Back yard music festivals don’t happen without a lot of help. From artists and amplification to lights and invites, each Lyndzapalooza (LP) event is the culmination of dozens of small details.

One detail that’s literally at the center of each event is the stage. Over the years LP has presented music on a variety of stages – from elevated decks to fully carpeted tents. After the Evolve festival in 2007 we decided it was time to put a real stage on the lawn, and to name a whole festival after our idea.

To make “There’s a Stage on My Lawn” come true, we turned to LP’s master builder Jan Jochems to construct LP’s first DIY stage.

This week Jan shared his memories of stage building with us, as well as some thoughts on how other festivals can get off the ground – figuratively and literally.

LP: After seeing the carpet-on-lawn stage at Evolve in 2007, what was your vision for a stage at There’s a Stage on My Lawn?

JJ: It is hard to exactly remember my vision … because it did not appear until I became actively involved with LP and we actually started discussing the next LP event.

It was very entertaining to see how everybody involved with the organization of Evolve was trying to keep a dry "stage" during the intermittent rain. There were definitely thoughts in my head on how this could have been avoided, but I did not really bring them to the attention of the rest of LP until I became involved.

LP: For TSoML we started with cartons for high-end microscopes and ended up with a sturdy, rectangular stage. How did you figure that out?

JJ:Once it was decided that the LP spring event of 2008 was again being held at a private residence, it was time for me and others to start brainstorming.

The first question is where the best place for a stage was – [considering both] if it were to rain and also to get a (somewhat) level stage. After that … what are we going to use to build the stage?

We talked about buying things and also about using pallets to build the frame, but then we - as an organization with little or no money - got a break. [LP director and Jan’s wife] Jem's work just got a bunch of microscopes delivered from Germany in very sturdy plywood boxes. The boxes were left and they did not know what to do with them, so we went to pick them up in a U-haul trailer and stored them at our house for the time being

The base of the new and improved LP stage was set...

LP: What was the hardest part of last year's stage-building process?

JJ:To be honest, I had some help from my dad, Theo, who was at the time visiting with my Mom from the Netherlands. It was a very rainy Friday, which made it a little bit more difficult to get the actual wood panels to the (not there yet) stage without ruining the lawn, but I think we managed.

We had about seven panels that came with circular plastic feet that we used as a base. We also bought a couple 4x4s and used them to level the stage.

It was a little bit of a puzzle to figure out what piece went where, but two minds know more than one, and we figured out how to place the base panels, so we could cover them with the top panels. We had to saw a few pieces to make them fit and then screwed all the pieces together for a very solid and level stage. I think we succeeded in providing a very nice sturdy stage that was even a little elevated, even if it was only five inches [off the ground].

I have to thank my Dad for his input and insight; I might have figured it out, but this went a whole lot faster.

LP: For people planning their own DIY event, what are the absolute basics they should be concerned about when it comes to building a stage?

JJ: Here is the answer you see at all the DIY shows on TV: safety, safety and safety. Always be sure to wear protective gear, e.g., gloves, safety goggles, hearing protection. But I don't think that is the answer you are looking for.

The ideal situation (which we did not have) would be having money to buy material that you need. [That way,] you can design a nice stage to the specifications that you want, which include width and length and even height of the ground.

Once you have all that in place, and can actually start building, I think it is important to make sure the stage is sturdy. It will make the artist comfortable and thus will make the whole concert experience "unforgettable."

The other important item is size. Make sure you build the stage big enough for the acts that you know will perform on it. It would also be nice to have a cover for the stage.

In short, if you have the resources, it is (fairly) easy to build a nice stage and the only thing besides that you will need is common sense. Another very important item not to overlook is input from actual artists so they can tell you their experiences, either bad or good, so you can include them into your design.

LP: This year we already have a stage on-site, but you still have important work to do with grounds set-up? How do you plan the set-up? What are some important things you consider?

JJ: It is very nice to have an already setup stage, that means one less thing to worry about. The grounds setup is also not that complicated because we are working with Snipes Farm directly, and they have had events of our size before. They have a basic layout in place and it will be set up already. We just have to make sure that people will use the designated areas for their intended uses. So this time around, we will need signs to direct people to the parking, camping, snack shack, vending area, toilets. and most important to the concert area to listen to some great music.

My task this year will mostly be to try to keep the event safe and a great experience for the whole family. I am sure that with the help of [Snipe’s Farm events manager] George and his crew that will be no problem.

LP: What are some of the biggest or most unusual things you have built in your life?

What might be unusual to some might not be unusual to others.

Actual things I have built which are unusual include a depot to store polluted dredging mud, a project site to remove polluted mud from a medieval moat in the Netherlands, which included building a loading and unloading dock for floating mud pontoons.

More common would be roads, sidewalks, sewer and utilities, houses, driveways, and gardens.

Jan Jochems is a Lyndzapalooza staff member and a civil engineer. You can see his handiwork at BYM Fest on Saturday, May 16. Say yes to our Facebook invite and purchase discounted tickets securely online.

Jan Jochems, LP's master builder.