability of your source. If your source is another technician who also works the same role, oftentimes they’re not going to recommend the guy who’s better than them because they don’t want to move down the pecking order. However, they might give you a name of someone who’s ok but isn’t likely to threaten their position on future shows. So, be careful about who’s giving you the information and do as much due diligence on them as you should the tech!

Ok so we’ve covered physically witnessing someone's capabilities and having eyes and ears in the drape seams, so what’s next. How do you vet a technician that you have minimal information on?

First off, who’s asking the questions? If the person doing the vetting doesn’t know the first thing about role they are booking, their success is going to be hit or miss. Failing the indepth knowledge of the role, the coordinator is left trying to read the vibe. Some are better at that than others. Unfortunately, many techs oversell themselves. Why? Because when you’re asking if they can do the complex A1 role, what they’re saying yes to is the paycheck and maybe an opportunity to hopefully learn on the job. While you can’t blame someone for trying to put food on the table, or the fact the industry is sort of geared in a way that the best way to learn is via experience, there’s evidently a problem here that could make or break a show.

What are some of the things a stagehand will say to try and get the A1 role? “Yeah man, I’ve been rockin that console for years.” or “I’m an A1/L1/V1” or they might go off on a tangent to fill the air, hoping that if they say enough words or worse, strong-arm the coordinator into giving them the role, they will be successful.

The Importance of Having a Good Team

In live production, great outcomes rarely hinge on gear alone — they depend on the people behind it. For many companies, the focus stays on budgets and logistics, but lasting client relationships are built through consistent performance from trusted crews. At ShowPhaze, we treat team selection with the same precision that production companies apply to equipment choice. Every technician is vetted not just for skill but for reliability, attitude, and collaboration. Backed by our custom-built app and transparent processes, we ensure clients experience faster turnarounds, smoother shows, and crews who take pride in delivering excellence — every time the lights go up.

 

Why ShowPhaze Stands Out

For many production companies, the main focus is the bottom line (aka the cost). While pricing is always important, client retention should be the top priority. To put this into context, end clients often shop around — collecting quotes, comparing production options, and conducting multiple site visits. Production companies, in turn, meticulously select each piece of gear to ensure the show’s success.

When it comes to selecting the right crew, the production company handpicks their travel guys but oftentimes takes a gamble on the labor company tasked with providing the locals

At ShowPhaze, we take a different approach. We invest significant time in vetting and selecting top-tier technicians who are team players and willing to go the extra mile. Just as production companies hand-pick their equipment, we hand-pick our crews. That’s what every quality crewing partner should do.

The real question isn’t how we vet our teams — that’s a detailed conversation for another day — but rather what we specialize in and how that focus benefits our clients.

As the industry becomes more specialized, companies like Gigrent have proven that excellence comes from focusing on a single strength. ShowPhaze applies that same philosophy to AV staffing.

What Makes ShowPhaze Exceptional