ALUMNI STORIES: INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE 

Over the next few months, we will be speaking to our key employees, whom we fondly refer to as 'alumni', to share their experiences of living and working for a busy production company. Read their stories as they offer insights, discuss challenges, and highlight milestones during their time at King Sound through a series of interviews.

Our first interviewee is Charlie Kelly, our Technical Specialist who has been with us for nearly three years. He started in a junior position and has since progressed to a more significant production role. Charlie is now directly involved in organising gigs, meeting client briefs, and contributing to the expansion of our client base. Motivated and dedicated, Charlie thrives on challenges.

Whether you are considering a job application with us or contemplating a career in this profession, these stories are filled with valuable advice. We hope you take advantage of this guidance and enjoy reading!

1. WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHERE DID YOUR INTEREST IN SOUND COME FROM? 

So interestingly, I started out as a performer back in school, completely oblivious to the world that I have completely immersed myself in now. As time went on, my curiosity grew, and I started asking questions. I wanted to know more about how everything that I took for granted at the time worked. That’s where my curiosity for sound started. I started taking every opportunity to get involved, asking questions constantly, and working as hard as I could to gain experience. This all leveled up in college, where I started getting closer and closer to the reality of the industry. Every bit of kit the college owned, I needed to know as much as I physically could about. My main interest in college was in sound. From engineering to the setting up of equipment, I relished each part of the process. My time as a performer and an engineer really did complement each other, making me aware of what happens on both sides of the fence, teaching me the importance of the relationship between the artist and the engineer.

Towards the end of my first year in college was my first encounter with King Sound Reinforcement. They came in to do our end-of-year show, and I knew right away I needed to make a good impression. I spent that whole weekend working alongside the engineers who, little did I know, I would become colleagues with the following year. I showed that I was keen and knew a decent amount for my age, which earned me some work experience with them. Before I knew it, I was working for them every other week freelance. This is where my knowledge of sound and other aspects regarding production leveled up.

2. WHAT MADE YOU PICK KING SOUND REINFORCEMENT FOR TRAINING / JOB? 

King Sound Reinforcement was the first company to give me a chance, and I always enjoyed the dynamic when working with them. I worked for a couple of other companies freelance, and none of them compared to the professionalism of King Sound. I’m a realist and knew that I didn’t know it all, and it would all be a learning process. I am a firm believer that you will learn something new every day, and you will never know everything. The array of knowledge around me made it super easy to learn, and anything that I was unsure of, I was helped with straight away. With King Sound’ massive array of equipment, I knew that there would never be a dull moment in my learning process.

3. WHAT DID BRISTOL OFFER YOU AS A YOUNG TRAINEE / EMPLOYEE?

Being from Weston-Super-Mare, apart from a small selection of music venues, the music scene isn't the greatest. In Bristol, on the other hand, the music scene is vibrant with numerous venues and festivals. Additionally, being a higher-profile location, the caliber of acts passing through is much higher. This increases the pressure in a positive way and motivates you to aspire to reach that level, working with these top artists week in and week out.

4. HOW DID YOU WORK EVOLVE HERE AT KSR?

Starting with a lot of warehouse responsibilities and smaller-scale jobs, I have grown into a more specialised role involving relations with clients. This role leans towards production management, which I am really interested in. This obviously increases my responsibilities, but due to the amount that I have learned in the past year along with the supportive atmosphere, it doesn’t phaze me.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST / HARDEST / FUNNIEST MEMORY OF WHEN YOU TRAINED / WORKED AT KSR?

The best moment for me was Bristol Sounds 2023. It turned out that one of the acts during the week was my Dad's favourite band. Due to working at the festival the whole week, I managed to get him into the event, which really highlighted how much of a privilege it is to work for a company like King Sound Reinforcement. This job isn't easy, especially with the growing demands of the industry, and conveying this challenge to people outside the industry can be difficult. This experience showed my family for the first time why I do this and why I love what I do. It was such a wholesome moment, and I believe that due to my personal growth and the company's growth, this will not be the last.

6. WHAT HAVE YOU GONE TO ACHIEVE SINCE TRAINING / WORKING WITH KSR?

Since joining King Sound, I have achieved a lot in many different aspects of my profession. For example, I have expanded my knowledge scope. Originally starting with sound, I began delving into the world of lighting and AV. I have become fully capable of handling all aspects and now can work on most gigs as part of any of our departments. Furthermore, through training, I have obtained qualifications in power, specifically BS7909, which assesses competence in temporary electronic systems. This training has significantly enhanced my knowledge in a crucial part of the industry. Moving forward, there is more training planned, and the company is fully supportive in facilitating my participation in the training I am interested in.

7. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

At the moment, I am working on establishing relationships with clients and being involved in the full process. From quoting jobs to meeting clients and being on the job, I aim to improve my experience in all the processes involved in making a gig happen. With targets set during my annual appraisal this year, I am also pursuing new work and dealing with brand new clients, starting completely from scratch. This has really given me extra drive to improve and hone my skills further, advancing me in my profession.

8. WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR CAREER TO BE HEADING?

I am interested in becoming a Production manager in the near future. I love the entire process, and I believe that I am getting better and better at it day by day. I want to help the company progress, establish my own client base, and truly become a key part of the company. I am in with King Sound for the long run, and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow with the company.

9. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO TRAINEES THINKING ABOUT TRAINING / WORKING AT KSR?

The amount you will learn in this company is unrivaled. You will learn something new every single day. Being keen is the most significant piece of advice; you must show that you are willing to learn to advance in your career. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; the entire team is super understanding and doesn’t expect you to know everything. The beauty of our dynamic is that we all bounce off each other, and everyone has their part to play.