In The Interview: Sören Zimmermann

by Marcel, 25.04.2023

When audience members look back on an impressive performance, they usually think of the musicians and the set list. But the backstage staff and the right scenery are at least as important for a coherent overall work. Because there is more work behind the opulent construction than one might assume at first glance. Rarely does anyone ask who builds such a stage, how long it actually takes and how much material is needed.But who actually decides on the design and how is the stage set created until it finally transports the audience into another world? Sören Zimmermann has been accompanying bands like De/Vision, Mesh and Aesthetic Perfection for many years. We talked to Sören about his work in the field of stage design.

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Hello Sören, tell us a little about yourself. 

Hello Marcel, there's not that much to tell. I am 50 years old, married, have two children and work full-time for Deutsche Bahn.


Your main job at concerts and festivals is setting up the stage. How long have you been doing that and how did you get into it?

I can still remember exactly. My first tour was in 2000 with In Strict Confidence.

The tour had already been running for 3 days when Jan (Jan Winterfeld from Pluswelt) called me at work and asked if I could take leave from tomorrow to support the crew for the rest of the tour. So the misery took its course! (laugh)


Apart from setting up and dismantling stages, there is also the assembly of all kinds of lighting and sound equipment. On average, how many people are responsible for setting up the stage and how much time is needed until it is said "stage is set" and how do you deal with the time pressure?

Well, that varies and depends on the size of the production. For a complete mesh tour we are usually 1 lighting technician, 1 sound technician, 1 backliner and a "girl" for everything. Then there are the technicians from the house/club, usually also a lighting technician and a sound technician plus possibly stage hands.As far as time pressure is concerned, it's like in any profession where deadlines are involved. 


What do you find fascinating about stage construction?

Actually, the whole process of creation. Especially when there is a lot of light and LED's involved, how the stage design slowly comes into being. 


Has anything ever gone really wrong? If so, what?

Everything always works out for us (laugh)!

No, seriously, of course something unforeseen always happens. Once the musicians on stage had full sound as it should be, but the sound for the audience was not there. We don't even notice that on or next to the stage and the sound technician has stress.


Can you guess roughly how many kilometres you cover each year travelling to concerts and events, not to mention the running during an event? 
Uh, that adds up to quite a bit, over the year it can be in the lower 5-digit kilometre range. Luckily I rarely have to drive myself. 

Thanks to modern technology, the walking is comprehensible, 15 to 20k steps are not uncommon, and most of the time you haven't left the terrain.

The pandemic has not only put a heavy burden on the artists in the past years, but also on the staff behind the scenes. Looking back, how was that time for you?

I was and am very lucky to be in a permanent position, which has proven to be crisis-proof. 
But others who make a living from the business have been hit really hard and many a financial reserve has been lost. 
Unfortunately, some of the after-effects are still being felt today. Be it a lack of staff among the technicians, the local crew or the bus drivers of the nightliners.                                                 
In addition, many people no longer buy their tickets well in advance, which makes planning extremely difficult for organisers and artists and therefore often leads to cancellations or postponements.

What do you wish for the coming years?

Health and peace

Sören, thank you very much for the interview!

It was an honour!