TPi March 2020 - #247

TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL

SLIPKNOT

LIVE EVENT DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY • MARCH 2020 • ISSUE 247

A look behind the mask of the band’s ferocious world tour

I

IF YOU’RE 555...

TPi AWARDS 2020 • CARLY RAE JEPSEN • DAVE: THE BRIT AWARDS • PIXMOB: SUPER BOWL • K-ARRAY MOSTACK • JONAS BROTHERS • JAMES BLUNT • IN PROFILE: D&B AUDIOTECHNIK • ÓLAFUR ARNALDS

MARCH 2020 #247

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EDITOR’S LETTER

VISIT US! Hall 12.0 Booth D25 And the tux goes back in the cupboard…

A few years ago, I was asked what I wanted from my career. My response – to go to gigs for a living and not wear a suit. While I’m happy to say that TPi has always ticked both of those boxes for the most part, over the past five years, I must admit that I have had to conform to the latter for one night a year. Like many of you reading this, February means one thing – no, not Valentine’s Day, but the night we dust off our trusty, old penguin for the annual TPi Awards.

With 1,700 of the industry’s finest all gathering under one roof, this was without doubt, the biggest ever iteration of the event. Once again, we transformed Battersea Evolution into our home, for a night of celebration and a chance to catch up with some old friends. Drawing inspiration from the legendary New York nightclub, Studio 54, this year’s team of suppliers and supporters knocked the production out of the park, for a night many won’t forget – despite their best efforts. You can discover how all the pieces came together on p27.

As well as the TPi Awards, the touring season is now very much underway and Jacob and I have been busy visiting a number of shows up and down the country. I visited the Slipknot crew in Birmingham to catch up with some of the new faces who have answered the call of the Knot.

Elsewhere, Jacob met the James Blunt and Jonas Brothers camps, both of which made pitstops at Manchester Arena in recent weeks – much to the delight of their Northern UK fanbases. As if that wasn’t enough, he also had a chance to sit down with the visual team behind MoStack’s two headline shows at Brixton Academy.

I hope you enjoy our bumper March issue and we look forward to seeing you out on the road.

Till next time Stew Hume Editor

EDITOR Stew Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk

STAFF WRITER Jacob Waite Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8352 Mobile: +44 (0)7592 679612 e-mail: j.waite@mondiale.co.uk

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EDITORIAL INTERN Sadie Maude

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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 Sonam Diki: s.diki@mondiale.co.uk

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COVER Slipknot by Matt Rakowski

Computer Controls SIL3 Load Measuring Systems Rigging Equipment Trainings Accessories

Issue 247 – March 2020 Annual subscriptions (including P&P): £42 (UK), £60 (Europe), £78/$125 (RoW).

Subscription enquiries to: Subscriptions, Mondiale Media 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

TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL is a controlled circulation magazine, published 12 times a year by Mondiale Media Limited under licence. ISSN 1461-3786 Copyright © 2020 Mondiale Media 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 Media 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 Media Limited United Kingdom. The 2020 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 Media Ltd. Waterloo Place, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK.

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ITINERARY

EVENT FOCUS 08 MoStack

The rapper’s visual team reflect on two

headline shows at Brixton Academy.

12 K-array

The Italian pro audio brand celebrates

two significant milestones this year.

08

27

13

Carly Rae Jepsen Canadian singer returns to the UK, with an Adlib lighting and audio package.

14

Salman Ali CHAUVET Professional fixtures light the Indian singer’s first UK solo performance.

16

National Television Awards Stufish provides show design expertise to ‘television’s biggest night of the year’.

20

Dave: The BRIT Awards Bluman Associates and Stout Studio join forces with TAWBOX at the BRIT Awards.

22

Ólafur Arnalds Dual DiGiCo SD12 consoles breathe life into the Icelandic composer’s shows.

24

Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Canada’s PixMob deploys wristbands made of recycled plastic for sports fans.

TPi AWARDS 2020 27

TPi Awards 2020 Over 1,700 revellers trade in their workwear for their Monday best.

PRODUCTION PROFILE

58

58

Slipknot The heavy metal unit descend on the UK with an outstanding production.

72

Jonas Brothers The princes of pop rock make a welcome return to the touring circuit.

84

James Blunt The singer-songwriter brings ’70s-inspired sensibilities to audiences.

PRODUCTION FUTURES 94

Next Robe Generation’s first female Assistant LD at TPi Awards, Becky Gaskill.

MARKET FOCUS 96

PROVEN INDUSTRY-LEADING

IP65 MOVING HEADS

TPi takes a look at the leading forces in the dynamic world of LED panels.

FUTURE INSIGHTS

72

104 A look through some of the latest

product releases from ISE 2020.

IN PROFILE 112 TPi takes a trip to d&b audiotechnik’s

Backnang, Germany headquarters.

GEAR HEADS 116 An in-depth overview of the latest release

of Laserworld’s ShowNET application.

PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE 120 Andy Lenthall delves into the syntax of

the employed vs. self employed status.

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

84

122 The latest movers and shakers.

BACK CHAT 130 Paul Hattin, the founder of Phoenix

Bussing, takes the hot seat.

ELATION PROFESSIONAL EUROPE www.elationlighting.eu info@elationlighting.eu +31 45 546 85 66

EVENT FOCUS

MOSTACK

MOSTACK The North London rapper concludes a successful tour of venues across the UK and Ireland, with two headline shows at Brixton Academy. TPi’s Jacob Waite tracks down the visual team behind the artist’s biggest shows to date…

Following the success of the North London artist’s debut album – Stacko – and consequent tour of academy venues across the UK and Ireland, the MoStack production team went back to the drawing board to devise two technologically advanced headline shows at Brixton Academy.

TPi sat down with creative specialists, Mandylights and recent winners of The Des Fallon Video Visionary Award at the TPi Awards 2020, More Eyes, to reflect on the landmark undertaking.

Leading the camp was TPi Awards Tour Manager of the Year, Trevor Williams of Tour Music Live – the production management firm behind urban music royalty: Stormzy, Wretch 32, Stefflon Don, Dave and Hamzaa.

Following a similar trajectory to the aforementioned artists, MoStack’s tour required enforcement from a loyal band of suppliers and creatives in

Mandylights, More Eyes, Lights Control Rigging, Major Tom / Colonel Tom and KB Trucking.

Mandylights was brought in to oversee the full creative production design and onsite execution for the project, with Lighting Designer, Tom Edwards dealing with the programming and show delivery. Mandylights provided a show producer who, in this case, was Steve Bewley, who worked closely with visual vendor, Lights Control Rigging to fit all the pieces together and was also responsible for the show calling and delivery.

He explained the importance of working with familiar faces in the field. “We definitely have a great working relationship with Lights Control Rigging,” he commented. “It’s hugely important to use companies we know and work well with. After all, it’s a combined effort to produce a show from

Multimedia SHOW CONTROL & VISUALIZATION

» Stage Lighting » Special FX & Laser » Fountain Simulation » Architecture & Landscape

W W W. D E P E N C E . C O M 09

MOSTACK

the ground up.” During the performance, the artist was always the main focal point, with two huge curved LED screens wrapped around an elevated platform upstage. Not to mention a giant ego riser became his playground during the show.

“We needed a strong identity to the show that was IMAG heavy as Mo was the main focal point to the 4,500-strong crowd in Brixton,” commented Edwards.

Bewley continued: “We started sketching the design at our Newcastle office before putting it in to Depence 2, which helped us visualise the confetti, pyro and CO2 effectively to show the client exactly how the show was going to look. We then expanded the show file to suit the one-off design, which then went in to our previs suite for a week before the show to ensure everything was ready for show number one.”

Bewley explained that the team had been involved in a lot of shows at Brixton Academy. He said: “We know how far we can push the rigging capabilities and how to get the most out of the venue, yet remain within the space and budget restrictions – not to mention being installed twice.”

Using their knowledge of the space, the team pushed the parameters of the venue to the limit. “We love the challenge and always enjoy producing shows in Brixton Academy,” Edwards reflected. “Especially when it’s an important milestone in the artist’s career.”

The LD pointed out GLP JDC1 and Robe LEDBeam 150 fixtures as the perfect combination of “stunning” looks, strong enough to punch through the vast amount of video to give the show plenty of stunning moments.

“Robe BMFL Robospots were used to light Mo and others onstage,” Edwards recalled. “We used the advanced points in Brixton to be able to cut upstage under the video screens. Being able to control these from the console gave the show the precision it required.”

An overhead array of 64 Martin by Harman MAC Auras were among the punchy looks, offering a huge amount of different effects and chases.

“Having the entire show on timecode made a huge difference in accenting every snare and hit on this genre,” he said. The only issue the designers encountered was the time they had to load the sheer amount of production

in, update and prepare for the show within 24 hours. “There were a lot of moving parts to this show that required a lot of ends to meet at the right time,” Bewley recounted.

“Production Box by LCR provided production management on the Brixton show days to ensure people were in the right place at the right time throughout the load in. The stage build and video screen build were the longest parts of the load in.”

With two sold-out shows at Brixton Academy, the larger production made for a dynamic screen design, which meant more scope for creative visuals and live camera mixing.

Brought on board by Mandylights was More Eyes. “It is crucial to have a solid team with big productions,” More Eyes’ Pete Thornton said. “It’s reassuring to work on a show with trusted fellow professionals that you know will deliver a fantastic show. It allows everyone to focus on what they are good at and not have to worry about the other elements of the show.”

More Eyes’ Matt Sharp oversaw the content creation and animation, while Thornton took charge of the video editing, programming, mapping, live camera effects in Resolume and live VJ playback for both shows.

Mandylights shared its initial stage design, screen specs and a few loose ideas regarding the style of content to the AV specialist. More Eyes then came back with a mood board detailing concepts that would work well within the production timeline.

Thornton acknowledged: “Quite often we have a mix of content consisting of 3D animation, motion graphics, animated images and live camera feeds with real-time effects being applied – either with Notch or in Resolume.”

The More Eyes team was trusted to put its own stamp on the visuals.

Thornton said: “Once we’ve programmed our show file, we’ll go back through it all track-by-track with Mandylights and tweak the colour schemes, finalise some overlay graphics and sound reactive elements to make sure the lighting and visuals are as synced as possible.”

The artist and management had one primary request, which was to design and create an animated 3D version of MoStack’s bracelet. For this, 10

MOSTACK

Wash light – with an Edge

Get your Pix fix highend.com/solapix More Eyes worked with Tom Wall and Satoko Wall from BlinkinLab to develop and animate various versions of the bracelet.

Taking the physical screen size and shape into consideration, the animations were made to scroll around the stage in multiple positions and layouts.

“The bracelet was custom built specifically for the curved screen and looked fantastic on the split screen setup,” Sharp commented.

“The bracelet animations were dotted throughout the show, allowing us to create a real identity – particularly between songs and during the moments MoStack was talking to the crowd.”

During points of the show, a visual feast of lighting, visuals, cameras and pyro hit in sync to illustrate the well-crafted stage design. Thornton explained: “Quite often you get ropey camera feeds that are badly lit or badly operated, but these were on point.

The extra-wide screen meant we had to vignette a lot of the camera feeds, which actually worked brilliantly and allowed us to create some lovely compositions, merging the live effects with different backgrounds.” In summary, Thornton shared: “It was a great show to work on. I wouldn’t be surprised to see MoStack selling out bigger shows in the future.”

TPi Photos courtesy of Mandylights www.mostack.co www.tourmusiclive.com www.mandylights.com www.moreeyes.co.uk

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EVENT FOCUS

K-ARRAY CELEBRATES 2020 MILESTONE HP Sound Equipment reflects on 30 years in business, and 15 years of pro audio brand, K-array.

Founded on the principle of respecting an ethos that combines the values of contemporary design and innovation in the world of audio by offering a wide range of unique audio solutions that champion a true sound experience, HP Sound Equipment’s mission as a pro audio brand continues today, following the formation of K-array 15 years ago.

The company first broke ground in the studio design and installation market, chosen specifically for its radio and television capabilities, operating as parent company HP Sound Equipment.

The three founding partners – Massimo Ferrati, Alessandro Tatini and Carlo Tatini – sought to develop their own line of MI-based equipment and by 2005, it turned its sights to live sound reinforcement, forming what is now known as K-array.

Alessandro Tatini, K-array President and Co-Founder, reminisced: “Since the beginning, we have always looked to meet the needs of the industry, developing solutions that didn’t exist before. It’s not always easy to create products completely from scratch, yet we have been successful in keeping with this trend throughout the years, giving us a reputation of being unique and that is something I am very proud of.

He continued: “For the future, we will be looking to consolidate our products and expand to new segments and territories.”

Practicing primarily as a rental company, K-array was driven to find an alternative to the traditional design of a PA system as the sheer volume and weight of these wooden boxes caused the cost of transport to be very expensive and made the rigging hugely inefficient. After years of careful

research and testing, K-array’s flagship Concert Series was introduced and helped establish it as a manufacturer of innovative pro audio solutions.

Since then, K-array has maintained its reputation for revolutionary design by developing a next generation of touring systems as well as true line array elements for fixed installations and portable audio that are highly intelligible and extremely discreet.

As the company’s portfolio grew, so did its family of dedicated designers, inventors and distributors. With over 60 employees located in Tuscany and a network of 40 distributors worldwide, the K-family is a global force of trusted agents who are passionate about conveying the importance of audio.

The establishment of the company’s US subsidiary in 2019 has also enabled the company establish closer ties with existing and new dealers.

K-array USA President, Rusty Waite, commented: “This means that not only local technical knowhow is available through our network of direct sales, reps and service centers, but also through direct factory support for project design and product development.” He furthered: “This has already yielded several notable projects like the Fox Studios deployment of KH7 on their 2020 Super Bowl studio set up in Miami Beach.”

The two anniversaries will be celebrated throughout 2020 with various events for K-array and HP Sound Equipment clients, suppliers and staff.

TPi Photo: K-array www.k-array.com 12

EVENT FOCUS

CARLY RAE JEPSEN Adlib supplies an extensive lighting and audio package for the Canadian singer’s latest tour.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s Production Manager and FOH Engineer, Zach Snyder, placed his faith in Adlib to provide a lighting and audio package for the Canadian singer-songwriter’s latest tour. The recommendation came from the singer’s Tour Manager, Tony Marino, who had worked with the Liverpool-based rental house during his time with Panic! At The Disco.

Having worked with the artist since 2013, Lighting Designer, Charles Ford has overseen the visual aesthetic for a number of tours for Jepsen. “This time round, the main goal was to have a unique look that was logistically feasible for the scale of the tour,” he commented. “For this campaign, Carly had lots of inspiration and ideas taken from concerts in the ’60s and ’70s.”

The retro design included 16 Ayrton Khamsin LED profiles combined with 12 Robe MegaPointes. His wash luminaire of choice was the Claypaky B-Eye K20. Also on the rider were GLP impression X4 Bar 20s, as well as ChromaQ ColorForce LED 48 and 72 battens for uplighting the white set risers and back cloth.

Ford cited the MegaPointes as the “main workhorse” of the tour. “We needed a fixture that had a tonne of features as well as being compact.”

Adlib also provided the LD with his console of choice – an MA Lighting

grandMA2. “I’ve been a fan of the grandMA2 series for a long time and I’m really looking forward to moving to the grandMA3 in the near future.”

Ford gave his opinions on the Adlib team. “This was my first experience with Adlib and they were great,” he enthused. “They were an awesome crew, reliable gear and really well planned.”

Snyder also shared the sentiment, commenting how the company met all the specifications and requests, exceeding his expectations when it came to advancing shows and general planning. “It was impressive and seamless,” commented the PM. “The crew at both gigs were brilliant, knowledgeable and friendly – a true pleasure to work with.”

Adlib’s Phil Kielty also gave his two-cents: “Zach and Charles have the same meticulous eye for detail and passion for creating the best possible show. Carly has grown over time and become a strong, confident and exciting performer. Her live shows are simply amazing.”

TPi Photo: Tom Edwards www.carlyraemusic.com www.adlib.co.uk

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EVENT FOCUS

SALMAN ALI Lighting Designer, Roosevelt Dsouza utilises CHAUVET Professional fixtures to light the Indian singer’s first solo performance in the UK.

Having made a name for himself on India Idol in 2018, Salman Ali has gone on to record songs for popular TV shows and Bollywood films in his native country while producing his own material. This year he reached another milestone, appearing for his first solo concert in the UK before a sold-out crowd at SSE Arena Wembley, in an event produced by Rock On Music. Providing a design was LD Roosevelt Dsouza, with suppler, Pro Systems Services, providing a total of 45 CHAUVET Professional moving LED fixtures for the event.

Filling the air with vividly coloured crossing beam patterns and accentuating his client’s performance with bursts of white audience lighting, Dsouza endowed the venerable arena with a brilliant sense of

energy that captured the moment. Balancing these intense flourishes, he also covered the stage with soft lush washes that “reflected the gentle, angelic quality of Ali’s voice”.

Helping Dsouza achieve this wide range of effects were 30 CHAUVET Professional Rogue R2 Wash fixtures in his rig. Arranged on four vertical truss bars on the upstage wall and on a V-shaped truss structure over centre stage, the RGBW fixtures were used to create a broad palette of colours from pastels to bold primaries that gave the stage a variety of looks throughout the concert.

Dsouza also drew on the Rogue R2 Wash’s broad (12° to 49°) zoom range to change coverage areas, filling the stage with colour one moment, then 14

SALMA ALI

creating a warm sense of intimacy the next by focusing light on Ali or one of the other performers from the 515 band that supported the star singer.

The versatile Rogue fixtures also added to the emotional impact to the show with their evocative aerial washes. With a luminance of up to 8,650 lux at 5m, the Rogue R2 Wash had the output to fill the vast performance space with effects.

It was also bright enough to work with the spots and blinders in the rig during the show’s audience lighting intervals. Among those spot fixtures

were 12 Legend 330SR units. “There were a lot of people to thank for this show, including the Pro Systems UK team for their hard work and providing me with a great rig,” said Dsouza. “Also, thanks to Rock on Music, Vijay Bhola, Brindan Sivanandan, Jai Thaker, and Salman Ali, the 515 Band, Mark Rodgriques and the folks at Wembley.”

TPi Photo: Hiten Ondhia Pardesi and courtesy of ROCK ON MUSIC PRODUCTION www.prosystemservices.com

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EVENT FOCUS

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS Stufish continues its collaboration, designing a show for ‘television’s biggest night of the year’.

Broadcast by the ITV network since its inception in 1995, The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs), has grown to become one of the most prominent awards ceremonies in which the results are decided by the general public. Having worked on the event in 2010 and 2011, Stufish was initially contacted by show producers, Indigo Television to work on the design for the 2018 NTAs, stretching its collaboration to design the NTAs in both 2019 and 2020.

The initial design process involved a large design team, tasked with devising a wide range of ideas, followed by a smaller specialised team to develop the drawing board, turning sketches into reality.

Broadcast to millions of viewers around the globe, the design featured strong radial energy in the bright hues of TV screens emanating from the centre of the stage out into the arena. Stufish’s Ric Lipson picked up the story: “We created a series of designs that explored this theme and, working together with the creative producers, selected a design that built on the theme and method from our designs for the preceding two NTA shows.”

Stufish utilised a similar construction process for all three of the recent NTA shows – which saw the use of an economical printed and CNC-cut

sheet suspended on lightweight scenic nets to create an expansive set from a small amount of material. Dan Dodds explained: “The set uses rental truss and staging, which is reused over and over. The majority of the custombuilt elements were donated to a charity that provides art materials to schools, which will allow them to also have a useful life beyond the single night of the show.”

Dodds added: “These brightly coloured petals might become the scales of a dragon or the leaves of a tree in the hands of a class of primary school children. We like the idea that the colours of the TV pixels that inspired the set not only radiated out into the arena, but also out into the wider world.”

Lipson and Dodds recalled a tight time schedule to assemble the set. Lipson said: “A high degree of integration is required between all departments in order to achieve this with time to rehearse the show on camera ahead of the broadcast time. There is no time for a pre-rig or test build, so all departments use our 3D models and accurate visualisations to co-ordinate the design and ensure it can be built smoothly in the venue.”

Lipson highlighted the vibrant use of colour – something that Stufish often focusses on when crafting a show for the live touring circuit. “This 16

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NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS

design is very playful and sculptural, as it is not there to frame a specific performer or band, but instead frame the event with an atmosphere.”

Stufish endeavoured to design the set so it feels like it is an environment that the show happens within rather than a flat backdrop to the camera shot. Lipson noted: “The scenic petals seemingly float in space like a captured vortex of energy.”

According to Dodds, the set had to work for two purposes. “It has to look great in the arena for the audience in the room and on the wide camera view, but it also has to work in a different way for the close-up on camera,” he commented.

A range of camera positions delivered different shots and framing of the set for certain moments of the show. The combination of scenery, integrated LED lighting, video screen graphics and stage lighting interacted to deliver an interesting background, which was balanced for the delivery of the presenters and congratulating of the winners in the foreground.

Scenic elements were added to give depth to the shot. “It is animated by integrated LED strips and stage lighting to give it movement,” Dodds mentioned. “These elements had to be previsualised at the design point to make sure that all camera shots looked good at all scales.”

Lipson explained that the final moment in a televised show is seeing it come to life on TV. “This is different to our normal shows where

the audience in the room see the stage design and the images of the performers are presented on large video screens to add some intimacy to the large venues,” he commented.

With a TV show, Lipson outlined the importance of the live event aspect of creating the intimacy on TV and spectacle of the event to immerse the audience at home.

“It’s always very rewarding to see something that started in a conversation, turned into a sketch, into a CAD drawing, into visuals and animations, finally come to life,” Lipson said. “Working closely with the large team to deliver the vision is key to the delivery of these kind of sets.”

Stufish continued its relationship, praising the likes of Kim and Andy at Indigo Television, Chuck the Technical Producer, and Malcolm Birkett the Technical Coordinator for their work in organising the show. Lipson concluded: “As always fantastic design collaboration from Stephen Thomas and the team at Blackfriars [Set Builder], as well as with Dave Davey [Lighting Design], Mark Ballard [Audio], Shop [Video Design], DLM [Rigging], LED Creative [LED Products], PixlEvolution [LED Screen], among others.”

TPi Photos: Stufish www.nationaltvawards.com www.stufish.com 18

2020

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EVENT FOCUS

DAVE: THE BRIT AWARDS Bluman Associates and Stout Studio join forces with TAWBOX’s Creative Directors, Bronski and Amber Rimell, to produce eye-catching video mapping for the British rapper’s much talked-about BRIT Awards performance.

Racking up a huge viewership on the night and two million views on YouTube [at time of press], Dave’s impassioned performance at the BRIT Awards made headlines across the nation. Off the back of the performance, TPi sat down with TAWBOX Creative Directors, Bronski and Amber Rimell.

“Bronski and I have been working for Dave for a year now, first collaborating with him on his Psychodrama tour,” began Rimell, talking about TAWBOX’s history with artist. Once the creative duo were told that Dave wanted to perform his track Black, they began devising a creative concept to accompany the performance.

“We suggested the idea that Dave and his Musical Producer – Fraser T Smith – should face one another, while both playing seperate pianos,” added Bronski, explaining how the surface between the two performers became the canvas for TAWBOX to explore the idea of projection mapping.

“Personally, I had always wanted to work with projection as a creative idea,” stated Rimell. “I created mood boards and worked in depth at the visual aspect, aligning with and dissecting Dave’s lyrics into very small sections for the 2D and 3D world so a narrative could be seen throughout.”

Bronski designed the piano for the performance – “something I never thought I’d do,” he laughed. “I wanted a projection on top of a piano, a one-shot steadycam delivery and content to be rendered from the lens, tracked in real time.”

The advent of three fairly recent advances were all needed to pull of this production – namely disguise media servers, Notch real-time rendering and 3D tracking devices, Mo-Sys Engineering. “We were delighted to commission

Bluman Associates and Stout Studio to bring the vision to life,” continued Bronski. “We worked closely with SHOP for 2D and Stout for 3D visuals. Stout deployed Notch to render the dynamic 3D world and the camera tracking was handled by infrared Mo-Sys Engineering StarTracker. The result was mesmerising and offered viewers a truly moving, immersive visualisation.”

Although being aware of both Bluman Associates and Stout Studios, this marked TAWBOX’s first time collaborating with the two companies. “Lewis [Kyle White – Stout Studios] has an amazing reputation for his Notch skills, and artistic style in designing 3D visuals, which were paramount for the 3D section of the performance,” Bronski added. “And Pod [Bluman – Bluman Associates] is a well-respected figure in projection and video solutions and a natural choice for this project.”

Speaking of his experience, Bluman asserted that the project would not have been possible without an escalated level of help from disguise.

The project presented a new application for the disguise xR software. “We realised the key to making this work was 100% alignment between the virtual worlds in disguise and Mo-Sys and the real world,” said Bluman.

Another integral cog in the project was having one devoted Steadicamera Operator, John Clarke. “It was vital that we had the consistency of the same operator throughout the whole rehearsal and show as the steadicam’s movement was highly choreographed to synchronise with the artist and the content as it was projected,” Bluman commented.

Bluman Associates used an infrared Mo-Sys Engineering StarTracker facing down with black retro reflective stickers placed on the stage floor.

StarTracker generated off-set coordinates and tracked the position of the 20

DAVE: THE BRIT AWARDS

camera at all times, enabling the projection to be locked onto the piano for a seamless viewing experience.

The wireless StarTracker gave the steadicam operator the freedom to move around the whole piano, whilst the tracking data and camera feed were being sent wirelessly to the master control room backstage.

This enabled the 2D light projection to appear 3D with natural depth and adaptive perspective.

“To the naked eye, the projection was 2D and distorted, but everyone watching the IMAGs in the O2 Arena and the viewers at home were treated to an immersive 3D visualisation,” noted Adam Smith from Mo-Sys Engineering, who went on to explain how the feat was accomplished. “The combination of the Notch 3D graphics and Dave’s powerful lyrics connected with audiences, driving viewer engagements in a new and innovative way.”

Michael Geissler, CEO of Mo-Sys Engineering, commented on how rewarding it was for his team to have been involved with Dave’s captivating performance – and again used the word of the day: “immersive”.

“StarTracker was specifically developed for live productions like this and enabled millions of viewers at home to experience a seamless and truly immersive projection,” he commented.

The team at disguise worked around the clock behind the scenes using the latest xR software as well as a reference TV. “A TV was used on stage to calibrate the system once during load in at rehearsals,” explained disguise’s Kyle Reseigh.

“The steadicam operator was able to explore the ‘inside’ of the real-time 3D content. Inside Notch, Lewis from Stout Studio used the exposable camera workflow to allow the tracked camera to explore the 3D environment and gain the parallax effect with the content. The team from

Bluman Associates used the disguise gx 2c, Notch and Mo-Sys Engineering tracking system to make the effect of interactive 3D based projection from the camera’s perspective. Using the latest disguise xR software allowed us to match the worlds of Mo-Sys Engineering, disguise and Notch with ease.”

Matt Swoboda, founder of Notch, was pleased with the end result.

“Thought-provoking installations such as this one are rising in popularity with performers who want to create an inspiring stage design for a multichannel audience. Dave’s performance shows the impact motion graphics can have in bringing audiences into the story – whether they’re watching live or from behind a screen. Brilliant visuals are able to bridge the gap between the virtual and the physical realm.”

Bluman noted: “Dave’s microphone going down on to the piano and interrupting the light beam revealed the mix of the virtual world and the real world was incredibly powerful.”

“It’s been fantastic to be part of Dave’s journey,” shared Rimell, who felt “humbled” to play a part in the creative process. “I’m happy that a 21-yearold young man from South London got the chance to share his art and voice on an excellent platform like the BRITs.” It was a sentiment that was echoed by Bronski. “The reaction to the performance has been incredible. Even though we did something tightly scripted and technically challenging, we still created a performance that was all about the artist – his words, emotion and delivery. And, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”

Photo: Andrew Timms www.santandave.com www.tawbox.com www.blumanassociates.com

chamsyslighting.com

21 21

EVENT FOCUS

ÓLAFUR ARNALDS Dual DiGiCo SD12 consoles breathe life into BAFTA-winning Icelandic composer, Ólafur Arnalds’ OPIA multi-performance production at London’s Southbank Centre.

Taking over London’s Southbank Centre and its performance rooms for one evening, Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds described OPIA as “a celebration of music and film, friendship and collaboration”. Headlining in the Royal Festival Hall, Arnalds was supported by featured sets in other areas from piano/electronic duo, Grandbrothers; pianist, violinist, and composer, Poppy Ackroyd; breaks-infused techno, Vaal; R&B from Rhye; and Kiasmos, Arnalds’ collaboration with Janus Rasmussen.

“I have been approached by Ólafur’s production team several times in recent years, but we had never been able to coordinate our calendars to enable us to work together,” explained FOH Engineer, Jonathan Lucas.

“I went along to watch Ólafur’s new show and found it incredibly powerful.

It was such a beautifully dynamic and intriguing experience, so I couldn’t wait to get on board.”

Central to the production was an innovative triangulated piano setup, comprising a grand piano, played by Arnalds, joined by two MIDI-enabled, self-playing upright pianos, as well as two synthesisers, a MIDI keyboard and an Ableton station. A custom-made KeySense light bar with optical sensors

over the grand piano keys detected notes played and converted them to MIDI via Stratus bespoke semi-generative MIDI manipulator software, developed by Arnalds with an Icelandic music programmer.

Triggered by Ableton or the MIDI keyboard, the converted notes were transformed into musical phrase sequences, sent to and performed by the two autonomous upright pianos. Accompanying the piano system were four live string players and a drummer with two synthesisers and his own Ableton setup.

Ableton also provided click tracks for the musicians and MIDI information to the lighting department via a MIDI/Ethernet converter to synchronise the lighting design with the music. The Ableton system was preprogrammed with scenes for each song, loaded with playback clips, tempo and FX settings, and registered any live samples that Arnalds generated.

PA company, Ambion, in Kassel, Germany, was appointed to provide the audio equipment for the event, centred around two DiGiCo SD12 consoles with a shared 32-bit SD-Rack. The system also included five Lake LM44 processors for speaker management and system control, a Waves server 22

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The dual-console system was set up to manage 48 inputs with shared gain providing full FOH control, as well as monitor feeds for six musicians and a tech mix on stereo IEMs. The FOH console catered for AES left, right, sub and mono, feeding the LM44 processors on stage and at FOH, and providing eight analogue and eight AES outputs on both ends of the multicore. With a fast and complex musical arrangement, pre-programming Snapshots for every song was a must.

Lucas also achieved a full virtual soundcheck scenario at both FOH and monitors. “Having used virtual soundcheck for programming and tuning, I had often pondered the idea of getting the signal to the monitor desk,” he revealed. I had previously moved the record laptop and DiGiCo MGB to monitors but, as I send some FX returns to IEMs, it was important to feed both desks simultaneously.”

Monitor Engineer, Dan Speed, and Lucas were able to write a macro at the monitor desk that switched the inputs to ‘con’ receive instead of ‘SD-Rack’ in the same way the Copy Audio function worked for the FOH Engineer.

Lucas recalled: “I duplicated the Copy Audio routing to five con send cards, making them available over OptoCore. The monitor desk required a combination of alternate input selection and main input routing depending on mono or stereo channel configuration. Once we were up and running, the musicians could effectively tweak their own monitor mixes and, as alternative players made up the string quartet, they could jump through the set without requiring everyone to play along.”

He continued: “Ólafur has a remarkable handle on the entire production and, being a producer and studio engineer as well as a composer, we could communicate on a technical level. There is so much silence in the show that minimising the noise floor and translating subtle detail was a real priority. I chose the DiGiCo SD12s fitted with 32-bit cards as a compact but feature-packed solution for this project, which is both refined yet complex,” Lucas concluded. “The system could provide enough in the way of processing and surface control in a small footprint. Insisting on a 32-Bit SD-Rack was definitely the right move.”

TPi Photos: DiGiCo & Laura Kate Bemrose www.digico.biz 23

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EVENT FOCUS

PIXMOB ILLUMINATES SUPER BOWL LIV HALFTIME SHOW Canada’s PixMob deploys wristbands made of recycled plastic to the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show.

Taking place on 2 February 2020 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, The Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show saw fans don PixMob LED wristbands made entirely of recycled plastic. The innovative bands created lighting effects that synchronised with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s performance.

Embarking on its second appearance at the Super Bowl, PixMob deployed its first ever wristband from recycled material – the latest addition to its fleet of LED wearables.

Using the same technology that made the X2 wristband the most popular wearable of PixMob’s line-up, the X2R is made wholly of recycled plastic – a first in the industry of audience lighting. PixMob’s uniqueness lies in its use of infrared light to send command to the wearables. “This

removes the possibility of interference with any radio-frequency sources, which is quite regulated,” explained President of PixMob, Jean-Olivier Dalphond. “It is fast and uses a similar technology to how a remote control enables the ability to change TV channels, but much more powerful.”

PixMob’s X2 wristband technology has been developed in recent years to fit a scale of projects. Dalphond walked TPi through the specifications of the new LED wristband, which was made from recycled phone cases, soles and manufacturing trimmings. The new wristbands have two LEDs instead of the previous three. However, similar to a camera’s megapixels, more LEDs does not mean a brighter output.

Dalphond figured that driving more electrical current to each LED amounted to a similar level of brightness. He commended a dedicated 24

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PIX MOB

Technical Director, Christophe Lessard-Drolet, Technical Director, Jacques Vanier (back), Executive Producer (front), Sophie Blondeau, Lighting Programmer, Eric Marchwinski, Pixel Technician, Samantha Lynn Torres and Technician, Audrey Vallée.

team of 15 people working in the background to create the seamless technology. “With this change, we were able to change our manufacturing processes to automate 90% of the assembly. We vertically integrate from design to manufacturing, firmware, software, and delivery.”

The eureka moment for PixMob occurred ahead of the Spice World – 2019 Tour, when bandmember Geri Halliwell got in contact with the tour’s creative team – planting the seed of a recyclable alternative to the LED wristband. “She expressed an issue about plastic in the ocean and asked whether we were working on solutions,” Dalphond said. “Although she was right, there wasn’t enough time for us to modify the product for the tour.”

Through the Spice Girls production team, PixMob put in place a recycling programme where over 40% of units were recovered. Afterwards, PixMob reorientated its product teamwork and decided to go all in to find a new manufacturable solution.

“It’s easy enough to make a wristband with some percentage that is recycled, so we decided to go 100% recycled,” Dalphond stated. “It was challenging at the beginning, and it took us a few months to solve. Using recycled materials to create our products is an important step forward in our plan to make our business operate without single-use plastics.”

PixMob was also encouraged by TPi Award-winning Lighting Designer, Tim Routledge, having used PixMob in the lighting design for the Spice World – 2019 Tour. “The Super Bowl was our first event with the new X2R. It’s an important step in our journey towards sustainability, but it’s not enough. There is more to come in the next six months.”

The show went very well, according to Dalphond. “The Super Bowl production team is world class,” he noted. “Ricky Kirshner, the Executive Producer, runs a solid production. If there was one thing that couldn’t be predicted, it was the Miami weather. The Saturday before the show there were massive rainstorms. Harry Styles had to cancel his concert in town.”

Preparing for all eventualities, the PixMob team housed all the wristbands in 100% recycled plastic bags for distribution.

“It worked out well, but it required a lot of manpower. Our team, led

by Sophie Blondeau, met the challenge head on,” Dalphond continued.

“In developing the wristbands, as with any designs, it’s a balancing of constraints. We want to maximise quality on what matters and optimise everything else. So how do we balance that out? We think the X2R is the answer for now.”

The X2 wristbands were controlled by an MA Lighting grandMA2 console and triggered by DMX. At an event as busy as the Super Bowl, all cues are pre-programmed and triggered through timecode, so they were perfectly in sync with the show. “We worked with Lighting Programmer, Eric Marchwinski of Earlybird Visual to program and the results were just so textured it was amazing. In other events, we control live directly from a lighting board – this is how we executed on the Bad Bunny tour.”

There were props on the field, conceived by Bruce Rodger and ShowFX in LA. PixMob then provided lighting using the core lighting modules from the X2R wristband. Dalphond reflected on the feat: “We solved a problem they were having where they prefer not to use a wireless DMX using on radio frequencies. We had to reorganise our wristbands control as we used one fixture to speak to the arches, field cast and attendees’ wristbands.”

Two weeks after the Super Bowl, PixMob provided LED wristbands for an NBA All Stars game in Chicago. Dalphond concluded: “We were proud to be there to honour the memory of Kobe Bryant through light.”

TPi Photos: PixMob www.superbowl.com www.pixmob.com www.earlybirdvisual.com 26

Inside the touring industry’s biggest night of the year

I

TPi AWARDS 2020

TPi AWARDS WINNERS 2020 THE DENNIS SHEEHAN TOUR MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD

PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR

FAVOURITE CREW COMPANY

SPONSORED BY EFM GLOBAL LOGISTICS

SPONSORED BY VISTA INSURANCE

JOEL STANLEY

STAGE MIRACLES

FAVOURITE RIGGING COMPANY

RIGGER OF THE YEAR

FAVOURITE SOUND RENTAL COMPANY

SPONSORED BY EUROTRUSS GROUP

SPONSORED BY RIGGING SERVICES

SPONSORED BY SENNHEISER

UK RIGGING

SVEN KNIGHT

SSE AUDIO

FOH ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

MONITOR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

FAVOURITE POWER SUPPLY COMPANY

SPONSORED BY GLOBAL MOTION

TREVOR WILLIAMS

SPONSORED BY SES

SPONSORED BY AZULE FINANCE

PAUL COOPER

BEN KINGMAN

PEARCE HIRE

FAVOURITE REHEARSAL FACILITY

BACKLINE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR

FAVOURITE LIGHTING RENTAL COMPANY

SPONSORED BY TRUCKINGBY BRIAN YEARDLEY

SPONSORED BY TPi MAGAZINE

SPONSORED BY AYRTON

FBN STUDIOS

BOB MUNRO

LIGHTS CONTROL RIGGING

LIGHTING DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

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TIM ROUTLEDGE

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THE MARK FISHER SET DESIGNER OF THE YEAR AWARD

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FAVOURITE TRUCKING COMPANY

FAVOURITE TOUR BUSSING COMPANY

SOUND SYSTEM DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

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STAGE MANAGER OF THE YEAR

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PAUL HATTIN

BREAKTHROUGH TALENT

TPi AWARDS 2020

GOLD AWARDS AND DISCO BALLS This year’s TPi Awards took the collective live music community back in time, to the mean streets of gritty 1970s New York, for a Studio 54-inspired night of celebration.

The theme filtered into every aspect of the night – from the soundtrack to the lighting design, the content and even the coveted award – the latter taking the form of a gold disk, which we are sure now takes pride of place in offices throughout the industry.

Breaking attendance records, 1,700 individuals from all corners of the touring sector – from riggers to rental house, and production managers to manufacturers – descended on Battersea Evolution to witness the passing of 28 gold discs to the best and brightest in the room.

We were happy to welcome Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) as the headline sponsor this year. In honour of the annual trade show’s move to Barcelona in 2021, the exhibition team welcomed all attendees up to the ISE Bar for a drink.

This year also saw the new addition of the Lighting Operator of the Year accolade, which was awarded to Suluko’s James Scott. Boasting 28 awards dedicated to a range of specialisms, the hardworking men and women of the touring world got the chance to take a rare step into the spotlight and shake hands with returning host, Russell Kane, who many will attest – was on top form.

A massive congratulations to all of this year’s nominees.

The full list of winners can be seen on the previous page. With another successful event under our belts, the TPi events team are already in talks to take our annual soirée to even greater heights next year.

Until then, please enjoy the full production coverage of the 2020 event.

Stew Hume Editor

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PRODUCTION PROFILE

TPi AWARDS 2020 As the mirror ball stops spinning at the largest TPi Awards to date, TPi catches up with the ensemble entrusted with the daunting task of delivering a ceremony and after party fit for 1,700 of the live music and entertainment technology industry’s best and brightest.

I

TPi AWARDS 2020

Gathering the world’s finest from the live touring industry for an evening full of celebration and revelry, the TPi Awards has come a long way in its 19-year history. A far cry from its inaugural show at the 500-capacity Hilton London in 2002, nowadays, the TPi Awards is regarded as the premier networking date on the live production calendar. This year, 1,700 revellers traded in their workwear for their glad rags to acknowledge and reward the achievements of the most talented and successful individuals and service companies working across the sector.

Back by popular demand, Russell Kane reclaimed his crown as host, while the supplier roster comprised a mixture of fresh and familiar vendors in: On Event Production, FIX8 Group, 80six, Sound of Music, Visual Edge Media and TRUCKINGBY Brian Yeardley. The show and bar sponsors and supporters were disguise, ROE Visual, Robe, NEXO, Sennheiser, MDG, Epson, ArKaos, Mirror Ball Paul, J&C Joel and GLD Productions.

Project Manager, Ben Hyman. “For those supplier sponsors, we identified all the key products they wanted to demonstrate and began to incorporate this into our designs from an early start.”

Hyman went on to explain that the challenges of designing a production that was deliverable within budget and time constraints, while also allowing for the creative production value of previous incarnations. He went on to explain that this meant FIX8Group had to be mindful of the clientele coming along to the event. “Our first area of interest was the bar. Ensuring people could talk and network comfortably was essential, so opening the main room from the beginning was key to giving space for people to move easily – all the while using creative elements to create a ‘club’ atmosphere.”

Liaising with all the suppliers and putting together the production puzzle was Adam Dewhurst of On Event Production – this year’s TPi Awards Production Manager. “The first real TPi Awards 2020 meeting was back in September 2019 at PLASA Show in London,” recalled Dewhurst. “It was the first time we were able to get all those involved in one room at the same time. It was integral to get most things in place by Christmas, so we could line the budgets, take a break, return and crack on.”

Dewhurst explained that he focused on allowing the suppliers to be creative, only reeling them in when an idea or a concept was unfeasible.

“It was really important that all the stakeholders were given creative freedom to showcase what they wish from the event.”

FIX8 Group collaborated with Robe, ROE Visual and 80six to see what could be achieved in a visual capacity. “Certainly, from a manufacturer’s

PRODUCTION ORIGIN Paying homage to a legendary New York venue, every aspect of this year’s event – from the soundtrack, decor and even the awards – were all in the style of Studio 54. Working closely with FIX8Group, the TPi team brainstormed ways to take the annual awards to the next level.

“Once we had decided on the brief, the team at FIX8Group got to work, devising the inital design, look and feel of the event, with careful consideration to ensure all of the suppliers and stakeholders maintained their own expectations and requirements from the event,” stated Senior 34

TPi AWARDS 2020

The video team: Kieron Yates, Glenn Austin, Jeremy Langley, Paul Nichols, Ben Annibal, Andy Warwick, Phil Barnet, Saria Ofogba, Joe Mannion and Barry Minter.

Top row: Matthew Ascough, Gavin Kennedy, Ola Przytula, Charley Hardwick, Jake Paige, Nari Smith, Becky Gaskill, Glen Leyser.

Bottom row: Tomas Kohout, Jordan Tinniswood, Nathan Wan, Andy Webb.

point of view, it was important to see which products they had available and could showcase on the night.”

As with any live production, TPi Awards 2020 provided a series of logistical challenges. “It’s within my brief to turn any problems into solutions,” the PM said. “To improve the speed of the install, we opted to fly the screen, instead of ground supporting like in prior years. Due to the size of the screen, we were pushing the boundaries on the weight limits

within the venue, so we worked closely with Hawthorn – the in-house rigging provider at Battersea Evolution – to find a way of making it work within the temporary structure.”

Assistant PM, Alex Tweedie oversaw the derig and Stage Managers, Anabelle Parslow and Megan Kingdom-Davies, assisted the PM on site.

Dewhurst reflected on the task at hand: “It was a tall order – especially because I attended the show last year as a guest, following my work on

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TPi AWARDS 2020

Entedi’s Marcel Wijnberger and ArKaos’ Benjamin Bauwens; Visual Edge Media’s Rob Currie and Andy Taplin; Production Manager, Adam Dewhurst of On Event Production; FIX8 Group’s Ben Hyman; Sound of Music’s Ben Williamson.

Daytime TPi, and I thought it was a seamless show. Having 1,700 of your peers in the room as opposed to a traditional corporate event where everything wouldn’t be scrutinised as much was quite daunting, but we were delighted with the result.”

64 LEDBeam 150s. A total of 52 Spiider LED Wash Beams, 10 ColorStrobes, 26 MegaPointes and seven T1 Profiles made up the main room roster of Robe moving light fixtures. In addition, five BMFL FollowSpots were placed in individual remote BaseStations around the room and operated by Robe NRG students.

A total of 36 Tetra2s at the back of the stage were fixed on dropdown bars emulating Studio 54 lighting, with two fixtures rigged vertically below one another on the 18 dropdowns and programmed with liquid kinetic pixel effects. At the bottom of each dropdown bar was an LEDBeam 150. “These combined seamlessly with the video elements to create the signature look.

We wanted everything to be coherent and harmonious,” Wan explained.

Twelve Tetra2s were positioned on the front lip of the stage and used as handy footlights, floor keys for host, Russell Kane, and for dramatic colour curtain effects. The other eight were hung vertically on the main rig above the tables.

Thirty ESPRITEs were hung on the main rig, which comprised 10m by 15m and 6m by 8m sections of LX truss – eight in each side of the room, all angled at 45° to the stage in a fully symmetrical formation, with one horizontal LX truss of T1 Profiles on the front truss. The other 10 ESPRITE fixtures were positioned along the back edge of the stage, ready for rear aerial effects.

Eighteen MegaPointes were placed along the sides of the room in clusters of three on special 1m-high risers – nine on the left and nine on the right.

“The rationale here was that they cut across the room, giving another height and angle variation and adding an extra spatial dynamic – a treatment that works well in lower ceilinged rooms like Battersea Evolution,” Wan pointed out. “The other 12 MegaPointes were on the main

LIGHTING Overseeing the 350-strong extensive Robe lighting rig for yet another year was Lighting Designer, Nathan Wan and Associate Lighting Designer, Andy Webb, who presided over Robe’s creative team and a hand-selected roster of NRG (Next Robe Generation) initiative students.

Assistant Lighting Designer, Becky Gaskill was one of two female lighting specialists to join the NRG crew for the TPi Awards this year, alongside Systems Tech and RoboSpot Operator, Ola Przytula of The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. The rest of the NRG team comprised Main Bar Lighting Operator, Charley Hardwick; Main Bar Video Operator, Matthew Ascough; Robe VIP Lounge Lighting Operator, Jake Paige; Lead RoboSpot Operator and Crew Chief, Glen Leyser; as well as Nari Smith and Gavin Kennedy in the NRG tech team.

The Robe VIP Lounge Meet and Greet Team (non-technical role) comprised Nathan Mallalieu, Jack Druett, Finlay Russell and Sam Blackmore.

Wan wanted to recreate some of the lighting ambience that was used at Studio 54 during its 1970s heyday with a “modern twist”, which resulted in a “digital and contemporary” aesthetic – think Strictly Come Dancing meets Eurovision Song Contest. The LD utilised a range of Robe’s newest releases – the ESPRITE LED Profile with transferrable LED engine and the Tetra2 moving LED batten.

The rig comprised 24 LEDBeam 150 small moving lights, surrounding the main screen arch – along with 56 Robe Tetra2s, 40 ESPRITES and a further 36

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TPi AWARDS 2020

rig,” he added. Robe Spiiders, 52 in total, were evenly distributed across the rig to provide a wash effect for the dinner portion of the evening. During the show, they were mapped with ArKaos Kling-Net to provide some dynamic pixel effects.

Most of the 64 LEDBeam 150s were creating the arch around the main screen. “Having lights on the stage offered another angle and layer for the eye and enabled massive epic wide stage looks,” Wan explained. “Colours were matched to the video content and these lights could follow the movement and timing of this and virtually extend the size of the screen.”

Four T1 Profiles were used for front key lighting, with three at the back.

The BMFL FollowSpots – with the onboard cameras – were at the far end of the room on the final LX truss. One was dedicated to Russell Kane and the other four were used to pick up the winners on their tables and follow them to the stage.

Wan stated: “We were given the winner seating and table information ahead of the show so the followspots could be pre-positioned and immediately go to the correct location to highlight those getting up to come to stage and collect their awards.”

The main room show lighting was programmed by Wan and Webb on two Avolites Tiger Touch II consoles – one dealing with the main show and effects lighting fixtures, operated by Gaskill, with Webb running all the key lighting and specials on the second console.

The bar, reception and pre-show featured 28 Tarrantulas and four MegaPointes to light the 2m mirror ball centrepiece. The brief was to evoke a classic club vibe. To this end, four LX trusses were flown in the centre of the room between a box truss above the bar, all rigged with SilverScans.

These were supported by additional SilverScan and Tarrantula fixtures on two side trusses along the long edges of the room. ArKaos Kling-Net was fed to the Tarrantulas to help produce “eye-candy” effects, while the

SilverScans were programmed on another Tiger Touch II operated by NRG students Hardwick and Ascough. Overhanging Battersea Evolution’s atrium were six BMFL Spots, providing eye-catching gobo coverage as guests entered the venue.

Robe’s VIP area was more moodily lit, with an environmental and ambient style of lighting related back to some original images of Studio 54, which was created with six T1 Profiles and four T1 Fresnels, operated by Jake Paige.

The team’s biggest challenge was the shrinking timeframe to get in almost 350 fixtures, with no prior rehearsals. “This rig had just come out of the box and we were building it for the first time,” Wan pointed out. “We had to visualise the rig, overcome any problems and fix things for the first time while on sight.”

This year, however, was much smoother for the Robe creative team, having been involved in the design process from the very start. Wan recalled: “Consideration was taken this year to things which we required – to get lighting on to the set, as opposed to it being an afterthought or a last-minute addition, which is shoehorned into the set design.”

Wan praised the PM’s abilities to pull the pieces together early doors.

“Everything was taken into consideration, with a cohesive design,” he reflected. “This was the first time we had a drawing and design done before Christmas, instead of the tail end of January, which doesn’t help anybody with planning and costs.”

Also aiding the onstage visual for yet another year was MDG. Having provided the Ice Fog Compack – HP low fog generator for the host’s entrance for TPi Awards 2019, this year MDG pushed the envelope further by rolling out its Ice Fog Q – HP. MDG’s Matt Wisemen explained: “It gives us double the output of the Compack of low-lying fog, which will stick to the ground and avoid obscuring the on-stage guests.”

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04/03/2020 15:06

TPi AWARDS 2020

VIDEO “Our role is a bit different this year; we’re no longer involved in designing the stage – this year is purely video content creation,” Visual Edge Media Content Creator, Andy Taplin picked up the story. “Having been involved for two years, there was a certain level of trust, which meant we had more creative freedom to govern ourselves when it came to video creation. Being so self-sufficient has also alleviated the pressure on the PM, who has come in following the restructuring of the event behind the scenes.”

To begin, the Visual Edge Media team of Taplin, Creative Director, Rob Currie and Edit & Animation Director, Nick Clark-Lowes, were given a mood board of images by FIX8Group and TPi, with a strong focus on the Studio 54 aesthetic, along with magenta and neon signage.

Taplin reflected on the brief: “It was a challenge. They are contrasting elements at first glance, but when we delved further, we realised that growing through the intro, to then showcase the entire screen was the main archway of ROE Visual Strips on the stage.”

Due to the vibrancy and luminosity of the ROE Visual Strips, Taplin explained that any visual content in the middle of the screen had to be considered. “The most important content of the night was the placement of people’s names and sponsor logos. Therefore, we went with the idea of keeping it bare in the background and building from there. The glittery circles, which were a gentle nod to the theme, filled the space in the bottom of the screens, while also keeping the main bulk of the screen clean.”

The imagery was devised predominantly by Adobe After Effects, featuring 3D elements. “In recent years, it’s become gradually easier to use elements by Video Copilot in After Effects,” Taplin said. “The nice thing about that is it keeps everything contained into one programme.”

Among the video transitions was a physical disco ball, with TPi Awards 2020 lettering curved and wrapped. “There was an option to keep the logo static but instead, we opted for a 3D effect to add more depth, adding a

twinkle in the lettering to give it more of a disco-inspired sparkle,” Taplin recalled. “I’m really pleased with the outcome.”

The content was triggered live, depending on the running order and show call. However, the task was no walk in the park for Taplin: “There was confirmation in January of an alternative screen size, which meant I had to go back to the drawing board. The main sponsor logo also changed colour halfway through, so it was a case of re-rendering everything again. Thankfully, Rob Currie and Nick Clarke-Lowes have all worked on it collectively and I couldn’t have done it without those two.”

On the night, 80six deployed an eye-watering number of products from long-time supporters of the event, ROE Visual. At the focal point of the set design was a flown, curved LED screen, which comprised 245 tiles of ROE CB5, 100 tiles of ROE DM2 IMAGs at the rear of the room and 90 ROE Strips – the latter spanning the periphery of the set design.

“Some of the biggest names in the industry attend the TPi Awards so the stakes are high. Despite this, the whole team smashed it and the show went off without a hitch. We had loads of really good feedback and it’s without doubt that lots of the credit we received was due to the involvement and cooperation of our good friends at ROE Visual”, Jack James, Director of 80six stated.

“Working with the team of 80six was a real pleasure. They have a team of dedicated and knowledgeable technicians”, stated Victor Kortekaas, Technical Director at ROE Visual Europe. “Working together was fun and the result was everything we wanted it to be”.

A visual border separating the bar area for the main room housed 144 flown tiles of ROE Vanish 8, displaying sponsorship and supporter logos, while 30 CB3 tiles welcomed guests in the foyer areas.

“The content guys are incredible,” 80six Director, Dan Hamill enthused.

“We throw the screen in, but really, it is absolutely nothing without the creative work from the likes of Visual Edge Media. They’ve turned a flat 46

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TPi AWARDS 2020

screen into something that is dynamic and eye catching. They nailed it, Blackmagic Design package comprised four Blackmagic URSA broadcast making it disco-inspired, but not too cheesy.” cameras, two Cannon UJ90 camera lens and Vinten heavy-duty tripods at Processing power came in the shape of four EV4 4K processors, four FOH, a Cannon HJ14 camera lens and Cannon HJ22 camera lenses – the Brompton S4 processors, a pair of Barco Event Master E2 Gen 2s, manned latter were specified for the guest presenters’ walk up shots. by an EC50 controller, as well as two disguise VX4 servers. Everything was “Blackmagic gear is getting better and better every year,” Austin explained. housed on a Lightware 8x8 HDMI and 16x16 HDMI “We really enjoy using this setup; it’s the same matrixes, with fibre running to all the screens. system that we had on Swedish House Mafia’s 80six Project Manager, Ben Annibal summed up recent tour. It’s a great unit, which tours well and “You’ve got to be on your A his experience on site: “It’s great to work with such looks smart. For this show, it’s beyond perfect.” game. If you muck this up, a strong team,” he commented.

Blackmagic Design also sponsored Live “One of the finest things you get working on a Production of the Year, which was awarded to people will remember. As production of this scale is not necessarily having Stormzy’s crew for their work on the artist’s far as video goes, you would a focal production company. It’s amazing how we headline Glastonbury performance. all work individually with Adam at the helm, who

Speaking from the Director’s chair, struggle to pick a better has done a great job in tying everything together.”

Warwick pointed out some familiar faces on site. team – from LED techs, to From a production point of view, Annibal added: “It’s such a small industry; you look down at the “I was really happy with how cohesive everything guestlist and notice a bunch of people you’ve E2, cameramen, to disguise was. It was great to work with loads of new suppliers worked with before. It’s a privilege to be involved media server operators – as well – many props to everybody involved. I look in the show. Hopefully we’ll be on the stage forward to developing the relationship with TPi accepting an award in the future.” we handpicked the team Awards in the future.”

Austin furthered: “You’ve got to be on and were confident in the Behind the screens, TPi was greeted by PPU your A game. If you muck this up, people will Engineer, Glenn Austin, who has been involved remember. As far as video goes, you would fact that, although we were with designing and touring Blackmagic Design PPU struggle to pick a better team – from LED techs, under prying eyes, it was systems for a number of years. Walking TPi through to E2, cameramen, to disguise media server the 4K-capable setup, he commented: “80six wanted operators – we handpicked the team and easier given the advanced someone who knew the system, and likewise, Video were confident in the fact that, although we skillset of those involved.”

Director, Andy Warwick and I have worked together were under prying eyes, it was easier given the before, so it was the right pairing for the job.” The advanced skillset of those involved.” Warwick PPU Engineer, Glenn Austin.

48

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concluded: “The TPi Awards is the one that everybody goes to. It really is the awards show for people like us. It was an absolute privilege to work at.”

They’re really nice-sounding mics. We used 935s for the guest presenters – they are hyper cardioid, so they are a lot easier to use.”

Sennheiser has sponsored the Favourite Sound Rental company category at the TPi Awards for the past three years. This year, Sennheiser Sales Director – UK and Nordic, Petteri Murto, presented the award, which was won for a second year in a row by SSE. “It has been great for Sennheiser to support the TPi Awards over the years,” said Kevin Gwyther-Brown, Sennheiser UK Channel Sales Manager – Pro Audio Solutions, who was also in attendance. “It’s always a great opportunity to meet with leading industry professionals, who all come together in one room for what is a very entertaining way of celebrating our industry and the people in it. We’re already looking forward to next year.”

In line with the Studio 54 theme, the TPi Awards 2020 was a night to remember – and, if the business of the bar was anything to go by, one that many surely forgot. Dewhurst summed it up: “Once the awards were handed out and the party began, I was immensely proud of everybody involved.”

AUDIO Recapping a hat-trick of appearances at the TPi Awards was Sound of Music’s Ben Williamson. Closely involved in the planning and system design process, the Project Manager ensured the sound design was “fine-tuned” to accommodate the hundreds of audiophiles in one room. He said: “The big change this year was the debut of NEXO NXAMP 4X2 MKII amps for processing, which we’ve recently taken delivery of at Sound of Music.”

Expanding on last year’s involvement, the rigging points were moved around for a more even and improved audio coverage. The main room’s flown 21-box NEXO rig comprised main hangs of M12, which was introduced for the first time last year, at six per side. A centre fill hang of three M10s, as well as three delay hangs of three M10s, joined the setup, as well as 10 new MSUB18s providing even coverage.

In the bar, there were four hangs of three M6s with ID24 downfills, while the mezzanine saw the debut of the brand-new NEXO P Series – P12, P8, and ID subs. “This is probably most of NEXO’s range in one building,” Williamson laughed. “Our Director, Sash Pochibko, has always had a very close relationship with NEXO, and as such, we’ve had the opportunity to get involved in events and gear of this calibre. They’re a great manufacturer to work with – their support is incredible and the boxes sound amazing.”

Expanding on NEXO and Yamaha Commercial Audio’s close relationship, the Sound of Music team deployed a Yamaha CL5 at FOH in the main room, QL1 in the bar, as well as Rio 3234 D2 and a Rio 16 in the main room, plus an additional Rio 16 for connectivity on the mezzanine – all on Cat6 multis.

Sash Pochibko, Harry Dillaway, Dan Speed, Giorgio Levebatti and Toby Cheves made up the audio team. “Harry and Dan are our newest members to the TPi Awards,” Williamson commented.

“Dan looks after RF – a package of Sennheiser, which is 12 ways of 6000 series toys; we’re only using eight, running two 965s for Russell Kane.

THE BAR An Arkaos Stage Server Pro running Kling-Net was used in the main room to pixel map 108 Robe moving lights – a mixture of Spiider LED wash beams and Tetra2 moving LED battens. ArKaos Director of Business Development, Benjamin Bauwens, shared: “This saved 26 universes of DMX and allowed the swift creation of fluid and dynamic patterns and sequences running through the lights to complement the video effects.”

The bar area lighting included 28 Robe Tarrantulas fed with Kling-Net via ArKaos Stage Server Pro run from a second Avolites Tiger Touch II console.

“As well as reducing the amount of DMX universes needed, running ArKaos through the relevant pixel fixtures also saved lots of programming time, which was exceedingly tight, so every minute counted,” Bauwens reflected.

In the bar area, video and AV specialist Marcel Wijnberger – who works for ArKaos’ UK and Irish distributor, Entedi – utilised an ArKaos Studio 4K server to feed content into two high-powered Epson 20K projectors. This 50

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TPi AWARDS 2020

was mapped to eight custom white portrait screen surfaces flown in front of one of the long walls at varying heights, creating a ‘feature wall’.

Epson UK’s Sales Manager, Sharon Head, commented: “This is an important event for Epson and enables us to meet with our partners new and old and celebrate their success over the previous year. At this year’s awards, our 20,000-lumen WUXGA laser projectors were in action supporting the event.”

Bauwens added: “These were used to display a selection of spectacular front cover designs from issues of TPi and TPMEA Magazine. The spreads were interspersed with lively party-style content graphics.”

Once the main event was over, the afterparty action shifted to the bar area, and the space that was initially open between the two rooms was closed via tab-tracked black drapes. Reflecting on the event, Bauwens commented: “Being involved in such a well-respected industry event can be daunting,” he said. “However, it’s also rewarding because we get to see all of our customers and friends in one room. We are incredibly happy to be involved for a fourth year running.”

An ArKaos Studio 4K server was also used to push material to a series of ROE Visual Vanish 8 ‘totem’ LED columns positioned in front of the now closed curtain, effectively partitioning the bar and bringing the wall alive with imagery – allowing the crew in the main room to start their de-rig while guests continued the party and networking in the bar.

The Studio 4K server was run by Wijnberger from an MA Lighting grandMA2 onPC, with content programmed into three cue stacks – one dealing with TPi Magazine covers, one for the kinetic content and the third with some ArKaos branding.

“We’ve supported the TPi Awards for several years by supplying our latest technologies for the show elements, and it was great to see it used so imaginatively and to help produce such great results,” ArKaos’ Managing Director, Agnes Wojewoda, summed up. “We enjoyed spending the evening catching up with our industry friends and colleagues, and special thanks to all our UK and Irish customers, who joined us at the Entedi table.”

J&C Joel’s specialist drapery team dressed the VIP area and provided projection screens for the bar. Oliver Marns, Sales Manager, commented: “We have been fortunate enough to witness first-hand the growth of the TPi Awards into what is now the premier event for the live production industry.

It’s always a great evening and the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and to make new contacts.”

ON THE ROAD TPi Award-winning Phoenix Bussing upped the ante with outside parking, while TRUCKINGBY provided four 45ft trucks, which had been helping various vendors for the TPi Awards throughout the build process. “It was great to be asked to be involved with the production again and sponsor the Favourite Rehearsal Facility, which was awarded to Fly By Nite Studios,” commented TRUCKINGBY Managing Director, Kevin Hopper.

With the final gold disc presented, and with everyone’s heads being filled with a selection of disco bangers – TPi signed off on yet another successful awards. As the event continues to grow each year, it is always a pleasure to see what our selection of suppliers can pull off – always upping the ante on our annual soirée. Only question is… what will we do next?

TPi Photos: Joe Okpako & TPi www.tpiawards.com www.on-productions.co.uk www.fix8group.com www.80-six.com www.pahire.com www.visualedge.media www.brianyeardley.com www.disguise.one www.roevisual.com www.robe.cz www.nexo-sa.com www.sennheiser.com www.mdg.com www.epson.co.uk www.arkaos.com www.mirrorballpaul.com www.jcjoel.com www.gldproductions.com www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk 52

THANKS TO TPi, ITS READERS, OUR CREWS & CLIENTS Stageco Belgium N.V., Kapelleweg 6, 3150 Tildonk Tel : +32 16 60 84 71 Fax: +32 16 60 10 61 info@stageco.com www.stageco.com

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01/03/2020 20:14

DAYTIME TPi

DAYTIME TPi For the third year running, TPi hosts an afternoon of spirited debate, discussions and conferences, revealing key findings from the latest Industry Leaders Report.

Off the back of requests from attendees of the annual TPi Awards, Daytime TPi has presented industry findings and discussions in variety of formats during the past three years. Established as a platform to explore trends in the live music and entertainment industry, Daytime TPi brings together Awards guests in one space to mingle, share ideas and future insights ahead of the evening’s festivities.

Taking place on the first floor of the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel & Spa, London, TPi presented two separate conversations – the Industry Leaders Survey, followed by a presentation exploring the environmental impact of live touring.

– the focus was on the industry’s reliance on freelancers. Whereas this year, the emphasis was on emerging trends in the market. The 2020 survey was sent out to two specific market groups – Manufacturers, Sales and Rental (MSR) – as well as touring personnel and production crew members.

Both groups were asked about various trends seen in the sector and to determine if we’re likely to see more of them in the future or if they were likely to have a positive or negative effect on the industry. The questions covered topics such as immersive audio, the benefit or hinderance of social media on tours and the use of drones in the live environment.

While comparing the results, there was certainly some disagreement in the opinions held by the mass collective of both groups. For example, half of touring personnel believed there will more immersive audio tours in the future, while only 21% of the MSR group agreed. Another interesting difference was seen in the topic of the effect of social media on live events.

Elsewhere, both groups had a similar percentage, agreeing there could be a positive impact – 0% of the MSR group saw any negative effects of social media, while 11% of crew members saw the negative impact of

INDUSTRY LEADERS SURVEY An extension of a project TPi brought to fruition last year, the Industry Leaders Survey, in collaboration with CGA – a market leader in business and consumer market research – saw TPi send out a questionnaire to a selection of industry leaders and key decision makers including manufacturers and rental houses. Last year – in collaboration with the PSA 54

DAYTIME TPi

touring. Finally, when it came to the inclusion of drone technology, a significant proportion of both groups believed they would see more of this technology in the future.

The questionnaire sent to the MSR group included additional questions regarding the buying habits of participants and their overall thoughts on the health of the industry. The results appeared to indicate good news, with more businesses ahead of expectations compared to the 2019 survey and 73% of those questioned being optimistic about the future.

The MSRs were also asked what sector they were looking to invest in.

Lighting led the charge, with MSR average rental stock spend coming in at £1 million, followed by video at an average of £750,000, then audio at £430,000. Across the board, total capital expenditure is set to shift positively in 2020 compared to the previous year’s survey, with over half of MSRs looking to increase their capital expenditure in the coming year.

General Manager of Mondiale Media, Justin Gawne, who presented the findings alongside TPi Editor, Stew Hume, commented: “This year was all about setting a foundation for our work in speaking to the industry and acting as a middle ground between crew members and the MSR group.

We hope to expand the database of those that take part in the survey to pick up on changes and trends in the industry, which will inform our readership about the true state of the touring world.”

the first questions raised was how exactly the calculator would work for production on the road.

Using a personal online account, users will be able to enter the relevant touring data such as number of personnel and trucks, from which the Zero Carbon Roadie will measure the carbon emitted and allow tours to support natural climate solutions by investing in Project Zero’s Blue Carbon Fund.

Project Zero’s Blue Carbon Fund will support projects that protect and restore ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems, such as mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes, sequester and store vast amounts of carbon (more per unit area than terrestrial forests); and are critical to climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as providing habitat for wildlife and multiple other benefits for coastal communities.

“We’re all on the journey to create a sustainable future for life on Earth, and like all journeys, you have to begin somewhere,” reflected Clarke. “Zero Carbon Roadie is a tool that has been specifically designed to inspire tours to invest in blue carbon projects that will sequester carbon for hundreds of years. We’re thrilled to be working to restore and protect our vital blue carbon ecosystems.”

Zero Carbon Roadie will be launched in two phases. The first phase will comprise a basic version that will be released in Spring and will provide a means of estimating the overall footprint of an artist’s tour by making calculations based on a simple online questionnaire. The second phase of the tool will provide the opportunity for a detailed analysis of tour impacts and will be released later in the year.

Following her presentation, the conversation was then opened to the floor for a spirited debate about the room’s opinions of the world of live touring. It’s certainly a subject that will be explored within the pages of TPi in the coming months.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURING Following Coldplay’s announcement that they would not be touring their latest album, the conversation about the environmental impact of touring has been leading topic among industry peers. Although this was a massive topic, TPi was keen to bring in an expert in the field to discuss the issue: Founder of Project Zero, Michele Clarke.

Project Zero is a global movement supported by renowned scientists, business leaders, campaigners, culture makers and ocean experts – working together to fight for ocean preservation.

A few weeks before Daytime TPi, Project Zero announced a new incentive dedicated to the live events sector. Zero Carbon Roadie, which is due to be rolled out in the next few months, is a carbon calculator that is set to support touring musicians’ efforts to mitigate their carbon footprints.

The brand new tool can be used by artists and crew members to reduce their impact on the environment resulting from travel, haulage, power generation and other activities that are part and parcel of touring. The tool uses the latest greenhouse gas emissions data to calculate total emissions and provide a picture of a tour’s overall carbon footprint.

During a conversation with TPi’s Stew Hume, Clarke spoke to a room of touring experts about the organisation’s entry into the world. One of

CHAUVET PROFESSIONAL & CHAMSYS DEMO CHAUVET Professional and ChamSys were in attendance, presenting a private showroom to display some of the latest products for the events market. This included the Maverick range featuring the MK3 Profile, MK3 Wash, Storm 1 and Storm 1 Wash.

Also on display were the Rogue R2X Wash and R1 Beam Wash, along with the Epix Strips and Flex, as well as the Strike family of IP-rated products including the Strike 1, Strike P38 and Strike Saber. The F6 Strip IP and Ovation Cyc 1 FC also made their first European appearance.

ChamSys used the day to showcase its new MagicQ MQ70 and MQ500 console, as well as the versatile QQ20.

TPi www.tpiawards.com/daytime 56

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPLIERS AND SPONSORS

BREAKTHROUGH TALENT

57

SLIPKNOT The nine-man heavy metal unit return to the UK with another outstanding production – much to the pleasure of the legions of ‘maggots’ this side of the Atlantic. TPi’s Stew Hume catches up with some of the new faces of the Slipknot touring family at the Arena Birmingham…

PRODUCTION PROFILE

SLIPKNOT

From the time they crossed the Atlantic for their now legendary London Astoria gig in 1999, Slipknot have always had a home away from home in the UK. Whether they are headlining a festival or setting out on another arena run, the masked nine always bring a collective excitement to the British metal family – including yours truly.

The last time TPi crossed paths with the band was four years ago at London’s Alexandra Palace during a smaller European run on the .5: The Gray Chapter album cycle. There had been a few changes since then, with a new album and even a new member: the mysterious ‘New Guy’ – or ‘Tortilla Guy’, as he’s known to the fans – who certainly fit the mould, running around the adult playground of a set with the visceral energy one has come to expect from the nine.

The new faces didn’t end on the stage, with numerous crew members joining the fold. At the top of the tree was Production Manager, Rob Highcroft. A regular name within TPi, having worked with the likes of Bring Me The Horizon, Queens of the Stone Age and Bullet For My Valentine, the PM has already accrued quite the roster of artists.

However, he admitted that the Slipknot project was one he entered with slight trepidation – not only due to the size of the act, but also the time frame he was working under. “It was a mixture of excitement and nervousness,” he reflected, while recalling what it was like to get the call from the Slipknot team. “They are a large act and a big responsibility.”

Highcroft was brought in officially in March 2019, giving the PM nine weeks to pull everything together and a further two weeks until the band’s first performance. “At the time, the only people in place were the backline guys,” he stated. “I knew I was going to need my regular suppliers around

me. Companies I knew would be able to get me the kit I needed and, just as importantly, that would allow us to pull of this show.”

These suppliers included: Eighth Day Sound, Christie Lites, PRG, ffp, Gallagher Staging, TAIT, Fly By Nite, Beat The Street, TAG Global Touring, EFM Global, Radiotek and Eat to the Beat. “The same thing went for crew,” continued the PM, explaining how he needed a team to rely on. “We’ve got a really good mix of personalities.”

Highcroft went on to explain his mantra when it comes to the PM role.

“My main responsibility is to facilitate other people doing their jobs to the best of their ability. With this in mind, duty of care is of the utmost importance to me. We do things at speed, but it’s all done very carefully.”

And when he says “speed”, he was not joking – the stage is rolled at 12.30pm each day and show-ready by 2pm. “I’ve worked on a number of shows where people are working up until doors and it’s intense,” he commented. “Personally, I would much rather my team had some downtime before the show to get their heads down.” He also explained that this time schedule helped when things hit the proverbial fan.

Aiding the delivery of this rigid schedule in the production office was Production Coordinator, Simon Robinson. Having filled the role of Production Assistant for a number of tours with Highcroft, Robinson jumped into the new position with enthusiasm.

“I was incredibly grateful to take this on,” he explained. “As Coordinator, you take on more advanced responsibilities – liaising with hotels, making sure all check-ins are smooth as well as dealing with the paperwork for visas. With a crew of over 50, that turns into a taxing job. It’s a challenge, but I’ve enjoyed it.” Robinson was quick to complement his PM’s choice of 60

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crew. “When Rob started pulling the pieces together, he knew the crew that would work. We’ve got a few familiar faces who have worked with Rob in the past and the team has gelled really well.”

be built from left to right, the TAIT system is built from upstage down. This means that part of the set can be forked up during the build process, which saves valuable time.”

Another benefit the camp divulged was the design of the system – such as the magnetic corner blocks and shear keyway, reducing the number of legs needed to support the decking structure. “The system also packs flat so the interaction with the equipment is less strenuous,” Lucas added.

Aiding Lucas in the carp department were Ben Clarkson, Paul Spencer, James ‘Chief’ Yepa, Rob Taylor and Adam Beasley. “Two of the team – Chief and Paul – also work in the backline department, working with the two percussion guys,” said Lucas, explaining how part of their job description includes throwing all manner of objects to the band, from microphones to baseball bats – far from your standard backline position.

Discussing the logistics of the operation was Stage Manager, Jacob Raggio. “Without the TAIT rolling system and if we were on house stages, our load-in would take an extra three hours,” he explained. And he should know, having worked for the band on and off for the past few years.

Highcroft chimed in, revealing some of the lessons he had learned during his time with the band. “Everything – for each department – has to be ‘Slipknot proof’,” joked the PM. “If anything was loose or flimsy, you can guarantee these guys would break it.” The sentiment was shared by the Head Carp. “You have to constantly bear in mind that everything needs to be as tight as possible. If anything comes loose, they will probably kick it off to teach us a lesson, which I’m glad to say hasn’t happened yet.”

WE ARE NOT YOUR KIND Famed for their imposing sets – from elevated drum risers to multilayered platforms – a Slipknot stage is always a talking point amongst fans. For the current iteration, the band expanded on their use of LED screens – an addition that has been introduced into the live set for a number of years – with two flown screens, as well as adorning the multiple tiers of staging and even wrapping the two upstage drum sets.

Highcroft initially had support from the band’s previous Production Manager, Jordan Coopersmith, who designed the set for this run. “This really helped the transitional period, as I got to know the camp,” he explained.

With the initial design in place, the PM began speaking to Gallagher Staging, which created the set, all supported on a TAIT Mag Deck System.

“I knew I wanted their system,” asserted the PM, in reference to the Mag Deck. He first came across the solution while on Voltbeat’s last European tour and, following the project, contacted TAIT’s Senior Project Manager, Matt Hales, in regard to the 2019 Knotfest Roadshow.

The latest UK tour represented an interesting opportunity as this was the first job that was serviced out of TAIT’s Wakefield office following the acquisition of Brilliant Stages last year. As both companies were now part of the same group, Brilliant Stages’ Adam ‘Bullet’ Bettley, who had worked with Highcroft for over a decade, remained the PM’s contact throughout the entire tour. The Brilliant team was also involved in teaching the touring carps how to build the stage.

Speaking of the experience was Head Carpenter, Ryan Lucas. “I was really happy to get the call,” he began. “Slipknot are known for their big sets and I’m pleased to have my name against this tour.” This was Lucas’ first time with the TAIT system, and he was pleased to report that, “it’s as good as people say!” He commented: “Compared to other systems, which tend to

CRITICAL DARLING Charged with creating another Slipknot design was Trevor Ahlstrand, with all fixtures and control coming courtesy of Christie Lites. Speaking of life on the road with the rig were Lighting Operator, Corey ‘Kroeger’ Stewart and Lighting Crew, Chief Gary Rees.

“We knew the tour was always going to be very video heavy,” stated Ahlstrand. “That said, we didn’t want to just have a large rear video wall, so 62

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Lighting Design: HELL

we opted instead to break up the elements with the two flown screens interlaced with an elaborate lighting rig.

“We started using video halfway through the last album cycle, .5: The Gray Chapter, where we used a mixture of the band’s footage for videos along with content from some promotional material, which had been overseen by Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan,” stated the Designer.

As video was due to play more of a dominant role in the design, Ahlstrand employed the services of Andy Reuter, who produced the lion’s share of the content for the tour.

Ahstrand went on to explain that due to the nature of a Slipknot show – where timecode or even a click were never seen on stage – flexibility was key within his show file. “Everything is live, so I had to treat the video like I would a lighting cue, with all elements chopped into sections to give the operators on the road the ability to keep up with the band rather than play one long clip.”

Still relatively new to the tour, Kroeger was brought into the camp on New Year’s Eve 2020 and had to fly to Europe five days later. “It was a whirlwind start to the year, as I rapidly packed my bags and headed this side of the Atlantic,” said the Operator, adding that Ahlstrand sent him a show file to look at en route. “I flew into pre-production, where Trevor was still programming some newer songs to the set. This was invaluable as it gave me a feel of how he interprets the band which, in turn, helps me interpret the show better.”

From his FOH position behind an MA Lighting grandMA3, Stewart explained how he had to stick with the nine members of the band throughout the chaos, as timecode or even click tracks had no place on a Slipknot show. “They play slightly faster live than they do on the record, so during the early stages we had Trevor out with us still programming to keep everything as tight as possible.”

The rig comprised five main lighting pods, each holding nine Robe Spiiders. “I’m a big fan of the Spiider,” stated Stewart. “They are able to do everything, from big washes to tight beams, and the central flower

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pixel can act like a gobo projector.” It was an opinion shared by Ahlstrand.

“I’m a huge fan of that light,” he stated. “I’ve used it in several shows at this point and really enjoy how many different elements you can get out of it.”

Also in the air were upstage, central and downstage trusses, each containing 12 Martin by Harman MAC Viper AirFXs. There were also two additional side trusses of four AirFXs. “They are a true workhorse and they’ve been my fixture of choice for some years now,” stated Ahlstrand.

Also on the side trusses were four GLP JDC1s. Framing each of the video screens were GLP impression X4 Bar 20s. The rider also featured Martin

by Harman Axioms, MAC Quantum Washes, Philips ColorBlaze 72 and Chroma-Q ColorForce 12s. Finally, ensuring Stewart had enough haze on stage were a collection of Reel EFX DF-50s.

“One of the major changes we made when we came to the UK was the addition of Robe BMFL Spots with the RoboSpot,” stated Stewart. “Most of the spots are cued in as Trevor knew what elements of the songs he wanted to highlight. I have a master override if I ever need to add a bit more intensity. Some nights the guys wear all black and you need the extra boost to light them.”

Rees added: “We had front spots for the previous runs and having the BMFLs has taken a lot of stress out of the day.” Having been with the tour since the beginning of the cycle, the Lighting Crew Chief praised the service that Christie Lites had provided on the run.

“They are a great company to work with,” he asserted. “I’ve worked with them on and off for the past few years and they have never disappointed.

They have a great attitude and – when it comes to the UK office – it’s exactly the same service and experience you get in any of their shops in America.”

Rees was also keen to comment on some of Christie Lites’ proprietary truss equipment – specifically, its F-Type truss, which he dubbed a “dream to work with”. The lighting supplier also provided all the rigging for the tour

– overseen by Head Rigger, Gianluca ‘Gana’ Ganapini alongside Production Rigger, Carla ‘Xana’ Da Encarnacao Malhoa.

“I worked with Rob on Queens of the Stone Age and was one of the first people he called when he got the gig here,” stated Gana. “We are working with around 150 points in the roof, with the whole set weighing 42 tonnes.”

Gana explained that once Ahlstrand had completed all the design work, his first project was to work out a cable management system to ensure the successful rigging of the show on the road.

During the tour, Gana usually marked out at 7am, with all the points hung by 10.30am. “Our stage rolls at 12pm with everything at trim, so we’re all set by 1pm,” enthused the Rigger, who explained this gave him more than enough time in the afternoon to advance upcoming shows as well as get some well-deserved rest.

INSERT COIN Talking through the arsenal of LED on display was long-time double act, Graham Lambkin and Edward Prescott – IMAG Director and LED Crew Chief respectfully. “Graham and I have worked together for the past 25 years, so as soon as I got the nod for this, he was the first person I called and we worked out who would be the best fit for this project,” stated Prescott.

The duo’s last outing had been on Drake’s Assassination Vacation Tour – a video feat in itself – and Prescott explained that he was keen to reinstate many of the key players from that team into this project.

Making up the rest of the video crew were Engineer In Charge, Max Ramsden, Camera Supervisor, Chris Farrants and LED Techs, Adam Knowles and Jeroen Mahieu.

“The main reason that we can do this show with only six people is due to the calibre of guys we’ve brought on,” enthused Prescott. “They are all well-seasoned and fit in well with our aim of creating a harmonised group 64

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that can handle the pressure of the road.” The extensive video package was provided by PRG. “I knew when I first saw the design that I was going to need a large supplier on my side,” interjected Highcroft.

“The set contains a lot of video and we have two versions of it – one here and the other is currently on its way to Asia. I needed a company like PRG which could guarantee the stock of LED,” he added.

The two main products on the rig were the WinVision LED 9mm and the ROE Visual MC-7. The WinVision was arranged as two rectangles, hung at a slight angle upstage. Meanwhile the MC-7 was integrated into all the set pieces. “The MC-7 is such a reliable touring product,” stated Prescott. “You can take it in and out of trucks, day in, day out, and it’s very forgiving.”

Another request from the design involved integrating an LED solution for both of the percussion drum risers on stage left and right. “It’s been a trial by fire, with the video on drum sets,” stated Prescott. “We needed a curved product that could wrap the metal drums and handle the vibrations as they both played and – as is their tendency – jumped on the kits.”

Highcroft brought in Hannover-based LED specialist, AVMS, which provided the curved LED solution. One of AVMS’ in-house team, Andreas Herrenkind, was out with the tour to ensure the successful deployment of the LED and created a robust touring solution for the LED screens before handing over responsibility to Prescott and the crew.

The product selected was INFiLED’s SF Series. “It’s a product that was made of the fixed permanent installations,” commented Harrenkind.

“We needed to modify the electronics, with the ‘brain’ of the LED module needing a complete rebuild as the screens needed to stay within the set for the entire tour.” The LED tech explained that it was not only the extreme conditions of a Slipknot show that the screens had to contend with, but also the rigours of being transported from trucks to airfreighting.

“These sets are travelling around the world as one piece, but it was all made possible because Gallagher Staging produced them very tough and

stable,” Harrenkind reflected. Although this project was somewhat outside of Harrenkind’s specialism, he was pleased to report how much he enjoyed his time with the band.

“The tour has been so much fun and the production is one of the most professional teams I’ve come across,” he commented. “Altogether, from the carpenters to the technicians and even the members, everyone is one big family who want every gig to be the best experience for the fans.”

The content that was run for the three screens was driven by PRG’s M-Box media server. “We opted against going for a bespoke media server setup with a dedicated operator,” said Prescott. “All the programming had been done during the prep phase by Trevor and all content is triggered live by our Lighting Operator, Corey, from his desk.”

Moving the conversation onto the two screens flanking the stage, Graham Lambkin discussed his directorial approach to the band’s IMAG content. “The brief for me was relatively simple: make sure the people at the back can see them,” said Lambkin. “They also requested that the IMAG be stylised with some overlaid ‘content’ which, in essence, is just some static that is layered on top.”

Getting shots of all nine band members was by no means a simple task. To capture the action, Lambkin had two Sony HXEs at FOH with an additional two manned HXEs in the pit. “The majority of the action is captured by my guys in the pit,” said Lambkin. “They manage to capture most of the moments. They are both very good and have got to know the show well at this point and know the ‘moments’ that need to be captured.

Then I have the FOH cameras as safety shots.”

Due to the scale and depth of the stage, Lambkin also had two Bradley Engineering robo cams, which were operated by Prescott during the show. “The Bradley cameras handle bass response really well,” enthused Prescott, who spoke of how he first came across them while working on a JAY-Z tour. “The bass during that show was incredible, but the cameras held 66

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FOH Engineer, Bob Strakele; Audio System Engineer, Tim ‘Chase’ Usry; Monitor Engineer, Danny Badorine; Head Rigger, Gianluca ‘Gana’ Ganapini; Backline Crew Chief, Darren ‘Bubbs’ Sanders.

out. When I started spec’ing this tour, there wasn’t a question about putting them on my request rider.”

A final, but vital, service that the video department supplied was a solution for the backline department. “The backline team don’t have line of sight to their guys on stage, so we set up some remote cameras so they can monitor their band member on stage and see any issue they may be having.

The guys on stage have even developed visual cues if they need a certain effect to be turned.”

alternatives that might look better.” The ffp package included Cannon Simulators, Mortar Hits, Flash Trays, Mines and a selection of flame jets.

In addition to this already sizable package, Jost explained that one particular request came from Slipknot’s bassist: “VMan [Alessandro Venturella] came to me last year saying that he wanted to do ‘something crazy’,” said Jost. “I already knew he was a big fan of pyro and likes to be close to the effects. When we are firing pyro, he likes to walk along the catwalk underneath.” VMan and Jost worked together to create an effect right out of the Rammstein playbook, customising one of his basses with a pyro hose to fire out over the stage. “We worked with him during rehearsals, so he worked out how to use it safely. As the tour has gone on, he’s become more comfortable with it.”

Jost went on to explain some of the protocols that ensure the safety of all the band and crew. At the helm of an MA Lighting grandMA Dot 2 on stage right, Jost launched all the effects from his side of the stage, with Bager spotting from the opposite side. “We keep our comms line clear unless there is an issue, and Liz calls me if she notices something. Each unit also has an emergency stop for an added layer of safety.”

DANGER – KEEP AWAY Providing the final visual element to the show was ffp. Famed for its work for fellow metal titans, Rammstein [see November issue of TPi], Highcroft explained that the company’s unique approach to special effects made them an ideal choice.

“The band had removed the pyro element for their previous run, but they have opted to have everything this time round,” said the PM. “ffp is probably the best company out there for what it does. Nicolai [Sabottka, ffp Managing Director] and the rest of the ffp team have a style of working that is just more aesthetically pleasing, and their units look so much better than your traditional black box solution.”

Ensuring the safe deployment of the pyrotechnics was Crew Chief, Oliver Jost, alongside Pyro Tech, Liz Bager. Jost let TPi into the design process behind this latest fiery incarnation.

“It often starts with a show design when they come to us with some effect requests,” he explained. “There’s always a discussion where we suggest what we feel will be the safest option, along with offering

THE HERETIC ANTHEM Bob Strakele has been responsible for handling the mix for the band’s latest live incarnation since the tragic passing of Dave ‘Shirt’ Nicholls, who had looked after FOH for the band for years. Strakele had worked with Shirt in the past, covering for him for Avenged Sevenfold on dates he couldn’t make.

Fast-forward to last year when the Engineer got the call-up for the masked nine. “I didn’t have a huge amount of prep time and was only sent 68

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Video Crew Chief, Ed Prescott, Camera Supervisor Chris Saunders, LED Tech, Adam Knowles, Camera Director Graham Lambkin ; Production Coordinator, Simon Robinson with Production Manager, Rob Highcroft; Lighting Crew Chief Gary Rees with Lighting Operator, Corey ‘Kroeger’ Stewart; Head Carpenter, Ryan Lucas.

some recorded multi-tracks, although it was a performance from over a decade ago.”

Strakele travelled to Solid State Logic’s New York base and started to build the basic show file before meeting the band. “The band don’t tend to soundcheck, so the first few dates of the tour involved picking through the mix till we got to a good state,” stated the Engineer.

“Due to the sheer number of musicians, there’s a lot of information to take in. A lot of the challenges came from getting my head around where each sound was actually coming from. The normal ‘FOH formula’ you usually start with for most bands doesn’t really work with these guys.

Thankfully they seem to like what I’ve come up with.”

Keeping pace with the band’s high-octane performance was an SSL L550. “SSL has been my go-to for a number of years now,” said the Engineer.

“I really like the sound of it – obviously – but for me, and especially for this show, the flexibility of the L550 has been key. I can do anything I want immediately to the system without interrupting the audio output. For example, if it’s halfway through a show and we get a request for a mono feed for a hearing assist, I can create it, patch it and send it – all mid-show and incredibly quickly. I’m also a big fan of the overall layout of the desk.”

The Engineer was also keen to comment on the benefit of the ‘stem’ capabilities, enabling him to combine multiple channels onto one fader – a benefit when there were four microphones just for bass drums.

Along with the console, audio world at FOH also had a “spice rack” of outboard effects including a Yamaha SPX 990, a Bricasti M7, Eventide H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer. “There are a decent number of analogue elements in this setup as I prefer to be ‘hands-on’ when it comes to the mix,” he said.

Far from a conventional band due to their size, Slipknot’s instrumentation certainly breaks the norm – after all, a keg being beaten with a metal bar is not usually on an engineer input list.

“Both drums on stage left and right are wooden and encased in a further metal drum,” explained the FOH Engineer. “They are also wrapped in LED, with the whole system on a Perspex riser.” All this meant that not much air was able to escape, so when the mics were installed, they picked up a lot

of reflections. “We used a Roland TD-50 to reinforce the mix and get some low-end back. We’ve only been using them for a few shows and we’re still making sure they’re not faulty, triggering as the guys climb all over the kit.”

The PA, provided by Eighth Day Sound, comprised a flown left and right array of 14 d&b audiotechnik GSL8s and four GSL12s, with a flown system of six SL-SUBs per side and a total of 12 SL-SUBs on the ground. The side hangs were 16 KSL8s per side, with four Y10P front fills and a left and right V7P. “Early on in the process, I was asked what system I would prefer, and at the time the GSL was popping up on more and more festivals,” Strakele explained. “I also knew that Rob had worked with Eighth Day Sound a number of times in the past, making d&b audiotechnik the natural choice.”

According to the engineer, the one thing, above all else, that he needed was a great system engineer. “Thankfully my guy is awesome!” he stated, referring to the Tim ‘Chase’ Usry.

“It’s be an interesting experience as none of us had worked together,” commented Chase, discussing his transition into the Slipknot camp. “It’s been a really good experience. Bob is an easy guy to work with and we became homies right away. We also have a similar mentality in that we want to make both our areas work together.”

The system engineer went on to describe the method to his system design. “I don’t want to hear the array processing and I don’t want it to have to work too hard, so it sounds like a speaker. That said, having d&b’s ArrayProcessing is a blessing for fine tuning.” The engineer also commented that his goal is to use minimum filter on the system – “in fact, I’ve only had to use one for this whole run,” he added.”

Having worked with a d&b system on his last project with Panic! At The Disco, Chase was more than familiar with the brand, although he had never worked with the GSL / KSL full configurations.

“It took me a minute to get my head around the rear rejection side of things – I didn’t realise how much I cared about it until we got into some really loud rooms and it was nice to not have so much reflection off the back wall,” he said. Slipknot like to have energy on stage, which led Chase to place the subs under the stage so they can still get the energy. Speaking 69

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of his relationship with the audio supplier, Chase described Eighth Day Sound as “amazing”. He commented: “When we got into the shop in the UK, everything was already prepped.” Strakele was similarly pleased with the service, making special mention of the crew provided, including PA Techs, Shannon Fitzpatrick and Sam Balk, and Monitor System Tech, Steven ‘Dublin’ Stapleton.

brand was during Justin Timberlake’s Super Bowl performance,” reflected Strakele. “I managed to find out the brand and when we started selecting the right tool for this job, I threw them into the mix – now we have 20.”

The engineer went on to explain why the microphone was ideal for Taylor’s voice. “He tends to cup the mic, so we needed something that would not go haywire, but he also tends to sing quite far away from his mouth; the challenge was to have something that would not create loads of bleed. The V7 is very open and the ambient voice is very pleasing rather than being washy.”

While on stage, TPi also caught up with some of the backline team – namely Crew Chief and Bass Tech, Darren ‘Bubbs’ Sanders. Having been friends with the band for some time and part of the crew since 2016, Bubbs brought in a selection of new guys to fill various backline responsibilities.

“Bringing in so many new faces was a bit of a gamble, but it has worked out really well,” stated Bubbs. “For the show we’ve built two new rigs for all the guys – and A and B. A lot of the guys have changed their setups quite a bit, with more multi-amp blending than Mick and Jim have done before.”

Despite some changes, Bubbs asserted that it was still very much a “tube amps tour”, adding: “they have developed their tone over 20 years, and it sounds so good. As they say; if it ain’t broke…”

THE NAMELESS For most, heading behind the faders for the masked nine would be a daunting task but, according to Monitor Engineer, Danny Badorine, “They were after an engineer with a mindset that suited me down to the ground.”

He continued: “It’s Slipknot and it’s direct. They say what they want, and they expect it.”

This no-nonsense approach was just what the Engineer was after for a tour. “I had a chance to meet up with VMan before I met the rest of the guys and he gave me a heads up of what they expected. He was originally a backline guy, so he knows the score when it comes to production.”

Badorine explained that he opted for an Avid S6L. “The sound of the desk and the support you get from Avid makes it a great option,” he noted.

“The reason I really like them for mixing monitors comes down to their flexibility. I’m working with up to 20 mixes with outputs going everywhere, but the S6L handles it without an issue. The desks recording ability is also second to none, which was incredibly useful for playback while I was still finding my feet with the mixes and tweaking elements between shows.”

A large majority of the band were on Jerry Harvey Audio IEMs – save the two guitarists who used the wedges and side fills scattered about the stage. For wireless transmission, Badorine opted for the Shure PSM1000 in collaboration with Axient. “I’m using Axient wireless for everything from guitars to microphones, which is fabulous. In total, I have 38 channels of wireless but it’s all manageable thanks to Shure Wireless Workbench. Our backline team is fantastic for keeping on top of their side as well and let me know any issues they might be having.”

For microphones, both Badorine and Strakele went through a range of options to find the right microphone for Corey Taylor’s voice – a journey that ended with the sE Electronics V7. “I remember the first time I saw the

THE PULSE OF THE MAGGOTS It’s not often that TPi gets to chat to the touring security other than to thank them for supplying the pass to get into the venue, but due to the energetic nature of a Slipknot show, it seemed like an ideal time to speak to Venue Security, Chris Holloway.

Earning his chops at the Vans Warped Tour, he was more than familiar with rowdy crowds, but fans of the Iowa metal band certainly set the bar high. “We had 330 crowd surfers come over the barrier in Glasgow,” he commented. “Eighteen is our minimum requirement for pit security with six constantly stationed along the stage to prevent anybody getting on stage.”

Keeping the band and crew on the road were of nine Beat the Street busses and 17 Fly By Nite trucks, with catering coming courtesy of Eat to the Beat. “One of the biggest things in my control on the road is the quality of catering and the standard of bus my crew are on,” stated Highcroft. “The 70

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least I can do is bring in companies at the top of their game such as Beat The Street and Eat to the Beat.”

Fly By Nite’s Lead Driver, Phil Davidson outlined the intricate organisation needed to keep this tour on schedule. “It’s quite the entourage of trucks,” he commented. “Thankfully, we have an order where each truck comes in each morning with set and rigging tricks tipping first and then in the order each department needs their equipment.”

Davidson explained that the aim is always to get as many trucks onsite as quickly as possible, but the nature of some of the UK’s venues means that this is not always possible. “But the tips have been very quick on this one – the boys are rapid out here and once we had our first few shows, we found our feet.”

Lastly, talking through the catering on offer was Richard Huggins, Head Chef for Eat to the Beat. “I have a team of six with us on this tour – one of which, Sigrid ‘Siggi’ Bryn, looks after the band’s catering.”

Eat to the Beat catered for up to 130 people every day. “Everyone has got a bit healthier over the years from the band side, so we make sure we offer a nice variety – and the same goes for the crew. The main brief from the production was to keep it plain and simple with nothing too heavy.”

Huggins was also pleased to report that for only the second time in 20 years of touring, the catering team had been given its own truck. “The idea was to recreate American-style tour catering where breakfast was on offer as soon as the crew or band stepped off the bus. The extra truck means we can set up early and be ready first thing.” The truck also gave the team the ability to keep a stock of American home comforts such as Gatorade.

Commenting on Eat to the Beat’s involvement with the tour was Mary Shelley-Smith, Global Operations Director. “We’re delighted to have delivered artist and crew catering for Slipknot’s tours in the UK and Europe since 2004. Richard Huggins, our Crew Chief, has completed many tours

with them, so he has a good understanding of their needs and brings all the home comforts on tour for them. It’s always a lovely tour and the team really enjoy being a part of it.”

LOAD-IN.FEED.PLAY.REPEAT. With each corner of the UK getting its Slipknot fix, the band and crew set its collective sights on the continent to continue its European rampage. But many of the crew explained that it would not be too long till they were back on UK shores following the recent announcement of Knotfest taking place at Milton Keynes Bowl later this summer.

After 10 months since this touring party was formed, it seems that many of the new faces working behind the scenes for Slipknot are as enthusiastic as they were at the beginning of the project. And with busy 2020 ahead of them, the journey is certainly (k)not over…

TPi Photo: Matt Rakowski & TPi www.slipknot1.com www.8thdaysound.com www.christielites.com www.prg.com www.avms-germany.de www.ffp-fx.net www.gallagherstaging.com www.taittowers.com www.flybynite.co.uk www.beatthestreet.net www.tag-group.com www.efm.global www.eattothebeat.com

We are delighted to have been touring with Slipknot in the UK and Europe since 2004

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PRODUCTION PROFILE

JONAS BROTHERS: HAPPINESS BEGINS TOUR The princes of pop rock embark on a 15-city tour of Europe, stopping off at Manchester Arena. TPi’s Jacob Waite meets the team behind the trio’s long-awaited return to the stage…

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Marking their first campaign since 2013’s Live Tour, and their first studio album since 2009’s Lines, Vines and Trying Times, Jonas Brothers returned to the road with their biggest production to date. Part of a long lineage of Disney Channel artists that have successfully bridged the gap from TV screens to sold-out arenas, the trio have consolidated their position as the archetypal princes of pop rock. TPi caught up with the production team six dates deep into the European tour.

Production Manager, Joel Forman began working with Jonas Brothers during the group’s 2008 When You Look Me in the Eyes Tour, back when the trio were still boys. Following successful PM stints on Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour and BTS’s Love Yourself World Tour, Forman and Tour Director and Accountant, David Licursi, were brought in 20 shows into the band’s latest tour to ensure that it was as efficient as possible.

Forman worked closely with Silent House Productions’ Baz Halpin, who, as well as designing the show, also played a key part in the selection of visual vendors. Their suppliers of choice comprised Solotech, TAIT, Clair Global, Five Points Production Services, Pyrotek, McGuinness Trucking, Beat the Street, Legacy Power and Mojo Barriers.

“Relationships and numbers matter in this business,” Forman acknowledged. “Budgets are important, but when dollar for dollar are equal, there is something to be said about the power of people involved.”

He signified Backstage Coordinator, Phoebe Baldwin, and Stage Manager, Brian Bassham, as important cogs in the touring machine. “The reality is, all of this gear could be sourced by different companies. Anyone with a credit limit can get their hands on gear, but the people are the key factor – you could have the nicest kit, but you need to have the right people as well.”

Creating efficiencies where possible, the video and staging setup was altered to account for space and weight issues in Europe. “It’s a game

of getting everything and everyone lined up perfectly and dealing with problems as they arise,” Forman explained. “We’re constantly coming up with ways to fit a square piece of kit into a round hole.”

Reflecting on the undertaking, the PM said: “It certainly doesn’t feel like an 18-truck tour – and that’s credit to Baz and the amazing crew out here. He has devised a show that loads in and out really well. As soon as the house lights hit, I still get a kick out of it.”

‘AN INSPIRING AND EDUCATIONAL TOUR’ Leading the lighting charge on the road was Joseph Troup. The Lighting Director utilised one of five full size MA Lighting grandMA2s on the rider. A main and back-up was situated at FOH for lighting, in addition to a further main and back-up for video, with a grandMA2 Lite purposed as a tech backup, which was housed backstage.

Troup’s charge required keeping the followspots in line and calling spots via a “three pronged” Robe RoboSpot system of six Robe BMLF Followspot LTs, with each fixture sandwiched between 10 Robe BMFL WashBeams (five per side). “There are three controllers tracking six lights, so I have to be really diligent in watching the three brothers on stage,” he explained. “No matter where they go, the three-pronged lights chase them around stage.”

The main stage was lined with 430 custom TAIT linear LED products, which Troup referred to as “the glowing bits that look like the Starship Enterprise”. GLP impression X4 Bar 20s end to end – 61 in total – lined the edge of the main stage and the catwalk towards the B stage. Troup noted: “We had TMB Solaris Mozarts lining the B stage in North America, but over here we went for lighter 19 Color Kinetics iW Blast TRs.” Accompanying the Happiness Begins Tour were some 200 Ayrton Khamsin LED profile fixtures. Specifically, 118 Ayrton Khamsins and 96 74

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Production Manager, Joel Forman; Video Crew Chief, Pascale Boileau; Media Server Operator, Michael ‘Hank’ Hankowsky; Systems Engineer, Joss Walker with FOH Engineer, Chris ‘Sully’ Sullivan; Monitor Engineer, Jon Kooren.

Magic Blade FXs, along with Solaris Flare Q+R 99s. The Ayrton Khamsins were flown across two backlight trusses and three lower lighting trusses, while 12 lighting pods of Magic Blade FXs were flown left and right of the centre Robe Robospot system and 15 Vari-Lite VL 4000s.

Troup referred to Earlybird Visual’s Eric Marchwinski as a “monster programmer”. TPi readers will be familiar with Marchwinski’s work on P!nk’s Beautiful Trauma World Tour and Muse’s Simulation Theory World Tour. “Baz dreams it and Eric syntaxes it in,” commented Troup. “Watching Eric work is inspiring. He definitely holds the record for button pushes in a second!”

Crew Chief, Anthony Michon, and Technicians, Kevin Chan, Yolanda Do, Martin Provost and Mark Singelis, completed the lighting crew. “It’s been an inspiring and educational tour,” concluded the LD. “It’s one thing to look at the effect of the lighting strokes and appreciate its musicality, but once you get into the programming side of things, line for line, how something is built and achieved, it’s breathtaking.”

pretty well choreographed,” he said. “I try to keep it organic and switch it up from night to night. We’ll play with different angles during some spots in the show to keep it interesting.”

McShane utilised a Grass Valley Korona 2 M/E switcher and Grass Valley cameras. “I am using three long lenses (99x) at FOH, two handheld cameras in the pit, and an additional camera for the B stage,” he commented. “I also have two Panasonic robo cameras onstage and two Marshall POV cameras on the drum kit.”

He referenced the importance of the crowd, for example, showcasing handmade signs during the request section of the set on stage B. Operating the robocams on a nightly basis, Boileau recapped: “We have a lot of freedom to propose things when he see nuances from night to night.”

Alex Castaneda, Jonathan Gagnon-Roy, Michael Levert and Martin Rondeau made up the video crew. A Solotech employee of 17 years, Boileau referenced the emergence of Solotech in the video market. “The sheer amount of arena and stadium tours we are involved in speaks for itself.”

Media Server Operator, Michael ‘Hank’ Hankowsky oversaw video playback on all the screens. Three disguise gx 2c media servers – “a master, slave and understudy” – were run through Sockpuppet, to an MA Lighting grandMA2 full size lighting console and with a primary backup console for video on a control surface, with all the cues loaded.

Hank spent a couple of days at Earlybird Visual’s headquarters in LA, pre-visualising the programming intricacies. “They’re really great guys to work with and they know their stuff,” he continued. “Silent House and Earlybird have got some really nice Notch blocks and effects built in that I’ve been making use of during the show. We run a ‘beauty block’ through

‘GREAT GUYS TO WORK WITH’ Solotech Video Crew Chief, Pascale Boileau, who was embarking on her first tour with Jonas Brothers, took TPi behind the screens. “The LED video screen consists of three sections, each of which is 9-inch by 70-inch on a curve, made of SACO S9 panels with a pixel pitch of 9mm,” she explained.

“The curved nature of the screens has been the major challenge on this tour, but the team spirit of the crew has really pushed us through.”

Though the majority of the IMAG content was live, there were sections of playback in between songs during quick changes with additional Notch filters layered on top. Cut to Video Director, Paul McShane: “The show is 76

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JONAS BROTHERS

He commented: “Baz and his team were involved in every element of the special effects and it’s that exceptional attention to detail that truly sets them apart from the rest.”

most of the footage, which makes everything look polished, as opposed to raw IMAG.” Hank made extensive use of PreComps – a disguise software that acts as a virtual screen for programmers to write content, which can then be used as an input to another effect or composition. He told TPi: “Using PreComps, we’re able to take four camera inputs into one Notch block.”

‘AN EPIC LEVEL OF SCREAMING’ Clair Global’s Chris ‘Sully’ Sullivan began the tour as Systems Engineer – a role he also fulfilled as part of the Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour – before transitioning to FOH Engineer.

For control, he tore a page out of Chris Rabold’s book (FOH Engineer for Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé), recounting the engineer’s “need for speed”. He gestured to his DiGiCo Quantum 7 console, used for both headline and support acts. Sully said: “There are other consoles with fun features, but you can’t beat the Quantum 7 for speed or neutrality.”

Having inherited an impressive range of outboard gear provided by Clair Global, Sully walked TPi through the rack space. He pointed out a GML 8200 stereo parametric equaliser running in dual mono for snare and bass. “Finding two identical sounds with old, analogue gear is a magic trick, so I’ve dropped the GML 8200 down to snare and bass guitar for sonic contouring, as opposed to surgery.”

Bringing the studio to the live environment, Sully deployed an API 2500, which he firmly believed was in most engineers’ rack nowadays, either as hardware or as a plug-in. He coined the stereo bus compressor as the “glue” that held his mix together.

“I don’t think any rack is complete without a Midas XL42,” he clarified.

“It’s a quick go-to, we have a very soft singer, so the XL42 helps me contour and subtract a lot of gain before feedback.” For principle vocals, Sully utilised a Lake processor along with a BSS 901, which he dubbed as a “room

‘ATTENTION TO DETAIL’ Expanding on a fruitful relationship with Silent House Productions, involving recent stints on Baz Halpin-designed P!nk’s Beautiful Trauma World Tour and Jennifer Lopez’s It’s My Party, Pyrotek engaged in several discussions with Halpin and Chase Foster to form the show-stopping elements of the Happiness Begins Tour.

SFX Chief, Gregg Pearson and SFX Tech, Nate King oversaw a dozen Galaxis G-Flame units and four Magic F/X Stadium Blasters for the confetti shots. Pyro came in the shape of a durational gerb entrance, comets, airbursts, and mines. As well as a custom-designed pyro-look for Lovebug.

The show opened with a durational gerb as the trio were lowered to the stage, while multicoloured confetti was blown into the crowd during Cake

By The Ocean. G-Flames came to the forefront during the encore, as Jonas Brothers ascended from the stage to thrash into Burning Up. Pyrotek carefully evaluated the local rules and regulations of each tour stop well before production arrived, ensuring the crew had the requirements to execute the show safely – accounting for the venues that don’t allow propane or limit the height of pyrotechnic devices.

Speaking from his Lititz, PA headquarters, Pyrotek Project Manager, Reid Derne coined Silent House Productions as an “incredible partner”.

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Automation Crew Chief, Robert Moore, Automation Operator, Aaron Levy, and Automation Technician, Brian Rohde; Video Director, Paul McShane; Lighting Director, Joseph Troup; Head Carpenter, Kurt Jenks.

subtractor”. While an Anthony DeMaria Labs ADL C/L 1500 was specified for the principle acoustic and bass guitar. “I’m a big fan of slow optics that let the leading edges through while maintaining control – giving hold while leaving some of the brightness in.”

The ubiquitous Rupert Neve 5045 primary source enhancer allowed Sully to soften the microphones to compensate for thousands of screaming ‘Jonatics’. “In the US, we ran at about 104a, in Mexico at 111a and outside of the US, particularly in Central America – they scream through the chorus, verse and in between,” he laughed. “Last night it felt like I was back there; we had a level of screaming in Glasgow that was pretty epic!” Sully utilised

external Waves plug-ins sparingly, instead opting to mix dynamically. He commented: “I don’t lean on them as much as I did on prior tours,” adding that he prefers using EQs on legato instruments, such as bass guitar.

Sully had to curtail the gain on the B stage when Jonas Brothers performed in front of the PA. “It’s challenging,” he conceded. “To overcome it, we reduce the overall level – including the band – to pander to the vocal.

It’s integral that the vocals are front and centre to where the mix is sitting.”

He commended the tour’s “arena savvy” musical arrangement. “It’s tuned towards arenas and bigger spaces, which is a big plus. There’s more space to move around in the mix.” Having shadowed Sully on Bruno

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Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour, Systems Engineer, Joss Walker, stepped up from flying PA to designing a sound system for the European legs of the Happiness Begins Tour. “Sully stepping into the mixing role has allowed me to become Systems Engineer on this tour,” he explained, with a pang of disbelief and profound enthusiasm. “Sully and I know the catalogue of Clair products and know what we want. After two-and-a-half years on the road with Bruno Mars, we knew what we were walking into.”

The Clair Global PA per side featured 16 Cohesion CO-12s on the main hangs, 16 i3s on the side hangs, 10 iDLs on the rear hangs and six CP218s in cardioid configuration. Eight additional CO-10 delay hangs were specified for the larger, O2 Arena, London date. Front fills came in the shape of six CP6s, while six CP218s were used as ground subs. The entire system was driven by PML20k+ amplification.

“We exclusively fly subs in our designs for vertical timing, which is equal when the subs are collocated with the main PA as opposed to the ground,” Sully said. “The hunter subs underneath then fill in the first 15m or so.”

Mixing monitors was Jon Kooren, who has spent the past four years touring the world with Nick Jonas. “My setup has got much bigger because of the size of the tour. While I used to mix on a DiGiCo SD10 with Nick Jonas, I’ve now switched to an SD7 Quantum, which is easy to get around and a lot

quicker,” he commented. “Having dual engines helps as a backup.” Kooren performed his output processing on a UAD-2 Live Rack; his rack space featured Shadow Hills mastering and G bus compressors. “I use Waves for dynamic EQs to add flavour,” he said.

With no wedges in sight, JH Audio Roxannes were chosen as the Jonas Brothers’ in-ears, while the additional band members made use of Universal Ears IEMs. “Roxannes translate well to other ears. The way I set them up with the bass response allows me to do dynamic EQs on the output to compensate for the number of drivers someone might have.”

Kooren praised the Brothers’ ability to keep their ears in at all times.

“I do all of the audience moves myself, so they don’t have to take them out while still feeling like they’re in the room,” he said. “I use a couple of different plug-ins to eliminate some of the audience noise from the mic, which helps it avoid becoming overwhelming.”

Throughout the show, there are a lot of beckon calls where the trio enlist audience participation. Kooren said: “I control the four audience mics, spread across to hear a good spread of the audience.”

A litany of Shure mics covered the drums, with the exception of Telefunken M80 on snare top and a DPA 2011 on snare bottom. DPA 4099s covered most of the percussion, specified for their “natural” sound.

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JONAS BROTHERS

A Sennheiser MD 9235 was chosen for Nick Jonas’ wireless vocals, he explained. “It’s a very directional mic, which helps with audience noise – especially when they perform in front of the PA on the B stage. Nick Jonas’ Shure SM58-50A vocal mic also sounds good because he has a natural, powerful, rock ’n’ roll voice.”

DPA d:factoTM 4018Vs were chosen for the background vocals and a flat response d:facto 4018VL for Kevin Jonas.

lighting pods at upstage left and right, with a centre cluster of three trusses run upstage to downstage were all automated via a TAIT Navigator system.

With so much gear in the air, the team of Automation Crew Chief, Robert Moore, Automation Operator, Aaron Levy, and Automation Technician, Brian Rohde, were among the first faces through the Manchester Arena door. “The way that shows are designed nowadays, a lot of the departments are sharing the same space and trusses, moving equipment around, so it becomes a collaborative effort,” Moore commented.

He added: “Jonas Brothers require more of a spectacle than your average arena act.” True to his word, a ‘flying carpet’ was elevated above the stage, tracking down as part of the band’s big reveal moment as well as a more sombre elevated piano moment later in the set.

“It puts the pop in the pop show,” Moore reflected. “There is always something to look at, and it’s incredibly infectious to hear a loud and appreciative audience every night.”

TPi Photos: Cynthia Parkhurst & TPi www.jonasbrothers.com www.silent-house.com www.earlybirdvisual.com www.solotech.com www.taittowers.com www.clairglobal.com www.fivepointsproductionservices.com www.pyrotekfx.com www.mcguinness.eu www.beatthestreet.net www.mojobarriers.com

‘A BIG TOURING FAMILY’ Tasked with setting the stage was the carpentry team of Gary Doerr, Kevin Lavasseur and Tracy Van Egmond. “Everybody on my team has their own specific area, however, we all pitch in equally. We’ve cross trained, so everyone knows what each other is doing and we can cover everything,” Head Carpenter, Kurt Jenks began. “We’re like a big touring family.”

Jenks ran TPi through the stage, which was broken down into four zones. “They’re built as small zones, which then connect like Lego, to eventually become a big, beautiful stage for Jonas Brothers to perform on.”

Jenks detailed the logistical challenges in the UK as “getting in and out” of venues in a timely manner, with lack of access for trucks and storage.

“We have 18 trucks, which we have to store set carts in, so you run into a bit of a storage issue,” he explained, adding that while Manchester Arena was better than most European venues, the economy of space in historic venues could be particularly troublesome. “Wembley Arena, for example, is a tight space, and isn’t really designed for storing tonnes of flight cases.”

Having worked closely on TAIT projects for 15 years, Jenks recounted “great support” behind the scenes. The custom-built stage featured three TAIT toaster lifts in the stage, as well as automated Liftket motors on TAIT hoists, which allowed the curved video wall to move up and down. The 82

JAMES BLUNT: ONCE UPON A MIND TOUR The singer-songwriter brings ’70s-inspired sensibilities to audiences across the globe. TPi’s Jacob Waite spends Valentine’s weekend chatting to James Blunt’s loyal roadies at Manchester Arena.

PRODUCTION PROFILE

JAMES BLUNT

Consistently entertaining audiences around the world for the past 15 years, James Blunt tours have not only become a showcase of the singer’s durability – he’s now embarking on his sixth album campaign – but his versatility in presenting tours that are driven not by scale, but by the creative nature of their design.

The first chat on TPi’s backstage tech tour was with mainstay in the camp, Tour Manager, Robert Hayden. “Our very first tour was in April 2005,” he recalled. “Back then, we fit a full crew on one bus.”

Despite expanding over the years, many of the key members have remained unchanged for over a decade – something that Hayden put down to the artist’s military background.

“He’s very regimented,” Hayden explained. “We always sound check on time and travel as a tight unit. This is a four-truck tour with a band bus and a crew bus – it’s the same style of touring that we’ve always done.”

An important part in getting the latest Once Upon A Mind Tour off the ground, Hayden believed, was surrounding himself with familiar suppliers.

The touring roster comprised a selection of longstanding vendors, including Skan PA, Lite Alternative, Phoenix Bussing, Flying Saucers and Fly By Nite, which provided trucks as well as the use of FBN Studios. Along with these usual suspects, Hayden also brought in a new video supplier, Creative Technology.

“Lite Alternative has always supplied the lights for our tours and Paul Normandale has designed every show. He is the best person to interpret

James’ creative vision,” Hayden noted. “As technology has evolved, he has been able to create a series of looks with less gear.”

‘HIS VERSION OF AC/DC’ When it came to show design, Blunt adopted a hands-on approach. “He is self-effacing and understands how people perceive him,” Normandale began. “Part of this show is dispelling perceptions. James sees this show as his version of AC/DC.” He added: “We try to present something that is entertaining, visually interesting and pushes the edge of the demographic of those who come to see it. He didn’t want a back wall of LED this time around, so we had an opportunity to make the show IMAG heavy.”

The result was a ’70s-inspired parcan look, complete with a blue crushed velvet backdrop and a mirror ball, which was harnessed during the bombastic Elton John-inspired, disco-era track, 1973.

Making up the rest of the set were four flown pods of lighting and three centre-hung IMAG screens. “I’ve always liked the idea of not having too much equipment and making a rig as versatile as possible,” he explained, adding that the benefit of automation is the ability to create a series of looks with a relatively small footprint.

Normandale’s goal was to have the audience be completely oblivious to the extravagancies of production. “You have an obligation in an arena to make the show look good from any perspective,” he summarised. “It’s all 86

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about intimacy and trying to make those at the back of the room feel as close to the action as possible.”

Dividing equal attention to the packaging and rigging of the show, the designer said: “Having tonnes of gear that doesn’t fit anywhere doesn’t look great in the truck or to the accountants. A huge part of the design process is putting together a feasible end product.”

Automation played a key role within the production for the show’s opening, with three IMAG screens on the floor, which then rose with Kinesys, turning to live footage with a monochrome filter. Midway through the first track, How It Feels to Be Alive, four lighting trusses elevated slowly behind the artist.

Automation Operator and Rigger, Chris Roper utilised 12, 500kg hoists with Elevation 1+ motors, to manoeuvre the upstage IMAG screens controlled by Vector software. “Although there was automation on the last run, this is the first time we’ve introduced Kinesys,” he commented.

Roper introduced LibraCELL to account for weight restrictions.

“There are moves in nearly every song, with a range of different looks so health and safety are of paramount importance,” he added.

‘FOUR-TRUCK ARENA TOUR’ Tasked with handling the lighting and video content and treatment on the road was Lighting Director, Glenn Johnson. Operating an

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Lighting Technician, Mark Goodall with Automation Operator and Rigger, Chris Roper; Lighting Director, Glenn Johnson with Video Director, Jonathan Shrimpton Tour Manager, Robert Hayden; Audio Crew Chief, Scott Esson; Monitor Engineer, Gerry Wilkes.

MA Lighting grandMA2, the LD received video signal from Video Director, Jonathan Shrimpton, importing VideoDust effects into a Catalyst V6 media server, which was then fired across to three central IMAG screens.

With no timecode in sight, and varying speeds of vocal delivery, Johnson’s fingers were firmly on the trigger. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he enthused. “As many operators would agree, the grandMA2 works wonders in that sense – there’s nothing you can’t do.”

Stuart Smith, designer of Thunderingjacks’ VideoDust, programmed the effects. Johnson walked TPi through the real-time video looks. “Most of the effects are nuanced, with little bleaches here and there,” he commented.

“However, James bursts into flames halfway through the track Bonfire Heart and Smoke Signals aptly sees smoke emitting from him.”

Commenting on his involvement, Smith said: “When it came to creating looks from VideoDust, it was quick and painless. I adjusted some of the built-in presets and it looked great. It’s so easy to use and can save valuable time in rehearsals.”

Lighting-wise, six Prolights ArenaCob 4Halos were chosen as an LED replacement for traditional, parcan glow. Philips Color Kinetics iW Blast TR were used as footlights, nine GLP JDC1s lighting underneath the risers.

Martin by Harman MAC Auras, 24 in total, and 72 Ayrton MagicDot-Rs were housed on flown pods centre of stage. Johnson pointed out six MAC Viper Air FXs and 12 MAC Viper Profiles as the “workhorse” fixtures of the rig – eight chosen for band key light in a “hexagon style shape” and a pair on the floor, either side, for cross lighting. Twelve flown Robe MegaPointes were among the strong looks.

Chief Lighting Technician, Moss Everhard and Lighting Technician, Mark Goodall, made up the lighting crew, both working with Lite Alternative on a “perma-lance” basis. “It’s a very technology-driven rig – we can manipulate

every song look differently, with one rack of Catalyst and VideoDust,” Johnson reflected on his brief: no content, other than lyrics. The team introduced video content for the track, Cold – “Miami boulevard-like content and lyric videos”.

Gritty “VHS-style” lyrics were layered over purple content during ukulele ballad, Postcards. The picture-perfect lyrics video on I Told You as well as the lyrical content and pinhole IMAG content of The Greatest, and the monochrome gobos left and right striking the audience on Champions were among the choice video content looks.

Walking into the tour, Shrimpton was surprised to be greeted by a creative setup, which comprised three ROE Visual MC-7HB screens, each 4.8m by 3m, which move up and down via Kinesys to create a composition of interesting shapes housed in ACASS frames. “Creative Technology also supplied Stage Smart Soca PDUs – with the amount of protection and monitoring, they’re perfect for an arena environment.”

Video Techs, Patrick Vansteelant and Jeroen Marain manned the cameras. The system comprised three HXC-100 cameras with custom Creative Technology side mounts (two Canon KJ22 and Canon XJ86 lenses) – two in the pit, as well as a long-lens at FOH. A trio of Q-ball 3s were lined along the edge of the band risers – “I’m not that keen on having handheld cameras on stage because they tend get in the way,” the Video Director recalled.

Due to the varying size of venues and FOH space, Creative Technology engineered a compact and versatile PPU system featuring a Panasonic AV-HS450E video switcher to allow Shrimpton to cut the show and operate from FOH. “The shots change from song to song,” he said, testing the varying colour gradings on offer.

Goodbye My Lover’s staggered IMAG presented heavy audience shots, like the world’s biggest James Blunt karaoke session, with over 19,000 fans 88

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singing in harmony. A sepia-toned central IMAG, and a clap-along chorus bathed in purple tones illustrated I Told You. “James’ back catalogue is very diverse – during the particularly personal tracks, a close-up is all you need, as his face tells a story,” Shrimpton acknowledged. “Other upbeat songs feature fast cuts, when it seems appropriate.” Shrimpton also outlined the emotionally charged intensity of the track, Monsters. A video

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rolls with family photos of band members and their fathers; it then finishes on a shot with James and his terminally ill father. “During the first night at Arena Birmingham, it was an emotional experience. James is an amazing wordsmith, and when he’s singing it, he means every word.”

Reflecting on the four-truck tour, he said: “Although there isn’t tonnes of gear, you would never know. As soon as the house lights hit, the show

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looks huge.” Shrimpton underlined the pedigree of Normandale’s skill in taking a blank canvas and limited supplies and putting together an arena show. “He gives you scope to push the creative boundaries; it’s an absolute pleasure to play a part in the creative process.”

‘IT’S ALL LIVE’ The artist’s preference of a tight-knit team continued as TPi met some of the key members of the audio department.

FOH Engineer, Mike Hornby, Monitor Engineer, Gerry Wilkes and Audio Crew Chief, Scott Essen, have all worked with James Blunt for almost 15 years. Once again, the trio, along with PA Techs, Craig Burns and Maria Head, came together to provide a robust audio package that lent into the artist’s sensibilities.

“We’ve got quite a traditional setup,” asserted Hornby. “It’s all live instruments with no tracks or playback. We could use a lot of modern trickery but, for me, I think it would lose a lot of charm if we went down that road.”

For control, the engineer put his faith in a Midas PRO2. Hornby was an old hand with the Midas brand, having taken out a Heritage during the first few runs with Blunt. “I really like the channel EQ on the PRO2,” he commented. “Personally, I get

frustrated using other desks as I don’t seem to have modelled their EQ to work in the live environment, meaning they are not powerful enough to get the job done.”

Along with a good desk, the FOH Engineer asserted that the intelligibly of the mix also relied on ensuring each instrument on stage was of the utmost quality. “It’s the benefit of being part of this camp so long, that I was involved to make sure we had the best sounding piano and equipment on stage. The truth is, if you have a bad keyboard, you can pretend to EQ it to perfection, but there is only “The show is slightly ‘rockier’ so much you can do.” than you might imagine – Although Blunt’s latest tour was a seated affair, the audio crew said that, by the end of the night, the similar to some of the bands crowd were always on their feet – a consideration in the ’70s such as Peter that Hornby made sure to consider in his mix.

“The show is slightly ‘rockier’ than you might Frampton and Steely Dan. imagine – similar to some of the bands in the ’70s I’m very conscious that I don’t such as Peter Frampton and Steely Dan. I’m very conscious that I don’t want to overload the sub in want to overload the sub in the mix or have someone sitting by a ground stack the mix or have someone and ruin their evening,” he stated. “The goal is to sitting by a ground stack and have the sub just tickle underneath, with most of the work being done by the main PA.” ruin their evening.”

The PA in question, provided by Skan PA, was a d&b audiotechnik KSL system along with J-SUBs on FOH Engineer, Mike Hornby 90

JAMES BLUNT

the ground, with a front fill setup comprising 12 Y10Ps. Discussing the audio setup was System Designer, Scott Essen. “We like to carry slightly more front fill than your standard arena show, as the show is seated and the first few rows are so close,” he explained. “I had to take into account that the audience would be both sitting and standing at different points of the show and design a system that could accommodate both.”

Turning his attention to the speakers in the air, Essen discussed his experience with the newer KSL system. “We used the J-Series for some time and only had these boxes for the last few shows,” he explained. “James in the past has worked off the room, so with the lack of rear rejection of the new KSL system, there have been some adjustments. James hasn’t commented on it much – the fact that it’s clearer on stage is certainly a good problem to have.”

Moving the conversation over to the stage, TPi caught up with Monitor Engineer, Gerry Wilkes. Having been with Blunt since the early days, the Engineer is very much sewn into the fabric of the artist’s stage setup – even holding the title of Stage Manager alongside his monitoring duties.

At the helm of the Yamaha CL5, Wilkes oversaw the mixture of wedges and IEMs. “James has quite a simple mix,” stated the Engineer. “He has a lot of his own vocal and whatever he is playing at the time. It’s not the most taxing job, as long as he can hear himself in the wedges, he takes a lot out of the rest of the room. We’ve all worked with him for so long that we know what works and what he wants. He’s not a practically demanding guy.”

Aiding Wilkes with all his RF requirements during the show was Maria Head. “She makes sure that everything is clean and that we have the

correct number of frequencies, which is still a relatively new aspect of the job for us,” Wilkes explained.

The Engineer went onto reveal that the use of wireless guitars and even IEMs came off the back of a TV performance, which had James Blunt play in multiple locations, meaning that a wireless guitar and vocal was the only feasible option.

“After that show, we decided to incorporate the wireless elements into our own touring rig,” stated Essen. “James likes to dart back and forth on stage and the wireless options allow him to have greater movement.”

For Blunt’s vocal microphone, the production opted for a Shure Beta 58a, which was also wireless, making use of the Shure Axient system along with Wireless Workbench.

During Wisemen, Blunt repeatedly posed the question: “Where are you now?” To which the rapturous Mancunian audience replied: “We’re in Manchester Arena”. Here, in a city which James Blunt has not played in years, and on Valentines weekend, love and IMAG screens were very much in the air.

Photos: Andrew Benge & TPi www.jamesblunt.com www.lite-alternative.com www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk www.skanpa.co.uk www.flybynite.co.uk www.flyingsaucerscatering.com www.ct-group.com 92

PRODUCTION FUTURES

Becky Gaskill NRG (Next Robe Generation)’s first female Assistant Lighting Designer, Becky Gaskill reflects on her biggest assignment to date – working alongside Nathan Wan and his Robe creative team to design and operate a 350-strong Robe lighting rig at the TPi Awards 2020.

Having worked for multiple crew companies to gain hands-on experience of concert setup and take down, Gaskill was one of the first names on the crack team of 10 NRG members hand selected by Wan to crew the TPi Awards’ biggest show to date.

“The biggest thing for us during the selection process is finding students who won’t be overwhelmed with the task at hand, given the scale of the event,” Wan explained. “Right from the off, I found Becky as a very calm, level-headed and composed individual who, as well as having a great approach, was creative and well-versed in live events.”

Gaskill first heard about the NRG scheme during her first year of university at Production Futures in 2018. Reflecting on the initiative, she said: “NRG provides some amazing opportunities for students to gain more knowledge through learning from people already working within the industry,” she continued. “It has allowed me to talk to industry professionals where I wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to without being a part of the NRG scheme.”

The application process for the NRG opportunity at TPi Awards 2020 began by sending a CV along with a covering letter and a testimonial from one of her university lecturers. “From there, I had an interview with Nathan, where he explained what the role involved for the TPi Awards,” she recalled.

“I was then sent a WYSIWIG file with a rig and had to design seven different looks to send back to Nathan.”

Gaskill was one of two female lighting specialists to join the NRG crew for the TPi Awards this year, alongside Systems Tech and RoboSpot Operator, Ola Przytula of The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. “I didn’t just choose Becky because we needed a female LD this year to fill a quota,” Wan confirmed. “Becky’s work is a very high standard and her mindset, given the long hours and working conditions has been exemplary throughout.”

Based on her personal experience, Gaskill believes there is an increased number of females entering the industry through the educational route.

“There are almost the same number of females on my university course as males,” she shared. However, outside of the classroom, she acknowledged the gender balance was predominantly male orientated.

The 350-strong lighting rig for TPi Awards 2020 was programmed by Wan and Webb onto two Avolites Tiger Touch II consoles – one dealing with the main show and effects lighting fixtures, operated by Gaskill, with Webb running all the key lighting and specials on the other.

Faced with the prospect of lighting a show for a room full of the live events industry’s toughest critics and admirers, Gaskill found the brief equal parts daunting and exciting. “Everyone in the room is in the industry, which means they are hard to impress and can notice mistakes within a

For the fourth year running, NRG crew members, under the supervision of Robe’s creative team – spearheaded by Lighting Designer, Nathan Wan and Associate Lighting Designer, Andy Webb – made a significant contribution to the TPi Awards 2020. NRG’s first female Assistant Lighting Designer, Becky Gaskill, was among those chosen to play an integral role in illuminating a room of over 1,700 industry peers and insiders at Battersea Evolution.

Gaskill’s interest in live events can be traced back to her adolescence.

Sitting down with TPi ahead of her biggest assignment to date, the thirdyear Backstage Academy Live Events Production student recalled visiting gigs with friends and family as watershed moments, which spurred her on to embark on a career in live events.

“I was so intrigued and amazed by how the lighting design of shows were put together and operated,” she commented. The Manchester-born LD went on to recount her time studying as a Creative Music Performance student at Salford City College. It was here where she began learning the basics of lighting design. “That’s where I used my first lighting desk... I have been hooked ever since!”

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PRODUCTION FUTURES

NRG Associate Lighting Designer, Becky Gaskill with Systems Tech and RoboSpot Operator, Ola Przytula.

show, but this opportunity also gives me the chance to show off what I can do and put myself out there to people in this industry.”

Overall, the young LD found working closely with Wan and his Robe creative team an incredible experience. “It has opened my mind to new ways to design and program,” she commented, dubbing Wan as an “incredible” lighting designer and teacher and pointing to her skills progression with Avolites and lighting programming as one of the biggest takeaways from the entire experience.

Main Bar Lighting Operator, Charley Hardwick, Main Bar Video Operator, Matthew Ascough, and Robe VIP Lounge Lighting Operator, Jake Paige of Rose Bruford College joined Lead RoboSpot Operator and Crew Chief, Glen Leyser of Rose Bruford College and Nari Smith of Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and Gavin Kennedy of LIR Academy in the NRG tech team.

The Robe VIP Lounge Meet and Greet Team (non-technical role) comprised Nathan Mallalieu, Jack Druett, Finlay Russell, and Sam Blackmore of Rose Bruford College. “For other young people and students looking to join the

NRG scheme, I would 100% tell them to go for it. I would encourage people to get involved with as much as they can with NRG. The socials they have allow you to talk to people in the industry and make contacts,” she added.

“They also offer tours and opportunities that aren’t available to other people.”

As the rig was broken down, high-vis vests packed away and flight cases rolled out for another year, Gaskill looked towards the future. “Five years from now, I would like to see myself working as a lighting designer/ programmer for touring gigs,” she told TPi. “Concerts and corporate events are the types of gigs that I’m most interested in… I can’t wait to be working in that area of the industry.”

TPi Photos: TPi & NRG www.productionfutures.com www.tpiawards.com www.robe.cz

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MARKET FOCUS

LED SCREENS An overview of some of the leading LED screens in the live events market.

ABSEN The Venus (VN) Series is an innovative LED display that has been specifically designed for concerts and festivals due to its ability to create super-sized screens at speed. The product features an integrated ‘module-on-frame’ design, making it 27% lighter than competing solutions.

At 27.5 kg/sq m, it is a light integrated touring display solution on the market, allowing creative teams to cuts back on weight, save money and build even bigger LED walls than before – up to 20m in height.

Available in two standard sizes: 1,500mm (W) by 1,000mm (H) and 500mm by 1,000mm, in order to allow for fully customised options, the VN Series will be available in 3.9mm, 4.8mm and 8.3mm pixel pitch versions, boasting up to 5000 nits brightness and black face LED. The VN Series also allows for concave and convex curving options for highly creative video wall projects. Designed with crew’s safety and convenience in mind, all Venus LED panels are fitted with carbon fibre pipes with special anti-slip coatings, with additional safety hooks so riggers can secure themselves every step of the way.

The VN’s easy locking system with big-sized handles are simple to use even with thick gloves on, with colour-coded lock/unlock markers and vertical auto-lock for an improved user experience. www.absen.com 96

LED SCREENS

ADJ The new ‘VS’ Vision Series of LED video panels from ADJ offers a versatile modular solution that has been developed to make life easier for video professionals installing LED walls on either a temporary or permanent basis.

Each panel in the range features four individual modules, which are front serviceable. Across the range, the modules are all mounted to the same frame, allowing panels of different resolutions to be used together and meaning that the same rigging bar and other accessories can be used for all VS models.

Featuring the highest quality LED binning as well as bright, clear output, the VS Series features three panel models.

The VS5 offers a 5.95mm pixel pitch (84 by 84 pixel density), the VS3 has a 3.91mm pixel pitch (128 by 128 pixel density) and the VS2 offers the highest resolution in the range with a 2.97mm pixel pitch (168 by 168 pixel density).

All three panels utilise 3-in-1 RGB SMD2121 LEDs with a brightness of 1000 NITS and a high refresh rate of 3840Hz. They offer a wide viewing angle of 160° (horizontal) / 140° (vertical) and a high contrast ratio of 5000:1, allowing for the delivery of exceptionally vibrant video reproduction. www.adj.com

SATELLITE MODULAR LASER SYSTEM

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LED SCREENS

CHAUVET PROFESSIONAL The CHAUVET Professional F2 is a 2.9 mm pixel pitch LED video panel equipped with a high contrast 1,500 NITS and a refresh rate of 3,840 Hz for crisp high-quality imagery.

The video panel is the ideal solution for corporate events with text, high-res IMAG and any space with a shorter viewing distance.

F2 set up is optimised by its advanced light-weight die-cast magnesium housing and magnetic assisted hanging features.

The magnetic LED module is also both front and rear serviceable to simplify maintenance and installation. The fully equipped unit comes with a road case and power/data linking cables. www.chauvetprofessional.com

INFILED The ER series is a high-performance rental panel for indoor and outdoor use. It is light and slim and has many user-friendly components to achieve a convenient and fast installation, including; fast lock, pre-locks and carry handles. The screen has a high protection level with front and back service options for quick and easy maintenance and is stackable and hangable with a wave screen system.

The range of pixel pitch availability for the ER is (in mm): 2.9, 3.91, 4.63, 4.8, 5.95, 6.94, 7.81, 10.41. Boasting an easy setup and assembly and high brightness levels with a high refresh rate of 3000Hz+.

The lightweight ER Series features precise positioning pins and patented ‘One Action Locking’ system designed for faster screen building.

Applicable in a range of positions, with rear service capability, 110° horizontal and vertical viewing angle.

With a 500mm by 1000mm cabinet size, the construction materials are used to maximise tensile strength and minimise weight including die-cast and standard aluminium, carbon composites and magnesium, as well as being certified to EMC, ETL, LVD industry standard safety regulations. www.infiled.com

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The LED displays have been built from the ground up to address the real-world requirements and feedback from customers who desire a lightweight, simple design that is quick to assemble, teardown and transportâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but also rugged enough to withstand wear and tear. www.leyard.com

The VS Series is a full-featured series of rental and staging LED video wall displays built for easy assembly and transport, adaptability to diverse environments and fast serviceability. Offered in 2.5, 3.9 and 4.8mm

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LED SCREENS

ROE VISUAL

an excellent visual performance due to the use of Common Cathode technology. Its stable and brilliant LED performance, with reduced colour differences and relative high brightness, is the result of a significantly reduced panel temperature and efficient heat-dissipation.

The processing cards on the Black Quartz panels warrant superb visuals. HDR10, Natural true colour, low latency, module calibration, edge correction, and 10-bit grayscales are added features. You can run Black Quartz on a low brightness mode for unrivalled grayscales at indoor use, making this a very adaptable product. www.roevisual.com

The Black Quartz LED panels by ROE Visual are designed as a fast-building, full-fledged LED screen appliance, with an integrated wind-bracing system.

The perfect solution for touring and outdoor events, ensuring audience safety with wind-load resistant LED screens. Black Quartz panels have

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FUTURE INSIGHTS

FUTURE INSIGHTS The latest product releases and announcements from ISE 2020

ABSEN Absen’s new LED display has been specifically designed for concerts and festivals due to its ability to create super-sized screens at speed. The Venus (VN) Series features a unique integrated ‘module-on-frame’ design which also cuts back on weight, saves cost and give the ability to build even large structures. The VN Series come is two standard sizes with 3.9mm, 4.8mm and 8.3mm pixel pitch versions, boasting up to 5,000 nits brightness and black face LED. The product can be easily hung, stacked and transported, into a dolly system. Each panels is also fitted with carbon fibre pipes with special anti-slip coatings to ensure the safety of climbers, with additional safety hooks so riggers. www.absen.com

ADAM HALL Based on a 750W white light LED, the OPUS X Profile generates a luminous flux of 33,000 lumens and 72,000 lux illuminance at 5m. In combination with CMY colour mixing system as well as a zoom range of 6° to 48°, the fixture enables even projections without disturbing hotspots even in the most demanding environments. The profile moving head works completely flicker-free, thanks to selectable PWM frequencies up to 25kHz for particularly critical use in theatre and broadcast applications. The fixture also includes a rotating animation wheel, a rotating and static gobo wheel, a rotatable and indexable circular five-facet prism and a linear six-facet prism plus a variable frost filter for wash light effects. The OPUS X Profile can also be controlled via the integrated W-DMX transceiver, DMX, RDM, Art-Net or sACN. www.adamhall.com

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FUTURE INSIGHTS

ALCONS AUDIO The LR24 is a mid-size line-array sound system, designed to enable a 1:1 non-compressed reproduction of the original sound source at any sound pressure level. Due to the completely neutral response of the system, it can be used for any application and source possible, from speech, classical music, jazz, all the way to pop and hard-rock performances. The system is characterised by a fully predictable, linear response from the lowest to the highest SPLs, with a completely flat frequency response up to 20kHz, giving room for full artistic “sound sculpting”, without having to work around or against the system. www.alconsaudio.com

BARCO Weighing less than 50kg, Barco’s latest lightweight projector features 4K UHD resolution and 21,000 lumens light output to deliver an impactful 4K experiences with one of the widest colour spectrums for 22K laser phosphor projection on the market. The UDM is also the first projector in the Barco range which is fully connected via the Insights dashboard and remote log file access, enabling faster and more effective troubleshooting. Users are able to keep track of operating conditions anywhere and anytime through a secured cloud-based platform and integrated 3G connectivity. www.barco.com

BLACKTRAX As part of BlackTrax’s CONVRG camera automation ecosystem launched in 2019, HELIOS is the new camera-tracking beacon designed for all environments to enable extended and augmented reality for the broadcast, cinematic and touring industries.

Mounted directly onto a camera to suit any filming needs, the unified ecosystem of BlackTrax, CONVRG and HELIOS will allow users the flexibility of placing BTSensors in vantage points and areas that best suit the specific environment of any production. www.blacktrax.cast-soft.com

CHAUVET PROFESSIONAL A uniquely shaped 6.9mm pixel pitch video panel, the F6 IP Strips can be used to line set-pieces and configure designs that compliment other video wall panels in CHAUVET’s F-series. Since it takes HDMI/DVI/SDI directly into the VIP Drive 83R video processor and features the same mapping software (Smart-LCT) as other F-series video panels, there is no need to set up a separate, dedicated video server. Its die-cast housing makes this product among the lightest and slimmest in its class without compromising its strength. F6 Strip IP runs on the Novastar control platform and includes two diffusion filters for further versatility. www.chauvetprofessional.com

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FUTURE INSIGHTS

VL5LED WASH THE RETURN OF A LEGEND

CLEAR-COM This latest addition to the FreeSpeak family of digital wireless intercom solutions operates in the 5GHz band and delivers the clearest 12kHz audio quality with ultra-low latency and advanced RF performance even in high multi-path environments. The system is highly scalable to accommodate the largest productions and can be combined seamlessly with FreeSpeak II 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz systems, providing three bands across a single unified intercom system. www.clearcom.com

CODA AUDIO The N-RAY incorporates a unique 6in double diaphragm planar wave driver (DDP), dual 6.5in neodymium ultra-low distortion low-frequency cone drivers, N-RAY insta-fit Magnetic Couplers and revolutionary Dynamic Airflow Cooling (DAC) technology, ensuring exceptionally high sound pressure coupled with low power compression. The line array facilitates system integration with CODAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LINUS loudspeaker management amplifiers, while a hybrid multiplex/aluminium enclose with Polyurea coating ensures extreme durability and water protection. www.codaaudio.com

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FUTURE INSIGHTS

EM ACOUSTICS Coupled with EM Acoustics’ DQ Series amplifiers, the Reference Series offers a range of exceptionally powerful tools for audio professionals seeking high performance in a compact form factor.

The first in the series to be announced is the R10 Suited to any performance environment requiring ultra-high quality sound reinforcement, the R10 is a three-way passive system featuring dual 10in LF drivers and a 4in/2.5in mid-hi coaxial unit. www.emacoustics.co.uk

EQUIPSON The WORK PRO ARION Series is a DSP powered line array ecosystem that includes the ARION 21A system and double 10in format SL210A satellites.

This system can be configured to suit a wide variety of applications, from medium to large venues where power, quality, and controlled directivity are required through to theatres and concert halls. At this year’s show Equipson showcased the ARION 10A and 5A, both of which significantly extend the versatility and appeal of the range. www.equipson.es

LYNX PRO AUDIO This new scaleable coaxial line array features the self-powered CLS-28, a three-way full range with coaxial drivers delivering an incredible size-topower ratio. Measuring only 60cm and 27kg with a power of 2800W, it has a three-point rigging system with two retractile levers and one centre/rear point that enables up to 16 cabinets to be flown in a single array. www.lynxproaudio.com

MEYER SOUND The ULTRA-X20 compact point source loudspeaker incorporates two, 5in cone drivers, one 2in diaphragm compression driver and a rotatable 110° by 50° horn in a coaxial configuration. Preliminary performance specifications give an operating frequency range of 60Hz to 18kHz, phase response of ±45° (100 Hz – 16 kHz) and linear peak SPL of 123.5 dB measured with M-Noise. Meanwhile the USW-112P compact subwoofer packs robust low frequency performance into a slender, self-powered package. An ideal solution when space is at a premium. www.meyersound.com

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PANASONIC The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest, lightweight 30,000-lumen projector has been designed for smart live production, providing stunning image quality in a compact body. Due to its size, you can stack the RQ35 or mix and match with a 20,000 lumen projector, or even a 13,000 lumen projector.

The smaller footprint also makes it more transportable and easier to rig. The RQ35 provides the same colour reproduction as the RQ50, and is compatible with existing lenses. The projector inputs can be configured to the customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs by using slot-NX optional input boards like 12GSDI, HDMI, DisplayPort or fibre connections. www.panasonic.com

VOID The Bias Q1 is a four-channel DSP+Dante amplifier and has been adapted with smaller dimensions and is lighter in weight than the Bias Q5. Whilst operating from the same amplifier platform the Bias Q1 is still durable and maintains the impressive sound quality which end users have come to expect from Void Acoustics. It is multi-application and the ideal product for use in bars, clubs, for corporate and live music venues as well as large-scale outdoor events and touring. The Bias Q1 is the ideal amplifier where large amounts of smaller lower powered loudspeakers are being used. www.voidacoustics.com

BE A PART OF THE NEXT FUTURE INSIGHTS Do you have a new product launching in the next few months?

Please contact Stew Hume, s.hume@mondiale.co.uk or Jacob Waite, j.waite@mondiale.co.uk

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DISCOVER IT NOW

IN PROFILE

D&B AUDIOTECHNIK

D&B AUDIOTECHNIK TPi visits the German loudspeaker specialist’s Backnang HQ to discover its manufacturing process and what changes the team foresee in the world of live audio.

It may be a generalisation, but the world of live music seems to be witnessing something of a sea change at the moment. With more sophisticated technology and greater options with the likes of immersive audio and spatial mixing, the ripples of these changes have certainly been felt in the live events industry. One of the dominant forces in this change is undoubtedly d&b audiotechnik. With the development of Soundscape – the company’s own entry into the spatial audio world – d&b has been busy spreading the word of the outer limits of sound and the new tools at engineers’ disposal.

The company was born back in the early ’80s, with founders Jürgen Daubert and Rolf Belz starting out from their humble beginnings of a garage in the town of Korb. After quickly outgrowing the confines of their original HQ, the duo took the company to a former spinning mill in Backnang, where d&b has maintained its base ever since.

When the company first moved into the facility, it had just 20 staff, who worked in a modest space of around 800 sq m. However, d&b has grown year on year and its HQ now spans more than 34,000 sq m.

Greeting TPi at the main entrance of d&b’s reception was Ali Mildenberger, Head of Process Engineering and one of the individuals responsible for creating the company’s manufacturing workflow. At the time of TPi’s visit, the company was just starting its extensive expansion, having purchased the building next to its site – a move that will increase its footprint significantly and, according to the Processing Engineer, lead to an even more effective workflow, all taking place on one level.

As we walked down the supply chain, one recurring theme was that of ergonomics for the warehouse team’s workstations. “The idea is that if we create a good atmosphere and our workers are comfortable, then the quality of the output will be better,” Mildenberger explained. One of Mildenberger’s roles within d&b is to continually assess the company’s

process and to keep improving it. “The principle that both I and the rest of the team follow is PDAC: Plan, Do, Act and Check. Throughout our system, we log every stage, so if there is ever an issue, we can track where it has occurred and fix it. Our goal is to have as much transparency for our clients as possible in order to ensure that they have the best service.”

As is the way with most manufactures, d&b has invested in certain automated elements, although still very much values the importance of skilled hands putting together its loudspeakers.

“Even in some of the areas where we have brought in robotic elements, you still need those with the knowledge to program the system,” said Mildenberger. “Take how our cabinets are painted, for instance. For that process, you need incredibly skilled workers. You can bring a professional painter from the automotive industry and they cannot do this job – it requires a minimum of six months training.”

Having seen the construction of speaker boxes, from C&C machines to final QC tests, we turned our attention to some of the applications of the d&b boxes – namely Soundscape. For the uninitiated, Soundscape is d&b’s system to give more creative tools to sound designers – specifically via the two software modules; En-Scene and En-Space. The former is a sound object positioning tool allowing the individual placement and movement of up to 64 sound objects, while the later is an in-line room emulation tool, which creates and modifies reverberation signatures in any space.

After having a private demo of the capabilities of the system, we spoke to the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, David Claringbold, who became aware of an early iteration of Soundscape while he was Director of the Sydney Opera House. Having held his position at d&b for the past two-anda-half years, he spoke of the impact he had already seen with Soundscape.

“Soundscape is so much more than an ‘immersive’ system,” he stated.

“You technically could do that with the system, but it only tells a part of the 113

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story. It’s all about using the tool to fit what the show requires and to aid available. “He brought some multitrack to a venue in the UK, where we the story you are trying to tell.” showcased what Soundscape was capable of,” stated Jones. “One of the Claringbold went on to outline some of the highlights he’s seen from main things that sold him on Soundscape was the delay system when Soundscape so far. “One of the most inventive projects I have come across you ‘moved’ objects within the software, which gives a real sense of has been the system used for The Lehman Trilogy,” he noted. “During movement.” Jones added that Gale also, “really liked the protocol, which the play, the three actors perform in a glass box with the idea being that we call function groups, where you can split the system into different the audience should feel like they’re inside the components”, adding that this gave Gale a greater box with them. Thanks to Soundscape, the level of control when he entered different venues. sound designers were able to make it sound as In fact, Björk’s latest show in many ways was a though you were right there with them. With this showcase of how this system could very much be technology, you are now able to have audio and a scalable solution. “We went from a 2,500-seat visuals work together, rather than being separate.” venue in New York to a 5,500-seat venue in Mexico Although the team admitted that the – all with a full 360° system.” The tour culminated technology had found a natural home within the in a European arena run – although the production realms of theatre, the technology has recently altered the setup to a 180° configuration. The been utilised on a selection of tours – including tour utilised the d&b En-Scene object-based most recently with Björk’s Cornucopia tour. mixing and En-Space room emulation software, System designer Steve Jones spoke to TPi running on the DS100 system processor and a about his experience on the tour. “Björk has been comprehensive d&b KSL speaker system. a long-time user of d&b,” he began, explaining how With shows such as Cornucopia now coming “It’s exciting to discover the one of the artist’s early tours actually marked the to fruition, Claringbold predicted that this was ways in which people are first time the company’s C4 system was used in just start. “The confidence we have entering the UK. “Björk wanted the sound for Cornucopia this market is extremely strong,” he stated. “It’s utilising Soundscape and to create an otherworldly sensory experience for exciting to discover the ways in which people are seeing what is possible with the audience that draws all the visual, aural and utilising Soundscape and seeing what is possible virtual elements together.” with this technology.” this technology.”

Before starting the tour, the Icelandic singer TPi David Claringbold, challenged her FOH Engineer, John Gale, to Photos: d&b audiotechnik look into what 3D sound systems were currently www.dbaudio.com Chief Marketing Officer 114

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LASERWORLD SHOWNET Laserworld Group Chief Marketing Officer, Norbert Stangl, discusses how ShowNET puts creative control into the hands of end users.

When did the development of ShowNET begin?

The ShowNET laser mainboard has quite some history with the Micronet slim laser interface being the basic hardware version, which was launched in 2010. It was mainly a digital-to-analog converter for laser software, but already had some basic extended features. However, the main development for the ShowNET started at the end of 2018. We decided to enhance the DMX capabilities on the firmware side and prepared the hardware for integration into the lasers. The main goal was to have the same, powerful mainboard with all the features in all our professional laser systems.

What does ShowNET bring to lighting and laser operators?

It’s important to understand that there are very different types of laser users. Depending on the application, lasers require different types of control. Lasers used to be controlled via ILDA – an analog, parallel data transmission, requiring rather bulky cables. This, and the fact that it was necessary to have a computer for control, usually put off lighting designers and mobile DJs away from lasers, as they did not want to deal with more complex control systems and preferred to run everything from one desk using DMX/ArtNET. The main goal is to make lasers as easy to control as an intelligent lighting fixture, allow lighting designers or production companies to easily scale or modify the setup, allow for maximum customisation of the content and allow for access to the important features solely through DMX. We extended the firmware to have two different DMX modes – a DJ mode with pre-made animations, and a professional DMX 116

LASERWORLD SHOWNET

mode with 34 channels. This professional mode is specifically developed for lighting designers.

With ShowNET, it’s possible to create special projection zones, do colour balancing, use full colour mixing, set up geometric corrections and even set safety zones just over DMX. It’s also possible to safely store these settings to the ShowNET laser mainboard via DMX, so all actions afterwards just happen within these parameters. This means there is no need for RDM or sACN to program the ShowNET mainboard – just plain DMX. Users can customise the gobos in the unit, which can even be animated or multicoloured via a free laser software comes with every unit. Alternatively, you can also directly output to the laser, like with a classic laser show. Laser designers can also use different software with the ShowNET laser mainboard, so it is not limited to one product. Other features within ShowNET include; sound to light, automatic mode, standalone projection mode and ILDA streaming.

general colour balancing with the lighting desk and then safely store the settings to the ShowNET laser mainboard. If a guest LD takes control for example, there is no worry of the lasers projecting outside of the set safety zones. These settings are not ‘emulated’ by DMX any more – they are hard set inside the main board, so even a potentially unstable DMX connection cannot affect these settings. This is an extremely powerful new setting and available with the latest firmware version.

How has critical feeback from end users helped shape the final product?

I expected some critical feedback, as we put so many features to those 34 channels, and even a second layer to the DMX control. Surprisingly, all of the feedback has been exceptionally positive. Lighting designers are getting back to me thanking for these awesome new possibilities for creating completely new effects and they appreciate the ease of use too.

The only thing really requested was to improve safety features for locking off the laser projection zones. We always had a plan for this, but some feedback was useful to make sure we could deliver what the LDs wanted with the recent update.

Did you encounter any challenges during the development process?

The main difficulties were on the programming side for the firmware. All the features required resource saving programming, so the processor of the micro controller still maintains enough headroom for future developments.

Another difficult part was adding safety features with direct DMX control and at the same time exactly specifying the DMX channels to the needs of lighting designers and lighting operators. However, I think we did this really well through our beta testing with operators and also research into mainstream pro lighting fixtures, so the operation feels the same even though the effect is different.

Where does ShowNET fall within the visual market?

ShowNET – as mainboard or as external device – will definitely make a difference to how lighting designers can use lasers for their shows. Lasers are not solitary effects any more. They have become intelligent lighting devices that can be used as mass effects like any other lighting fixture. The keywords for every lighting designer are; Effects generator and Phase shift.

You can apply those in the exact same way with other pro lighting effects, so colour changing or using the effects generator across multiple lasers can create the same effect over multiple moving heads.

TPi www.laserworld.com

What features are included to ensure ShowNET is operated safely?

The new Setup-and-Store mode means designers can set safety relevant parameters like projection zone, safety zone, geometric correction and 118

PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE

ARE WE IR35?

PSA’s Andy Lenthall discusses employed versus self-employed status.

First things first, let’s tackle the bit that (subject to a Lords debate that is unlikely to lead to changes) will change this coming April. Basically (and mistakenly in many cases), some companies instructed their self employed contractors to spend time and money incorporating as single director Ltd.

Companies to somehow reinforce their self employed status. To a certain extent, that did have and advantage to the company doing the hiring, as it left the subcontractor, or to be accurate, the entity that the subcontractor had created, carrying the can if HMRC decided that they were technically acting as an employee, landing the subcontractor with a nice PAYE tax and National Insurance bill.

The mechanism for making these decisions was snappily entitled IR35, and individuals were either in its scope or outside it. We do talk regularly about unintended consequences, and this broad-brush approach was originally intended to stem the tide of systems contractors leaving the employment of large companies and public sector bodies on a Friday and coming back on Monday to do the same job as a self employed subcontractor on a fat daily rate upon which far less tax was levied.

The advantage of this move to the former employers is move the cost to a different part of the balance sheet and reduce the various cost and admin burdens of employing people, hence the higher fee so the subcontractor could put extra money aside to cover illness, holiday and

maternity pay (like you all do, right?). Various budgets have seen various loopholes shrink or close, notably tax on income derived as dividend, but there is still room for income maximisation for those turning over a reasonable amount.

Back in 2017 there was a shift in IR35 for the public sector. Up until then, it was the subcontractor who decided whether they were within the scope of IR35 and the subcontractor who had to have the argument with HMRC if they disagreed.

As we said at the start, the subcontractor then had the responsibility of paying the tax and national insurance on the money deemed to be ‘employed’ income. It is our understanding that employers National Insurance contributions weren’t chased and anyone found to be ‘employed’ were not retrospectively afforded rights to holiday, sick or maternity/ paternity leave.

The big change switched the decision and responsibility from the subcontractor to the entity engaging them, when that entity was a public body. This coming April, that change of responsibility is extended to all medium and large employers; as a general rule of thumb, if your company requires an audit, it’s a medium or large company and falls into scope.

Now, we recently carried out a PSA Workforce Survey. The results serve two purposes; like a lamppost, they can be used to lean on or they can be used for illumination. In this case, individuals that completed our survey 120

PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE

were 51% sole trader and 30% Ltd company, with the rest being employed, we also know that there are but a handful of members companies that would be classified medium or large, so for many it’s an easy exercise to see if you in or out of reach of the imminent changes.

Of course, some may miss a crucial point and assume that they fall within scope, and then react inappropriately. It has to be said at this point that public bodies did react with jerking knee movements, leading to a reported exodus of contractors to the private sector. We only had one enquiry from a member who services a number of local authority events, with one client insisting incorrectly that their company’s techs would have to be on the books too, suggesting that the lighting and power suppliers were acting as agents supplying technicians rather that engaging technicians themselves to help them provide a service.

This perhaps leads us neatly to a past article on intermediary and agency tax rules. It still stands that, if your contract is to supply just labour (like a crew company), and there is any right of supervision and control on site (like job function, method of working or break times), then workers are PAYE employees, with PAYE responsibilities lying with the client facing entity (crew company).

This has been circumnavigated to some extent by engaging crew who are their own Ltd company, this will change if the client of the crew company is a medium or large company, with the crew company responsible for tax and NI but with no employment rights for the individual.

Once you’ve decided whether you or your clients fall within the definition of medium/large company, you’re in the world of deciding whether your workers are acting as employees or self employed. At this point, we expand the definitions to sole traders, those workers who simply hire themselves out as individuals, completing a tax return and paying tax on their profits at the end of each year.

For each the tests are the same, for employers the advantages of ‘of payroll’ workers remain. The minor difference is that, if HMRC deem sole traders to be on the books, there’ll be a whole new regime of workers on zero (or minimum) hours contracts with the employment rights that their new status carries, whereas Ltd company (personal service company)

workers will receive their pay with deductions without the employment rights that PAYE working offers.

Although there’s a comprehensive list of indicators that supposedly determine employment status, such as provision of equipment, mutuality of obligation and entrepreneurial risk (working for several clients doesn’t always cut it as each contract is judged individually).

HMRC’s online Employment Status Calculator currently bases its judgment on whether a worker can provide a substitute, whether they have to choose that substitute and whether they have to pay that substitute. If all three requirements are met, their calculator will produce a printable record that states that the person is self employed. Generating a print out to staple to every purchase order for each and every individual subcontractor might be laborious. It might also be a waste of time because your local HMRC office may well ask for evidence of subcontractors providing and paying subcontractors in the past.

Broad brush approach, unintended consequences, knee jerk solutions, all too familiar phrases when new legislation arrives, with the addition of occasional disadvantages for those that follow the rules correctly.

It’s understandable that it’s more efficient to go after companies than individuals; it’s also understandable that Government feel it unfair for some workers to pay less tax than others and some employers to avoid providing employee benefits. The introduction of IR35 and subsequent changes could perhaps have been managed better.

Rules around workers leaving public and larger private organisations in other countries differ. Take the Netherlands; a worker leaving a job is barred from returning to that employer as a contractor for two years, only being allowed back once they’ve proven their mettle in the big wide world. Food for thought, a rule preventing the very issue that IR35 set out to resolve, a rule that wouldn’t adversely affect our sector much at all.

Don’t forget, there’s a members’ business support line for questions relating to employment law and tax. Details in the members’ section of the PSA website.

TPi www.psa.org.uk

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INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

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INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Audio-Technica joins forces with Audio Pro Business.

Audio-Technica has partnered with Audio Pro Business. The deal sees the Swedish speaker manufacturer join Audio-Technica’s portfolio of distributed brands in the UK, Ireland, France and Spain. “Audio Pro Business addresses the needs of businesses wanting better quality sound and the flexibility to match changing retail and hospitality environments,” said Gary Maguire, Commercial Director Audio-Technica EMEA. “The brand’s forwardthinking approach aligns to many of the requests we have experienced in the market. We look forward to working on some exciting projects in the coming months.”

Bandit Lites has hired Nick Brown to provide lighting design and console operation for various productions, including events at the University of Tennessee and five-star resort, Blackberry Farm. “Nick is a great addition to our team because he has a positive attitude and a great natural talent for lighting,” commented Bandit Lites General Manager, Giff Swart.

Cymatic Audio has entered into a cooperation with punQtum in the fields of logistics, service and procurement. “When it comes to back-office operations, it made sense to join forces to avoid unnecessary costs,” commented Arie van den Broek, founder of both companies. “However, this arrangement will not affect the distribution channels of either company.

punQtum remains a strictly business-to-business direct sales operation, whereas Cymatic Audio products will remain available through our valued dealers and distribution partners in the market.” d&b audiotechnik has appointed Anand Narayanan as Territory Manager APAC and President, d&b audiotechnik Asia Pacific. “After a successful expansion in APAC under the leadership of Michael Case, Anand will play a central role in the next phase of d&b’s development in the region,” stated Amnon Harman, CEO, d&b audiotechnik Group. “His proven capability to define and execute on long-term growth strategies and strong leadership experience will be invaluable as we continue to invest in additional infrastructure and resources to support our customers and partners in Asia Pacific.” eps has expanded its management team in Scandinavia, appointing Fredrik Zetterberg as the new CEO of eps Scandinavia. Bo Teichert, who co-founded the company, will focus on operations and existing customer relationships. In addition to its HQ in Copenhagen, eps is now also represented by Zetterberg with an office in Stockholm. “I am delighted to welcome Fredrik to our eps family,” said Okan Tombulca, Managing Director of eps Group. “He brings a wealth of experience, in-depth knowledge, and 122

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INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Bandit Lites’ Nick Brown; d&b audiotechnik’s Anand Narayanan; CEO of eps Scandinavia, Fredrik Zetterberg; Green Hippo’s Ryan Brown with David March; Project and Marketing Coordinator, Abi Roberts; General Manager of Solotech Quebec, Frédéric Sujobert; Meyer Sound’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, John McMahon and Wolfgang Leute.

Solotech Quebec City office. Under the joint leadership of Martin Chouinard, President of the Live Productions Division, Canada, and Philip Giffard, President of the Sales and Systems Integration Division, Sujobert will supervise operational and sales performance for the Quebec City/Saguenay region. “Sujobert’s versatility, leadership and management skills are clear assets for Solotech,” commented President and CEO, Martin Tremblay.

“We are eager to leverage his in-depth knowledge of the Quebec City area business community.”

Meyer Sound has promoted John McMahon to the position of Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. The company has also realigned its international sales structure and expanded the roles of overseas offices.

Under the direction of Wolfgang Leute, Meyer Sound Germany has expanded its role to support dealer networks in the UK, Scandinavia and parts of

an understanding of all aspects of our industry.”

David March and Ryan Brown are to take on new directorship roles at Green Hippo. Business Unit Director Emma Marlow is also to leave the company after almost seven years. After overseeing the integration of Green Hippo into the Spitfire group of specialist AV brands, she will not be directly replaced. Instead, her responsibilities are being split across new roles shared by staff across the family of companies. “On behalf of everyone at Green Hippo, I’d like to say a massive thank you to Emma, who has been an inspirational and greatly-respected Director,” said March. “She has guided us to great things, and we, like so many in the industry, wish her all the very best in her next adventure.” Meanwhile, the company has also appointed Abi Roberts as Project and Marketing Coordinator.

Frédéric Sujobert has been appointed as General Manager of the 124

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INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Meyer Sound’s Jocelyn Moras, Scott Gledhill and Dennis Tholema; PULSE PA’s Ralph Walsh with Angus Price; Peavey Commercial Audio General Manager, Shayne Thomas.

Eastern Europe. Jocelyn Moras now manages sales teams throughout Latin America, while Meyer Sound Mexico has returned to be the sole distributor for Mexico. Director of International Sales, Scott Gledhill, will continue to manage Meyer Sound’s network of European distributors in addition to leading Asian sales activities with support from the new Meyer Sound Asia office recently established in Singapore.

Total Sound Solutions and Pulse PA have consolidated an informal alliance around its purchases of NEXO’s new GEO M12 mid-size line array system. Both TSS and Pulse PA have taken delivery of near-identical NEXO GEO M12 inventories, with MSUB18 sub-bass, NXAMP Mk2 amplifiers and flyware. “Now we can integrate our wholly compatible inventories, and gain the opportunity to quote for bigger jobs,” TSS’ Chris Hooke commented.

Ralph Walsh, MD of Pulse PA added: “Together, we will be the biggest users of NEXO in the UK, with a stock of more than 20 GEO MSUBS and 30 GEO M12 top boxes, which enables us to handle very large events.”

Peavey Commercial Audio has rehired Shayne Thomas to the role of General Manager. Responsible for overseeing the MediaMatrix and Crest Audio product lines, Thomas has re-joined the company after a two-year stint at Singapore-based Swee Lee Projects.

Pixl Evolution has appointed Gilles Quentel to the post of Warehouse Manager. “I’ve known Gilles for a long time and had the pleasure of working with him for a number of years in a previous position,” commented Managing Director, Lee Spencer. “His technical AV knowledge is excellent, he has very strong IT skills and his commitment to delivering the highest level of customer service matches the Pixl ethos of going above and beyond. We’re delighted to have secured the services of an exceptional professional.”

POLAR has added ClearOne, UMA and Utelogy to its portfolio.

US-based ClearOne produces hardware and software for collaboration and communication solutions; UMA is a privacy-first digital assistant for enterprise; while Utelogy is a provider of intelligent management, monitoring and software. POLAR has also further developed its Project Design Service within its Integrated Solutions division.

RCF UK has appointed Tom Martin to the role of UK Technical Sales/ Support. Dean Davoile, UK Sales Director, commented: “As RCF continues to grow, we needed to find someone who was capable of supporting our dealers and demonstrating across all our product ranges. Tom is that person; with his extensive experience in live, installed and AV applications, he fits the bill perfectly.”

Jacek Rusek has joined Shure as Integrated Systems Market Development Manager for Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In this new role based in Warsaw, Rusek will work closely with Shure Distributor, Polsound, to build direct relationships with end customers in the region.

“We are pleased to welcome Jacek,” commented Rob Smith, Senior Director, Integrated Systems Sales for Western Europe, at Shure. “His background in video conferencing and unified communications as well as his expertise in sales, product management, business development and technical training are very beneficial.”

Bristol-based SLX has relocated to a new premises. The new warehouse, which will also house the Head Offices, comprises over 54,000 square feet of warehouse and office space. “After only four years since our previous warehouse upgrade, we are moving again to allow for further expansion,” commented SLX’s Alastair Currie. “We believe this is essential for the ambitions we have for the business.”

TPi www.tpimagazine.com/category/industry-jobs/ 126

www.interfacio.com • +44 208 986 5002

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

RCF’s Tom Martin; Pixl Evolution’s Warehouse Manager, Gilles Quentel; Shure’s Integrated Systems Market Development Manager for Poland Jacek Rusek.

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BACK CHAT

PAUL HATTIN Founder of Phoenix Bussing and winner of the TPi Awards 2020 Outstanding Contribution accolade.

Phoenix Bussing’s Paul Hattin, Medialease’s Paul Robson, and Russell Kane.

How did you first get into the touring industry?

Like most people, it was by complete accident. I didn’t go to university until I was 26 with a full local authority mature student grant – millennials can google that. To supplement my income, I got my PSV licence so I could drive for Wallace Arnold in Leeds. Waiting for my results, I worked for them again but eventually got sacked for abandoning the Yorkshire Post Ladies Group on Dover docks. A friend told me about this company in London called Len Wright Travel which, although I didn’t know it at the time, specialised in band and crew transport. I worked for them over the summer and then they offered me a tour of the UK with Bad Manners. The rest, as they say, is history…

mobile phone. Up until that point, you left the office to go on tour with a Tour Manager’s name, a pick-up address, a box of maps and a ferry reference on a scrap of paper.

If things hit the fan, you just had to deal with it. Now you have a mobile along with a laptop, email and GPS, all of which completely transformed the business.

Having passed the Phoenix bussing torch on, what does the new structure of the company look like?

Phoenix was bought by Beat The Street in 2011, but Jörg Philipp allowed it to run independently under the auspices of Philip Morris and Andy Gray. He has invested in it massively – the Phoenix office was always a two-man operation working out of a tiny, old-fashioned office up until the takeover, but now it’s a state-of-theart, modern space with Stewart Scott and Sean Gerrard making up the team.

What were the early days of Phoenix Bussing like?

There were seven of us – all ex-Len Wright drivers who built the first four buses between us. Once Phil McDonnell had given us our first break with a Clannad tour, we were up and running and expanded quickly just as the touring business was growing.

You were recently awarded the Outstanding Contribution accolade at the TPi Awards 2020. How did it feel to be recognised by fellow industry peers?

After two years of retirement, it was a shock. However, it was an honour to realise that my fellow workers, customers and clients hadn’t forgotten about me.

What innovation within the transport industry do you think would surprise the Paul Hattin of 1988?

I think the biggest innovation for us was the advent of the 130

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