Why Focus Leeds matters
PLASA Focus Leeds is the smaller, sharper sibling of the main PLASA Show in London. Where the London show covers the full breadth of entertainment technology across three days at Olympia, Focus Leeds runs as a tightly curated two-day event aimed at the working live events community in the Midlands and north.
The result is a different kind of show. There's less corporate showcasing, more honest conversation. Stands are smaller, demos are hands-on, and the visitor density is high enough that you'll bump into the people you actually need to see. For technical departments and freelance crews, it's often the most productive event in the calendar.
What to look for this year
Lighting and rigging
Expect strong representation from the moving head and LED batten manufacturers, with the latest generation of fixtures being demoed in the Royal Armouries' main exhibition hall. Watch for new approaches to fixture weight — the trend toward smaller, lighter heads with the same output is continuing, and that has knock-on effects for rigging and case specification.
Audio and control
Console manufacturers will be showing the latest control surfaces, and there's typically strong showing from the I/O and networking specialists. The ongoing migration from analogue distribution to AVB and Dante-based systems is reshaping what live audio kit looks like — which means the cases that protect it are changing too.
Truss and staging
Aluminium truss specifications continue to evolve, with finer-grain alloys and new connection methods on display. Worth a careful look if you're specifying for tours that cross between European and UK gigs — the rigging certification environment is changing.
Cases, racks and protection
This is the area we know best. Look for cases that show real engineering rather than just colour and graphics. The detail to check on any case at the show is the same as in the field: panel construction, extrusion quality, latch type, and the integrity of the foam. A good case manufacturer will be happy to talk you through every joint and fastener — if a stand only wants to sell you a brochure, that tells you something.
Practical tips for getting the most out of the show
Plan your day in advance
Two days sounds like a lot, but Royal Armouries is a deceptively dense venue and the conversations you want to have take time. Book the demos and seminars you want to attend ahead of the show, and allow 20 minutes per stand for the conversations that matter.
Bring real questions
Stand staff at Focus Leeds tend to be the people who actually build, design or operate the products on display. That's a rare opportunity to ask the questions you can't get answered from a website. Bring specifics — a piece of kit you're trying to protect, a venue load-in problem you're trying to solve, a tour spec that's giving you trouble.
Check the new product launches
Several manufacturers reserve their year's most significant product announcements for Focus Leeds. The exhibitor list is published a few weeks before the show — scan it for new entries and unfamiliar names, those are usually where the interesting demos are.
Don't skip the seminars
The seminar programme at Focus Leeds is genuinely good. It's where the industry talks honestly about regulation, training, sustainability, and the working conditions in live events. Worth at least one session per day, even if it isn't directly tied to your specialism.
Where to find Nomad Casing
We'll be at PLASA Focus Leeds 2026 with a selection of recent custom builds on the stand — including some of the work we've done for the touring sector over the past 12 months. If you're specifying for an upcoming tour, festival run or production install, come and find us. We'll happily talk through panel construction, extrusion options, foam design and the engineering decisions that separate a case that survives a tour from one that doesn't.
Stand details and the full event programme are at plasashow.com/focusleeds. If you'd like to arrange a specific time to talk through a project before the show, get in touch through nomadcases.co.uk/contact.
See you in Leeds.
Coming to PLASA Focus Leeds 2026?
Find Nomad Casing at the Royal Armouries this May. Stand details: nomadcases.co.uk/plasa-leeds