When Sh*t Goes Wrong At Events

This week Freddie Sparrow sits down with Neil Bainbridge — the founder of Neighbourhood and the driving force behind Newcastle clubbing institution Shindig Events — for one of the most candid conversations we've had on the show.

Neil doesn't hold back. A flooded city centre site that nearly wiped out the business. A warehouse roof that peeled clean off the night of an event. And a property owner who nearly pulled the plug on a major brand activation the night before it was due to happen.

What comes through in all of it is a simple principle: be honest with your crowd, be straight with your suppliers, and build a network you can actually call on when things go sideways.

If you work in events, at any level, this one's worth your time.🎧 Listen now via the link in the comments.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance — specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected]

A brand-new episode of WHEN SH*T GOES WRONG AT EVENTS is live, and this week Freddie Sparrow is joined by Nick Morgan, Founder and CEO of WeGroup, the UK’s largest independent festival producer.

From losing huge sums as a promoter to building one of the UK’s best-known independent event operations businesses, Nick shares an honest account of how failure, resilience, and experience shaped his journey.

The conversation covers everything from financial risk and crisis management to team building, event safety, and why independent festivals matter so much. Nick also makes a strong case for better protection of the independent festival ecosystem, arguing that without real support, the wider cultural and economic value of live events is at risk. Honest, sharp, and full of behind-the-scenes insight, this is a must-listen for anyone working in events.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance — specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected]

#EventsIndustry #Ticketing #LiveMusic #EventProfessionals #Podcast

Episode 22 - Live at AIF Festival Congress with Millie Devereux and Jamie Tagg.

Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Millie Devereux from We Group and Jamie Tagg from Mighty Hoopla, live at the AIF Festival Congress and in front of an audience, for the very first time! The three compare notes on all things events, the good the bad and the ugly, and from both sides - Millie is in production, and Jamie is a promoter, and Freddie, well he’s an insurance broker now (although he’s still an event organiser at heart), so it’s a nice, balanced view.

Together they talk through the 4 T’s - toilets, traffic, talent and tickets - as well as some entertaining moments in their lives behind the scenes of events, and career highlights!

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Duncan King, Head of Partnerships at Skiddle, whose career spans DJing, promoting, artist management, and working at the heart of the UK ticketing industry. From the EDM boom of the mid-2000s to today’s challenging market for promoters, Duncan shares a candid look at how the industry has evolved - and what it takes to survive in it.

They explore the realities of life on tour, the pressures facing artists and promoters, and why attention to detail (from backstage care to financial planning) can make or break an event. The conversation also tackles mental health in the industry, the shift toward professionalisation, and why collaboration and diversification are becoming essential for long-term success.

Topics covered:

• Duncan’s journey from teenage DJ to industry leader at Skiddle
• The role of artist managers and life behind major tours
• Why artist riders and backstage care matter more than you think
• Mental health challenges for artists and independent promoters
• The evolution from cash-at-door events to online ticketing
• Current market pressures and the need to diversify
• Trust, relationships, and building sustainable careers in events

Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Duncan King, Head of Partnerships at Skiddle.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Joe Heap, Towersey and Found festival organiser and university lecturer, whose family has been running festivals for generations. From the emotional farewell to the 60-year-old Towersey Festival to launching a new event and navigating burnout, Joe shares the highs, lows, and chaos of live event management.

They discuss real-world challenges including travellers trashing a festival site weeks before build, floods, financial hits, and the evolving post-COVID event landscape.

Topics covered:

• Growing up in a festival family and the legacy of Towersey Festival
• Launching a new festival focused on the audience experience
• Surviving chaos on site - from rogue travellers to extreme weather
• Burnout, stress, and the dangers of wearing exhaustion as a “badge of honour”
• Building strong teams and recognising your own limits
• Financial pressures and the importance of proper insurance
• Soft skills as essential tools for future event organisers

Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Joe Heap, festival organiser and lecturer.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Nick Steiert, events entrepreneur and founder behind student travel brand Invasion Events and Wellnergy festival. From running university events to choosing startups over a legal career, Nick shares the realities of building, and rebuilding, an events business under pressure.

They discuss rapid growth, tough financial moments, surviving COVID as a travel events company, and launching into the fast-growing wellness festival space, along with lessons in resilience, sponsorship, and planning for the worst.

Topics covered:

• Choosing events over a corporate law career
• Building a student travel and nightlife events brand
• COVID’s impact on travel events and refund pressures
• Raising emergency funds to keep the business alive
• Launching a wellness festival and the growth of the sector
• Why founders shouldn’t be too ambitious too early
• Real world event mishaps and unexpected setbacks

Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Nick Steiert, Founder of Wellnergy and Invasion Events.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Nick Steiert, events entrepreneur and founder behind student travel brand Invasion Events and Wellnergy festival. From running university events to choosing startups over a legal career, Nick shares the realities of building, and rebuilding, an events business under pressure.

They discuss rapid growth, tough financial moments, surviving COVID as a travel events company, and launching into the fast-growing wellness festival space, along with lessons in resilience, sponsorship, and planning for the worst.

Topics covered:

• Choosing events over a corporate law career
• Building a student travel and nightlife events brand
• COVID’s impact on travel events and refund pressures
• Raising emergency funds to keep the business alive
• Launching a wellness festival and the growth of the sector
• Why founders shouldn’t be too ambitious too early
• Real world event mishaps and unexpected setbacks

Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Nick Steiert, Founder of Wellnergy and Invasion Events.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Chris Carter, Founder and CEO of Eventwise, to unpack the financial realities of running live events. From promoting student club nights in Bristol to working across the festival supply chain, Chris shares how he found his way into accountancy, and why understanding the numbers can make or break an event.

The conversation covers everything from overinflated artist fees and rising costs, to the importance of solid budget sheets and cashflow management. Chris also shares some unforgettable stories from the field, including managing festival finances in Mexico under intense pressure, and what resilience really looks like when events aren’t going to plan.

Topics covered:

• How Chris went from promoting club nights to leading an events finance business
• Why budget sheets are essential for every event
• The reality behind artist fees and marketing spend
• Managing cashflow at festivals (including a high pressure situation in Mexico)
• Why many independent promoters haven’t survived, and advice for those trying to
• Building an events brand that lasts, and the role of resilience

Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Chris Carter, Founder & CEO of Eventwise.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Series 3 of When Shit Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, Freddie Sparrow chats with John Rostron, CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), about a career shaped by a love of music, early chaos, and lessons learned the hard way. From losing money on first events to championing grassroots venues, John shares what it really takes to make live music thrive.

Topics covered:

• How a love of music and organising led John into promoting.
• Why “never trust a promoter who’s never lost money” matters.
• Why local venues and knowledge are essential - and how co-promoting can work.
• Power outages, artists walking off stage, and handling live emergencies.

Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest John Rostron, CEO of the AIF.

This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email [email protected].

Welcome to Season 2 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast where we give a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising.

In this episode, we speak with Craig Mathie, Managing Director of Project 30, about what it was really like to run a festival company through and after the pandemic. Endless cancellations, what it was like launching a business in the wash-out summer of 2023, and why resilience and the right skillset matter more than anything when sh*t goes wrong.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Running a festival business during Covid: Cancelling, rescheduling, and surviving the unknown.

• Craig's biggest festival ever: Pulled off in just 42 days after restrictions ended.

• Launching in a wet summer: The highs, lows, and mud-soaked realities of 2023.

• Why skillsets matter more than knowledge: Lessons for anyone starting out in events.

• Tents, beds, and windy nights at Formula 1: How small oversights become big problems at Silverstone.

Connect with our host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and connect with our guest Craig Mathie, Managing Director of Project 30 Events Management.