Yorkshire firm who built stages for Arctic Monkeys and Jay-Z sold to US firm

Brilliant Stages has designed the stages for world tours from the likes of the Rolling Stones, Sheffield-based Arctic Monkeys, U2, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Coldplay.

The acquisition by TAIT, which is based in Pennsylvania in the United States, will see it join forces with one of the biggest live event firms in the world.

It is not clear at this stage whether the Brilliant Stages name will be subsumed into TAIT’s branding at this stage.

Brilliant Stages is based on the Production Park facility near Wakefield and was founded in 1983.

It will continue to operate from this facility as part of the deal with TAIT.

Over the years its clients have included Hugh Jackman, Renault Formula 1 and the Dubai Mall. Meanwhile TAIT works with the likes of Princess Cruises, Fortnite World Cup, Disney, Dubai Expo 2020 and the Olympics.

A spokesperson said: “Together, TAIT and Brilliant will continue to offer world-class live event technologies with a continued focus on boutique customer service, a staple of both companies.”

Ben Brooks, Managing Director of Brilliant, “We have built the brand brick-by-brick with an equal focus on spectacle, design, employees, and customers.

“That is what makes being part of TAIT a perfect match, culturally we are 100 per cent aligned.”

Adam Davis, chief creative officer at TAIT, “This really is a perfect cultural match.

“We are excited to share with Brilliant our technology, assets, and lessons learned over our 40 years in the live event business.

“We have found a true partner in Brilliant and we share a deep belief in delivering excellence to our customers and their fans.”

Giles Taylor, partner at KPMG, who advised on the deal, said: “Brilliant Stages is an outstanding example of how a Yorkshire business can perform on the global stage.

“In the age of streaming, live music events are growing in both scale and economic value, so it’s no surprise to see a large international buyer looking to secure the resources of a UK business that has a track record working with major artists.”