Playback engineering for Maribou State

Maribou State are one of the UK's most celebrated electronic acts, known for rich live arrangements that blend organic instruments with electronic production. Their live show relies on technology working flawlessly behind the scenes, from synced redundant playback to hybrid instrumentation and complex MIDI routing and triggering across the stage.

I joined the touring crew to support the playback system and keep the live rig rock solid throughout the run of shows.

The story

Electronic artists touring with a full band face a particular challenge: translating intricate studio productions to the stage without losing the energy or spontaneity of performance.

My role was to design, maintain and operate the playback system that tied the whole show together. That meant building and running the Ableton playback rigs, building racks for each station, troubleshooting, supporting the backline setup for synths, and keeping the band's musical and technical systems in sync every night.

Touring means different venues, stages and technical teams every day. Consistency is everything. My job was to make the technology disappear into the background so the band could focus entirely on the performance.

The result

The shows ran smoothly across 2025, including a headline slot at Glastonbury, with the playback system a stable backbone for the production and MIDI control across all four stations on stage.

From rehearsals to the final shows, the rig delivered reliable sync, tight transitions and seamless integration between electronic and live elements. For the audience it simply felt like a powerful, cohesive live show, which is exactly how it should be.