We protect high-stakes moments from communication failure, coordinate the details, and deliver clean, reliable sound so your event runs smoothly.
Great events are not just gear and volume. They are planning, coordination, and a team that stays calm when timelines shift. If you want, we take the audio details off your plate so you can focus on your people.
We built Stone and Oak by listening first. We set a goal of 500+ local customer interviews and started documenting patterns from real organizers, venues, and internal teams. What we heard over and over was not "we need louder speakers." It was "we need fewer surprises and better coordination."
Before we scaled services, we interviewed real organizers and venue teams to learn what actually breaks events. The patterns were consistent: stress usually comes from unclear expectations, last-minute changes, and technical details that are not owned by anyone until it is too late.
Planning gaps show up as awkward dead air, feedback, and delays
When systems fail, the room loses focus fast
Organizers do not want to babysit production
Trust is earned through preparation, attitude, and calm execution
An IT manager told us the hardest part is not the gear, it's reliability and having to babysit complicated systems during an event.
"It becomes a game of 'will it work today.'"
"Once things go down, you lose the focus in the room."
A venue leader explained that event teams often under-communicate needs, which leads to last-minute surprises and a room full of people waiting while someone scrambles.
"Most of the time, it's the same thing. It's lack of preparation. It's lack of communications."
"150 people just twiddling" (while AV issues are being fixed).
"Audio visual starts with planning."
"Soundcheck should be solid, auto-programmed and s***."
An organizer told us the biggest frustration is not knowing if the vendor will care, listen, and stay calm when something changes. Once they hired Stone & Oak Audio:
"Honestly, I just don't trust any other sound providers."
"My problems being solved before they are a problem."
"They are calm and collected. They just got it done."
A marketing leader described how technical failures can become a reputation problem that outlives the event itself.
"We had several technical difficulties at a national conference and it really hurt the reputation of the conference."
"If you show you genuinely give a d*** about the success of the event, it goes a long way."
When production fails, the cost is rarely just technical. It's reputation, trust, and the emotional moment you worked hard to create. Liaison-led means someone owns the details end to end. We carry the coordination so you are not chasing people, guessing timelines, or reacting to last-minute surprises.
One point of contact who owns the audio plan from start to finish
We ask the questions most people forget to ask until event week
Presenter and performer coordination before event day
Clear timing for walk-ups, videos, transitions, and key moments
Calm problem-solving that keeps the room focused
Backup-minded execution so the event does not depend on luck
This is what "hospitality-first production" means to us: we make the process feel easier, not heavier.
We bring a systems mindset and a service mindset, so you feel supported before, during, and after the event.
Co-Founder
Russell is based in Greeley, Colorado and leads Stone and Oak Audio with a focus on protecting high-stakes events from communication failure, so the message lands, builds trust, and the room stays connected.
Russell has served in audio leadership roles since 2006, including Chief Sound Engineer at Victory Christian Fellowship (2006–2014). He has also served as Audio Director and Technology Liaison at City Lights Greeley since 2018, supporting weekly services for 100–300 people and running a Midas M32.
Russell also serves the community as a Board Member for the Boulder County Fair (since Nov 2024), supporting committees including Entertainment and Logistics/Operations/Security.
Russell is currently completing an MBA through OneDay and has Google Project Management certifications, bringing organized planning and clear timelines into every event.
What Russell does:
Co-Founder
Cody brings a systems-first mindset to live events. With a career in IT support, networking, and field operations, he's the person you want on your team when details matter and time is tight.
Cody is Dante Level 1 and Level 2 certified and applies that network discipline to event audio so systems are stable, organized, and predictable. He is also pursuing an Associate's degree in Cybersecurity, which shows up in how he plans, tests, and protects critical systems.
What Cody is known for:
Personal motto: "I didn't come this far to only come this far."
If your event has presenters, videos, walk-up moments, or multiple segments, the liaison work is where things get easier.
Non-profit events and fundraisers
Municipal and community events
For-profit and corporate programs
Start with an instant estimate. Then we confirm details on a quick 15-minute call.