Touring internationally with irreplaceable scores, delicate batons and high-end tech is no small logistical feat. Film-with-orchestra and film music conductor Ben Palmer spends much of his life in airports, backstage corridors and remote venues, often with tight turnarounds between performances.
We sat down with Ben to talk about how he protects the tools of his craft, why his PELI gear has become non-negotiable when he travels, and what he expects from equipment cases as concert productions become ever more ambitious.
Protecting Irreplaceable Scores And Essential Gear
PELI cases are known for protecting valuable gear in any condition. How do you personally protect and transport your instruments, scores and equipment while touring internationally?
Ben Palmer:
In my hand luggage I am always carrying several heavy conductor scores that are completely irreplaceable, because each one contains hundreds or thousands of handwritten pencil markings. I also have a tube of batons, a MacBook and iPad, one or more pairs of expensive headphones and earphones, plus cables, chargers, passports and so on.
I really need to have all of that both accessible and held safely in place, whatever conditions I am in. My go-to PELI is the 1535 Air, which I have set up with a couple of TrekPak configurations, depending on what I need to bring with me for each trip.
Staying Performance Ready While Constantly On The Move
As someone who carries his craft around the globe, how does the portability and durability of your PELI gear affect your ability to perform at a high level under varying conditions such as airports, backstage areas or remote venues?
Ben Palmer:
Although being an orchestral conductor is not an extreme sport, getting from place to place can be. I take more than 80 flights each year, and I am often packing away the instant I come off stage to head off to my next project.
What I really value with PELI cases is knowing I can stow all my gear in just a few seconds, and be certain it will be exactly where I left it when I am going through airport security, fumbling for a charger and cable in the dark, or racing to grab what I need for my next rehearsal.
Not all of my work is in a concert hall. My travels have taken me to places as extreme as Svalbard, and I just conducted three nights on an open-air stage in the desert in front of the Pyramids, where there was fine sand everywhere except inside my case and on my gear.
What Makes A Reliable Transport Case
Given your work with high-value instruments, scores and sometimes fragile stage setups, what features do you look for in transport cases that ensure safe passage between cities?
Ben Palmer:
For me, it is that combination of endless flexibility with the internal compartments and the extreme protection that makes my PELI cases so valuable. I know there is nothing the elements, or airport security or baggage handling staff, can throw at my case that it cannot handle.
I have watched my case being thrown and dropped, falling off the end of a security scanner conveyor belt, being crushed by heavy flight cases, and I have bumped it myself down stairs and through dark backstage areas. It has emerged totally unscathed.
It is light and it is indestructible. And, best of all, I have never had any issues whatsoever taking a 1535 Air on as hand luggage, which is not something I can say for any other hand luggage I have ever owned. It is also fantastic on the old cobbled streets of European cities.
Looking Ahead To More Immersive Productions
Looking into the future, as production values evolve and you take more immersive concerts on the road, what expectations do you have for your equipment cases and logistical support?
Ben Palmer:
It is always nice to see that my non-musician colleagues behind the stage, photographers, sound engineers, audio and video technicians and so on, all use PELI gear too.
I bought my first PELI case a year ago simply because all the equipment I had to take would not fit into my old hand luggage, and now I understand why people who are serious about protecting their equipment do not use anything else.
As my needs change from project to project, it seems there really is a PELI case for every situation, so it is great to see new models being released, like the carry-on ATX spinner suitcase. Looking ahead to more immersive productions, I expect my cases to continue doing what they already do so well: adapt to new configurations, protect more complex setups and make it easy to move quickly and safely from one city to the next.
Biography
Ben Palmer is one of the world’s foremost film-with-orchestra and film music conductors, in demand in concert halls and recording studios across the globe. Acclaimed by Hans Zimmer as “a masterclass in conducting” and personally authorised by John Williams to conduct his film scores live in concert, he has worked with artists such as Lang Lang, Hayato Sumino, Carla Chamoun and Bastille.
Connect with Ben Palmer
Website: www.benpalmer.net
