RMP On Line Archive

Aug. 31, 2011

Electricity and Entertainment

Modern entertainment is very dependent on electricity, especially activities for large groups such as concerts or sporting events. Recently, I attended a performance by my favorite band, Death Cab for Cutie, at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. I stopped by the arena before the show to talk with Craig Martin, Centennial Management Group’s assistant general manager and vice president of operations, about the role of electricity in providing entertainment at the Maverik Center.

A true multi-purpose arena, the Maverik Center (known previously as the E Center) hosts about 115 events each year, including Utah Grizzlies hockey games, concerts and other special events. According to Craig, there’s a lot that goes into planning and preparing for every event, and having a steady supply of electricity is one of the “must haves.” Craig says the arena’s electrical system is robust and has been more than adequate to handle the various power needs, which include lighting, cooling, sound reinforcement and the largest power draw – maintaining the ice sheet for the entire seven-month hockey season.

Craig told me the DCFC concert that night would require only about one-third of the electric demand the facility is capable of providing. Other Maverik Center performances with much larger power needs have included last year’s weeklong musical spectacular featuring the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and a Metallica concert several years ago.

For arena concerts, Craig said lighting generally uses more energy than sound equipment does. That makes sense considering the dazzling light displays that have become such a big part of concerts. While people come to hear the music, it’s both an auditory and a visual experience for sure…and sometimes a physical one when the drums and bass guitar kick in!

While visiting the Maverik Center, I was hoping to also talk with a Death Cab for Cutie sound engineer to find out more about the band’s power use during a concert. That didn’t work out, but it was cool to see band member Chris Walla sitting on the corner of the stage – guitar in hand – about 5 hours before the concert as technicians made final preparations for a sound check. (Now that’s dedication!) And it was interesting to get a peek into the large amount of behind-the-scenes work that goes into making a concert run smoothly.

Power reliability is essential for events like this because the facility’s backup generation is only for minimal lighting and other essential pieces of equipment to ensure safety in an emergency. It wouldn’t provide enough energy to continue with a show if a power outage were to occur. I was glad to hear Craig say that no performance or event has ever been interrupted due to a power outage during the Maverik Center’s 14-year history. We’ll do our best at Rocky Mountain Power to make sure it stays that way.