Certified riggers, CM Lodestar and Stagemaker chain motors from 250kg to 2-ton, Tomcat and James Thomas truss. Proof-load tests, engineered rigging plots, and a signed-off pre-show inspection on every job.
Rigging is the line between a clean show and a case file. Every overhead hang we run is supervised, engineered, and documented before crew leaves the deck.
Every overhead rig is supervised by a credentialed rigger — theater and arena disciplines on staff. We carry current certifications on file, provide rigger names to venue safety officers in advance, and the documentation moves with the project. Credential specifics shared on the call.
Union calls are routine in LA — convention centers, theaters, broadcast lots, and most city-managed venues. Our rigging leads carry the right cards for the room, and we coordinate the call in advance so the sheet never gets contested at load-in.
Every rigger and rigging assistant on our roster carries current fall-protection training. Subpart M is followed for any work above six feet, and a daily job hazard analysis runs before crew goes overhead. Documentation goes to the venue safety officer and stays in the project file.
Every motor and load-bearing component on our shelf is proof-load tested annually with paperwork on file. Inspection cycles are monthly for motors in active rotation. We provide proof-load certificates to venue and production safety officers on request — no chasing PDFs three days before doors.
Lodestar is the entertainment industry standard chain motor. We stock the full capacity range, monthly-inspected and proof-load tested. Controllers are LSC and Motion Labs, both DMX and direct.
| Motor | Capacity | Speed | Typical Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| CM Lodestar 250kg | 550 lbs | 16 ft/min | Lighting truss pickups, light scenic, signage hangs |
| CM Lodestar 500kg | 1,100 lbs | 16 ft/min | Standard truss spans, mid-weight LED, line array supports |
| CM Lodestar 1-ton | 2,200 lbs | 16 ft/min | Mainstage truss, full LED walls, heavy PA hangs |
| CM Lodestar 2-ton | 4,400 lbs | 8 ft/min | Festival roof points, massive LED walls, ground-support towers |
Per-motor scope includes controller share and rigger touch time. Full-show rigging crews are scoped to the brief.
Truss choice drives the rigging plan — span, point load, deflection, and where you can hang lights versus where you can't. Here's what we stock and where each family earns its keep.
The indoor workhorse. 12-inch box truss in 4 ft, 8 ft, and 10 ft straight sections plus full corner inventory. Used for lighting truss, mid-size LED hangs, and conference stage rigs. Reliable for spans up to 30 ft between motor pickups with standard fixture loads.
Festival and outdoor mainstage truss. Heavier construction with diagonal bracing for higher point loads and longer spans. 20.5-inch box truss handles 40+ ft spans with line array PA, heavy LED, and full lighting rigs. Standard for outdoor festival roof builds and large award show stages.
Heavy long-span truss for festival roofs, ground-support towers, and PA hangs that need to clear 50+ ft. JTE's 30-inch box truss is engineered for the absolute top of the load chart we run. We use it for mainstage roof headers, massive LED wall ground support, and any structural beam role that exceeds Tomcat 20.5's limits.
Steel sub-structure for roof systems and ground support towers. Used as the load-bearing skeleton under festival roofs, beneath LED ground-stack rigs, and as the foundation for any free-standing tower over 20 ft. Plated steel is the only material we trust for the sub-structure level — aluminum truss sits on top of it, not the other way around.
Every rigging job — single signage point or a festival mainstage — lands with the full discipline envelope. No surprise change orders mid-build.
We don't publish a rate card because two events with the same square footage rarely cost the same. What drives the number: pixel pitch (for LED), fixture density (for lighting), engine + camera count (for XR), permitting (for SFX), and how much load-in lives inside our 24-hour window. Tell us what you're building and we'll come back with a number engineered to it.
Want a directional estimate before you brief us? Run the LED Wall Calculator — it returns panel count, weight, power draw, and a band you can sense-check internally before you send us a brief.
Every union venue, broadcast lot, and convention floor in LA has its own rigging quirks. We know the grid loads, the venue safety officers, and the union call patterns.
A festival mainstage doesn't rig like a corporate keynote. Crew, engineering, and weather protocol scale by market.
Our riggers are full-time crew. They know our motor inventory, our truss stock, and our project history. No staffing-agency mystery on show day. About the team.
Same-week rigging doesn't depend on a sub-rental phone tree. Our LA warehouse holds the motors, truss, slings, and shackles. For the motor side see our motor hoist rental page.
The crew rigging the truss is also installing the LED and the lighting that hangs from it. How we work.
Yes. Every overhead rig we run is supervised by a certified rigger — both theater and arena disciplines on staff. We carry current certifications on file, provide rigger names to venue safety officers in advance, and supply documentation to your insurance carrier and venue safety officer when the job calls for it. Credential specifics are shared on the call.
We start with discovery — a 20-minute call to understand the room, the run-of-show, and the look you're after. From there we do a site visit (or virtual walkthrough) to verify load-in, power, rigging points, and sightlines. That feeds an engineering document with fixture or panel counts, crew, transport, and any permitting. The fixed quote follows the engineering doc, line-itemed so you can see exactly where each number lands. No surprise add-ons after signature.
Columbus McKinnon Lodestar is our primary motor — the entertainment industry standard. Stocked capacities are 250kg, 500kg, 1-ton, and 2-ton. All motors are inspected on a monthly cycle and proof-load tested annually with paperwork on file. Motor controllers are LSC and Motion Labs, both DMX and direct. We also stock CM Prostar units for portable rigs that need 120V single-phase power instead of a three-phase tap.
Four families. Tomcat 12in box truss for indoor stages and mid-size rigs — the workhorse. Tomcat 20.5in box truss for outdoor and festival builds with longer spans and higher loads. James Thomas Engineering 30in box truss for heavy long-span work, PA hangs, and ground support towers. Total Structures plated steel for sub-structure under roof systems. All truss is annual-inspected, signed off, and stamped — no mystery loaners off the rack.
Yes. We rig scenic flying for theater productions, branded reveals, and stage effect work using either standard motorized hoists or specialty live-flying systems with redundant safety lines. For performer rigging — aerialists, harness work, and stunt elements — we partner with bonded specialty riggers and provide the load-bearing infrastructure. Every flying job gets a written rigging plan, an engineered load chart, and a signed-off pre-show inspection.
Inside the LA dispatch radius, same-week is standard for any rig under twelve motor points. For a single proof-load test or signage hang we can roll inside 48 hours. Mainstage and festival rigs need at least two weeks of lead time so we can produce the rigging plot, run engineering, schedule the certified rigger, and coordinate the venue safety walk. Send us the venue, the load-in window, and a sketch of what flies.
