Meet
Andrew Lake
30+ years of live events. 7 years as QE2 Stage Manager — delivering world-class artists including Petula Clark and Cleo Laine to audiences at sea, every night, no safety net.
The story
Built on the stage.
Proven on the ocean.
It started with a trumpet. Andrew rose through school to become 1st Solo Trumpet for the West Sussex County Concert Band and the West Sussex Orchestra — learning from the inside what it feels like to stand on stage and trust that the person behind the desk actually understands what you need.
That performing life never stopped. Trumpet in a 16-piece soul and funk group, a Blues Brothers tribute band, keyboards in rock bands, and today compèring fundraising Race Nights and live events — always thinking like the artist, not just the engineer.
Seven years as Stage Manager on Cunard cruise ships, including the QE2. A live audience every single night. No second takes. That's where Andrew built the instincts that drive everything he does at Soundcheck Audio Visual.
Before the cruise ships, Andrew was learning the craft backstage at Horsham Arts Centre and running sound for bands across Horsham and Crawley. Before any formal training, before any business plan, there were hundreds of live shows where getting it right was the only option.
"Those years at sea taught me something you can't pick up from a manual. When 1,500 guests are in the room and the curtain is going up, precision under pressure becomes second nature. It has to."
And it was all analogue back then — no digital recall, no software undo, no safety net. Every mix, every cue, every transition had to be right first time. That discipline is still in the muscle memory today.
That empathy carried into his engineering career — starting backstage at Horsham Arts Centre, then seven years as Stage Manager on Cunard cruise ships, including the iconic QE2. This was a full management role: responsible for the main theatre hosting world-class visiting artists — Petula Clark, Edison Lighthouse, Cleo Laine, Johnny Dankworth and many more — plus the cinema, nightclub, and every entertainment venue across the ship. A different show, a different artist, a different audience, every night at sea. All analogue. No safety net.
Back on dry land, Andrew spent years freelancing for some of the largest AV companies across West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, London and beyond — building expertise across every scale and format of event. He worked on the BBC's Centenary Schools Tour Tell Your Story, served as Tour Manager and Sound Engineer for Jon Courtenay — Britain's Got Talent winner 2020 — on his UK tour, and worked several UK theatre tours as Company Stage Manager (CSM).
All of that experience — performer, stage manager, freelance engineer, tour manager — goes into every event Andrew sets up, operates, and manages for Soundcheck Audio Visual.
Career timeline
The journey
to your event
School
1st Solo Trumpet — West Sussex County Concert Band & Orchestra
Lead trumpet in two of West Sussex's most prestigious ensembles. The start of a lifelong career in live performance.
Live performance
Musician — soul, funk, blues & rock
Trumpet in a 16-piece soul/funk group and Blues Brothers tribute band. Keyboards in rock bands. Still compères Race Nights and live events today.
Early career
Sound Engineer — Horsham Arts Centre & live circuit
Backstage at theatre productions and live music across Horsham and Crawley — hundreds of shows, learning the craft from the ground up.
7 years at sea
Stage Manager — Cunard Cruise Lines, QE2
Full management of the QE2's main theatre — Petula Clark, Cleo Laine, Edison Lighthouse, Johnny Dankworth and more. Plus cinema, nightclub and all entertainment venues across the ship. Every night, all analogue.
Back on land
Freelance AV Engineer & Tour Work
Freelanced for major AV companies across West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and London. BBC Centenary Schools Tour Tell Your Story. Tour Manager & Sound Engineer for Jon Courtenay (BGT winner 2020). Company Stage Manager on multiple UK theatre tours.
Founded
Soundcheck Audio Visual — West Sussex
Every strand of that career brought together under one company — built on the belief that great AV starts with understanding the person on stage.
8 consecutive years
Sole AV Supplier — The Print Show, NEC
Trusted as the exclusive AV partner for one of the UK's leading trade exhibitions at the NEC, year after year.
Today
500+ events. 5 industry awards.
NHS, BBC, local councils, international businesses. Every event still run personally by Andrew, from setup to pack-down.
The engineer who's been on stage
The empathy most
engineers don't have
Most sound engineers approach an event from behind the desk — technically proficient, but disconnected from what it feels like to stand on stage and trust someone else with your sound. Andrew isn't most engineers.
Having performed as a musician for most of his life — from concert bands and orchestras to soul, funk, and rock — he knows exactly what a presenter, speaker, or performer needs to feel confident and comfortable on stage. The monitor level, the room balance, the cue that tells you someone is paying attention. That knowledge doesn't come from a manual.
It's why clients consistently say their events felt effortless — because Andrew was thinking about the person on stage, not just the tech behind it.
The Soundcheck mission
Why clients keep
coming back
Unlike large AV companies that over-engineer and over-charge, Andrew asks the right questions first — then builds the perfect solution for your event, your venue, and your budget. No unnecessary kit. No inflated quotes. Just exceptional results.
Right-sized solutions
No overselling, no unnecessary kit. Every setup is designed specifically for your venue, your audience, and your budget — nothing more, nothing less.
Personal service, always
Andrew is on-site at every single event. You're not handed off to a junior engineer on the day. The person you brief is the person behind the desk.
Transparent pricing
Fixed day rates, simple travel add-ons, no hidden costs. You know exactly what you're paying before anything is agreed — and it never changes.
Responsive & reliable
Reply within the hour. Last-minute bookings welcome. If something changes the week of your event, Andrew will find a solution. Always.
The engineer who's been on stage
As a performing musician himself, Andrew understands what artists and presenters need to feel confident on stage. That performer's empathy is something most engineers simply don't have.
Award-winning standard
5 industry awards including AV Expert of the Year. Trusted by the NHS, BBC, Sussex Chamber of Commerce, and hundreds of event organisers across the UK.
Awards & credentials
Recognised for
excellence
Industry recognition matters — but what matters more is that these awards reflect what clients say. Consistent delivery, genuine expertise, and a personal approach that larger companies simply can't match.
Work with Andrew
Ready to make your
event unforgettable?
Whether it's a 30-person boardroom or a 500-seat conference, you'll get the same level of care, expertise, and on-site presence that has earned Soundcheck Audio Visual its reputation.
