TPi February 2015 - Issue 186 by Mondiale Media

TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL

WWW.TPiMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2015

ISSUE 186

LIVE EVENT DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY • FEBRUARY 2015 • ISSUE 186

KAISER CHIEFS

IT’S A VICTORIOUS LIVE RETURN FOR THE RIOT PREDICTING ROCKERS

WATCHING THE PEOPLE GET LAIRY

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: SHURE’S QLX-D • NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS • CLOCKING OFF • LEVEL 42 • ALT-J IN PROFILE: ER PRODUCTIONS • THE HUMAN LEAGUE • HD PRO AUDIO’S SSL WORKSHOP • JESSE J • PSA

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PRELUDE

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MAKING IT LOUDER It’s a brilliant thing, joining a tour. While you’re all typically swamped doing various roles, you still make time for us. Even when that takes a really good cup of tea for persuasion. A couple of productions I attended this month were no exception. Both Jessie J and the Kaiser Chiefs’ tours had stand out crews, who welcomed us and made us feel part of the action. I’m pictured here with Andy ‘Baggy’ Robinson, Jessie J’s Monitor Engineer. Thanks for teaching me a thing or two about in-ears mate! Charlotte came to the Kaiser Chiefs’ show with me, where we also celebrated her six-month anniversary at TPi. It’s crazy how time flies, but under Hannah’s wing, I’m pleased to report she’s having a great start to her new career. Elsewhere this month, Patrick flew to Brussels to see alt-J perform at the Forest National Arena where the band’s alt rock is proving to be a popular sound in Europe. And our woman in the know, Sarah Rushton-Read talked to Level 42’s techs for a special Royal Albert Hall performance. The TPi editorial team got hands-on with Solid State Logic’s new L300 console recently, during a training session and demo held by HD Pro Audio. With the successful transition of the L500 making its way into the live and touring world, it’ll be interesting to see the response to the desk’s new smaller sibling... Read all about it on Pg.12. “Patrick has been so Another training session happened this month too, with Lift Turn Move holding a motor inspired when talking to school at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. Check out the people in the industry, that results on Pg.14. he is in fact leaving TPi to We also head to Israel for Festigal with Czech lighting manufacturer, Robe. The design, further his studies... sound courtesy of Lighting Designer, Ronen Najar shone studies to be exact...” at the event which celebrates the Hanukkah holiday. The company’s lights will also be in use at our Awards, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy an evening of production perfection. On the audio trail, we talk to Shure about the new QLX-D wireless management system. The cost-effective product is sure to be a bonus to smaller tours too, so do let us know if you’re investing in this for live purposes. ER Productions talk laser technology progression with Patrick for a company profile. And as the RGB beams fade... (cue tears) it’s also time for Patrick to move on. But, for a very good reason. After just a year with us, Patrick has been so inspired when talking to people in the industry, that he is in fact leaving TPi to further his studies... sound studies to be exact. So if you could all be a bit duller with our next employee that would be great! Seriously though, our German loving local lad is moving back to Berlin where he’ll be educated for two years before making a return back to the UK. I know he’s loved the experience (a bit too much!), and although he’s excited for the next chapter, he’s also rather sad about leaving the clan. Paddy, I’m very proud of you and on behalf of everybody at Mondiale, we wish you lots of luck for your future in the industry - wherever it may take you. That’s about it for now, we’re off to get ready for the TPi Awards, where we’ll be giving him a good send off. Auf Wiedersehen, pet. Kelly Murray Editor

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ITINERARY

CREW

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Editor Kelly Murray Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8371 Mobile: +44 (0)7738 154689 e-mail: k.murray@mondiale.co.uk Assistant Editor Patrick McCumiskey Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7929 249169 e-mail: p.mccumiskey@mondiale.co.uk International Advertising & Sponsorship Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8363 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk

CONTENTS 02/2015 EVENT FOCUS 08 The Human League

Really Creative Media’s VJ expertise on display.

12 HD Pro Audio’s SSL Workshop Advertising Sales Charlotte Goodlass Tel: +44 (0)161 476 9126 Mobile: +44 (0)788 0208 226 e-mail: c.goodlass@mondiale.co.uk

Graphic Design & Production Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Mel Robinson: m.robinson@mondiale.co.uk

16 DBN At The Warehouse Project

General Manager Justin Gawne

PRODUCTION PROFILE 18 Kaiser Chiefs Kelly goes backstage in Liverpool to see how the

Mondiale Group Chairman Damian Walsh

SSL’s L300 console is put through its paces.

14 Lift Turn Move

LTM stages LoadGuard Training School at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.

DBN provides dynamic visual design for Manchester’s electric Warehouse Project.

band’s latest production came to life.

www.tpimagazine.com • www.tpiawards.com Cover Photography Kaiser Chiefs by Danny North Contributors Sarah Rushton-Read Editorial Intern Jamie Medwell

30 alt-J Alternative pioneers alt-J invite TPi backstage at the Forest National Arena in Brussels.

42 Level 42 Sarah Rushton-Read reports on the seminal British band’s live show at the Royal Albert Hall.

Printed by Buxton Press Annual subscriptions (including P&P): £42 (UK), £60 (Europe), £78/$125 (RoW). Subscription enquiries to: Subscriptions, Mondiale Publishing Limited, Waterloo Place, Watson Square, Stockport SK1 3AZ, UK; Tel: +44 (0)161 476 5580; Fax: +44 (0)161 476 0456; e-mail: subscriptions@mondiale.co.uk

48 Jessie J The powerful sound of a Sweet Talker... 56 National TV Awards ITV’s annual televised extravaganza uncovered.

CLOCKING OFF 64 A rare strain of MS seeks industry help.

COMPANY PROFILE

Issue 186 / February 2015 TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL is a controlled circulation magazine, published 12 times a year by Mondiale Publishing Limited under licence. ISSN 1461-3786 Copyright © 2015 Mondiale Publishing Limited. All contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, in any form whatsoever, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Every effort is taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither Mondiale Publishing Ltd, nor the Editor, can be held responsible for its contents or any consequential loss or damage resulting from information published. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Publishers or Editor. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations, advertising materials or artwork. Total Production International USPS: (ISSN 1461 3786) is published 12 times a year by Mondiale Publishing Limited United Kingdom. The 2015 US annual subscription price is 117USD. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by Agent named Air Business, C/O WorldNet Shipping USA Inc., 155-11 146th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, NY11434. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Production International, Air Business Ltd, C/O WorldNet Shipping USA Inc., 155-11 146th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, NY11434. Subscription records are maintained at Mondiale Publishing Ltd. Waterloo Place, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK.

66 Patrick talks to laser specialists ER Productions.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT 70 Shure unveils the new QLX-D, a formidable new

wireless system.

PSA

72 Safety - putting ‘CDM’ to the test.

MOVERS & SHAKERS 74 The latest industry appointments.

VITAL STATS 78 WIcreations’ Hans Willems talks about his career. 07

EVENT FOCUS: The Human League

LIVE VJING SETS THE SCENE ON THE HUMAN LEAGUE’S UK TOUR REALLY CREATIVE MEDIA’S (RCM) VJING SKILLS WERE PUT TO THE TEST WHEN THEY WORKED ALONGSIDE LIGHTING DESIGNER EXTRAORDINAIRE ROB SINCLAIR TO DESIGN ALL THE ANIMATED CONTENT FOR AND PRODUCE THE LIVE SHOWS ON THE HUMAN LEAGUE’S UK TOUR. The stunning stage set, designed by Sinclair, was built with video integration in mind to bring the electro beats and vibe to life for the audience through the accompanying visuals. A creative decision was made to place more emphasis on the video backdrop, which became the main element of the band’s set and played a bigger role in the aesthetics and ambience of the tour than other visual elements such as lighting. As a result, the stage design included three cascading arches of 12mm video screens, the largest being 48ft wide with 25ft legs down to the stage floor. These surrounded the central upstage screen which was 24ft 8ft of 6mm. In the smaller tour venue, this was reduced to just the central display and one arch. RCM’s creative team of animators had to keep this in 08

mind during the design process, to ensure that the more intimate venues had the same show experience as the larger ones. Nick Dew, MD at RCM, commented: “With the content for the tour requiring scalability, we needed to refrain from including any extremely intricate animations in our creation while still offering a captivating audio and video combination for an exciting spectacle. The creative decision was made to include live VJing, enabling the content to be responsive to differing audience atmospheres for each performance each night. We designed a number of building block loops that outlined a base concept and look for every song which our VJ James Adkins could use within his set and allowed for flexible operation during the show.” James used two Resolume Arena HD Media

Servers, Novation Launchpad XL and Launchpad S MIDI controllers to bring the effects to life, as Resolume allows you to easily manage the real time integration and manipulation of video in time with the music. Coupling the Resolume Servers with the Novation Launchpad MIDI interfaces resulted in a plethora of carefully curated buttons for optimum control of the live content. The beat matching function within Resolume allowed James to apply effects and sequence numbers to the beat, meaning there would always be a fallback plan for each song. With a quick and easy process for applying the effects to certain clips or to an entire batch of clips meant James was able to quickly and easily build a unique and bespoke show every night. James Adkins, Video Engineer at RCM,

EVENT FOCUS: The Human League

Opposite: LD Rob Sinclair worked with Really Creative Media to design the show’s set, which used video as a source of light. Below: A creative decision was made to place more emphasis on the video backdrop, which became the main element of the band’s set

added: “Prior to the show we worked with Rob Sinclair to carefully select a palette of effects offered within Resolume that could be used as the evening required. We set up a fixedposition camera to capture live elements on stage and feedback into the media server to provide a source for certain effects. The ability to swap between Resolume decks live in a show was great for a production with a constantly

changing set list. Videos could be pulled from other songs and swapped the show around as the show required. The simplicity of the custom MIDI mapping feature within Resolume meant I was always able to alter and fix problems from previous setups quickly before each show.” Joris de Jong, Product Specialist and Community Manager at Resolume, commented: “Resolume is designed to let visual artists easily

prepare complete shows, while also leaving them free to improvise and add a live touch. As tool makers, it’s great to see Nick and James use Resolume to bring a stage to life with their amazing visuals and creative use of effects.” TPi www.reallycreativemedia.co.uk www.thehumanleague.co.uk

EVENT FOCUS: Festigal

ROBE BMFLs FOR 2014 FESTIGAL IN ISRAEL ISRAEL CELEBRATES THE HANUKKAH HOLIDAY IN A DIVERSITY OF WAYS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE ANNUAL ‘FESTIGAL’ PERFORMANCE SHOW WHICH BRINGS THE GLAMOUR AND GLITZ OF LEADING CELEBRITIES TO THE STAGE FOR AN ALL-ACTION MUSIC AND DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA TARGETED AT 8 - 14 YEAR OLDS. IT’S ONE OF THE BEST ATTENDED AND MOST POPULAR PERFORMANCE PHENOMENA IN ISRAEL. This year, Festigal’s Lighting Designer Ronen Najar - who has lit the show for the past eight years - spec’d 24 of Robe’s new BMFL Spot fixtures to be the centerpiece. The BMFLs were part of a delivery of 60 units purchased by high profile Israeli rental company, Argaman Systems. Ronen, among the country’s leading LDs, is known for his ‘out of the box’ approach and the great style he brings to lighting any project. He once again produced a stunningly colourful and dramatic show for the tour which played three cities - Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv - with up to three two hour shows a day clocking up an impressive total of 108 performances! All were completely sold out. Robe’s reporting team caught up with Festigal at the Congress Centre in Haifa, where the majority of the lighting was flown on large ground support structures that enabled a 10

circular truss to be secured above the in-theround stage. The design concept of fast and poppy lighting matched the velocity and pace of the show - an environment that seriously tests any lighting fixture! In addition to the BMFLs, Ronen also used 24 Robe ColorWash 2500E ATs and eight ColorWash 1200E ATs. Robe is one of the brands he regularly specifies for his work which includes several music based TV series including the runaway success, ‘Rising Star’. The BMFLs were used for all Festigal’s major effects lighting. He also utilised them as specials, as well as gobo projections to help create the different locations and planets involved in the intergalactic theme of this year’s performance. Their brightness and functionality impressed Ronen, as well as the thrill of being among the

first LDs in the country to use them. “It made a big difference having the BMFLs on the show this year due to the clarity and crispness of their beams and the overall quality of the light. Because of this, we also worked the lights a lot more this year,” he commented. The ultra-sharp gobos worked particularly well when beamed onto the shiny black floor. Lighting operator Ido Derai was also taken with the BMFLs. In fact he had used them a month or so earlier at an F1 opening event at the Singapore Grand Prix. “They are fantastic for lighting large stages and spaces - the intensity is great and they are very fast and responsive”. Ido works regularly as a lighting tech and stage hand so he truly appreciates the reliability of the BMFLs as well and their light weight for all that power! He also remarks on some of more subtle but thought-through elements that Robe

EVENT FOCUS: Festigal

Opposite: Robe’s BMFL’s were a main part of the rig. Below: The lighting design came from Ronen Najar for the eighth year running.

have introduced like the logical order of the colour wheel, the fact that the BMFL colour temperatures match other Robe ROBIN range fixtures perfectly and that the gobos are complimentary to those of Robe’s Pointes. He loves the incredibly smooth dimming as well. Ronen used 24 BMFLs on “Motek”, another Hanukkah touring show for which he was LD, this time for three to five year olds and more theatrical, less poppy but equally as interesting to light. Staged at the Konchya Arena in Beersheba as well as touring to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, it had a slightly less hectic schedule than Festigal, however still played 46 capacity performances! Ronen was happy that the BMFLs were able to satisfy all his requirements for specials together with numerous big, bold, bright and colourful looks, and the lighting contractor for this Motek was also Argaman Systems. Argaman has made major investments in Robe in the last three years, all of which have been delivered by Robe’s very proactive Israeli distributor, Danor Theatre and Studio Systems. The scale of this substantial BMFL purchase further underlines the company’s commitment to the brand. TPi www.robe.cz

EVENT FOCUS: HD Pro Audio’s SSL Workshop

GOOD THING, SMALL PACKAGE: SSL’S LIVE L300 TPi’S KELLY MURRAY SPOKE TO ANDY HUFFER, HD PRO AUDIO SALES DIRECTOR, ABOUT SOLID STATE LOGIC’S NEW COMPACT BUT FULL FEATURED LIVE CONSOLE DURING A TRAINING SESSION IN MANCHESTER, UK. THE SMALLER SIBLING OF THE L500, THE NEW COMPACT L300 CERTAINLY GATHERED A CURIOUS CROWD... Following on from the extraordinary success of the Solid State Logic Live L500, which toured with the manufacturer’s owner and iconic performer, Peter Gabriel, the pro audio industry became fascinated with the console. SSL’s British distributor, HD Pro Audio is now championing the new, smaller model. HD Pro Audio’s Sales Director, Andy Huffer, discussed the many benefits of the L300 model for the live event and touring markets: “The L300 offers a lower entry point to the SSL Live console range,” he explained. “It offers the same audio quality, build quality and routing flexibility, but with a smaller control surface and reduced processing path count. It shows that SSL are in this for the long haul, and not just dipping a toe in the water of live sound, only to swiftly remove it.” Regarding the general response to the 12

product from sound engineers, Huffer enthused: “It’s been incredibly positive, with audio quality being the standout feature for most people which is quite a useful thing for an audio console! - along with lightbulbs appearing above people’s heads as they could see how the workflow of the console and ergonomics could enhance the service that they offer their clients.” On the range of SSL workshops and training courses, Huffer furthered: “We try and do some kind of workshop once a month, as well as the regular formal training courses in Oxford at SSL HQ. The typical audience ranges from students to local venue engineers to freelancers and audio engineers working with major global live acts, and PA company owners.” SSL’s popularity with live acts is also growing: “We’re excited to have a major UK electronic artist purchasing an L500 for their stage setup.

Other than that, there’s a range of shows taking the console out globally and also on tours and events around the UK,” he added. As part of the SSL Live Certified Training Program, SSL and HD Pro Audio, the SSL Live UK Distributor, are hosting an SSL Live training day at Air Studios, London on Wednesday 25 February. Additional UK training dates are as follows: 17 March, London 18 and 19 March, Oxford 28 April, London 29 and 30 April, Oxford 20 and 21 May, Oxford 17 and 18 June, Oxford TPi www.solidstatelogic.com http://hdproaudio.co.uk

EVENT FOCUS: LTM’s Motor School

LTM STAGES LOADGUARD MOTOR SCHOOL IN ARENA AND CONVENTION CENTRE Wirral-based Lift Turn Move (LTM) has staged a LoadGuard Training School at the famous Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre. 16 of its clients and several members of the ACC team travelled from all over the country to attend the LoadGuard School. The School was extremely popular and was met with universal acclaim. The course was presented by LTM’s Technical Manager Dave Ward, with Jim Marshall backing him up. Joint Founder John Jones threw in a couple of stories and anecdotes about usage and application solutions. ACC Liverpool was a great venue and LTM had the ability to show the attendees the grids and LoadGuard hoists that were installed into ACC Liverpool back in 2008 when the venue was opened. They had a chance to learn more about the LoadGuard Hoists. Completely stripping the hoist down to its component parts, then rebuilding it and operating the hoist. 14

The group had the chance of discussing Safe Working Periods, CE Declarations, documentation, Double Brakes and Standards. The School provided the usual no-nonsense comprehensive overview of the LoadGuard Hoist, which has been on the market since 2008. It also familiarised attendees with the operational theory, design philosophy, safety aspects, internal workings and trouble-shooting methods involved. It was the first time many of the attendees had been offered the chance to strip a LoadGuard hoist down to its component parts - and then re-build and operate it! A full set of manuals and course notes were provided and eagerly devoured. ACC Liverpool have over 100 LoadGuard Motors, they also have a huge number of crew who carry out rigging, so It’s always good for them to have formal training. TPi www.liftturnmove.co.uk

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EVENT FOCUS: The Warehouse Project

DBN DROPS IN ON THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT DBN LIGHTING PROVIDED LIGHTING, VISUAL DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE MOST RECENT SEASON OF MANCHESTER’S FAMOUS WAREHOUSE PROJECT. Among the UK’s coolest and most popular club experiences, another sizzling line-up including Richie Hawtin, Alesso, Annie Mac, Jamie XX, Fatboy Slim, Fac51 The Haçienda, The Martinez Brothers and literally hundreds

more top artists, made the beats move and groove back at WHP’s spiritual home, the Store Street arches underneath Piccadilly station. dbn’s own WHP team was project managed

by Pete Robinson. The company has provided lighting design and equipment to the WHP phenomena since it first hit the scene nine years ago. The Store Street venue has a capacity of 1,800 and the entire season from October to

EVENT FOCUS: The Warehouse Project

Opposite: dbn supplied the WHP with a Martin Professional and Clay Paky rig under which international DJs performed.

New Year’s Day usually sells out in a matter of minutes. The biggest technical challenge as always was getting all the production ready in the three hour time slot between the car park closing on Friday night and WHP’s doors opening at 10pm However this is also a process that dbn has honed to a fine art, with as many elements of the kit as possible left in situ during the week as the space functions as a standard car park. This also defined aspects of the lighting design. Any flown fixtures had to be above the height of an average vehicle, and the labyrinthine space has many elements and obstructions needing consideration when designing a lighting rig, like intruding AC ducts and other plant feeding into Piccadilly Station, the busiest rail hub in the north-west. A series of trusses were hung in the roof on rigging points previously installed by dbn, which have been chemically fixed and fully tested. Three six metre long trusses over the stage fitted the space neatly and maximised the highest points of the arch, while four more trusses (two per side) ran all the way down the long sides of the room at about a metre out from the wall. Upstage - flown off the back truss - were 84 panels of dbn’s 12mm LED screen, making one large surface area, however, the lowest two rows were designed to be detachable and could be used to clad the front of the rolling riser / DJ booth. This was the most common set up, but when bands played, a full screen could also be retained at the back. Lower down, four panels of LED were removed and Clay Paky Sharpy beams rigged in the gaps to shoot though the audience right to the back, which always looked dramatic. Also rigged on the rear truss were four Martin Professional Atomic strobes and four 4-lite Moles. The mid-truss had four Sharpys, four Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 575s and two 4-lites positioned on it. On the front truss were another four Alpha Spot HPE 575s, two 4-lites and six ETC Source Four Juniors for key lighting artists. Tucked around the stage floor - which was tight for space - were another four Alpha Spot HPE 575s. The four room trusses were each loaded with two Alpha Spot HPE 575s, an Alpha Wash 300, one Atomic and four Showtec Sunstrips. The fixtures on these trusses were also matched in the bar off to the side at the end of the room, effectively extending the dancefloor into this area as well. All these lights were controlled via one of dbn’s Pearl Expert Plus consoles. WHP supplied a selection of regular VJs, who brought their own front-end content and control systems,

simply patched into the screens and ran their visuals. This spun 180° in orientation from the last WHP season at Store Street in 2012 and the stage faced the same way as the main room stage, an arrangement that worked really well for crowd flow and noise containment. Although the stage space was slightly reduced in this format, both that and public area actually felt much bigger. A structure of trussing uprights was built behind the stage with a scaffolding grid anchored across it horizontally and the DJ riser in front. On that scaff grid, the design featured 19 Chauvet Nexus 4 x 4 panels all rigged on their diagonals which is trickier to do, but the architectural effect far more dynamic. There was a centre cluster of 3 x 3 Nexus panels and then five in an L-shape either side - all on their diagonals. Eight active Sunstrips followed the outside edges framing the Nexus panels. An Avolites Tiger Touch was provided for control, with the Nexus panels and Showtec Active DMX Sunstrips pixel mapped enabling a vast selection of funky and animated patterns to be run through the fixture ‘wall’. Four Clay Paky Alpha Beam 300 moving lights were also rigged on this structure. Above the dancefloor were six Alpha Spot HPE 300’s and four Martin Atomics, attached to scaff poles in the roof - also originally installed by dbn. The Chill Out room was also a sponsored area, so to make a striking visual centrepiece, dbn created a lighting feature utilising large bulbs with flickering filaments. This really captured the atmosphere, while the rest of the room was subtly lit by LED up-lighters grazing the walls. The venue’s six pop-up bars were illuminated with around 90 PAR 16 ‘Birdies’. Robinson had 30 drapes specially tailored for the space to provide acoustic deadening and to partition off areas for the green rooms, as well as for masking off some of the more prosaic environmental features of the car park. dbn’s regular operators for the season were Anthony Owen in Room 2 and Colm Whaley and Ed Croft, who split the main room console duties between then. Project Manager Robinson commented: “We were’ delighted to be back working with the WHP team. There are many very dedicated, passionate and talented people involved across multiple departments who worked hard to make it happen every weekend, and we all enjoyed the challenges of delivering high production values that looked and sounded great. The vibe is fantastic and the results and the success of the concept I think spoke for themselves.” TPi www.thewarehouseproject.com www.dbn.co.uk 17

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

ON TOUR: THE LIVE RETURN OF THE KAISER CHIEFS WHEN BRITISH ROCKERS KAISER CHIEFS RECENTLY EMBARKED ON THEIR LATEST UK TOUR, THE YORKSHIRE GENTS RETURN TO THE ROAD WAS ENABLED BY A TOP QUALITY SELECTION OF CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL CREW. THE RESULT IS A SHOW-STOPPING ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PRODUCTION. TPi’S KELLY MURRAY GOES BACKSTAGE IN LIVERPOOL... Backstage at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, Kaiser Chiefs’ Production Manager James Hennin is at the helm of the band’s impending tour. It’s the first show day on a UK run which will see the band celebrate with a hometown show in Leeds, where an extra helping of special effects will end the night. Like many of the crew in camp Kaiser Chiefs, Hennin has been part of the ‘family’ for some time, and has gradually earned his place as PM. He said: “I was one of the band’s backline techs for five years, I worked directly for the band as both a tech and also as their stage manager. When their original production manager moved on, they wanted to get someone internally, someone who knew them and wasn’t going to come in at the top from outside. They asked me 18

to step up to the job, and I did!” That was two years ago, during which time Hennin has grown into the role, learning about every aspect of touring life as opposed to just his first love - sound. “I obviously came from an audio background so getting my head around lighting for example was a learning curve! It’s one of those things where you have to learn as you go along but because I already knew everyone and I work very closely with all of the different departments, they are instantly able to fill in any gaps on the technical knowledge that I might not have in their specified area.” As with the first date of any tour, the pressure is on and Liverpool is no exception. However, the crew could not be more helpful, inviting, and altogether welcoming of the magazine - an

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Opposite: The band made a return to the live circuit under the watchful eye of Production Manager, James Hennin. Below: PRG Nocturne supplied its V18 LED screens for the tour.

atmosphere perhaps encouraged by Hennin who very kindly allowed us to be part of the team on such a busy day. “The crew are great, you’re right” he agreed. “We have a lot of the same suppliers and crew that we’ve always had. For example, [audio supplier] Adlib have been with us longer than I have been with the band! Lite Alternative also came on board when I was the Stage Manager and PRG Nocturne are new this time. All of the vendors - BPM for special effects, Phoenix for bussing and Fly By Nite for trucking are all very capable companies and I’m really happy with the service they deliver. That

service makes this a very personable tour.” An interesting element of Hennin’s vendors is the catering choice, Lyons. He continued: “The great thing about our caterer Royston [Lyons, owner] is that he doesn’t often do tours these days, so we don’t get any run of the mill dishes with him, he’s very creative in that sense.” PRODUCTION AND LIGHTING DESIGN Although this tour was originally designed with an arena style venue in mind, the differing buildings - some are more like large theatres than arenas - the production design involved

the need for a very adaptable show, that could sometimes downscale to a smaller B show without losing any of the exciting design work. For instance, Lite Alternative supplied a moving Kinesys motion control system for the lighting rig in the roof - looked after by Head Rigger Paul Burke but the system was used in arena venues only, meaning the lighting for smaller venues had to be just as visual. The system comprised 21 500kg Liftkets and 21 Elevation+ controlled by Vector, all supplied by Lite ALternative. The clever production design is the result of some teamwork which delivers great results.

When you choose PSCo as a trade partner, you can trust in our passion and expertise to help you find the best display for you. We have a huge portfolio of the latest large format, video wall and LED technologies and complementary accessories all available for short or long term rentals, or to purchase new or nearly new. Give us a call and we’ll do our best to help!

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Below: BPM SFX supplied an array of special effects for the tour, some of which the playful Kaiser Chiefs’ frontman likes to get hands-on with!

Beamed Hennin: “The design of the lighting rig is a real credit to the tour - it looks spectacular!” With this show-stopping (or not as the case may be) tactic in mind, the tour boasts a show design by LDs Rob Sinclair and Ali Pike. This is their second tour collaborating with the band. Said Sinclair: “We were brought on board through Liam Rippon, their Tour Manager in 2012. This tour is loosely based around the war themes associated with the record entitled Education, Education, Education & War. “We

beautifully handmade and if other people want them after this tour, I’m sure he’ll make some more! “The tour has been a great experience, the band are great live too which makes them very entertaining from a design point of view. Ricky is the best front man I’ve ever worked with!” Opening the collaborative design, Ali Pike had met Sinclair many years ago on a Keane tour. “I was lighting the support band, Polytechnic at the time, and we didn’t actually

“The design of the lighting rig is a real credit to the tour it looks spectacular!” - Production Manager, James Hennin

wanted to build something that looked bigger than it actually is, something that could grow and become quite spectacular as the show went on. A real highlight of the show for me is Kris Lundburg, our Lighting Crew Chief’s creation. He made us some colour changing LED bulkhead lights. They’re actually my favourite bit of the entire show! He made them in his shed at home and they’re all over the stage. They’re 20

keep in touch, but a chance encounter at a Peter Gabriel show five years ago luckily put us back in contact,” she explained. “There are underlying concepts with this design, such as War, as per the album title, which lead onto a Dazzle camouflage theme, reflected in the staging, video content, and black and white confetti. The tour has been pretty full on and very programming intensive due to the variation

in venue sizes, but we have the most amazing bunch of people on it, which makes everything ok. And they make a cracking cup of tea!” The lighting rig from Lite Alternative comprises Martin Professional MAC Auras, ETC Source Four’s, TMB Solaris Flares, SGM X5 Strobes, Martin MAC Viper Air FX and Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Washes. The company also provided its own molepars. Additionally, special effects vendor BPM also supplied Robe Cyclone moving head LED fixtures for effects use. Said Ali: “The Martin Auras have become a great staple for me, I love the neat beams you can get from them, the saturated rich colours to their variations of white. They are also light and small, making them ideal for our Kinesys truss. The Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX is really good for brightness, and the Solaris Flares are a favourite of mine too, it’s like having two fixtures in one unit and they comfortably cut through anything else going on. As Rob said about the custom-made bulk heads, they really add something different to the design - dotted amongst the band and set, they look great.” She also feels a strong affiliation with the Kaiser Chiefs’ lighting supplier. “I love working with Lite Alternative. I love the ‘family feel’ you get when you go to their warehouse; their kit is in great condition and they are very proactive in finding ways to make a design work. Their crew are also exceptional.” For operation, the LD is using a ChamSys

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Below: FOH Engineer, Chris Leckie with his analogue Midas Heritage 3000 console; LD Ali Pike programmed the show’s lighting design on the road; The Fly By Nite trucking crew; The Lyons Catering team.

MagicQ MQ100 desk. “I’ve used ChamSys desks since I trained on them a few years ago - which I did after hearing much praise from my peers. Whilst I think there are more physically solid consoles out there, I do love how intuitive the ChamSys software feels. I can work at speed to edit and update quickly, whilst at the same time being able to go into detailed timing and effects editing for more complex cue stacks. I have two MagicQ MQ 100’s, a primary and a spare and two playback wings. The wing is mostly for key lighting, haze and blinders.” Ali is also utilising a Catalyst media server. She continued: “I find the ChamSys / Catalyst combo to be easy to use as it’s so familiar to me. It enables for the relatively quick programming of content. I am triggering all of content for the show on the LED screens, plus a layer that can overlay Blue’s [Leach, Video Director] output on the IMAG side screens.” VIDEO Leach - nominated for a TPi Award this year is manning the IMAG screens. His role in the 22

tour came via LD Sinclair. “I’m very excited to be working with them for the first time,” he told TPi. “We’re using PRG Nocturne’s V18 LED screens and there are two 18-ft IMAG screens, with rear projection and camera packages. I’m using a Panasonic 400 18-input desk to mix and as this show has a lot of very high energy

anywhere but FOH.” Leach is also using LD Pike’s ChamSys mini wing. This means he has all the facilities of the normal size ChamSys desk, but in a small, neat layout, with only the faders that he needs to create his effects. Leach also secured an RF camera to

“I like to be in the action, so I mix the video from FOH which is the most logical place to me...” - Video Director, Blue Leach

content, I programme through a Catalyst media server. I like to be in the action, so I mix the video from FOH, which is the most logical place to me. I think it’s good to break away from tradition of having video world in the back, I don’t know why you’d want to mix from

frontman Ricky’s stick microphone - as seen on the cover - which enabled him to run through the audience on his way to his podium at the FOH position. Once there, he sang into the camera microphone which gave the audience a unique look at the performance. Additionally,

Handle Without Care “As a vocal microphone for rock bands the AE6100 is phenomenal. It’s got a super high output, brilliant feedback rejection and no matter how brutal you are with them they still sound great...” Ben Hammond (The Blackout, Skindred, Deaf Havana) AE6100 Artist Series

Connect with us... twitter.com/AudioTechnicaUK youtube.com/AudioTechnicaUK flickr.com/audio-technica facebook.com/AudioTechnicaUK

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Below: Singer Ricky Wilson showed the crowd a unique gig perspective from his Adlib-supplied microphone which Video Director Blue Leach turned into a camera too!

a piñata camera on a motor chain is lowered by down for the anthems Team Mate, Modern World and OMG. There are four songs with live cameras as well as the content on The LED screen are for content. Content Creator Neil Holloway worked closely with the band, and a lot of what the audience sees is their influence. Said Leach: “That’s what the screens are there for really, the beautifully made, analogue content. I really enjoy watching it.” Pike added: “Special thanks to Neil for all his work on the video content, and for going out on his bike everyday to film local footage, come rain or shine!” Not only was this tour the first time Leach had worked with the band but it was also his first time working with time working with PRG as a vendor in the UK. He concluded: “I had worked with Nocturne in the US as far back as 1993, but never over here. PRG Nocturne’s Project Manager, Mark O’Herlihy, has been really excellent; they’re a great company with great crew and great kit!” AUDIO Liverpool-based Adlib has been providing audio equipment to the Kaiser Chiefs since the early days of their musical careers. FOH Engineer, Chris Leckie was recommended for the job by Adlib MD Andy Dockerty, who himself mixed FOH for the band during festival season until Leckie could join the tour. “I’ve been with the 24

band for almost eight years now, and it’s been great fun. I’m using a Midas Heritage 3000 analogue console, which I’ll use every time if possible. We have three digital desks on any given rider and as long as one of them turns up, I’d be happy but analogue desks are very intuitive, and when you get back to using them, you remember why they were made like they are.” “The Kaisers’ mix is a very old school rock ‘n’ roll in that sense too. It’s a very dynamic show; it’s light, dark, loud, quiet, fast and slow, it’s constantly moving and changing. Ricky is also very unpredictable and will run all over the stage! He has a choice of four microphones to use, and he’ll pick whatever he feels like up at any given time. It’s actually very challenging; it keeps me on my toes, and I like that.” The microphones are all Sennheiser e935’s, with all of the band using Sennhesier 2000 Series inears. Continued Leckie: “It sounds like a cliché, but this tour is like a family because a lot of the people working with them tend to stay around for a long time. We keep things ticking along happily!” In monitor world, the feeling is mutual, as Monitor Tech James Petch - who is supporting Monitor Engineer, Ilias Andriantos - is back with the band that took his roadie virginity. “My first proper tour I did was with the Kaisers in 2007… I was so green back then!” Obviously an enjoyable experience, Petch has been with Adlib

ever since, and is very happy to be back with the crew. “It’s so nice to see the same people again,” he enthused. On the choice of desk and monitor mix set up he added: “We have a Soundcraft Vi6 digital desk running Adlib’s own MP4 wedges through Lab.gruppen PLM 10,000Q power amplifiers, and the Sennhieser in-ears. The great thing about this set up is that you can have an output pretty much anywhere on the stage so it’s really easy to patch quickly. We’ve utilised what the kit can do with the Soundcraft stage box too.” Adlib also supplied a Soundcraft Vi1 console for the support band’s FOH mix. George Puttock, System Tech, is working with an L- Acoustics K1 PA system, something he is a big fan of. “It’s a great sounding system, specified to K1 standard, as it should be. We’re also using V-DOSC boxes for side hangs. It’s quite an old box now, but it’s still very pertinent because they got the design right. It’s still on a lot of riders all these years later.” At the Liverpool show, the PA comprised a main hang of 14 K1 per side, eight v-dosc per side for side hangs and three dV-dosc per side used as down fill. Subs comprise eight SB28’s per side and four Kara for front fill duty. The system is driven by L-Acoustics LA8 amplifiers. Continued Puttock: “The K1 system is very consistent and that’s the main reason we have it on tour; we know we can use it for day-to-day reliability. As Alan Partridge would say, it’s all ‘splendid and tremendous’...”

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Below: Show Designer, Rob Sinclair; Video Director, Blue Leach; Production Manager, James Hennin.

SPECIAL EFFECTS Special effects supplier BPM SFX has worked with the Kaiser Chiefs on a few one off shows, but this is the company’s first tour with them. Heading up the effects on tour - although not travelling with is - is Liam Haswell, BPM’s Technical Director: “We’ve provided four Swirl Fans for a curtain confetti effect on the song Coming Home. A hand held streamer cannon for OMG, two custom-made handheld pyrotechnic shooters with smokeless red flares

for the song I Predict A Riot, and four Robe Cyclones. We had been looking at smoke machines for the band with movable fans that are DMX controlled and Robe had the solution for us with their Cyclone lighting fixture. We use this for the show opener.” Throughout the UK run, there are two shows which will also require pyrotechnics; the larger London date and the Leeds gig - a hometown finale for the band. Haswell continued: “We are supplying a co2 jet system for those shows,

as well as additional X-Treme Shots to enhance the streamer effect in OMG. Ricky loves to be involved and hands-on with the special effects when it’s safe for him to do so. We spent a number of hours discussing him firing some of the effects.” CATERING As Hennin had mentioned, unlike other catering firms in the industry, Kaiser Chiefs’ own choice of vendor is not a typical road restaurant.

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Below: FOH Engineer, Chris Leckie; Adlib’s Monitor Tech, James Petch and System Tech George Puttock... and the home comfort of a play mat.

Royston Lyons, owner and Head Chef of Lyons Catering explained: “I’ll do tours occasionally, maybe once or twice a year. I like being personally asked, that way I know we’re really wanted and it’s going to be a good environment for my staff and me. Other than tours, I do private events. I’ve been in the industry for 30 years, so a lot of work comes from reputation.” In his time, Lyons has cooked for some massive stars including Whitney Huston, Toni Braxton, The Rolling Stones and Eminem. Kaiser Chiefs have worked with Lyons before, and as with many of the people of this tour, developed an on-going relationship. “The band asked me to come back, so I did. I’ve done a lot of touring in my time and so there are times when you have to think on your feet being a chef on the road. But we have a motto: adapt and overcome. A couple of the band require diary free and gluten free diets and a couple of the crew are vegetarians, so there’s always something interesting to cook.” In Liverpool on the very first day of the tour, the menu included butternut squash and quinoa, seabass with steamed vegetables and homemade brownies. TRANSPORT Phoenix Bussing has supplied three tour buses to the tour manned by a bubbly bunch of drivers - Dave Randall, Mike Birch, and Lloyd MoscropBrown. The top of the range buses are very new too, one of which is out on its very first tour. 26

Randall told TPi: “These buses have everything you’d ever need in them. Obvioulsy there’s the living room areas and kitchens, and they’re all 16 birth but the technology they’re kitted out with is amazing. We have PS4s both up and downstairs, twin TVs, surround sound and fully wireless entertainment system. You can log on to your iPhone or iPad and watch a movie from anywhere on your bus, that down time is important.” Birch added: “Phoenix have been building buses for 30 years, and they’re really top of the range now. There’s nowhere else to go apart form more technology.” Yet it’s not simply the state-of-the-art design that keeps the troops happy, it’s the reputation of the company itself. MoscropBrown explained: “The service from Phoenix is second to none. I had a bus over heat on me once, and within an hour they’d sent another. And that was in Italy on a Sunday morning! A lot of people think we’re the best as far as service is concerned, but I’ve been driving since 1984 and I’ve never worked with such a great calibre of driver. It’s a pleasure working with them. I think a lot of drivers out there have the intention of ending up at Phoenix. I know that was my goal.” Randall concluded: “Because our buses are built for us, we know the systems, everything on this bus has the same certification as your house does.” For production logistics, trucking giant Fly By Nite has provided four arctic trucks and a single

rigid truck with a team led by John Burgess. The company became involved with the band some years ago, since their first NME tour at the start of their career, and have been using FBN ever since. The driving crew is completed by Andy Johnson - nicknamed ‘Willis’ - Graham Trull, Paul Robinson and Ian Pugh. Said Burgess: “It might sound daft but it’s true, it absolutely is like one big family here!” A TOURING SUCCESS The band’s Tour Manager, Liam Rippon, is hands-on with not just the band, but the production too. Having worked with Jarvis Cocker previously, the band themselves sought out Rippon’s touring knowledge. “These days you have to give fans a reason to come back to a gig. The fans expect to see a quality production; they’re buying the tickets so we have to give them value for money. A core group of fans isn’t enough when you want to sell out arenas but if touring is very important and when it’s done properly, is a very good investment. “As their TM, I have to compare their shows to everything from football matches to high-end restaurants, because the public have only got so much money to spend on entertainment, and we want them to come and see us! Whatever we spend money on has to go back into making the show better, and it does. The customers - or fans in our case - are king so for that reason, I put the show above everything, even the band!”

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Kaiser Chiefs

Below: Lite Alternative provided the lighting rig, control and a motorised Kinesys truss system; Tour Manager, Liam Rippon; The lovely Phoenix Bussing drivers: Dave Randall, Lloyd Moscrop-Brown and Mike Birch.

After the first night of the tour, it was clear that the production efforts had paid off, and PM Hennin was a proud man! He concluded: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing the show actually come to life in Liverpool was the highlight of my tour, I was so pleased with how it all looked. I was really

happy with it, and on top of that, all of the suppliers have done a sterling job.â&#x20AC;? TPi Photos: Kelly Murray, Rob Sinclair & samsamneillphoto.com www.kaiserchiefs.com

www.nocturneproductions.com www.lite-alternative.com http://bpm-sfx.com www.adlib.co.uk www.flybynite.co.uk www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk www.lyons-catering.co.uk www.kinesys.co.uk

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From. To.

Spanning from performing arts to conferences, religious events and live shows, a Series which can do everything of any kind: classical recitals and concerts, dramas, operas and musicals, church services, live music, symposiums and car expos; all up to a capacity of two thousand, indoors or outdoors. From. To. In the very best sense: the d&b Y-Series.

PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

ALT-J LIVE IN BRUSSELS HAVING RECENTLY PLAYED THEIR BIGGEST SHOW TO DATE AT THE O2, LONDON, ALT-J CONTINUE TO CAPITALISE ON THEIR IMMENSE POPULARITY ON THEIR EUROPEAN TOUR. TO ACCOMPANY THEIR NEW FOUND STATUS, THE BAND’S LIVE SHOW HAS STEPPED UP A NOTCH. PATRICK MCCUMISKEY SPOKE TO THE PRODUCTION CREW AT THE FOREST NATIONAL ARENA IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM...

alt-J is the band of the moment. It is simply impossible not to have heard about this alternative indie quartet recently. The band, originally from Leeds, has amassed an impressive amount of accolades since forming in 2008; in 2012, the band received the Mercury Prize, and in the same year was also nominated for three BRIT Awards (British Breakthrough Act, British Album of the Year and British Group of the Year). In February of this year, the band was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. As the band’s popularity has increased, so too has the complexity and depth of the live show production. When alt-J’s 2014 album This Is All Yours accelerated the hype surrounding the band, it became necessary to provide a 30

suitably fitting show for the band encroaching on stadium-sized levels of popularity. “We’ve got a fairly hectic schedule running until February 2016, and it has been intense since September,” said Tour Manager Maarten Cobbaut from tour management production company, Lobbycall. The schedule is set to continue until next year, with planned stints in America and India on the cards later this year. Continued Cobbaut: “I started with alt-J in September, I was working with Foals and Bloc Party before this tour began. The first run of the tour, beginning in September, was essentially a short run of the UK and Ireland. We did smaller shows in Glasgow, London and Dublin, and worked our way up to the big show at the O2 on 25 January 2015.” Production Manager and Netherlands native,

Bennie Brongers also began working with alt-J for the 2014 shows. He told TPi: “The band are doing fantastic. We don’t just have pockets of support here and there like is often the case with bands - this band is becoming really popular everywhere. We’ve been lucky too; this European leg is particularly well routed. Sometimes tours end up zig zagging around all over the place, but with this tour it has been relatively linear.” With the European leg kicking off at the Forest National Arena in Brussels, Belgium, memories of the O2 show a couple of weeks prior were still fresh in the minds of the production crew. In addition to being alt-J’s largest show to date, the O2 gig also proved to be something of a landmark show with regards to production. Brongers continued: “The O2

PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Opposite: Jeremy Lechterman, Production Designer and Lighting Programmer Jackson Gallagher are responsible for the band’s visuals. Below: Lechterman’s lighting fixtures - comprising Robe, Clay Paky and Martin Professional fixtures- were supplied by HSL.

show was effectively a one-off. Compared to the current European leg of the tour, the O2 show had a larger production, especially with respect to visuals. For a one off performance, it was tricky.” Brongers brought in several suppliers to the tour from previous successful working relationships. Among these are HSL, Eighth Day Sound, Popcorn Catering, Stardes Trucking and Four Seasons bussing. VISUALS Jeremy Lechterman, Production Designer and Lighting Programmer and Jackson Gallagher, Associate Designer and Video Programmer of US-based FragmentNine design firm were happy to divulge the inns and outs of their production concept for the alt-J shows. Lechterman met Gallagher whilst studying at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, and was brought on board the alt-J wagon due to the desire to include a video element within the visuals.

“Trying to pin down a ‘concept’ of what we have created is difficult,” commented Lechterman. “Loosely, I would say the main goal was for audience members not just to come and watch a show - we wanted them to experience alt-J - whatever that means (laughs).

of silhouette to try to elevate the band whilst still trying to shroud them and the music in mystery as much as possible.” Gallagher added: “Nothing stands out. We don’t mean that in a negative way, but more in the sense that everything - the music and

“The main goal was for audience members not just to come and watch a show - we wanted them to experience alt-J...” - Jeremy Lechterman, Production Designer

The show isn’t necessarily geared towards clapping along or fist pumping, but more towards the overall experience of the show, entrancing and enticing, a journey we take the audience on working in unison with the band. It’s a very backlit and shadowy show, using lots

the visuals - blend together. With this in mind, the visuals provide a complete setting for the music.” Lechterman first stumbled across alt-J in 2012. “I was working with Grouplove, a US indie rock band, and alt-J were supporting in 2012. 31

PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Below: Bennie Brongers, Production Manager; Maarten Cobbaut, Tour Manager; System Engineer from Eighth Day Sound, Lee Fox-Furnell; FOH Engineer Lance Reynolds.

I made it out to FOH one night during their set and instantly was attached to the music, but immediately thought ‘these guys could really use some lights!’ I basically just pestered management until they let me have a go of it! “We had done two previous USA tours together and they must have gone well enough as they asked me back for this new album cycle.

I was hesitant at first because as a designer it’s a long time to be on tour with one show, but with such a demanding global schedule, it’s imperative I’m on the road with it. We are continually evolving the show for each new tour or market, so it’s great I am here on the ground to marshall it all. Lechterman continued: “The band and I

have a fantastic relationship and a great deal of trust, which manifested itself in very little direction from them on the design of the show. The liberty is great, but with so much creative freedom it can become a curse in disguise. I will admit, at the beginning of the design process, we were floundering a bit because we had so many ideas, we were unsure as to which was

TPI_S-Series_Launch.indd 1

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Below: Kit Streppel and Em Franklin of Popcorn Catering; Dinner is served; Lighting Programmer Jackson Gallagher and Jeremy Lechterman, Production Designer; Four Seasons provided two buses for the European leg of the tour.

the right one.” Gallagher continued: “It took three weeks of pre-visualisation both in New York and at HSL, the lighting provider, before we really had a grasp of the show. We sent the band and management screenshots and renderings, but still, it’s hard for a still rendering to convey volumetric ideas. It was also challenging in the

show”. Some of the show is set to timecode, but most of it is played back live via two MA Lighting grandMA2 Lights. “I never want to work with anything else,” said Lechterman. “Nothing comes close to the power with which we can do complicated things or the speed with which we can work together on the same show

“This was risky because there was a chance that it would cut off a performers mouth or eyes...” - Lighting Programmer, Jackson Gallagher

respect that the band’s studio performance is drastically different from the live show. Songs that feel small in a live setting can be big on the album and vice versa. Once we got the band into our last day of production rehearsals, we ended up having to throw away a good portion of the show as it didn’t fit the live sound. It wasn’t until the first few shows of the September UK tour that we felt like we had a 34

file.” The video content is driven on PRG’s MBox studio media servers. FragmentNine supplied its own custom built rack inclusive of two new Apple Mac Pro trashcans, which drive all the video content to the screen and pixel map the roof of Ayrton Magic Panels hung on fingers over the band via an Artnet merge happening in the MA Lighting console. For the tour, Martin Professional EC10 panels are hung in staggered

panels upstage behind the band. Except for the media server, everything is supplied by HSL. Fixture wise, Lechterman specified 39 Magic Panel 602’s, 16 Martin Professional MAC Vipers, 24 Clay Paky Sharpys, 39 Robe CycFX 8’s, 19 Martin Professional Atomics, four Martin MAC Auras, 10 2-Lite blinders and four HazeBase Pro fixtures. THE O2 SHOW For the O2 show, XL Video supplied a 60’ x 20’ curved PixLED F12 screen upstage, and additional PixLED IMAG screens. HSL, again, provided all lighting fixtures and rigging. Continued Gallagher: “For the O2, we flipped our normally vertically oriented screen into a large curved panorama which flowed out into flanking IMAG screens. The total width was about 130’. “One of the biggest changes for the O2 was the addition of IMAG. With a venue that large, it was necessary to make sure people in the way back could still feel attached to the show. However, we wanted to stray away from ‘traditional’ IMAG because so quickly it can feel disassociated and removed from the actual production - a head on a rectangle floating in space not relating back to the stage. In keeping with the mystery and shrouded concepts, we added gaps between panels of the IMAG screens, mimicking the upstage video wall, so

TOUR MANAGEMENT & PRODUCTION

Lobby Call is proud to be a part of alt-Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s touring family. www.lobbycall.com

PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Below: A mixture of d&b audiotechnik’s J and V Series elements were deployed on alt-J’s tour; Lechterman and Gallagher used their trusty MA Lighting grandMA2 Light desks; Owing to the fact that no backline guitar amps or acoustic drums are used by the band, a remarkably clean mix can be delivered to the band’s in-ears; Eighth Day Sound supplied all audio needs for the tour.

you never saw a clean image of someone’s face. This was risky because there was a chance that it would cut off a performers mouth or eyes in the shot, but we wanted it to be structurally integrated within the show. We did a lot of subtle effects on the IMAG, boosting a lot of contrast to make it look really grainy, with black

and his guys really pulled off a tremendous job. Four Bradley Camball 2 Cameras and four Sony HXC-100 Cameras were used for the IMAG, all switching through a Grass Valley Kayak switcher. XL Video provided the camera package as well. The XL Video team was completed by

“While the visual spectacle which Lechterman and Gallagher built provides the spectator with a certain atmosphere, the band is, of course, renowned for its sound...” - TPi

and white sections too. We’re really pleased with how it turned out,” said Gallagher. Lechterman added: “Matt Askem, a friend of Benny (PM) directed the IMAG video for the O2 shows. He worked with us on the creative side initially, and then he cut the show and directed all the cameras live. With a complicated screen to frame for and very limited time, Matt 36

Account Rep Phil Mercer, Project Manager, Jay Mobbs-Beal, IMAG Director Matt Askem, Video Engineer Dickie Burford, Video Crew Chief, Phil Leech, LED Tech / Camera Operators Colin Mudd, Connor Canwell, Mark Eise and Camera Operator Mark Stevenson A further addition for the O2 show was a Kinesys automation system, provided by HSL.

Continued Lechterman: “The songs are so vastly different, we really wanted to be able change up the stage space drastically, so the fingers of Magic Panels (nine now up from seven), Sharpys, and Atomics were automated. David Jolly was the programmer. Dave was recommended by Mike Oates, our Project Manager at HSL. Every song showed a new arrangement of the fingers, and several live moves were programmed into the show, often to showcase some cathartic moment in the music.” The Lighting crew was completed by Crew Chief Marc Callaghan, Dimmer Operator Rob Starkfield, Lighting Techs Jake Jevons and Dom Crookes (O2 London only) Russel Cobden on Production Rigging duties and Kinesys MD Dave Jolly again at the O2 only. SOUNDS GOOD While the visual spectacle which Lechterman and Gallagher built provides the spectator with a certain atmosphere, the band is, of course, renowned for its sound. With all sonic equipment supplied by UK Office of US-based Eighth Day Sound, the task of making alt-J sound like themselves fell to FOH Engineer Lance Reynolds. “I’ve been working with the band since

PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Below: The O2 show was the band’s largest to date; System Tech Fox-Furnell used d&b audiotechnik’s Arraycalc software to get the best sound out of the room.

TRUSS YOU CAN TRUST

QUALITY AVAILABILITY RELIABILITY INNOVATION August 2012. In the first proper tour they did of the states in 2012, I was brought on board through mutual contacts. At that point it was very much a smaller affair, I was also tour managing too, with only one other person in the crew. We’ve already been touring on this record since August, so really this is the continuation of the tour, and it feels like we are pretty knee deep into this already.” Reynolds’ console of choice for mixing is an Avid Profile. He continued: “I’ve been using Profiles for years. If I’m not doing something analogue, the profile is my go to. There are a lot of choices now with desks, but the good thing with Avids is that they are everywhere, so it’s easy to adapt. Plus, everyone has an Avid show file. If we turn up at a festival in the middle of a tour, I can jump in with my show file. It sounds good too, but for practicality and comfort, you can’t beat them. It lets me focus on the band at soundcheck rather than my needs or the systems needs, which also speeds things up. More than anything, it doesn’t distract from the

needs of the band.” Of course, what conversation with a Sound Engineer would be complete without mentioning the ‘A’ word? “I’m using a couple of analogue goodies,” continued Reynolds, “I’ve got an Alan smart research C2 compressor and an XTA analogue EQ, just for a little bit of analogue. The compressor is really a studio tool, a little esoteric for a live show. It’s that same style of compression that you find on the SSL desks that everyone has used since the 80s, it just kind of glues everything together in a cool way. I’m also running pro tools to virtual sound check and I like to record to the shows when I can. “The outboard equaliser and compressor aren’t necessary as such, I mean, the software equivalent will do the job - whether it’s a Waves SSL or EQ bundle, Avid’s Impact, or Avid’s stock graphic EQ, I’m generally happy. Having the equaliser, I’ve always just preferred to have something with actual knobs on it, so I can be touching that whilst not needing to switch

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Below: A Kinesys automation system, provided by HSL, allowed the lighting fixtures freedom of movement at alt-J’s O2 show.

through different screens on the computer. And, there’s still something great about the magical piece of analogue that fits into the digital world. “Equipment really matters… If a piece of equipment can make you feel like youre doing a better job, then its worth having included. Its better than having to fight with your own equipment.”

In theaters it is more challenging, generally the smaller venues take a little more work. “At the show we did at the Alexandra Palace in London late last year, for example, the sound was challenging. I would go as far as to say that it was one of the most difficult rooms I’ve worked in. The challenge is also similar here at the Forest National. The band has some really nice sub bass sounds in their songs, and some

“what conversation with a Sound Engineer would be complete without mentioning the ‘A’ word?”

CHALLENGES OF ALT-J “They’re a pretty standard band to mix, although occasionally the vocals are quiet. It’s not a shouty sort of band, so it can be a chore sometimes to get the vocals clear and as loud as I want them without finding the feedback spots in the room. Usually in the arena, that’s not the issue, as I’ve got a lot more headroom. 38

of that can resonate like crazy. Some of Gus’s bass sounds created through keyboards and programs can be quite prominent in the mix. “The bass guitar and the kick drum aren’t as difficult to deal with. It’s challenging to keep it up there in the mix but to still rein it in from feeding back. At least with top end, the mass of people in the audience will dampen it to a

minimum.” MONITOR WORLD Ron Sharpless has been assisting the band on monitors since 2014. He said: “I started working with the band last year, it was getting to the stage for them that they required the next level of set up, so I was able to jump on board.” Initially Sharpless mixed on a PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 digital console before changing to a DiGiCo SD10. “This band is pretty straightforward to mix due to the fact that the band are all using in ears. There’s no - or very little - bleed between the instruments, making my job much easier! That, and the fact that the SD10 allows me to mix pretty seemlessly.” Adding to the ease of Sharpless’ mixing is the fact that there are no monitor wedges, and no guitar amps. All instruments have direct input, with the drummer also using an electronic drum kit. “The entire band is using Sennheiser ew 300 IEMs, with Tom the drummer using an Albatross headphone amp. Sennheiser microphones are employed all around, in addition to a couple of Shure SM57’s and a Porter Davies drum sub thrown in for good measure,” concluded

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: alt-J

Below: HSL provided the tour’s lighting requirements throughout the UK and Europe.

Sharpless. System Engineer from Eighth Day Sound, Lee Fox-Furnell, explained to us a little about the d&b audiotechnik PA system: “For the O2 show, the biggest arena in the UK, we had to have a slightly different set up than on the current European shows. We had a slightly bigger system in the O2.” 18 J-Series J8’s and two J12’s made up the main hang, as we have today; compete with 10 J8’s and 4 J12’s on side, with eight flown d&b J-Subs. There was also a central hang consisting of four d&b V-Series V8’s. On the floor 24 d&b B2 subwoofers in a distributed bass array and also six d&b Q7’s for front fills were employed. In the O2, the throw is about 100-metres to the back. It’s a challenge, but it’s also quite a pleasant room in terms of concrete arenas anyway!” For the rest of the tour, a mixture of d&b’s J and V Series elements are employed. 16 J8’s and two J12 Boxes, complete with 10 V8 and four V12 Boxes for side hang and six flown J-Subs are installed, with 24 B2 subs on the floor and six Q10s as front fill. All amplification on both shows was d&b D80, with 40 units at the O2 and 30 on the European tour shows respectively. 40

“I’m using d&b’s Arraycalc software, which is ridiculously helpful. I enter the measurements of the room into Arraycalc and it gives me predictions of the room based on achievable SPL and dimensions with the system we have. “Forest National is quite an empty sounding room - theres a lot of low end that booms around here. It can be quite a scary experience during soundcheck!” TRANSPORT Taking the show from venue to venue are UK-based transport company Stardes. David Harvey Steinberg from Stardes commented: “We first worked with alt-J on a short tour in September 2014, and we were delighted to be asked back for the much larger tour this year. We were introduced through Bennie Brongers, alt-J’s Production Manager, with whom we have a long-standing relationship spanning over 20 years. “We supplied six trucks for the recent headline show at the O2 Arena, and three trucks will be utilised for the remaining European dates.” Four Seasons bussing are providing two buses to transport the crew, alt-J and support bands Wolf Alice and Genghar.

CATERING Popcorn Catering provide the production team and band with hearty feasts. On offer are a selection of delicious mains, ranging from grilled chicken breast to Thai prawn curry to vegetarian goats cheese tart. Meals, soups and sides change on a daily basis and the usual additions of salads and sweets are offered to the hungry production crew. “It’s a pleasure to be involved with the alt-J tour,”said Kit Streppel, Head Chef. “We try and provide the crew with tasty nutritious food. They seem to enjoy it!” TPi

Photos: Jeremy Lechterman and Patrick McCumiskey www.altjband.com www.kinesys.co.uk www.hslgroup.com www.8thdaysound.com www.stardes.co.uk www.fragmentnine.com www.fourseasonstravel.co.uk www.popcorncatering.com www.xlvideo.com www.lobby-call.com

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Level 42

LEVEL 42 FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF THE SIRENS EP IN LATE 2014, LEVEL 42 EMBARKED ON AN 18-DATE UK TOUR, WHICH CULMINATED WITH A SELL OUT GIG AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL. HAVING SAVOURED GLOBAL SUCCESS FOR OVER 30 YEARS, TODAY THE BAND’S SOUND IS INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE. THIS IS NO SURPRISE GIVEN THAT DURING THOSE THREE DECADES LEVEL 42 HAS DELIVERED 14 STUDIO ALBUMS, SEVEN LIVE ALBUMS AND SIX COMPILATION ALBUMS, HAD 18 TOP 40 SINGLES AND SOLD IN EXCESS OF 30 MILLION ALBUMS WORLDWIDE. SARAH RUSHTON-READ CATCHES UP WITH THE BAND AND TAKES SOME LESSONS IN LOVE... Level 42’s Sirens EP sees the band go back to its roots, with trademark vocals and multidimensional synths from Mike Lindup backed up by by Mark King’s thundering bass lines and Pete-Ray Biggin’s edgy, energetic drums. Chatting to a very relaxed Mark King, in his dressing room (at the side of the Royal Albert Hall stage), it’s immediately apparent that he’s buzzing from the fans positive response to the new material. “The EP resonates profoundly with Level 42’s early 80s catalogue of funk mafia,” he explained. “In Sept 2014 we played a one off gig at the Indigo O2 to launch it. The gig went down really well with our hardcore fans and this filled me with confidence about the direction we’re taking so we took out a more comprehensive tour.” King, who is no wallflower when it comes 42

to the look, feel and sound of the group’s touring shows, continued: “Back when we first started the band we played hot stuffy venues with low ceilings and wet walls. There was something exciting about the stink and look that came from the Parcans and their burned out gels. For the first three or four years of touring our budgets were small, but those early days had a real magic to them, we learned a lot and because ours was very much a dance gig, everybody in the room had a great time, that vibe really worked.” LIGHITNG As the years went by the budgets got bigger and so did the venues the band toured to. The last two tours were decked out in all the usual entertainment technology bells and whistles including LED screens and video content.

However for the Sirens tour King wanted to get right back to the band’s steamy, more intimate, clubbing roots. Working alongside long-time Lighting Designer for the group, Steve Finch and Designer / Programmer Yenz Nyholm, King elected for a stripped back, retro look. “The new material presented the perfect opportunity to reinvent the past on a number of levels,” said King. “Steve and Yenz are both fantastic LDs and along with Siyan Lighting, were really supportive of my ideas.” “The brief Steve and I got from Mark was simple - he wanted to go back to the 80s, an old school feel with big bright statement colour washes, rather than breaking up the stage with spots, gobos or sharp edges,” added Nyholm. “To give it a truly retro vibe Mark suggested a rig full of PAR cans but of course we couldn’t do that because it would have taken a full

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Level 42

Opposite: Long standing Level 42 supplier Siyan Lighting supplied the tour. Below: The 18-date UK tour sees the band go back to a stripped down stage production.

four trucks to get the effect we wanted!” In the end Finch and Nyholm chose to go for a mostly LED rig, using height, angle and intensity to vary the looks. “Having a rig full of wash lights was tricky and getting distinct looks for each track was more challenging than we expected,” added Nyholm. “We enjoyed it though; it forced us to approach lighting design in a different way. We found we could get quite a lot of variety by subtly varying the shades and effects rather than relying on gobos and sharp edges.” King says Nyholm - a drummer in a former life - has an incredible ear: “Same with Finch who was a steel string guitarist, so they both know their stuff,” stated King. “We’ve used Siyan Lighting for as long as I can remember and they always come up with the goods. We don’t have the biggest budget but that doesn’t seem to matter when you have guys like Steve and Yenz. The best pay off was when the boss of Live Nation got really excited about the look of the show; especially when that is in the context of the massive productions they have out where budget isn’t an issue. That’s really quite something.” King was also keen to move away from the traditional stage layout: “I wanted to shift the drums to one side and put the

brass riser centre stage behind us so we could get a really dynamic vibe to the show. We wanted the dance element back; I know it sounds ridiculous - a bunch of old men dancing on stage,” King chuckled. “But that is what the show needed.” And the arrangement really works, both experientially and visually. “Dynamics are everything and this is where Yenz tops the bill for me,” says King. “He’s so on the music. We were looking for a theatrical feel and we got it.” And the theatrical vibe doesn’t end at the lighting. King’s bass guitar is encrusted in LED and Swarovski crystals and it’s the first lighting effect the audience see as the band comes on stage. The types of venues on the tour also heightened the desired atmosphere with Level 42 packing out venues such as the Newcastle Sage and Birmingham Symphony Hall, amongst many others. “These venues are beautiful, but they can also pose some awkward challenges,” continued Nyholm. “If you’re going into symphony halls where it’s all polished stages and white walls and you’re using 56 LED lights, it tends to bounce everywhere and you lose definition. We combatted this at times by running the rig at just 30%!” Nyholm specified a mixture of luminaires including Robe 600’s,

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Level 42

Below: LD, Steve Finch worked with the band to create a more theatrical feel. Siyan supplied the tour with a selection of Robe, Clay Paky and ACL fixtures and audio wise, Capital Sound provided a Martin Audio MLA compact system

Robe LED beams, ACL strobes and Molefays. “We’re also using an array of Sunstrips, which are set up on the risers to get that big theatre show look.” Illuminating the faces of the band and providing key lighting are a number of Clay Paky Alpha Wash 700’s, rigged on the front truss. Nyholm controls the whole set up with an Avolites Tiger Touch II and Fader Wing. “The Tiger Touch II is such an intuitive desk to use,” said Nyholm. “The best thing for me is the cue stacking. You can display your cue list and each individual cue’s parameters on the screens, but better still you can go in and change every parameter without having to be in the cue itself. This has been a massive time saving device and makes on the fly changes simple and efficient.” AUDIO When it comes to sound, King is also hands on: “Since we started out our PA of choice has always been Martin Audio - they just sound great. From the early days when we used a basic roll on, roll off stage rig, the sound was key. Our relationship with Capital Sound is solid and both FOH Engineer, Mark Clements, and Monitor engineer, Mark ‘Joey’ Jowitt, have been with us a long time.” In fact both have been working with Level 42 for near-on 15 years. Clements agility in capturing the distinctive ‘42’ sound and all it comprises is impressive. He delivers a clear, crisp mix, that features a tight and punchy low end, which serves to delight the bands exacting fans. Lyrics are pin sharp and sit comfortably 44

above the brass, drum and guitars, while King’s famous bass skills are omnipresent throughout. Clements says the most enjoyable thing about his job is the fact that he has worked with the band for 15 years. “The Level 42 audience expect perfection, they expect to hear a full and detailed mix and it has to have plenty of energy.” This they get in abundance. With seven musicians on stage the show is channel hungry as Clements explained: “Pete on drums has a substantial kit, which takes some 16 channels alone.” Of course Clements has fine-tuned his choice of microphones over the years and today his specification is eclectic and specific. For the drums alone they include: Beta 91 / 52 for Kick, a Beta 57a for snare top and an Audio Technica 4041 for the snare bottom. Hats are Audio Technica 4041, Toms Sennheiser 604 or dpa mics and finally overheads are Audio Technica 4050s.  “I’ve continuously tailored my microphone choice and I have to say some of the old standards that I used way back continue to work very well today. Level 42 has its roots firmly in the 80s, they have to be mixed with that in mind.” Beyond a few nice reverbs and delays Clements says he takes a pretty straightforward approach to his job. Equally when it comes to his choice of console Clements is unusually flexible: “I would use either a Avid Profile, a Soundcraft Vi6 or a DiGiCo console; EQ wise they all work very well with Level 42, and they all have easy to navigate work surfaces.”

In fact Clements’ says his biggest challenge over the years was when the band changed from on-stage wedges to In-Ear-Monitors (IEMs). “From the start all the band were on wedges and because of the nature of the music ie, fast attacking with lots of information it could be awkward to achieve definition on stage,” he explained. “This in turn affected my FOH mix, particularly in smaller venues where monitor levels could be quite overpowering. Now that everyone is on IEM’s the stage level is much quieter and everything can be properly managed through the PA system.”   PA of choice is the Martin Audio MLA Compact: “It’s a detailed PA which gives me equal coverage over the entire venue. The new MLX subs are particularly fast attacking, which makes them ideal for the band’s information rich sound.” Tone wise Clements says he looks for a clear crisp sound: “Not too heavy on the Subs. This band requires a tight punchy low end so my mix is set for a crisp clear punchy sound with vocals sitting just on top, airy keys and guitars with low end samples and just over that sits Mark’s bass.”  Like Clements, Monitor Engineer Mark ‘Joey’ Jowitt has been with Level 42 for 15 years. “As Mark says up until around nine years ago the whole band was on wedges. Now at last Level 42 has become an ‘all ears act’,” said Joey. Each band member’s in-ear mix is unique to him and all are very different: “Mark’s mix is a full picture, almost a ‘L + R’ mix. Mike is very keys and vocal orientated. I’ve found, especially with the IEMs, not to presume anything apart

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Level 42

Below: The production crew; Monitor Engineer Mark ‘Joey’ Jowitt has been with Level 42 for 15 years; FOH Engineer Clements specified a mixture of Shure, Audio Technica and Sennheiser microphones; Designer / Programmer Nyholm with his beloved Avolites Tiger Touch II

from the musician’s own instrument. IEM mixes are so individual as opposed to a side fill / wedge mix, which obviously includes a general wash of the stage and FOH.” Joey uses Ultimate’s UE 7 In-ears: “They appear to be the best for acts transitioning from years of wedges to IEM’s as they give a very powerful SPL,” he explained. Capital Sound provides the system’s ‘Workbench’ software: “This is particularly useful when you want to avoid the blocks of TV Frequencies you find in Europe,” pointed out Joey. “It’s a pretty crucial piece of kit when an act relies so heavily on radio systems for their sound.” For Pete Ray Biggin, 42’s drummer, Joey gives stems from the monitor board to Biggin’s own mixer, from which he runs his own HD 25’s. “We’ve tried a “thumper”, but Pete prefers a single 15” driver close up to his back for feel. Some numbers require a click, which I run direct from source, not via the monitor board. The less in line with that feed, the better!” Back out front and supporting Clements with the PA is System Tech Toby Donovan: “Our configuration most days was 12 MLA Compact per side, with three MLX per side in a cardioid configuration.” There was the option to use the conventional Martin Audio W218X subs for this but Donovan chose to go with the highpowered MLX subs, designed to complement the MLA system. “It gave us a good controllable sub and we had some impressive low-end 46

extension for some of the band’s newer material, which contains samples down to about 30Hz.” Donovan says the hifi sound of the MLAC lends itself to the Level 42 sound very well: “This is not least because when optimised with Display software I can get it sounding really similar everywhere in the venue,” he explained. “A lot of the audience are musicians themselves (myself included!) and so know the material inside-out. It’s important that the detail is coherent everywhere. I also find that because the PA is so responsive it really brings out small changes in the mix, which is great because Mark can tweak sounds and FX and the difference is really apparent.” The band played a diversity of venues and Donovan’s major challenges was limited point weights and limited places for ground stacks, especially where audience are often seated in the near-field. “Luckily MLAC is relatively light weight for an amplified speaker with DSP. From memory my whole array of 12 weighed 656kg, meaning I could hang the lot most of the time. Equally when I had to deploy a ground stack or split system, it’s quick and easy to stack on the stage or on subs. As well as sounding similar everywhere it’s possible to set an accurate SPL profile for the venue, where I can dictate how loud it is at the front and rear of the coverage with respect to the mix position. This is great for ground stacks where people sitting near them can hear the full mix but without having it too loud!”

TEAM WORK Overseeing the production team is SW19 production manager, Lisa Santos, who worked closely with Mark King and Lighting Designer Steve Finch to deliver the creative concept for the tour. “The band has been in existence for some time and many of the technical and production team have been with them for many years. The result is a very professional team.” Santos continued: “Budgeting and keeping cost down has become increasingly challenging over the years, however with Level 42 there is still the ethos that the best company for the job should get the job. Reliability is key too. If a supplier has great backup and a good technical team, then this is just as important to us as their equipment. Our suppliers are therefore all companies we know, value and trust.” This is evident from the relaxed and friendly attitudes of both the artists and the production team. In addition to the services of Capital Sound and Siyan Lighting, trucks came from Fly By Nite, buses from Phoenix, travel was arranged by MBA, and last but most definitely not least, the ever essential catering was provided by Snakatak! TPi Photos: Sarah Rushton-Read http://thefifthestate.co.uk www.level42.com, www.siyan.co.uk www.capital-sound.co.uk www.flybynite.co.uk www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk http://snakatakcatering.com

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Jessie J

SWEET TALKER A SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITER, NUMBER ONE POP STAR, TV SHOW MENTOR AND TOURING PRO, BRITISH SINGER JESSIE J UNLEASHED HER SOULFUL HIP HOP INFUSED, BEAT DRIVEN PERFORMANCE FOR HER LATEST TOUR IN SUPPORT OF HER THIRD STUDIO ALBUM, SWEET TALKER. WITH A STRIPPED DOWN SHOW DESIGN FROM LD VINCE FOSTER, THE ARTIST’S VOICE BECAME THE RIGHTFUL STAR OF THE SHOW. TPi’S KELLY MURRAY REPORTS. After cancelling her very first tour date in Glasgow due to an unforeseen throat infection, Jessie J was soon back on full form, adding a Glaswegian date onto the end of the UK run. The singer is well-known for wanting to really please her fans with her performances. Manchester was the third date of the tour and her presence in the city summoned queuing fans by midday, complete with blankets and flasks, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star. Once we made our way to the stage door, we were greeted rather sternly by the venue’s in-house security. “Unless someone comes to meet you, you’re not coming in” we’re told. Right then… PRODUCTION 24/7’s Production Assistant, Lizzie Graham, is the woman in the know backstage. Having 48

started her own career as a stagehand at crewing specialists Stage Miracles, three years later she wanted to make the transition into the production office. She took up an internship at 24/7 Productions, working under Jessie J’s Production Manager, John Pryer. Graham has clearly made an impact too, as this year she just happens to be nominated for a TPi Award. Following five days of rehearsals in Ryhl, North Wales, at an old theatre venue, the tour began in late January. By the third tour date, on a cold and rainy Manchester afternoon, she explained the decisions behind the tour’s chosen vendors: “In terms of suppliers, 24/7 are very loyal when we get good service. For example, I know we’ve used our catering company Eat To The Beat for the past 15 years, long before my time with the company.” However, on this academy-sized tour, there

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Jessie J

Opposite: Jessie J performed in Manchester as part of her Sweet Talker tour; She uses a customised gold plated Sennheiser. Below: White Light supplied a Clay Paky dominated rig; Show Designer and LD, Vince Foster.

are a couple of new vendors in tow, namely audio supplier Adlib and lighting vendor White Light. “Adlib are very helpful to work with, we did a couple of events with them over the summer and they were just very professional. If you needed anything, they sorted it out straight away, so we knew we could rely on them. We also have a new lighting supplier, White Light. We have two crew members from there and I have to say they are the perfect theatre professionals. “I suppose what is nice is that everybody knows each other, so it’s been a fairly stress free tour. We’ve used Rambo [Lead Truck Driver] before and I specifically requested to have Dean [Phoenix Bussing’s Lead Driver] on the tour as I’ve worked with him on other events, and he certainly makes things run very smoothly,” she added. And what of her TPi Award nomination for touring with Jessie J? “It’s great to be

nominated, and I really wish I could go on the night but I’ll be on tour with Jessie in Miami.” LIGHTING AND SET DESIGN The tour’s Show Designer and Lighting Director, Vince Foster has worked with Jessie J for the last four years. His vision for her tour this time has gone in the total opposite direction to the last tour, which took place in arenas throughout the UK. “We’ve stripped all the video away because she’s a dynamic artist and so she doesn’t actually need that kind of visual support; her voice can just own the show,” Foster explained. This was certainly true when she appeared on stage that evening, clad in a sheer ‘Manchester’ emblazoned over sized t-shirt; understated yet stage-owning. This stripped down, budget-driven production (there’s no pyro or backing vocalists this time around either) the main lighting concept is centred around two straight

general purpose TomCat trusses. The rig is predominately a Clay Paky design with 26 Mythos placed across both the truss and floor, six Clay Paky Sharpy Washes for key lighting on the front truss, 16 Clay Paky A.leda B-EYE K20’s on staggered T bars and uprights, 12 Pixel Lines by Pixel Range vertically on uprights and 20 generic 2-lite molefays. Having moved away from video screens, Foster asked Hang Man to create a backdrop behind which 24 Philips Nitro Strobes shine through. “There is a lot of LED on this show, I think that’s the way many designs are going these days. I really like the new Mythos fixtures because they can do everything; it’s a profile, a wash light and beam. I can get any look I want out of them. The B-EYEs are also fairly new and they’re a great wash light with really good colour options. They don’t look like an LED light at all, so they’re pretty attractive on stage,” added Foster.

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Jessie J

Below: Hang Man created a cloth backdrop, designed by Vince Foster; Production Assistant, Lizzie Graham; Foster used his own HES Hog 4 desk to control the lighting; The cue-driven show was mainly based around different shades of white light.

For control, Foster is using his own High End Systems Hog 4 desk over ArtNet. “I’ve always used Hogs wherever possible. They’re so familiar to me, it’s a bit like putting on a comfortable pair of slippers!” he laughed. “I can make a show in two weeks or 10 minutes if I need to, I don’t have to think about the button pushes anymore.” Jessie J’s lighting show is a cue driven affair which was always the thinking behind Foster’s design. “When the tour goes to Asia, I’ll hand it over to the next operator so all they have to know is the music in order to run the show, it’s as simple as that. I always try to simplify the programming so that the transition is fluid.” With the look of the show, there’s various warm and cold white light, so the main theme is based on around 80% of different white tones, which Foster is happy to say has been “a really effective look.” Supporting Foster on the tour is Crew Chief, Hadyn Williams and Lighting Tech, Neil Scrivener from White Light. Since Lester Cobrin joined the company as 50

Head of Concert Touring two years ago, the lighting rental company has branched out from its theatre roots. Said Williams: “I think part of White Light’s recent success is its investment in new kit. We were definitely one of the first companies to have the Mythos fixtures and because Vince wanted them, it helped us get the gig, which we’re glad about because it’s been a great experience.” DRAPING Draping expert Hang Man has worked with Foster over many years now and more recently, with 24/7 too, on top pop acts such as 5ive, The Wanted and as of last year, Jessie J. “We’ve worked with Vince on all of these projects to create backdrops with a series of layers to enable different looks and effects to be achieved through lighting it in various ways. We’ve actually developed new fabrication processes specifically for some of these projects and the latest Jessie J drape was a good example of this,” explained Hang Man’s Sam Booker.

“The brief was to create the 3D effect using only shading and different fabrics on a drape which could be folded and packed up to make it as practical as possible for a touring show. The architectural regularity of the design lent itself well to a combination of printed blackout fabrics and black and white gauzes to create some stunning visual effects on stage. The final effect was achieved with a printed blackout fabric appliquéd onto a black sharks tooth gauze with a secondary white sharks tooth gauze hung upstage of main backdrop.” The drapes themselves were 15-metres by 6-metres and were created from scratch in just three weeks. “Those three weeks included the Christmas and New Year period though, so time was certainly very tight!” AUDIO FOH Engineer Karl ‘Snake’ Newton has worked with Jessie J for three years, but this is his first time touring with Adlib. “She’s a good artist to work with because she has a naturally great

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Jessie J

Below: Dean Westwood of Phoenix Bussing; Stardes’ Dave ‘Rambo’ Ramsden; Eat To The Beat provided the tour’s catering; Head Caterer, Pauline Austin with Jamie Morris; White Light’s Hadyen Williams and Neil Scrivener.

voice; it’s quite fierce at times. Her mix is quite poppy and rocky as she has a live band with keys, drums, guitars and bass up there with her,” he noted. Adlib supplied control desks and a custom rack which houses the stage distro, mic splitter and an Avid stage rack. At FOH there is Snake’s Avid Profile running Venue software. “I really like the Profile, I’m very used to it now. I worked with this desk last time I was on tour with Jessie, so I’ve replicated that. Although Baggy is always trying to get me on a DiGiCo!” The Baggy in question is Andy ’Baggy’ Robinson, who told TPi: “I’m using an SD10 this time, I’ve never used a 10 before but because we’ve lost the backing vocalists from the arena show, this new set up fits easily onto this desk. It was the economic option for the tour, and I like it so far. For the arena shows last year, I was on an SD5, so you’ll always find me on a DiGiCo in some form or other! I’ve been working with them since ‘06 and I’ve never looked back. DiGiCo make the best sounding desks out there.” Baggy is creating four mixes for the band and for the artist herself. They are all on Sennheiser 2000 Series in-ears [provided by 24/7]. Jessie J is using a customised gold plated Sennesier 5235 microphone she even has a Swarovski Crystal encrusted mic stand. Continued Baggy: “DiGiCo 52

is always the best sounding desk in my opinion, and Sennheiser make the best in-ears too. The combination of the mic, my console and the inears is like a hat trick. If you have the right tools for the job, it makes your job so much easier.” The sound in the 1930s-built O2 Apollo theatre was certainly on point, with the singer expressing her clear enthusiasm for playing with a live band. During her rendition of her very

Proctor said of the PA choice: “We chose the K2 because Snake used a K1 system on her arena tour, so the K2 was the perfect transition. It translates really well and it’s also a nice light box, designed for rigging every day.” Proctor also designs and tunes the system each day. “The K2 was the best decision; the HF is clear right to the back of the room and you can vary the horizontal dispersion with this box,

“She’s a good artist to work with because she has a naturally great voice; it’s quite fierce at times...” FOH Engineer, Karl ‘Snake’ Newton.

first single Do It Like A Dude she commented: “I’m going to be singing this song till the bitter end, when I’m 90 and still dancing around in my knickers!” before launching into the gritty undertones of the smash hit. The tour is carrying 28 boxes of L-Acoustics K2 to allow 14 per side in the bigger venues such as Brixton and Hammersmith. In this venue there are 12 per side. Adlib’s System Tech, Sam

which is great for theatres and throwing sound off the wall. I don’t think you get that with any other system out there.” As the venues vary dramatically on this tour, so some of the array is half flown, and according to Proctor, the K2’s light weight design also enables for quick ground stacking for these varying designs. The system is completed by six SB28 subwoofers per side, four ARCs for front

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Jessie J

Below: FOH Engineer, Karl ‘Snake’ Newton with Monitor Engineer, Andy ‘Baggy’ Robinson; Baggy with his DiGiCo SD10 console; Clay Paky B-EYEs featured in the lighting design; Adlib’s Sam Proctor, System Tech.

fill and two KARAs per side for lip fill. “It’s tough being the only tech on a tour, but Snake and Baggy are hands on which makes my life a lot easier!” said Proctor. Snake added: “The K2 is a great box and I’m a big fan of L-Acoustics. I prefer the K1 system but we couldn’t fit it into this kind of venue, so we have the next best thing. Sam Proctor has done an absolutely great job too, he’s been a star.” Speaking of which, Snake was chosen as the 2014 TPi Awards FOH Engineer of the year, something we clearly had to mention. “Ah yes…“ he laughed as he blushed simultaneously. “I was very flattered to have won, so I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me!” CATERING 24/7’s go-to food agency is the ever-present Eat To The Beat, a tour catering veteran. In Jessie J’s camp, it’s ETTB’s Head Caterer Pauline Austin who is at the helm of the hungry roadies. She’s been with the company for an impressive 20 years, and also worked on Jessie J’s 2014 arena tour. During the aftermath of a successful lunch service, (of prawn and tofu pad Thai, in case

you were curious), Austin told TPi: “It’s quite a chilled out tour this time, because we’re dealing with a nice size crew. There are just two of us from ETTB, Jamie Morris and myself, and then at each venue we have a third person who comes in as part of the local crew working as our kitchen assistant. Between us we cook and prepare breakfast and lunch for the crew and then dinner for the artist too. “We cook all kinds of dishes; we have quite a big choice and receive an intake of fresh produce deliveries daily, which come straight to the venue. That means we can make lots of salads and fresh soups. Tonight for the dinner sitting we have southern fried chicken with red cabbage slaw and sweet potato, pork schnitzel and vegetables and crab, lemon and chilli linguine, so our lovely crew are pretty well looked-after!” she smiled. The dessert platters included a delicious homemade banoffee pie (a stunningly natural Jessie J herself enjoyed the first slice, but we thought we should probably test it too…), cheese boards and a plethora of colourful fruit options. Unsurprisingly, looking around at the well-fed team behind this tour, the company has

been nominated for a TPi Award once again... TRANSPORT And keeping the tour moving on time is the slick transportation crew. Lead Truck Driver, Dave ‘Rambo’ Ramsden has worked for Stardes for 30 years, and still retains his love for life on the road. “I’ve worked with a lot of bands in a lot of different venues over the years, but it’s this type venue, which I like the most; it’s a great size,” he noted of his load in / out at the O2 Apollo in Manchester. “A lot of people have an idea about this industry before they start working in it, like it would be glamorous... it’s not glamorous when you’re a truck driver, but it is still a lot of fun when you know everyone on tour. “After this long in the business, I just try to keep everybody happy!” While Rambo is handling the equipment deliveries between venues, it’s down to Dean Westwood of the bus crew to re-locate the artist, band and crew. “This is my first tour with Jessie, and it’s been a very relaxed one so far. Phoenix are the best in the game, they’re great to work for so that makes things easier if you’ve 53

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Jessie J

Below: The star’s tour will continue in the US and Australia.

never worked with a particular artist before too.” BANG BANG INTO THE ROOM As Jessie J continues to prove herself as one of the top live female vocalists Britain has to offer, it’s clear from the audience on her latest UK run that the pop star’s fans are very much behind her. Not to mention she’s working with more TPi Award winners than you could shake a selfie

stick at. In a stripped back setting the starlet felt comfortable enough to chat to people individually about when they’d bought her album, and interestingly was relaxed enough to begin a brand new song all over again declaring that: “I’m a perfectionist, and I want to get this right for you.” Well, judging by the army of fans still camping outside by the tour buses after the show, once again, get it right she did. The tour will continue throughout the US and Australia

during early 2015. TPi Photos: Jade Dannielle Martin www.jessiejofficial.com www.24-7productions.co.uk www.whitelight.ltd.uk www.hangman.co.uk, www.adlib.co.uk www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk www.stardes.co.uk www.eattothebeat.com

PRODUCTION PROFILE: NTAs

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS THE NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS, KNOWN COLLOQUIALLY AS THE NTA’S, IS ONE OF THOSE EVENTS THAT SEEMS TO BE AS ENTRENCHED IN THE CALENDAR AS CHRISTMAS. HARD TO BELIEVE, THEN, THAT THE CEREMONY HAS ONLY EXISTED SINCE 1995. THE LIVE ITV1 TELEVISION BROADCAST SHOW, PRODUCED BY INDIGO TELEVISION AND HOSTED BY DERMOT O’LEARY, TOOK PLACE THIS YEAR AT LONDON’S O2 ARENA ON 21 JANUARY, WHERE IT HAS BEEN HELD SINCE 2010. TPi REPORTS... Millions of viewers tuned in for the award spectacular which saw a poignant tribute from Coronation Street star Bill Roache to his on-screen wife Anne Kirkbride who died two days before the awards ceremony. Among the big winners on the night were Sheridan Smith (Outstanding Drama Performance) for her role in Cilla; Downton Abbey (Most Popular TV Drama); EastEnders (Most Popular Series Drama); The X-Factor (Most Popular Talent Show) and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! (Most Popular Entertainment Programme). Ant and Dec won the coveted trophy for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter for the 14th consecutive year. David Tennant scooped the National Television Special Recognition award in tribute of his career 56

so far starring in a host of memorable roles including Dr Who, Casanova and Detective Inspector Alec Hardy in Broadchurch. LIGHTING Supplying a lighting and crew package to the National Television Awards for the second consecutive year, PRG was once again proud to support Dave Davey, one of British television’s most prolific Lighting Designers, with whom the company has teamed up for many high profile shows including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and The Royal Variety Performance. PRG originally became involved with the NTAs during the mid-90s when the event was in its infancy and started working with Davey in 2014 when he was approached by Indigo Television to light the show for the first time.

Working with Set Designer Chris Webster, Davey created a dynamic, vibrant feel, bearing all the hallmarks of a major live event and a high gloss ITV entertainment spectacular, with gold and silver forming the main colour scheme. “Last year also marked Chris’s NTA début but we’ve collaborated on many TV shows over the years and have a close working relationship,” commented Davey. “He was asked to broaden the reach of his set design for 2015 so that the elements spread as far as the upstage IMAG screens, left and right of the main stage.” The extensive array of equipment supplied by PRG included 17 of its proprietary Best Boy Wash and Spot luminaires, 24 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700 automated ACLs, 52 Clay Paky Sharpy moving beam lights, 25 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Spots, 53 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Washes,

PRODUCTION PROFILE: NTAs

Opposite: PRG Nocturne supplied a raft of Clay Paky, Philips Vari-Lite and PRG’s own fixtures for the event. Below: Dave Davey, Lighting Designer and Chris Webster, Set Designer, collaborated together to create a stunning visual spectacle for television.

eight GLP impression 120 RZ automated LED wash lights and six Lycian M2 2.5K followspots, as well as large amounts of (Stacking, Super, Minibeam and PRG BAT) truss. Discussion between Davey and Webster focused on the many LED elements within set pieces that consisted of several 3D wands of Light Initiative’s IntelliFLEX, forming irregular

shaped chandeliers and borders to the sides of the stage. Hanging in amongst the LED wands were numerous hexagon-shaped mobiles that were up-lit by the eight GLP impressions. Davey explained his choice of fixtures: “The Best Boy Wash offers great colour mixing from a powerful light source and its very useful colour temperature wheel makes it a breeze to work

with different camera colour balance set-ups. The ‘Slot’ gobo is really great for shaping the beam into a band of light, too. I also had an upstage truss across the back of the stage to provide back lighting from 11 Best Boy Spots. “I’ve been using Clay Paky fixtures for many years and the Alpha Beam 700’s have been a favourite. The bright beam, ease of

PRODUCTION PROFILE: NTAs

Below: Arena Seating provided 600 custom upholstered chairs for the VIP section.

programming and competitive hire price made them attractive for this particular show. General animation over the audience and throughout the Arena came from the Sharpys - I used 28 of them along the audience trusses and 14 on the floor in three distinct areas at the rear of the audience seating.”

was split between the ‘people lighting’ [i.e. the stage and audience] on one desk, while the effects and media servers were on the other. This is quite common in TV where time is of the essence. Fortunately, our vastly experienced lighting crew, headed by Dave Hallett, ensured we had a full working rig by lunchtime on the

“The Best Boy Wash offers great colour mixing from a powerful light source and its very useful colour temperature wheel makes it a breeze to work with different camera colour balance set-ups...” Lighting Designer, Dave Davey

Bill Peachment and John Ford each operated a Compulite Vector Green - a common desk amongst TV event lighting professionals. “I’m also a fan of the [MA Lighting] grandMA2 and the [High End Systems] Road Hog 4,” conceded Davey, “but the Compulites are very quick to program and making changes is also fast. They can struggle with very large rigs, and that’s where the MA2 comes into its own.” Davey continued: “The rig for this show 58

day before the show.” Part of PRG’s brief also included lighting the red carpet at the VIP entrance. This was the domain of Gordon Torrington and Sam Healey who used 80 PARs to provide an even wash all along the carpet with colour correction to suit TV crews and photographers. “We attached the PARs to the building in order to keep the floor clear of stands and also used SGM P5 LED floods to add a little colour to the exterior of

The O2,” explained Torrington. Looking after the project back at PRG’s office was account manager Kelly Cornfield whose main contacts were Indigo producers Ali Brody and Andy Bates, and their technical producer, Craig Becker of Silver Sky Production. Acknowledging PRG’s contribution to the event, Becker said: “Once again, PRG did a fantastic job for us on the NTAs, with a reduced load in schedule and more pressure to get to rehearsals earlier than last year. We all knew it was going to be a tough few days but the PRG team were very well organised. It was a pleasure to have them onboard.” VIDEO XL Video supplied LED screens, projection screens, media servers and screen management for the Awards. This is the 11th consecutive year XL Video, and Project Manager, Paul Wood, has supplied the video production for the awards. This year’s design, created by Set Designer Chris Webster, incorporated 102m2 of XL’s high definition ROE MC-7T 7mm Black-face LED as the main screen for the show, along with six Banner screens formed from XL’s innovative MC-18T 18mm Hybrid LED. The Hybrid banners were situated amongst the scenic elements either side of the main screen and provided both video and lighting effects. Content for the LED screens, including awards information, TV footage, stings and graphics, was played back via XL’s Catalyst

PRODUCTION PROFILE: NTAs

Below: GIG…fyi provided full catering for the event; The Showstars crew during rehearsal; The O2, London has played host to the NTAs since 2010; The Showstars team pre-show.

and Virtual VTR systems, plus mixing to the Broadcast feed. The playback system was coordinated and run by Jonathan Bond for XL. The audience all around the O2 were able to follow the detail of the awards via four relay projection screens, two eight-metre by 4.5-metre side screens to the left and right of the stage and two 6m x 3.5m screens positioned further into the house for the upper tiers. These were all fed by the live broadcast transmission mix. Paul Wood commented: “It’s absolutely fantastic to continue our relationship with Andy Bates and Kim Turberville and all at Indigo TV for the 11th year running and on such a high profile event”. CREWING A larger affair compared to its previous edition, the production relied on the skills and labour of east London-based crew supplier Showstars to move and rig key equipment, and generally assist with the set-up of the show. Showstars has been providing crew services to the National Television Awards for around 10 years and for the last four, senior crew member Tony Say has played a major part. He said: “Paul Calvary and I split the crew chief duties between us on different days this year, and I was mostly confined to the loading bay as banksman, bringing in lorries, getting them unloaded and keeping the bay clear. Deliveries were constantly 60

arriving on the first two days - everything from scenic items to cases of drinks for the VIP reception - and I ensured they were sent to where they needed to be. If the production office had any requests, it was my responsibility to take care of it.” Two days before the show, at five o’clock on a sub-zero Monday morning, the Showstars crew began the load-in. “Eighteen of us worked on building Blackfriars’ set while 16 helped to rig sound,” explained Say. “Working through the night we had 12 crew assigned to XL Video and 10 crew who continued with the set build which included a very glitzy set of steps and the stylised ‘medallions’ that were suspended from the roof on motors. “On Tuesday, the sound crew dropped down to four but we still had 12 people finishing off the set, and we rehearsed the show call for which we provided a show day crew of 10 along with some runners.” Four crew were also provided to help PRG construct truss goalpost frames on to which they attached lighting to illuminate the red carpet at the VIP entrance. Inside, Showstars assisted Arena Seating with the distribution of VIP seats in the red carpet area directly in front of the set. Music was also a feature of the glittering ceremony. As a gesture to Special Recognition award-winner David Tennant, Pixie Lott performed his favourite song, ‘(I’m Gonna

Be) 500 Miles, with original hit makers The Proclaimers, while X-Factor winner Ben Haenow sang his Christmas No.1 Something I Need. Meanwhile, Tony Say was preparing for the long haul. “I returned towards the end of the event, just before 10pm, to start organising the loading bay,” he said. “Then, at 11pm, just over 80 crew arrived to begin the load-out into 12 trucks, which went on all the way through to 6am.” Production is an area that Say particularly enjoys: “It’s great to know when you’re appreciated,” he commented. “Like everyone, I get a lot of satisfaction when positive feedback comes from the production office and it’s very encouraging for Showstars when we are asked back to work on other projects. We obviously get to sample the delights of a variety of catering firms, and Eat To The Beat did us proud at the NTAs!” SEATING For the second consecutive year, Arena Seating co-sponsored the awards, ensuring celebrities and TV personalities celebrated the NTAs 20th anniversary in comfort and style. Arena Seating installed 600 upholstered Diplomat VIP seats in the front section of the O2 Arena, reserved for VIPs, nominated TV personalities and their guests, giving them prime views, comfort and close proximity to the stage. As co-sponsors of the event, the Arena Seating team and their

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PRODUCTION PROFILE: NTAs

Below: XL Video provided video to the event for the 11th consecutive year.

guests enjoyed seeing recognised faces from Strictly Come Dancing, Mrs. Brown’s Boys and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. As well as the temporary seating, Arena also delivered the iconic and luxurious red carpet, outside and inside the venue. Cameras panned over the Arena seats capturing close ups of the stars at the winning moments. Martin Clark, Project Director at Arena Seating who lead on this project explained: “Last night’s awards ceremony was an excellent example of high-end seating; proving once again that a temporary solution is a quality product. Our client Indigo TV needed to improve the venue’s in-house seating, offering VIP comfort to the award nominees. The upholstered, Diplomat seats were positioned in an exclusive location configured around the main stage, designed to not obstruct the camera shots during live transmission. On this occasion the 600 Diplomat seats were installed flat to The O2 floor, but there is always the option to configure this highquality seating in a tiered structure. “We are no strangers to working with the entertainment shows; last year was our 11th year supplying seating and platforms to Fountain Studios for The X-Factor and we have frequently provided seating at Britain’s Got Talent. We were delighted to be a sponsor at the NTAs and look forward to working with Indigo TV again.” 62

CATERING Global Infusion Group’s bespoke corporate and private party planning, catering and event design division was appointed by the show’s production house, Indigo Television, to coordinate VIP hospitality at the awards. GIG…fyi (feeding your imagination) also kept the hundreds of back-stage crew fuelled with food and refreshments during the build up to the show which was broadcast live on ITV. GIG…fyi have been supporting Indigo at the National Television Awards for the past 12 years - almost as long as Ant and Dec! GIG…fyi provided canapés, bowl food and drinks to 500 VIP guests attending a pre-show reception and a further 800 guests attending the after-show party. Canapés included steak and chips with smoked hollandaise sauce and pea cress, mini bagels with smoked salmon, pink peppercorns and crème fraiche; Italian crostini in black olive tapenade, dried tomato and pecorino cheese; wild mushroom and parmesan risotto croquettes with aioli. Bowl food included stir fried beef with ginger, oriental greens and beansprouts; Moroccan spiced chicken tagine with toasted cous cous, preserved lemon and pickled garlic; smoked haddock, sautéed leeks and potato, bound in breadcrumbs and served with tartar sauce; sautéed gnocchi, artichoke, tomatoes, baby spinach, crumbled blue cheese, toasted

pinenuts; mini crème brulees; dark chocolate pots with blood orange marmalade. Meanwhile GIG…fyi also served up a range of tasty refreshments in the Green Room for more than 50 presenters and artists, and for 150 representatives of the Media in the Press Room. The GIG…fyi team were also on site throughout the build-up providing around-theclock refreshments and meals to hundreds of backstage crew and technicians. Robyn Mullett, Operations Manager of GIG…fyi, said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Indigo Television to cater this fantastic event for the past 12 years. It’s a truly incredible occasion with so many huge stars from the world of television attending. It’s a massive logistical challenge for us with about 70 GIG…fyi staff on site on the show day alone serving 2,400 portions of food in the pre-show receptions and after-show party.” TPi Photos: PRG Nocturne, Indigo Television / NTA 2015, Paul Stich, Mark Cunningham www.nationaltvawards.com www.prg.com www.xlvideo.com www.arenagroup.com www.gigfyi.com www.showstars.co.uk www.bsstaging.com

CLOCKING OFF: Mission To Moscow Below: Tony Cunningham was diagnosed with MS last year.

MISSION TO MOSCOW AS LENNON ONCE SANG, LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHILE YOU’RE BUSY MAKING OTHER PLANS. IN THE CASE OF TONY CUNNINGHAM, IT WAS THE SHOCK DIAGNOSIS OF A RARE FORM OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS THAT PULLED THE RUG FROM UNDER HIS FEET. HIS COUSIN, LIVECULTURE GROUP’S MD, MARK CUNNINGHAM, IS MAKING MOVES TO HELP HIM GAIN THE TREATMENT HE DESPERATELY NEEDS... Until last Christmas, my cousin Tony (41), enjoyed a rewarding career as an executive chef for numerous blue chip companies for more than 20 years. But one morning, he woke with a sensation not unlike a hangover, although he hadn’t touched alcohol in weeks. Within days, he was experiencing co-ordination problems. Tests indicated that he had Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis - a rare form of the disease that affects only 10-15% of MS sufferers. I asked Tony how this has affected his life. He said: “I took the news pretty badly at first and cut myself off from everyone, but now I’m fighting. Sadly, I’ve had to stop work because of the problems I have walking, and as the disease progresses my symptoms will become much worse. This may result in being permanently confined to a wheelchair. “It’s more difficult because my partner Anita 64

spent most of her childhood as the lone carer for her mother who died as a result of the same rare form of MS at just 49. I saw what she and her mother endured. I don’t want Anita to go through it all again.” Alarmingly, neither drugs nor treatment for Primary Progressive MS are available in the UK, however, Essex-based Tony has been fortunate to be accepted for a hematopoietic stem cell transplant in Moscow next year. “Russia is one of only two countries that offer a procedure that’s proven to halt this debilitating and cruel disease, and the success rate is extremely high,” he explained. “The bad news is that the entire process, including accommodation and rehabilitation, will cost £40,000 - not the kind of spare cash a chef usually has within reach, unless you’re Jamie Oliver!” In a way, this is where I come in. Tony asked me if I might be able to secure a free PA system for a small fund-raising event next month,

but I could see that this mission will require something much bigger. So far, we have secured the services of bands including Purson, The Fifty-Four Plates and Pink Floyd tribute act Any Colour You Like to play benefit gigs in the near future, and I humbly ask industry friends to come forward with further suggestions, donations of memorabilia for auction, or simply cash for Tony’s pot. Generous by nature, Tony has done a significant amount of voluntary work in his spare time - for a small village in The Gambia, Age UK and a community café, as well as mentoring children under council care. The way I see it, he has earned this treatment. His funding page is already filling up with pledges but there’s a long way to go. Please visit gofundme.com/tonyc to make a donation or email: mark@liveculture.co.uk. Thank you. TPi

ADD EVENT TITLE:

PRO 2015

LOCATION:

NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK

DAYS:

STARTS:

SAT, 12 SEP 2015

ENDS:

MON, 14 SEP 2015

URL:

WWW.VISITPRO.CO.UK VISITPROSHOW

NOTES:

• Add to work diary • Book travel & hotel

AUDIO AND LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY SHOW WWW.VISITPRO.CO.UK

IN PROFILE: ER Productions

ER PRODUCTIONS ER PRODUCTIONS IS THE LARGEST RENTAL COMPANY IN THE UK - AND QUITE POSSIBLY IN THE WORLD - DEALING EXCLUSIVELY WITH LASERS. WHAT’S MORE, THE LONDON BASED COMPANY HAS JUST CELEBRATED ITS EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY - WITHOUT EVEN REALISING. PATRICK MCCUMISKEY EXPLAINS... “We just realised a few days ago that 29th January 2015 actually marked the 8th anniversary of ER Productions, but we were so busy that we completely missed it!” Laughed Marc Webber, one half of ER Productions. The other half, Ryan Hagan, added: “We’ve known each other since we were 18. We met at a company that used to do lasers, and we’ve been friends and colleagues ever since. “We run the company together, carrying out very similar tasks on a day to day basis, we discuss everything with one another and have equal input. In terms of actually running the business it is a shared responsibility: 50:50.” Including Webber and Hagan, there are 11 people working at the company. Before founding ER in 2007, the pair worked together in West London for a company focusing on all technical aspects of productions, including lasers. This shared experience would come to shape their business philosophy for 66

the future and it was here where they realised they wanted to focus their efforts on lasers rather than on multiple aspects of show production. As a result, we’re not a one-stop shop. Specialising in our passion has certainly worked for us. Of course, at times we work with a couple of effects companies when we need to, but we are specific to lasers.” Hagan added: “In our opinion, the UK laser industry was always lagging behind the rest of the live event industry. The equipment was always questionable. We weren’t quite happy with this and so we decided to do something about it.” And so the company was born. After having started with just two lasers eight years ago, ER Productions has amassed over 100 scanning lasers and countless DMX fixtures. Given the shaky economic times that blemished the tail end of the noughties, we’re sure you’ll agree that this is quite a feat. Hagan continued: “One of our first tours was

with the Australian Pink Floyd Show in 2007. That tour is huge! It took me around the world and it opened up a lot of doors. We bumped into some very important people on our travels and it was from the TAPFS Show that we got the Take That Beautiful World Tour. Take That’s PM was Chris Vaughan, who has been a very important part of our company’s history. He has been very good to us. From here we worked with Muse, met other LDs and from there it just snowballed. All because of the Australian Pink Floyd tour!” Although the company has enjoyed considerable growth in recent years, the ethos of the company has remained consistent, as Webber explained: “Even going back to the earlier days, our approach is still the same as today. Everything we earn is invested back into the company, in better products, offering more selection, offering a better service for our customers. “From day one, we never went beyond

IN PROFILE: ER Productions

Opposite: Celebrating its eighth year in business, ER Productions is the UK largest provider of lasers and laser systems. Below: Guests to ER Productions’ HQ in Kent are treated to the full arsenal of the company’s repertoire of lasers; The Muse 2nd Law tour; The demo room at ER Productions’ HQ; Owners, Ryan Hagan and Marc Webber.

our means. For example, the business began from a £20,000 bank loan, and then we each contributed £10,000 of our own money. Our first warehouse was a small corner of a photocopier servicing company in Greenwich. We soon had to move and found a small unit in Brixton. We’ve moved several times since. However, the point is that we’ve always tried to keep costs low instead of stretching ourselves, enabling us to increase our repertoire of lasers considerably. We’ve got kit permanently in Australia and America now, which eases the strain on space over here.” ER Production’s kit has landed in Australia because of its involvement with the Future Music Festival, a yearly festival taking place in several cities down under. “It’s our fourth year of working at the festival in Australia. It’s quite a funny story really. We work a lot with Fat Boy Slim, and he was going over there to play the festival. We have a very good relationship with Mark Ward, Fat Boy Slim’s Production Director, and he has always pushed for our services on Fat Boy Slim’s live shows. The festival already had a preferred supplier but a few other artists we work with who were also at the festival found out that we might be going over to assist, so they told the festival organisers that they wanted us to be part of it, which eventually led to the PM caving in and told us we have the job!”

Indeed, it’s eight years of such chance encounters, connections and hard work that have contributed to the development of the company. With recent clients ranging from Miley Cyrus to The BRITs, it is fair to say that the reputation of the company is second to none. LASER TO GO One of my questions for the team at ER Productions was about the process of acquiring lasers for a tour. In short, how does one go about acquiring a laser? “Firstly, we would encourage the client to come to our studio and have a look at the latest lasers on offer. If the client has worked previously with lasers, it speeds up the process considerably, but for someone who has had less experience we will get more involved and hands on with designing the process and advise which lasers to incorporate in the show.” The studio where clients can experience ER Productions’ repertoire of lasers is quite simply a treat for the eye. A network of lasers, smoke and mirrors create an otherworldly experience for the visitor. There’s nothing quite like the effect of laser beam used intelligently within the realm of a live show production. However, the reputation of lasers - at least on the production side of things - is, according to Hagan, still subject to stereotyping. “It’s difficult

for laser companies though, I think, because they’ve always been looked upon as more unprofessional side of the industry and because of this some people are still pretty scared as to how involved we get with things. However if we are involved - completely and utterly - in the process, we can create something spectacular. Chris Vaughan (Production Manager, Muse) was always very good at this, encouraging our ideas into the end production design.” Webber continued: “When we first started doing lasers, it was always only ever one kind of laser: upstage centre, with massive power and water requirements. I used to get very nervous as to whether they would actually work! Now I can just turn up with one of our lasers, plug it into a 13A socket and away we go! The technology has moved forward so much, and this has helped both the show design and ourselves. “Even with all our technological advances people still think lasers are a really risky thing to do when in actual fact there have been no serious injuries from laser shows in the UK. If you look at other parts of the industry where stages have fallen down, and people are dying because of it, lasers are relatively risk free in comparison. Despite the relative safety of lasers, policing their use - especially within the UK - has only 67

IN PROFILE: ER Productions

Below: ER Productions’ lasers have featured on some of the most successful tours in the last decade. Pictured here in 2014, its lasers can be seen on the TPi Awards 2015 ‘Live Production of the Year’ nominated show, Arctic Monkeys’ AM.

increased in recent years. As laser shows get bigger, our inspection times get longer. In the UK H&S seem to be so worried about inspecting a 20th of MPE (maximum permissible exposure) that they forget about the other aspects of the live production. There doesn’t appear to be such stringent checks in other countries, for example, the FDA will come out and do unannounced spot checks in the USA. In Germany you receive a certificate at the beginning of the tour, but then they let you get on with your job and the rest of the shows. There is still a huge variation across the board in Laser Safety, but for us the most important part of the display will always be the installation of the equipment. PANGOLIN Pangolin software is the industry standard across the world. If you have lasers, its more than likely controlled by Pangolin. With ER Productions, it is no exception. “We have quite an arsenal of pangolin products. We also have a very good relationship with them; we always get upgrades, support and develop the software with them. We also have a training session coming up for them too. They use our shows in their marketing too, so it works both ways.” ER Productions has also taken the initiative to develop an emergency shutdown hardware solution - a necessary addition for any show incorporating lasers. Hagan explained: “If there’s a software failure or electronics failure then you need to be able to stop or overdrive the system. 68

If there’s a particular area of concern and you would like to keep an eye on it (performer on stage, for example), you can have a button just for this. So, it’s flexible. And it is also modular, enabling the user to add more units.” ILDA WINNERS To add to the success of ER Productions, the company has recently won several awards at the prestigious ILDA (International Laser Display Association) awards; achieving first prize for ‘Best Live TV Show’ for Jesse J’s Thunder at the Royal Variety Performance 2013, third prize for ‘Best Live Stage Show’ for Biffy Clyro at Reading And Leeds 2013 and third place for ‘Best Innovative Application’ for the UNIPOL 50 in Bologna Italy, adding to their previous four awards. “We’re very proud to collect these awards” said Hagan. “They came in categories that are very important to us at ER Productions. More than anything, it’s really great to be involved with other people and companies in your specialist field. It’s always nice to see your competitors and to win an award over there in the heavily American based market is a particularly nice feeling.” In the immediate future, ER Productions are supplying over a hundred laser units for Future Music Festival in Australia and Singapore, 70 for Kylie Minogue’s Tour of Australia, 15 units for Katy Perry’s Prismatic world tour to name but a few. With hundreds of laser products criss crossing continents, it’s little surprise that the

nightmare of handling logistics has prompted Hagan and Webber to implement a suitable logistics solution. “Due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to keep track of our equipment, we’ve implemented a new cloud based tracking system. When there’s just two of you and two lasers, it’s very easy to keep on top, but when there are 11 employees and 500 laser fixtures, you need to give yourselves a bit of help! Everything is barcoded and logged online, so we know where everything is at any given time. It has really helped.” All in all, partners Hagan and Webber have got a lot to be content with and the development of ER Productions in the last decade. “The business grew quickly because of the effort we put into it. Last year we invested over a million pounds in equipment, and this year we’ve already invested £500,000 in new products. Products that have been developed from our ideas and design. We are very proud to have products out in the market that are shaping the way lasers are used. It’s an achievement that makes us very proud. The technology is moving forward so quickly that if you don’t move forward and adapt to the latest technological developments, you will get left behind. Fortunately, because of our client base, we’ve been able to invest and continually move forward.” TPi Photos: ER Productions www.er-productions.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Shure

SHURE’S QLX-D: A NEW ERA FOR WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY QLX-D, SHURE’S LATEST DIGITAL WIRELESS SYSTEM, DELIVERS ON ALL FRONTS: NETWORKED CONTROL, AES-256 ENCRYPTION AND SIMPLIFIED OPERATION - NOTHING IS LEFT UNCOVERED. STEPPING INTO THE BREACH, QLX-D RESPONDS TO THE INDUSTRY’S DEMAND FOR INCREASED AFFORDABILITY, COMBINING A COMPETITIVE PRICE POINT WITH THE SUPERIOR QUALITY OF A MARKET LEADER. TPi SPOKE TO SHURE’S PRO AUDIO GROUP MANAGER TUOMO TOLONEN ABOUT THE ART OF DESIGNING A TRULY COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM AND HAND HELD AUDIO DIRECTOR, MICK SHEPHERD, ABOUT THE PRODUCT’S PRO RENTAL APPEAL. QLX-D was born out of Shure’s long-term development plan, which saw the release of Shure’s first digital wireless system, QLX-D’s older sibling - ULX-D - in 2013. A premium 24-bit / 48kHz wireless system, ULX-D predicated QLX-D’s functionality, with the addition of several unique features such as a High Density Mode, Bodypack Frequency Diversity and DANTE digital audio networking. Designed for larger touring applications, these features set ULX-D above QLX-D’s attractive price point. Universal acclaim for the ULX-D soon presented Shure with an exciting opportunity for innovation: “We always knew that ULX-D was an incredibly potent product,” said Tuomo Tolonen, Shure UK’s Pro Audio Group Manager. “We felt there was a tier below ULX-D that 70

didn’t need all of the additional features, such as digital outputs and operational digital modes. This is where QLX-D came in and addressed a more affordable price point for a much wider user-base.” Tolonen went on to explain Shure’s rigorous assessment of QLX-D’s functionality: “Whether it’s a wired microphone or a wireless system, we don’t release products to the market and then hope that the market does the testing for us. Every product we put out, we run through a period of time where we have it on the marketplace with some of our key partners, who trial and test it for us. “In the case of the QLX-D,” he added, “We had companies such as Hand Held Audio testing it in advance for us, and what that tells us is that when the product gets launched, its performance, features and

reliability are up to par with what it’s supposed to be and what the expectations are.” Tolonen went on to point out some of QLX-D’s features, including its formidable audio quality and advanced battery life: “The system uses a digital modulation scheme, which means there is no companding involved, it’s a 20-20 frequency response, so the audio is very transparent and very full. Once you take the audio performance and combine it with the RF performance, you would expect the system’s price point to double,” Tolonen said. “What makes it so appealing is that it comes in under that £1000 price point and the reason for that is that it is literally ULXD with a streamlined feature set, that takes away some of ULXD’s more advanced settings but retains the audio and RF performance and bonuses

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Shure

Opposite: The Shure QLX-D wireless management system. Below: Pro Audio Group Manager Shure UK, Tuomo Tolonen.

like re-chargeability and metal transmitters. What makes QLXD so special, is that if you look at everything that it gives you in terms of product specification, you would expect it to cost at least two times the amount of money.” As budget-conscious production managers increase the demand for inexpensive, tour-worthy systems, Hand Held Audio’s Mick Shepard sees the QLX-D as the first in a new wave of truly viable options for those with small to mediumsized budgets. Shepherd, whose company has dealt extensively with Shure products for the past 25 years, enthused: “I think it’s the first great digital system, at a price where a lot of people will look at it. It’s a good all-rounder,” Shepherd said, “it sounds great, it’s got a wide switchback and it’s very spectrum-efficient.” Affordability aside, QLX-D’s timely release speaks to the industry’s increasing need for spectral efficiency: “The timing sort of chose itself,” Shepherd

said, “but it happens to be at a very crucial point in time. Ofcom has announced that they intend to clear the 700 MHz band as well. This represents a further shrinking of the available spectrum and it just so happens that one of QLX-D’s main features is spectral efficiency.” QLX-D has a 72MHz tuning bandwidth making it ideal for global touring and also allow users to fit 22 channels into one 8MHz TV channel, an attractive proposition for distributors and end-users alike. Concluding, Tolonen said: “QLX-D is incredibly easy for engineers to set up and we have made sure that it runs reliably and safely every single night.” From a rental partner’s POV, Shepherd agreed: “It’s a great investment, it’s trouble-free and everybody who has used it so far seems to love it, what more could you want?” TPi www.shure.co.uk

THE BIGGER PICTURE

THE BIGGER PICTURE CDM - PUTTING THE PAPERWORK BACK INTO SAFETY It’s easy to do something safely; as long as you think about it before you do it, the common business parlance for such thinking is risk assessment. Banks do it before they lend you money, they look at the risk of you not paying them back and, the higher that risk, the more you pay, if you don’t want to pay what they’re asking, you walk away. It’s kind of the same in the work place, from walking down the stairs to handling spent fuel rods in a nuclear rector. The risks of harm doing the latter will perhaps require greater expenditure than the former - robots vs lids on cups, say. It’s what’s called reasonably practicable, balancing cost with risk. Now, a great measure of the success of this approach, a good indicator of safety performance, is the amount of injuries and deaths caused in a certain sector’s workplaces. We do quite well, here in entertainment and events compared to, say, construction, which is a completely different set of statistics to the hard-to-quantify entertainment / events / music / whatever sector. After all, we’re not construction, are we? WHO OR WHAT DEFINES US? Yes, we build stuff; stages, grandstands, sets, risers, grids; but is that traditional construction? After all, the structure is not permanent and it’s not the end product, it’s just part of a much larger project. But, according to the HSE, and as previously mentioned in previous articles, we are to be seen as part of the construction industry and therefore subject to the new Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM)2015. The sole reason for this blanket inclusion is, according to the HSE, the European Directive for temporary mobile construction sites which is meant to cover all construction activity. To that end, CDM has been expanded to include domestic projects (conservatories, extensions etc) that use more than one contractor. And why not? After all, CDM simply requires the identification of certain roles and places certain responsibilities on those that assume the roles - a bit of clarity in the murky world of multi72

contractor workplaces like ours is a good thing. That clarity lead to a reduction in accidents in larger construction projects after CDM was first introduced, clients took their responsibilities seriously and ensured their contractors did so too. But that’s construction, and we don’t really have as far to go in terms of improving accident statistics. The real issue with CDM is a perceived extra layer of bureaucracy with very little gain in accident reduction; to use common parlance, it’s not reasonably practicable. There are many people who see the benefit, but there are many projects that run productions in an ‘almost CDM’ fashion without using the terminology for the safety management plans they draw up. And yes, HSE is committed to developing guidance to help us interpret CDM into our working practice. That guidance, by the way, will include sub sectors such as TV and Film, Exhibtions and Conference, Theatre and Outdoor. It’s odd, but if we’re construction, why so much guidance? A QUESTION OF INTENT But guidance is not the issue here, what is really causing the raised eyebrows is the question of the intent of the EU Directive, whether or not they were actually thinking outside ‘traditional’ construction when they devised it. Are the HSE actually introducing an unnecessary burden, and why? Well, if they can make CDM apply to entertainment, the whole burden of enforcement switches from Local Authorities to HSE construction. Internal land grab, who knows? At the time of writing, a letter is winging its way to the head of the HSE. Authored by the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television and signed by around 50 trade bodies from entertainment and events, it asks for an explanation of the rationale behind the HSE’s decision to apply CDM to entertainment. The only answer anyone has had is that their legal opinion is that the EU Directive demands it, although there’s very little evidence of it being applied in the same way in other EU territories; add to that the fact that they insist that legal

privilege prevents them from repeating their advice. One thing is certain, there’s no public record of any infringement action being taken against the UK by the EU for non-compliance. It really does seem to us that HSE is breaking Government’s rule of introducing legislation that goes beyond the requirements of EU directives. It is entirely fair to say that admin costs money, and CDM will increase the admin burden for many events. The development of construction phase safety plans will have a cost implication, and HSE was keen to carry out a Business Impact Assessment to look into the additional costs and their likely impact on an already low accident rate. The numbers were big, so they paused the process. Why? Well, apparently they’d like to develop guidance first to see how that affects likely costs. EASING THE PAIN The process for writing guidance continues in parallel to industry’s lobbying efforts; if we can’t make it go away, we need to make it as painless as possible. Here’s another big but. We’ll be writing guidance on legislation that, since its inception within the EU, through its interpretation into UK law, has never considered entertainment or events in terms of impact or suitability. The guidance will have a certain legal status and will be the only part of CDM that considers the entertainment sector. The members of the working group writing the guidance might effectively be the only people considering the application of this particular legislation. Surely that’s something best carried out using the proper process, by people with the mandate to do so. Just a thought. Incidentally, the introduction of CDM 2015 could be a very lucrative opportunity for safety advisers in our sector. Strange, then, that the opposition to its application is coming from their ranks. The reason is simple; time and effort is currently spent on the ground, on site, improving and monitoring. CDM will switch the focus to admin and paperwork, and they’d rather focus on doing rather than writing. www.psa.org.uk

www.psa.org.uk Below: Chris Hannam, Event and Production Safety Specialist.

Event and Production Safety Specialist, Chris Hannam, has announced the publication of his latest book, Health and Safety in the Live Music and Event Technical Production Industry, by Entertainment Technology Press. He says it’s designed to cover: “the real basics of health and safety in the live music and event production industry in a simple jargon free manner that can also be used as the perfect student course note accompaniment to the various safety passport schemes that exist in our industry.” Sound Engineer / TM John Haskett and fellow Engineer / Lecturer Rose Durbin had their reviews amalgamated into this statement: Chris Hannam has provided us with a comprehensive and accessible guide to health and safety in the live entertainment and technical event industries. This book is designed to accompany the various Safety Passport schemes and to help candidates gain a clear understanding of what is an issue of critical importance to an ever-changing profession. As more and more young people are entering the industry from colleges and universities, it is imperative that publications such as this one are readily available to both students and seasoned professionals. It is high time that educational establishments and those in the private sector

who run courses associated with the entertainment industries realise the importance of embedding best practice into their curriculum content. This book will surely go a long way to encourage that, as it is pertinent to the various circumstances in which people entering the industry could find themselves. The author’s expertise in the subject is clearly demonstrated in this publication and this guide will provide invaluable direction to anyone who engages with its content. As the introduction to this book sadly states, we seem to be lead to believe by the press etc. that “Health and Safety” is a set of outrageous rules designed to hinder our working life and get people out of lawsuits. What this book clearly and concisely points out is that not only are these regulations common sense but are necessary to maintain a safe working environment. It is great that a book has finally been aimed at the music and events industry, and makes us aware that even in the smallest of working environments (small clubs

and the like) that we are all obliged to think and act seriously with safety in mind. As it is still an industry that doesn’t seem to require any formal training at all levels, it is increasingly important that we all take our responsibilities seriously to maintain a risk free environment for ourselves and our colleagues to work in. www.stagesafe.co.uk www.etbooks.co.uk

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Avolites has appointed South Holland-based Improve as its new Digital Media Reseller in The Netherlands. Improve’s Antoinette Wijffels commented: “We have been very impressed by the quality and growing functionality Avolites media products are offering. We believe our toolset is greatly enhanced by teaming up with Avolites and we look forward to working more closely with the Avolites team and their products.” Five Arrows Leasing has been renamed and rebranded as Five Arrows Media Finance in the latest development at the Rothschildowned Five Arrows Leasing Group. This sees the merging of the three trading divisions Fineline Media Finance, Five Arrows Leasing and Capital Professions Finance into a single identifiable brand. Five Arrows Media Finance will continue to be headed up by Gareth Wilding, who was previously Managing Director of Five Arrows Leasing Limited. Wilding, Managing Director, Five Arrows Media Finance, said: “In everyday terms, nothing will change for our clients except the logo on our paperwork. We will continue to be the pre-eminent funder of media, broadcast and AV equipment in the UK and Northern Europe.” Eurotruss has announced the appointment of Luis Duque to the US sales team. Based in Miami, Florida, Luis, a well-known entrepreneur in the region, will be the point of contact for existing and potential customers for the whole Latin American Area. Martin Kuyper, CEO for Eurotruss USA, reported: “We are delighted that Luis has joined Eurotruss and we are confident that he will be a great asset to the team.” Chris Parry-Jones, Head of Human Resources for the Gallowglass Group, has been invited to join the company’s Board of Directors. Overseeing the entire HR function for the international events services provider, Chris will manage the recruitment and personal development of the 74

Gallowglass Group’s 800+ workforce. Chris said: “Gallowglass’ continued growth is a testament to the quality of its people, from top down and bottom up – and we are totally committed to maximising the potential of our staff. L-Acoustics has announced the strategic appointment of Han Dohmen as Sales Manager to manage the Benelux market. Dohmen, who holds an MBA in Management, lives in the Netherlands and brings exceptional experience in the professional audio industry, having worked with Sennheiser in the Benelux region, as well as holding senior European Sales and Marketing positions in companies outside the sound industry. Jochen Frohn, Director of Business Development at L-Acoustics stated: “L-Acoustics has seen constant growth of around 20% per year, and as this trend continues we felt the need to strengthen our support for installation and rental clients in this key domestic market. Han is the perfect fit to do this. He shares a common culture with his clients, as well as a passion for audio, and brings great experience in B2B marketing and sales. He has been handling premium brands in the territory and will be the perfect addition to cultivate our leadership position in the Benelux market.” QSC has announced that its President and CEO, Joe Pham has been appointed to the InfoComm International Board of Directors. Pham joins the panel of audiovisual industry executives who contribute their knowledge and expertise to set strategic goals and guide the overall direction of InfoComm International. In addition to his InfoComm Board appointment, Pham was also recently appointed President of PAMA (the Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance). “I am honored to have been appointed to both the InfoComm Board as well as the Presidency of PAMA and to have the opportunity to collaborate with such a dynamic group of

industry professionals,” said Pham. “With respect to InfoComm, I am looking forward to working with my fellow board members to better serve our member organisations and promote the industry as our respective mediums of audio, video and IT continue to rapidly converge.” Following a successful first six months, VER Live has announced the appointment of Jonny Hunt as Project Manager. Hunt brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the television and entertainment industry to the role and has hit the ground running. On arrival, Hunt managed his first television show for VER Live, ITV’s A Funny Old Year for Production Designer Paul Houston. Hunt stated: “I’m pleased to be a part of this exciting new venture.” The team at Unusual Rigging has welcomed new Operations Manager Lizzie Richmond, who brings a wealth of industry experience to the company. Richmond takes over the role from Denis Bramhall, who has become the company’s General Manager, overseeing Unusual’s expansion with the opening of a new 1200 square metre facility scheduled for early 2015. Speaking of her new role at Unusual, Richmond explained: “My background is in theatre, having worked for nearly a decade as a scenic artist both freelance and at the Watford Palace Theatre. The opportunity to re-join an industry that I’m passionate about, while using the management skills I gained at Cemex, was too good to pass up.” Publitec has been announced as the latest rental partner for d3 Technologies. Specialising in innovative system integration and technical services, Publitec has invested in several d3 pro range systems for the rental market. Summing up publitec’s decision to choose d3, André Fürle Head of publitec’s Content Competence Centere mentioned: “For us, d3 is our new favourite system when it comes to complex or mixed

www.interfacio.com • +44 208 986 5002

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Opposite: The newly formed Five Arrows Media Finance will be headed up by Managing Director Gareth Wilding; Harman Professional has appointed David McKinney as Vice President of Harman’s Mixer Business Unit; Community Professional Loudspeakers has appointed Steve Young as Director of North American Sales; L-Acoustics has announced the appointment of Han Dohmen as Sales Manager for the Benelux market. Below: Avolites has appointed Improve as it’s Digital Media Reseller for The Netherlands; VER Live’s Project Manager, Jonny Hunt.

video surfaces or 3D mapping. The d3 system simplifies some processes extremely, and is really flexible in many ways, precisely because it is a ‘real’ real-time system which is right at home in the real three-dimensional world. In short, I’d say d3 is intelligent, powerful and motivating.” Greg Wood has been appointed to the Group Executive Board in the position of Chief Operating Officer for Stage Electrics, further strengthening the company’s senior management team. Greg, a CIMA qualified accountant, joins the business from the Avesco Group, where he held senior positions including Group Finance and Operations Director for Presteigne Broadcast Hire. “I have worked in finance for many years, predominantly with entrepreneur-led businesses such as Regus, Holiday Autos and lastminute.com, all of which were in particularly high growth or restructuring situations,” Wood explained. “Stage Electrics has a fantastic history and was a founder-managed business for many years,” Wood added. “It has gone through a successful management buyout and significant change in recent years with the addition of Northern Light. The focus is now about how

we develop and grow the business.” Finally, Harman Professional has announced the appointment of David McKinney as Vice President and General manager of Harman’s Mixer Business Unit, where he will lead the global operations of the Soundcraft and Studer brands. Filling David’s previous position of Senior Director and General Manager of China Operations for Harman Professional will be Frank Xiao, who brings more than 15 years experience in the professional AV industry to his new role. “Soundcraft and Studer are both innovation leaders in audio mixing technology and we are committed to backing up our world-class products with dedicated, steadfast customer support and engineering excellence,” McKinney said. “We have some very exciting products to launch this month and plans for many more in the near future. Our success has been built on close customer relationships, engineering quality and innovative new products; these are the key pillars we will continue to focus on for the future as we grow these two great businesses.” TPi actus job www.tpimagazine.com/jobs/

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VITAL STATS 167 Hans Willems Profession: Founder, WIcreations Date & place of birth: 14th April 1971, Baal, Belgium Hans, what ignited your passion for engineering? I was born with it! I have always had an inquisitive mind - even as a child I used to make the most difficult things with Lego. I was already making my own off-road motorcycle as a teenager, testing how far I could go with it, so engineering is in my blood. If something around me was broken I would almost automatically start trying to fix it.

“WI continues to deliver the opportunity to grow in the field of automation...”

How did you initially become involved with the industry? In the school holidays I started work as a litter cleaner for the Werchter Festival site with my uncle. I was already driving the tractor pulling the cleaning machine when I was 12 years old. When I was 16, I first started at Stageco - initially loading trucks, then building stages. When I finished school I started working at Stageco full time as a technical draughtsman. I was very keen and quickly became a Project Manager and then the Head of R&D. This was fantastic, as I worked on many big tours like Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, U2, Bon Jovi, Marius Muller-Westernhagen to name but a few. When, why and how was WIcreations born? After 13 years working at Stageco, in December 2005… I needed new challenges and new horizons in my life. A stage that can accompany many things and so I became a freelance Technical Designer. The first work was for (Belgian megastars) Clouseau, the Holiday On Ice phenomena then Bon Jovi. Creating technical solutions - and getting it built as drawn - isn’t always that easy, so I started to make things myself. I have always been a ‘do-er’, and the company grew really rapidly. What has been your personal favourite project to work on so far? I have many favourites over the years. Clouseau In’t Lang was special because that’s where everything started. WI made moving bridges out over the audience. U2’s 360° was just amazing, and also it was very nice working with so many people I had worked with before on that. Making the flying boat for (Dutch girlband) K3 was pretty challenging, and of course so was automating all the scenery and an audience tribune with 2000 people on it for the 14-18 Musical Spektakle last year in Mechelen. This was a really unique opportunity to do something totally different! I count myself as really lucky to have had such a wide range of experience and also to have worked with some of the most talented designers and creative and technical brains in the industry! Recently, WIcreations designed the tracking system for stages built for the 25th anniversary celebrations for the fall of the Berlin Wall. What is it like to play an integral part in huge productions such as this one? 78

The great thing about that project was that we (or WI even!) helped produce a really cool, clean solution which made the overall look perfect in revealing the spectacular architecture of the Brandenburg Gate. Technically it wasn’t that difficult… because moving nine tonnes of screens is relatively simple after moving a seating tribune containing 2000 members of the public weighing 280 tonnes! WIcreations works very closely with British motion control specialists, Kinesys, often utilising the Vector motion control software. Can you explain a little about your working relationship with this manufacturer? I started working with the first Kinesys product and quickly saw numerous advantages. I think we can safely say that Kinesys and WI have changed parameters and perceptions in the world of automation. We still work very closely together and the relationship strengthens and becomes more dynamic all the time. In recent years you’ve moved into offering rental products in addition to fullblown custom designed pieces. Which part of the business do you see growing more in the future? The combination of both is a perfect match. It’s because of our experience with the rental products that we can go a lot further and become more ambitious with the custom designs. What projects do you have lined up this year? WI is looking forward to an exciting year but I cannot predict or reveal anything yet! We are working on a few nice tours and custom projects. With our large stock of automation rental elements like moving hoists, winches, tracking systems, laser controlled wagons (risers), and we are also working on a system that will be appropriate for all types and styles of shows. This year we will also work on new pricing structures and on expanding out international ‘partner’ network to give more people the possibilities of using our innovations to create exiting shows and events! WI continues to deliver the opportunity to grow in the field of automation.