TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL LIVE EVENT DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY • FEBRUARY 2017 • ISSUE 210
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY
HOW LONG, HOW LONG... WILL I SLIDE?
PLACEBO • THE CURE • BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE• JESS GLYNNE • GEAR HEADS: FOCUSRITE CLOCKING OFF: THE CANCER BONUS TOUR • RAVOLUTION MUSIC FESTIVAL • SSE AT 40 • PSA
FEBRUARY 2017 #210
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EDITOR’S LETTER
On another planet… As I type this note, I’m suffering from jet lag. Mildly so, admittedly, but jet lag nontheless. It’s a strange state to get used to, as I’m sure you all know, and although it only happens to me a few times a year, it’s a state that leaves me half frustrated and half really productive. Productive in the sense that I have extra hours in the day to do things that I enjoy - like monring yoga and cups of tea whilst staring at nature and still being early to the office. Frustrated because I always have a million thoughts running through my head that I can’t get out yet because everyone I need to tell them to is still deep in slumber... All of these things got me thinking. As an industry, we move quickly and often. It’s relentless. No matter what job you do in ‘our world’, you probably do it seemingly non-stop. It’s the way we work; the show must go on and so must everything else around it. The live production community does some incredible things and is a lifestyle choice rather than a job half of the time, which makes it easy to forget that there are people with needs behind the scenes making it all happen. People, real human people, putting crazy hours into the thing that pays their (and a lot of other peoples’) bills. It’s something we talk about a lot, but rarley act upon. However, this year I’m going to actively focus on acknowledging it. I’m going to make a dedicated space on our website that I hope will become a useful resource to help touring / travelling folks to decompress and really think about looking after themselves on and off the road. It’s vital that everyone does this, but knowing first hand just how consistently hard you work, it’s about time we made a special place for it. Check the website soon! In this issue, we’ve got features on some of your recent live work from the crews behind cover stars RHCP, as well as Placebo, BFMV, Jess Glynne and The Cure. Plus, our backpage interview this month is the ever-interesting Steve Maples of Rock-It Cargo’s Entertainment Trucking division in the US. I’m pictured above with some of his amazing team on a recent trip to their office in Topanga, CA. And just like that, I’m reminded how lucky we are to ‘suffer’ from jet lag when we get to see the world and make new friends at every place we visit. Kelly Murray Editor EDITOR Kelly Murray Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7738 154689 e-mail: k.murray@mondiale.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR Ste Durham Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7891 679742 e-mail: s.durham@mondiale.co.uk STAFF WRITER Stewart Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES Georgia Guthrie Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8399 Mobile: +44 (0)7501 597837 e-mail: g.guthrie@mondiale.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES Lauren Dyson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7415 773639 e-mail: l.dyson@mondiale.co.uk EVENT MANAGER - TPi AWARDS Mo Naeem Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8358 Mobile: +44 (0)775 9272 313 e-mail: m.naeem@mondiale.co.uk EDITORIAL INTERN Jay Patel
GENERAL MANAGER - TPi MAGAZINE & AWARDS Hannah Eakins (on materninty leave until July 2017) CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 e-mail: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Zoe Willcox: z.willcox@mondiale.co.uk ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk
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MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Red Hot Chili Peppers by Andrew Benge PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk Annual subscriptions (including P&P): £42 (UK), £60 (Europe), £78/$125 (RoW). Subscription enquiries to: Subscriptions, Mondiale Publishing Limited, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)161 476 5580 Fax: +44 (0)161 476 0456 e-mail: subscriptions@mondiale.co.uk www.tpimagazine.com www.tpiawards.com www.tpmeamagazine.com Issue 210 - February 2017
TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL is a controlled circulation magazine, published 12 times a year by Mondiale Publishing Limited under licence. ISSN 1461-3786 Copyright © 2017 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 2017 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.
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ITINERARY
BACKSTAGE 08
Cardiff Ice Rink Wales’s 11th Hour Ice puts its skates on.
EVENT FOCUS
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10
The MyT Folding Steroid Litec unveils its latest product.
12 14
Ravolution Music Festival Vietnam’s EDM festival uses TW Audio.
16
SSE: Four Decades In The Industry UB40 and Stomp perform at the rental company’s festivities.
18
Creamfields Innovation Award Acorn Events emerges victorious.
Creative Technology Turns 30 The company celebrates a milestone.
PRODUCTION PROFILE
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46
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Red Hot Chili Peppers The Californians roll out the world’s largest touring kinetic light installation.
36 Placebo The alternative giants celebrate 20 year on the stage. 46
Bullet For My Valentine The band suits up for a live production that brings the fire.
54
The Cure Robert Smith and co played their first Manchester show in 12 years, and TPi were there to catch the action.
64
Jess Glynne English songstress embarks on her first arena tour. TPi headed to her show at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro.
INTERVIEW 78
Clair Global’s David Lester discusses the Roadie Apprenticeship programme.
82
LRI’s David Davies discusses his work on Skepta’s homecoming show.
CLOCKING OFF
54
86
Bryan Leitch’s Cancer Bonus Tour: in aid of Bloodwise & the Sussex Cancer Fund.
GEAR HEADS 88
Focusrite’s Will Hoult speaks about the company’s latest innovations.
INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS 90
The latest movers and shakers.
PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE
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Andy Lenthall defines the PSA.
BACK CHAT 98
Steve Maples of Rock-It Cargo.
BACKSTAGE
SKATING FIGURES ADD UP FOR 11TH HOUR ICE Cardiff-based 11th Hour Ice enjoyed a busy and very productive lead-up to Christmas in 2016, supplying and installing ice-rinks at a number of locations in South Wales. Temporary ice rinks are becoming an increasingly popular feature in the landscape of the festive events season, something with which 11th Hour Ice is well acquainted, having operated in the field for a number of years.
The company covers all bases in terms of ice rink provision, offering everything from the ice itself, to any infrastructure and ancillary services that are required. Essentials such as power generation, distribution and site lighting can be supplemented with everything from project management, ticketing, rink marshalling, decorative lighting, sound systems and even marketing and sponsorship. Effectively, 11th Hour Ice offers a bespoke ice rink service tailored to meet the needs and budgets of a range of organisations. Three of 2016’s installations amply demonstrated the variety of scale and the spectrum of applications catered for. In the town of Barry, the Vale of Glamorgan Council hosted a series of attractions transforming its Central Park for nine days into Ice Central, where 11th Hour Ice supplied a complete package, including fully-covered ice rink, power and distribution, lighting, sound, marshalling and ticketing. This venture was a first for Barry and one that proved very successful. The council was seeking to increase footfall into the town centre to help boost
local trade and promote a festive community spirit. More than 4000 skaters took advantage of Ice Central, meeting the council’s aims and prompting one local councillor to bemoan in the press that the rink wasn’t in place for longer, such was its positive impact. Cardiff City centre’s Winter Wonderland was the setting for an altogether larger rink. Working in partnership with Sayers Amusements, which installed a funfair and Christmas-themed amusement park, 11th Hour Ice supplied and managed every aspect of the ice rink as well as supplying power, distribution and site lighting for the whole event. A huge hit with visitors to the city, Winter Wonderland is set to be the template for future co-operation between 11th Hour Ice and Sayers Amusements, with other UK city centre locations seeking to take advantage of this winning formula. At the top end of the market, Celtic Manor Resort offered its guests and visitors an extensive covered ice rink on the roof of its large conferencing facility. This highly regarded venue places its focus on individual customer 08
11TH HOUR ICE
Opposite and Below: Three of 2016’s installations amply demonstrated the scale and the spectrum of 11th Hour Ice’s offering.
experience and 11th Hour Ice’s attention to every presentational detail was crucial. Once again, the company managed all aspects of running the rink and received high praise from the client for the beautiful appearance of the installation and the way in which any aesthetic disruption of the site was kept to a minimum. John Davies of 11th Hour Ice reflected on another successful season: “From the smaller, community centered rinks to the large high-end installations, we see a real appetite for the benefits that ice rinks can bring. There’s no doubt that there’s a significant difference in demographic between the users of Celtic Manor and Barry Town Centre and a difference in purpose between a local authority and a luxury hotel but the common denominator of having fun is inescapable. The fact that we’re able to provide any scale of provision with as few or as many ancillary services as
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necessary, means that an ice rink is a viable proposition as a stand-alone facility or as part of an integrated event. We have a highly experienced team at 11th Hour who will deliver without fail. During the set-up for this year’s Barry installation we overcame problems with water and electricity supply whilst being simultaneously battered by terrible weather - none of this affected the outcome for the clients, who were unanimous in their delight at the event.” 11th Hour Ice is now firmly established as a leading provider and is expanding its reach as demand grows for its comprehensively packaged services. TPi Photos: 11th Hour Events www.11th-hour-events.com
WOW THE CROWD IN 2017
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EVENT FOCUS
AREA 4 INDUSTRIES
LITEC INJECTS NAPLES WITH MYT FOLDING STEROID LITEC’s latest offering to the world, the MyT Folding Steroid roofing system, got its debut at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples for the Italian company, Massimo Stage.
Area 4 Industries brand Litec has recently introduced a new concept in heavy-duty portable roofs - the MyT Folding Steroid Roof System. Designed by Litec engineers to aid live event companies that require colossal structures with extreme loading capacities, while optimising transport costs and reducing storage requirements. The successful debut of the MyT Folding Steroid Roof System was at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples, Italy, which served as both a test build and massive roof structure for an important live concert. The custom made 30m x 15m MyT Folding Steroid system was expertly delivered and erected by Massimo Stage, one of Europe’s premier event production and rental companies that specialises in big events. The modular, self-contained design of the system consists of heavy duty components that are a hybrid of folding EN AW-7003 T6 aluminium truss sections, 85cm x 85cm EN AW-6082 T6 aluminium towers and key structural elements in S355 steel like modular ballast bases, sleeve block and safety block. The folding aluminium truss sections are assembled without any welding to optimise performance and eliminate any issues relating to weld heat affected zones. The construction also creates a 100% serviceable truss, with any damaged or worn parts easily replaceable. With these features combined, the roof system has a remarkable capacity of up to 40 tonnes with free-span capabilities up to 35 metres with extremely low deflection. A ground-breaking feature of the MyT Folding Steroid is its folding design that allows a single person to fold and store a single 3m section in less than three minutes. This feature, which reduces the width of each section by 63% (from 84cm wide to 31cm wide), greatly cuts down on storage space requirements and transport costs. The aluminium towers have a maximum payload of 18,500kg at 17m height and feature 70mm x 5mm main chords, 50mm x 4mm brace / diagonal and a steel fork connection system. The S355 steel design elements contribute to the distinctive modular and self-contained environment of the MyT Folding Steroid system. Multi-directional sleeve blocks feature a mechanical safety lock system that secures the block from drop and lift when used in conjunction with the safety block. The Safety Block mechanical locking system contains a telescopic tube and easily accessible lever mechanism. A fully integrated tower base support system features a modular steel ballast system with connections on all six sides.
Massimo Stage was the first company to purchase the MyT Folding Steroid system after Litec introduced it to the new structure and its innovative design elements. Massimo Stage has been servicing the entertainment industry for over 20 years and takes part in a wide range of events. The company offers qualitatively high-standards in the arrangement of space, with maximum safety and reliability as its trademark. Massimo Stage’s Managing Director Gennaro Chinelli discussed his company’s experience of the system: “The main reason was to be in a position to satisfy market demand where artists ask for more and more competitive structures with high load capacities and better performance. Being manufactured with the special 7003 T6 aluminium alloy enables very high load capacities. The MyT Folding Steroid also allows for quick set up, while guaranteeing high safety standards. Finally, this truss is foldable and that means easier storage thus reducing transport costs.” Chinelli went on to discuss how the build stage of the project went. “Despite our lack of experience with the structure, since we only knew it on paper, we had no difficulty with build up even though it was our first installation. Similarly with the breakdown everything went according to schedule, despite it being constructed in the centre of the San Paolo Stadium pitch. We had impeccable assistance from Litec. They were real professionals who went above and beyond the call of duty. We received immediate answers and solutions to our problems. They assisted us in fully constructing the structure.” Since the show Chinelli stated how Massimo Stage had already received several enquiries for this structure for some very important events in Italy and abroad. Litec Sales Manager Raffaella Scaccia was deeply involved in this project and worked closely with Massimo Stage in the sale, delivery and build up of the MyT Folding Steroid Roof System. She commented: “We are pleased to have cooperated with Massimo Stage for this big project. Litec have endeavoured to develop a high quality and performing structure that meets our customers’ needs and deliver exceptional service. Our company has always been devoted to doing the best possible work for our clients to ensure creativity, innovation and design. The exchange of knowledge with our business partners is fundamental to achieving mutual success.” With the MyT Folding Steroid Roof System now officially launched and available on the world market, Litec looks forward to more and more events being injected with its power. Photos courtesy of Area 4 Industries www.areafourindustries.com 11
EVENT FOCUS
RAVOLUTION MUSIC FESTIVAL
TW AUDIO AT RAVOLUTION MUSIC FESTIVAL, VIETNAM The Ravolution Music Festival is the biggest EDM event in Vietnam. Leading rental company Phuc Thinh was hired to provide the technical support to the brand new festival experience, held outside the Saigon Exhibiton and Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City in December 2016.
As the growth of EDM continues to thrive in Asia, the organisers of Ravolution Vietnam wanted to set a new milestone for the genre, offering a fresh playground for fans in the country to celebrate. Joey Choi from Korean company Starnetworks supervised the entire sound production and collaborated with Vietnam’s Filmstar to meet its needs. Alan Walker treated the 20,000 spectators to a 90-minute set that included tracks such as Alone and Faded, clad in his trademark hoodie and hiding his face behind a scarf. Keeping up the beat was Dutch DJ R3HAB followed by Californian, DJ KSHMR. Production Manager Neo Yang explained: “The show lasted for nine hours, so a reliable system was most important. As I have worked with Star Sound (a division of Starnetworks) from Korea before, I knew the TW AUDiO products and was sure we would succeed with this system. The design for the show came from me and to put such a large system together was quite a challenge.” A total of 42 TW AUDiO VERA36 made up the main PA hang, with a sub array consisting of 14 VERA S33 and 18 BSX lining the front of the stage. Yang then chose to deploy 6 VERA (36 per side as outfill), as well as 6 VERA36’s
and 2 S33’s for DJ monitoring, and 8 C15’s as stage monitors. Another 4 T24N and 4 T24P flexible horntops served as additional stagefill. The entire system was powered by 26 Powersoft K3DSP, 4 Lab.gruppen PLM12K44, 2 Lab.gruppen PLM20000Q and 2 Lab.gruppen PLM10000Q amplifiers. Engineer Joey Choi used Ease Focus software to discover the best configuration for the subwoofer array, ensuring that the energy was spread evenly and the power remained, as the SVIP (most expensive seats) areas were located outside the main audience, on both sides of the venue. He explained: “To cover this area with enough subwoofer energy I’ve tried some different delay values, forming an arc, and hung an additional VERA36 as outfill. The Ease Focus simulation turned out to be absolutely precise, providing a very smooth frequency response. The overall sound was loud and clear but not harsh - perfect to listen to the music for a long time. The TW AUDiO system is my preferred choice for any production.” TPi Photos: Sam Hansel Photoworks www.twaudio.de/en/ www.ravolutionmusicfestival.com
13
EVENT FOCUS
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY AT 30 To celebrate its 30 year milestone, Creative Technology hosted a two day event showcasing the latest products from the company. TPi attended...
To round off its 30th year of business, Creative Technology (CT) held a two day event at the Studio of the Hospital Club, London. The event ran for two days and showcased a variety of new kit, alongside telling CT’s story from inception through three decades of industry evolution and progression. Laura Vallis, Director of Marketing and Communications at CT discussed the event: “Over the two days we saw almost 200 people come through the door enabling clients, both past and present, to be acquainted with our newest innovations. Some of our showcases were so popular that we considered holding a ticketing system to try and get through the people that were waiting to know more!” During the day the company featured a variety of comms solutions, jointly showcased by CT’s new division, Integrated Networks and new acquisition, Wireless Works. Both Sid Lobb and Tristian Bickerton were available for demonstrations in addition to presenting a variety of case studies. A Christmas ‘tree’ comprised of CT’s Panasonic PT-RZ970 laser projectors was also on display, illustrating just how these projectors can be used in any alignment and angle. The projectors were also used to project onto the central located bar, further evidencing of the versatile rigging of these products. The centre bar was also clad in CT’s new Roe strip. Utilising the powerful Brompton processor. The strips completely cover the upstand of the bar making the main draw to any open day event, even more seductive. Other
LEDs on display included CT’s newcomer to its catalogue, the 5mm InfiLED. Vallis continued: “One of the most popular show and tell sessions was held by Tom Burford, CT’s Technical Development Manager. Tom revealed the secrets behind projection mapping, disclosing the options behind initial line ups, how mapping actually works and the various software tools behind the techniques. He also demonstrated how virtual reality headsets can assist in the design and set up of av technology – not only for the technical crew putting the set together but how it can also assist by looking at the rigging from the audiences’ viewpoint.” Another of the highlights for those attending was the Nostalgia Corner which presented some of the old kit used through the years including the Starvision tiles, the Sony Jumbotron and Betacam VTR along with the Grass Valley GVG 100 vision mixer. With the celebrations out of the way what is next for CT? “This year will open a new chapter in the future for CT,” stated Vallis. “The completion of the acquisition by the Avesco Group, and specifically CT by the NEP Group at the beginning of the year, has enabled CT to retain and strengthen the unique culture and exceptional delivery values of the business whilst further building and strengthening the service provision. Joining NEP’s Live Events division, Mediatec Solutions, Faber Audiovisuals, Sweetwater and Screenworks grants CT even further access to resources and leadership focus. These are exciting times!” TPi www.ct-group.com 14
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SD12 SETTING A NEW STANDARD
Predictably Stunning In 2015, DiGiCo launched its compact S-Series, which boasted a modern workflow at an affordable pricepoint; last year, the whole SD Range became much more powerful thanks to the introduction of Stealth Core 2
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Software across the board; now, in DiGiCo’s 15th year, meet the new and predictably stunning SD12.
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SD12 Total Production TPi 1-2-17.indd 1
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EVENT FOCUS
Below: Alex Penn, John Penn, Spencer Beard, Helen Eden and Heather Penn at the SSE 40th anniversary celebration. During the event founder, John, was presented with a restored WEM Audiomaster.
SSE AT 40 SSE Audio celebrated its 40th Anniversary by staging a party on Saturday 21 January, with live performances from Stomp and UB40.
In a 17 hour window, SSE managed to turn Fly by Nite’s cavernous 18,000sqft rehearsal studio into the ultimate party venue, complete with two stages, two bars, seven food outlets and a raised guest area. SSE Director and party Production Manager Spencer Beard explained: “The studio was booked out for rehearsals for an arena tour on the Thursday and Friday; we only had access from 1am on the day of the party. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved who pulled out all the stops, everything was ready to go by 6pm on Saturday.” The Fly by Nite Rehearsal Studio is just up the road from SSE’s Redditch HQ, making it an obvious location for the party. “SSE has worked with trucking company Fly by Nite for many years,” commented Beard. “We used to be neighbours on Coventry Road in Birmingham, then they followed us out to Redditch. Their help and support throughout this project has been superb.” The live performances opened with local duo Faye Smith and Gordon Begard - collectively known as Bear. Sales Director, Alex Penn and Wigwam MD, Beard then presented SSE founders John and Heather Penn with a WEM Audiomaster - the classic five-channel mixing console that was the fledgling company’s first mixer in 1976. John Penn acknowledged in a speech the very many people who have journeyed with SSE over the past 40 years and also the many companies and organisations who have contributed resources to the party. At the end of his speech, a plume of confetti cascaded down from the 60ft high ceiling and a lone sweeper was deployed to clear the debris from the fore-stage. He stomped across the stage with a rhythmic brush and percussive power heralding the arrival of his broom-wielding mates, who together formed Stomp. SSE Hire has supplied the audio for Stomp’s West End show for many years, mic-ing up all manner of dustbins and the like.
Another long term client of SSE is Reggae band UB40 who have used SSE for much of the last 35 years. In his introduction, John Penn explained how the purchase of a mixing console in the early 1980s provided the salvation for a cash-strapped and struggling SSE. The rest, as they say, is history. UB40 played a full set, including many of their classics to a very appreciative audience, before leaving to catch an early morning ferry to Belgium. “We were really pleased that UB40 were able to perform this special show for us on the eve of their latest European Tour,” said John Penn. Many industry partners were at the party and many contributed their services to its staging for a full-on arena experience. Beard, who joined SSE straight from school and is now Managing Director of Wigwam Acoustics (that joined the Group in 2013), was well-pleased with the way the party went: “It went to plan, looked great, sounded great and was awesome. I’m proud of what we all managed to achieve. A special mention has to go to Rob Priddle who worked tirelessly alongside me in production - his help and support throughout was exceptional.” John Penn reflected on the evening: “Thanks to everyone that came to our 40th Birthday Party. Your attendance was what made it so memorable. The six hours flew past and it was over way too soon. I spent all evening talking but never managed to have a conversation with anyone - and this morning I’m rather croaky! “Thanks to everyone that worked so hard to turn the ideas into reality and who gave their support so generously to make it look and sound so wonderful. It was really special to share the event with so many friends and colleagues. We’re still on a high after such a fantastic night.” TPi www.sseaudiogroup.com 16
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EVENT FOCUS
ACORN EVENT STRUCTURES Acorn Event Structures wins top industry Innovation Award at the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation’s AGM.
Acorn Event Structures has won an Innovation Award in the 2016 Inaugural National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) Scaffolding Production awards, scooping the award for its £1.8 million 50m (w) x 20m (h) x 90m (l) temporary event structure at Creamfields last summer. There were eight shortlisted for the inaugural biennial NASC Scaffolding Production Innovation Award, which was launched to celebrate the very best developments in new scaffolding materials and products from inventive NASC members at the forefront of change in the scaffolding industry. Speaking about Acorn, the judges said: “Acorn came through in creating an innovative structure using an innovative product. Their aim is the help clients to deliver world-class, unique and memorable events – specialising in innovative, temporary scaffold event structures. Their brief was to push the boundaries of festival design. It took months of collaboration and
design, and the effect was to give every festival-goer enjoyment of the premium technical production and high end immersive technology. It is an exceptional product borne out of determination to reach solutions in close liaison with a manufacturer and client. The judges made their decision calling the project ‘innovation at its best’.” Andy Nutter, Acorn’s Managing Director, concluded: “We’re experiencing more demand from every corner of the events industry for structures which create impact and meet increasingly ambitious production specifications. The reaction on social media (#steelyard) to the new structure has been phenomenal, demonstrating how the introduction of our Super Structure addresses a specific market need for temporary structures which push the boundaries and provide the foundations for great events.” TPi Photo: Anthony Mooney www.acorn-events.com www.creamfields.com 18
PROFESSIONAL
ShowMatch™ DeltaQ™ loudspeakers provide better coverage for outstanding vocal clarity. ©2017 Bose Corporation.
With DeltaQ technology, new ShowMatch array loudspeakers more precisely direct sound to the audience in both installed and portable applications. Each array module offers field-changeable waveguides that can vary coverage and even create asymmetrical patterns. The result is unmatched sound quality and vocal clarity for every seat in the house. Learn more at SHOWMATCH.BOSE.COM
NEXT-GENERATION ARRAY TECHNOLOGY
PRODUCTION PROFILE
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS The west coast four piece rolled out the world’s largest, tourable kinetic lighting installation in support of their latest album, The Getaway. TPi’s Stew Hume reports from Manchester Arena…
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First Page: Red Hot Chili Peppers toured with the world’s largest tourable kinetic lighting system. Below: For the European run, a TAIT Nano Grid system consisted of 880 individual winches with an LED payload.
One of the most awe-inspiring elements of the live events industry is the constant quest to raise the bar on what is possible. It’s an industry that strives to deliver the unthinkable. The latest tour to shatter expectations is none other than Californian funk rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) who, with the help of TAIT Towers and long time Creative Director and LD, Scott Holthaus, have produced the largest-ever tourable kinetic light installation. Heading up the production is Narciso Martinez, who came into the fold during the RHCP’s I’m With You tour in 2011, having already worked with some other groups on the Q-Prime Management roster. “It’s a great gig, heading up this production,” began Martinez. “In this camp it’s the band who set the standard of how to act and behave, which permeates the whole organisation. They have a huge amount of respect for the crew, which makes a huge difference, and their positive mentality certainly affects everyone else. I remember during last festival season, we were on the way to a show and I had a conversation with Flea [Bassist]. He said the real joy in this gig is not playing in front of thousands of people, but that he helped to make sure a group of hard working people get their day’s pay.” Crew welfare is something that Martinez also applies to his Production Management role. “I really care about my guys out here. Even though on a tour we are split into very defined departments, I try and create a lot of unity between each division. For example, everyone on this tour helps with load out and that includes everyone in the production office. In fact my production assistant and I always load out the first two trucks with the barricades and the subs. When you have everyone on board it makes the tour a much happier place, and this run has such a great vibe. We make huge sacrifices to be out on the road. If we can’t create an environment were everyone is successful and happy then I am doing something wrong!”
CAN’T STOP Despite a career spanning over three decades and a collection of key crewmembers tagging along for the majority of the ride, one resolute fact that TPi took away after meeting the crew was their desire to continually push the band’s live performance. With an impeding album release, the race was on for Holthaus and Martinez to create a new live experience for the RHCP fans around the world. “I guess if you were to turn the clocks back enough, the origin of this show came when I saw a YouTube video of this LED kinetic system at an automotive show,” began Holthaus. “I sent the video to TAIT to see if they thought it would be possible to produce a similar product for the tour. Coincidentally, they were already developing a similar winch-operated LED structure.” At the time, TAIT’s current project only required between 50 LEDs, whereas Holthaus’ idea required a few more… 880 to be precise! “The initial idea was to have the massive system hang from the above the band all the way out to the centre of the audience. Then throughout the show the structure would morph into various shapes and arrangements,” he said. To take up the story, TPi spoke to TAIT’s Brian Levine, Head of Project Management and Touring: “The Nano Winches had been in development for some time, however it had never been used in a touring environment at this scale. Prior to this we used them at the Ford Auto Show for Cadillac, which included kinetic chrome spheres as the connected fixtures. The fixtures themselves can carry a 10lb payload and move at 10ft per second with all the safety features we would see on any other type of winch, setting this product apart from all other kinetic products currently on the market. The biggest challenge for us was the sheer quantity and how the system could repeatedly and reliably set up and take down every day. Other projects with this number of axes usually require a pre-rig day and 22
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Lighting Designer Scott Holthaus and Production Manager, Narciso Martinez; The TAIT system consisted of 880 individual LEDs.
many long days to load in and out! However, we were able to design and deploy a system that allowed the crew to be able to load-in in three to four hours and load out in two.” Ensuring all the automation elements worked each night was Paul Sapsis, Automation Operator. The backbone of the system relied on the data distribution to each LED node via TAIT’s Navigator interface. Sapsis elaborated: “We take an ArtNet feed from FOH, which directs each of the fixtures to move in unison to create the various looks and shape configurations. This information is taken by the Navigator system, which is converted into EtherCAT which is the technology that communicates to each individual winch.” During the show, Sapsis controls the Navigator with a back-up run simultaneously with fellow automation specialist, Mclane Snow. “We have got into a really good rhythm in terms of our day-to-day set up,” continued Sapsis. “I’ve been really impressed with the winches themselves, which are able to move incredibly quickly. One aspect that is rather innovative about them is that they are constantly active; which is
unheard of in most automation departments where the breaks are usually put on after each movement.” Ensuring everything overhead was secure and stable was Head Rigger Gabriel Wood and his ‘number two’, Charles Anderson. “For this tour we have just under 100 motors with about 104,000lb of load,” began Wood. “The biggest element that I have to worry about is obviously the Nano Winch system. The automation team does a great job of maintaining the kit but I have to keep an eagle eye on the maximum loads and keep all the venues in the loop. From a safety stand point I am not having anyone flying in the air which always makes things slightly easier, however with nearly 1,000 miniature lights flying overhead of a large proportion of the audience you need to keep on your toes.” Supplying rigging, Five Point Production Services. “Personally, I am always pushing to use them on any tour I’m on,” stated Wood. “They take a great deal of care and attention when packaging a rig to make sure it’s as tourable as possible. They maintain their gear which is always the number
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The production deployed Rat Sound’s SuperWedges on stage; Holding down FOH responsibilities for the last 25 years, Dave ‘Rat’ Levine; Monitor Engineer Mark Vanderwall with a DiGiCo SD10.
one priority for me.” Giving his final thoughts on the Kinetic system, Holthaus stated: “There was a certain pressure during the development stage as the band and the management had seen the idea and loved it so there was no other choice but to make it work. Thankfully it has worked out incredibly. I have never had so many stage-hands take photos and videos of a set, which I think is a great indicator of the show we have got on our hands. I feel this is the coolest travelling show out at this time … as do most who have seen it fly!” At the time of writing, The Getaway tour is currently doing the rounds in the US where production and TAIT have added to the system, which now comes to a total of 1,040 winches. Holthaus said: “The feedback has been so well received from the production side and the fact that they have continued to add to the system is the ultimate validation.”
each of which have 5 x Ayrton MagicBlade-Rs, Tmb Solaris Flares and Claypaky A.leda B-EYEs.” Additional floor lighting consisted of 20 x Claypaky A.leda B-EYEs K20’s. The stage show also had two side trusses housing four PRG Bad Boys and utilising the company’s GroundControl followspot system. “This is my first time using it but I have to say, its amazing. I really enjoy the spot location on the stage left and right but it’s not the most conventional location to have a spot operator so the remote option solves a lot of potential issues. The beauty of having your operators just pan and tilt give us the ability to have a huge amount of control out at FOH.” Providing control for Holthaus was the MA Lighting grandMA2. ”We have now used grandMA for 20 years! As this is the most ambitious project I have come up with to date, I saw no reason to change from what has worked so well,” he added. Supplying the complete lighting package for the tour was Premier Global Production. The band’s production had brought the company out on the last world tour and PM Narciso Martinez was more than happy to do so again. “I have had a lot of success with them in the past and I really like the way they do business. They always supply great equipment and their crew is always really good.” Standing alongside Holthaus at FOH was Leif Dixon, Video Operator, also known as ‘The Screen Overlord’. Dixon further elaborated on his place within the tour. “Basically I look after all the media servers, FOH Tech as well as programming the show. During the show I am constantly taking notes and fixing and tweaking certain elements to ensure the bigger picture is great.” As any avid follower of RHCP will know, the band changes their set list most nights, often locking in an order only a few minuets before they hit the stage. As is the way with the style of music, the band will not play the song
PARRALLEL UNIVERSE Alongside the visual spectacular of the TAIT Nano Winch system was yet another design from the mind of Scott Holthaus. The LD has been with the band for 17 years; although the way he joined the extended family was rather peculiar. “To make a long story short, I was working on Jane’s Addiction and at the time Flea was playing bass for them. One day his bass tech came to me to ask if I knew how to change a speaker in a bass rig. At the time I didn’t know that he was also the Production Manager for the Peppers. So in a roundabout way, I got the title of Lighting Director by changing an audio speaker!” For this current run, Holthaus opted for a slightly reduced rig from previous runs. “The lighting show [besides the massive Nano Winch] is really quite minimalist. It’s almost a third of the size from what we usually have with only three main workhorse fixtures. Upstage, we have 11 torms 24
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In Europe High Lite touring provided a complete L-Acoustics system; Automation extraordinaire, Paul Sapsis; Head Rigger, Gabriel Wood.
exactly the same every night often adding in various improvisation and creative flourishes. Being very much a ‘live’ band also has a knock on effect with the lighting department. “I think the Peppers would be one of the last bands in the world to ever switch over to the timecode way of doing things,” stated Holthaus. “With most of the songs we have stacked cues but each one has a proportion of bendable parameters to give the lighting show the human touch.” It is not just the changing order of the set list that the lighting department have to contend with, as the band often like to throw in new songs throughout the tour. Dixon walked through his and Holthaus’ approach to designing a new song on the fly. “Typically when we build the look for a new song it’s completely manual. The band doesn’t soundcheck so the first time we see the look is in front of thousands of fans. During and after the show we make various notes and tightening up areas that we think we could improve but we know the guys and the material so we are usually pretty close first time around. Our treatment varies depending on the song. For example we may have new content that may drive the look or similarly
we might have a dominant lighting look that will then be mirrored with the IMAG.” The content in question was provided by the team at Moment Factory, which included Producer Daniel Jean, Creative Director Jesse Lee Stout and Multimedia Director Mariano Leotta. Stout discussed the company’s involvement with the show: “Scott Holthaus and the band talked to us about developing an iconic, minimalist statement using large blocks of colour that was very glacial in movement. We looked at everything from James Turrell to Josef Albers to Victor Vasarely works for inspiration. Through a 3D visualiser that we built, using the Oculus Rift, we were able to quickly identify the movements in the kinetic structure that were most impactful. From there, we went back and forth with Scott and the band until we had it perfect.” As well as Moment Factory’s content, the band was also keen to have Dave Hughes, creator of the Adult Swim show, Off the Air, to be brought into the creative process. “Working with Dave and his talented pool of collaborators from Off the Air has been smooth and prolific,” stated Stout. “When it was about aesthetic extravaganza and 26
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One happy family: Joe Burke, Head of Security, FOH Engineer Dave ‘Rat’ Levine, Production Manager Narciso Martinez, Stage Manger Philip Dannemann and LD Scott Holthaus; Stage Carpenters Joshua Perree and Scott ‘Yogi’ Badeau; Stage Manager Philip Dannemann and his assistant, Clifford Sharpling; Video Director George Elizando.
hand drawn motion graphics we counted on them to bring us to the infinite meanderings of psychedelic world.” The screens used for the show came courtesy of Colonel Tom Touring. The company supplied the last tour, for which Holthaus had been looking for a near transparent screen, however no company really had what the production we were looking for. Martinez continued: “It was during this time the Colonel Tom really stepped up to the plate stating that they would purchase the screen for that tour. I was more than happy to have them back on board for this one.” Backstage, in charge of the extensive IMAG, was George Elizando, Video Director. Via his control package that consisted of a Ross Carbonite 3’s, Elizando managed the content that came courtesy of eight camera package: “I have been with the band for the last three tours and, I must say, they are a dream to work for. They supply a huge amount of energy which makes my job much easier.”
out the KARA speakers for the K2 range of underhangs and primary side hangs. The K2’s have been working really well for us. They are a little more powerful and smooth compared to the last model, which I enjoy.” The other big change to the PA set up for this run is the lack of a centre cluster due to the inclusion of the TAIT Nano Winch system. However according to Rat this played into his hands: “Because the overall lighting rig is thinner, this meant that I could move the two side hangs closer together and simply cover the centre stage area with L-Acoustics ARCS.” Also deployed on this tour were the new L-Acoustics SB28’s. “They are definitely louder than previous models,” enthused Rat. “The fact they don’t have a grill in front of the port means the speaker can move much more quickly. I’m really happy what we have got out of them.” In total 36 SB28’s were distributed across the stage with four sets of three across the front and 12 either side of the stage. The left and right subs were even very much incorporated into the set itself with the staging team building an aluminium platform the was placed over the speakers allowing the musicians to run out on to them. Taking on the role of system tech was Jim Lockyer, a position that he did not take lightly: “The band’s management has always been committed to quality audio on tour. They know this is how the artist reaches their audience,” explained Lockyer. “To that end, they move about the arena during the show to listen in different locations, making sure the paying ticket holder gets their money’s worth. If there is ever an issue, I’ll be the first to know about it. Thankfully that is very rare.” The system tech went on to explain why L-Acoustics was the way forward for this tour. “We had used it on the previous Peppers tours and always had great results. As far as fidelity, controlled coverage patterns and high, full-range volume without the need for additional flown subwoofers goes, it fits our needs perfectly.
OTHERSIDE Holding down FOH audio responsibilities for the past 25 years for the RHCP has been David ‘Rat’ Levine of Rat Sound Systems. With a quarter of a century’s experience behind the console, there are few that know the band’s sound like Rat, having seen them outgrow the club gigs of the Blood Sugar Sex Magik to the stadium shows they are known for today. Standing alongside his trusted Midas Heritage 3000 desk, he talked TPi through this tour’s audio set up. Once again Rat opted for an L-Acoustics PA: “Our audio set up for this tour is very similar to the one we had last time, using the K1 as the main hang,” stated Rat. “One of the biggest changes was that we swapped 28
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Also, the excellent software prediction tools that Soundvision provide allows us to accurately map venues for amazing coverage.” For the European leg of the tour, High Lite Touring supplied the PA package along with four audio engineers. Martinez commented on his relationship with the supplier: “I first got to know the High Lite guys while I was on tour with ZZ Top. I was immediately impressed with both their crew’s work ethnic and the gear they provided. So when it came to the Peppers’ 2011 tour I asked them if they would like to put in a pitch. I honestly cannot say enough about their team and have no reservations in saying they have one of the best crews in the world. Just one example is our Audio Crew Chief Radek Lesa (HLT KSE Qualified System technician). From what I understand he is the second highest qualified L-Acoustics engineer in Europe and is an incredibly hard worker.” He described some of the notable points of the audio set up. “We fly all the PA amp racks within the arrays and use a 7m long truss system to drop all cabling up and off stage allowing very short speaker cable runs. We use a Rocknet based digital drive system we are able to deliver both AES and backup analog signals to the amps. Overall it’s a very clean set up and the sound quality and coverage of the system is really quite amazing. Front to back, side to side, the voicing of the systems are identical, which makes it very easy to replicate the FOH mix anywhere in the arena.” High Lite’s Michal Siska commented on the company’s involvement with the tour: “We were delighted that Narci decided to choose us as PA supplier for their 2011 tour and that he has continued to put his trust in us. The band has full confidence in their audio team and their sound.” He
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As the RHCP waved goodbye to the European crowds, both the band and crew set their sights on the States where the massive kinetic system would get a whole lot bigger...
concluded: “I believe the best comment is sometimes no comment. If the band is enjoying playing and they don’t have any problems, you generally don’t hear much from them.” Audio control for the tour was supplied by Rat’s very own Rat Sound Systems. The FOH Engineer’s control package was a complete analogue set up from his Midas Heritage 3000 to his arsenal of outboard gear, all of which was positioned at a 90° angle to the stage. “I really like having nothing but the barricade between myself and the band. For me personally this whole job is about using tech and hardware to connect the band to the audience and with this layout I get the most accurate representation of what an audience member is feeling. The great thing for me is that their musicianship is second to none so my only concern is to make sure I grab it correctly.” For this current tour Rat explained how he had some goals from the outset: “Compared to last time, this run is a lot more stripped back. Last tour we had a separate percussion player, which meant a lot of open mics on stage creating a wash of sound coming at the audience. For this run I wanted to focus a little more on making every element as clear as possible, really putting a spotlight on each of the musician’s talent.” The highlights of Rat’s outboard gear included a Lexicon PCM60 and an Eventide H3500. “I use the Lexicon for all the reverbs for vocals and drums and then the Eventides take care of any delays, phases and flange I might need,” stated Rat. The engineer also had several compressors including the Empirical Labs Fatso Jr for vocals alongside five BSS by Harman DPR-404 four channel compressors, which are used for most of the instrumentation. “To tune the system I use the Meyer Sound CP10,” said Rat. “I like to do most things manually and I don’t want to leave things up to processors. This
includes trying to manage the temperature within each venue. We always shut down the AC and heaters about an hour before showtime so we can stabilise the temperature. To be honest chasing temperature differentials is my biggest headache of the day.” BY THE WAY Keeping a check of the band’s monitor requirements was Mark Vanderwall. For the last tour the monitor engineer had followed Rat’s lead in opting for an analogue console. However for The Getaway tour Vanderwall had swapped in a DiGiCo SD10. “I have always loved analogue but it’s hard to argue with the size to capacity ratio that you get with a digital console. I first used a DiGiCo around eight years ago and have been really happy with them. For the set up we have out here an analogue console would not have enough routing capabilities.” However, despite being on a digital desk, Vanderwall stated how his style of mixing was still very analogue. “I don’t rely on a lot of snapshots because with such a varied and changeable set list you need to be able to adapt quickly. Instead of having to hunt through a bunch of snap shots I simply run the same scene and bend to whatever they are doing on stage.” For onstage sound, the Peppers made use of seven of the new SuperWedge from Rat Sound Productions. The wedge in question features four independent speakers consisting of a 10 and 2-inch speaker and two 12-inch speakers. “I designed the SuperWedge prior to the tour but now it has become a staple in our package,” stated Rat. For guitarist Josh Klinghoffer to ensure he had the a near-perfect replication of his amp tone for his monitor mix, one of his 12-inch speakers from his SuperWedge was replaced with a 12-inch Celestion guitar speaker. “This is the same speaker 30
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in his amp, which means he gets a fairly close representation of his actual guitar tone, an added benefit as he is the only member not to use IEMs,” stated Vanderwall. Elsewhere on the stage, lead singer Anthony Kiedis made use of a pair of Rat L-Wedges, which he has used since the ‘90s. Also on stage were EAW MicroWedge 12’s, dial drum thumpers and a drum sub. A total of 10 Powersoft X4 Amplifiers were chosen to power the entire monitor system. “In the case of the SuperWedges, the Powersoft X4 sends a signal to all four speakers using its Armonía software to separate frequencies into the four separate speakers,” stated Rat. “The X4’s were chosen because of the extremely high power density and four channels capable of 5,000W each in a single rack space, combined with their versatility of input matrixing. I originally brought the X4’s out to power the SuperWedges but Mark liked them so much he opted to used them to power the whole system.” Despite the abundance of stage monitors, three quarters of the band still made use of Shure PSM 1000’s. “Apart from our guitarist Josh, all other members of the band, along with the keyboard player, are on IEMs,” stated Vanderwall. “The wedge mixes add a certain physical re-enforcement to the players but they also give me a failsafe option if the IEM were to drop out or get damaged. We also have a hard wire that both Chad (Drummer) and our keyboard player can switch to in case of emergencies.” With such a high frequency of LED on the stage it is no surprise that this created some teething issues for the monitor engineer with his wireless frequencies. “At the beginning of the tour the sheer scale of LED did bring up some issues. It was at that point I switched to a Palm Scanner which I now use everyday on the tour to make sure all frequencies are clean. I
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Lead singer Anthony Kiedis using the Audix OM7.
then plug that information through a Shure Workbench.” For microphones, an Audix OM7 was once again the go-to choice for lead vocals. However for this tour there was a substitution for Josh Klinghoffer adopting the Electro-Voice ND96. “We had been looking for something with a slightly different proximity effect that suited his style of singing into a microphone. The Electro-Voice model has been working out really well,” stated Vanderwall. STAGING AND POWER Looking after the TAIT staging elements were carpenters Scott ‘Yogi’ Badeau and Joshua Perree. For the run the staging specialist provided a fairly standard kit for the group including a 40x60 rolling stage with band risers and stage left and stage right with Mojo Barriers providing barricades. Yogi went on to describe the make up of the set: “The stage is really quite low especially for an arena show of this size. This preference of size has come straight from the band who like to be as close to the audience as possible. This also effects the barrier location which allows the audience to be much closer then your standard set up.” Perree went on to talk through the carpenters’ day-to-day responsibilites: “In terms of touring carpenters there is just myself and Yogi. Then for stage hand we bring in five for load in and 10 for load out.”
Providing power solutions for the European tour was The Power Shop. The company’s Managing Director, Jan De Meyer, commented on its involvement: “We have worked with the Peppers since 2011 and it’s always a great pleasure to work with them and collaborate with Narci and his team. They are one of those bands that always come up with an exciting new show - the effect of the Nano grid in their new show design is definitely awesome.” For the production, The Power Shop provided a package of transformers, distro and cabling to ensure that all North American equipment was powered efficiently with the European grid. De Meyer continued: “One of our electricians, Tom Delbaere, joined the team on the road, “I really care about my guys and became known as ‘Power Tom’. Every day he made sure that everything was connected out here. Even though on a tour safely and according European regulations.”
we are split into very defined departments, I try and create a lot of unity between each division. For example, everyone on this tour helps with load out and that includes everyone in the production office.”
Narciso Martinez, Production Manager 32
AROUND THE WORLD Handling all freighting needs for the production was Xpeditious Unlimited. Martinez commented: “I have worked with Xpeditious’ Paul Stacy several times. During the tail end of the last cycle I brought him into the production to help us complete the leg. I really like the way he does business. He is incredibly transparent which means I am assured we are getting the best deal.” For the start of the European tour
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Martinez opted to ship the tour over from the states. However, due to a mere 13-day gap between the Dublin show and the first US show meant only one option; take to the air. “Aside from the PA, almost everything else is flying over for the next leg,” stated Martinez. Meanwhile, with their wheels firmly on the ground, Transam who provided trucks for the European run. “The Transam relationship was one I actually inherited from the previous production manager of the tour. The band already had a solid relationship with the company, which continues. They always send a great team of drivers.” Collectively Transam provided 14 flat floor megacubes for the tour lead by Kevin ‘Barney’ Barnes. Joining Transam on the roads was bussing specialist Beat The Street. Martinez also has a strong bond with Beat The Street that dates back to the mid ‘90s. “I have no issue saying that Beat The Street have some of the best buses out there, not to mention some of the best crew in the game. They are always a clear choice.”
The start of the contract involved Pete Bailey flying out to New Orleans to cook for the band party. From then on Stuart Jackson and Tanya Collyer were working together on the tour. Rockpool’s Charlie Dillamore-Bailey discussed the company’s involvement with the tour: “Rockpool provide pre-show meals for the band party, management and family. A variety of post show menus are supplied at the venue or hotels. Healthy food was requested for this tour. We always endeavor to source the finest ingredients to create healthy meals, tailored to each client. We have a database of suppliers and speciality food providers which have been updated after each tour. It has been a real pleasure working with the RHCP team. We look forward to the future.” With yet another European tour under their belts, both band and crew headed Stateside to continue The Getaway mission on their home turf. With plans to expand on this already jaw-dropping production, it’s clear that both the band and crew are still as passionate as ever about using innovation to create truly unforgettable moments. TPi Photos: Andrew Benge www.redhotchilipeppers.com www.taittowers.com www.ratsound.com www.highlite.cz www.premierglobalproduction.com www.cttouring.com www.momentfactory.com www.transamtrucking.com www.beatthestreet.net www.xpeditiousunlimited.com www.fivepointsproductionservices.com www.sarahskitchentouring.com www.rockpooltourcatering.com www.thepowershop.nl
TELL ME BABY (WHAT’S FOR DINNER) Keeping everyone fed and nourished for the European tour was a job split between two catering companies, Sarah’s Kitchen and Rockpool Tour Catering. First up were Sarah’s Kitchen who were commissioned to keep all the crew happy, as Sarah Nicholas explained: “We first met Narciso when we catered for Florence + The Machine. We were delighted to be considered for the RHCP European tour. Throughout the run we had 110 hungry mouths to feed but, as is our style, we always made sure there were healthy options as well as something for the people who needed calories to burn!” Along with Nicholas the rest of the catering crew was made up of Vickie Lee, Paddy Cullen, Gordie Watt and Richard Irving. Nicholas concluded: “We really enjoyed being part of their European Tour Family. Definitely one of the friendliest and nicest touring families we have been part of.” Providing personal catering for the band was the responsibility of Rockpool Tour Catering. Since finishing the Muse Drones Tour in September 2016 the business was asked to supply two personal chefs for the RHCP. 34
PRODUCTION PROFILE
Opposite: Backline Techs Mick Pryde and Adrian Vines; FOH Engineer Ian Nelson and System Tech George Puttock.
PLACEBO Fresh from a triumphant stint on the continent, the alternative rock pioneers returned to the UK for a run of arena shows on their home turf. TPi’s Ste Durham was in attendance at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham.
The 20 Years of Placebo World Tour had already drawn thousands of fans across Europe when the band’s busses rolled into England’s Second City, and as TPi was welcomed into the Barclaycard Arena, the atmosphere was one of stoic positivity. It’s not unheard of for morale to remain high throughout such an arena run, but the familiarity that was immediately evident was soon justified by the information that the crew had not seen a major personnel change in eight years. Production Manager and Drum Tech Allan Moffat originally came on board with Placebo to lend his technical skills to the band’s percussion department, both live and in the studio. He eventually found his way to the top of the tree thanks to a tenacious compulsion to ‘get things done’, as he explained: “I’ve always tried to push myself into new areas and I’ve been really lucky with this job because the previous production managers have all been very good. I love both parts of the job. I’d like to devote more time the kit but the drummer is a very understanding guy to to tech for - as long as it’s all there, all tuned and all shiny!” As affable as a PM as you could imagine (even amidst the relative chaos of the touring crew’s Secret Santa day), Moffat has based his management style around minimising stress and, as a result, maximising productivity. “There’s no point in shouting at each other all day,” he mused. “We try and be nice and I find that it makes everything work a lot better. Venues and promoters talk to each other, and if they know it’s a chilled out crew coming in that day then you know you are starting on the right foot. It also means everybody looks forward to having us back!” The crew has remained largely unchanged for the past eight years, with many of them, including Moffat, far exceeding this already respectable innings. This continuity also extends into the choices of technical supplier, particularly when it comes to the comfort and happiness of the artist and their crew. The PM said: “When we first started talking about this tour in March 2016, Popcorn was the first call I made and Beat The Street was the
second - the band like what they like and I know the score by now. If you can make sure everybody is being fed well, by friendly faces, and travelling in comfort, then that’s already a great start.” As well as Popcorn for catering and Fly By Nite and Beat The Street for trucking and bussing, respectively, Moffat turned to Adlib to supply the tour’s audio kit and London’s Colour Sound Experiment for lighting, video and rigging. Moffat explained: “We have five trucks and two busses, and we will always try to get the same drivers. We’d only used Colour Sound on a club tour last year, but they did so well that we decided to give them the chance - this is the biggest arena tour they’ve done and they brought a lot of kit to keep the band and LD happy. “It’s all worked out really well - there have been a couple of late drives and tight back-to-backs but it’s all happened. Rigger Katy Flanders has done a lot of advance work to get in everywhere so that’s made everything a lot less stressful. When it’s been really tight she’s made sure that everybody knows what needs to be ready as soon as we turn up. I know nothing about rigging so I have to trust her. She also works really well with James who runs the Kinesys, which is a key part of the show.” While the band has always embraced the visual side of their live show, the production has been kicked up a notch for this retrospective tour. The show itself, designed by Jvan Morandi, encompassed the band’s 20-year career at the forefront of the alt-rock movement, coinciding with the release of a new compilation album, A Place for Us to Dream. “All visuals are new, though they’ve always liked to use a lot of video screen,” Moffat said. “Now we have a massive upstage wall, LED side screens instead of fast folds and five automated screens flown on the front that move throughout the show using Kinesys. Jvan has used a lot of the old, iconic visuals, as well as some new, unseen content.” As well as pushing the boat out with the look of the show, the Placebo 37
PLACEBO
Above: The automated screens shifted throughout the set to change the audience’s perception of the stage.
crew was also lucky enough to take one of Adlib’s newest acquisitions out for a spin. “The new Coda Audio system we have is making our FOH Engineer Ian really happy. He’s very critical of himself and the gear he uses but we’ve had consistently great shows from an audio point of view, even in some very tricky venues,” commented Moffat. “All in all I’m very privileged to work with the suppliers I work with and there’s generally a great vibe on site,” he added. “I’ve been on tours where that hasn’t necessarily been the case and things certainly don’t run as smoothly. Everybody has off days but I know I can sit in my office and be sure that each department is running smoothly.”
screen on the audience-facing ends. The five automated pods moved up and down into several different shapes and positions during the show, each on two Liftket half tonne vari-speed motors, powered by Kinesys units. The Kinesys automation was central to Morandi’s visual concept for the tour. A total of 10 Kinesys Elevation 1+ vari-speed drive units, used with the same amount of Liftket motors and Kinesys’ Vector control, were used to move five I-shaped trussing pods rigged in the roof above the stage. The system is a key investment for Colour Sound, as H explained: “We have sub-rented Kinesys systems as needed for some time now, so we know the kit is excellent. There’s been an increase in demand for moving elements in the last couple of years, so the time was absolutely right to make the purchase. As Kinesys is the most popular motion control brand in the UK it made sense, and also ticked all the other important boxes like stability and being highly recommended by everyone we know.” In addition to the Liftkets, Elevation 1+ and Vector control, the system also included a Kinesys Array PD-ES and Mentor series 3 for SIL 3 compliance, which is required for touring in parts of Europe. Morandi came to production rehearsals ahead of the tour with a set of moves already in his head for the pods, which he and Hind mapped out in Kinesys’ Vector software, integrated into the show and then tweaked for the first couple of weeks until everything was perfect for each of the different songs. There were around 20 different movement cues over the two-hour performance, which allowed the stage space to be enlarged or closed down for additional drama and shifting the dynamics. “I wanted to shift the architecture of the space and automation provided a very convenient, elegant and effective solution,” said Morandi. Hind was the automation operator on the road, and has been using Kinesys on various tours and shows for around five years. He said: “The system is rock solid, reliable and easy to tour.” The Vector platform is palette based, so updating the positional information each day as the height, shape and dimensions of the stage change is very quick and easy and any show can be adapted for a venue with lower - or higher - roof clearance, but still look impressive and provide that all-important continuity. The movement of the pods changed the shape and identity of the performance space, particularly during the last third of the set, when the screens began to take on some more extreme angles. “It is essentially a visual system rather than an IMAG mix,” explained Morandi. “It provides a pivotal visual environment in which the band play that leaves a lasting impression of Placebo at this seminal point in their career.”
AUTOMATION UK rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment made some serious investments for the Placebo tour, for which the west London company delivered the full lighting, video and rigging package. This included a new Kinesys automation system; new robo and static video cameras and new Robe Spiider WashBeam moving lights, among several other purchases. Colour Sound’s Haydn ‘H’ Cruickshank said: “We were delighted to win this tour, which presented a perfect opportunity for us to expand our video department, invest in comprehensive and sophisticated motion control and expand the extensive moving light stock with the latest Robe technology, together with smoke machines, fans, cabling infrastructure and much more. As always it is a pleasure to work with Jvan and help realise his ambitious and demanding show designs.” The large video presence was a break from past Placebo tours - on which Morandi has worked since 2005 - and his challenge was to make it inventive, interesting and unconventional. He decided on a large upstage screen for impact when needed, as well as a surface area that could be minimised and changed completely with clever content application. “I needed a video presence on the show but wanted to bring a different, iconic and provocative visually to accentuate a 20 years of incredible work and moments,” Morandi said. “It’s been fantastic working with Colour Sound. Their willingness to invest in so much new kit to facilitate the design and provide a top crew shows impressive commitment.” The 18m wide x 6m high upstage screen was made up of Colour Sound’s BT20 product. Crew Chief James Hind and Frankie McDade also designed special touring frames to accommodate the LED screen and enable quick deployment and de-rigging, as well as making sure they were easily storable for transport. The screen itself was hung on a run of JTE 52cm super truss. In addition to this, there were five I-shaped trussing pods flown in an upstage / downstage orientation, which had 2m x 1m frames of BT-7 LED 38
PLACEBO
Above: Production Manager and Drum Tech Allan Moffat; The team from Popcorn - Moffat’s first port of call during pre-production.
LIGHTING Two 5m x 6m side screens, also made up of BT-7, were flown on JTE Super Tower Truss and finished with three 2-lite molefays to connect them to the show, rather than looking like an arena add-on. The playback content was crafted especially for the tour by Morandi, some of which comprised reedited music videos from Placebo’s vast body of work over the years, while some was brand new graphic style material. The appearance of all the content took a more cinematic approach: “It’s about 20 years of a ground-breaking indie band who have always pushed creative boundaries musically and lyrically, so I wanted to create a live film playing behind them that helped provoke a new energy for the audience but something that is also relevant,” Morandi said. Five Panasonic AW-HE60Ss and five AW-HE2S static cameras were are dotted around the stage and clamped to various articles of backline kit. The robo-cams were operated on alternate shows by McDade and Colour Sound crewmember Chris Foot. At FOH, fitted with a 76mm long lens, was an operated Sony HX-100 broadcast camera. All the camera feeds went into a Black Magic Design ATEM 2ME switcher, with the mix cut by Camera Director Fergus Noble, who has been involved in various Placebo video duties since 2007. The camera feeds then went into a Catalyst media server - together with the playback video - and were mapped to the various screen surfaces. As the requirement from both the band and Morandi was for a more unconventional IMAG mix, a range of pre-selected treatments created by Morandi were applied to the camera signals in the Catalyst, which was triggered by Tour Lighting Operator Hunter Frith, via his ChamSys MQ200 console. He used three ChamSys SnakeSys R8 eight-universe Ethernet to DMX converters and Pulsar DataSplitter DMX buffers. Other new / special items sourced for the tour included a dimmer dolly along with two 72-way SES power ‘D type’ distros and Outboard motor controllers for the nonKinesys motors. The end result was a stark, stripped back yet fluid collage of moving images evolved by Morandi and Fergus Noble, plus edgy grading, colour and texturing that harmonised with the wall of sound produced by the band. Once the overall look of the video was established, Morandi then started adding lighting to the bigger picture. Each of the automated video pods contained four of Robe’s new Spiider LED WashBeam products, two Robe BMFL Spots and four Claypaky Stormy LED strobes to ensure that the rig was as versatile as it was striking. The Spiiders were used as the main wash lights covering the band and stage, in conjunction with some Robe LEDWash 600’s on the front truss. Colour Sound devised custom bracketry to centre the lights on the pods and fix them solidly for the more acute inclines. The light pods were flown on a 6m x 16m box mother-grid made up from Litec QL52 trussing, with the
rest of the rig on Litec EXE-RISE hoists, part of another major purchase by Colour Sound earlier in 2016. The front truss was loaded with eight Robe BMFL Spots, four Robe LEDWash 600’s and eight 2-cell molefays, with the latter facing into the audience. Behind the semi-transparent upstage BT-20 screen was ‘the matrix ‘ - a set of three 17m long stacked QX30 trusses - each rigged with 12 ProLights Diamond 7 Beam fixtures and six 2-cell molefays. These fixtures have the ability to add huge depth to the space and an additional dimension, suddenly shooting through what initially appears to be a solid surface. On the floor in a line upstage, were eight Robe BMFL Spots, 10 Claypaky Stormys used to perform colour washing effects and eight 2-lite molefays. On the downstage edge Morandi specified six more Diamond 7’s per side, plus three more Spiiders per side for low level cross lighting effects and for beaming out into the audience. In particular, the innovative new central flower effect of the Spiiders was used to texture the audience to great effect. Colour Sound was the first rental house in the UK to take delivery of the Spiiders, as H enthused: “I think they have great potential and I was really pleased that Jvan could integrate them into his design which - as we would all expect - is refreshing, ambitious and different. We needed an interesting light and wanted to use these because they are small, lightweight and bright.” With their positioning on the pods and their role in the show, the sizeto-lumen ratio was key. Being LED and without lots of mechanical parts, the fixtures were ideal for being ensconced in the pods. Morandi also described ‘the flower’ effect that has been one of the fixture’s headline assets as a “beautiful effect”, and was impressed that the Spiider worked well in arenasized venues alongside a large, full-brightness LED screen. “It’s a harsh environment, the lights are worked extremely hard and so far have been an excellent tool,” he added. Atmosphere was another essential visual element for Morandi’s show design, with as much attention to detail paid to smoke and haze as to video, lighting and automation. This was provided by 6 Smoke Factory Tour Hazer IIs, a pair of Martin by Harman Jem ZR44’s and four of the powerful TMB ProFans to move the effects strategically into the right places. Joining the Colour Sound crew was Aamer Diaz and Tour Rigger was Katy Flanders. AUDIO This is traditionally the section of the Production Profile in which a tour’s audio engineers and techs regale TPi with the pros and cons of their particular PA system, often with a significantly larger amount of the former to be heard. Even with this in mind, it is quite difficult to overstate just how in love FOH Engineer Ian Nelson and System Tech George Puttock were with Coda Audio’s newest offering, the AiRAY. “From a tonality and controllability point of view, I’d go so far as to say 40
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PLACEBO
Above: The moving video panels interacted with the LED wall during the show to give the illusion of more.
it’s the best PA I’ve ever mixed on,” enthused Nelson. “On a long tour like this, with around 40 shows to get through, you quite often find yourself getting annoyed with small aspects of the system by about the halfway point - basically the fact that touring life is a bit like Groundhog Day sometimes makes you lose your objectivity. That said, hand on heart, I have walked away really happy from every single show that we’ve done.” He continued: “We’ve played some really acoustically nasty venues on this run that have, in the past, proved to be very problematic, but this system has made it so much easier to deal with them. There’s so much headroom in it and it’s so accurate.“ Puttock was inclined to agree: “It certainly represents significant leaps forward in what’s achievable. Each part has been designed from the component up and it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve previously used a lot of different PAs in most of the venues that we’ve visited on this tour and the AiRAY beats all of them, hands down.” The Coda system was provided by Adlib and configured using the same basic recipe as on previous Placebo tours, comprising a main hang of 16 AiRAY per side with 4 ViRAY as downfill and 12 SC2-Fs flown behind for low
frequency reinforcement, plus 28 SCP-F subs on the floor in a left, centre, right arrangement. Puttock explained: “We fly the SC2-Fs directly behind and upstage of main hang so they get a really clean line of phase throughout the venue, meaning there’s no timing problems, and we can get the low end to the back of the room without punishing people on the floor.” The crew also flew an AiRAY side hang around 5m upstage and 3m offstage, typically up to 12 boxes with another 4 ViRAY as downfill, as well as a centre hang of 6 ViRAY. Puttock continued: “We then have more ViRAY for frontfills and 4 SCP subwoofers in the middle to break up the power rally you tend to get with a left sub design.” The light weight and small size of the AiRAY allowed the crew replace the previous system, box-for-box, and still lose an entire truck. Nelson said: “The trucks will have done around 14,000 miles by the end of this run so you can imagine how much money this system has saved us, as well as being such a joy to mix on, pound-for-pound. “I don’t want to gush but I really do run out of superlatives when it comes to this system. I honestly think this is going to be the benchmark that
42
PLACEBO
people have to take note of in the future. While the brand isn’t necessarily as prominent in the market as a lot of their competitors, I think the next 18 months is really going to make people sit up and take notice, especially for such a small box. It’s really quite remarkable what it’s capable of.” As well as speaking highly of the system, Nelson was also keen to highlight Puttock’s contribution to such a consistently impressive tour. “It’s been great to have George around on this tour. He is the one who turns up three hours before to set this system up while I’m still lying in my bed watching telly!” The Coda system was powered by 62 of the company’s LINUS10 amplifiers - a much higher count than usual due to the 2-channel nature of the unit. Nelson explained: “The amp count isn’t too much of a problem as we package them in 12-amp ‘carts’, which are double-width 24U racks with distro, so you just plug or unplug.” The crew used two carts and a pair of LINUS RACK40’s per side, giving the system a considerable amount of power. “I’ve got more headroom than I know what to do with,” laughed Nelson. “I try not to mix too loud as the show is over two hours long and I don’t want to fatigue the audience’s hearing. We’ve averaged around 99 or 100db on the night, but that’s difficult to believe as it sounds so much louder. That used to be the quiet end of where I used to mix but it just seems to sit right at that level.” Nelson selected a DiGiCo SD7 to mix the system, initially making to most of a big investment in the consoles from Adlib at the beginning of the tour. He gave his take on the manufacturer: “I’m a big fan of the consoles and have been impressed with how they are thought out. I can build a completely custom work layer and the extra faders on the SD7 mean I’m not jumping around banks all night. “I really like the MADI and Optocore side of things as well - it’s just a really well thought out audio transport system. Going forward I’ll probably change to an SD12 for fly away gigs, but the FPGA processing means it all sounds exactly the same anyway, so long as I have the SD-Rack and a console.” Nelson relied mostly on the SD7’s onboard effects, opting to use a lot of dynamic EQ as a way to keep on top of Placebo’s colossal sound. He said: “I’m a great believer in using EQ only when it’s necessary. I use multi-band compression and dynamic EQ on the guitars as there’s up to three guitars playing at one time. The dynamic EQ sits on the signal when it needs to be squashed and lets things through when it doesn’t.” As well as the desk, Nelson selected a few pieces of outboard gear, such as a TC Electronic Reverb 4000 the snare reverb and singer Brain Molko’s main vocal, as well as a pair of Tube-Tech CL1B compressors and a Yamaha SPX2000 for a specific vocal distortion used on two songs. The crew also records around 60 channels each show using an Avid ProTools setup to use for virtual soundcheck the following day - leaving the infamous roadie band ‘Gazebo’ to help Nelson tweak how the backline and PA interact in the room. “Placebo’s live sound is reminiscent of noisy bands like Sonic Youth and, as a result, generate tones that can be very unfriendly if you don’t stay on top of them. I’ve mixed them for so long now that I’ve been able to develop a way to make it work, and the key to that is definitely the dynamic EQ,” he explained. “There’s an awful lot of stuff going on musically so we work closely with the band to make everything fit in. I was brought up on the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and that’s the sound I try to aim for, particularly the drum sound. They are really loud on stage and I particularly have to keep my eyes on Brian - the minute he steps off the mic there’s ride cymbal and guitar just ripping through the vocal channel!” In order to capture the wide-ranging tones that make up Placebo’s wall of sound, Nelson and his team mostly relied on Shure microphones. He explained: “Vocals are all Shure Beta 58As, which were even used on their last record, while drums were a mixture of Shure and Audix. The kick is an Audix D6 and Shure BETA 91A combination, while the snare is an Audix D4 and hi-hats and ride cymbal are Shure KSM137’s.” Nelson also chose Shure BETA 98AMPs on toms and BETA 98As as underheads. Although the crew rented the majority of its audio kit from Adlib, the band owns the monitor setup, which is based around an Avid Profile control surface and a Sennheiser EW 300 IEM G3 wireless monitoring system.
alone necessitate three techs. This has created something of dream team situation, as Backline Tech for Nick Gavrilovic, Mick Pryde, explained: “There’s no competition between us, it’s very much a case of everybody helping each other out when they need it, just like every other department does. “A lot of back scratching goes on with us in terms of the little, unexpected problems that arise and it’s really cool to know you always have the other guys to bounce ideas off. Some days you might run into a problem that you haven’t seen before and it’s great to be able to just walk over to the side of stage for a quick solution or suggestions.” Gavrilovic, who provides mainly rhythm guitar with a few bursts of lead, uses an Orange 4 12 guitar cabinet driven by an Orange Rockerverb head, either the 50W or 100W incarnation, depending on the room. He, much like Molko and Guitarist / Bassist Stefan Olsdal, also utilises a variety of effects pedals and vintage guitars to keep the band’s soundscapes as close to the studio recordings as possible. Backline Tech for Molko, Adrian Vines, commented: “A lot of it comes down to the fact the music is so textural and atmospheric. As a result there’s a lot of processing, which means they don’t always sound like regular guitars. To find space in that spectrum, along with violins, keyboards, electronic drums and vocals is quite a difficult balancing act. It does help that I’m on the same level as Brian when it comes to musical points of reference in terms of his tone. With the pedals themselves, it’s a case of the flavours staying the same, while the brands and marks will change occasionally.” During such a busy show, all three of the techs have to prioritise swapping guitars over and listening for amp failure, which was a relatively regular occurrence for Vines. He said: “Brian uses an 85W Fender Twin Reverb that is being driven hard by a Square Wave Fuzz pedal on the front. As a result I sometimes have to deal with component failures, as well as problems due to the vibrations or from overheating.” Despite these potential moments of adrenalin, Vines agreed with Pryde’s assessment regarding the strength of Placebo’s backline unit: “When you get to know people you can anticipate their needs and any problems. It’s like a swan that looks glacial and serene from a distance but there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface - it’s hard work making it look this easy!” Even if Vines’ analogy was made slightly in jest, it really did seem as if I had spent the day at the core of a well-oiled a machine; finely tuned over years together on the road and still able to possess what seemed like unshakable morale. Although Placebo have looked into the past with the release of A Place for Us to Dream, all signs point to the future for a band and crew that still have everything to play for. TPi Photos: Loo Stickland www.placeboworld.co.uk www.popcorncatering.com www.adlib.co.uk/coda www.coloursound.co.uk www.flybynite.co.uk www.beatthestreet.net
BACKLINE Placebo’s formidable string-based assault not only comes from an eyewatering variety of different guitars and tunings (around 18 six-strings for Molko alone) but also a respectable amount of backline techs - the guitars 44
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
Opposite: BFMV toured the UK & Europe with help of SSE Audio, LS-Live and Neg Earth.
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE Welsh metallers Bullet For My Valentine (BFMV) released their fifth studio album, Venom, in the summer of 2016, followed by a headline UK & European tour. Produced by Carl Bown and Colin Richardson (Slipknot, Machine Head, Trivium) Venom has been hailed as the band’s heaviest record to date. Frontman Matt Tuck, guitarist Michael ‘Padge’ Paget, drummer Michael ‘Moose’ Thomas and new addition bassist Jamie Mathias worked closely with Lighting and Production Designer Tom Campbell to produce what would become the band’s most visually impactful tour to date. Kelly Murray reports…
BFMV’s sound progression is immediately evident on their new album, grittier and unrelenting, the band had to ensure their live shows matched up to their evolving persona. The touring vendors comprised Neg Earth Lights, SSE Audio, Pyrojunkies, LS-Live, AC Lasers, Bitersweet Catering, MM Band Services for bussing and Transam Trucking. Tour Manager John Daddyy and Production Manager Johnnie Allen oversaw the production. Heading up the show design is Tom Campbell, who came into the fold following successful tours with Crossfaith and While She Sleeps, bands that share management teams with BFMV. “I jumped at the chance to be involved!” Said Campbell. “I was very fortunate that when the band’s previous LD left the tour, his spectacular show was also retired, which meant I was given the space to design from scratch. “BFMV have a long-standing working relationship with Neg Earth and I wasn’t going to change that situation with it being my first time working with the band. It was my first time working with Neg however, and it went very smoothly, so I hope it won’t be the last. I took over after the tour had completed its American leg,” continued Campbell. “We launched the new design in Germany in front of 60,000 people at the Rock am Ring festival on a reduced rig, then expanded it in October when we went into the full production headline shows. The new production is a combination of classic rock n’ roll stage design with a modern twist. Part of creating this concept is in the stage design itself where we have a collection of old guitar cabinets with PARcans wired in. To introduce a modern twist, I combined this classic technology with the moving head and LED fixtures from Claypaky.” After the initial summer festival run, the rig more than doubled in size. To ensure quick and smooth changeover times, all of the festival rig was
pre-rigged onto a roll on / roll off set, but the tour required a re-think. Campbell explained: “Myself and Matt designed four banners with ‘B F M V’ emblazoned on them to give a distinctive look to the stage. For the festivals, we had narrower white snakeskin banners to tie in with the Venom album artwork. For the European leg, we had black and red banners with guns and roses to tie in with the band’s first album The Poison. That record was played in full every other night on the tour to celebrate its 10th birthday. “Matt (Tuck, guitar / vocals) had a pretty strong vision of how he wanted the stage to look - and perhaps more importantly - how he didn’t want the show to look. We both agreed that a production featuring big and strong tungsten / silhouetted looks while trying to keep it in classic rock format with a modern twist would be the path we’d go down. This is primarily why I specified the Claypaky A.leda B-EYE K20, with its amazing CTO and parallel beam. For me, it’s a modern version of the retro ACL.” “I was drawn to the Claypaky B-EYE K20 due to the fixture’s incredible CTO Tungsten,” says Campbell. “You cannot tell the difference between the PARcan light source we have on stage and the B-EYE K20’s LED light source when in Tungsten Emulation mode. They really are the backbone of the rig.” As well as utilising the incredible CTO on the fixture Campbell made use of its honeycomb pixelated front lens to create stunning effects. “The band’s music is so dynamic that having a fixture as versatile as the B-EYE is great,” added Campbell. “For the show I use make use of the fixture’s rotating front lens to create vortex effects across the stage as well as using it in its beam and wash modes.” Creating a uniform background against which the B-EYE K20’s and the PARcans are able to shine was the Claypaky Stormy CC, Claypaky’s award47
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
The mighty flaming cabs, courtesy of Pyrojunkies, as designed by LD Tom Campbell.
winning RGBW LED strobe. The fixture combines tradition and innovation with its classic looks and incredible output powered by 144 x 7W Oslon Osram LEDs, making it the perfect choice for Campbell’s design. “The Stormy CCs are the workhorses of the show,” continued Campbell. “I use them primarily to create the stage’s washes. I’m a huge fan of the fixture’s parabolic reflector; it has a classic look that really fits in with the mood of the overall production.” The total rig comprised K-20’s (hung on two overhead truss; 10 per truss and 6 on the rear walkway), 20 Claypaky Sharpys hung on 5 ladders between the upstage banners, 20 2-cell molefays (hung on two overhead trusses, 10 per truss), 15 Showtec Active DMX Sunstrip LED battens - used as footlights across the front of the stage, drum riser and also bolted to the front of the rear walkway, 14 Claypaky Stormy CC’s (8 placed across 5 ladders between the upstage banners and six on the floor), 14 Ayrton MagicBlade R’s (hung on 5 ladders between the upstage banners), and 8 Robe BMFL Blades were hung on the front truss as banner specials. Campbell elaborated: “Their shutter blade system is amazing. It was perfect of framing the 20ft x 6ft banners from 40ft away, and front light. Additionally, 4 8-Lite cell molefays were also utilised, alongside 20 custom Peavey amp cabs comprising 80 PARcans which made the main scenic feature of the show. The PARcans replaced the speakers allowing Campbell to have a low-res tungsten surface to pixel map via his console.
Ensuring that the band were always in receipt of top-end production technology Campbell ran both Avolites consoles with the latest Titan V10 software and cites some of the software’s newest features as key time savers in his set-up. “Titan V10 is another big step forward for Avolites,” said Campbell. “For this tour the addition of the ‘Free Form Workspaces’ feature has been a real bonus. “The Free Form Workspaces has allowed me to pick and position the size of my windows on the console’s touchscreen and store them to my workspaces. This meant that I could have more than just four workspace windows up at any one time. When working to such detail and with such limited set-up time, anything that gives me quick access to my design elements is key in programming a smooth running show.” In an unusual twist BFMV decided to reject the traditional format of touring just one show. In the UK, the band decided to give fans the choice of attending two different sets. One with songs spanning all BFMV’s back catalougue and a second which featured The Poison in full, and an encore of the band’s most-loved hits. “Titan V10’s ‘Setlist Function’ meant that, depending on what the audience voted for as an encore I could easily scroll through and find the correct song file. This saved a huge amount of time and meant that the show transitioned seamlessly and I was able to focus on creating live lighting states and detail,” explained Campbell. “I ran the Quartz as a tracking backup via TitanNet but never had the need for it to take over the system,” he continued. “For the ‘Fly shows’ – shows where we had to fly all the equipment in, such as concerts in rural environments where driving was not an option, the small footprint of the Quartz really did help. We weren’t always headlining on every show we did, some of the show’s being festivals such as Sziget festival in Budapest or Rock for People festival in Prague, being able to fit anywhere at front of
SHOW CONTORL Campbell selected an Avolites Tiger Touch II and backup Quartz to control his richly empathetic lighting design. The fastidious perfectionism of lead singer Matt Tuck meant that Campbell’s lighting design had to be responsive, detailed and note-perfect to match the integrity of the music. Campbell, a huge fan of Avolites, brought in his own Tiger Touch II console to control the design and networked a Quartz as backup. 48
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house anywhere in the world with the Quartz was always a huge bonus. “The Quartz is so compact that it easily fits it into an Avolites travel case with space for a wing, and I could take it on a plane as luggage. This meant that I could take the show-file accessible on a familiar surface all the way to the other side of the world. When you are pressed for time, jetlagged and in unfamiliar settings being able to access your design on a console you know is invaluable.” Alessandro Schillaci, freelance Lighting Tech for Neg Earth, was Campbell’s right-hand man on the tour. He told TPi: “I had pleasure of meeting Tom for the first time in our rehearsals in London. When I first took a look at the lighting plot, I immediately knew that this was going to be a good tour.” “I particularly liked the guitar cabinets with the custom-made flood PARcans wired in with an electronic dimmer packs. This was a really good combination of classic rock ‘n’ roll design within a modern concept. I was very happy with the quality of the gear that Neg Earth has provided for us. “Tom’s work attitude is incredible too, he’s very talented when it comes to creating bespoke lighting designs. It was a great experience to be with him and the whole crew on this tour.”
extremely easy and I always make sure I’m free to do the first set up for him and a good handover. It’s always a pleasure working with Tom and also the legend that is Johnnie Allan. The final stage show looked amazing.” FIRE, FIRE! “We wanted to do something different with pyro for this headline run,” stated Campbell. “The concept was to blow up the over head rig and set the amps on fire, which we achieved by using up to 40 airbursts hung from the overhead truss with 20m of flame bars hidden between and upstage of two rows of guitar amps. I’m really happy with how that effect turned out. “Making my vision for the pyro work every night was time-consuming for sure, especially when we were using locally sourced kit and technicians but really was worth every second spent on it. Our stage manager / drum tech Stevie operated the pyro from stage left every night and never missed the cue!” Pyrotechnics were supplied by Pyrojunkies, which also provided special effects for the festival season. Continued Campbell: “We had up to 10 Galaxis G-Flame fixtures - perfect for a quick festival changeover as they are wireless - spread across the front of the stage. Where possible, we had a 20 second spark drop upstage of the rear walkway.” Pyrojunkies’ Dan Mott added: “We’ve worked with BFMV for the past 6 years now, so it was great to get involved with them again on this tour. It was our first time working with Tom, so it was great to have his creative input. For the tour run, we supplied 9 Galaxis G-Flames with Custom 2m Flame Bars, creating 20m of fire. The bars were actually hidden behind the set to give the ‘Flaming Cab’ look within the design - placed in between and upstage of the two rows of cabs to create the illusion of the cabs being on fire. “We also supplied a massive 20-way hit of Wells Fireworks Loud Report Airbursts from our pyrotechnic factory. These were such a hit that Tom and
STAGING A SUCCESS Providing additional staging needs was LS-Live. Project Manager Adam ‘Bullet’ Bettley commented: “We did the summer festival run and they rehearsed in our southern studio, The Mill Cato. Then for the tour reahersals, I then had one day at Millienium Studios to set up and populate with lights. Tom had designed a very effective set, yet it was simple enough to create from our standard stock. There were a couple of designs going backwards and forwards between myself, Tom and the band, but we settled with this look… and a top secret one for the next outing! “Tom is great; we just clicked straight away so our working friendship is
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AC Lasers helped to deliver to final look of the show.
the band’s lead singer Matt, wanted to double this amount for the London Shows! In total, 40 Loud Report Airbursts (20 per overhead truss), hung asymmetrically were used at the final show in Brixton, which I think looked pretty impressive,” added Mott. The Pyrotechnics were controlled via a Galaxis Wireless firing system.
Briggs operated the show’s lasers with a laptop from FOH running Pangolin Beyond laser control software, though the fixtures could potentially have been controlled from the lighting desk instead. He said: “I work to Tom’s design so it’s great all about accentuating what’s already there. You don’t want the lasers to distract from the show - it’s not about the equipment, but how it’s used. You don’t hold a strobe on for the full hour and a half! I view the laser effects as one part of the Swiss Army Knife of Tom’s design.”
LASERS LIGHT Daniel Briggs, Director at AC Lasers helped to supply part of the show’s epic special effects design. The primary focus of the laser show was new fixture, the RTI NEO SIX RGB, manufactured by RTI in Germany. Briggs commented: “The recent trend has been to move away from traditional laser projectors towards beam effects, which has caused prices to drop and the amount of products on offer to skyrocket. The ones we have at Brixton are moving beam bars, RTI NEO SIX. “Static bars in single colours have been around for years but in the last year RTI has been the first company to develop a moving, full colour version. The cool thing about the NEO SIX is that it has full pan and tilt, which puts lasers more in the hands of LDs.” BFMV’s Brixton show was the first time these fixtures have been seen at a live music show, and AC Lasers were the only company capable of providing them. Briggs elaborated: “They were shown at Prolight + Sound in 2016 and we were the first ones to place an order! They’ve been used at a corporate job for Rimmel but that is the only other time they’ve been seen until now. Tom’s been asking me for ages to get his hands on these fixtures so, as soon as it was physically possible, we delivered them.” With regards to laser safety, the crew adopted something of a belt and braces approach, as Briggs explained: “We ensure people aren’t in any danger by implementing software based limits as well as physical aperture masks on fixtures themselves. It’s the same idea as with any normal laser projector even if you wanted to do it wrong, you couldn’t. It’s all about having multiple layers of safety.”
AUDIO KNOWLEDGE The tour’s core audio crew is Adam Boole (FOH) and Pete Fergie (monitors). Boole was originally drafted in in March 2013 to take over monitor duties. “I was mainly a FOH Engineer until then. In January 2016 when Pete joined the crew, I was offered the opportunity to do FOH.” Fergie took up the story: “We had been working together non-stop for the previous two years with another band, You Me At Six (YMAS), so Adam brought me on-board to fill the monitor position and reunite the team!” “At the beginning of this cycle, we were heading to a lot of places where we couldn’t easily hire in what we wanted. The band at the time also needed a new monitor console for rehearsals. So we decided to build a small system to do the rehearsals and the fly shows. This being an Allen & Heath R72 control surface with an iDR48 at the head of the system,” continued Boole. “The system worked so well! All the band were extremely happy with the sound and warmth it gave them. The size of the system also meant we could fit our monitor world anywhere, only 3ft x 3ft of space was required. Which was ideal for the support tours and festivals we hit. “To keep the system as small as possible, we opted for Allen & Heath’s GLD80 at FOH. We ran Dante between the iDR48 and GLD80 so we could record for writing and virtual soundchecks. The whole system was only supposed to be used for the first bit of the cycle, but then proved itself worthy of doing the entire cycle by not once letting us down.” The microphones are all Sennheiser 900 Series for drums and vocals. 50
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The band and crew unite!
Fergie elaborated: “Snare top and rack toms are all e908’s, which sound fantastic when you’re fortunate enough, as we are, to have well-tuned drums being hit solidly. The condenser capsule picks up snare ghost notes really well, and they are small enough to fit into the smallest of gaps. Bass and guitars are coming straight from a Sansamp and Kempers, having made the switch just before starting the cycle. Matt’s [Tuck, frontman] vocals are on a wireless SKM2000 with a 935 capsule, giving him the freedom to move around the stage whenever he’s not playing guitar.” The band and Fergie all use Jerry Harvey JH Audio IEMs, with a mixture of Roxannes, JH16’s, and JH10X3 models. “I always like dealing with Jerry Harvey Audio as I know they will work quickly to resolve any issues that may arise throughout the course of a tour. Our IEM systems are all Sennheiser 2000 Series. It’s my first time using this particular system and I found it both easy to handle and absolutely rock solid. I don’t think we’ve had a single dropout issue all year - no matter how tricky the environment has been.” He continued: “The band are all on IEMs, with side fill subs to add a bit of low end kick drum energy back to the stage. I also have three pairs of wedges across the front, each one containing the guitar or bass at that position. This allows Jamie to feel his bass in place of an amplifier, and Matt and Padge are able to get their guitars to respond and feedback on an otherwise amp free stage. I think I’m one of very few monitor engineers out there whose main goal with the wedges is to actually push to make them feedback.” At the final shows in London, Brixton Academy benefited from an SSE-supplied L-Acoustics PA. Boole noted: “Our good friend Pete Russell managed the project with ease. We had two hangs of L-Acoustics K2 for floor coverage and 2 more for the balcony area. KS28’s were utilised to bring the low end. For stage monitors we used L- Acoustics SB28 side fills and d&b audiotechnik M4 wedges. As always, SSE supplied us with a great system and professional crew, Miles Barton & Beth O’Leary. He summed his the tour experience: “The BFMV tour is a very professional but is also a good laugh. The Brixton shows marked the end of a 21-month slog for the majority of the band and crew. It’s been a pleasure but now it’s time for a well-earned break!” Fergie added: “It’s been a great atmosphere with the band and the rest of the crew. It’s never easy joining a tour mid-cycle but these guys welcomed me in straight away.” TPi Photos: Ryan Chang www.bulletformyvalentine.com http://tclightingdesign.co.uk www.negearth.com www.sseaudiogroup.com www.pyrojunkies.com http://aclasers.co.uk www.ls-live.com www.bittersweetcatering.co.uk www.mmbandservices.co.uk www.transamtrucking.com 51
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THE CURE A colossal string of hits and an ardent fan base have ensured that The Cure have been held as one of alternative music’s standard bearers for over four decades. TPi’s Ste Durham was on site at Manchester Arena to get an inside look at the band’s impressive return to the touring circuit.
November 2016 saw The Cure return to Manchester after 12 years away from the city’s concert venues, with tickets understandably flying out of the box offices the second that the tour was announced at a similar time the year before. Luckily for these devoted legions, The Cure repaid their conviction with a live show that pushed the touring crew’s audio-visual capabilities to the limit - driven in no small part by the band’s multitalented frontman, Robert Smith.
started as the band were riding the crest of the new wave punk revolution in 1979, meeting them through a tour with Generation X. Mac picked up the tale: “After several years I left to work for other groups and didn’t get back together with The Cure until Robert came to see a show I was doing in the 2000s. Due to various scheduling conflicts it wasn’t possible to work with them until 2011, but as soon as I was able I jumped straight back in and haven’t left since.” During his hiatus from The Cure, Mac worked for a variety of different acts from INXS to trip hop pioneer Tricky, all of which armed him with new skills to bring with him when he returned to the fold. He said: “Tricky in particular was really interesting as it was such a different style of lighting - it was less about highlighting verses and choruses and more about the overall vibe that I could create.” Mac continued: “All of the songs are structured and the lighting works in quite a formulaic way around them. For example, if Robert sings about the sun, then I’ll make sure there’s plenty of yellow in there – it’s not rocket science! Even so, Robert still has a lot of input with making sure I pick up on musical cues for lights. “He leaves a lot of it alone as well; I guess it’s quite interesting to have your interpretation alongside that of other creative people. We sometimes
SHOW DESIGN The Cure has always been something of an enigma in terms of their musical direction; boasting a back catalogue that can just as readily serve up a withered slice of angst-ridden melancholy as it could a generous helping of dewy-eyed pop rock. Over the years this has given its crew, particularly the visual department, something of an embarrassment of riches when it comes to deciding how the band’s show is going to translate to their dedicated supporters. The only feasible way to meet such a challenge was to design a show versatile enough to belt out stark, post-punk looks one minute and hazy summer scenes the next - the man for the job was Angus ‘Mac’ MacPhail. The LD is currently on his second spell with The Cure, having originally 54
PRODUCTION PROFILE
Opposite: The Cure enjoying a sellout crowd at Manchester Arena. Below: The busy FOH including the audio, lighting and video departments ensured the band had a triumphed returned to the city.
still change things like fixtures while we’re out on the road and I’m always the truss was mostly straight with a slight angle at the end. Mac explained: tweaking. If something doesn’t look right or if someone’s not happy then “If you’re sat at the side it appears as if the truss curves in slightly towards we’re not doing our best.” the PA, which nicely softens off the edge. The lights are all facing forwards As well as Smith, Mac also consults closely with PRG XL Video’s Ben and the only thing that’s slightly affected is the torms, which just means Hornshaw, the tour’s Lighting Programmer. “The one thing that I have more work for Ben!” always maintained is an interest in new technology, particularly in terms The four overstage trusses were filled with Best Boy Spots and Washes, of what the fixtures themselves are capable of,” Mac commented. “That X4 Bar 20’s, Sloaris Flares and molefays. On the floor, five 8ft towers housed said, I’m not a fast young programmer - that’s why I have Ben around. more Best Boy Spots, while a back truss was dotted with 10 Sharpy Beams, Rather than me struggling and being bored, we have someone who is there Atomic Strobes, molefays and smoke machines. primarily to handle that side of the gig, giving me time to think about song Either side of the stage stood wheeled dollies containing more Mythos, structures and trying new things with new products.” X4’s and Sharpy Washes. More Sharpys lined the downstage edge and an The show design was centred on a large, slightly curved upstage screen abundance of X4 S fixtures were hidden under the backline and drum kit and a versatile lighting rig fitted with Claypaky Mythos, Sharpy Beams and risers. The entire setup ran on the grandMA Net and was controlled using Washes, Ayrton MagicBlades, PRG Best Boy Spots and Washes, Martin Hornshaw and Mac’s MA Lighting grandMA2 consoles. by Harman Atomic 3000 Strobes, Solaris Flares and three sizes of GLP Mac continued: “If you look from start of the US leg to where the show impression X4’s - Bar, L and S - all of which was provided by PRG XL Video. is now, it’s certainly evolved and cleaned up. I didn’t like timecode at first Mac talked TPi through his choices: “It was but now I think its awesome in the way that it a mixture of tried and tested fixtures and a lets you do things you couldn’t normally do. I couple of new ones. For example, the Mythos have implemented chases that run within other was a no-brainer as there’s no other light that chases at a fraction of the bpm; they’re like little can compare to its colour and gobo strength, stories that maybe even the audience won’t whereas the MagicBlades were more of a risk notice but I think they look great!” as I thought they could look a bit ‘disco’ for The The LD explained that he was content Cure. However, once they were up they added a with the fact that he could always override lot to the look of the set and they’re incredibly the timecode if need be, and the majority of reliable.” fadeouts and so on were still handled manually The crew had lined 10 Mythos across the to accommodate times when the band decided “The one thing that I have always back truss at Manchester Arena, from which to play for a little longer. “We have 120 songs six torms were suspended in between the in the repertoire and 6,000 cues, which is a lot maintained is an interest in new video screens, each containing 2 Mythos, 4 of stuff to remember,” the LD laughed. “This technology, particularly in terms MagicBlades, a GLP X4 L, an Atomic strobe and is why the programming side of things is so Best Boy Spot. important.” of what the fixtures themselves Although the overhead truss and a selection Hornshaw added: “With a lot of the show are capable of” of fixtures had to appear arc to an extent in being taken care of by the timecode and Mac Angus ‘Mac’ MacPhail, LD. order to mirror the 8° curvature of the screen, taking care of most of the starts and stops, 55
THE CURE
Frontman Robert Smith was heavily involved in all areas of production.
it allows me to sit back and watching for potential problems. I can spend time in the upcoming or previous songs and help Mac with anything in the case of an emergency or sudden change. Also, because I’m not as busy as Mac, I’m better placed to keep an eye out for things like broken fixtures or possible improvements to the rig.” Mac also specified a variety of atmospherics including Smoke Factory Tour-Hazer II-SFs and Reel EFX DF-50 Diffusion Hazers in order to ensure that the gloomy mood of a number of tracks was fully realised. Mac said: “I’m always on the quest for perfect smoke and haze - it’s the hardest thing to do! Sometimes you want clumps, other times you want even haze or a low-lying mist. Unfortunately every venue has different air currents so there’s not a lot you can do! To be fair most venues do tend to
settle down throughout the night so I’ve been quite happy on this tour.” VIDEO With a three-hour set becoming par for the course on this tour, The Cure’s video team certainly had their work cut out when it came to collating, editing and creating the video content. Unsurprisingly, this is again an area that Smith enjoys getting stuck into, as Mac explained: “Most of the content is either sent to me by Robert or he asks me to help him find or create it. We then all sit around and work through it as a team. “I set the intensity of the images as I want them to blast through the lights but not destroy the look completely. When we use IMAG content on the screen it almost becomes a lighting effect.”
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CLFLIGHTING
THE CURE
Above: The audio team - Laurie Fradley, Colin Burrell and Adam Smith; FOH Engineer Paul ‘Corky’ Corkett in the zone at Manchester Arena.
PRG XL Video supplied five portrait LED screens made from 200 tiles of the video feedback effect.” ROE MC-7 in touring frames, as well as rear projection from two PT-DZ21K The final word from Mac gave an overview of the past few months: projectors and four Panasonic PT-DZ21K projectors rigged just behind “We’ve been away since May and we’re all still speaking, so that’s great! the front truss that point down and provide some textural effects on the The company support from PRG has been really good as well – the crew are stage and backline risers. The crew also had 12 cameras dotted around the always on it when we have a problem.” stage, most of which were PRG XL Video’s own GNAT HDiye minicams and Panasonic HD AW-HE120 robocams mounted on mic stands, the drum kit AUDIO and towers - and a pair of Sony HXC-100’s. Britannia Row Productions provided an exclusively L-Acoustics PA system Playback was driven by two Catalyst media servers, one for the LED for the tour, which was carried worldwide with the exception of the band’s wall content and one for the projectors, while Video Crew Chief Dan Large New Zealand and Australia shows. The typical loudspeaker arrangement controlled everything from a Barco e2 4K Screen Management System. for the autumn tour leg featured left and right main arrays of 14 K1 over 4 He explained: “I mix all of the cameras and content from the e2, cutting K2 down, plus hangs of 12 K1-SB low-frequency extension enclosures flown as I please as there are no manned cameras. One of the Sony units is only behind each K1/K2 array. Side hangs of 6 K1 over 12 K2 down addressed the recording for Robert so he can review after the show.” far left and right seating sections, while dual arrays of 3 ARCS II covered the This meant that the tour didn’t require an out-and-out video designer, area upstage beyond the 180° sale line. as Smith, Large and Mac could collaborate and discuss ideas throughout Four pairs of low-profile KARA enclosures were spread across the stage the process. Large continued: “I’m more of a video facilitator really. I lip delivering front fill, with 8 ARCS II cabinets on each side of the deck assembled and edited around 50% of the content, a lot of which was stock serving as stereo outfills. A total of 24 KS28 ground-stacked subwoofers or legacy footage. The oldest stuff was from 2008 so I just had to recut and anchored the show’s low end, while a combination of 60 LA8 and LA12X rework it for the HD era, all under Robert’s advice of course. amplified controllers powered and processed the entire loudspeaker “Even a year in, we get frame references from him of when images complement. should change and notes on how things can improve. One of the songs later Systems Engineers Adam Smith and Colin Burrell were on site at in most sets, A Forest, has been reworked recently so that every transition is Manchester Arena to talk TPi through the rig’s configuration. Burrell began: spot on.” “Flying the subs really increases the low frequency contour of the flown Large and Hornshaw, both of whom had system and we’ve also paid attention to their own Ma Lighting grandMA2’s at FOH, widening the coverage angle for the audience. were able to work from the same showfile and, The original design didn’t include a dedicated as a result, take over from each other if any rear hang but we’ve got the three ARCs up problems arose. Stevie Marr, who looked after there to cover the shadow that isn’t dealt with the LED walls on stage, and Luke Butler, who by the side hang.” “Robert listens to the three hours looked after everything projection-related, Paul ‘Corky’ Corkett has served as touring completed the video team. FOH Engineer for The Cure for the last five of playback every night, even Mac discussed the concept behind the years, having previously worked with the band after a year on tour. He also mixes video content: “A lot of it is about creating in the studio - initially engineering before drama and the content, much like the lighting, being asked to co-produce their eleventh the band’s live recordings so he usually relates closely to the song. For studio album, Bloodflowers. knows ProTools and the process instance, the track The Last Day of Summer He explained: “I’ve been studio-based for is focussed on a tree that starts in glorious the last 31 years but I do tend to split that of EQ’ing inside out. It’s great colour and eventually fades to black and half-and-half with touring these days. We to have someone who cares so white. Colours are also an important anchor are using an Avid Profile at FOH so that ties – the content for the song Primary uses, you in nicely with the ProTools setup I use for much because it pushes you to guessed it, red, yellow and blue! Certain songs recording. I’ve learned that you have to be a bit step up your game.” work better without content, which is when more subtractive with the EQ in a live situation we’ll play more with the camera feeds and use as opposed to the way that you try to boost Paul ‘Corky’ Corkett, FOH Engineer 58
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THE CURE
Production Assistant Marie Gallop; Lighting Designer Angus ‘Mac’ MacPhail.
signals in the studio. If the system is tuned correctly then I generally have to do very little, and the team we have here is really reliable from that point of view.“ Even from the rehearsal period, the desk has allowed the crew to record performances for Smith to review and find room for improvement. Corky continued: “It’s a great way for him to give us notes on the audio side of things. He wants all the dynamics to come from the stage so we don’t use any compression or gates. We use a tiny bit of compression but that’s it - he wants to feel the band take off during the crescendos. The only plugin I’m using on the desk is one vocal delay and all the rest of the effects basically come off the stage. “Robert listens to the three hours of playback every night, even after a year on tour. He also mixes the band’s live recordings so he knows ProTools and the process of EQ’ing inside out. It’s great to have someone who cares so much because it pushes you to step up your game.” The nature of playing in cavernous arenas also allowed Corky to cut any reverb that he may have been inclined to add to some of his channels. This freedom from any overly synthetic elements went further still, as Corky elaborated: “Keith Uddin runs Logic for a couple of effects like reverse cymbals, which also drives the timecode for the FOH lighting team and the drummer. I’m free of all that and can be a bit more organic in the way I’m mixing as a result.” Smith said: “We have something of a Venn diagram going on here between us where we all respect each other’s roles and can cover different areas when necessary. Colin and Corky tend to spend more time at FOH while we spend more time walking the room. This job definitely needs four of us on it! However challenging it is, the fact that it is often a three hour show definitely allows us more time to slowly shape things.” While this is a blessing for the crew in one way, the longevity of The
Cure’s set list also brings with it the risk of fatiguing both the crew’s and the audience’s ears. Corky explained: “During the support acts I usually walk around to get an idea of how the PA is working and how the crowd has changed the ambience - even the humidity of the room has an effect. We then tweak things as we go but never anything too drastic. “It also helps that Robert knows how to write a set list! If it’s getting a but much you can always expect the tempo to slow down or for slight changes in the instrumentation to alleviate this, such as switching in acoustic guitars or brushes on the drums. Those regular dynamic shifts, combined with the variety of the music itself, certainly stops you from getting complacent on such a long tour.” Thanks to a heavy use of Radial DI boxes, only the drum kit, other percussion and vocals necessitated the use of a microphone, which gave “great separation”, according to Corky. “The signals are really clean as they come up to the board and can run them pretty hot. Robert uses Roland cubes that have a direct out option, whereas the other guitarist, Reeves, got used to Palmer Guitars mergers,” he said. “The drum riser is quite high and, as a result, the kit is often going straight down the vocal microphone. I chose a DPA Microphones D:Facto II for Robert’s vocal as it’s really good for rejecting those unwanted sounds.” On the drums Corky chose a Shure SM57 for the top of the snare, AKG C414’s as overheads, DPA 4011As on cymbals, and Sennheiser e902’s on the toms. The kick drum was mic’d with a combination of a Shure Beta 91A and 52A. Despite the ease of operation that came from the DI signals, the still impressive channel count prompted the crew to opt for a DiGiCo SD5 at monitors, as Burrell explained: “We were really stretched with the previous desk so we decided to go for the DiGiCo - you can do whatever you want with it, it sounds great and company support is always second to none.” 60
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THE CURE
PRG Xl Video provide all the visual elements for the show while Britannia Row supplied a complete audio package.
LOGISTICS Production Assistant Marie Gallop joined the crew around the end of April 2016 and has since spent a great deal of her time out on the road helping to make The Cure machine run as smoothly as possible on such a logistically daunting world tour. She began: “First of all it’s a lovely team to be part of and that atmosphere always makes it easier for me to do my job. It also helps that Robert is just as involved with my duties on the tour as he is with the lighting or audio. At the back end of last year he was already sending me hotels and flights through that he knew would make the band happy - I’ve never experienced that level of assistance from an artist before! “There’s no management as such so he has that role and he likes to oversee everything across the whole production. He knows all of the band’s likes and dislikes better than we ever could so he even deals with the travel agent directly on certain requests.” The decision was made to enlist Eat Your Hearts Out [EYHO] to provide catering for the European leg of the tour; an aspect plays a huge part in The Cure’s life on the road. Gallop added: “The band are very hospitable and always have a welcome area for friends and family so they can all hang out together; this means there’s a pretty substantial rider to look after. Every day something crops up but you always deal with it and we’ve had no catastrophes so far - EYHO know the score!” Eight vehicles from Transam Trucking assisted The Cure in transporting its impressive production, while Phoenix Bussing took care of the band and crew. Gallop concluded: “It’s been a great tour and the local production
and promoters worldwide have said how much of an easy crew we are to accommodate. As well as Robert the praise for this should be for our Production Manager Phil Broad - it’s quite often all down to him and his incredible rider. Locals always know exactly what to expect from us down to the smallest detail and he wouldn’t have it any other way.” CUT HERE As the arduous tour came to a close with three nights at The SSE Arena in Wembley, the fervent crowds never waned in their excitement to witness the return of their ever-impressive heroes. Corky saw this first hand: “They just love it, whether that’s young kids who’ve just discovered the band or those who’ve been there since the beginning. “They still come to FOH every night to thank us, which means a great deal to us as their hardcore fans know exactly how a The Cure song should sound! The shows have been really well-attended the world over and it’s great to be able to do all of this with such a reliable and professional crew alongside you.” TPi Photos:Andrew Benge www.thecure.com www.britanniarow.com www.prg.com/uk/en www.transamtrucking.com www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk www.globalinfusiongroup.com 62
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
JESS GLYNNE Since storming through the charts in 2014 with a couple of successful collaborations and her own debut single, Jess Glynne’s ascent has been nothing short of breathtaking. A string of number one hits, including chart-topping 2015 debut album, I Cry When I Laugh, and a guest judge appearance on The X Factor, have helped to propel the singer-songwriter to dizzying heights in a remarkably short period of time.
Last time Jess Glynne visited Glasgow, she played the 2,500-capacity O2 Academy. This time, almost exactly a year later, the venue is The SSE Hydro and the audience is pushing the 13,000 limit. Glynne and the crew are at the front end of a 10-date UK arena tour, which started in Birmingham on 18 November 2016 and will end two weeks later with the tour’s final two shows at London’s O2 Arena and Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena. Pulled together by Tour Manager, Giles Woodhead of WPL Music, this outing is the latest, fairly monumental step in Glynne’s career. “When you’re starting out with new artist, you’re making concerts that plant seeds to help grow the artist’s career. In terms of Jess, we’re going back two years now. We’ve been planting these seeds, concentrating on doing good gigs, and now we’re doing a two-week tour of UK arenas, so those seeds are germinating. But even doing this tour, you’re still feeding the plants, if you like, because one would hope that next album will come with a bunch of number one hits and we’ll all be doing this again this time next year or in 18-months time - only even bigger!” Planning started in March 2016. As Woodhead explained, the overnight to Dublin from Glasgow will take hard work and some strict timekeeping, but otherwise it has pieced together quite nicely, particularly when it comes to the suppliers on board. Neg Earth has supplied lighting fixtures, related connectivity and trussing - the tour started out at the rental company’s headquarters with a day of set up and two days of rehearsals in its LH3 production facility. Cassius Creative took charge of the production design, working closely with Glynne’s creative director, Jo’lene Henry. The company also provided lighting and video control equipment. Staging came from All Access Staging & 65
JESS GLYNNE
Video content was created by FRAY Studio’s Adam Young.
Productions, video infrastructure was from VER, and video content was LIGHTING AND VIDEO created by FRAY Studio’s Adam Young. Catering was handled by Eat to Henry worked closely with Cassius Creative to bring the show to life. The the Beat, while Transam Trucking and Phoenix Bussing were on transport company was formed by Chris ‘Squib’ Swain and Dan Hill in early 2016, duties. after the pair had collaborated as freelancers for many years. “The first When it comes to Jess Glynne’s creative elements, the first port of call thing Jo’lene said was ‘I want three portrait screens’,” recalled Squib. “So is one of the singer’s best friends, explained Woodhead: “Jess has a very that was decided. We then designed the stage space and the lighting that good creative director, in Jo’lene Henry. They’ve been friends since school, goes around it and that got handed over to Adam Young who’s the video so Jo’lene has a fantastic understanding of designer.” what Jess is about and is involved in designing The three LED screens in question are artwork, outfits, production design and 4,800mm x 8,400mm and provide a striking anything else, really. Jo’lene will come up with backdrop to the main stage area. Making sure an idea and Jess will be like, ‘that’s exactly what the content worked on such a large canvas I was thinking’. So when it comes to designing was essential, explained Young: “One of the the show, the first call is to Jo’lene to see what main considerations for the tour was how the ideas she has.” content translates from our screen in the office Visually, the stage design and content to the LED screens in the arena. The content elements take cues from the album’s artwork, contained incredibly subtle gradients, very explained Henry: “The album is about going delicate vignettes in the footage as well as “Jess has a very good creative from heartache to hope, so in terms of putting harsh graphic elements. that into something visual, we thought about “There was a great deal of fine balancing director, in Jo’lene Henry. the album cover. Jess is against this pink the intensity of the LED screen, brightness and They’ve been friends since background and there’s a tear coming from her contrast of the footage to get the brightness eye, which has all these blue and violet tones and detail balance right for the live shows. school, so Jo’lene has a fantastic in it. So we thought from the start that it would Another consideration was how the design understanding of what Jess influence how we approach things on stage; works in a live environment, when the video this will be our colour palette. becomes part of a wide stage image. Plus it had is about and is involved in “We used pink to represent hope and the to work in harmony and collaboration with the designing artwork, outfits, blues and the violets to represent heartache. lighting and also the onstage performance.” Although it’s quite a soft colour palette, it’s used Content was created through a collaborative production design and anything in a bold and striking way because, although process involving Henry, Glynne, Young and else, really.” she’s a delicate person and she’s been through Cassius Creative. It was designed using Adobe Giles Woodhead, Tour Manager a lot, she’s a very strong person.” After Effects, with the exception of colour 66
SUPERBOWL HALF-TIME SHOW THE TONY AWARDS EUROVISION SONG CONTEST THE ACADEMY AWARDS RIHANNA ANTI WORLD TOUR FLUME WORLD TOUR SINGAPORE NATIONAL GALLERY OPENING GLASTONBURY DESERT TRIP COACHELLA EDC WRESTLEMANIA WILDLIFE FESTIVAL SW4 LONDON BRING ME THE HORIZON MTV MUSIC EVOLUTION MANILA SUICIDE SQUAD EUROPEAN PREMIERE JESS GLYNNE THE BOSTON MAJOR 2 DOOR CINEMA CLUB THEME PARKS - WORLDWIDE & MANY MORE
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JESS GLYNNE
Content was created through a collaborative process involving Jo’lene Henry, Jess Glynne, Adam Young and Cassius Creative. It was designed using Adobe After Effects, with the exception of colour grading of the footage which was done in RedCineX.
grading of the footage which was done in RedCineX. Young continued: “Once we had a set list for the show, we sat and storyboarded out the show, mapping out the thematic and colour journey. One of the biggest elements was the film shoot with Jess. We had one day to achieve around 16 minutes of footage. This required a crew of eight to turn around four different filming set ups. Jess spent nine and a half hours in hair and make up, being put into four very different and distinct looks. All of the footage was filmed in RED 6k, so there was a huge grading and data wrangling process to happen before we could begin the edit for the show. “A lot of time was spent on the layout of each song and the proportions of each element to try and balance the whole stage image. Throughout, there was a close collaboration between lighting, wardrobe, choreography, creative direction and the band; all of which was constantly folded into the design to create the show as one complete stage image and show, rather than a series of separate elements forced together.” The video setup was completed by two IMAG screens on each wing that deliver live performance footage to the audience. Paul ‘Eggy’ Eggerton was IMAG director. While the production was led by video, it is the lighting that tied the stage design together. Cassius Creative wanted to keep things clean and crisp - naturally, this influenced the fixture choice. Claypaky Mythos and Sharpys supplied an arsenal of beam capabilities, working with Sharpy Wash 330’s to contrast between beam and colour-fill. Robe BMFLs were the only profile on the rig and were used to key light the performers. Five BMFLs were controlled using a FollowMe system to act as follow spots. Squib revealed: “This is a new technology that allows us to remotely control the fixtures from a piece of Mac software controlled by track drivers backstage,
we were quite impressed with it and it eliminated having to have people up in the roof.” TMB Solaris Flares were used to give the back walls colour and SGM Q7 Strobes to deliver mood-heightening flashes at key moments, while GLP Impression X4 Bar 20’s provided the outlining of the video screens. Martin by Harman VDO Sceptron LED video fixtures were used to light the geometric lines of the stage structure, like the stage floor and risers, creating a striking framework of neon light. All of the fixtures were supplied by Neg Earth, along with the Upstaging HUD truss. Cassius Creative brought its own lighting control and processing, in the shape of two MA Lighting grandMA2 consoles and two Green Hippo Hippotizer V4 Karst media servers which run the screens, Sceptron and x4 Bar20s. Squib commented: “We’ve driven the media servers quite hard on this, and as a company generally. We started Cassius in January and we quite quickly realised that we wanted to invest in control and things that we directly use to be creative, which is obviously lighting consoles and media servers. So we invested in Hippo media servers. The support we’ve had from Simon Harris at Green Hippo has been amazing - we owe him big time.” Hill added: “The Hippo plays the content, but it’s also embedding the live feed into it as well. We’ve pixel-mapped the lighting elements and the Sceptron are controlled from it too. One song has the usual time coded video content as well as the Hippo triggering the lighting hits on the X4 Bars, as well as hits on the Sceptron. There are several layers of content running, plus then the live IMAG.” Discussing the creative process, Henry said: “People like Squib and Dan are amazing because they’re making the idea a reality. You’re putting an 68
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JESS GLYNNE
Above: Cassius Creative brought its own lighting control and processing, in the shape of two MA Lighting grandMA2 consoles and two Green Hippo Hippotizer V4 Karst media servers which run the screens, Sceptron and X4 Bar 20’s.
idea on them and they’re executing it for you. It’s a crazy thing. There’s a lot of stress, anxiety and anticipation, then you get to the production rehearsals and everything comes to life - when it’s so close to the original idea, that’s a special moment.” All Access Staging & Productions supplied onstage risers for the band, a Versa star lift up stage centre, which facilitates Glynne’s appearance at the start of the show, a stairway on the front edge of the stage to allow her to get into the pit, and a camera riser for the IMAG camera and operator. All of the risers are finished in a black gloss. Head carpenter, Rick Worsfold, managed the installation of the riser package into each venue and operated the lift. All of the staging elements are contrasted using All Access Staging’s propriety Versa Stage system. It is designed to make optimum use of truck space and deploy rapidly, and is available worldwide through the company’s locations in London, New York and Los Angeles. Sales Manager, Matt Bull, commented: “We have a very good relationship with Giles and have worked on Jess’s shows for a number of years. Giles had requested that the stairs to front of the stage should be able to span the bass subs as well as be at different height each day. Making the stairs from various stock decks gave us the flexibility to achieve this.” The show started with album track Strawberry Fields, which rolled into Glynne’s record-equalling fifth UK number one single, Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself. As the first chorus landed, Dynamite FX delivered the first of the show’s two big confetti hits. It arrived with a bang, while the second, which came at the end of the performance, was deployed over 40 seconds. Pyro Technician, Dan Eske, explained: “We use 17mm square metallic
confetti, which is different to the rectangular stuff you normally see. Effectively, it’s an instant curtain of glitter right across the front of the stage. Because it’s right at the top of the set, it gets the crowd going right from the start.” Founder of Dynamite FX, Joe Knight, added: “We worked with Jess and her team earlier in the year at MTV Crashes and The Jockey Club Live shows. Her tour management first asked if there was a way that all confetti blowers could go off all at the same time. The problem with confetti blowers is they normally don’t go off at the same time as they are all manually operated and are reliant on local crew to operate, who are usually not au fait with the equipment. “Together we selected two different types of effects, glitter from compressed air units, which is one hit and goes off with a bang. The other being a pink paper confetti hit that is deployed over 40 seconds near the end of the show. Dynamite FX designed and developed a solution that enables the blowers to be fired wirelessly, via our wireless pyro controller. We also modified the internal chamber of the blower to ensure all of the fired confetti would be dispersed equally.” SOUND Sound for the tour was under the control of Alan ‘Big Nobby’ Hopkinson, who takes the reins at FOH. Liam Halpin (DataSound Consulting) joined him as FOH system engineer and Duncan Wild was on monitors. The PA system was a d&b audiotechnik rig from Eighth Day Sound, which was chaperoned by PA Techs Ben Sliwinski and Lee Furnell. Big Nobby worked on a Midas PRO2C - one of two Midas consoles supplied 70
JESS GLYNNE
The PA system was a d&b audiotechnik rig from Eighth Day Sound.
by Encore Pro Audio. The other is a Midas PRO2, which was used for the support acts. “I’ve always favoured the Midas, whether it be analogue or digital, purely because of the sound,” he revealed. “We’re using the baby Midas consoles. I’m on the PRO2C, which is spot on. It’s just a good sounding console, and at the end of the day, that’s what matters.” While the convenience of the digital PRO2C may be favourable, it’s never the deciding factor for Big Nobby. “There are a lot of people that use particular desks that go ‘oh it’s really convenient’ or ‘I can put these plugins in.’ A desk might be convenient, but surely a mixing desk’s job is about its sound quality. For me, that’s the bottom line.” Glynne toured with a nine-piece band. “It makes it more interesting, you have to find more lanes on the motorway. You should be able to look at anyone on that stage and hear what they’re playing, it shouldn’t be that difficult. There’s nothing worse than going to a gig and looking at someone and seeing them, particularly for me it’s drummers, I can’t stand seeing someone hitting the splashes and the crashes and you can’t hear it. For me, that’s so frustrating. You’ve got to fine tune the bandwidth of what each instrument takes up, so that they don’t crash into each other.” The size of the PA was, naturally, dependent on the requirements of each venue, with London’s O2 being the largest. This date warranted the tour’s peak of 16 d&b audiotechnik J8’s, 4 J12’s, 8 J-SUBs and 16 V8’s (side-hang) flown on each side. This is supplemented by 6 Q7 loudspeakers arrayed on the downstairs corners to keep the downstairs edge clear, 4 Q10’s - two on the camera risers acting as centre fills and two as outfills (when required) - and 21 B22 subs arranged in a unique sub array (using several different formats), under the thrust/artist stairs and camera track risers. Halpin explained: “We’re running the J-SUBs in full range mode which
means they’re doing up to 100Hz, and then the sub array of B22s is running in infra mode, so that’s basically doing 63Hz downwards. The J-SUBs are primarily there to give a bit more headroom into the main hangs and the side hangs, and take some of that 80-100Hz workload off the top boxes. Timing it all together so that it works in the most consistent fashion is a bit of a trick.” Working from plans initially, Halpin tailored the system for each venue, modifying things in the morning once he had a discussion with the riggers about rigging points. “I spend a lot of time working with d&b’s ArrayCalc software - it’s a very powerful tool,” he said. “We’re using the ArrayProcessing feature on the main inside hangs. It applies FIR filters, so every box is driven from an individual processing channel, instead of linking pairs of boxes it’s individual boxes. it relies on having an accurate model of the venue, which is the first thing that really needs attention, then it will work out how to achieve the most even tonal distribution throughout the venue.” The system is powered by up to 44 D80 four-channel amps. Processing was handled by 8 Lake LM44’s - two at FOH to matrix the Midas consoles and six at the stage for system distribution, including several levels of redundancy as backup. System Control was via d&b R1 software and Lake controller with all time alignment taken care of within d&b’s ArrayCalc software. The flown arrays took advantage of d&b’s Array Processing to ensure consistent tonality and to provide finer level control throughout each venue. All advance design and specification and day-to-day optimisation are taken care of by Halpin. The monitor package consisted of a SD8-24 with Sennheiser IEM 2000 with G3 transmitters and mics supplied by Wild, plus some d&b 72
JESS GLYNN£
Glynne used a DPA d:dictate 4018 VL - a mic she had used since earlier in 2016; Providing busses for the tour was Phoenix Bussing.
audiotechnik wedges, operated by Monitor Engineer Duncan Wild. Wild used a DiGiCo SD-24 with Stealth Core 2 upgrade. “Quite a few years ago I went through a period of trying out a few boards and found that the SD8 had the flexibility I needed, so I bought one. That was seven or eight years ago, since then I’ve added another SD8 and an SD11. I’ve just done Core 2 on all of them, which means I’ve got more channels and can do a show like this on an SD8 instead of moving to a bigger desk.” Glynne used a DPA d:dictate 4018 VL - a mic she had used since earlier in 2016. Speaking to distributor Sound Network, Big Nobby explained: “Jess chose the microphone herself. We went through an array of mics to find the one she liked best and she immediately went for the d:facto, so we bought two. With the new VL capsule we’re finding that it’s a little less excitable and has a very nice smooth, mid/high mid, which is a positive for any vocal mic.” Backing vocals and brass players were on Sennheiser 9235 and e908 mics, respectively, while the drums mic’d up with a mix of Shure, Audix, AKG, DPA and Sennheiser. DI boxes were deployed for Bass (Avalon U5) and keys/ drum electronics (Radial ProD2).
company since it started in 1978, resulting in a wealth of experience in tour transportation. Phoenix Bussing supplied three 16-berth, 45ft double-decker Setra busses for the tour - two for the crew and one for the band. Phoenix’s Andy Gray commented: “The band bus was newly refurbished and was only on its second job with its new interior. It received rave reviews for its new layout and we even had an email asking where we got the tiles from in the kitchen! We have only worked with Giles and Jess since 2015 so although it’s a very new arrangement, Giles has been in the industry for a long time and we have worked with him on other tours so we have a good understanding of his needs to provide the best for his artist.” WINNING TEAM Reflecting on Glynne’s first arena tour, Tour Manager Giles Woodhead said: “WPL Music are very careful to select crew and suppliers for a tour who are not only experts in their own specialist field but will add to the synergy of the performance as a whole. We’re very fortunate in this country to have some of the best live concert designers and engineers in the world. We need to build on that by continuing to push the boundaries from a creative and experiential point of view at all levels of budget and concert size. “At the end of the day, you can tell when you have connected with the audience, they are all singing and dancing out the door. But when the venue staff and security team pull you aside and say ‘that was a great show’, then I think ‘Yes Jess - you are on the right track’.” TPi Photos: Elliot Hatherley www.jessglynne.co.uk www.negearth.com www.8thdaysound.com www.ver.com www.allaccessinc.com www.globalinfusiongroup.com www.transamtrucking.com www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk www.dynamitefx.co.uk
CATERING + TRANSPORT The Eat to the Beat team, which was led by crew leader Alex White, provided crew and artist catering, dressing room riders, after show and bus stock to suit every palate and to accommodate all dietary and allergen requirements. Specific requirements included, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and no coriander. The last night of the show saw a festive celebration backstage with Christmas decorations, tinsel, Christmas crackers and a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings. “We’re thrilled to cater for Jess Glynne’s UK tour. After catering for her at Eden and T in the Park, Jess was impressed by our range of delicious, freshly cooked food. The music’s great, the crew are fantastic and it’s a good opportunity for us to cook a diverse range of food that suits the dietary requirements of the whole team.” Transam Trucking provided six trucks that transported all of the equipment around the tour’s 10 dates. Directors, Mark Guterres and Sandie Flatt, as well as the most senior members of staff, have been with the 74
THE STARS ARE ALIGNING…
WWW.TPiAWARDS.COM
INTERVIEW
CLAIR GLOBAL’S DAVID LESTER The Director of Education and Safety on the rental house’s ‘Roadie Apprenticeship’ initiative that ensures its staff are trained and qualified before hitting the road.
Dave, can you explain a bit about how you’ve come to be in your role at Clair? I have been in the industry for 30 years, starting by going to college for music and working at a local sound company in Milwaukee to help pay the bills. Fast forward, I networked as an independent engineer working on smaller tours and eventually arena tours before coming to work for ShowCo in 1996. With ShowCo I continued to work as a SE, monitor engineer and FOH engineer. In 2003 I started in the position I am currently in, education. The position requires years of experience in the industry on tours and in events to best understand the requirements of the road staff. One must have the technical knowledge and experience and the understanding of leadership to help create the desired knowledge and culture of our employees. Why is the education element of what Clair represents now so important to the company? The philosophy that a company’s greatest assets are its employees is exemplified at Clair. That philosophy combined with the rapid expansion of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology shared with the increasing demands for professionalism necessitates the requirement for formally trained and certified individuals. To that extent, a vast amount of resources are allocated to formally educating the Clair Field Service Staff with the ultimate goal being to exceed the clients’ expectations. Before the formal education process starts we actively recruit and interview individuals whose higher education, experience, attitude and desires meet Clair’s high standards. The selected few individuals are then immersed into an extensive (12-16 week) formal training process designed to ensure a level of professionalism and technical expertise unsurpassed in the industry. To guarantee this quality the individuals are properly tested through practical evaluations, assignments, quizzes and an extensive written final examination. At the end of the education period, only the individuals meeting or exceeding the requirements are offered employment as a member of the Clair Field Service Staff. Clair is dedicated to creating a truly elite staff of professionals that epitomise the term elite. The end result is superior client service and satisfaction.
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CLAIR GLOBAL
Opposite: Dave Lester. Below: Clair Global is one of the industry’s most reputable sound and audio crew providers for live events and tours, such as Bruce Springteen’s last outing which featued the Clair Cohesion system.
How has this progressed over the years? We have constantly adapted to the demands of the industry, whether technical demands or people skill demands. One focus area is the EQ (emotional quotient or intelligence) of our employees. The political landscape of a tour can be very complex. We strive to have our employees be more conscious of how they interact with the client and all other personnel on the production team. We understand that to make any tour or event a success as the client views it, takes both technical excellence and a high level of social skill.
demonstrating their abilities to safely engage in work. How can people get involved? Is there an age / level of experience limit? We actively recruit individuals that have some alignment with our culture. It is a two way street. What we have to offer must be what the candidates are looking for and what they have to offer must be in line with what we are looking for. In the UK we recently held an event called Production Futures: (www.productionfutures.co.uk). Do you think the live production industry needs to act further on training and work opportunities? Any type of education people can get is a good thing. To answer directly, we have always felt the need to be proactive in the education and recruitment of new employees, so the answer for us specifically is no. For a number of decades we have actively established connections with a few universities and other schools where we recruit most of our new road staff from. We also actively engage with many of them in curriculum development or oversight. For the industry as a whole I would only comment that the need for on going safety education is always a good thing. We always want to promote safety and the Event Safety Alliance is a great organisation that has done some tremendous work to further safety in the live event industry. TPi https://clairglobal.com
What areas do you focus on in terms of your disciplines - is it mainly audio? The education program focuses a lot on audio topics and advanced audio topics. But the foundation of the formal education process is safety. AC power, rigging awareness and assembling large scale concert sound systems, for example, all have inherent high risk factors. We have the responsibility to acknowledge this and mitigate the risk through control measures. One of those control measure is education and testing. Can you outline the stages of the programme - and how the students are ‘road ready’ by the end of it? The focus is on our procedures, policies and proprietary systems along with educational modules in social skills and of course safety. To be Clair ‘Road Ready’, the candidates must past written and practical exams 80
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03/06/2016 12:44
INTERVIEW
82
LRI’S DAVID DAVIES
Opposite: LRI assisted Skepta with his homecoming show which concluded with the singer performing on top of a burning car. Below: Producer David Davies from LRI.
LRI’S DAVID DAVIES DISCUSSES SKEPTA’S HOMECOMING SHOW Having worked on prestigious television performances including the Mercury Prize, David Daives and the rest of the LRI production team finished off the year by providing grime star Skepta with a homecoming to remember. TPi spoke to Davis to find out more...
It’s hard to ignore the influence that grime has on popular music today. The distinctly British sub-genre that grew out of the various boroughs of London has grown exponentially, pushing once underground musicians eagerly blinking into the spotlight of the mainstream. One such individual is Joseph Junior Adenuga - better known to the world as Skepta. The London rapper had an incredibly successful 2016 with his critically acclaimed Konnichiwa record as well as picking up a Mercury Prize for his efforts. Following these successes, Skepta and his crew began to talk about ending the year in a show of gratitude to the London community that raised the star and result was a one-night homecoming spectacular that has broken ground as the biggest headline grime show in history. To aid Skepta’s Creative Director, Grace Ladoja, with the mammoth project was Lipfriend Rodd International (LRI). The LRI team was already familiar with Skepta and his team, having been involved in the production of the Mercury Prize since its inception, making it a natural fit for the homecoming show. Senior Producer at LRI, David Davies, explained why the show was not just business, but personal, too: “Like many in the LRI team this show meant quite a lot to me. I grew up in North London and garage and grime has always interested me. We had got to know the Skepta family over the years with our work on the Mercury Prize and after this year’s awards they approached us about the potential for the show.” The task was twofold; give Skepta a night to remember and LRI a chance to reach into a whole new realm of the live events industry. “We were established back in 1990 by our founder, Robert Lipfriend. Over the years we have put on a variety of events including conferences, exhibitions and, of course, TV awards like the 83
LRI’S DAVID DAVIES
In charge of the show design was Tobias Rylander from Seven Design Works; View from FOH from the MA Lighting grandMA2 console provided by VER.
Mercury Prize, but for the past few years we have been looking at expanding our work within the live events industury. As a producer, I feel in this day and age the crossover television knowledge that companies like LRI have is now incredibly valuable, especially with the growing demand for online streaming.” This was certainly the case with the Skepta performance, which was streamed live via Apple Music to over 120 countries. From the outset, the Skepta team wanted the show to be a night to remember, that would crescendo to have the singer standing on top of a burning car live on stage. “The production were keen on the burning car from the outset and they wanted to bring it up through the stage,” Davies said. To aid them with the task were pyrotechnic experts, ForceFX. “One of my favourite things about the ForceFX team is that they are so passionate about the work they do,” Davies stated. “They threw themselves into the project to make it work. Once we had the car, the Force team went about stripping it down to its main components and working out how to safely have the singer stand on top of the vehicle while it was on fire. It’s an image that his fans are sure to remember for some time.” Supplying staging andcentre steel 16ft x 8ft hydraulic lift and an extended rolling house stage for the show was LS-Live. Davies continued: “LS-Live were a clear choice as they had the venue staging already. We were able to save some valuable time as we already knew what car we were using, which meant they could have the dimensions and the weight to create the hydraulic lift while ForceFX worked on the physical prop.” Evidently with such a daring act, health and safety was a primary concern. Gallowglass took on the role as safety officers for the show and were on site during the burn test with ForceFX and during rehearsals. “They were incredibly useful through the process and gave some helpful tips it how we could make the stunt work,” stated Davies. LRI secured Tobias Rylander from Seven Design Works to head up the show’s design. The LD hung a total of 202 GLP Impressions X4 Bar 20’s over the stage and above the show floor, all of which were supplied by VER. Also deployed were 12 Claypaky Sharpy Washes, 36 Martin by Harman MAC Viper Profiles, 106 TMB Solaris LED Flares and an MA Lighting grandMA2 for control. “Tobias is an extraordinary talent,” began Davies, adding: “One of the best looks that he produced were the ‘curtains of light’ that ran upstage during the performance, created with GLP X4’s.” Rylander’s design also incorporated a huge LED element with one massive ROE VR3EU, which measured 23m x 7m. The screen was flanked by six LEDs - three either side again consisting of the ROE VR3EU. Finally, an LED screen was placed in front of Skepta’s DJ booth at centre-stage. Launching the video content were two V4 Green Hippo Borelas, all racked by VER. Commenting on the show, VER Project Manager Paul Gilzene said: “Our ability to handle every aspect of a production allows us to seamlessly package shows of any scale to help crews create a truly memorable audience experience. From the intense red glow of opener No Security to the burning finale Shutdown, we have assisted in presenting the energy and
passion of the Skepta show. It has been incredible.” Davies added: “It is always a pleasure to work with VER. We have known Paul for a very long time and it was a great opportunity to work with him on a project like this. You always know what you’re getting with VER; their equipment is really high quality and the crew they provide are second-tonone. Also having one supplier provide the video and lighting makes things a lot easier.” For audio requirements, LRI employed the services of long time collaborators Plus 4 Audio. “Plus 4 are known for doing a mixture of TV work as well as live events. We have worked with them on the Mercury Prize for a really long time. They’re always very level headed and you just know they’ll be able to pull it out the bag.” The audio supplier provided a complete L-Acoustics system, primarily made up of K2 speakers and SB28 subs with L-Acoustics 115 HiQ Wedge Monitor for the stage. For both FOH and monitor control Plus 4 Audio provided two DiGiCo SD10’s. However, ensuring solid synchronisation between the audio and visual with the use of timecode created an interesting challenge for the Plus 4 Audio team. Davies elaborated: “The main musical accompaniment that Skepta utilises during his live show is DJ Maximum - his personal DJ. Unfortunately DJ’s and timecode don’t always work well together. However Mark Ballard and the Plus 4 team created a way in which Maximum would still be able to do rewinds as well as incorporating the various samples he plays via a launchpad. The system design allowed timecode to be fired directly to lighting and video whilst control was kept on stage.” With the event hailed as a success, Davies looked back to give his final thoughts: “For LRI this show represented a chance to present the skills we have learned and demonstrate them to the live events industry. At the Mercury Prize awards we have 12 different acts playing during a two hour window. Here, all the focus on Skepta and all the creativity is coming from him and his team. Here, we are creating one moment in the musical history of an artist that we hope will remain in the minds of those who watched it.” But what of the future of LRI? “What I hope this shows the industry is that LRI do shows like these and we do them really well. We can work with artists and their teams to create something beautiful and magical. We can do it with professionalism and poise and creativity.” Looking forward, Davies asserts it’s time to inject a bit more personality into the LRI brand, one flaming car at a time, we hope. TPi Photos: Provided by LRI www.helloskepta.com www.lri.agency www.sevendesignworks.com www.ver.com www.plus4audio.co.uk www.forcefx.co.uk www.ls-live.com 84
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CANCER BONUS TOUR Veteran LD Bryan Leitch has set up a new incentive to aid others suffering from blood cancers.
Former TPi Lighting Designer of the Year and Knights of Illumination from both on and off the stage to pay a visit to help spread the word about Lifetime Award winner, Bryan Leitch, is one of the most well-known the charities and encourage people to donate. From now until the end of names in the industry. However back in 2009 he was sadly diagnosed the tour, I will be updating the website to include interviews and videos of with a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After a successful bone marrow artists I have worked with, plus photographs of them with the car.” Some transplant, five-year later, Leitch’s cancer returned. But thanks to of the artists that have already confirmed their support are Slaves, Feeder, on-going research, and a new chemotherapy treatment that had been Billy Ocean, Editors and Bryan Adams to name but a few. developed, he’s free of the disease again. Leitch said: “That was a year “I will also be inviting fellow touring personnel and promoters to join me ago. I know I have been very lucky over the past en route to share stories and take part in interviews. seven years and it’s thanks to cancer research These will also be recorded for the website,” said and the efforts of the NHS medical staff that I am Leitch. alive today. That is why I made a decision to do The tour will start in May and all the costs will something about it.” be funded from Leitch’s own resources to ensure With the goal of raising money for Bloodwise and every penny raised through sponsorship and private the Sussex Cancer Fund, Leitch and his wife Tracey donations benefit the two charities. He is currently have set out to tour the country, visiting some of the seeking tour partners to be involved in this tour many venues which the LD has worked in over the who will be offered advertising space on the car and last 30 years. “Throughout my career I have worked the website, plus an opportunity to join him on the www.thecancer at over 300 venues in the UK alone, from Inverness to journey. For further enquires head to The Cancer bonustour.com Truro. For this tour, I will be visiting everyone of these Bonus Tour’s web page. venues in a 1963 Vauxhall Victor bought espeically for TPi the tour. At each venue I will invite some of my friends www.thecancerbonustour.com
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GEAR HEADS
FOCUSRITE AT NAMM 2017 Focusrite’s RedNet Product Manager, Will Hoult, spoke to TPi about the company’s latest innovations as seen at NAMM 2017.
As a pro audio launch platform, why is NAMM an important trade show calendar for Focusrite? NAMM is not only the main show that the North American reseller network attends, but also resellers the world over. It also attracts a high number of professional musicians, engineers and producers who are key to our success. It’s a great opportunity to get close contact with our customers, as well as reach new audiences.
Do you work closely with engineers to achieve the end results? Absolutely. The engineers who rely on our products every day are the most important part of any development. So, to ensure that the product or feature will perform to the highest level, we involve engineers at the earliest opportunity. Sometimes products come about as a result of a direct request. Sometimes through blue-sky thinking. But a lot of the time they are a result of hearing feedback on current workflows and the limitations that engineers face. Ultimately if we can make their job that bit easier, we are delivering high value.
What kind of emphasis does Focusrite place on R&D? R&D, in which we invest between 6% and 7% of revenue, is a huge part of Focusrite’s day-to-day operation. We strive to continuously innovate and deliver value to customers both through the introduction of new products to the market, as well as providing important iterative updates to existing products.
RedNet Control had a software update. How will this further benefit the end user? RedNet first shipped in 2012, with the previous iteration of our control panel, RedNet Control 1. As a result the platform was over five years 88
FOCUSRITE
old. In that time, there had been many advances in both cross-platform we are always happy to organise this with customers as needed. In truth, programming environments, as well as within the Dante platform itself. We RedNet Control 2 is a very easy-to-use application which is also very well felt that we could vastly improve the core performance of RedNet Control documented. It is unlikely to need a high degree of training as the learning by rewriting it from the ground up: speed and reliability being paramount curve is nice and gentle. to that core performance; as well as build on a platform that allowed for continuous improvement and feature development. What can we expect from Focusrite in 2017 for the The other major change in those five years is live concert and touring markets? the breadth of applications RedNet is deployed Our RedNet A16R - pictured above - (16x16 analogue within. For example, back in 2012, we were mainly I/O in a 1U chassis with dual PSUs) Dante interface supplying project studios with a handful of units. has been available for a good few months now. It’s Today, our major markets include Education, House already proving popular with live production and of Worship and Live Sound: workflows that include rental companies as a high-quality, highly-reliable many individual units. So we focussed on making means of providing analogue I/O from the network, RedNet Control 2 a scalable programme that with some using it to execute matrix switching at could serve the user of three or four units, all the festivals. RedNet D16R - left - (16x16 AES3 I/O in a 1U way up to the facilities and workflows that require chassis with dual PSUs) interface was very popular “The engineers who rely on dozens of units. The result is a fully customisable for this purpose, as well as for feeding amp racks layout, based around multiple tabs similar to a web over last summer. our products every day are browser. It’s now possible to control and monitor Coupled with the advances in RedNet Control, the most important part of 600 devices! I would expect to see more of these two products deployed on tours and for festivals over the coming any development.” Will there be any upcoming training opportunities year. Will Hoult, as a result of these new launches? TPi RedNet Product Manager We don’t formally offer training currently, however https://uk.focusrite.com 89
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GLP has increased its North American presence with the appointment of a new Canadian distributor. President Mark Ravenhill has confirmed that Montreal-based AVL Media Group will take on distribution with immediate effect. The company was founded by Steve Kosters, and is headed by experienced Managing Director Andrew Hope, who has 30 years experience in the world of live entertainment. “Andrew leads a strong and passionate team at AVL, who have been serving the Canadian market for many years,” stated Ravenhill. “We look forward to working closely with them and introducing more of the Canadian market to the full GLP range of products and solutions.” Hope responded: “We are delighted to have GLP as part of our distribution portfolio. Their unique LED solutions have become highly specified items and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership between the two companies.” Upstage Video has named industry veteran Mark Haney as Vice President of Concert Touring and Events. The newly created position is a result of the company’s move to the concert touring community of Rock Lititz, based in rural Pennsylvania. Haney joins Upstage Video’s west coast team in Los Angeles, CA with 27 years of experience as a Video Director touring extensively with various artists since the early ‘90s. He is a multi-award winning video director with three Parnelli Awards in 2008, 2010 and 2014. In 2005, Haney was awarded the Top Dog Award as the industry’s Video Director of the Year. Most recently, Haney was a sales consultant for Colonel Tom Touring based in Nashville, TN. Haney commented: “I am very excited about my new role at Upstage Video. I found in Doug Murray a kindred spirit and am very impressed with the business he and his team have built in the last decade. I look forward to serving our clients from both of our locations at Rock Lititz, and from Los Angeles.” Haney’s impressive list of video production experience and knowledge will help spearhead the company’s efforts into the concert touring market. In his new role, Haney will lead sales and support through strategic planning while developing and maintaining relationships with new and existing tour managers. “We hire great people first, qualification comes second. With Mark,
we were fortunate to hire a really great guy with a resume that’s almost unmatched in the touring industry. We’re so fortunate to have him on our team, leading us on our new adventure into the touring market,” said Doug Murray, President of Upstage Video. d3 Technologies has appointed Stephen Tsui as Regional Sales Manager, with Technical Manager Hank Liu, of d3 reseller Redline Technology Beijing, being certified as the d3 trainer for the China market. J&C Joel has announced two new appointments to its team, with Lisa Green being introduced as Senior Creative Technician in the Creative Manufacturing Team, and David Sykes as the new UK Office Sales Manager. Green has over 10 years’ experience in the industry working for Perry Scenic, designing, manufacturing and coordinating all their bespoke creative drapery. She commented: “I’m both delighted and honoured to be asked to join the team here at J&C Joel. I’ve had a long and wellestablished connection to the company for many years now and know they are always looking for new and exciting ways to be at the forefront of drapery innovation.” Sykes has worked for the company for more than five years and has over 12 years’ experience working in sales. He will be responsible for the internal Sales team based in J&C Joel’s headquarters in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire. “I am enthusiastic for a results-driven sales team and I am looking forward to utilising their talents,” Sykes said. “We have fantastic products and services and I’m proud to be part of a great company with an inspiring future ahead.” Powersoft’s mission to strengthen the company further in 2017 has begun by announcing the appointment of the highly experienced Klas Dalbjörn as Product Manager. The former Lab.gruppen and Lake Product Research Manager will add considerable strength and gravitas to the development team, headed by co-founder and R&D director, Claudio Lastrucci. His role will extend across the entire product portfolio. Speaking of his appointment, Dalbjörn said: “After 24 years in the pro audio business I felt ready to embrace a new challenge. I look forward to assisting in the process of growing the product portfolio to cover both new and existing applications for our global customers and partners.” 90
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Opposite: GLP welcomes a distribution deal with AVL Media Group in Canada; Lisa Green joins J&C Joel alongside Dave Sykes. Below: Mike Turner; AC-ET’s Mike Docksey.
In welcoming Dalbjörn to the company, Powersoft’s Sales & Marketing Director Luca Giorgi emphasised the philosophy of the company. He stated: “Maintaining a dynamic and progressive one-on-one relationship with our clients and partners is key in consolidating our leadership in innovation. This has been our vision from Day 1, but we cannot implement this without highly skilled professionals like Klas who share our passion and ambition.” Dalbjörn’s appointment is effective immediately. A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has appointed Mike Docksey in a key External UK Sales role. Docksey is a well-known face in the industry and brings a wealth of experience to the company. Having spent many years touring with live events around the globe, he joined the HSL Group in 2005 as part of the projects team. He enjoyed almost ten years at HSL before moving to Adlib, as Head of their Lighting and Video departments. Docksey commented: “I have toured extensively and worked in the production and rental sides of the industry. With all this experience I feel that I am able to fully understand the needs of a buyer and this experience is vital to the next stage of growth for AC-ET.” Jonathan Walters, AC-ET’s Sales and Purchasing Director, said: “Mike’s knowledge, enthusiasm and contacts will be a huge asset to us.” Docksey will be based primarily in the North of England, although he is expected to cover customers nationwide. A new appointment to DWR Distribution is Jannie de Jager, who joined the company and has been shadowing the technical support team. He was introduced to the entrainment industry through a friend and was offered a position at Prosound, where he started working at the company’s rental division at the time, then moving into sales where he was an ETC representative. Gareth Chambers, de Jager’s colleague, commented: “It has been great working with Jannie. He is a fast learner and has been a big help. We make a great team.” The ADJ Group has hired experienced technical salesman Mike Turner. He will take on the role of Regional Sales Manager, covering Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, representing the ADJ Lighting, American Audio, and Accu-Cable product ranges. Having worked in the industry since 2009, Turner started at Pro Sound & Stage Lighting before taking on the position of Sales Account Manager at Mega Systems, San Antonio, in 2014. “I am very pleased to join ADJ and look forward to expanding my career,” said Turner, “I am also excited to be able to work with a larger network of customers and use my talents in new ways.” Turner will be working directly with regional sales reps and dealers in the states for which he has taken on responsibility. His role will involve creating sales and also providing support and training. This will include visiting retailers to provide staff training as well as providing practical help such as programming in-store light shows. The role will also involve supporting rental and installation customers, providing product demonstrations and technical training, as well as helping with specifying large installations for nightclubs, houses of worship and other venues. Using his varied technical knowledge and experience, Turner will be selling and supporting ADJ’s extensive range of LED video panels, moving heads, DMX controllers and static lighting fixtures.
ADJ USA’s National Sales Manager, Alfred Gonzales, commented: “I’m excited to bring on a guy like Mike, who has such broad product knowledge along with such diverse technical experience. As ADJ continues to grow, I’m sure that he will play a vital role in bringing new opportunities to the company.” A new management team is taking over at the infrastructure service provider eps america. Knute Brye is joining the team as the new Managing Director and Neel Vasavada is going to change his field of responsibility and has transitioned into eps america’s new Director of Business Development. Knute Brye was previously involved with eps during the company’s initial move to the US market. He has spent 20 years in the industry and has a variety of experience in logistics, security and operations management, as well as the touring industry. He has been working with artists and bands such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry and U2. Vasavada, Business Development Director at eps america, said: “We’re very proud of the growth of eps america over the last few years, and are excited about the expansion of our management team, which will allow us to continue growing into new markets and products in the coming years. Knute Brye and I have worked together since my first day at eps, and his skills and experience are welcome addition to our team.” Brye, Managing Director eps america, added: “I am very happy to be back working with eps once again. It’s great to be a part of eps america with it’s positive growth, and the team here is any new managers dream.” EVAGO AG, the German event infrastructure provider, has acquired 100% of the shares in Mojo Barriers’ global crowd barrier business. The EVAGO Group, which includes German full service event company BÜMO, has taken a significant step in its expansion to become one of the world’s largest players in the growing live events market. By adding the Mojo Barriers range to its portfolio EVAGO Group also secures access to important international crowd management and event infrastructure markets. Goran Marincic, CEO at EVAGO AG, stated: “Thanks to this strategic acquisition, we will continue to strengthen our position in the international market over the long term and advance our growing event infrastructure capabilities with the global stock and team of Mojo Barriers. Renowned for quality, flexibility, knowledge, experience and reliability worldwide, we are delighted to welcome a strong brand that matches our group perfectly, which will accelerate the growth of both companies.” Alex Borger, CEO, Mojo Barriers commented: “We will continue to strengthen our market position as part of the EVAGO Group. The event infra-structure market is growing and is full of opportunities so I am confident future investments will allow our research and development department to continue to develop our product range to take advantages of those opportunities. Our customers and employees will benefit from the fact that Mojo Barriers is now part of a larger group of companies.” Mojo’s main office locations in the Netherlands, UK, US and Australia, along with distributors in 20 other countries, will continue to offer its global customers the same Mojo Barriers’ products. The additional resources of the EVAGO Group bolsters the range of products and services they can offer clients. Hedwig de Meyer, outgoing co-owner, concluded:“Mojo Barriers’ 91
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Adlib’s Tony Grifiths; Upstage Video’s Mark Haney.
Hedwig de Meyer, outgoing co-owner, concluded:“Mojo Barriers’ products and employees represent quality and reliability. EVAGO’s values were very important to us when selecting a future owner and I am happy that we have found a great match. We will continue to remain closely connected to Mojo Barriers in the future and will continue to provide advice and assistance.” Adlib has appointed Tony Griffiths as Head of Special Projects. Griffiths is a popular and well known industry figure with extensive knowledge in the specialist field of theatrical mechanical engineering. He brings a focus on this specific area, plus a diverse knowledge in acoustic treatments and solutions with the additional experience in unique fabrics for performancey. All further enhancing the dynamics and portfolio of this busy sector of Adlib’s business. “Tony is a perfect complement to the team,” said Adlib Director John Hughes. “Bringing expertise, experience and an impressive array of contacts in these multiple dedicated fields which will sit in parallel with the audio, lighting and visual elements of our work.” With an industry career dating back 27 years, Griffiths has worked with some well-known names in the UK, including AS Green, Harkness Hall (now Harkness Screens and Hall Stage), PCM and most recently fabric specialist J&C Joel where he was a director for eight of his 12 years there. His range of experience encompasses the hardcore engineering technologies like counterweights, pilewind winches, stage revolves, orchestra lifts, power flying, safety curtains, electric chain hoists, trussing, structural factors, together with the nuances of acoustic drapes, banners, projection screens and curtain tracking systems. He will be based at Adlib’s HQ with a scope of work that will include expanding the potential for business in all these specialist areas reflecting a steady growth in installations and technical consultancy market. “Adlib has worked hard on developing a truly collaborative atmosphere where all feel included and valued” Griffiths commented. “Each person understands their role, how it relates to their colleagues and the project in hand, and each supports one another collectively to ensure that the client receives the best possible service and standards of excellence. I really wanted to be part of that process,” he declared. John Hughes commented that the company already knew that Griffiths shared Adlib’s core values and aspirations. “He’s a very welcome addition to the Projects team who will help expand the range of turnkey services,” he said. www.tpimagazine.com/category/industry-jobs/
Two fantastic openings have arisen to join an award winning laser show and laser system design specialist with credits spanning high profile events, advertising, television and international concert tours. Constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to the ongoing development, manufacture and sourcing of cutting-edge laser products, the company has one of the largest collections of laser solutions worldwide. With offices in the UK, Ibiza, Australia and USA, ER Productions is perfectly placed to deliver systems and show-stopping displays around the world.
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Salary depending on experience Benefits include company phone, Laptop, private healthcare and generous holidays Based in SE London/Kent at our head office you will be assisting project managers, booking flights, travel arrangements, some accounting assistance and office duties. The perfect candidate will ideally have experience project assisting within the live events industry. They will be working on MAC and will need to have experience with Microsoft Office.
LASER TECHNICIAN
Salary depending on experience Benefits include: company phone & private healthcare and generous holidays Based in SE London/Kent at our head office you will be part of a team that performs laser displays in the UK and all over the world. Laser and lighting industry experience is preferred but not essential. Computing and basic networking experience is also preferred. The right candidate will be required to regularly travel UK and World Wide.
Please send a CV and covering letter to: contact@er-productions.com
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COMING SOON
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PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE
We’re a trade association, a collection of individuals and businesses with a similar interest; the provisions of technical services for live events. People pay a membership fee, we do stuff, members get stuff, sometimes that’s obvious and sometimes it isn’t.
From a bunch of companies that got together to sort out the issues of employment status and insurance for freelancers to a 1,600 strong representative voice, memberships have been upgraded over time, it’s perhaps a good idea to recap, highlight a few recent additions and give a run-down of what we expect to be working on in the coming months. In a perfect world, trade associations simply deal with things that indirectly affect their members’ businesses. Doing that costs money, membership fees cover those costs. We’re here to help influence those that influence our workplace, whether it’s HMRC and employment status, Ofcom and spectrum clearance, HSE and safety legislation, DCMS and licensing entertainment or whoever is devising the big plan for Brexit. Sometimes we can succeed in stopping bad decisions before they’re made, there are times that the only solution is making things less bad than they could be and there are many occasions when all we can offer is awareness and a coping strategy in the form of links to guidance that we’ve helped to develop. Noise at Work, employment agency reporting requirements, PMSE spectrum, Construction (design and management) Regulations, changes in apprenticeship development, event licensing...we’ve played our part in all of them and more, representing our members’ interests, reminding influencers of our contribution to the wider economy and the need for sensible approaches to policy development and enforcement. So that’s the perfect world, where we deal with the bigger picture while you get on with business in a climate that’s better because we’re looking out for you. It’s at this point that we have to admit that we don’t do this on our own; there are other forces at work, larger bodies made up of associations like the PSA with interests vested in the markets our members serve. UK Live Music and The Business Visits and Events Partnership are two such organisations, both effective lobbying voices with access to Government because of the collaboration between their member associations. Of
course, we’re not living in a perfect world so we have to add to the value of the collective voice, delivering benefits beyond the collective, delivering something for individual companies and people. For a while, that was simply the use of a logo, a business support line and regular newsletters. Of course, there’s been a website for a while, and we keep adding resources. As numbers grew, we added PSAdditions, a plethora of money saving deals that, with a little effort, could save the price of membership, apparently they call that the cost benefit analysis. But there’s work to do this year so the continued support of our members is needed. You may have noticed that the UK will be leaving the European Union. The electorate was given a yes or no, in or out, black and white choice; the journey to the chosen destination is going to be colourful. For a sector that moves a lot of kit and people overseas, we could be affected by any alteration to the free movement of goods, services and people over our border with mainland Europe. Through our connection with UK Music, we are able to provide information and evidence to the Department for Exiting the European Union about the way in which we operate and the outcomes we need from negotiations. One asset that we regularly export is people; it’s no accident that this happens, we have a rich pool of talent to choose from. Developing t the next generation of talent is a core concern for our company members, that’s why we worked with a bunch of them to develop an apprenticeship for live event technicians. We’ve recently put the apprenticeship through the approval process and, subject to some final, minor tweaks, it’s been approved. We’re hoping to see companies taking on apprentices this year. ENHANCED SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE Our new, enhanced business support line is now active, adding an online library of business document templates on top of the free, phone-based 94
PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE
expert advice on general business matters. Another area of support we’ve been working on is guidance for clients. The introduction of CDM into our sector has introduced a new focus on the responsibilities of clients to ensure a safe workplace. The HSE has highlighted areas of concern in different parts of the events sector such as constructing temporary stages and similar structures, the use of casual labour and the use of steps and ladders in the exhibition sector. Staging suppliers already developed a code of practice to help clients understand how to help create a safe workplace; we’re working with them to develop a second edition that better reflects the requirements of CDM and the HSE’s own guidance for our sector. We’ll also be working with local crew providers to develop client-focussed guidance on training, information and workplace requirements. STRESS - STARTING THE CONVERSATION. Mental health; there, we said it and it wasn’t too difficult. Nobody can deny that putting a show together can be challenging, tiring, annoying, draining... stressful. We feel it could be time to start a conversation, to make it OK to talk about stress, to share stories and ideas. Workplace stress is a focus for the Health and Safety Executive this year but that may well mean a focus on employers. With our heavy reliance ion self employed individuals we may well fall into a gap and left wondering who should be looking after whom. We’ve already added pointers to various support services to our website, open for
CARE CORNER Music Support has been an idea, and a necessary one, for a very long time. Our industry is the perfect environment for the issues at hand to breed and thrive. We at Music Support all know too many people who have succumbed, and had their lives ruined, their careers destroyed, their families torn apart - or died, as a result. We are all in recovery ourselves. Between us, we have probably had the conversation 1,000 times - about how such a service was needed in the musiciIndustry and that we should get together and do it. Well intentioned, they were the sober equivalent of pub talk. All those great ideas that come after the fifth drink… filed under “one day” or “someone else will do it.” Well - one day it happened. Perhaps it was after a piece of news about a colleague or friend who had fallen by the wayside, been fired, or died. We realised that nobody was going to start this thing unless we did. So we did. Music Support is still in its infancy. We are a core of nine like-minded individuals from all areas of the music industry and our mission statement is very simple - to provide help, support, and paths to recovery for anyone in our industry who needs it. We are 100% not-for-profit and are all volunteers. We are not affiliated with any provider or treatment center. We are totally independent. We are in the process of registering as a charity. If you, or someone you know, has a problem or may have one, with alcoholism, addiction, emotional and mental health - then please fill in the contact form or call. It could be the most important call you will ever make. http://musicsupport.org 95
all to use and we’re working with the PSA’s welfare fund trustees to develop a proactive approach to helping our sector cope with workplace stress. We’ve come a long way in the past 20 years; there have been ups and downs but your trade association has grown into an effective voice. Growth union membership has meant that we can afford to not only advise but deliver tangible, practical solutions to our members’ needs. One example of this is our recent missive about hi-vis clothing, what it is and what it isn’t. Getting the word out there was one thing, but being in a position to provide a hi-vis tabard to any member who wanted one went a little further than simply telling people what they need. None of this growth in stature or member benefits would have been possible without the help of our friends at Crewcover; their membershipinclusive public liability cover for individuals will soon be joined by a similar product for companies along with some enhancements to the cover already provided by Crewcover. The structure of the PSA means that any growth in income is there to be used for the benefit of our members, with no business empire to expand our focus is always on the membership, membership fees have remained the same for well over a decade, we’ve relied solely on growth in membership to help us deliver an upgraded package. We’re here for you. TPi www.psa.org.uk
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BACK CHAT
STEVE MAPLES Vice President, Rock-It Cargo - North American Trucking Division
How did you initially get into the rock ‘n’ roll industry? “As did all of my peers, I simply fell ass backwards into rock ‘n’ roll. As a high school graduation present, a neighbour hired a guy to teach me to drive a truck and get a CDL. I drove for his tire company during summer breaks. The tire plant burned to the ground under suspicious circumstances, so I was out of a job. There was a trailer parked in front of small industrial park near my apartment in Hermosa Beach, CA. I went in to see if they needed a driver. The company was Tycobrahe Sound. A guy who resembled John Lennon on a really bad acid day asked to see my license and then told me that if he could get me to the airport for a flight leaving in about an hour, I had a job. That evening, in April of 1974, I was running down the highway with Deep Purple’s entire rig in the trailer behind me.” When did the world of entertainment trucking really take off for you? “I’d say the real launch occurred about a year later when the tour manager of Ten Years After, Larry Griffiths, hired me for their summer tour and introduced me to Jim Bodenheimer with Egotrips. I drove his trucks for a few years, mostly doing Beach Boys, and then started dispatching for him.”
Does Rock-It have a motto for its customers at all? What do you feel has kept you in business all of these years? “I think that Rock-It’s motto is ‘Don’t just ship it, RockIt’. Here in the Treehouse [the company’s Topanga Canyon office], we like the phrase ‘You make the music and we’ll bring it’. It’s the people and the task, but mostly the people who keep you going. I’m fortunate to work in an office with young, creative folks who enjoy what they do. But, as an industry, we’re populated with kind, involved, and smart men and women. The task is to bring a show that challenges the mind, warms the soul, and makes people laugh and cry.”
Since your early days on the road, how have logistics operations improved? “I think it was when we put the buckboard in the barn, turned the mules out to pasture, and started using diesel powered tractors and air-ride trailers. Drivers check called about once a week from a pay phone. Problems were solved with cash, sweat, and a prayer. The only way to reach a driver on the highway was hope. Today’s drivers can reach out when the ashtray gets full and enjoy all the help they can ever possibly need. We can reach a driver when they’re taking a shower. When I drove we found gigs with Rand-McNally and the kindness of strangers. Today everyone has GPS directions in theirr pockets. That’s not to say that the drivers now have it any easier than it was for us back in the day. Gigs are bigger, regulations are Orwellian, and their responsibilities are tenfold. That we showed up for load-in at all was considered nothing short of a miracle. If one of the guys today arrives a minute late, everyone in their office, on the tour, and their own mother hears about it.”
Your job must come with daily challenges. What’s been the one that’s stuck with you? “One of the cool bits about what we do is that there is no intent to harm anyone, in fact, just the opposite. However, over the course of four decades, people have been injured severely or died. In the early years drugs took as many people as accidents. I will always carry those souls with me.” What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt during you time in the business? “There’s no point doing something unless you do it right - and have a laugh at the same time.” 98
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