The Boring Bits: Why Great Events Depend on Unsexy Logistics

Let’s be honest: no one puts fencing, power drops, or toilet placement in the highlight reel.

But without them, the headliner doesn’t go on.

Behind every breathtaking performance, viral crowd moment, or perfectly lit sponsor activation sits a small army of logistics leads, site ops teams, and contractors doing unglamorous, uncelebrated work.

This post is a tribute to them.

The Reality Beneath the Spectacle

Power isn’t optional. Neither is drainage. And don’t even get a site manager started on crew catering or skip bin placement.

These aren’t footnotes. They’re foundations. And they rarely get the airtime they deserve in post event reviews, industry panels, or campaign summaries. But they’re the reason the rest of it works.

We love to talk about creative ambition and immersive storytelling. But imagination means nothing without infrastructure.

Why These Details Deserve More Respect

Here’s what the “boring bits” are actually doing:

• Protecting the site: smart vehicle routes, ground protection, drainage plans

• Keeping people safe: fencing logic, signage placement, lighting for egress

• Sustaining the crew: catering, welfare units, working rest areas

• Powering the magic: strategic generator placement, cable runs, fuel planning

• Making the show possible: toilets, bins, radios, cleaning

None of these are exciting in a keynote. But every single one shows up in the debrief when something goes wrong.

The Risk of Glorifying Only the Glamorous

When awards, headlines, and LinkedIn posts only focus on spectacle, it reinforces a skewed perception of what success looks like.

It tells younger producers that design trumps delivery. That vision is more important than viability.

And it keeps ops teams in the shadows, instead of giving them the recognition (and budgets) they deserve.

Let’s Make Logistics a Feature, Not an Afterthought

Here’s a simple test: if it’s the first thing someone complains about when it fails, it should be part of your planning hero image.

We should be celebrating:

• A clean, logical back of house flow

• Thoughtful toilet distribution that actually matches patron needs

• Crew catering that considers shift patterns, dietary requirements, health and morale

• Quiet generators, well timed waste collection, colour coded cabling

This is where true operational excellence lives. And it’s time we gave it the spotlight it deserves.

To the Unsung Experts

To every logistics lead who walked a site at 5am.

To every crew manager who kept things moving on no sleep.

To every person who’s ever found themselves ankle deep in mud next to a leaking loo with a radio that doesn’t work:

You’re the reason the show goes on.

And you’re not boring. You’re essential.