For example, take The Rolling Stones’ press conference / mini-concert that took place on a balcony at The Julliard School May 10th, and was streamed over the band’s Web site as well as aired on television.

The boys kicked things off with a flawlessly executed “Start Me Up,” moved into one of their new numbers – “Oh No Not You Again” – and topped off the mini-set with “Brown Sugar.” They then turned the event over to a Q&A session featuring the tour organizers and sponsor as well as the band itself.

However, what went down on the back end in terms of preparation is a story in itself. For years, one of the high-tech go-to companies for the band has been Dogmatic, which – true to the company’s style – made The Stones’ press conference look as easy as pointing a camera at the stage and pressing the button.

Dogmatic has been providing technical know-how to high-profile clients for years, including Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, American Express, Dreamworks and Clear Channel Entertainment. It also powers the Web site for Stones guitar slinger Keith Richards.

Of course, the event announcing The Stones’ tour wasn’t as simple as point and shoot. Dogmatic’s crew started checking out the location weeks in advance. As the show day grew closer, Dogmatic personnel covered the location, stringing cables and setting up cameras.

But the band’s concert was supposed to be a surprise show. Since a proper run-through on the balcony before the show would blow the surprise, Dogmatic’s techs spent the night before the event at the band’s off-site rehearsal in a New York recording studio.

At the studio – which had been made over to match the dimensions of the balcony – Dogmatic CEO and executive producer Michael Santorellli, along with show director Thom Nielsen, matched camera cues with the action as they plotted out the entire affair.

Those of you who saw the Webcast and/or broadcast know it was more than just a live performance by the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band. There were audience and band interviews mixed in with the live shots of Mick & Co.

For Dogmatic, this meant sending out two crews on the day of the show: one to mix with the crowd and conduct audience interviews before The Stones took the stage – er, balcony – and another to film the band sneaking into position. Footage from both crews, as well as the concert, was combined at Dogmatic’s editing truck before being presented for the world to see.

All in all, Dogmatic ended up using eight cameras switched to the production truck, along with several custom-built risers for the cameras, an editing truck that also served as the satellite uplink, two crews and one 30-foot crane. Combine that with weeks of preparation and planning and you have The Stones’ press conference announcing their 2005 tour.

But you have to admit, it sure looked easy.