Live veteran John Probyn joins Solotech
Former Live Nation executive John Probyn has joined AV tech specialist Solotech as head of business development in Europe for the company’s live productions division.
In the newly created role, Probyn will be responsible for the business development of the firm’s touring activities in Europe, cultivating new relationships while continuing to service Solotech’s existing customer base.
“With an outstanding track record in music festival, touring and events, Probyn will be an amazing addition to our team,” says Mickey Curbishley, Solotech president, live productions, US, UK. “He has such a broad live production background and vast experience, he will undoubtedly play a crucial role in supporting Solotech’s continued growth in Europe.”
Probyn, who brings almost 20 years’ experience in leadership positions at Live Nation UK, started out in the industry in the late 1980s and was responsible for creating and producing the Party in the Park series of sponsored music events for several radio stations throughout the country.
“Solotech’s global vision for the future in terms of growth and development excites me and I relish the challenge of helping them to achieve their ambitions”
In 1997, he started his own consultancy offering health and safety planning and management, before joining LN forerunner Clear Channel Entertainment as operations director in 2001, rising up the ranks to become Live Nation UK COO. He has worked on stadium tours by the likes of U2, Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Jovi, along with festivals such as Download, Wireless and Hard Rock Calling, and special events including Live 8, Live Earth, The Concert for Diana, Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday concert and the 2012 London Olympics.
In 2015, Probyn stepped down from LN but later joined Festival Republic in 2017 working for Melvin Benn on a range of festivals and projects.
“I’ve worked with Solotech UK brands Capital Sound, Wigwam and SSE Audio for many years and they have always been an important part of what I have achieved,” says Probyn. “Their global vision for the future in terms of growth and development excites me and I relish the challenge of helping them to achieve their ambitions.”
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PRG Music Group CEO Mickey Curbishley resigns
Mickey Curbishley, chief executive of PRG Music Group, has announced he will be leaving the company at the end of this month, bringing the curtain down on an 18-year career at the head of the production services outfit.
As company CEO, Curbishley (pictured) oversaw business development and client support for concert tours, special events, television and other music-related projects around the world. “After 18 great years at PRG, I have decided to move on,” he says. “Looking back what a fantastic journey it has been – from a tiny warehouse in west London where we spent the first week removing dead pigeons to the glamorous Hollywood Hills – I have been extremely proud of the professional and personal achievements my time at PRG has afforded me, but now I feel it is time to begin a new journey in this amazing and ever-changing industry.”
In announcing his resignation, Curbishley thanked everyone that has made his journey at PRG so special. “I will miss working with the amazing team that makes up the Music Group,” he comments. “These are not just the people I work with, these are my lifelong friends sharing some of the toughest times and definitely some of the funniest!”
Curbishley begin his career in the music industry touring with the likes of Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, George Harrison, Frank Sinatra, Judas Priest, AC/DC and Prince. After leaving the road in 1994, he joined Light & Sound Design (LSD), where he eventually became co-owner.
“I can assure you I am not leaving the music industry, but rather am excited to have the opportunity to look for and embrace the new adventures and possibilities it has to offer”
Following PRG’s acquisition of LSD in 1998, Curbishley filled leadership roles for the concert touring division, including president and global president. In recent years, he oversaw the formation of the PRG Music Group, focused on providing integrated video and lighting solutions for tours, festivals, and concert events around the world. Curbishley helped integrate and merge the leading industry veterans and technology expertise of PRG and Nocturne.
“I am very proud to have been in a position to have contributed to the success and hard work of such an incredible team of people at PRG over the years,” adds Curbishley. “It has been a real pleasure, a great deal of work and some wild times together. Though I am moving on from PRG, I am confident that everyone at the Music Group will continue to provide the highest level of support for PRG’s clients. Over the coming weeks I look forward to continue working with my clients and colleagues as I make this transition.”
He concludes: “It’s always been my clients, many of whom I am lucky to also count as friends, and their creativity that has pushed me to achieve the highest level in all my endeavours and I look forward to continuing those many close collaborations. This is one of the most exciting industries that I know and it is one that is definitely in my blood. I can assure you I am not leaving the music industry, but rather am excited to have the opportunity to look for and embrace the new adventures and possibilities it has to offer.”
Curbishley can be reached at [email protected].
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