KES provided security services(third year) for the 2024 Boston Calling Music Festival, a 3-day, 4-stage, outdoor festival featuring Ed Sheeran, Leon Bridges, Trey Anastasio & Classic Tab, The Killers, Hozier, Megan The Stallion, and more. Visual arts, a 100-foot Ferris wheel, and local food favorites rounded out the festival experience. Boston Calling 2024 was held along the scenic Charles River at Harvard Athletic Complex over Memorial Day Weekend.
KES handled security for the second year for Hulaween, a 4-day camping, music, costume and art experience on Halloween weekend. The event is held at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and Campground, an 800-acre campground located on the historic banks of the Suwannee River. Only the creators of the event can describe its vibe, “The theme for Hulaween 2023 is Full Moon Family Reunion! Explore the universe as an interstellar wanderer embarking on a journey of self-discovery and magic. Dress as your zodiac sign, a tarot character, or stand upon the moon with aliens. Embrace werewolves, witches, or goblins, and channel your inner beast or protector. Unlock the mysteries of your destiny at the intersection of the past, present, and future!” Needless to say, many special public safety challenges are presented at such a unique festival.
https://suwanneehulaween.com/
This two-day, all-ages beach festival was held over Memorial Day weekend. Music, food and swimming in the surf brought fans out for sun and fun. KES was honored to provide public safety at this inaugural family-friendly event.
This unique festival experience was held at the Pikes Peak International Raceway. Gridlife is about celebration all forms of automotive enthusiasm from the fastest track cars to the best builds from several category. The 2022 Alpine Horizon festival featured three days of music, camping, and car culture immersion. The event attracts festival fans, car fanatics, and the simply car-curious. Special security measures were instituted for music performances Friday and Saturday night, hundreds of race cars, the world’s best drifters, full video-game barcade, car shows, rc-drifting, crazy cart drifting course, camping and food vendors all in an open all access environment.
https://www.alpinehorizonfestival.com
Full scale security planning is provided by Kel Executive Services for this annual multi-day electronica dance festival in Dallas. Venues have included the Dallas Convention Center and the historic Dallas Fair Park.
The MetaMoon Music Festival was a single-day festival and cultural experience to celebrate the Asian American diaspora at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Founded by Hong Kong-based Graceful Media and produced in partnership with Live Nation, the inaugural MetaMoon Music Festival showcased the global reach and impact of Asian artists, music, and fans, while emphasizing the culturally rich and diverse communities in Brooklyn and across New York City.
KES provided security coordination for the awards ceremony held by the Women’s Media Center to honor outstanding leaders and champions for women in media. This year’s honorees were Andrea Mitchell, Robin Roberts, Mariana Ardila Trujillo, Loretta J. Ross, Salamishah Tillet, Loreen Arbus, and Maria Martinez.
This electronic dance festival and costume party at Sam Houston Race Park brings ghosts and goblins from all over. They gather in outrageous constumes for the beat of musicians like Illenium, Kaskade, Gorgon City, Pendulum, Steve Akoi, and dozens of others. KES handles all security planning and execution, customizing operations for the special challenges of a costume party.
This unique festival combines two of Texas fans’ favorite activities–tubing on the Guadalupe River and enjoying great music. It earned the Houston Chronicle’s “12 Most Exciting Summer 2022 Concerts” ranking, as well as being named one of Billboard’s Top 50 Festivals of 2022. Music acts included Cage the Elephant, Chance the Rapper, and Vampire Weekend.
KES was honored to enter the world of gaming and music festivals with Dreamhack, held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. The event is an immersive gaming experience. Attendees participated in cosplay, professional esport tournaments, amateur and varsity gaming tourneys, art, an exposition, screenings, live music and more.
75,000 electronic dance music fans attended the Sunset Music Festival at the iconic Raymond James Stadium over Memorial Day Weekend. The stadium is the home of the Tampa Bay Bucceneers and the site of three Superbowls.
When Ubbi Dubbi moved to Panther Island Pavilion in 2022, KES came along to again provide overall security planning as well as provide explosive detection K-9s to protect the 60,000 ravers. The festival featured a mix of house music, bass music and other EDM genres on the banks of the Trinity River. Acts included Blank, Trivecta, Dabin, Zeds Dead and Tiesto. Due to inclement weather, the event was cancelled for the second day. However, several dance parties were set up at DFW venues and the party carried on. KES professionals are experts at following weather warnings and advising clients on procedures to keep everyone safe.
Kel Executive Services (KES), Alpha & Omega Mounted Security Patrol (A&O), and Global K-9 Solutions (GKS) provided security for Ubbi Dubbi, the first festival internationally to allow camping on festival grounds after the Covid-19 quarantine of venues. The Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festival drew 30,000 daily over its two-day schedule with 7,500 of those fans camping. The producer reports a $25 million dollar economic impact, creation of 1,000 jobs, and reduction of the 7-day average of Covid-19 cases in the state.
KES was the overall security consultant coordinating the various security measures needed for the first camping and music festival held after the Covid-19 lockdown of music venues. A&O provided mounted patrol for public safety in the camping area. GKS supplied highly trained Labrador Retrievers specially bred for firearm detection, including firearm accessories.
Kel Executive Services, led by Frank Keller, annually provides the overall security coordination for the entire Bonnaroo Music Festival. With mounted security as a portion of the overall plan, KES and A&O have made Bonnaroo one of the safest music events in the country. KES personnel oversee six additional security companies that provide specialized security teams for different facets of the comprehensive plan.
The Alpha & Omega Mounted Security Patrol made its debut at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2009 and has served at every festival since. Coachella’s diverse offerings and huge audiences create unique security needs. Troopers on horseback provide entrancing controls, parking supervision, crowd management, traffic control, substance control, and regulation of illegal vending. They also serve as mobile information centers for fans needing directions, medical help, and other instruction. The popular indie-rock festival is held on the grounds of the Empire Polo Fields in the desert town of Indio, California. Thousands of fans from around the world gather for top name acts like Paul McCartney, Morrissey, My Bloody Valentine, Public Enemy, The Cure, The Killers, White Lies and hundreds of other well-known and up-and-coming musical acts. The festival also is celebrated for its staging of large sculptural and interactive art.
Alpha & Omega Troopers were on hand for their first security assignment at Stagecoach 2009. They continue to serve annually at California’s top country music festival featuring a top-tier mix of artists from the genres of mainstream country, bluegrass, folk, roots rock and alt-country performing in three distinct performance areas. The critically acclaimed gathering also includes a variety of activities including a leading BBQ competition and camping area with amenities exclusive to campers. Past line-ups have included Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Reba, Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert and dozens of other performers.
Frank Keller of KES, under contract from Festival Management Services, oversaw security at Fare the Well in Santa Clara and served on the staff at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Fare the Well was a series of concerts which were performed by most of the surviving members of the Grateful Dead: Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, joined by Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby and Jeff Chimenti, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. The performances took place at Santa Clara’s Levi Stadium on June 27 and 28, 2015 and Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 3, 4 and 5, 2015. These performances marked the first time Weir, Lesh, Kreutzmann and Hart had performed together since the Dead’s 2009 tour and was publicized as the final time the musicians would all perform together.
Kel Executive Services directed security for TomorrowWorld, the 3-day electronic-based music festival, and A&O provided mounted security services. The festival featured dozens of the world’s top electronica entertainers. The multi-experience festival was staged at a 3- mile venue along a scenic waterfront locale on the banks of the Chattahoochee River.
The A&O Mounted Patrol expanded outside the United States to serve at the Pemeberton Music Festival. Pemberton was a five-day contemporary music festival near the foot of majestic Mt. Currie. Performers included Nine Inch Nails, Outkast, Soundgarden, Frank Ocean, Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, Violent Femmes and dozens of other bands. Smooth traffic and one of the world’s most majestic settings welcomed over 75,000 festival patrons who enjoyed nearly 100 performances. Comedy, camping and camaraderie made for a perfect festival. A&O provided an experienced courtesy patrol on horseback to direct traffic, monitor crowds, promote safety, and provide directions.
The A&O Mounted Patrol served the inaugural Interlocken Music Festival, providing public safety services, and returned for the second annual festival. The festival at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains breaks from tradition somewhat by offering repeated sets by a smaller number of bands over the 4-day festival. The 2014 festival offered some of the biggest names in jam band music: The String Cheese Incident, Phil Lesh & Friends, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Widespread Panic, Wilco, The Allman Brothers Band, and the legendary Willie Nelson.
Kel Executive Services handled the overall security planning for this multi-faceted 3-day festival. A&O provided mounted patrol security on the Winston Farm site. The festival featured dozens of musical acts, workshops in hoop dancing and kung fu, multiple intriguing art installations and camping packages. The entire security team was faced with daunting challenges when a weather evacuation was necessary on Sunday and the event had to be cancelled. Although load-out was challenging for fans and staff alike, everyone was evacuated safely.
A&O Troopers provided public safety services for a concert of metal’s “Big Four” which included Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax.
Successful security professionals today are using a systems approach to provide full coverage of the assets they protect. The Woodlands Township near Houston, Texas, provides a textbook example of how to use mounted patrols to effectively provide a visible deterrent to criminal activity.
Consider the enormous scope of this master planned community: 28,000 forested acres. A million-square-foot retail mall and several village shopping centers. 36 places of worship. 16 schools. 1000 businesses. 165 miles of trails. 110 parks. A 17,000-capacity amphitheater. A 34-acre main-street-styled Market Street with stores, restaurants, specialty grocer and special event venue. A 500-physician hospital. Doctors’ offices. A 65,000-square-foot resort/ conference center. A 200-acre lake. Seven golf courses. Tennis courts. A waterway and water park. Homes, apartments, condos, and townhouses. More than 50 public art sculptures. 6,000 acres preserved as green space.
The challenge of providing a comprehensive public safety program for such a varied and widespread campus led to forward-thinking and innovative approaches to security that called for a highly visible and people-friendly component to the security system.
The A&O mounted patrol force covers the parking lots, truck courts, and pathways of the commercial developments of The Woodlands daily. High-density vehicle and pedestrian traffic areas like those in the Town Center are the ideal setting for effective use of a mounted horse patrol. The mounted patrol officers watch for nuisance disturbances, loitering, and criminal actions. Although officers do not carry weapons, riders are trained to use their horses in defense.
One of the main reasons for the success of the mounted patrol at The Woodlands is the close collaboration with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Constable’s Office, and the local city police departments with jurisdiction over the area. Mounted patrol officers are in constant radio contact with law enforcement, permitting everyone to act quickly and decisively to prevent or diminish a criminal act.
The mounted patrol, along with other security components, was immediately put on high alert at the commercial center following the Sept. 11 attacks. They were among the first people to be called following the terrorist actions. In 2008 after the devastation of Hurricane Ike, Troopers were back on patrol within 48 hours of the storm. They were prepared with mobile equipment normally used by their festival patrol division. They used their tour bus, its industrial sized generator, special communications equipment, and a mobile office to get patrols back on the streets quickly. Troopers monitored lines at gas stations and supply distribution points, helped power crews, directed traffic, and patrolled streets filled with debris.
Alpha & Omega is proud to be a part of The Woodlands Township which enjoys one of the most enviable safety records in the nation.
Alpha & Omega Mounted Troopers provide race course security for the annual Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas at The Woodlands, Texas. The event is produced by World Triathlon Corporation. Participants begin with a 2.4 mile swim in Lake Woodlands then bike 112 miles west through The Woodlands toward rolling farmland. The final portion of the race is a 26.2 marathon course within The Woodlands finishing on Market Street where Troopers regularly patrol. Mounted Troopers are especially effective at events like Ironman Texas because they sit high above the crowds. From that vantage point, they can evaluate crowd congestion, work trouble spots, and be highly visible to someone in need of help.
