live sound / tour management course tutors
BIMM are exciting about the development of this vocational training programme. The course will train students to be rounded professionals and highly employable in the live music industry. From Guitar, Bass, Drum and Keyboard teaching to our front sound engineering to preparing accounts and booking venues for a national entire tour this course covers the lot. Suitable only for students who are prepared to get their hands dirty and work hard!

		Barry Jepson (Independent) - Head of Live Sound and Tour Management Barry was founder member of Southern Death Cult (later The Cult). He has also been a promoter rep and tour manager for acts such as Placebo, Arcade Fire, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Bryan Adams, Nick Cave, Iron Maiden, Kasabian, Ozzy Osbourne, Kaiser Chiefs, Will Young, Tool, Girls Aloud, Rammstein and Brian Ferry. No one knows more about putting a gig on than Barry. Barry will be teaching all Live Sound and Tour Management students the practical side of tour managing and covering areas such as budgets, organising tour schedules and working closely with venue managers.

		Darius Kedros (Independent) - Deputy Head of Live Sound and Tour Management Darius is a producer, engineer and composer with 17 years experience in the music industry. He is currently working freelance in music production and live engineering having had his own record deals in the 90’s. He’s the live sound engineer for a great variety of artists including Mystery Jets, Jimmy Somerville, Kathryn Williams, The Sunshine Underground, White Rose Movement, The Bluetones and Gabrielle among others.

		Dex Lush (South Central) - Live Sound and Tour Management Tutor Dex began his career as a promoter in Newcastle providing early shows for local bands such as Dubstar, Kenickie and Ultrasound. Setting up and managing a merchandise company he toured for various years both nationally and internationally. He then decided to pursue a career in management and A&R. There, he worked with such luminaries as Simon Napier Bell and Chris Blackwell. Dex is the manager of South Central whom have recorded for Regal (EMI), Young Turks (XL) and remixed well over 20 well known acts, toured with the Prodigy, Pendulum, The Whip and Does It Offend You Yeah. South Central has provided music for a number of top line video game titles and commercials for Mazda, Bacardi and Fiat. In addition to managing, he is also the MD of South Central’s own record label Egregore Music. South Central has regularly employed BIMM students for UK, European and Japan based tours.

		James Shears (Independent) - Live Sound and Tour Management Tutor James has had a varied career as a sound engineer, musician and singer/songwriter within the UK and South Africa. Over the past 10 years he has been a Product Manager with the mixing console manufacturer Soundcraft, where he has been responsible for developing some of the company’s most successful products including the recently launched Si Series Digital Live Sound Console. During his time in South Africa, James won awards at national level for album projects as both a producer/engineer and as an artist in his own right. James is still very much involved with live performance as the front man for the award winning function band 5Catfish as well as continuing with his own solo work. He continues to take on live mixing and recording projects whenever time allows! His extensive experience as both musician and sound engineer give him a unique ability to understand life at both ends of the microphone cable!

		Mark Dawson (Independent) - Live Sound & Tour Management Tutor Mark Dawson started out booking and promoting bands like Radiohead at the Market Tavern in Kidderminster. He has since gone on to work extensively in the business with Girls Aloud, Alice Cooper, Motorhead, Status Quo, 50 Cent, Eminem, The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Libertines, Jay Z, Sterophonics, Iron Maiden, Slipknot, UB40, Matchbox 20, British Sea Power and AC/DC. Aside from working with top acts and doing the festival circuit he was the International Production Manager for WWE (wrestling) doing all their non-American dates.