TPi October 2016 - #206

TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL LIVE EVENT DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY • OCTOBER 2016 • ISSUE 206

CALVIN HARRIS THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DJ CLOSES CREAMFIELDS WITH A BANG

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME FOR

FESTIVAL N°6 • SZIGET • BACKSTAGE WITH HARDWELL • BOOMTOWN FAIR • KOI WINNERS BPM | PRO 2016 • FESTIVAL FOCUS • IN PROFILE: ELATION PROFESSIONAL • EDINBURGH TATTOO

OCTOBER 2016 #206

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EDITOR’S LETTER

VARIO-LIFT

A time for recognition…

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I know, I know; this mag is getting heavier than the Bible you never pick up in the many hotels you’re accustomed to staying in. We’re back to producing bi-monthly double issues with the inclusion of our MEA magazine, and needless to say, the end of the outdoor event season kept us busy - even if when we’re meant to take a night off. Our Calvin Harris story is a fine example of this - I only went to Creamfields to have a cuppa with my pal Joe while he was over in the UK. He was one of the first production managers I ever met via TPi in 2011, and he’s since moved to LA and had a beautiful family (hi girls!) whilst his company, eighteentwentysix, has gone from strength to strength. Having said that, a cuppa is never really just a cuppa when you’re in a festival field, is it? Hence hanging out with Fab, Jim and the crew soon turned into a worthy cover story…

In various other fields across the UK, BoomTown, Sundown and Festival N°6 were on the agenda.

Stew spoke to the hard-working N°6 team about the challenges they faced this year, and in Hungary, Sziget was on my agenda. What a wonderful experience Sziget was. One of my favourite things about this industry is the fact that you can go anywhere in the world and still feel like you’re meeting up with family, and our Hungarian relatives were no exception! Huge thanks to the production team who welcomed me, told me their stories, and, let’s face it, got my gin measures right. You’ve made a truly lovely - and safe event to attend.

We also celebrated talent in style this month with the new and improved Knight of Illumination

Awards (Pg.12). I say style, but now I look at it, that white hat is questionable. Thanks to Elation Professional’s Larry Beck and LD Tom Campbell for making Ste and I look somewhat better. (I think?)

And, of course, we’ve just completed the first ever TPi Breakthrough Talent Awards. More on that next time when our Ste will be a married man. Stew, race you to the bar mate!

Kelly Murray Editor EDITOR Kelly Murray Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7738 154689 e-mail: k.murray@mondiale.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR Ste Durham Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7891 679742 e-mail: s.durham@mondiale.co.uk STAFF WRITER Stewart Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk GENERAL MANAGER - TPi MAGAZINE & AWARDS Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES Georgia Guthrie Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8357 Mobile: +44 (0)7501 597837 e-mail: g.guthrie@mondiale.co.uk EVENT MANAGER - TPi AWARDS Mo Naeem Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8358 Mobile: +44 (0)775 9272 313 e-mail: m.naeem@mondiale.co.uk

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Zoe Willcox: z.willcox@mondiale.co.uk ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Calvin Harris at Creamfields by Conor McDonnell

• Speed up to 42 m/min • Free progammable Start/Stop Ramps • EN 818-7 Load Chain • Low Noise Operation • 5-Pocket Chain Wheel • 2 Independent DC Brakes • Gear Limit Switch • Precise Chain Guide • Textil Chain Bag • Removeable Control Box • BGV D8 / D8Plus Models on Request CHAIN HOISTS • CONTROL SYSTEMS • SOLUTIONS

EDITORIAL INTERN Louis Roberts PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk Annual subscriptions (including P&P): £42 (UK), £60 (Europe), £78/$125 (RoW).

Subscription enquiries to: Subscriptions, Mondiale Publishing Limited, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)161 476 5580 Fax: +44 (0)161 476 0456 e-mail: subscriptions@mondiale.co.uk www.tpimagazine.com • www.tpiawards.com www.tpmeamagazine.com Issue 206 - October 2016

TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL is a controlled circulation magazine, published 12 times a year by Mondiale Publishing Limited under licence.

ISSN 1461-3786 Copyright © 2016 Mondiale Publishing Limited. All contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, in any form whatsoever, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Every effort is taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither Mondiale Publishing Ltd, nor the Editor, can be held responsible for its contents or any consequential loss or damage resulting from information published. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Publishers or Editor. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations, advertising materials or artwork. Total Production International USPS: (ISSN 1461 3786) is published 12 times a year by Mondiale Publishing Limited United Kingdom. The 2014 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.

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ITINERARY

EVENT FOCUS 08

08

Genius Loci Weimar TPi’s Ste Durham travels to Weimar for a projection mapping masterclass.

12 9th Knight of Illumination Awards

All the winners from the annual black tie ceremony.

16 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

PRG XL Video and The Projection Studio

combine to create a visual spectacular.

20 Pet Shop Boys

ER Productions creates a striking laser

design for the duo’s London dates.

22

Sundown Festival The event provides one last chance to dance for UK festival-goers.

26 Hardwell

A multicamera live stream is the talking

point of the DJ’s world tour finale.

42

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PRODUCTION PROFILE 32

Calvin Harris Creamfields witnesses the acclaimed DJ headline with an audio-visual triumph.

42

54

Sziget: Island of Freedom How the Hungarian festival delivers event safety and quality production.

Festival N°6 The crew battles the elements to deliver another technically successful event.

62 BoomTown Fair

Pushing the boundaries of creativity and sustainability.

IN PROFILE 74

Elation Professional discusses the latest in product innovation at its Dutch HQ.

FESTIVAL FOCUS 78

In this issue: Tomorrowland, EXIT Festival, Brighton Pride, Tønder Festival and more.

ROAD DIARIES 90

A day in the life of Letlive Tour Manager, Simon Gallacher.

CLOCKING OFF

78

92

PRG XL Video’s Jason Hodgetts ‘braves the shave’ for Macmillan Cancer Support.

EXPO 94

BPM | PRO showcases a brand new look at its Birmingham event.

GEAR HEADS 104 Martin Audio premieres its new

BlacklineX Audio Series at BPM | PRO.

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS 106 The latest movers and shakers.

PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE

94

110 PSA offers advice on public liability insurance.

BACK CHAT 114 Noreen O’Riordan of Entec Sound &

Light - from temp to board member.

EVENT FOCUS

GENIUS LOCI WEIMAR TPi’s Ste Durham travelled to one of Germany’s most historically significant cities to take in the sights and sounds of the Genius Loci festival, which included live video mapping and immersive spatial audio.

Once home to famous poets, philosophers, musicians and artists like Goethe, Schiller, Bach, Franz Liszt, Nietzsche, Kandinsky and Paul Klee, Weimar is an attraction for tourists the year round. Each year, four million people visit the city to admire the historic buildings and parks, 12 of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. For those who love their history with a blend of hi-tech, the best time to visit the city is during the Genius Loci festival, held every August since 2012.

The event provides a comprehensive overview of global video mapping trends and sees mapping artists from all over the world gather to display works on the facades of the city’s most prestigious historic buildings. The one prerequisite is that the content has to present the ‘genius loci’, or spirit of the location, using the latest media art techniques. As well as serving as an exhibition, Genius Loci Weimar is also a competition. Artists are invited to submit their work, which is then judged by an expert panel and public

jury, eventually culminating in the three winners being invited to present their artwork at locations that change annually. This year the projection sites were chosen to be around the city’s Ilmpark - the Tempelherrenhaus, the Stern and the Sternbrücke.

Technology expert Barco is a premium partner of the event and, via AED Display, provided a series of HDF and HDX projectors for the winners to present their respective visions. Reggy Mortier, Strategic Marketing for Events at Barco, explained: “Since 2014, Barco has been proud to support a project like Genius Loci, which is considered a meeting-point for the international video mapping scene as well as for professionals from the fields of architecture, media art, design, performing arts and visual arts.”

The three winning projection mappings all took on distinct characters thanks to the rich and diverse history associated with each site. The ruins of the park’s Tempelherrrenhaus hosted Romanzero, which was designed 08

GENIUS LOCI WEIMAR

Opposite: At The Stern was Erlinde, Eine Optische Illusion, which featured a live, multi-angle silhouetted performance by dancer Maribel Dente. Below: Aided by light animations, the Tempelherrenhaus was reshaped and re-experienced; The winners made the most of the tech at their disposal; The Stern featured projections that used arcs of water as their canvases.

to depict a fairytale of nature, pathos, and transience. Aided by light animations, the building was reshaped and re-experienced. The handdrawn black-and-white illustrations interacted with real or seemingly real segments of the building, allowing the Tempelherrenhaus to reconstruct itself, open up and collapse by the end, only to recreate itself all over again.

Elsewhere at The Stern was Erlinde, Eine Optische Illusion, which featured a live, multi-angle silhouetted performance by dancer Maribel Dente. The act saw the audience huddled together in the darkness of the Ilmpark while shapeshifting images of nymphs and water spirits were projected on three sides of the square central area, using arced water jets

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as the canvases.

Despite the obvious logistical difficulties of such an ambitious undertaking, Festival Organiser Hendrik Wendler had confidence that the Barco kit could deliver. He said: “The projections are much brighter thanks to the Barco gear, and you can really use them very flexibly. You should see the eyes of the artists when they play with the Barco projectors. For many of them, it’s the first time they have had the opportunity to use professional equipment so they are really motivated.”

Although the festival’s regular performances meant that attendees could meander around the Ilmpark of their own accord, the final area that

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Above: The Sternbrücke had the benefit of water below to reflect the projections; Reggy Mortier, Strategic Marketing for Events at Barco.

TPi encountered at the Sternbrücke (or star bridge) was more of a freeform affair. The festival’s own synopsis said it best: “We want to take a more universal perspective and embellish this historic bridge with the wonder and expectations of unknown experiences yet to come. No judgment and no commentary, just a hand-painted, aesthetic celebration of this special moment through the use of light and shadow.”

The technology available at this area allowed the artists to, if effect, live-action graffiti the bridge with various vivid and psychedelic images.

We were even lucky enough to be sat on the rocks of the riverbank as an impromptu marriage proposal was etched onto one of the arches to rapturous applause (hopefully he said yes).

and clean looking install that would not distract the audience from the sound and the site itself. Following that, we came up with the idea of the two identical blocks, being neutral and clean, facing each other but still providing the capabilities of truly immersive sound.”

The ‘official’ route for the opening night of the festival started with the spatial audio install before leading to the other three projection venues in the park. Mauer added: “From our point of view, with pure audio and no visuals in the dark, the install challenges visitors to open up, engage their imaginations and fine-tune their senses. Even though we are used to perfect immersive audio all the time in real life, it is often very different to listening to curated, produced content. With Barco IOSONO, a controlled, realistic and unheard of auditory experience can be achieved.”

The creators of the content, Recker and Hauptmeier, were also impressed with the quality of the processor and its Spatial Audio Workstation. Recker said: “The sophistication and sheer number of possibilities for spatialising sound provided by the Barco IOSONO system enables completely new ways of musical expression in our work - the control and unheard precision of positioning sounds in the vertical domain is literally adding another dimension to immersive sound design.

Furthermore, the production support we’re getting from Barco Audio Technologies is extremely helpful to get going with the tools in an instant.”

The timely and thought-provoking nature of the content was not lost on attendees during the experience and, whether taken as an independent component of the festival or a representation of its overall ethos, the install certainly served as an effective aperitif for the audio / visual feast to come. Although this particular part of the festival is still new, it seems that the Barco crew were pleased with how it complimented the now standard projection sites dotted around Genius Loci. As well as this, it gave the team and the artists themselves the tools with which to create something particularly special.

Mauer concluded: “Besides the 2015 edition of Genius Loci there have been dozens of temporary installs all over the world ranging from museums and domes to theatrical live sound and more. However, the layout of this system, being 360° capable including floor and overhead speakers in an outdoor environment, was a first. Furthermore, the detail that was put into achieving the clean look, hiding all the technology out of sight and allowing the sound to speak for itself was quite outstanding. Looking at the story of the monument and the spatial audio production itself, the install at this year’s Genius Loci was meaningful and relevant, contributing to social discourse.”

TPi Photos: Henry Sowinski www.genius-loci-weimar.org www.barco.com/en www.aeddisplay.com

EAST MEETS WEST As well as the projection-related magic that was on display for the crowds at Genius Loci, Barco was also tasked with providing an audio processor to drive the impressive spatial audio setup for the competition’s fourth winner, which was stationed at the Hafiz Goethe Memorial. Cultural Sounds? was dreamt up by students at the University of Weimar, Martin Recker and Paul Hauptmeier, to translate the ‘East-West’ idea of the memorial into an audio format. The work includes field recordings from Germany and the Arab world, human voices, as well as processed instrumental recordings and abstract sound objects which they assemble in acoustic spaces reflecting and disassembling stereotypes. The company was asked to lift the soundscapes to a hyper-realistic level, using the Barco IOSONO CORE spatial audio processor.

Again with the help of AED, two walls were installed that stood opposite each other and were each equipped with 20 conventional loudspeakers.

Stephan Mauer, Professional Audio at Barco, explained: “In this way, we found a design that mimics the setting of the monument and is very accessible: everyone can walk inside and around the walls, to experience the space and really get immersed by the sound.”

Although the company has provided the festival with projection technology for a number of years, 2016 was only the second time that it also deployed a selection of its audio arsenal. Mauer continued: “As soon as Barco added IOSONO to its inventory it seemed that adding spatial audio to the Genius Loci palette was a logical step to take. Usually the Barco IOSONO systems are custom designed for each venue and this year’s Genius Loci was no different.”

In February 2016, Mauer and Wendler surveyed the park in order to decide which of the areas best leant themselves to housing a spatial audio installation. “As each site carries its own spirit, its genius loci, the site, the story and artistic spark is closely aligned,” said Mauer.

“We discovered that the Hafiz Goethe monument has a direct link to topics that are still so important today and decided it was the best site for the installation. Hendrik wanted a rather non-technical, anonymous 10

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EVENT FOCUS

KOI AWARDS 2016

Opposite: The Knight of Illumination Awards took place at London’s iconic Eventim Apollo; Adam Bassett, winner of the MA Lighting Award for Events; Coldplay’s Video Director Ben Miles; Ayrton Award for Stage winner, Tobias G Rylander; Woodroffe Basset Design’s Terry Cook accepts the award for Patrick Woodroffe; Francis Clegg, winner of the HSL Award for Club.

KNIGHT OF ILLUMINATION AWARDS 2016

Winners of the 9th Knight of Illumination Awards 2016 were revealed at Eventim Apollo during a sparkling ceremony that saw some of the world’s finest LDs together under one roof.

Lighting and video content design ceremony, Knight of Illumination Awards (KOI), announced the winners of its ninth edition during a prestigious ceremony at London’s iconic Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith on Sunday 18 September.

The well-attended ceremony saw almost 500 professionals come together to celebrate the achievements of lighting and video designers working on shows across the UK. The event was hosted by Australian actor, television presenter and comedian Mark Little. The winners have been revealed as:

The FIX8Group Award for Projection Design: Will Duke for The Encounter, Edinburgh International Festival/The Barbican CONCERT TOURING AND EVENTS The Ambersphere Solutions Award for Arena: Patrick Woodroffe for Adele The HSL Award for Club: Francis Clegg for Public Service Broadcasting The MA Lighting Award for Events: Adam Bassett for The Rolling Stones Exhibitionism

THEATRE The ETC Award for Dance: Michael Hulls for Conceal | Reveal, Russell Maliphant Company, Sadler’s Wells

The Ayrton Award for Stage: Tobias G Rylander for The 1975 The d3 Technologies Award for Video Electronic Content: Ben Miles for Coldplay

The Hawthorn Award for Musicals: Mark Henderson for Sunset Boulevard, English National Opera The Robert Juliat Award for Opera: Joachim Klein for Saul, Glyndebourne Festival

TELEVISION The Philips Vari-Lite Award for Drama: Sue Gibson for Death in Paradise (honoured posthumously)

The Elation Professional Award for Plays: Jan Versweyveld for Songs from Far Away, Young Vic

The Light Initiative Award for Events: Bernie Davis for BBC Proms Season 2015/2016 13

KOI AWARDS 2016

Above: Congratulations to all the winners. We will be seeing you all again next year.

The PRG XL Video Award for Light Entertainment: Mark Kenyon for Strictly Come Dancing 2015

help,” said Simpson during the ceremony.

The awards was originally conceived in 2007 by Italian entertainment lighting manufacturer, Clay Paky, now Headline Sponsor in association with parent company OSRAM, and renowned international LD Marenghi and his partner Jennie who now co-ordinate the awards. Prestigious industry organisations the Association of Lighting Designers and the Society of Television Lighting and Design bring together the judging of the Theatre and Television categories respectively.

Nahum commented: “The KOI has evolved to become one of the most significant events in the lighting and video design world and provides the ideal platform for awarding the hard work and stunning creative talent of professionals operating in it. As we look toward the KOI 10th anniversary in 2017, we think back to the event Clay Paky started almost a decade ago and are immensely proud of how it has developed year on year thanks to the sponsorship and support of almost all the major businesses in the entertainment lighting and video technology industry.”

Headline Sponsors of this year’s event were Clay Paky and OSRAM. The event is supported by Spotlight Sponsors Ambersphere Solutions, Ayrton, d3 Technologies, Elation Professional, ETC, FIX8Group, Hawthorn, HSL, Light Initiative, MA Lighting, Philips Vari-Lite, PLASA Media and Events, PRG XL Video, Robert Juliat, SGM and VER Aurora TV plus Table Sponsors AC-ET, Avolites, Brompton, Carallon, Chauvet Professional, CT London, ELP, GLP, Martin Professional, Panalux, RC4 Wireless, Robe, Rosco, SLX, Stage Electrics, TMB and TSL. The event was also supported by ABTT, ET Now, Focus, Lighting and Sound America and The Theatres Trust.

TPi Photos: The Fifth Estate www.knight-of-illumination.com

The VER Aurora Award for Small Studio: Dave Evans for The One Show The SGM Award for Video Graphic Display: Julien Rigal for The Voice UK Final 2016 The winner of the Enrico Caironi Award for Lifetime Recognition was John Offord, presented by KOI co-ordinator and LD, Durham Marenghi. “John has been a great influence for the good on a lot of people in our industry,” said Marenghi. “He launched Lighting and Sound International in 1985, was fundamental to the success of PLASA and is now not only editor of ETNow but has also published over 80 books about our industry from technical to artistic.”

Previous winners of this award include lighting designer Richard Pilbrow in 2011, Bryan Leitch in 2012, Ian Dow in 2013, Brian Croft in 2014 and CEO of ETC Fred Foster in 2015. The category is named in recognition of former Clay Paky commercial director Enrico Caironi (1947 - 2011), whose inspiration and enthusiasm created and subsequently shaped KOI. Backup - The Technical Entertainment Charity (formerly Behind The Scenes UK), the charity which supports entertainment technology professionals in times of need, received a £5,000 cheque at the ceremony thanks to a donation from Clay Paky. The company’s CEO, Pio Nahum, presented the cheque to John Simpson of White Light, who was standing in for Lighting Designer Rick Fisher.

“We welcome this generous support for Backup and urge all to join Clay Paky in contributing to our charity and alerting us to those who may need 14

EVENT FOCUS

ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO PRG XL Video and The Projection Studio both upgraded their already impressive arsenals to ensure that this year’s milestone event would be remembered as one of the most spectacular visual displays to date.

Having stood for decades as one of the headline events on the Scottish capital’s festival calendar, this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (REMT) paid tribute to the Queen’s 90th birthday, as well as marking the 100th anniversary of the naval Battle of Jutland and the Great Arab Revolt. Set to the theme ‘Tunes of Glory’ and the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the REMT saw a cast of over 1,200 military personnel perform on a nightly basis from 5-27 August.

The routines were accentuated with an elaborate lighting and projection show, with equipment provided by PRG XL Video and The Projection Studio, respectively. The former has regularly supplied all of the lighting for the main performance area on the castle’s esplanade, as the company’s Account Director Peter Marshall explained: “We supply a complete lighting system, equipment, full crew including stage crew together with a complex lighting design from our LD for the event, Gerry Mott, who takes the design from a blank canvas every year to create a wonderful spectacle. Gerry’s remit is mainly to light the esplanade parade ground, the seating area and all of the castle from the moat area up to the battlements. It’s a large and exciting job that presents certain challenges each year.”

PRG XL Video provided a multitude of lighting for the production, including a number of its proprietary fixtures. Marshall continued: “We upgraded the rig this year to use the PRG Best Boy HP Spot as our main profile fixture, as well as selecting the PRG Icon Beam to enhance the beam effects in the design.”

It wasn’t necessary for the team to use PRG’s remote GroundControl Followspot System, as the spot positions on the gantry could be reached easily by the followspot operators via a goods lift and staircase, allaying any heath and safety concerns. Marshall explained: “We used a forerunner of GroundControl that involved manual kits that we have adapted for use on the Best Boy and Bad Boy units. This allows them to function as followspots, giving the operators the ability to manually control the lights with local control and dimming of the light while the LD can control all of the other features of the fixture.”

Other key aspects of Mott’s design included the use of low cross light from banks of SGM Q-7s washing across the parade ground, and architectural lighting on the castle that came predominantly from Vari-Lite VL3500 wash lights that were housed in domes.

The equipment was prepared by the lighting team at PRG XL Video’s 16

EDINBURGH TATTOO

warehouse facility in Longbridge, and load-in started during the last week of July, which was followed by almost a week of tech time and then four weeks of shows. In order to make the most of the short hours of darkness that are par for the course in mid-summer Scotland, PRG XL Video provided a mobile WYSIWYG suite for Mott. This allowed him to pre-visualise his cues at home or in his studio, essentially buying him vaulable time that he could dedicate to honing the show once he arrived at the site.

While the WYSIWYG could prepare Mott and the crew for how the design would look on the parade ground in darkness, it couldn’t account for the bonus special effects that were added to the inventory courtesy of Mother Nature. Marshall laughed: “Up in Scotland they have this peculiar thing called a ‘haar’, which is basically a sea mist that occasionally rolls into the city and castle esplanade from time to time and acts like a huge outdoor haze machine! We couldn’t have prepared for it but it really accented the whole design especially the LD’s beam effects. We use haze and smoke machines now and again but, halfway up the rock that the castle stands on, a strong breeze can dissipate the smoke and ruin the effect quite quickly. When the haar came on the night I watched the show it was strong enough to create some really wacky effects, particularly when the wind whips around in different directions.”

While the weather and the location did the crew some favours, it also provided a number of challenges. Keith Duncan, Crew Chief and REMT Technical Consultant, explained: “We have been involved in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo for quite a number of years so we know there tends to be few unexpected challenges. One particular area that we have to take extra care in is when we are working with in the walls of Edinburgh Castle.

“We use a crane to place most of the equipment in the moat and on to the gatehouse; this keeps traffic with equipment to a minimum through the castle building. We are extra vigilant regarding

17

EDINBURGH TATTOO

waterproofing of cables and connectors. The Scottish weather can be unforgiving, even though ‘it never rains in Edinburgh in the summer’! This year we had a few exceptionally windy days, which tested our strapping down techniques, but I’m happy to say we had no major issues.”

The audience stands themselves were replaced five years ago with considerable consultation from Mott and Duncan over the preceding four years, with additions such as a roof with rigging points, cable routes, and dedicated tech areas that allow the crew to load in and out quickly, despite the size of the venue.

Duncan continued: “For the load-in and load-out we manage with our core team of five and supplement with nine local crew. The main part of the load in takes three days and we aim to do the focus on the fourth night.

“For the day-to-day running of the show we again use our core crew, as the castle is open to the public during the day and we have to wait until it’s closed to do our rig and rig check. There are a number of lights that have to be placed every night for the performance.”

month’s TPi, the castle walls proved to be a challenging projection surface, its 75m depth front to back, its lack of symmetry and its dark brown colour devouring lumens voraciously. With the move to video and the greater intensity, the latitude for materials has also greatly increased. The new set up also means that the lighting elements can afford to be a lot bolder and brighter.

The Projection Studio chose the Panasonic machines based on their extremely good track record using the brand for various projects, and because of their reliability, brightness, small footprint and cost effectiveness. A Watchout control system was also part of the package, which was supplied via Mirage Associates.

In honour of the Queen’s 90th birthday, The Projection Studio created a completely new set of video content that was projected for two thirds of the 90-minute show after dusk had fallen.

Many memorable moments included the footage for the Lochiel Marching Drill Team from New Zealand, who performed their precision routine to a Lord of the Rings medley, with Edinburgh Castle transformed into Mordor complete with flowing rivers of lava, fire-breathing dragons, smouldering volcanoes and cracking buildings.

Ashton and his team, including Karen Monid from The Projection Studio, worked on compiling the show material as soon as it was confirmed that the video projectors and control would be delivered in time for the 2016 season. He spoke of his delight with the new system: “It opens up the scope for creativity and for us to produce much more complex visual effects, and it’s also great to work with the Tattoo team, led by Producer Brigadier David Allfrey, who have really underlined their commitment to bringing the highest production values to the whole Tattoo experience.”

TPi Photos: Ross Ashton www.edintattoo.co.uk www.prg.com www.theprojectionstudio.com

A NEW TATTOO For the last 11 years, the Edinburgh Tattoo has also employed spectacular large format projections alongside the already impressive lighting rig, creating a dramatic and dynamic backdrop for the various performances.

The 2016 season saw the introduction of a new video projection system specified by digital artist Ross Ashton from The Projection Studio.

The Tattoo purchased the 12 Panasonic PT-DW17K2 projectors following recommendations from Ashton, who was re-appointed as Tattoo Projection Consultant for the next five years. Ashton felt it was an opportune moment to persuade all involved that digital was the way to go, and the team agreed. Apart from being much brighter, the whole system is much more flexible. Content can be changed and added quickly and easily via on site editing and additional materials, also allowing the incorporation of special moments within the show.

As was the case with the Deep Time opening event featured in last

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EVENT FOCUS

PET SHOP BOYS’ INNER SANCTUM ER Productions creates striking laser design for the Pet Shop Boys’ Inner Sanctum dates at London’s Royal Opera House.

With four sell-out shows, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, masters of understatement, delighted fans with a host of well-known hits and newer releases this July.

As one would expect from a Pet Shop Boys tour, the first-class set and spectacular production design didn’t disappoint, providing the audience with a visual feast worthy of the high-brow location. Body poppers and dancers in inflatable fat suits took to the stage, while a show stopping laser display designed by ER Productions’ Andrew Turner, created a backdrop for the group’s big entrance.

“We devised a way of splitting one of our new Cyclones in half, situating each part behind the white, spherical pods, which contained the boys. The resulting effect has since been immortalised in the national press, which is a huge compliment and credit to our team. We also managed to terminate 60 scanned laser beams in a flat line across one of the Opera House balconies, which is not as straightforward as it sounds,” commented Turner.

Another visual feature of the impressive show was legendary designer Es Devlin’s concentric light installation, featuring an array of scintillating, coloured LED rings. To give the rings a glossy, shimmering finish, ER mapped five laser systems to the automated LED rings, skilfully controlling

the reflections in order to create the impressive sun-halo effect seen on stage.

“With a variety of projection screens and gauzes to project video content onto, we got the chance to rig our mapping lasers (Tripan and Excellent 21’s) onto the Opera House balconies, complementing the video projection with laser sharp graphics during the first half of the show,” Turner continued.

ER’s full suite of lasers, comprised of eight newly released scanning BB3 lasers, six 18WRGBBs, the (halved) Cyclone and all the ring mapping lasers, burst into life during and following the track, Enigma.

Marc Webber, Co-founder of ER Productions, added: “We’ve worked with the Pet Shop Boys and their talented production and management teams for many years now and it’s always a pleasure. Creating a look that’s a perfect balance between art-installation and pop is challenging, but our Technician / Laser Programmer Tom Vallis and Laser Designer / Programmer Andrew did an outstanding job, as always.”

TPi www.petshopboys.co.uk www.er-productions.com 20

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EVENT FOCUS

SUNDOWN FESTIVAL

Opposite: Hawthorn’s Head of Concert Touring, Mick Freer.

SUNDOWN FESTIVAL

As the season comes to a close, Sundown Festival in Norfolk provided one last chance to dance for the 40,000 strong audience. Creative production expert Hawthorn was on hand to provide several visual elements for the weekend.

Sundown Festival returned to Norfolk Showground in Norwich this September, providing one last party before the sun sets on this year’s summer festival period, with a line-up featuring the likes of Chase & Status, Jason Derulo, Years & Years, Jess Glynne and Dizzee Rascal.

This year, creative technical production expert Hawthorn supplied the main stage flown lighting system, including rigging, drapes, FOH control systems and followspots.

Hawthorn’s Head of Concert Touring, Mick Freer, who led the project to create the festival house lighting rig, consulted with the lighting designers for this year’s headline and supporting acts to produce a design that fused all of their ideas and needs. “The LDs provide a festival/touring plot in their rider,” stated Freer. “I then pick out the key elements that they wanted. In this case it included Philips Lighting SL NITRO 510C LED strobes, Clay Paky Sharpys, A.leda B-EYE K10’s and Martin by Harman MAC Viper Profiles. We also used two and four way molefay blinders, which I then incorporate into my design for the festival’s flown rig - the aim being that any floor lighting packages the bands are touring with can also be incorporated in order to achieve the very best visual effect.

“It takes several weeks of discussion and planning, looking at budgets and sorting all the details, before submitting the final drawings to the Sundown production team and staging company for their structural engineers to sign off.”

Not leaving the expectant crowds disappointed, the production for Chase & Status also featured lasers, coloured flames and C02 jets, creating a spectacular visual display, while Hawthorn supplied Jason Derulo’s incoming production with a Clay Paky Sharpy-centric floor package. These rigs were controlled at FOH by an MA Lighting grandMA2 Light console, with two Robert Juliat Cyrano 2500w followspots mounted above.

At dimmer beach, Hawthorn supplied two Avolites ART 2000 48-way racks and two SES hot power racks, providing a complete solution for dimming, moving light power and data distribution. For rigging, a total of 28 2.4m sections of Prolyte S52V and six 3m H30V box trusses were used along with 19 Prolyft Aetos one tonne motor hoists.

Sundown Lighting Crew Chief, Steve Rusling, worked closely with Freer before the festival to specify the build. “I got the drawings and worked out how they were going to get it wired up, how much cable they needed and all the technical side of it, which I then spread around to the other members of the crew. Then we build it,” explained Rusling, who has previously worked with Hawthorn on Mark Knopfler’s UK tour. “I’m a freelancer, working with a lot of different companies but I do really enjoy working in the Hawthorn warehouse before a gig. They have some great people in there who are always really helpful. Most importantly for me, the kit is always good, which means we’re not running around on site fixing things. I’ve never had anything but a good experience working with 23

SUNDOWN FESTIVAL

Above: Stage Manager James Bartlett; Festival Promoter Roy Trickett; Lighting Crew Chief, Steve Rusling; Chase & Status in the thick of it.

Hawthorn.

“I enjoy working on festivals and Sundown has a really nice vibe. It’s very well organised and it has things that matter to us from our side, such as hard roads with good access to the stage; it isn’t all trackway. Good catering and real toilets also make a big difference.”

Stage Manager James Bartlett was tasked with taking care of incoming floor packages and stage logistics, having begun his prep in June. A Sundown veteran, Bartlett has worked on all six Sundown festivals but always finds new challenges popping up. “On the stage we had a lot of room in the wings but they don’t have much clearance height and there is very little room backstage,” explained Bartlett. “This created an interesting challenge on the Sunday - we had two acts bringing in stuff that was 5m high that had to fit in the area where we normally rotate risers on and off the stage. We had to get around it by line checking a band on what is normally the wrong side of the stage and running cables underneath, going against the run that we usually do, in order to make it fit.”

After working on the event for so many years, Bartlett is well placed to say what he thinks makes Sundown a highlight in the UK festival scene: “I think a lot of it is the reaction from the crowd. It’s a very happy, young crowd out to have a good time. There are a lot of local people really excited to have a big event local to them.”

The initial idea behind Sundown Festival came from Promoter Roy Trickett. With over 30 years’ experience in the events sector, Trickett was well placed to see the potential of a Norfolk based music festival, finding a niche in the already saturated UK festival scene. “There wasn’t anything

like this in Norfolk, especially catering to a younger crowd. I thought that most parents wouldn’t want their kids to travel to Chelmsford for V Festival [the nearest event of its type] and it would be really nice for them to have something on their doorstep.”

Six years on and Sundown has gone from strength to strength. With 2016 seeing an improved camping experience, including a new chill out area, and the introduction of a third stage hosting some of the biggest names on the London dance scene, it’s clear to see that Trickett isn’t one to rest on his laurels. “We have a break for about three weeks after the gig to settle down and sort out the paperwork, then at the beginning of October we start planning which artists we’ll be getting in for the next year. We’re always thinking of improvements such as the possibility of introducing a fourth stage next year and also bringing in some different areas.”

So with nearly a full year of planning going in to each festival, what’s the highlight for the man behind the best closing party of the summer season?

“I enjoy watching people having fun and making sure they’re safe. That’s what I really care about. The production is always spot on and seeing Chase & Status performing on Saturday night was pretty spectacular - that’s the buzz I get. I’ve worked with Mick for quite a few years now and he’s a solid guy who knows his stuff, not to mention the fact that he always brings a great crew and a reliable product.”

TPi Photos: Dom Henry www.sundownfestival.co.uk www.hawthorn.biz 24

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EVENT FOCUS

HARDWELL

I AM HARDWELL The heart-pumping finale to the DJ’s world tour at Germany’s Hockenheimring featured an ambitious Ultra HD multi-camera production live streamed to Hardwell’s global fan base, in an adrenalin-fuelled BigCityBeats Virtual World Club Dome event led by VPS Media and NOMOBO.

‘Imma kick lips, tonight / We’re gon’ shove our ass, tonight / I hope I remember, tonight’. And what a night, or 48 hours, it was for the young Dutchman Hardwell and the 25,000 of his loyal fans that gathered at the Hockenheimring, in deepest Rhine country.

It was the grand finale to the DJ / record producer’s two years on the road with the I AM Hardwell World Tour that has seen him play to sold-out shows in Jakarta, Singapore, Bangalore, Mexico City, Cape Town, Tel Aviv, Guatemala City, Manchester, Sao Paulo and Sydney, promoting his debut album United We Are. On 27 August 2016 the Hockenheimring, more famous as the biennial home to the German F1 Grand Prix, was bathed in the light of electronic dance music - and the heat of an extremely warm summer’s day - as temperatures reached a peak of 35°C and didn’t relent throughout the weekend.

The event’s promoter was BigCityBeats, a German private radio station

and music event agency specialising in EDM. It’s most notable promotion is the annual World Club Dome, which is held at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt. German video production agency VPS Media has worked closely with BigCityBeats since 2001 and is tasked with AV production at most of its events, including live production and aftermovie / trailer productions.

For this tour, finale BigCityBeats wanted something extra special. This meant not only giving the spectators an unforgettable evening, but sharing the experience with Hardwell’s global fanbase. With no compromise on production values, VPS Media translated BigCityBeats’ call into a multi-camera high resolution capture combining a live switched 4K/UHD recording for on-demand and after movie purposes, together with a HD encode streamed live to YouTube.

“This show is definitely the first time ever an EDM dance event has been captured this way,” said Constantijn van Duren, Executive Producer and Managing Partner for NOMOBO, a Netherlands live event music producer

27

HARDWELL

After two years of touring, Dutchman Hardwell completed his world tour by producing a multi-camera production - all of which was live streamed on YouTube.

specialising in EDM. NOMOBO itself was commissioned directly by Alda Events to produce the broadcast side of things - 4K live capture and live broadcast on YouTube.

The combination of NOMOBO’s flyaway production kit, including live production hardware from Blackmagic Design, used with ARRI Amira cameras for a live multicam production has never been employed before.

Explained VPS Media Producer Björn Aßmus: “In early 2016, BigCityBeats approached us with the request to provide technical equipment and crew for video production at the event. NOMOBO were charged with responsibility for the live production and were bringing their own infrastructure, glass fibre connections, live studio and FOH equipment.

They asked us to provide most of the cameras and camera crew for the live production, an ATEM mixing panel, as well as some of the streaming equipment for the playout to social media. VPS Managing Director, Andreas Schech, was in charge of the planning phase.”

The thrust of the brief was to produce the live multicam coverage in 4K/UHD of the complete show, to be broadcast on YouTube and Facebook (in 2K), while also playing out parts of the show to SWR (German public TV network). SWR was on site with a satellite news gathering unit ready to beam pictures across Germany. In addition, artist interviews and after show material was to be shot in and around the event with a small documentary camera crew.

Having supplied and produced the AV for BigCityBeats’ EDM shows and festivals over many years, Aßmus said the chief difference with this show is the open-air setting. “The major events we have covered in the past were almost always indoor events in stadiums, so this time, all equipment has to be rain-proof, and protected from intense sunlight.”

The immense heat presented its own challenges. “Given the extreme temperatures, it was an interesting challenge for both personnel and equipment,” said Aßmus. “The extreme atmospheric conditions combined with an event taking place on tarmac in bright sunlight, are a challenge not only for the camera crews, but also in terms of preserving the equipment.

Preserving the equipment was crucial to delivering a reliable and failsafe production.”

Placing the production offices and mixing workstations in the pits was especially advantageous, because mixing and production staff were very close to the stage, while still avoiding the high temperatures outside, which also helped in protecting the equipment.

Aßmus explains how they managed preparations and rehearsal.

“NOMOBO developed the camera layout and approached us with their production request. We went through revisions together, made

recommendations regarding certain components and finalised the technical plan together with them, and briefed our camera crew accordingly.

At EDM shows it is crucial to focus on the interaction between the DJ and the crowd and I AM Hardwell was no exception. “What you experience with EDM is a dramatic curve in the music that motivates the crowd to be active and to react to the cues given by the DJ,” explained Aßmus.

“Capturing these essential moments in this interaction and creating a narrative through careful image selection is the key to recreating the atmosphere for everyone.”

Doors opened at 2pm and the team were straight into action covering the stream of fans into the stage area and various video interviews with Hardwell and support acts DANNIC, Funkerman and Kill The Buzz. After each set backstage videos were conducted with each artist. The evening built to a crescendo at 8:30pm when Hardwell lit up the stage and played for three hours of electrifying energy.

The camera plan included seven ARRI Amira cameras each operating at 4K (UHD) resolution supplied by VBS. “We’ve got pan shots from our crane and wide-angle views of the stage to convey a sense of scope to show and the size of the event, and we’ve placed mobile cameras at the barriers and on stage to give a sense of presence and to show the emotions of the crowd in what we hope is an intimate way,” said Aßmus.

To support this, VPS employed Zeiss and Canon Zoom lenses with a narrow depth of field, and used slow-motion recording at 200 fps for the aftermovie and trailers.

VPS delivered feeds from the camera positions through glass fibre connections to the central mixing suite, which was operated by NOMOBO. Live production and streaming systems were provided by NOMOBO sending out the master broadcast feed to its Master Control Room (MCR) in Amsterdam. From there encoded streams were distributed to Hardwell’s YouTube and social media channels as well as media partners in the U.S. and Asia.

VPS media used a separate Teradek Cube encoder to stream to BigCityBeats YouTube channel, configured and operated by a MacBook Pro, which could also be used as a backup encoding device.

NOMOBO has built a unique fly-away production kit that is able to live capture any event in the world, using a variety of high-end digital cinema camera. This fly-away production hub provides full camera control as well as tally indicators, talkback, audio and camera power all over hybrid SMPTE fibre cabling.

“Working with NOMOBO made this production a breeze, as their unique 28

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HARDWELL

NOMOBO, a Netherlands live event music producer, was commissioned directly by Alda Events to produce the broadcast side of the show providing 4K live capture and live broadcast on YouTube. The combination of NOMOBO’s flyaway production kit, including live production hardware from Blackmagic Design, used with ARRI Amira cameras for a live multicam production had never been employed in this way before.

solution built around Blackmagic’s ATEM switchers made it very convenient for our camera operators,” adds VPS Media’s Schech. “Their sophisticated infrastructure and experienced crew, together with our expertise in highquality camerawork is a combination that is hard to match.”

At Hockenheimring, NOMOBO deployed the ARRIs in combination with cine-servo lenses from Fujinon and Canon. The camera package also contained a motorised Sam Dolly track and a two-man operated Jimmy Jib of 24ft length.

More specifically on the cameras, the crew arranged one handheld Amira on stage and another mounted on the Sam Dolly. A third, also handheld, was located front of stage barriers. Between the first and second barriers to the left hand side of the stage, the team placed the 24ft crane carrying another Amira. A camera-operator wielded a fourth nearby, the fifth was FOH on a pedestal. The final camera was carried around the festival to capture behind-the-scenes footage and artist interviews.

During the show, Aßmus relayed information between Laurman, van Duren, and the camera crew and assistants, while DoP Weber provided technical support and supervised the camerawork. In addition, the team deployed a Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K with wide angle optics from Olympus.

While the overall event management and on-site coordination was in the hands of BigCityBeats, all media production was planned and executed

by NOMOBO with local support from VPS. Unsurprisingly, since the Netherlands is arguably the world home of EDM and because of the close connection to DJ Hardwell himself, the production team was largely composed of Dutch specialists. Eindhoven’s 250K took care of show production design and direction; André Beekmans’ Art of Light was in charge of lighting design and programming.

BMP Sound Service’s Bas Rijsdijk was the FOH Engineer touring with Hardwell who worked with GProdukties, based out of The Hague and commissioned by NOMOBO. to provide the broadcast audio mix. The company’s mixing engineers are specialised in mixing live EDM events and tour the world with NOMOBO to capture events together.

GProdukties set up a Riedel Rocknet infrastructure between the stage and the NOMOBO backstage control room where cameras were switched for the live broadcast and mix broadcast audio feed.

“The feed is a down mix of 16 audio channels combining crowd ambiance, camera microphones and discrete audio channels taken from stage audio infrastructure [DJ mixer feed, backup feeds, wireless

microphones used by singers and MCs],” explained van Duren. “The downmix is processed by specific multi-band loudness processing hardware and then embedded with the video signal to be encoded as loud as possible so online viewers are able to experience the event at home even better than at the venue!”

He added: “We are using a combination of microphones to capture crowd noise in fairly difficult circumstances. A stereo microphone pair for overall capture of crowd noise, some omni-directional mics to capture front-stage crowd as well as directional mics mounted on handheld cameras which are actively brought into the mix to capture cheering when the handheld cameras are switched.”

Live mixing was perhaps the most crucial element of this production’s workflow. The Blackmagic Design ATEM 2 M/E Broadcast Studio with ATEM 2M/E Broadcast Panel is a core part of NOMOBO’s fly-away production kit “quite simply because it fits all needs for media production for our clients anywhere around the world,” said van Duren. “It is a stable and costeffective system with the future option to use 12G camera systems for 50p 4K productions.”

Other Blackmagic kit that is core to NOMOBO’s successful live production solution includes a Blackmagic Smart Videohub 40x40; Smart Videohub Cleanswitch 12x12 and Hyperdeck Studio 12G for recording the footage.

Aßmus added that using the Blackmagic’s ATEM 2 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K switcher and hardware panel has helped VPS reduce its FOH footprint greatly in past events, “and provided comfortable and failsafe mixing throughout. Together with the HyperDeck SSD recorders and signal repeaters and converters we have achieved a level of flexibility and quality that allows us to adapt to all kinds of different venues, event types, and technical requirements.”

The live broadcast from Hockenheimring was distributed in HD quality on media platforms Livit for the US, as well as Hardwell’s own YouTube channel for the rest of the world. The live 4K switched recordings will also be used for highlights videos to be distributed through media partners, as well as the official after-movie of the final I AM Hardwell - United We Are tour show.

TPi Photos provided by VPS www.djhardwell.com http://vps-media.de www.blackmagicdesign.com 30

35 Years xy

d&b is 35. Marliese is d&b.

Marliese Salzmann is part of the Materials Management Procurement team at d&b HQ. She’s been board since 2010. “d&b is full of spirit, very exciting, full of energy, freaky. I’m proud that d&b products are known worldwide.” In 35 years d&b has evolved from a small garage venture to a worldwide standard in professional sound systems. It’s people like Marliese who make this story possible, and just that bit different from the rest.

Welcome to System reality.

CALVIN HARRIS CLOSES CREAMFIELDS’ ARC STAGE Over the British August Bank Holiday more than 70,000 people descended upon Daresbury, Cheshire, for one of the world’s biggest electronic music festivals, Creamfields. The event has grown in size each year, with the Cream organisation constantly raising the bar in terms of line-up and production values. 2016 saw EDM master Calvin Harris, headline the Arc stage on Sunday night. TPi was on site to chat to his crew…

Technical event producer LarMac Live was once again called in by promoters Cream and Live Nation to liaise with the artists and deliver the premium technical production and high quality visitor experience that Creamfields audiences have come to expect. The result saw some of the biggest names in the DJ world play the UK festival. Calvin Harris’ production team, led by Joe Sanchez of LA-based eighteentwentysix was no exception. The crew helped to deliver a jaw-dropping technical feat that included a show design from renowned creative Baz Halpin, a huge laser show and pyrotechnics worthy of an end of summer celebration and an audio package specified to Harris’ ever-changing playlist.

Sanchez told TPi: “I started eighteentwentysix properly once I came off the road after touring with Rihanna [as her Production Manager] three years ago. Our LA office now has 14 full time staff and is expanding. We have a mix of PMs, TMs, production coordinators and stage managers who work in-house. There’s been a real shift in the industry over the last few years and

it’s evolved into a more structured environment. The live industry is now so much bigger than the recording side, which still has these giant corporate labels.” This year eighteentwentysix has worked with Zayn, Iggy Azalea, P!nk, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Queen + Adam Lambert, Travis Scott, Missy Elliot and Kygo, not forgetting of course, the biggest DJ on the planet right now, Calvin Harris whom Sanchez describes as “a really nice guy”.

Their working relationship began when Harris supported Rihanna on her Loud tour (TPi cover story, January 2012). In his current Production Director role for Harris’s festival shows, Sanchez works closely with Production and Set Designer, Baz Halpin and the creative team at Silent House. Continued Sanchez: “We built the Coachella show as our festival opener of the year and took the majority of elements from that show for our touring festival rig, including our Creamfields production. It’s amazing to see how DJ production has grown and developed when I look at what Calvin and his team have achieved. They’ve spearheaded the growth of this 32

PRODUCTION PROFILE

Opposite: Calvin Harris wanted to give each and every festival a production experience to remember. Below: The core crew includes Production Director Joe Sanchez, Tour Manager Vizion Jones and Stage Manager, Jim Webb.

genre. EDM is here to stay, which is great news for production companies like us!”

For the festival tour, Sanchez opted to use VER for lighting and video, Major Tom for audio consoles, BPM SFX and ER Productions to look after special effects and lasers, respectively, SGPS for automation duties, Sound Moves to handle freight and Fly By Nite for production trucking. Creamfields’ own suppliers include PRG XL Video and Britannia Row Productions.

The majority of the day-to-day production management for Harris’ camp is run by Jon Bumgarner, a full time PM at eighteentwentysix. “I handle show advancing, equipment logistics, crew travel and lodging, immigration papers and visas - pretty much anything and everything show-related but during this festival season Coachella was my biggest challenge; I worked 26 hours straight on the first show day and 30 hours straight the second weekend. I’m glad to say we’ve gotten our times down considerably since then!”

Thankfully the production challenges that come with putting on a mammoth festival show didn’t deter this crew, and the Scottish DJ’s performances have gained some well-deserved international press attention.

Continued Bumgarner: “It took months of planning and designing, plus a month of physical build time to create the set pieces and the finished article is incredible. Creamfields was a great experience for me; it was my first time there and the festival’s production is run by a great team who took really good care of us. Every show is rewarding in its own way, but we feel especially good after this kind of big event. Plus, it’s always fun to look out from the DJ booth and see a sea of bodies appreciating the show.”

Stage Manager Jim Webb has known Sanchez for 15 years and the pair have since toured the world together with some huge acts, including Rihanna and The Pet Shop Boys. For Harris’ production, Webb is in charge of the load in and on-site set build - the gear for which is transported from festival site to festival site via four Fly By Nite trucks. He said: “We’ve had a really good run,” stated Webb. “Our set looks incredible and really makes you stop in your tracks. We do bring a lot of equipment with us, but that’s because the stage has to have this signature, bespoke look. All Access Staging’s LA office built our custom-made lighting towers and video pods for Calvin’s DJ booth, which look quite special.”

Tommy Rose, Head of Projects Management at All Access Staging and Productions, discussed the company’s involvement with the event: “We

have worked with Calvin and his team before with the last time being for the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in late 2015. For his current festival performance, the design requirement specified a series of eight LED ring towers, each of which could be individually controlled as well as grow onstage while looking as though they were floating. They also needed to be collapsable to fit into a custom carrying case.” There was also a 27ft wide, 15ft tall triangular rolling DJ podium covered in video and four audience LED ring towers that also had to grow. Rose continued: “We completed this task in approximately five weeks from the first cut of aluminium to the time it left our building headed to Coachella. We recorded 1,450 hours amongst our entire fabrication team to accomplish this task.”

The staging itself came courtesy of Acorn Event Structures who have supplied both the North and South Arc Stages for the last two years. This year Acorn proudly launched new Super Structure, The Steel Yard; a 50m wide x 20m high x 90m deep fully weatherproof, interchangeable temporary venue with 100 tonne capacity production loading, which was constructed of HD Breams developed. The impressive stucture was engineered by Acorn and manufactured by Layher.

Crewing specialist Showforce was also on site to help install Harris’ riser, though they had to think on their feet when the time came. Operations Director, Chris Martelly, explained: “Annie Mac would not play in front of the Calvin Harris set, so our crew had to build a makeshift video wall and riser for her to perform on. The crew then had 20 minutes to remove her set to ready the stage for Calvin Harris, which they did in perfect time!”

For the onstage ring towers, All Access designed custom floating LED rings using powder-coated aluminium, and UHMW plastic milled to the exact shape and size needed and then formed into rings. As the entire set was going to be exposed to the elements the company made sure that all components would not get damaged in the rain. The floating look was achieved by using 1/8 inch aircraft cable that was almost invisible once onstage. There were over 350 of these rings throughout the stage towers and the audience field towers.

To aid the transport of the set, All Access designed all the pieces to contain all necessary power and control equipment so that all the stage crew had to do to install it was put it in place and plug it in. When it came time for load out, they simply had to lower the rings into the base, place the lid on them and they were ready to be loaded onto the trucks. “It is important to us to provide not 33

CALVIN HARRIS

Above: The creative mind of Baz Halpin designed the look of the show with help from the Earlybird Visual and Silent House teams.

only a product that looks good but to have a product that is easy to use, allowing for rapid deployment,” explained Rose.

The project manager went on to explain that the four audience LED towers presented the biggest challenge for the team having to grow from seven ft to 35ft. “They proved to be challenging. Our engineers explored a multitude of options before we came across a solution that again was both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.

“Normally we would send out concrete ballasts to counteract any forces but as the set was going to go to multiple festivals, ballasts were far too bulky and a pain to travel with. We designed the bases of these towers to hold water ballasts that could be filled onsite and emptied when the show was over saving precious install time and thousands of pounds of shipping weight. The raising of the towers were challenging but we accomplished it by using telescoping rails driven by a hydraulic piston and a series of chains and gears.” The All Access team also designed a control box that would provide all power distribution for the LED rings and power the hydraulic pump.

When it came time to put these units on a plane, all the stage crew had to do was unbolt the tower mast, disconnect a couple connections and push it on. Rose continued: “We worked hand-in-hand with the stage carpenter for this show and were able to give him a set piece that we were both happy with. The DJ podium was a unique scenic element because it had a triangular shape that needed to roll into place and suspends the artist 10ft from the stage floor. We broke the large platform into seven pieces to make it more manageable. Once the DJ podium was all bolted together, the team attached a custom frame that held over 50 video tiles as well as custom laser mounting bars. This entire DJ setup was designed to transport into custom made carts that allowed the stage crew to build it quickly and efficiently.”

Stage Manger Webb gave his final thoughts on the staging: “It’s a very visual show in terms of the set, so it does take about six hours to build the whole thing ready for the show. The most challenging part of the day is the installation of the booth and securing the positioning of the lighting floor package. We also carry a fair bit of rigging and automation from SGPS, which includes eight motors.”

Harris’ touring team is completed by Tour Manager Vizion Jones, Dani

Edgren as Backstage Manager and Set Carpenters Roger Cabot, Tom Keane, Christian Dundee, Andy Bews and Cody Osbourne. Monitor Engineer Darren Mullis is also an eighteentwentysix employee who joins FOH Engineer Fab Piazzini on the audio crew. The touring visual department was comprised of Ben Francis, Video Director and Eamonn McKiernan, LD from Earlybird Visual.

CREATIVE DIRECTION Baz Halpin was approached by Harris’ management team to work on a TV performance for Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show which consequently led to securing the Coachella design. This evolved into the touring package. Said Halpin of the impressive design: “We wanted to create a huge LED canvas and be able to sit the DJ booth within that canvas. As the tour travelled to a variety of venues and festivals, it was important that the show could be as flexible as possible. Calvin likes very graphical video content rather than filmed or photorealistic footage, so we took a very digital approach to the design of each of the pieces. Making sure that the lighting and the content were hitting specific dynamics was very important too, so we built the content while we were in production rehearsals to ensure cohesion between the two.

“We wanted to have everything triggered by time code. Calvin DJs live, unlike some other acts - which means that he does not just hit play! He has a series of tracks at his disposal and can mix in and out of some or all of them at any time. The song order often changes, so this made creating a time coded show very tricky. However, with our programming dream team at Earlybird Visual we found a piece of software that allowed us to time code stripe all of the base tracks in Calvin’s archive and have a duplicate DJ rig set up at FOH. This means we could see what tracks he was loading up, and when he mixed them in. Then all we had to do was trigger the Macros at the right time when he dropped the new track. This piece of software also allowed us to track the tempo. When Calvin would speed up or slow down, our video content and lighting cues would also follow to ensure the dynamics were always in sync. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time this idea had been done effectively.

“Calvin’s shows are a sensory experience. He wanted the audience to feel the power of the lighting and video almost subconsciously, so we 34

CALVIN HARRIS

Above: All Access Staging created bespoke products for Harris, including a DJ booth and lighting towers.

utilised the power of the screen and lighting rig in tandem. Often we would just strobe the screen at full intensity, or let it drop out for a split second and allow the lighting to take over to create a powerful effect. It’s great to work with an artist that has such commitment to the end product - both musically and visually. Calvin is engaged throughout every step of the process and I think the end result reflects that,” he concluded.

Harris’ Lighting Operator Eamonn McKiernam added: “We have had to squeeze in and adapt our production into each of the festivals while still keeping our overall look and idea of the show. Each festival varied greatly in what they were providing for lighting fixtures, fixture layout and overall size of the stage. We looked at each festival as a new show, and spent the time pre-programing each show as much as we could so that each one looked the best that it could. As Calvin’s set evolved and grew each festival, so did our production and our programming. Each show we strived to have best show possible.

“Calvin wanted his show to be a large production no matter where we went, or what festival we were doing. He wanted to give the best show experience possible at all times. To achieve that we pulled out all the stops to give it everything that we could. The set that he plays is very dynamic and we made sure to have the production followed that. Our video content alone is enough to be a dramatic visual show, but add on top of that lighting, lasers and special effects and we have a very varied production.”

The rig for Creamfields was a mix of what the production had advanced and what the festival specified. McKiernan talked through some of the highlights of the rig: “The main workhorse for the show are the beam / hybrid fixtures such as the Clay Paky Sharpy and Mythos fixtures, as well as Solaris Flare strobes. The rest of the rig is finished with Vari-Lite VL3500 washes, which are a standard fixture in any festival rig and are powerful enough to cut through all the video elements that are on this stage, as well as LED RGB blidners that we match to the programming of the Flares.

Everything is laid out so that it can be used solely by itself, evenly across the whole rig. As we don’t use every fixture for every song, having everything spread across the whole stage was very important.

“At FOH we travel with two full size MA Lighting grandMA2 consoles, all networking racks, and our own Resolume rack. I have tried every console

by now, and will only use an MA2 for my shows. Its stability, power and flexibility are unmatched to anything else. We have to be able to go from a programmed song to a punt page all while controlling video content and back to a programmed song seamlessly. The show is made up of pre-programmed songs but also a good amount of punting. This gives Calvin the ability to play what he wants, and isn’t hindered by what we have already programmed or planned for. Since we have only done a handful of festivals this summer, Calvin wanted to make sure every show was a different. The show can seem overwhelming to an outside observer, but with all the preparation that we put into each show, things run pretty smoothly. Our preparation and the people who make up our production team is what makes our show so successful.

He concluded: “Creamfields was the closest we have come to replicating the Coachella festival show we did in terms of the amount of lighting fixtures and video pixels on stage. With every artist trying to achieve something new and something fresh, its hard to stay ahead of that.”

IN-HOUSE VISUALS To help LarMac Live deliver the largest Creamfields to date, PRG XL Video were brought in to supply video, lighting and rigging across the two vast main stages Arc - where Harris played - and Horizon, together with video across six more stages around the 900-acre site.

PRG XL Video’s Head of Rigging Services, Q Willis, oversaw a team supplying the rigging across stages CF01 - Arc, and CF02 - Horizon. He explained: “During the design process we worked closely with Charlotte Scott and Igor Pacejs from Acorn Events who built the stage structures, ensuring that the rigging for video, lighting and audio was accurately assessed/plotted and installed as per the agreed plots.”

Both of the two main stages - Arc and Horizon - had new designs this year. Arc was a curved structure, wider than last year’s North Stage, extending around the audience to the sides and giving them a truly immersive experience. Horizon was a mix of varied height towers clad with LED, giving the former South stage a completely new look. For the Arc stage Willis’ team, led by Chris ‘Karrit’ Harris and Cleveland Brown, installed a truss system suitable for the opening show headliners Alesso. That system 36

CALVIN HARRIS

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then formed the mothergrid for the second day’s headliner, Axwell /\ Ingrosso’s 28 Kinesys hoists, and was then used for Calvin Harris on the final night with the addition of touring animation.

A similar design was installed on the Horizon stage, with the team led by Stav Hanks and Kim Klusters, and that allowed them to efficiently change Avicii’s design into Tiesto’s overnight. Willis explained: “By producing individual, accurate show artist plots, that allowed us to keep overnight changes to a minimum and costs down. We used the first rig as the mothergrid for the following nights’ headliners, which included hanging the Kinesys system from for Axwell /\ Ingrosso’s set on Saturday, which was operated by Pete MacDonald.”

“With PRG XL Video supplying rigging on two of the stages, and working alongside our own lighting and video teams, this really enabled us to plan ahead and work out a lot of the potential on-site issues in the design stages. That meant we could create an efficient plot which kept the on-site work to manageable levels.”

PRG XL Video Account Manager Gordon Torrington oversaw the lighting side of the project.

He worked closely with LarMac Live to deliver lighting on the Arc and Horizon stages. The festival’s aim is to deliver the lighting requirements as specified in each artists’ rider, which enables them to create a unique look for each of their sets, hence Harris’ full throttle, unique finale. On the Arc stage Torrington worked with FOH Operator, Chris Scott, and Lighting Crew Chief, Aidan MaCabe, to specific the lighting for the giant curved wings, creating a look that would complement the artists’ on-stage lighting setups.

For the Horizon stage, the lighting design was led by the artists’ requirements, and Torrington worked with Crew Chief, Luke Jackson, and FOH Operator, Adam Power. The design for the Horizon stage utilised 100 of PRG XL’s powerful Icon Beam fixtures, ideal for an event of this size and scope. The team also supplied a WYSIWYG suite on site at the festival, allowing the artists’ lighting designers to test and refine their set-ups before the live sets. A team of 14 lighting crew worked across the two stages, and nine trucks of lighting and rigging technology, including well over 1,000 lighting fixtures, were supplied to the Daresbury site.

This was the second year PRG XL Video has supplied lighting and rigging to the festival.

The largest element of PRG XL Video’s contribution to the Creamfields event was video, with LED screens of all shapes and sizes were used across eight stages. This is the sixth year PRG XL Video has supplied video to Creamfields, working with the team at LarMac Live to satisfy the ever-more impressive designs each year. PRG XL Video’s Account Managers Paul ‘Macca’ McCauley and Jay Mobbs-Beal oversaw the video requirements across the stages, working to specify thousands of square metres of LED, media servers, and screen management systems, which filled 13 trucks with video technology. Macca and MobbsBeal were supported on site by Video Project Manager, Ian Jones, who was instrumental in ensuring all the video elements worked to the event’s high specification.

With 250 artists and VJs appearing across the weekend one huge consideration was ensuring that their video content was correctly formatted for the wide variety of screen sizes and orientations. On site, a team led by Stuart Merser was on-hand to assist the artists and VJs with their content, getting it fully working with the Resolume media servers used across the Creamfields stages.

To help artists prepare for the show, PRG XL Video’s Erica Frost created Resolume output maps which were sent out before the event alongside standard pixel and content maps. These allowed artists VJs to build their content specifically for the unique Creamfields video layouts.

Creamfields continues to grow each year, regularly winning the Best Dance Event category at the Festival Awards. With this in mind, the two main stages had new designs for 2016. The Arc

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Above: BPM-SFX provided pyrotechnics and special effects across the site.

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CALVIN HARRIS

Above: FOH Engineer Fab Piazzini used a Major Tom supplied DiGiCo SD7 console and Eazy10.

stage used columns of LED on either side of the stage to create the curved arena, as well as using LED for headers, backdrops, risers and DJ booths.

Video Crew Chief for stage Arc was Stevie Marr.

On Horizon, the new design used multi-facetted towers to create an effect much like a small city built from LED. Horizon was looked after by Crew Chief Al Bolland across the weekend. In CF3 - Mega Arena - the largest of the tent stages a multi-layered effect was created with LED backdrops, risers, DJ booths, and even tent poles clad in LED. For the CF04 - Steel Yard LED triangles were flown above the crowd on a Kinesys system which enabled the shapes to move and tilt. The 3m high stage was clad with LED at the front and paired with a 12m wide backdrop, both of which were covered with ROE MC-12 LED. The stage was flanked by four columns each side built from the innovative ROE MC-18 Hybrid LED. The design of the Steel Yard was a new idea from Creamfields, and is set to be used for an upcoming show in Liverpool later this year.

Stage CF5, the Curve arena, was created using multiple square LED screens to build a curve, reminiscent of stacks of TV screens, whilst CF6 used LED towers, risers and backdrop. Stages CF7 and CF8 both used LED for backdrops, risers and DJ booths. In CF07 used additional LED from PRG XL Video to further enhance the show. This included additional ROE MC-7 which was used in pre-fabricated blocks for their production.

In total well over 17 million LED video pixels were seen by the audiences across the weekend festival, formed into a variety of different shaped and sized screens. Macca commented: “Creamfields is one of the more challenging festivals we work on each year - purely because of the amount of equipment we ship to site. I was particularly impressed with the design of the Steel Yard structure which vastly improved the amount of weight loading compared to a traditional festival tent. The team from Creamfields and producers, LarMac Live, strive to make the show bigger and more impressive every year, and we’re very proud to have played a part in helping the festival grow over the six years we’ve been supplying video to them!”

scanning systems including the Excellent 21 and Phaenon X Pro. As always, it has been a pleasure working with Baz Halpin to make Calvin’s 2016 summer festival tour dates look incredible.”

Andrew Turner added: “Running the Beyond show file in server mode gives lighting operators simultaneous control of laser and lighting fixtures, which is a huge leap forward. Skilful programming and operating on the night enabled the seamless integration of lighting, video, lasers and pyrotechnics.

For pyrotechnic and special effects duties, Sanchez and Halpin brought in Lancashire-based BPM SFX to add a further flare to the show.

BPM SFX Project Manager across the entire site was Liam Haswell said of the production: “We provided, 18 Co2 jets with a massive 90 cylinders of Co2, six stadium confetti blasters, eight X-Treme Streamer Cannons, 12 G flames, 10, 20m Inferno Flames and over 1,000 units of stage and display pyrotechnics for his headline performance at Creamfields. We took the existing show special effects and added in elements to compliment the stage design at Creamfields He wants to put on a show for the audience both visually and audibly. Special effects are a big part of that so he takes them seriously. A lot of thought went into designing this show. It was a brilliant way to close the festival - with a big bang!”

The BPM SFX team utilised a Galaxis Wireless Pyro Firing System and a bespoke control rack.

AUDIO Fab Piazzini has handled Harris’ FOH sound for the past two and a half years. He described the challenges that come with mixing a live DJ: “The expectations are very high and the chances of failure have to be zero.

With a standard band you might have 56 inputs, and if one fails you can blend the problem away, this cannot happen if you’re only working with two inputs. My approach to a DJ gig is exactly the same as when it’s a band mix: tune the PA to my needs and focus 100% on the task at hand.

The difference with a band is mixing lots of inputs, whereas with a DJ gig it’s more like mastering but as EDM music is already highly mastered, so the RMS is really high, which in turn means the systems are always working really hard to reproduce the waveforms. The same amount of ‘geekery’ goes into both processes!” he laughed. “I don’t just set a level and that’s it; I dig deep into the dynamic equalisation as I am constantly battling with the non-linearity of supposedly linear speakers. Basically, when a box is pushed to its limit it will not behave consistently across the whole spectrum. I need to correct this in order to keep a good level of consistency.”

According to Piazzini, Harris’ sound needs to be the “best and biggest stereo system you can get,” meaning he doesn’t look for a ‘live’ sound as such, but for “the highest fidelity possible.” He continued: “You need to be able to appreciate every little nuance in the tracks. It also needs to get the crowds dancing!”

For his FOH setup, Piazzini relies on a DiGiCo SD7 console, which he describes as “the only true redundant console on the market”, Waves plugins - mainly C6, Vitamin, L2 and RBass - and a 10eazy system to “give a projection of the show’s SPL so that I can adhere to local regulations and

SPECIAL EFFECTS Back on Planet Harris, ER Productions worked closely with Halpin to bring his stunning laser concept to life. Operated by Eric Marchwinski, the show was controlled using an MA Lighting grandMA2 console and a Pangolin Beyond bespoke software solution. ER Productions collaborated with Pangolin’s development team to create new features for the software, which enables the lasers to be controlled through the lighting desk. Being part of a well planned and executed show meant that the visual aspects of the production looked fantastic.

The lasers, which were seamlessly integrated into the performance

by ER, added excitement at key moments throughout. A total of 21 lasers and Beambursts lined the down stage edge, while Harris’ DJ riser was populated with 20 Laserblades, a technique that was also used at Coachella. In addition to providing crucial support to the lighting operator, ER’s Andrew Turner operated the smoke package live on the night.

Marc Webber, Co-founder of ER Productions commented: “We delivered a huge laser package for Calvin Harris’s Creamfields set. To achieve the look, we used our Beamburst and Laserblade lasers combined with 38

“From mix position to any position in the room, it’s hard to mentally process how consistent it is and how easily we achieved it. Anya has the purest impulse response I’ve ever gotten off of a PA system. The acoustic phase response is just breathtaking.”

Robert Scovill FOH Engineer, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “Anya sounds more like a giant pair of nearfield monitors than a typical concert array, with a transient response that allows for an extremely dynamic show. In the Paramore show there are a lot of subtle elements that don’t always translate well into the mix.

But with Anya, everything was immediately present.”

Everyone knows all of that processing compromises fidelity.

Right?

Eddie Mapp FOH Engineer, Papa Roach, Paramore “Anya is extremely musical, very powerful and can be customized to match any environment. What else can I ask for in a system? This system should be on every rider.”

Stanley Soares FOH Engineer, Juanes, Sepultura “I have been in a lot of challenging venues. It is amazing to experience how easily Adaptive Systems can blanket the seating area and drop off everywhere else – and sound better than any other systems out there. Every show has sounded fantastic.”

Jason Decter FOH Engineer, Blink 182, Bassnectar “I was hearing a really clean, pure vocal and a very natural open sound. As I said, I really love it when you don’t hear the speakers. For me, that’s the mark of a great system! Thank you!”

Jerry Eade FOH Engineer, Placido Domingo “I have to admit, I have never been that impressed with a loudspeaker in my life – it’s a game-changer listening to those loudspeakers.”

Joe Patten Project Design Manager, CDA

photo © Mark Hanna, FxN Productions

That depends on the machine. Conventional line arrays use few, relatively large sources – like ‘acoustic pixels’. Applying discrete processing to each source means adjacent devices produce very different signals. This ‘acoustic pixelation’ creates impulse response problems that you can hear.

Adaptive Systems are different. With a large number of sources that are small for their bandwidth, these systems were developed to harness the power of signal processing without compromise. They apply sophisticated algorithms to the high resolution array of sources to ensure that processing changes from source to source are small. The result is unprecedented control, consistency and most importantly a pristine impulse response everywhere. Like rendering the same image with a lot more pixels.

You don’t need better processing to fix your machine. You need a new machine. eaw.com/products/adaptive

www.eaw.com

Adaptive_FOHquotes_TPI.indd 1

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CALVIN HARRIS

Above: Acorn Event Structures were on hand at the festival suppling the North and South Arc Stages for its third year running. The company also proudly launched its new Super Structure which was used for the the Steel Yard at this years event.

squeeze out the maximum volume allowed!”

Major Tom provided console and monitoring equipment for the festivaltouring rig. Said Piazzini: “It’s a great company with lovely people and all the right gear for our show; the Meyer Sound Leopard box is the only option for our DJ booth.”

Over in monitor world Darren Mullis is also operating an SD7. He added: “Most guest engineers are happy to see these desks on site. DiGiCo is the only console manufacturer I really feel comfortable mixing on these days - I know they sound great and I trust them to do the job. The booth will look after itself once it’s up and running but when dealing with guests on stage I have to be confident and incisive so that they feel comfortable before they perform in a different environment than one they may be used to.”

Harris’ booth system is made up of two Meyer Sound 900-LFC’s low frequency elements and six Meyer Sound LEOPARD compact linear line array speakers powered straight from the booth (via a Pioneer DJM-900 mixer through a Meyer Sound Galileo Callisto 616 array processor). “Either I will put a mix together or guest engineers can look after their own clients,” said Mullis who also utilises Sennheiser SR2000 Series transmitters and Shure Axient systems in the US, and Shure UFH-R receivers outside the US. “We’ve kept it nice and simple with a Shure SM58 microphone head and a choice of SM58’s, KSM9’s or SM58’s for our guest vocalists.” Mullis gave his final thoughts post Creamfields performance: “Thanks to the diligent and amiable team at both VER and Major Tom, the summer really has been a splendid experience for us.”

Britannia Row Productions took on the audio requirements for CF01 and CF02 along with the Steel Yard using an L-Acoustics K1/K2 system. Dave Compton was Project Manager. “At events like this, teamwork is always the most important factor. Britannia Row Productions has been providing audio for Creamfields for some years now and we have a good relationship with production which goes a long way to making the weekend run smoothly.

There are always challenges – the weather can, and does, often work against us – but that’s the nature of festivals. Laurie Fradley was our overall Crew Chief and we had three distinct crews so each stage worked as an individual event.’

The Steel Yard Arena, as the name suggests, is a stage designed to embrace the audience in a visual and audio experience. Substantial numbers of L-Acoustics K1’s, K2’s, KARAs, ARCs supported by KS28 Subs were more than up to the job with the directivity of the K Series enabling the required SPL without spill, an important element on a site with multiple stages.

The north and south stages featured identical systems with L-Acoustics K1 and KS28 subs. For control at FOH was a DiGiCo SD10 and a Yamaha QL1 console on stage. The south stage saw Avicii headline on Saturday night and perform his last ever UK show. Avicii’s FOH Engineer Wayne (Rabbit) Sergeant was on duty for the show. “Working with Britannia Row Productions is never less than a complete pleasure. The service we get as a visiting act, whether or not we are the headline act is second to none. I admit to being a long term L-Acoustics fan and this rig didn’t disappoint.

I’ve used the new KS28’s this season and been really impressed with their performance; they continue to amaze me with the amount of detail you can hear in the mix, their tone, the effortless power handling and control. It all results in a very natural sound.”

The Steel Yard was a new venue for Creamfields and Britannia Row Productions alike. Specially commissioned by LarMac Live, the Steel Yard has an enviable capacity for festival goers and has a ceiling at of twenty metres at its apex. This allows for weather-proofed festival-sized entertainment and enclosed audio, lighting and AV effects. “As it is a steel structure with a high roof clearance we were obviously concerned that sound reinforcement would be an issue,” explains Greenway, “but the Britrow crew did their magic and the room sounded great. The concept of the Steel Yard was something of a journey into the unknown for us – it is the first structure of its kind in Europe – so having a system sound so dynamic and alive without reflective reverberation was a massive affirmation of that decision. I can guarantee you will be seeing more of the Steel Yard very soon.

‘The service and level of professionalism we get from everyone at Britannia Row Productions is exemplary. As Production Manager, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

TPi Photos: Conor McDonnell, TPi and All Access Staging www.creamfields.com https://larmaclive.com http://calvinharris.com http://eighteentwentysix.com www.britanniarow.com http://allaccessinc.com www.prg.com/uk http://bpm-sfx.com www.er-productions.com www.ver.com www.acorn-events.com 40

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SZIGET: ISLAND OF FREEDOM Sziget offers its guests a beautiful setting for its world class production values, and boasts an international crew who put hospitality second only to event safety and quality. Kelly Murray took a trip to the iconic Island Of Freedom to look at what its main stage had to offer...

Hungary’s Sziget Festival is a not-so-hidden-gem of the festival world. Set on a tiny island, linked to the city of Budapest by bridge, Sziget now attracts 450,000 music fans from almost 100 countries to experience the week-long outdoor event. 2016 played host to some very sought-after performers from all manner of genres. The eclectic line up that played between 10-17 August included Bring Me The Horizon, John Newman, Sigur Rós, Muse, Rihanna, Manu Chao, Bastille, Sia and Hardwell. It’s easy to see why 25% of tickets sold out in the first 24 hours...

The popularity of the event has been cemented in European festival culture, but this year the crew were also in a state of shock and mourning with the sudden loss of Dan Panaitescu, the festival’s popular International Booking Manager, who was tragically killed in a traffic collision just three weeks before Sziget 2016. An official statement from the festival read: “We are speechless. We have always envied him for not getting older, but we

have never ever thought that he would not get old… The whole festival industry is grieving.”

THE SHOW MUST GO ON With this sadness potentially casting a dark shadow over the festival and its team, Sziget could have easily hit a rough patch. And yet when arriving on site in the blistering heat, the welcoming faces and the camp morale were instantly noticeable. Naturally, road crew have an inherent ‘the show must go on’ mentality, and this case was no exception. In the backstage area of the main stage, a candlelit shrine was placed near Panaitescu’s office, at which all of the people he worked with over the years could pay their respects.

Taking up the role of Head of Production is Daniel Benis, who looks after five festivals throughout the season in Hungary, including Balaton Sound, 42

PRODUCTION PROFILE

Opposite: The main stage at Sziget complete with a roof system from Stageco Germany. Below: Head of Production, Daniel Benis; Capital Sound’s Paul Timmins with Stage Manager Zsolt Szicso; Mojo Barrier’s Rik Beulin and Stanley Jilesen; Audio Crew Chief, Marci Mezei.

Volt, Children Island, and Gourmet as well as his biggest production, Sziget.

Benis has taken on a weighty task despite his relatively young age. His story is an interesting one; he was, at the start of his career, a history teacher.

He explained: “My diploma is in economics and management, so when I decided to join this industry, I had to learn everything on the job.”

“What’s remarkable is the fact that I became the Head of Production aged 25.” He continued: “I’m now 34 years old, and I’ve learnt so much over the years. The biggest challenge was wanting to change how things were done within the production. I was the new guy fighting with old standards.

I’m very interested in health and safety issues and crowd control, and we’ve progressed with that greatly in recent years. Now we’re working with Mojo Barriers I’m educating the security teams on how to use their systems. We need these barriers in place for our pits because they are the best, and we’re serious about what we do on this site.

“It’s the same with the constant updates in technology, as I’m very curious about new products. I’ve learned about the MA Lighting grandMA2 desk, and how to operate the Robe BMFLs. We’re also using a Martin Audio MLA system for the second time, and we’re very happy with the results once again. As always, it’s been tiring but we’re happy with what we’ve done so far. The good thing about our production is that we’re always looking for ways to improve. Next year we know already that we’re going to make this stage bigger.”

“Outside of the technical aspects, we’ve also invested a lot in making the festival a great place to visit in terms of what it looks like. People are coming to Sziget on holiday so they have to want to stay on site for a week.”

Benis’ right hand man is Stage Manager and acting main stage Production Manager Zsolt Szicso - fondly referred to as ‘George’, much to the relief of TPi’s questionable accent. He himself has a long history with the festival, begining his time with Sziget in 1993 as a lighting tech. In 2002

he left to concentrate on political and corporate event production before being asked back by Panaitescu four years ago to take up his current role.

He told TPi: ”It’s not as simple as saying ‘this is my job and that’s the only work I undertake’. We all help each other with various duties. I work on the technical production, with booking agents, in hospitality; we’re always working as a team. It’s the Hungarian way to do more than one aspect of a job and pitch in all together.”

Over the last few years Szicso has seen the changes implemented on the main stage such as the introduction of the Martin Audio MLA system from Capital Sound, lighting rig changes, and the addition of the Stageco roof. He continued: “The key thing for having a successful stage is having a great team to work with - I need people around me that I can trust. It’s very important to look after every band that plays on your stage too, it’s not just about the main headliners. We want to understand why someone is happy or stressed so that you know what’s working or if a problem needs fixing. At Sziget we want people to feel at home. Obviously how the stage is delivered affects the arts and their crew, but it also affects the crowd’s experience.”

Szicso was also keen to heap praise on his Finnish Co-Stage Manager, Peppi Lotta Arrimo: “We’ve worked together for two years now at the festival. She’s become an essential member of the Sziget main stage family.”

THE AUDIO SOLUTION Following an introduction to the festival organisers at Germany’s Prolight+Sound tradeshow, Capital Sound first supplied equipment to Sziget in 2006 with its Meyer Sound PA inventory and some DiGiCo D5 consoles for FOH and monitor duties. Over the next decade, the relationship between the British rental company and Hungary’s premier music festival became cemented, with Capital’s Paul Timmins looking after 43

SZIGET FESTIVAL

Bastille performed to a crowd of thousands and impressed the Hungarian crew with their visual content.

the account. It was determined that, as the festival was growing in size, so for all three events. He continued: “We were now dealing directly with the should its main stage audio design. Timmins recalled how he’s seen the festival and it was decided that Capital would supply both Volt and Balaton festival develop into the heavyweight attraction it is today. “By 2009 we Festivals in order to try the MLA system, but Sziget’s main stage was again were sending a complete A+B flip flop monitor system for the main stage awarded to their local supplier. The MLA proved itself however, and in 2015 with local Hungarian vendor, Expander 2000. 2010 was the first year we MLA was also specified for Sziget.” supplied - with the exception of the delay towers - the complete main stage The supply included four main MLA field delays and a central mix tower system. At this point we were still only sending one audio tech over from of MLAC delays. “Due to the incredible success of how the MLA performed the UK and the local Hungarian crew worked with the system. Over the next in 2015 we managed to get through a lengthy tender process and have couple of years we continued to upsize and upgrade the design. In 2011 we now secured a contract with MLA for the next couple of years, which also were very close to providing a festival package that would be considered includes supplying the two sister festivals,” said Timmins. “I’m really happy UK standard. By 2013 we’d made a key investment with Martin Audio’s MLA about it because we love being involved with these festivals. The teams in system due to the demands we were seeing for that particular system at Hungary are great to work with because they genuinely care about their venues such as London’s Hyde Park for the British Summer Time events. events. They’re very passionate about what they do, and that makes it all “In order to continue our relationship with Sziget, we sourced the new the more worthwhile when you’re sending trucks of equipment over. We Meyer Sound LEO system from a Meyer Sound also get to meet a lot of touring crews coming rental partner in Poland as per the festival’s through and using the MLA system. It’s been a request. Then in 2014, as our track record at really popular move to make. delivering quality audio had been established, “The 2016 MLA design rocked, even with we were asked to look at supplying audio for the increased audience size this year, the Sziget’s sister festivals Volt and Balaton Sound.” optimisation tweaks gave incredible coverage “The biggest challenge was An important aspect of Capital’s DNA is its and high SPL across the whole audience area. wanting to change how things knowledge and expertise when it comes to The Introduction of the Spaced MLX sub array different sound systems. It currently offers four gave impact and control with headroom for were done within the production. different audio brands to its clients - Martin even the loudest acts. Sound system choice I was the new guy fighting with Audio, Meyer Sound, d&b audiotechnik and may be subjective, but all of the visiting Outline - with a ‘one size does not fit all’ motto. engineers this year were complimentary about old standards...”

As Capital was going through its own the design and PA performance. Muse’s crew in Head of Production, inventory changes, Timmins suggested that the particular went out of their way to express their Daniel Benis festival should consider using the MLA system delight with the system.”

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SZIGET FESTIVAL

Above: Visual Power provided video kit and crew; Visiting LDs made use of the lighting consoles provided by Colossal; Lighting Crew Chief, Mark Kontra; Vari-Lite VL3500 Washes featured heavily in the lighting rig.

To complete the audio package, Capital also supplied two Avid Profile desks for FOH and two Yamaha PM5Ds for monitors. The latter was specified for the last time, as Timmins noted: “The PM5D is a very standard desk to use at monitors - it’s been seen on festivals everywhere for the last 10 years - but we’ve made the decision that it will be the last time we supply it; we’re moving into a new era and replacing those desks with the Yamaha CL5 console.”

For RF, six ways of handheld Shure UHFR radio microphones were chosen, and Shure was also the brand of choice for in-ears, resulting in the specification of 10 PSM1000’s. Although most artists brought in their own microphones, a mixed package of Sennheiser, Shure, Audio-Technica, Harman’s AKG and Audix was supplied.

Handling the sound teams on site is the Hungarian Audio Crew Chief, Marci Mezei, himself a Sziget veteran. He told TPi: “I spend a lot of my year on tour, but when I’m travelling, I work on Sziget. I must like this festival because I keep returning - it’s my 15th year here and my 13th working on the main stage. The festival just keeps getting stronger.”

LIGHTING AND VIDEO Mark Kontra, Head of Lighting at the main stage, as well as the area’s lighting and rigging designer stopped by the backstage area for a chat. Now in his sixth year working with Sziget - and his third year in charge - he commented how his company, Colossal, had seen first hand the “complicated” set up the lighting world has to provide for such a wide variety of acts. “I split my crew into two parts - one that works with

the headliner act during the overnight load-in and the other that is here for the daytime to look after everyone else. My problem is that I try to be in both of the teams!” Kontra also advances the rigging plots for the Stageco roof team.

“Big bands such as Muse have touring festival designs, so they require a flown rig from us. Muse [operated by double TPi Award-winner Oli Metcalfe] have a very cool, high tech yet festival-friendly design. Bastille have a very awesome visual design too, but my personal favourite is working with The Chemical Brothers - they have lots of equipment and that’s really fun!”

For the main stage fixtures Colossal supplied 32 Vari-Lite VL3500 Washes, 32 Robe BMFL Spots, 40 Robe Pointes, 32 Robe Robin LEDWash 600’s, 24 Robe ColorStrobes, 60 CitySkape 48’s and a mixture of two, four and eight-lite generic molefays.

Kontra furthered: “There’s usually a lot of dust and very little time for maintenance when we’re on site, so we need reliable fixtures. This festival hosts a lot of rock bands, so for our rig we chose to use Vari-Lite VL3500’s a lot in our rig. This light has a big output, creates beautiful colours and has more power than some other options. It’s a key wash light which we see on basically every festival rider. We use a lot of Robe’s new BMFL Spots. These products have a great output and are a very reliable unit, just like the Robe Pointes. We also opted for the “We like the excitement when new Robe ColorStrobes. The LDs we’ve spoken the PA kicks in and the spotlights to have really enjoyed using it.

“For control we have an MA Lighting come on; we’re gadget freaks!” grandMA2 Full Size and Light for backup. This Head of Lighting, year I also brought in a High End Systems Hog4 Mark Kontra for a few bands that had requested it.

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SZIGET FESTIVAL

Capital Sound provided sound reinforcement to the main stage featuring a Martin Audio MLA system; Mojo Barriers created a breaker system to halt the possibility of crowd crushes; The company also added extra doors to the FOH area for ease of crew access.

STAGING AND BARRIER SAFETY Mojo’s Stanley Jilesen, Sziget Account Manager is in charge of the compnay’s international festival and touring clientele. When Jilesen met Benis at an event, it was clear the two had a very similar way of thinking.

Jilesen’s approach to crowd control with barrier technology impressed Benis so much in fact, that Mojo won a contract with Sziget almost immediately. This was the beginning of a real breakthrough for the H&S conscious Benis.

Jilesen explained what changes have been made since the two minds met. “When we got involved with this festival, the first thing we altered was the fact that they had no breaker at the main stage area. Once we created one, it kept the pressure off the people at the front of the crowds.

“To be honest, that’s what we do everywhere we work. Every leading festival has something like that factored into its design. People at festivals have a sheep mentality – they will walk until they hit a barrier, and then they stop. If there’s no breaker, they’ll keep on walking and the pressure mounts.

Our systems stop this from happening because safer is always better.

“This festival is still evolving because it’s in a somewhat difficult area; we’re placed by the main ‘high street’ within the festival grounds where everybody walks in and around the main stage. Three days ago, Daniel [Benis] called me to say he needed some extra line-up gates; half an hour later we put the extra equipment in a truck to Budapest from Holland.

That’s what we’re known for. If our client has a problem, we help them immediately. We always leave a project manager on site in case any changes are required, or if a band wishes to bring in some extra set that affects the barrier layout, such as a catwalk, and having one of our team on site means this can be quickly accommodated. It’s great to work on such a progressive festival, one which has such a brilliant team and which is constantly

“This job is hard work, but I guess like everyone in this business, you must like the rush of making it happen - we like the excitement when the PA kicks in and the spotlights come on. We’re gadget freaks!” he laughed.

Local Hungarian supplier, Visual Power, also enjoyed its 15th year at the festival, again providing the main stage video requirements. Led by Project Manager Peter Perjesi, the video design delivered a classic look comprising L-R IMAG and an upstage video wall.

The IMAG screens consisted of 9m x 5m of YUCHIP P6.25 per side, while the upstage screen was a 16m x 9m wall of Uniview CO-7.8. The company also provided 200m of 16mm pitch LEDBlade that was installed on the edges of the main stage.

Perjesi explained: “We have been using 8-10mm LED screens over the past few years, but this year we upgraded to 6-7mm in order to have best possible resolution. This is also the second time we have used the LEDBlade system, which has been welcomed again by the bands and performers. We have plans to increase the amount we provide to around 500m next year.”

The vendor also supplied a crew made up of of two project managers, two show operators, a show designer, and three technicians who were on site at all times during the festival.

Perjesi continued: “The look of a festival is much more important these days, I believe. Therefore we try to improve year-on-year, and keep up with the expectations of the present trends and line-ups. We have done this by introducing new systems like LEDBlade, going higher with the resolution, and offering a whole system control for all the available screens. I’m sure that the whole look of a stage like Sziget’s Main Stage will have a considerable effect on the audience, and will definitely enhance the performance of the artists on stage.”

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SZIGET FESTIVAL

evolving, and we look forward to building on our relationship in the future.”

Rik Beulin, Mojo’s man on the ground at Sziget, agreed. He commented: “You’ve got to be able to handle your crew and prioritise safety. For example yesterday I put in an extra door into a barrier section. It only took me 10 minutes but we wanted to have an extra door at FOH, and today access works better for everyone who needs to get there.”

A total of 400m of barrier, 50m of High Fence and 20 line-up gates were used for the 2016 event. As well as stage barrier within the main stage arena and line-up gates throughout the festival site, Mojo also supplied its high fence to the main stage FOH in order to enhance security and improve the aesthetics of the structure. With a crew of 10-12 people, Beulink’s team installed these elements in a day.

Jilsen likes being part of the festival’s evolution process. He continued: “We are quite a new suppliers compared to some of the companies they’ve worked with over the years. For us, it feels as though the possibilities are all ahead of us. Sziget is becoming more professional in every aspect now, and as partners it feels very cool to work with a festival that is clearly growing into something bigger and better every year. Also,” he smiled, “a great part of working with Sziget is how nice the people are.”

Benis commented: “Over the last few years, we have used barriers from our existing partners but couldn’t beat the quality of Mojo Barriers, neither in equipment or service. In the last few years nearly all riders have placed greater emphasis upon crowd controlling issues and Mojo Barriers are now seen as a standard, so we had to step up.

Mojo’s services and equipment has solved all our problems, and any incoming production manager knows what they are getting when they see Mojo Barriers. Regarding the Hungarian regulations and crowd controlling issues, we had to find a solution to help improve

Autism Rocks / Eventim Apollo Hammersmith • Photography: Greg Allen

Hungarian folk punks Bohemian Betyars performed on the main stage.

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SZIGET FESTIVAL

Head Chef, Mihalik Zoltán; The Kiosk team provided a number of options including a BBQ pit; Bastille and Manu Chao entertained the crowds.

the circulation of the crowds, in terms of normal flow and also in case of heavy crowds. Our security teams were also really satisfied with this.”

Stageco Germany was hired to build a four-tower roof, introducing some key modifications to its standard specifications, such as extending the PA wings to the rear. The goal was to create a structure that allowed the Sziget team to cover the reverse side of the roof with custom made PVC prints.

Another ‘special’ for this roof was the inclusion of pyro platforms above the canopy. Hardwell in particular used a vast array of effects from Quantum Special Effects, including its own custom wireless Spitfire Flame System, its show-stopping fireball named ‘The Harvey’, and a burst of summery white confetti and streamers that flew over the happy crowd below.

In total, Stageco Germany delivered around 830 tonnes of gear that, as well as the roof, included the FOH riser, delay towers and 4,500sqm of VIP platform decking. Hungary’s B.L. Crew co-operated on the project, while Manuel Billian led Stageco’s R&D effort and Stefan Stadelmann headed Stageco’s crew.

an impressive 100 catering staff on site, no dietary request is too much for Kiosk. Zoltán is clearly here for his menu moulding and gastronomic creation skills. Having worked at the Four Seasons in central Budapest, his kitchen training is Michelin Star quality.

THE 25TH CELEBRATIONS 2017 will mark the 25th anniversary of Sziget Festival, taking place on 9-17 August. We’ve been left in no doubt that this milestone will involve some extra special celebrations. It certainly delivered a wealth of local and international production knowledge that has worked tirelessly to produce a space that welcomes each and every person with respect and outstanding hospitality.

The festival encourages you to come for a holiday and leave your worries behind as you enjoy a first class festival experience and from what we’ve seen, whether you’re a part of the crew or a member of the audience, the Island of Freedom has set its Hungarian heart on giving you an experience to remember.

TPi Photos: TPi, Plaster Creative Communications http://sziget.hu/fesztiva www.capital-sound.co.uk www.kiosk-budapest.com www.colossal.hu www.visualpower.hu www.stageco.com www.mojobarriers.com www.q-sfx.com

QUALITY CATERING Kiosk is the catering company behind the vast array of culinary compliments we hear flying around over the weekend. Needless to say the risotto station wasn’t going to try itself… credit where credit’s due, the food is freshly made to order with any vegan / vegetarian / cave man preference you have. There are also salad bars, cheese counters, BBQ pits and beautifully-decorated desserts that wouldn’t look out of place in a Disney cartoon.

All under the instruction of Head Chef Mihalik Zoltán, the festival is responsible for feeding up to 500 production crew and artists per day. With 50

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SZIGET FESTIVAL

WHAT THE CREW SAY… JOEL STANLEY PRODUCTION MANAGER, BASTILLE “It’s my sixth year here and I always have a good experience.

They’re like our Hungarian family! They definitely go above and beyond to make the experience better. Everyone’s so friendly and the crew are really helpful. We’re not headlining here but they gave us an overnight load-in so that we got some programming time.

And whether you’re an artist or part of the production crew, the catering’s amazing - they look after you from the dressing room to your rider, and absolutely nothing is a problem. As I arrived I saw Rihanna’s crew loading out. I used to work for her too, and the guys said to me ‘this festival will look after you’. That makes a huge difference when you’re on show number 174 in the cycle!”

STEVE PRICE VIDEO DIRECTOR, BASTILLE “After doing the rounds of European festivals for a few years you start to bump into people you know over and over again, and some of those people you really look forward to seeing. Zsolt Szicso, our main stage production manager is one of those faces. He’s very video friendly, and so easy going.

He even gave me a preshow banana! If you search #preshowbanana on Instagram you’ll see what I’m talking about... [Thanks for the tip Steve, we now stalk you…] I have a banana before every show and a I started Instagraming them a couple of years ago. It took off in a weird way. For example Adam Lambert’s fans often turn up at Queen gigs with bananas for me, so it’s become a bit of a ritual! Bananas aside, Sziget was one of those festivals were everything just lined up in the right way. Bastille are a great band to work with and their crew are awesome. The festival video team were fantastic at Sziget too, and the artist village was one of the best I’ve ever seen. With the sun out and the crowds fired up, it was a perfect day at work.”

ROB HIGHCROFT PRODUCTION MANAGER, BRING ME THE HORIZON “Sziget is a great festival to work on; it’s really well-run and expertly organised. Their attention to detail is something more festivals should look towards. 2016 was was under a dark cloud with the departure of much-loved Daniel Panaitescu, who passed away only a matter of weeks before the festival started, yet the event was held together brilliantly in the same manner and professionalism that it always did. He taught the crew well.”

TUPAC MARTIR, LD FOR UNKLE AND CATE CARTER, LD FOR ELBOW “I had heard what a great festival this place is, and it didn’t disappoint. The crew was fantastic and the crowd was epic - I love operating shows in which it’s all about the vibe because you can feel everyone experiencing the same synergy.

“As with any show that has little pre-programming time, there will be missed cues or some elements working against you, but thankfully the guys were ready to make the changes on the fly - even sending the screen to 100% when I lost my desk to compensate and make it feel like part of the show.”

Bryte Design’s Cate Carter added: “It’s without doubt one of my favourite festivals. Every time we are here we have a great show. It’s a beautiful location, the crew are brilliant, and there are great audiences and an incredible vibe!”

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PRODUCTION PROFILE

FESTIVAL N°6

Once again taking place in the dreamlike world of Portmeirion, Wales, Festival N°6 invited its contingent of loyal patrons to jump headfirst into the cultural wonderland. However, as is the nature of the Great British summer season, the festival was blighted by severe weather conditions. TPi’s Stew Hume spoke to the crewmembers who went toe-to-toe with Mother Nature.

If there is one thing that you can take from the UK festival season over the last few years it’s that the nation’s ticket buying public certainly loves a boutique event. Offering a more intimate experience than its larger brothers and sisters, the boutique event is fast becoming a firm favourite among those who no longer want to share a field with another 50,000+ patrons. But among this sub-genre, Festival N°6 is one of the most charming Britain has to offer. Set in the idyllic village of Portmeirion, which straddles the estuary of the River Dwyryd, the annual music, poetry and cultural gathering offers festivals-goers a chance to lose a sense of mundane reality and discover various untrodden paths.

Whether you want to explore the main festival site, take a trip to the famous village green or even get lost in an enchanting wooded realm; there are not many places like N°6.

As it moves into its fifth year, it’s safe to say that the secret is out. The festival sold 15,000 tickets in no time at all. Sadly, after being spoilt by a run of good weather in the past few years, this year’s event was blighted by some serious precipitation on the second day of music. However, with a team of long serving suppliers and crewmembers, there could not have been a stronger group of men and women ready to tackle the elements. TPi sat down with Ground Control’s Managing Director Jon Drape to talk about how his experienced team ensured the show went on and the magic of this fantastical event was not lost…

I AM NOT A NUMBER… BUT I AM RATHER DAMP Since the festival’s inaugural year in 2011, the event has attained a loyal group of devotees who gleefully return to the quirky world that is N°6 each year. There is always a risk that smaller, boutique-style events could lose their way, but N°6 has stuck steadfastly to its core mission: it never fails to give a punter a place where you can ‘lose yourself in your own fairytale’.

Along with a stellar line up including headline sets from the likes of Bastille, Hot Chip and Noel Gallagher (with a surprise appearance from Paul Weller), 2016 saw the addition of several new elements. For the festival regulars, one of the most notable additions was the main stage IMAG screens, which catered for the swelling audience sizes. The annual cultural gathering also boasted several new interactive art pieces such as Captain Kronos: Return to Planet Earth, an art exhibition from Liverpool-based production company, The Kazimier. During the performance, the audience welcomed Captain Kronos, on his hedonistic mission, to spread peace and love throughout the galaxy...well, there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.

With such an array of activities to keep visitors occupied it is no surprise that many of the punters make the trip to Portmeirion year on year. The same can be said when you head backstage; many suppliers and crewmembers pay the Welsh town a visit for the festival every year. With returning production company Ground Control at the helm, 2016 also saw the homecoming of audio and lighting suppliers Audile, alongside Adlib, 55

FESTIVAL N°6

dbn Lighting and Serious Stages. “We have an incredibly good relationship about festivals within the UK market. With so many years at the helm, with our team of suppliers,” began Drape. “For instance, we have had Audile he speaks with some authority when it comes to contingency plans for on board since the festival’s inception and for another year the company outdoor live events. “This year market the fifth year for N°6 and although provided a fantastic service.” Even one of the newest suppliers to the we have been blessed over the last two years with some great weather, festival, Transition Video, had personal ties with the event. The company’s this was not the first time that the site had been hit by the tail end of a Director, Rhodri Shaw, has been involved with N°6 under different guises hurricane,” began Drape. “Both myself and the rest of the Ground Control for multiple years. It is clear, even to a N°6 first-timer like myself, that the team are all well versed in what can happen when extreme weather hits crew have a tangible personal connection to the show. For many, it is the and the control measures that need to be in place.” highlight of the summer and marks the end of the working season.

The forecast had predicted rain over the weekend, however, the Drape talked about some of the new production initiatives put in place: severity with which it would hit was not known until the 11th hour. “With “This year we set up an off-site point where artists came in and then we any event like this we obviously are continually checking local weather ferried them to and from the site. The site was located near Porthmadog, a forecasts. At N°6 we also keep in touch with the Met office at RAF Valley.” short drive from the festival site, and it worked Drape explained that, as with all events Ground incredibly well. The onsite logistics are so tight Control heads up, he and his team prepares for at N°6 and we are not blessed with a great deal the worst-case scenarios involving weather, of room, so having all the VIPs off site meant with particular focus on the biggest threat we could run a tight ship and everything to wind. “Rain is one thing but high winds really schedule.” The initiative was so successful that pose the biggest risk and danger. To put it Drape stated that it would most definitely be simply we have three different levels at which returning next year. we judge wind. The first (and lowest) means we “Both myself and the rest of the However, no matter how well you plan an begin a schedule of continually testing wind Ground Control team are all well event there is one element that you can never speeds. The second level is when we begin to versed in what can happen when control; the weather. It is hard to talk about this consider evacuating a structure. The final, most year’s event without mentioning the extreme severe level begins when we evacuate an area.” extreme weather hits and the wind and rain that hit the site on Friday evening Throughout the N°6 site there were a control measures that need to be and Saturday. Not wanting to avoid the subject, number of different structures, from the Main TPi asked about the apocalyptic conditions.

Stage to smaller scale venues such as the Lost in place.”

With over 25 years of experience in the live in the Woods Stage, as well as various pop-up Jon Drape, events industry, Drape has been instrumental catering and hospitality areas. Each had Managing Director, Ground Control in the creation of some of the most talkeddifferent thresholds requiring round the clock 56

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FESTIVAL N ° 6

monitoring, especially at the height of the storm. This meant short-term evacuation of some of stages until the weather subsided, as well as closing the main stage and dropping the PA for a period.

Drape went on to state that his team were able to act on the extreme conditions due to the in-built production infrastructure that Ground Control implement for all its live shows. “On all our projects we have six hourly event leadership meetings between myself, our Technical Production Manager, Ryan Esson, and all the heads of departments. The idea of these meetings is to update people on all sides of the festival. As well as discussing potential weather issues we discuss everything from crowd management to policing. During the Friday night meeting when we began to get word of the severity of inbound weather we set out all the contingency plans that were put into effect on Saturday.”

Drape was keen to give praise to all the suppliers and crewmembers that, despite challenging conditions, were able to keep the festival running: “The fact that we have such a good team of suppliers really helps when we are faced with conditions like this. Everyone is very familiar with the site and knows the limitations of what can and can’t be done. They are also really familiar with one another and that makes it easy when faced with such trying conditions.”

Decordia, as well as sound and lighting for the Boutique Camping areas.

“This year saw quite a few changes across the site,” began Ashworth. “In the iStage we supplied a pair of concentric truss circles rigged over the dancefloor, supporting LED video tubes and decorative string curtains supplied by Decordia, which added greatly to the creative production.

In Clough, the move from DJs to cabaret saw several changes, such as theatrical lighting design and a more discrete - but no less capable - sound system. Gatehouse received an upgrade also, with draping and additional lighting to create an enhanced stage set, and additional audio provision to accommodate more complex live acts.”

For the main stage, the lighting and audio specialists supplied a complete d&b audiotechnik system comprising of 16 J8’s, four J12’s and 12 J-SUBs all controlled by an Avid Profile. Monitor control came courtesy of a Yamaha PM5D-RH digital mixing console. For lighting, an Avolites Pearl Expert Titan was used to control a rig of 18 Clay Paky Mythos and 12 Sharpys along with 18 Robe Robin 600’s and 12 Robin 100’s. For effects, Audile deployed 11 Clay Paky Stormy CC strobes as well as six James Thomas Engineering 4-lite molefays and 18 2-lite molefays.

As with every festival, certain acts have specialist rider requirements.

One of the most challenging at this year’s event came with Bowie Reimagined on the Sunday. Ashworth expanded: “Bringing together the 28-piece Manchester Camerata orchestra with a band and multiple vocalists, we were required to provide a complete control, microphones and monitoring package which could be deployed first for an off-site rehearsal on the Sunday morning, and then moved over to site to be deployed for the set itself.”

Ashworth and the Audile team are no strangers to extreme conditions and were more than prepared for everything the weather could throw

SOUND & LIGHTING Rob Ashworth, Director of Audile, has been with N°6 since it’s inception and knows the site better than most. Along with the 31-strong team of Audile crewmembers, the company also supplied sound and lighting for the main stage in addition to the iStage, Clough, Estuary, Gatehouse, Lost in the Woods and Stone Boat venues. If that wasn’t enough, the company also supplied all the decorative site lighting working with creative designers 58

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at them. “Wind is always the major concern for us in terms of exposed equipment with significant surface area, and we have wind management plans that layout actions that must take place when wind speeds exceed defined thresholds,” stated Ashworth. “In this particular case, wind speeds overnight on the Friday and through Saturday were forecast to exceed the threshold for safely suspending large speaker arrays, so we lowered them at the close of Friday night and stayed grounded while we monitored onsite conditions, until the point where we could safely raise the hangs again.”

Rounding up his fifth year with the festival, Ashworth commented: “It certainly was a challenging year. It’s unfortunate the conditions overshadowed the event but I have no doubt that it’ll bounce back next year. It’s such a unique festival with a brilliantly eclectic line up in a magical location. Had the weather been kinder, I’m sure it would have been hailed by all as a triumph - the festival goes from strength to strength every year, and when all is said and done, I hope this year will be viewed as the blip that it was. I have great expectations for next year!”

As the festival continues to grow, the production team’s only option was to bring more hands on deck including Adlib and dbn Lighting. For its second year, Adlib was brought on board to supply PA, lighting and technicians for several stages including the Colonnade Stage, the Town hall, Tim Peaks as well as several of the hospitality areas including the VIP area, the Rum Bar and the dining area.

“We are really proud to be involved with N°6 for our second year running,” said Phil Kielty, Adlib’s Client Manager. “Everyone on our team loves working the festival because it’s different to the rest, especially with its unique setting.” Kielty went on to detail the ways in which the peculiar festival setting forces them to change some of its methods. “We are incredibly respectful of the village as well as its residents. This means having to plan transport a little differently to other festivals during the

season. We have to load eight of the stages via lots of transit vans as opposed to our usual 45ft or 18ft trucks.”

VIDEO Although it is part of the N°6 extended family, this year was the first time Rhodri Shaw’s Transition Video joined the line up of suppliers. Founded just last year, the company has already been involved in some big events including Bluedot and the TPi Awards. This year, IMAG screens were incorporated on the main stage. Transition deployed two 5.4m x 3.6m ROE MC-7H 7.5mm LED screens. “The screens really stood up to the weather conditions which is testament to the product,” stated Shaw. “We also supplied three Sony HXC-100 camera channels under the direction of industry veteran Richard Shipman.” The video specialist also supplied further support for headliners Bastille and Noel Gallagher who both brought additional cameras, which ran through Transition’s PPU system to the screens.

Along with main stage responsibilities, Transition also supplied 10 columns of the Vies 4mm LED screens on the iStage. “It was great working with such a creative team, with Nick Buckley from dbn Lighting driving the screen using a Resolute Arena. The show didn’t miss a beat all week,” stated Shaw. Transition also supplied a Panasonic PT-DZ12000E 12,000 ANSI video projector along with a 16ft x 9ft Fastfold screen for the Gatehouse stage.

“Working on a festival site such as Portmeirion certainly has its challenges,” stated Shaw giving his final thought on the event. “The single road access along with the severe weather conditions made loading in tricky.

However working with Ground Control as well as Go To Live made the whole experience a lot more manageable, having worked on numerous events with the team this year alone. I think the crew did a great job at N°6 regardless of the weather and the show went on!”

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SERIOUS For the third year running Serious Stages supplied services to N°6. Steve Corfield, Managing Director of the company discussed his thoughts on the event. “The poor weather at this year’s Festival N°6 did create some challenges during the build, however despite the rain our stage and ancillary structures were installed to the highest quality and offered increased weather protection for the artists and their equipment against the torrential showers.”

For the main stage, Serious Stages supplied a 16m Supernova Lite stage, complete with five 3.6m bays and a cantilever roof, which offered additional weather protection. Covered extensions were added stage left and right, to house monitors and technical equipment, as well as a rear access ramp which ran from the back of the stage to the loading dock. The speakers were hung from Serious Stages’ free standing Asteroid PA tower systems, which flanked the stage and offered 2,000kg of load capacity. A covered FOH tower was installed, decked on three levels to accommodate lighting and sound, along with a 7.2m x 4.8m assisted viewing platform to ensure optimum views for the whole audience.

Two 6m by 3.6m screen supports were also installed to hang festival branding, which required additional ballast and steel due to the uneven ground. For the indoor iStage, Serious Stages installed a 24m x 9.6m deck inside the tent, along with a 4.8m x 4.8m FOH tower, decked on two levels.

“This was the third year we’ve worked with Ground Control at Festival N°6,” stated Corfield. “It was once again a fantastic event to be part of.

Being based in the UK, we’re used to the unpredictability of the British

weather and despite the rain the festival offered an eclectic line-up in a beautiful location.”

BE SEEING YOU...

To say that this year’s event created a challenging environment for crewmembers would be an understatement. Now the dust has settled and the rain clouds have cleared, we get one last word from Drape regarding what to expect from next year’s event. “The festival has hit its limit. It really can’t get any bigger in terms of numbers. What we hope to do is maintain the quality and improve the customer experience and continue to attract the high calibre of artists that we have enjoyed over the past six years.”

Drape even hinted that some of the highlights from previous years may yet return. After all, the sixth Festival N°6 is quite a milestone. “We have only just started the booking process so nothing is in place as of yet, but undoubtedly the booking team will want to be making a big statement for our sixth birthday!”

TPi Photos courtesy of Carousel www.festivalnumber6.com www.groundcontroluk.com www.audile.co.uk www.adlib.co.uk www.dbn.co.uk www.transitionvideo.com www.stages.co.uk 60

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PRODUCTION PROFILE

BOOMTOWN FAIR 2016

BoomTown held the eighth edition of its wildly idiosyncratic festival from 11 - 14 August in Hampshire, UK. With an increased capacity of 60,000, featuring nine fully themed and diverse districts, over 80 street venues, all manner of immersive arts programming, and more renowned acts than you could count on seven hands the 2016 event was something to behold.

In anticipation of more people on the ground, sustainability steps were taken at BoomTown Fair to minimise the festival’s impact on its surrounding environment. With audience travel contributing around 70% of an event’s carbon footprint, BoomTown encouraged ecoconscious travel and facilitated reduced congestion via a number of public transport initiatives, including coach and festival ticket packages, shuttle buses from the train station, and car share schemes. To help those who opted to travel via public transport, the event organisers offered a couple of pre-pitched tent hire options to help minimise the load and encourage attendees to only bring what they needed and intended to take home.

Sticking to the promotion of environmental awareness and sustainability, BoomTown’s main charity partner for 2016 was Energy Revolution. Every penny donated was directly invested into clean, green energy projects to help balance travel emissions.

BoomTown’s charitable and sustainable ethos went even further, with a vast amount of guilt-free shopping available across a spectrum of charity shops. Vintage clothing could be found at Help Refugees, where items - at a stall decorated by refugees from the ‘Jungle’ in Calais - had been donated to its Calais refugees project. For the fancy dress lovers who wanted to preserve memories, the Barrio Loco crew snuck a photo booth into the set. For those who may have left some essentials behind, the Oxfam

Festival Shop had a range of second hand items - from practical warm and waterproof clothing to sparkly and vintage wares. All money raised went directly towards helping people all over the world fight against poverty.

AN IMMERSIVE METROPOLIS For its sixth year supplying the immersive metropolis, Utopium provided lighting and rigging equipment to 12 stages and venues across the site, including the Town Centre, The Lion’s Den, The Jolly Dodger, The Old Mines, The Ballroom, Rusty Spurs and Tangled Roots.

To illuminate The Lion’s Den stage, which is the largest reggae stage in the country, Utopium used a host of equipment from its existing inventory including Martin by Harman MAC Quantum Profiles, SGM P-2 LED Washlights, Chauvet Professional COLORado 1-Quad IP LED PARs along with 32 Chauvet Rogue RH1 Hybrids. To enhance the ambience, Utopium also installed lighting to the six towers around The Lion’s Den area, a new addition to the arena for this year.

In addition to lighting, control, trussing and rigging for the festival’s stages, Utopium was also tasked with providing all of the architectural lighting within the Town Centre, to enable the cityscape to be synchronised with the stage lighting.

Utopium’s Jon Newman commented: “This is our sixth year working with BoomTown, and every year we love having the chance to provide 63

BOOMTOWN FAIR

Above: Sector 6, BoomTown Fair’s dystopian district.

something a little bit different for both the stages and the sets. BoomTown is constantly looking to push creative boundaries and it’s great to be part of that.

“This year we installed lighting and rigging throughout the various districts, and enhanced our offering to The Lion’s Den stage, which produced a fantastic end result. We had a great team onsite, including Will Howie, who designed and project managed the installations, ensuring that each was in keeping with the style of the stage and the district it sat within.

Will did a tremendous job in the planning stages and onsite, directing his team to deliver the project as specified and on time. As well as increasing the kit and utilising some of our new equipment, Avolites’ Steve Warren also supplied us with The Avolites Arena, its newest console, which suited our team and the touring lighting designers very well.”

Sector 6 - the festival’s dystopian district - has grown considerably in recent years. Expansion in production and theatrics has resulted in a set to rival that of the Bang Hai Palace and now has a line-up to reflect its new status. The brainchild of Dan Borg, the crazy set design was created from several tonnes of reconditioned scrap metal and much ingenuity as a living, moving, breathing industrial sculpture - inspired by iconic structural components from steel works, power stations, and nuclear reactors.

Borg and BoomTown’s Production Manager Robin Collins asked Dave Whiteoak of Video Illusions to be Visual Production Manager and Video Designer, tasked with co-ordinating visual production elements from lighting to video content creation. Whiteoak commissioned LD Sam Tozer from Vision Factory - a regular LD on Video Illusions projects - to add some original lighting magic to Sector 6.

Video Illusions, which works closely with leading UK lighting rental company GLS, asked the company to specify and provide the appropriate lighting kit.

Director of GLS, Ian Turner, said: “We were delighted to be involved with an invigorating, fresh and imaginative project like this. The set was completely stunning, Dave’s video was amazing, Tozer made a fantastic job of the lighting and it was clear that much thought and precision went into creating a fantastic visual harmony.”

Lighting was a carefully struck balance between architectural sources highlighting and emphasising the meticulous scenic detail of the structure - which included several moving parts - and the effects lighting needed to immerse the audience fully in the Sector 6 narrative.

It was also absolutely crucial that the lighting kit survived the event whatever the weather, so the vast majority of it was IP65 rated and from leading brand SGM, in which the HSL family has made major investments this year.

Turner continued: “This stage was about using the right kit in the right place. On a structure this huge, inflatable domes just don’t cut it. We agreed from the start to specify IP rated lights that did the business and could survive whatever meteorology was thrown at them. The SGM range was ideal.”

The total SGM count was over 150 fixtures with 29 G-Spot moving lights, 32 Ribalta LED battens, 22 Q-7 LED strobes, 22 P-5 LED wash lights, 30 Q-2 strobe / floods and 16 G1 moving head beams.

They were joined by six Clay Paky Sharpies in weather domes, six Atomic 3000 strobes, 31 LED PARs, 12 GLP X4 impression wash lights and six ZR33 64

BOOMTOWN FAIR

Above: Bang Hai Palace showing the festival’s illusive masked man.

hazers, which worked hard every night to maintain smoke coverage. All of highlighting the different metals and raw material, texturing and providing these were run through the lighting console operated by Paul De Villiers. key light in strategic areas like through the windows. They also created The 63m wide x 35m high stage was divided into four key areas for some effective shadowing across the moving parts, enhancing the depth of lighting purposes. Stage right was for the pistons and oil silos; the centre the space. was split into two sections, the main centrepiece and inside that, the DJ The smaller P-2 LED floods / strobes were ensconced in the tighter booth, which was treated separately. Stage left was for the wheels and positions and used to create multi-tonal lighting. chimneys.

Ribalta battens were positioned along the front of the stage for an To add an extra dimension of set lighting, four large trussing towers even wash, and inside the DJ booth two banks of six GLP X4 Impressions were installed at the back to add height and facilitate fixtures that could were pixel mapped to create an eye-catching low-res pixel wall behind shoot up into the sky. the DJ. Tozer was impressed with the SGM fixtures’ performance - both The 29 G-Spots were the workhorse fixtures on the rig, and these were aesthetically and in their physical endurance. dotted throughout the four areas, mostly When it came to programming, Paul de clamped onto the structure itself.

Villiers worked closely with Whiteoak to ensure Eight of the G-1 Beams were rigged to the continuity and fluidity between the lighting, towers together with eight Q-7s, which provided visuals, lasers and pyro. a searchlight effect visible from all over the site.

Working together with Simon Stuart of A principal focal point was a 12 x 15 panel HSL and Ian Turner of GLS, Video Illusions circular LED wall wrapped in G-1 Beams which accepted responsibility for delivery of both was flown above the main DJ booth and above lighting and video design, and worked closely that, nearing the ‘crown’ of the structure, was with Borg and Tozer on the integrated plan to “They pulled numerous elements an 8m circular video screen with another eight light the structure and treat specific areas with G-1’s around the perimeter. customised video. together to create a flowing The Q-7’s were also scattered around The video theme was based around the storyboard that ran coherently both side sections, with another 10 on towers BoomTown’s masked man and industrial around the arena, enveloping the audience and revolution steam punk. For the content throughout the weekend.” drawing them into the action. animators providing an unusual concept Nick Whiteoak, The P-5 LED floods were the main meant they had something interesting and Director, Video Illusions architectural lights, grazing up the metalwork, invigorating to work on in the studio.

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BOOMTOWN FAIR

Old Town promised an eclectic mix of music including traditional Balkan music; Utopium was also tasked with providing all of the architectural lighting within the Town Centre, to enable the cityscape to be synchronised with the stage lighting.

“They pulled numerous elements together to create a flowing storyboard that ran coherently throughout the weekend,” said Whiteoak.

Video Illusions supplied 355 panels of its new high res IP-rated VI-L6 LED product giving 5500 Nits of brightness, which even with the lucky BoomTown sunshine blazing, still punched through with the fabulous steam punk animations.

A Resolume media server with six full HD outputs was used for control and with its new advanced mapping feature each section of LED could be mapped pixel by pixel.

The server’s new DXV 3 codec offered smooth and seamless playback for running the special nightly AV show, and video animators Kev Watts and Tom Wall could mix back-to-back when VJing throughout the weekend.

Gruelling though the whole Sector 6 experience was in terms of creating a highly original and bespoke environment for the first time, imagineering the lighting and visuals was also one of the most rewarding projects that Whiteoak has ever undertaken.

“Getting a text from Dan on the Sunday night after the final show and Robin saying it was literally the best rave-up atmosphere ever was such a great feeling,” he enthused. “It made everything worthwhile and recognised the incredible teamwork and synergy that united to make it all happen in such a spectacular fashion that was enjoyed by so much of the festival population.”

The team was supported further at Sector 6 by LED Techs Ross Jordan, Justin and Kai Murray, and Rigger James Box. CRITICAL FACTORS FOR FESTIVAL SOUND Rental company Audio Plus has been a longtime partner of BoomTown, having initially supplied equipment on a dry hire basis. This year it supplied audio for two stages - The Old Mine and Robotika - both of which made use of the latest Funktion-One system, Vero.

Audio Plus’ Kris Hayes talked TPi through the audio design: “Noise pollution is a critical factor in system designs for BoomTown. The Robotika

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BOOMTOWN FAIR

Above: Sector 6 has grown considerably in recent years; Funktion-One’s Vero system made its BoomTown debut and was greatfully recieved by the production. team.

stage ran until 2am every night, the time at which most sound systems on a festival site get turned down to avoid noise complaints. We addressed this issue by using Funktion-One’s prediction software, Projection.

“With Projection we can map in the areas where we want to concentrate the audio energy from Vero and look at reducing the energy in areas it isn’t wanted. We also liaised with the production company for BoomTown, AF Live and had the whole stage surrounded by two-high shipping containers - this allowed us to run louder than most stages on site. Noise pollution for The Old Mine stage was slightly less critical as it ran until 10pm each night and, due to the nature of the lineup, it wasn’t a nuisance to the local residents.”

Hayes explained that the festival’s production company was particularly keen on seeing what the Vero system was all about, given the pedigree and reputation of its manufacturer. “Like many of our customers, they were intrigued as it’s a completely new concept from Funktion-One. As soon as we played our first track on the Robotika stage, the production company were very impressed - not only with how it sounded but also how well contained the audio was within that arena. We had lots of guest engineers on The Old Mine stage who were delighted with how the system performed and enjoyed the characteristics it showed.”

The company deployed a relatively small crew one site, with System Tech Darren Clark on the Robotika stage, and Hayes acting as FOH / System Tech at The Old Mine stage alongside Monitor Engineer, Ben Peilow, and Stage / Patch Tech, Rob Humphries. The crew made use of its purpose-built LAKEDrive system at BoomTown, which incorporates Lake processing distributed via Dante to the PLMs driving the PA. Hayes said: “This system has been refined over the last four years and is now something many engineers and system techs envy! In reality it’s kept very simple but

sometimes simplicity is the key.”

Elsewhere, Void Acoustics debuted the new Arcline 8 line array at BoomTown. Void’s technicians were onsite to tune and position the systems, ensuring that sound didn’t spill over to neighbouring stages and remained contained within the festival’s boundaries.

Void’s flagship system, Incubus, was a popular fixture at last year’s edition of the festival - with many attendees queuing to have their pictures taken next to the mighty stacks in the Barrio Loco district. This year Void systems were found on many stages, including Bassline Circus, Vamos, Mr Whompy, 24hr Garage Girls and The Dance-Off. “We always look forward to the summer festival season and especially BoomTown,” said Void Acoustics’ Managing Director, Alex Skan. “The festival is particularly special to us due to numerous personal connections and our associated involvement with one of the best UK festivals of the year. This year was particularly exciting for us as it was the first appearance for our new Arcline 8 line array system.”

THE CONTINUATION OF AN INSTITUTION Acorn Event Structures returned to BoomTown this year in a continuation of the two institutions’ auspicious relationship. Working closely with the in-house directors and creative designers for months before the event, Acorn was instrumental in helping to engineer a number of new aspects of the show’s production.

In addition to constructing The Lion’s Den and Old Mines stages, as well as miles of street façade like it has in previous years, Acorn was responsible for the 2016 debut of the industrial Sector 6.

Creating captivating structures in-line with the festival’s vast, everexpanding lore and its propensity for ostentatious production necessitated 68

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BOOMTOWN FAIR

Above: Production values are ramped up in Sector 6 after night falls.

the use of Acorn’s unique assets. With Europe’s largest stock of Layher Event System and Prolyte modular staging products, the event structures outfit had the requisite freedom and flexibility to translate BoomTown’s vision into reality, tailoring the various staging structures from stock components.

“With more and more festivals looking to differentiate their offering in a crowded marketplace, we anticipate an increase in demand for customised staging solutions,” said Emma Petty, Acorn’s Marketing Manager.

Aside from the aforementioned, Acorn’s full range of ancillary components include staircases, towers, ramps, gantries, walkways, bridges, grandstands, hoarding and facades - ensuring a turnkey solution for its clients.

Den stage, which is situated within a natural bowl, meaning we had to design an effective layout which matched the contour of the land. It’s great to be involved with such a progressive event, which keeps growing year on year, and we look forward to expanding our work with BoomTown Fair in the future.”

The idiosyncratic and production heavy nature of the site provided some minor challenges, but as Thorborn told TPi these were overcome with relative ease: “As we were supplying new areas of the festival site this year, it was a matter of visiting, checking the ground and the contours and designing a barrier layout to offer maximum crowd safety. As well as supplying new areas, we also installed our barriers at BoomTown’s infamous stages, including The Lion’s Den stage, which is situated within a natural bowl.

“This did pose some challenges when it came to a designing a barrier layout to fit safely within the bowl, however drawing on our experience from last year’s event we once again worked closely with the organisers to advise on a barrier configuration which offers maximum safety.”

TPi Photos: HSL Group, Lindsay Cave @ loosplat and BoomTown www.boomtownfair.co.uk www.utopium.co.uk www.videoillusions.net www.hslgroup.com www.mojobarriers.com www.acorn-events.com www.audio-plus.co.uk/rental

A QUIRKEY NATURE Mojo Barriers expanded on its presence at BoomTown by supplying 600m of kit to this year’s edition, which was installed across the entire festival site. Mojo’s barriers were installed at all festival stages, including The Lion’s Den, The Jolly Dodger, and the newly introduced Sector 6.

Kevin Thorborn, Mojo Barriers’ UK manager, commented: “The individual and quirky nature of BoomTown makes it such a special event and it’s great to see organisers pushing boundaries when it comes to creativity and imagination. BoomTown Fair is famed for its impressive stages and immersive set design and this year saw the introduction of the new district, Sector 6.

“As well as supplying new areas, we also installed our barriers at BoomTown’s infamous stages, including The Town Centre and The Lion’s 70

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IN PROFILE

ELATION PROFESSIONAL

Opposite: The Elation Professional family, Frederik Afif, Key Account Manager; Marc Librecht, Sales & Marketing Manager of Elation Europe; Dennis Scipio, Key Account Manager, Nancy de Lang, Office Assistant; Roger Hamers, Head of R&D and QA Europe; Bert Schmeits, Key Account Manager Benelux, Patrick Strunk, Marketing/Graphic and Design; Dennis Bruynseels, Technical Sales.

IN PROFILE: ELATION PROFESSIONAL Since its establishment in the early ‘90s, lighting manufactures Elation Professional has fostered innovation, garnering both respect and awards from the live events industry. TPi’s Stew Hume travelled to Kerkrade, Netherlands to meet the European team and talk new products, customer relations and the future of the company.

Quality means doing it right when nobody is watching. Henry Ford 1863 – 1947, reads a sign in the centre of Elation Professional’s European HQ. As TPi stood in the company’s warehouse, surrounded by hard workers putting each and every fixture through rigorous product testing, this poster’s sentiment became a poignant focal point. Marc Librecht, Sales and Marketing Manager of Elation Europe, gave special mention to the motto: “This statement really outlines what we try and do here. Our first priority is to make sure that those using our fixtures have the very best products possible and that means they are put together with care. Every employee knows the importance of their role within the chain. We really care about our products; we want each one to leave our warehouse with the same high standard across the board so they can deliver the quality all our users deserve.”

Elation shares more than just its motto with the founder of the modern motor car. Just like Ford, Elation Professional originates in the US but has since raised its profile within the global professional lighting industry.

After observing a need for a company producing feature-packed products at a competitive price back in 1992, Elation’s goal to deliver that has not changed.

The main headquarters of Elation Professional in Los Angeles proves an ample base for all state-side operations, which are headed up by Sales Director Eric Loader. The team remains proud of its status as a privately held corporation and member of the ADJ Group family. Several years into the creation of the company, a European branch was opened in Kerkrade, Netherlands, sharing a building with fellow ADJ Group members Duratruss and ADJ. Sitting upstairs in the company’s private bar, TPi pulled up a stool with Librecht and Larry Beck, Elation’s Head of Communications, to take stock of the last few years…

increasing rate. However, one thing that I believe really separates us from other companies in the market is that we don’t see our investors as customers, but as partners. We want to ensure that those purchasing Elation products are able to gain the greatest profit from their investment.”

Librecht described how Elation’s relationship with partners never ends once payment has been received. “If there is ever a problem we will find a solution, it doesn’t matter when or where it is. We are not a one-off sale business and are proud of the strong relationships we have with all of those who buy our products.”

This personal approach to business is something that does not end with clients. On the first floor of its European HQ, the whole team sits in an open plan office where each member of staff can easily talk to one another.

“We really have a flat hierarchy here,” explained Librecht. “We all work on the same floor which really instils the ‘team’ mentality. If someone needs help then everyone will assist them. We even have an Elation family group on Facebook. If we work together as a cohesive team then it helps with customer relations.”

THE COMPLETE TOOL BOX After meeting the ‘family’ in the main office, TPi visited the vast warehouse shared with ADJ and Duratruss. Among the endless rows of stock, Librecht pointed out various elements of the Elation products, from the company’s staples to the brand spanking new fixtures. Away from the shelves of products and spare parts, we entered the product testing area. The extensive process is one element that all the Elation team are particularly proud of. “As we developed the Elation brand we found ways to cut down on failures and errors that may put a fixture out of commission,” stated Librecht. In the time between creation of a fixture and sending it out the warehouse door, each fixture is put through its paces. The quality control period for each fixture spans between eight and 24 hours. This even goes for the strobes - although Librecht admitted this often takes place over night - as warehouse productivity may be affected with constant effect fixture testing.

PARTNERS, NOT CUSTOMERS “It’s a challenging time for rental companies at the moment,” stated Librecht. “The time in which investors can make their money back on products is getting shorter as new technology is being built at an ever75

ELATION PROFESSIONAL

Marc Librecht, Sales and Marketing Manager of Elation Professional, Martin Heuser, Global Director Lighting and Rigging Services for satis&fy, and Gunther Hecker, Cue Design and LD for Cro; For his MTV Unplugged tour, Cro’s production deployed several of Elation’s Platinum FLXs, seen here just to the right of the singer.

To ensure the enduring quality of its products, Elation gives each fixture a unique ID number as standard, which can be tracked back to the inhouse engineer responsible for checking each product. This, according to Librecht, enables the company to have an incredibly effective production line with the ability to track down any issues quickly and effectively. He also gave compliments to the diligent team on the warehouse floor whose incredible work ethic is the reason for its consistency in high-performing products.

Over the years Elation has developed a broad range of fixtures with the goal of providing the ‘complete tool box’ for users. Librecht continued: “Our ultimate aim, which we are well on the way to succeeding, is to provide a service where clients can get everything they need from one place. We can provide fixtures for every situation, all at an attainable price.”

effect that, with its new Zooming Collimator Lens system, is able to offer amazing effects and coverage.

A MUSICAL INTERLUDE During our tour the folks at Elation were kind enough to escort TPi to see one of the company’s latest fixtures in action; the FLX, which was being deployed on the MTV Unplugged show featuring Cro. For the uninitiated, he is a German rapper who is known for performing in a panda mask.

Although I admit being unaware of his work before the trip, the young rappop crossover has built himself a mighty fanbase that appeared to cover an age range of 8 - 80 on closer examination of the site at Essen, Germany.

So while sipping on a beer that was branded by Cro’s logo with the slogan ‘Ain’t nobody fresher than my motherf*cking clique’, TPi watched both the rapper and the FLX in action.

Cro’s vendor for this tour was satis&fy from Karben, Germany. The rapper’s LD, Gunther Hecker, specially selected the fixtures for the run, which the supplier was more than happy to provide. “It’s been interesting to test the FLX on this open air tour,” said Hecker, who was introduced to the fixture by satis&fy, whom he has worked with for many years. “After I saw a shootout of the fixture at their facility in Karben I was sold on it. They’ve worked out well using them as both a spot and a beam light utilising the wide palette of colours.” satis&fy took a shipment of the Platinum FLXs earlier this year, adding 100 of the fixtures to its inventory. “Because we have a wide variety of clients and a wide range of shows to do, we are always looking for flexibility of product,” stated Martin Heuser, Global Director Lighting and Rigging Services at satis&fy. “The Platinum FLX fits our needs perfectly. It’s not a product we chose for just one special effect but a fixture we can use on a large variety of shows for beam looks, washes, gobo projections, mid-air profile looks and certainly a lot more. It’s a ‘real’ hybrid compared to other hybrids.” He went on to state: “The rentability of the Platinum FLX is very high and it’s multifunctional so we can use it on car shows, corporate shows, EDM events and a lot of other events.”

Librecht added: “We are extremely pleased that a company like satis&fy has chosen to add the Platinum FLX to its inventory. It’s a real validation of the quality of this fixture and as some of the first FLX units in Europe, the purchase has made a big impact in the market and several other companies have followed.”

NEW GEAR While on the subject of new equipment, the next stop for TPi was the company’s showroom located in a custom built room that displayed all the new wares on offer. Dennis Bruynseels talked us through the products.

One of Elation’s notable contributions to the industry is its development in LED technology with innovations like premixed colour, quad-colour, six colour and chip on board (COB) technology. Also, as more clients demanded more effective lights, Elation, in partnership with Philips, decided to start from scratch with a new lamp. With the remit of producing brighter, cheaper, longer-lasting lamps, Elation’s Platinum Series began to spark the interest of the professional lighting community in 2009. This year saw the completion of the Platinum Family with Elation’s HFX [featured in TPi September’s Gear Heads] joining the SBX and FLX. The hybrid fixtures fully encapsulate Elation’s ‘tool box’ goal, providing a product capable of beam, spot and wash functionality.

Another noteworthy aspect of the company’s line-up over the last few years has been the Emotion fixtures. “The Emotion has been one of our successful fixtures,” stated Librecht. “It was the first fixture to offer a projector in a moving head offering over 4,000 lumens.” Bruynseels continued: “On board is an Axon media server that was used due to a prior relationship Elation had with High End Systems. It’s completely controlled

by DMX and all content can be loaded on to the fixture via a CAT 5 Cable.”

While in the showcase area, both Bruynseels and Librecht described other fixtures that have recently joined the Elation roster including the new Fuze Series, the ZCL Series and the DTW Series. Fuze, an LED wash fixture, offers a homogenised colour system and zoom optics. “What is great about these fixtures is that there is one LED source rather than the ‘pizza effect’ you get with fixtures with multiple LED sources,” stated Bruynseels. “With the one source LED you are able to create some old fashioned looks that you used to get with traditional fixtures.” A personal highlight for Bruynseels in the new products was the new DTW Series of blinders: “These new blinders are one of the coolest things to come out of the industry in the last couple of years. We have had LEDs fill the role of washes, spots and beams but blinders have an area where LEDs have not made the jump.”

The new fixtures have a variable white LED light with custom ‘dim to warm’ and ‘dynamic tri white’ settings. This effectively allows LDs to replicate the blinder effect of the amber glow seen in traditional bulb products. “Before it was released we even tested them next to a traditional blinder fixture and you could not tell the difference,” stated Bruynseels.

Finally, one of the latest fixture series is the ZCL Series, a high-output LED

WHAT’S NEXT? After spending time with the Elation team, one final question remained what is the end goal for this company? Answering plainly, Librecht stated: “To be one of the top five professional lighting companies! And, from the traction we’ve had over the last few years, we are well on the way to succeeding. I think we have done a great job of building up the brand in European.”

With partner satisfaction at the top of the list of priorities and a line-up of fixtures able to fulfil a wide variety of requirements, the future of the company certainly seems bright. Plus, any company with a private bar in its office certainly gets the TPi seal of approval...

TPi Photos provided by Elation Professional & TPi www.elationlighting.eu www.satis-fy.com www.cromusik.info 76

Platinum lamps have always offered stage lighting designers exceptional creative freedom thanks to their compactness and powerful beams. The latest star of the range is the new Platinum 11R. With an arc working distance of 38.74 mm, the longest in the Platinum family so far, it allows fixture makers to optimize the optical design and design in more functions and effects. So you can create a razor-sharp and unique experience.

Photo credits: Ralph Larmann

Razor-sharp, pure Platinum enabling 3-in-1 fixtures

Philips MSD Platinum www.philips.com/onstage

1885_00_521_ADVERT_Entertainment_190x136.indd 1

24-02-16 16:14

FESTIVAL FOCUS

EATON’S ZERO 88 OFFERS ‘A MILLION STEPS’ OF SUPPORT ON THE FRINGE The 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe drew to a close after three weeks of action in and around the city, offering over 50,000 performances in over 300 venues. Showcasing thousands of events with some of the newest, most innovative and exciting works including drama, musical, dance, physical theatre, comedy, cabaret, opera, music, spoken word and many more. Zero 88 lighting control was once again right at the hub of this vibrant experience.

Over 280 technicians were trained during the 2016 Festival Fringe, from around 130 performance spaces all running Zero 88 consoles. Products included the new FLX, Solution, Jester and even the now ‘classic’ Fat Frogs which have been running Festival Fringe venues since the turn of the millennium.

Eaton provided advice during the early planning stages for several larger venues, and Zero 88 Product Specialists Paul McEwan and Product Manager Jon Hole were onsite for the build and throughout the festival period to provide venue training and to support companies with more complex plotting requirements.

While performers returned to their post festival world and thousands of technicians executed meticulously planned get-outs designed to return

them as quickly as possible to their beds - or the pub - Zero 88 / Eaton gathered some heartfelt comments.

Assembly Festival Head of Lighting, Doug Thomas-Currie, summed up: “The support and advice I have received from Eaton has been incredible through the whole festival. The technical support provided was second to none! We have had great feedback on the full range of Zero 88 desks, with particular interest in the FLX. I can’t thank Paul and Jon enough for their help with everything this year.”

Brian Hutchison, Technical Manager for Summerhall’s Fringe, agreed: “Zero 88’s consoles have been a great solution for our Fringe venues, easy to use and flexible. The equipment is great, however the most valuable thing for us has been the customer support. Training and troubleshooting help on call throughout the Fringe is vital when each console is running 10 shows over 12 hours a day. Zero 88 has been a great help and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”

McEwan added: “Between Jon and myself, we’ve walked over a million steps and lost a stone and a half in weight while visiting numerous venues including C venues, Gilded Balloon, Assembly Festival, Underbelly, Summerhall, Laughing Horse, Zoo Venues, Spotlight and SpaceUK.” TPi www.zero88.com www.edfringe.com 78

EDINBURGH FRINGE

ETC COLORSOURCE SHINES AT EDINBURGH FRINGE Every August, the world’s largest arts festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, takes over Scotland’s capital. C venues was back for its 25th year, creating and curating more than 20 theatre, performance and exhibition spaces at pop-up venues in and around the city centre. This year, C venues’ visiting designers and technicians used some of the latest products from ETC for a vibrant and packed programme of theatre, circus, cabaret, musicals, dance, comedy and children’s shows.

“ETC has been supporting C venues for a number of years, allowing us to improve the capability of our venues and exposing ETC products to young, up-and-coming theatre companies and technicians,” said Richard Williamson, head of production, C venues. “ETC has a long reputation for producing well-built, reliable equipment and providing an exceptional level of technical support; and we are thrilled to be using the new ETC ColorSource consoles and lanterns.

“The consoles are a great addition to the market and are perfect for our smaller spaces. We have been looking for a lighting desk which people new to the industry can quickly and easily pick up and use. We’re excited about the possibilities that the ColorSource consoles give us. They fill an underserved niche in the market for a truly intelligent console for smaller venues.”

To equip the festival’s larger spaces, C venues added to its existing stock of ETC Eos family consoles, supplementing its Ion desks with Ti and

Element consoles. Notably, a Ti is situated in the largest theatre, C scala, controlling a number of high-profile shows including Tipping Point by Ockham’s Razor; Fringe favourites The Rat Pack Live; and the all-male a cappella group All The Kings Men. “The Eos range is the de facto industry standard console so we couldn’t imagine using anything else for our bigger venues,” says Williamson.

The issue of heat generated by conventional tungsten fixtures has long been a challenge for C venues. For several years, the company has been looking to move its lighting rigs towards LED to help combat this. This year, several venues are benefitting from the installation of ETC ColorSource fixtures that - as well as their low heat output - are recognised for producing a richer, more natural light output than other LED fixtures at such an accessible price point.

“While LED units have been on the market, we have struggled to find any that properly give the level of control and colour rendering that tungsten offers. The new ColorSource LED fixtures are perfect for our needs and, used alongside ColorSource consoles, we are now able to look to significantly expand our use of LED,” said Williamson.

Hartley T A Kemp, C venues’ Artistic Director, concluded: “ETC’s support to C venues is invaluable as it enables young designers and technicians the chance to work with the latest kit, developing their skills and experience.”

TPi www.edfringe.com www.etcconnect.com

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LEEDS & READING

TRANSITION VIDEO Transition was approached by Matt Miley, Tour Manager for US electro pop quartet Imagine Dragons, to provide a solution to the band’s video rider for their slot at Reading and Leeds festivals this year.

The company was brought in to supply a system that could be deployed in 30 minutes changeover and be struck from the stage within 10 minutes, before the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ headline slot - a tall order for even the most established of video companies!

The product selected for the show was Stealth by Element Labs.

According to Transition, the panel’s lightweight design and high brightness made it a clear choice for the job. Each of the six 1.2m wide x 6m high columns could be concertinaed into a flight case, allowing the crew to simply attach each header to the truss and take the screen out to trim in minutes.

Director of Transition Video, Rhodri Shaw, said of his experience with the festival: “Both shows ran perfectly and the team even had time to spare after they had cleared the stage for the headline slot.”

TPi www.readingfestival.com http://transition.video.com

ZEUS

OUTSTANDING EQUAL RGBW COLOR MIXING IP65 RATING 10° – 40° ZOOM RANGE TOURING PROOF SILENT OPERATION SMOOTH PROJECTION OLED SCREEN WITH TOUCH BUTTONS

SINGLE SOURCE PAR high output led engine

WWW.CLF-LIGHTING.COM

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CLFLIGHTING

STANDON CALLING

JBL VTX TAKES OVER THE BIG TOP AT STANDON CALLING Harman Professional’s leading pro-audio brands dominated the Big Top Stage for the first time at this year’s Standon Calling festival in North Hertfordshire.

The fast growing boutique event, which began as a birthday barbecue for founder Alex Trenchard in 2001 before becoming a singlestage, one-day live music event in 2004, has since grown exponentially. Today it occupies the picturesque Standon Lordship site, where Suede, Kelis and Jess Glynne were the main stage headliners.

Dominating the landscape, the vibrant red and white canvas of the Big Top, which was largely used for electronic dance and other diverse acts, could be seen for miles around. Here the line-up included Goldie MBE, Greg Wilson, Theo Parrish, Joey Negro, as well as rising talent Gold Panda, Luke Abbott and the Mercury Prize-nominated, Ghostpoet.

Glasgow-based Alive Sound is the traditional sound system provider, and its MD, Iain Mackie, is Production Manager for the entire site.

A meeting between Mackie and Stuart Strachan, from Harman Pro UK and Ireland distributors, Sound Technology, in January - followed by a series of product demos - convinced the Scottish company’s sound engineers that JBL VTX was the system to back.

Said Strachan: “We knew the JBL dual 10-inch of the VTX-V20 would be a straight replacement for what they had used previously.” He also realised this could be optimised with the use of JBL HiQnet Performance Manager configuration software.

Mixing at FOH, experienced sound engineer and musician Keir Long was able to pilot Soundcraft’s new generation Vi3000 digital mixing console, having previously familiarised himself with the Soundcraft topology on the Vi series forerunner, the Vi6. This time around he was boosted by the Soundcraft Realtime Rack, offering the full suite of UAD Powered Plug-Ins.

As one of the sound engineers who had previously given a favourable opinion, Long found the transition from Vi6 to Vi3000 an easy one. “It’s a very similar layout and I really enjoyed the sound, which was noticeably different from other desks I had used. I would probably opt for the Vi because it is slightly more forgiving and more analogue-sounding.”

Long also runs his own studio in Glasgow that uses UAD plug-ins, so he was able to take full advantage of the Realtime Rack. “I used a couple of reverbs and compressors, such as the EMT 140 plate reverberator, the Lexicon 224 digital reverb.” Overseeing FOH throughout the three days, he reported that there were four visiting sound engineers, all of whom had varying degrees of proficiency on the desk.

Festivals usually run a generic patch and the Soundcraft desk makes it very easy to move channels around and label them for visiting engineers’ preferences without getting into the complications associated with soft patching. One engineer commented that the Vi3000 shines as a festival desk whereas others are so unfriendly to walk up to.

The VTX system was configured in two hangs of eight V20 per side, with left / right stacks of four S25 arrayable subwoofers and a centre cluster of four S28 dual 18-inch subs, supported by six JBL VerTec VT4886 for front fill, helping to provide even coverage. These were powered on the side of the stage by Crown amplification, with a total of six VRacks, comprising a total number of twelve I-Tech 4x3500HD and six I-Tech 12000HD. “I was very happy with VTX,” concluded Long. “Stuart did well to achieve even coverage [with Performance Manager] and the front to back coverage of the arrays was very even.” He added that the predictably narrow vertical response calculated accurately by JBL LAC prediction software limited undesirable reflections from the tent.

TPi www.standon-calling.com www.jblpro.com 81

PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL / TØNDER FESTIVAL

MARTIN BY HARMAN ILLUMINATES A HISTORICAL CELEBRATION AT THE MATRIXX AT THE PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL Martin by Harman MAC Axiom Hybrid fixtures and Atomic 3000 strobes delivered an immersive lighting experience for the 100th anniversary of the Four Days Marches event.

Sound and lighting provider Focus Amsterdam recently used the fixtures at Matrixx at the Park, a seven-day music festival held in conjunction with the annual International Four Days Marches Nijmegen - the world’s largest multi-day marching event. In celebration of the event’s anniversary, the stage at Matrixx at the Park was decorated with a collage of Nijmegen’s most famous landmarks. Lighting and Stage Designer Joris Schenk was hired to integrate concert lighting into the complex stage design, and he selected Martin by Harman fixtures for their powerful performance, versatility and reliability.

“There were lots of external decorations on the stage, so it was challenging to include lights, video, sound and effects without compromising the entire theme,” said Schenk. “I chose the new MAC Axiom Hybrid fixtures because they can provide a very narrow beam, spot and wash all in one fixture. They were the perfect choice for the stage.”

The Four Days Marches is an annual walk that has taken place in Nijmegen since 1916. Over 40,000 participants walked up to 50km each day during the event and more than one million attended various events throughout the city. For the 100th anniversary celebration of the march, the stage at Matrixx at the Park was decorated with a collage of the Waalbrug Bridge, St. Stephen’s Church, Belvedere Watchtower and the Waagh, a famous building in the city’s market square.

When it was time to design the lighting rig, Schenk knew that space would be at a premium. He needed fixtures that were not only powerful, but could function in multiple roles on stage. The MAC Axiom Hybrid is an all-in-one product that met his needs by combining beam, spot and diffused wash functionality in one compact unit. Furthermore, the Axiom’s small footprint and lightweight design enabled Schenk to integrate the fixtures seamlessly into the complex stage design.

“We had the opportunity to test the Axioms before the show and we were very impressed,” said Schenk. “The aspects that stood out were the outstanding depth of colour, the incredible zoom range, the nice package of gobos and the focus, which automatically adjusts and syncs perfectly with the zoom.”

Reliability was also a key concern, since there would be little time to repair or replace a fixture during the festival. The Axioms performed flawlessly throughout the entire event, despite high temperatures and near continuous use.

“It’s always exciting to incorporate a new fixture without using it extensively first, but after two nights of programming and seven days of the show - almost 100 hours total - the Axioms have produced excellent results,” said Schenk. “We used 32 Axioms for the show, and didn’t have any problems throughout the entire event - a perfect score! In the future, I plan on using the Axioms more because of their incredible reliability, output and multi-functional use.”

TPi Photo: Vincent Vandenboogaard www.coloursound.co.uk www.barnonthefarm.co.uk

TØNDER FESTIVAL CELEBRATES LARGE SUCCESS WITH GRAVITY The who’s who of the folk and Americana scene, a fantastic atmosphere, over 11,000 visitors and perfect festival weather: The Danish Tønder Festival - Europe’s largest folk music festival - celebrated an overwhelming success from 25 to 28 August 2016. Gravity stands were an essential part of the festival.

The Danish Tønder Festival has been one of the most important folk music events since the mid 1970s. The festival’s 42nd edition will likely go down as one of the most successful in history; in summer temperatures, more than 11,000 music fans from across Europe enjoyed shows by the folk and Americana music scene’s elite. These included top acts such as The Avett Brothers, Jason Isbell, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal.

Ashley Cooke, Production Manager - who is also responsible for Tønder Festival’s lighting and sound production - relied on the Adam Hall Group’s new brand for the first time - and was very enthusiastic about the outcome: “We are very satisfied with the Gravity stands,” he said. “They are very light, but nonetheless stable. The musicians thought they were great with their good feel, their cool look and because - thanks to the clamps - they can be quickly and easily adjusted. This was exceptionally well received by the musicians.”

Additionally, Ashley Cooke was convinced by the G-Rings: “The colour code system is really great. You can personalise the stands and the man at the monitor immediately knows which stand belongs to which microphone.”

After the stands’ outstanding festival performance, Cooke has identified further fields of application for the Gravity stands: “The Tønder Festival has a small live club in Tønder. After the summer break, the Gravity stands will be deployed there immediately and again at the Tønder Festival next year.”

TPi www.gravitystands.com www.adamhall.com http://tf.dk/en/

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B.B. KING HOMECOMING FESTIVAL

DPA MICROPHONES GETS THE ROYAL TREATMENT AT THE B.B. KING HOMECOMING FESTIVAL When Bill Alford, Owner of ShowTec Productions, first took over the company in 2011, he wanted to compete with the bigger production companies, so he began to update his equipment. As part of this upgrade, he knew that DPA Microphones would provide the perfect audio support. Alford successfully won the bid for the 35-year-old B.B. King Homecoming Festival, where he was tasked with supplying the gear for the stage sound.

At the festival, Alford used two d:facto 4018VL Linear Vocal Microphones to capture the dynamic vocals of the lead singers. Some of the acts that used DPA at the festival included the B.B. King Museum All-Stars, Jake And The Pearl Street Jumpers, Steve Azar and The Kings Men, and Teeny Tucker.

“I was really surprised with how loud you could turn the microphones up without feedback,” said Alford. “The clarity of the d:facto 4018VL was a big selling point for me. I like how you can turn the gain up more than most other microphones, while still getting a clear sound. It is such a relief to know that DPA can take both extreme power and elegance from a vocalist and handle the sounds with ease.”

DPA is known for its versatility and ability to handle every type of vocalist, from the beginner all the way up to the expert. “Some performers do not have good microphone etiquette, they don’t know how to hold the mic and want to cover the bottom part of the head with their hand, or when they hit a high note they don’t back off the microphone,” continued Alford. “DPA has done a good job concerning these problems that other microphones continue to face. When using DPA, my FOH and monitor

engineers don’t have to worry about the small things, and that is fantastic.”

ShowTec Productions also received microphones on loan from DPA to test out on instruments at the B.B. King Homecoming Festival. The kit included a d:vote 4099D Instrument Microphone for Drums, d:dicate 2011C Twin Diaphragm Cardioid Microphones for the kick drums and as overheads, and a few d:vote 4099S Instrument Microphones for saxophones.

“The instrument microphones are night and day compared to the ones we previously used on a regular basis,” explained Alford. “The sound is phenomenal. My FOH engineer couldn’t stop talking about them. When your FOH engineer is that excited about a product, you want to do whatever you can to try to keep those microphones around. The d:vote 4099Ds are just awesome. They give the drums a boost and make them sound like nothing you have ever heard.”

Alford hopes to purchase d:vote 4099Ds sometime in the near future. In the meantime, the d:facto 4018VL Linear Vocal Microphones will be centre stage this autumn at the Delta Blues and Heritage Festival and Frogfest, a festival that celebrates Kermit the Frog and Mississippi native Jim Henson.

ShowTec Productions is the Deep South’s premier regional provider of live entertainment and professional sound services for events, receptions and parties. With over 30 years experience in the sound and entertainment industries, Alford oversees a crew of sound and lighting technicians who are responsible for every aspect of the event, including conceiving, planning, staging and producing.

TPi www.ShowTecllc.com www.dpamicrophones.com 84

TOMORROWLAND

BRILLIANT STAGES AT TOMORROWLAND In July this year one of the world’s biggest electronic music festivals, Tomorrowland, returned to the 75 hectare recreation area De Schorre in Boom, Belgium for its 13th edition.

Over three days some of the worlds biggest names in dance music including Deadmau5 and Armin van Buuren, performed over 16 performance areas against a backdrop of jawdropping sets, intense laser shows and spectacular firework displays.

Tomorrowland’s 2016 main stage, designed by Patrick Moerland and created by Brilliant Stages, comprised a 120m enchanted forest landscape built around a magnificent central 25m, 3D tree which was set against a cluster of bas-relief trees studded with additional detailed such as doorways, pipes, platforms and canopies.

This is the second time Brilliant Stages and Tomorrowland have collaborated on the main stage set with the staging company supplying the clock face for the 2014 edition of the festival.

This time however, Tony Bowern and his team at Production Park took on the vast majority of the build, with Jacqui Pyle overseeing the creative direction of the project.

The Brilliant design team worked from a very detailed, hollow, gaming model of the outer skin of the set provided by Moerland, designing a structure that was engineered to support the load for platforms, ad-ons and inflatables whilst still retaining Moerland’s original vision of intricate organic tree shapes and forms.

Brilliant’s Asset Design Manager, Giorgio Castronuovo explained: “We decided on a process that partly derived from the clock face we made previously for the 2014 festival which used a sandwich of very thin ply and foam. This lead us to the path we took this year which utilised hand sculpted foam which was then hard coated so it could be scenically treated with various different artistic textures and effects.”

Castronuovo continued: “The biggest challenge came from the organic nature of the design; there were no straight lines, symmetry or repetition so every single element had to be drawn by hand which made it complicated, but we didn’t want to compromise on the overall look of the set.”

Stephan Saliba, Scenic Workshop Manager, drafted in a team of 11 artists, sculptors and carpenters from the Maltese film industry to help creatively realise the project. The team of artists joined a mammoth team

of 74 creatives, engineers, fabricators, designers and sculptors who worked at Production Park.

The scenic process began with interpreting the initial drawings and designs by Patrick into 3D pieces explained Saliba. The team created a scale, clay model of the full set that was then broken down into sections and distributed to different creative teams who then worked on carving the outer sections of the 25m trees.

Once the 3D forms were completed by the sculptors, the sections were then hard-coated and passed to the artistic team who painted the sections using layering techniques to create the appearance of bark.

These completed sections were then taken into the main studio where a 21m x 18m scaffold was used for pre-building the structure, ensuring that each section fit within the rest of the elements around it. Once the team were happy with the completed section, textures and paint effects were re-touched and the add-on details, which were scenically treated with gold leaf, were slotted into the main structure of the trees.

Central to the main 3D tree was a tubular support system for the branches which also acted as support for the bark, consisting of mesh, expanding foam and hard coat assembly. The bespoke scaffolding fixture was then interfaced into the central scaffolding which was supplied by Stageco.

Once built, the colossal set had to be transported to Belgium in sections that could be easily man handled and fit into sea containers, so once the trees had been pre-built they then had to be carved up into smaller chunks and stored, ready to be transported to Belgium. The main central tree was made up of over 60 pieces not including all the many intricate, doorways, stain glass windows, railings and inflatable leaves, supplied by Air Works, that sat on top of the branches.

During the build the team grew to over 30 as the final bits of the set arriving at regular intervals from Wakefield. The main stage set took approximately 780 blocks and 430 sheets of polysterene and over 40,000 man-hours to build.

Pyle describes seeing the finished set for the first time in: “It still blew me away, even though I’d seen it built on site. To see it finished brought tears to my eyes.”

TPi www.tomorrowland.com www.brilliantstages.com 85

BRIGHTON PRIDE

SUNBABA DELIVER BRANDING FOR BRIGHTON PRIDE FESTIVAL 2016 When this year’s Brighton Pride Festival took place from 5 to 7 August 2016, Sunbaba was delighted to provide branding solutions to production team Wilde Ones. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community event attracts a huge number of participants, spectators and visitors from across Sussex and further afield and according to Tourism South East, the festival is the biggest event and tourist attraction in Brighton.This year was no exception with the UK’s biggest Pride festival attracting nearly 300,000 people participating in the celebrations across the city.

Working to the client’s brief and the event’s theme, ‘Carnival of Diversity: Uniting Nations’, Sunbaba produced branding for the Main Stage, the aussieBum Wild Fruit Big Top Dance Tent and Heras fencing.

The Main Stage branding provided the perfect setting for artists like Carly Rae Jepsen, Sister Sledge, Fleur East and Alesha Dixon, and consisted of two stage scrims, 7.2m wide x 11.83m high, printed in Sunbaba’s Ultramesh material. They were produced with rope-reinforced edges with eyelets and then finished and reinforced with bowmer bond on the reverse side around the video screen cut out. In addition, they were designed with a pole pocket to fit a 50mm diameter scaffold pole.

As always, the Wild Fruit Big Top Dance Tent proved to be one of the most popular attractions during the festival at Preston Park, featuring headline DJ performers Stonebridge, DJ Fresh, Freemasons and many others. Here Sunbaba produced an 8m x 4m roof banner in Ultramesh and four door banners, 4m high x 1.25m wide in polyester, all demonstrating sponsor, aussieBum’s brand to perfection.

With over 80m of its branded Heras fencing screening also supplied, Sunbaba was able to provide branding for sponsors and partners along with directional signage for festival goers. This included information about the Street Diner, Pride Parties, the location of box offices, gates and VIP

access, as well as the festival’s line-up.

Dean Parker, Wilde Ones Production Manager, commented: “Branding plays an important part in the success of any event, from effectively delivering your sponsors’ messages to ensuring visitors are exposed to key information, accuracy is vital. Once again, Sunbaba was able to deliver exactly what we needed when we needed it and the overall result was excellent.”

TPi www.brighton-pride.org www.sunbaba.co.uk

plays nicely with others r14 is here • real-time generative effects • device recording d3technologies.com/r14

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FESTIVAL FOCUS

THE SUMMER SEASON ROUND-UP WITH SSE HIRE The summer kicked off for SSE Audio Group with MTV Crashes Coventry at the end of May, then for the next 15 weeks SSE Hire’s Redditch warehouse was a constant production line of prepping, packing, dispatching, unpacking and re-prepping the company’s festival systems.

Across the summer, SSE supplied a total of 36 stages on 23 festival sites. Over 50 megacube articulated trucks were required to ship the equipment from Redditch to site. On average each weekend SSE Hire supplied 138 line array cabinets and 72 sub bass cabinets just to meet its festival commitments.

SSE’s Hire Operations Manager Stefan Phillips expanded on the numbers: “If you look at the totals for the summer we sent out over 500 L-Acoustics K1 cabinets, 600 K2 cabinets, 900 subs and nearly 600 wedge monitors. The festivals have required 179 crew to be on site (crew numbers on a single site can range between two and eight), many of whom were moving straight from one project to the next.

“Typically we’d have trucks tipping from a weekend’s festivals on a Monday and everything had to be tested, prepped and out on a truck again

by Tuesday afternoon. The only way we can achieve these turnarounds is by running the warehouse like a military operation.”

To meet the tight turnaround times SSE is constantly looking to refine its festival package. At the beginning of May it assembled Flip-Flop A, a control system that includes two Avid Venue Profile consoles for FOH, two Yamaha CL5 consoles for monitors, an SSE DriveRack and all the ancillary equipment required to run a festival system. This package then stayed together as a system throughout the summer. Alongside this an identical Flip Flop B was assembled for the two-festival weekends and then Flip Flops C and D were added to cover off additional requirements such as second stages and one off events.

With a standardised control system, SSE then tailored the speaker and amplification package to the requirements of the individual stage or festival. SSE retains a core crew of engineers throughout the summer who can be interchanged from festival to festival yet all have the experience of the SSE system.

For 2016 SSE expanded its existing L-Acoustics festival solution, based around the K1 and K2 systems.. The Hire department invested in the latest L-Acoustics KS28 subs with LA12X amplification and these were well received by engineers on the circuit.

“You’d have thought that one sub is much the same as the next, however I was surprised at just how musical they are,” commented FOH Engineer, Robbie McGrath. “Their tone and energy is absolutely second to none compared to anything else on the market.”

SSE also opted to upgrade the consoles used on monitors, from Yamaha PM5Ds to Yamaha CL5’s. Output requirements have steadily increased over the years,” commented Dan Bennett, SSE Hire Manager. “24 outs used to be fine, but with more wedges, sidefills and stereo in-ear monitors, nowadays that isn’t enough, so the CL5 was the obvious replacement as a monitor desk.”

Much of SSE’s development work has been focussed on simplifying the setup procedures on site, with the aim of saving time and making hire systems more flexible and reliable. At the heart of every SSE festival system is the SSE DriveRack, which SSE has further refined this year. The key hardware remains the same including Lake Processors and an Antelope world clock, but the packaging of the rack has been greatly improved.

Bennett explained: “By patching all the inputs and outputs onto the rear panel of DriveRack, our systems can be quickly setup and configured. They can accommodate just about every conceivable production request from front of house engineers. By making the panel hingeable, our engineers can get access to the individual units quickly to make a change.

“The new rack is all about making the system tech’s life that much simpler. It’s not just a case of providing somewhere for them to recharge their phone, but features like the provision of a Wi-Fi tablet really help when we are conducting the initial system equalisation and conducting walkabouts during a show.”

The aptly named End of the Road Festival took place over the first weekend in September at Larmer Tree Gardens in Wiltshire, bringing to a close SSE’s festival season.

TPi www.sseaudiogroup.com 88

EXIT FESTIVAL

EUROTRUSS PUT A ROOF OVER EXIT FESTIVAL Eurotruss first became involved with Serbia’s EXIT Festival in 2014 when it linked up with Serbian supplier Sky Corporation to work on the Dance Arena. Sky Corporation CEO Milenko Škarić explained: “It was a real pleasure and challenge for us as the EXIT Dance Areana was considered one of the best in the world.

“Our goal was to improve and make it even better. We really succeeded in this and according to all, this was an important and large step forward for the festival. Today we sit as one of two major shareholders of the event.”

Sky Corporation supplied two Eurotruss pitch roofs, one 24m x 15m for the main stage and an 18m x 15m for Dance Arena, all closed with canopies and with changeover / production areas. Škarić continued: “Since the

weather can be a real risk, without the Eurotruss Pitch roof structures being as reliable as they are, we can freely say that there would be no Dance Arena stage. Eurotruss is perfect solution for our rental as the products are very flexible - we can literally make any roof size as we want. We already have three pitch roof structures and all of them are matching our needs for any application.”

We are actively looking for now shapes and solutions for our stages.

I believe our designers will try to add more rounded and curved shapes rather then cube look. As we have recently invested in our new state-of-theart sound system with an EAW Anya, we will try to find a best solution to rigg this heavy system under the roof which means expanding main stage roof.

TPi www.eurotruss.com www.exitfest.org/en 89

ROAD DIARIES

SIMON GALLACHER Tour Manager, letlive.

over! At that point, my FOH guys come into the dressing-room as I’m getting out of my seat to go downstairs.

FOH - “Eh, have you seen it down there?”

Me - “I’ve not been down in a bit, I’ve been having a bit of shut-eye after that drive.”

I make my way down to be greeted with a sea of gridlocked people - you can’t move! I ask the promoter how many tickets we’ve sold and at this point I’m informed that there’s been a bit of a mistake - they’ve actually sold 100 tickets too many for the show (please refer to my opening statement)!

Well we’re in the thick of it now and I’ll be buggered if I’m asking 100 pissed up Irish letlive. fans to leave the venue, so it’s everyone for themselves. Hold on tight!

After fighting our way through the crowd for change-over, we’re all onstage. I’ve never felt heat and humidity like this in my life. The FOH engineer had his shirt off before we even started (I think the venue gave a discount because of that, anyhow).

We quickly line-check and as the band rings out, it begins... The first person climbs onto the cigarette machine by the side of the wall, flips into the crowd and scrambles towards the stage, as this is happening I have seven people onstage trying to dive off - the first song hasn’t even begun!

The band start and all hell breaks loose; kids are hanging from the beam above us, there’s no less than 10 people trying to stage-dive at any one time, people are swinging from the hanging PA stacks and Jason, our singer, is in the crowd (as is the guitarist).

It was quite simply 45 minutes of the most intense madness I’ve ever witnessed in my 17 years of watching live music. All of a sudden, silence.

We’ve lost power to sound and lighting.

Now, as a tour manager, there is a certain level of professionalism that needs to be adhered to. However, letlive. are not your standard band and I’m not your standard TM. So, with an oversold sweaty punk show and issues at FOH, I find myself crowd-swimming across everyone to FOH where my lads are trying to fix the problem.

Power back on - hurrah! Now, to get back on-stage (yup, you guessed it) our sound guy lifts me straight up and I’m carried back across the crowd for the band to do their final four songs with all of them in the crowd and the crowd on the stage! Show finished. Loaded-out. T-shirt in the bin. Job done!

You want to work for letlive.? Ha! You wouldn’t last five minutes...

Simon Gallacher

“A gig is like a drug-deal…..There are NO good surprises!”

On a fine, cold October evening we loaded out of Manchester’s Sound Control and started the overnight drive to Cairnryan, Scotland, so we could make the 8:00am ferry crossing to Northern Ireland. Coffee going down, Cro-Mags in my ears and a bit of nervous energy with regards to how rough the ferry was going to be got me through the drive. We arrived at the port in good time to discover the seas were calm (phew). Full English at £15 and a broken sleep on the floor (serenaded by a screaming child) before we arrive into Belfast, drive to Dublin and ready for load-in at 2pm.

Ah, Fibber McGee’s! Not been to this venue since 2009 when I came through with Madball, even the same promoter as last time (good news!) and he tells me the show’s sold out (even better)!

We set-up, soundcheck and all seems fine. There’s people queueing from 4pm, the pub is packed already and by 9:30pm it’s time for change-

90

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CLOCKING OFF

PRG XL Video Operations Manager, Jason Hodgetts, was determined to do anything he could to assist Macmillan Cancer Support in its work.

PRG XL VIDEO When he experienced losing three friends to cancer in the space of six months, PRG XL Video Operations Manager, Jason Hodgetts, knew he wanted to do something in their memory. Fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support, he decided to #bravetheshave!

Lately, It seems that more and more people are affected by cancer, diagnosed and passed within a month. whether suffering with the illness or losing a family I decided I needed to do something, anything, member or friend, it never feels far away. In the last to try and help in whatever way I could, and having six months, three people I knew have passed away read the #bravetheshave blog it seemed like a small due to cancer related illnesses. sacrifice.

My old pal Brian Evans, who was a long term PRG Cancer turns peoples’ worlds upside down but, employee, passed away on 13 June after battling for with the Macmillan team behind them, sufferers only a short time. He was incredibly popular, and a receive some strength from knowing they are never real character in our warehouse. alone during this difficult time.

Mark ‘Scratch’ Hitchcock, our dear friend and I’m hoping the money we’ve raised will go some another Brummie legend, lost his fight with ‘C’ a few way to helping these fantastic people. https://bravetheshave.org.uk/ short months after he was diagnosed, and to say he My donation page is still open so if you’d like to shavers/jason-hodgetts/ and Brian will be sorely missed is far too short of the add to the £1,140 already raised then get clicking! mark. The ripples were felt across the globe.

Come on, dig deep people!

The third person was my wife’s cousin who was TPi

DONATE HERE 92

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EXPO

BPM | PRO 2016 Successful changes pave the way for the future of BPM | PRO.

Celebrating 10 years of BPM, the new-look BPM | PRO continued to exemplify the energy and creativity that drives the DJ & Studio and AV industries. This year’s show - which took place from Sunday 11 until Tuesday 13 September - boasted a solid two days of visitors with a further day focussed on the trade visitor, building a strong foundation for the future of the brand new BPM | PRO format.

Marked Events Head of PR and Marketing, Sara Walker, commented: “Closing on a high in the new venue, the Genting Arena at NEC Birmingham, the reaction from visitors and exhibitors alike was positive; many feeling very much at home in a venue that was fit for purpose. With a social space for DJ & Studio, a full-height arena for professional lighting and special effects, and individual rooms for sound demonstrations, the move from a traditional exhibition space into the new venue has proved a resounding success.”

An audience of end user DJs, music producers, lighting designers, sound technicians and venue owners flocked to the show, providing brands from around the world with the opportunity to show off their new products to visitors. Walker continued: “The main aim of BPM | PRO is to unite attendees and exhibitors, acting as the ultimate platform for networking, sharing new

and upcoming products and cultivating new business relationships.”

Mark Walsh, Marked Events Director and co-founder of BPM | PRO, added: “We have made a lot of changes this year, and they appear to have all paid off! A change of days has not affected our visitor numbers, but has allowed us to build on creating a strong trade visitor demographic in the up and coming years. The new venue has been the absolute right choice for our industry. Not only is the space fresh and exciting; it’s also surrounded by plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants, which allows the show atmosphere to continue on through the evenings.

“I am extremely thankful to all those exhibitors who have supported the show over the past 10 years and especially to those who took a chance on us again this year. Myself and my team are already excitedly working on the 2017 event, where we will build on the positives from this year and listen to feedback from both visitors and exhibitors to create an even bigger and better show for 2017!”

BPM | PRO will return to the Genting Arena in 2017 and the dates are due to be announced soon. Tickets will be available in Spring 2017.

TPi www.bpmpro.show 94

BPM | PRO 2016

2016 SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Above: Bose Professional were out in force, showcasing the company’s latest release, the ShowMatch DeltaQ; TW Audio’s Simeon Ludwell, who will head up the UK branch of the company; Martin Audio launched its new loudspeaker system, the BlacklineX at this year’s show; Martin Audio’s James King.

Martin Audio During this year at BPM | PRO, PA specialist Martin Audio showcased its latest series of loudspeakers, the BlacklineX. This was the third iteration of the Blackline Series that was launched back in 1999, setting a new standard for affordable professional loudspeaker systems and quickly became synonymous with sound quality and reliability for live music venues and nightclubs worldwide.

Now, with the BlacklineX, Martin Audio’s R&D team has engineered a whole new range of speakers delivering the signature sound of warmth, nuance and clarity at a price point not previously possible, all in a clean, smart design with no-compromise between the needs of installation and portability. Comprising of four, two-way systems - from the ultra-compact X8 to the powerful X15 - and three subwoofers, including an unobtrusive slimline model, the multi-purpose BlacklineX Series raises the performance of loudspeaker systems in its class to a new level.

During the show, Martin Audio hosted several demos off from the main hall giving visitors a chance to hear the whole range. James King, Director of Marketing at Martin Audio commented on his experience at the show: “It certainly gave us the opportunity to get in front of a core customer target with over 300 people going through the demonstration it helped reaffirm that we have a winning proposition with BlacklineX.”

as Managing Director.

Setting up shop in London, TW AUDiO UK now has a warehouse space and offices ready to supply the British marketplace. “Due to increasing sales and projects in the UK, the time was right to appoint a distribution company to act as a sole distributor for the UK market, and handle our interests directly in this key territory as expected by our customers,” commented Bernhard Wuestner, MD of TW AUDiO. “Many of the projects we see, utilise UK integration and suppliers and this set up will help us to assist and maintain this trend and growth.”

Speaking to Ludwell on the show floor, he discussed his plans for the company’s future: “This coming year we will be looking to strengthen sales in the UK by adding a dealer network. BPM | PRO produced some good conversations and we are in talks with potential dealers.”

Bose With its release of the new ShowMatch DeltaQ, BPM | PRO gave Bose Professional a chance to showcase its latest release to the marketplace. Sue Harrison, Business Development Manager for Bose Professional discussed the company’s experience at the show: “The timing of BPM | PRO could not have been better as we embarked later that week on a European Roadshow to launch the ShowMatch DeltaQ array loudspeaker.” The new loudspeakers feature the most versatile DeltaQ design, optimised for both permanent installations and portable applications, with field-changeable waveguides in compact enclosures that can form DeltaQ, constant-curvature, or ‘J-shape’ line-array configurations. This versatility helps ensure the best possible sound quality for a given audience area and system budget.

TW AUDiO Germany-based TW AUDiO has recently announced the launch of its UK branch. BPM | PRO was a chance for TW AUDiO to introduce TW AUDiO UK to the market as well as announce Simeon Ludwell who has been appointed 95

BPM | PRO 2016

Operations Manager for Peavey Commercial Audio, James Kennedy; Brian Dowdle, Marketing Director of ADJ Lighting; TPi’s September edition was out in force; ADJ Lighting demoed one of its newest releases, the AV6X 6mm LED Video panel.

The ShowMatch DeltaQ could be heard in the demo area during the three day event. Harrison commented: “The Pro Audio Demo Area allowed visitors to the show to be the first to see and hear the new arrays, and the feedback we received was positive and very encouraging. We also had our VIP room that allowed us to meet customers away from the busy show floor, and many valuable discussion took place there during the show.”

processing core for the system, and the Tactus.Stage, a 32-in/16-out remote stage box. The modular capability of the Tactus Digital Mixing System, which connects via standard Gigabit Ethernet cabling and an internal Gigabit switch, allows multiple configurations in a range of channel counts to best suit each application.

James Kennedy, Operations Manager for Peavey Commercial Audio EMEA said: “Working closely with Waves, we believe that Tactus offers a professional sound mixing platform that is fitting for today’s digital demands, with features that will benefit all users, from the workplace to a live music venue. We’ve made connectivity and networking simple, with USB, Ethernet and MIDI all available.”

Chromateq During this year’s BPM | PRO, Chromateq wasthere in force offering demos and training with its helpful team. Offering visitors the chance to get some hands-on experience with latest release of Pro DMX and Studio DMX. During the three-day event, ArtNet and DMX were running on moving heads and a six universe LED Panel.

ADJ Along with a large selection of products from the ADJ stock room, the company also showcased one of its latest releases, the AV6X, an affordable 6mm LED Video panel designed for nightclubs, bars, bands and mobile entertainers. The new features on the AV6X, which have been upgraded from AV6, are that it uses higher quality LEDs for better colour consistency and a darker black masking for higher contrast.

Brian Dowdle, Marketing Director of ADJ Lighting commented on the company’s experience at the show: “BPM | PRO has always been a fantastic show for ADJ Lighting. With the recent PRO side of the show, ADJ has been able to properly demo our products to their fullest potential to dealers, production professionals and end users.”

Peavey Commercial Audio Crest Audio, a division of Peavey Commercial Audio, was on deck at this year’s show displaying the latest Tactus digital mixing system. Visitors were able to get their hands-on Crest Audio’s latest modular touch-screen system, which includes The Waves eMotion LV1 mixer application that runs on a Windows PC or Mac with one, two or three multi-touch screens.

The system had its first full field test at a recent live music event staged

by UK distributor Midwich and pre-orders are being accepted for the first time.

The Tactus hardware is comprised of the Tactus.FOH, the audio 96

SCALE THROUGH MODULARITY

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With NEXO, you can start small and grow big. STM is infinitely scalable, so rental companies can configure simple groundstacks, small, medium and large line arrays, and large-format festival systems – all from a core inventory of four modules.

Add in a highly musical audio performance, focussed coverage and one of the best power-to-size ratios in the industry, and the result is a system that builds with your business, delivering a return on investment that others simply cannot match.

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29/05/2015 13:33

BPM | PRO 2016

Above: As well as showing its new MagicQ MQ500 Stadium console, ChamSys also hosted basic and advanced training sessions on their consoles; In collaboration with Production Park and sister publication mondo*dr, TPi hosted a party on the Saturday night at the High Line New York Bar & Lounge; FBT displayed its wide range of audio products including demonstrations of its renowned MUSE and MITUS line array systems in the Pro Audio demo space.

Shure During the three days of BPM | PRO, Shure Audio Institute UK hosted a digital wireless seminar that covered the recent changes to the RF landscape and explained how digital wireless systems help to secure a positive future for wireless microphones. Entitled Wireless Mastered - RF & Digital 2016, the seminar also features a digital wireless question and answer session. By tackling common digital myths, Shure distinguished fact from fiction in what has become one of the pro audio industry’s most misunderstood topics.

Tuomo Tolonen, Shure Pro Audio Group Manager commented: “The RF spectrum for use by wireless microphone operators has changed a lot over recent years. From the digital TV switchover to the rise of mobile phone ownership the demand for a clean spectrum is greater than ever. Digital wireless systems have a lot to offer in securing a positive future for wireless microphones through spectral efficiency, and it’s imperative that we as audio professionals arm ourselves with the facts.”

The MQ500 Stadium has inbuilt MagicVis 3D visualiser with high quality beam and gobo rendering supporting up to 200 universes on-board direct from the console without the need for external processing. The MQ500 is scheduled for release before the end of 2016.

FBT UK During this year’s show, FBT UK displayed its wide range of audio products including demonstrations of its renowned MUSE and MITUS line array systems in the Pro Audio demo space. New to the UK market and shown on the main FBT stand was the FBT’s Vertus CS1000 compact line array system. Vertus is designed to offer a no-compromise choice for live performers and installers and epitomises FBT’s hallmark ergonomic design flair and superb sound quality. The Vertus CS 1000 can be deployed on stage within minutes, making it ideal for performers, or taking advantage of its discrete good looks, can be integrated into the most sophisticated locations.

Also on show was FBT’s Ventis range of passive and active speakers as well newcomers to the FBT range, the ProMaxX, which represents the company’s latest refinements to a long established leader in polypropylene housed enclosures. Also shown during the three days were the extremely powerful subwoofers, the Q118SA. FBT’s partner, JTS Professional also showed of its newly released TC-22 replacement microphone capsule for JTS, Shure and Sennheiser wireless systems. The TC-22 offers an extremely wide dynamic range and very low touch noise, making it suitable for stage applications where the highest quality reproduction is required. Also on show for the first time was the

ChamSys Situated upstairs up from the main show floor, ChamSys set up a demo room used for both basic and advanced training sessions. However, it was not just the training days that the lighting company had on offer as it showcased its latest release, the MagicQ MQ500 Stadium console. Designed to operate at the highest level of show control, the MagicQ MQ500 Stadium enables shows to be designed from concept to reality including lighting, media, LED and scenic design. The console also features dual multi-touch displays in full HD with adjustable viewing angles and gesture support.

98

Desired Desired directivity directivity and and better better impulse impulse response response

KH3 KH3 KH3

Measures Measures 10db 10db less less noise noise pollution pollution on on stage stage Measures 10db less Digital noise pollution on stage acoustic steering Digital acoustic steering Digital acoustic steering Hyper-cardioid dispersion Hyper-cardioid dispersion Hyper-cardioid Selfdispersion powered Self powered Self powered

www.k-array.com www.k-array.com www.k-array.com

BPM | PRO 2016

Allen & Heath’s flagship dLive S7000 control surface was one of the main highlights, with the new app-controllable Qu-SB and touchscreen-equipped Qu-Pac digital mixers; Essential Supplies UK were pleased to announce its new brand Titan Power at this year BPM | PRO; The Chauvet Arena made a welcome return to this years event with an array of the company’s newest fixtures.

JTS R-4 UHF four-channel diversity system. To cope with the squeezed radio spectrum the system provides more compatible channels within the limited bandwidth. The R-4 is a four-channel system in a 19-inch one U case.

Series headphones along with the latest Artist and Artist Elite microphones.

Chauvet Arena This year’s BPM | PRO also saw the return of the Chauvet Arena, which honoured the new location in style with an impressive array of the company’s newest fixtures in one spectacular stadium-ready lighting concept. This collection included the Maverick MK2 Wash and MK2 Spot, STRIKE 1, Rogue R1 FX-B, and Ovation E-910FC. According to European Product Expert Sam Bowden, the new arena presented the team at Chauvet with the ultimate opportunity to see the latest fixtures in their natural habitat. “When we learned of BPM | PRO’s expansion plans for the Chauvet Arena, we realised we could create something on an entirely different scale this year,” commented Bowden. “As a result, we’ve gone for a lighting concept worthy of any large stadium tour. The fixtures we’ve chosen to install reflect this.”

In addition to DJ competitions, parties and workshops, BPM | PRO guests had several opportunities to see the Chauvet Arena light display during the show.

Chauvet Europe General Manager Michael Brooksbank added: “We’re very enthused about our new products being presented in the larger and improved Chauvet Arena this year.”

TPi www.visitbpm.co.uk

Essential Supplies UK Essential Supplies UK was pleased to announce its new brand Titan Power at this year BPM | PRO. Titan Power designs, manufactures and supplies a large range of high quality solutions for temporary power supplies using premium components. A well as offering a range of off-the-shelf power distribution products, Titan Power can also manufacture in-house any board to any specification, from 16a to 800a, with various options such as lifting points, variable RCDs, key switches, audible pre-trip warning, ammeters, PowerLock, 19-inch rack, flight cased.

Allen & Heath During the three-day event, as well as showcasing several new products for the DJ market, Audio-Technica was also displaying a variety of Allen & Heath’s live-oriented digital mixing systems. The flagship dLive S7000 control surface was one of the main highlights, with the new app-controllable Qu-SB and touchscreen-equipped Qu-Pac digital mixers and popular Qu-24 also on show.

An array of Audio-Technica’s newest product offerings were also on show including the recently-launched E70, E50 and E40 in-ear monitors and M 100

BPM | PRO 2016

TALKING HEADS

“We’ve chosen BPM | PRO to display our new-game changing passive end-fire subwoofer, which is due for official release in the near future. The show looks great and there’s been a good turnout.

The pre-launch of our new sub is going really well as a result.”

Mika Isotalo, Aura Audio

“BPM | PRO was a great event for both the artists and industry professionals who came across the three days of the show. As the UK’s Magic FX Distributors, Pyrowarehouse along with Pyrojunkies produced a live demo show, four times a day. The whole performance was time coded with video, lights and, of course, a whole array of special effects.

The combination of pyrotechnics, CO2 blasters, confetti and even bubbles, created a magical and unforgettable experience and drew big crowds over the three days.”

James Priddle, Pyrojunkies

“PRO was a great show once again for Le Maitre. It is always good for us to be able to show our pyro in action and PRO provides the perfect opportunity for us to do so. Our twicedaily shows on the FX Stage were packed, attracting hundreds of visitors over the three days. It was the ideal platform to show a wide range of our products, explain all about them and answer people’s questions.

The show floor seemed really busy with a good flow of visitors, and it was a good chance to catch up with industry friends and make lots of new contacts too.”

Elaine Frost, Le Maitre

“What a way to celebrate 10 years! The team are only just recovering from the three days at BPM | PRO this year, but it was definitely worth it - a great vibe, new faces and overall a fantastic opportunity to socialise with customers and suppliers. You can be sure to see Leisuretec exhibiting at the show next year.”

Charlie Henden, Lesiuretec

“BPM | PRO is a growing show with good future business potential. Although not a major tradeshow for us, we made several excellent contacts at last year’s show and are confident that this year’s event will yield the same results.”

Dirk Bosloirs, PRG Proshop 101

“The new layout of this year’s BPM | PRO show worked really well for us and it seemed that there was a real increase in numbers, especially those from the rental and install market. We were also pleasantly surprised with the number of new sales leads we got from the show.”

Johan Gunsing, International Sales Manager for Adam Hall

BPM | PRO 2016

PRO 2016 LIVE TALKS: JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY

During the second day of the show, PRO hosted a panel aimed at those wishing to find a job in the industry; The panel consisted of Richard Wear, Founder of Interfacio, TPi’s Kelly Murray, Al Mouat, UK sales at Adlib and General Manager of PSA, Andy Lenthall who chaired the panel.

The Panel: Richard Wear - Founder, Interfacio Kelly Murray - Editor, TPi Al Mouat - UK Sales, Adlib Chairman: Andy Lenthall - GM, Production Services Association

recent graduates and young freelancers held at Production Park’s Yorkshire site in Wakefield.

With a full audience to hand, it’s clear that the demand for career advice is rife. The room provided a captive audience for Interfacio - a global, specialist recruitment service within the audio and music sectors, and Adlib - one of the UK’s leading audio and lighting rental companies, known for its mixture of veterans and young, innovative crews. A new recruit to Adlib himself, Mouat commented: “It was great to get a chance to engage with the younger generation and to help steer them on the right path within the industry. There are too many of the cliched ‘grumpy old roadies’ still out there who are in need of a youthful dynamic on tour.

Some of our best road crew need a well-earned rest!”

TPi

On Monday 12 September, as part of its ongoing live talks, PRO hosted a session on industry jobs - how to mentally prepare for them educationally, train for them and eventually, successfully obtain them.

The panel was aimed at young people seeking relevant experience and advice on formal education within their chosen sector. This topic has become somewhat of a talking point throughout recent months here at TPi, with the launch of Production Futures - a careers fair for students, 102

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INTRODUCING MARTIN AUDIO’S BLACKLINEX This year Martin Audio revitalised its well-known Blackline Series, creating the BlacklineX. Preceding its official launch at BPM | PRO, TPi speaks to Martin Audio’s R&D Director, Jason Baird, to discuss the new range.

This is the third iteration of the Blackline series. What was the incentive to reinvent the brand and why was this the right time to bring it to the marketplace?

Blackline was originally launched in 1999, while its early successor [Blackline+] appeared in 2003, so the latest range was over 13 years old.

Although its performance was still highly regarded, the look of the products had dated and the price points had crept over the years to become uncompetitive. The time was right to reinvent a much-respected range to be as strong if not better, performance-wise, with a premium look and build at a breakthrough low price for Martin Audio.

a significantly more aggressive price point and not compromising on construction quality.

Could you give a brief overview of the range of four speakers and three subs, outlining the various features of each box?

Comprising four two-way systems - from the ultra-compact X8 to the powerful X15 - and three subwoofers, including a slimline model, the multipurpose BlacklineX Series raises the performance of loudspeaker systems in its class to a new level. Each symmetrical, multi-angle, full-range enclosure features a user-rotatable horn for horizontal or vertical orientation, and has a screw-free, foam-backed steel grille. Comprehensive mounting options include wall-bracket, eyebolt suspension and pole-mounting.

Ergonomic handles at the rear of each full-range enclosure make for easy handling while maintaining clean lines. All BlacklineX Series enclosures are

What was the overall design brief for the R&D department during the earlier stages of development?

The brief was simple; exceed the performance of Blackline+ while targeting 104

MARTIN AUDIO BLACKLINEX

Opposite: The latest rendition of Martin Audio’s Blackline Series, the BlacklineX. Below: The series was showcased for the first time as BPM|PRO in Birmingham; Martin Audio’s R&D Director, Jason Baird.

constructed from plywood and are finished with a durable black textured coating, with white and custom RAL colour options available to order.

for the exhibitor made it an easy solution for our needs.

The feedback from the demos was very encouraging and reaffirmed all that we set out to do with BlacklineX. People were delighted with overall performance to value relationship, and many could see that for weekend hire jobs for DJs and bands it was now a very compelling offering, while on the installation front they really liked the professional look and design which also gave opportunity to mix and match with our CDD line of products. The slimline X210 sub was a big hit, having been an omission in our portfolio for some time, so we expect to sell a lot of this.

What where the main challenges during the creation of the series?

The main challenge was how to reduce the cost of the products, while building on the performance of the Blackline name. Given that BlacklineX is suitable for portable as well as installed applications, we also had to ensure the products were rugged enough for life on the road. Meeting these challenges was done via a combination of design and sourcing of more competitively priced, yet high-quality components. Importantly, we also didn’t compromise on power handling, reliability or output capability.

Now that the Blackline has made its debut to the market what are the plans for the series? Can you reveal any places we might see it cropping up over the next few months?

It’s too early at present, but we have a huge order book already so watch this space come November when we start shipping the products.

TPi www.martin-audio.com

You recently showcased the series at the BPM|PRO show. Why did you choose this show to launch the product? What was the feedback from the listening sessions and those that saw the product over the weekend?

BPM|PRO was a very timely show and its target market is perfectly suited to this launch. Equally, the way that Mark Walsh and his team deliver efficiency 105

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Sponsored by www.interfacio.com • +44 208 986 5002

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Above: JP de Vernon and Kevin Stannett have joined DWR Distribution; Kinesys has appointed The Rigging Shop as the exclusive distributor for its products in Australia and New Zealand; Monacor Iberia has taken on the exclusive distribution of GLP products in Spain; Bradley Watson and Robin Dibble have rejoined Martin Audio.

DWR Distribution has announced the addition of two new members to its team. JP de Vernon has come on board as Sales Representative for Africa, taking over the position of Johnny Scholtz, who will now oversee architectural sales at DWR. Handling sales in theatres, schools, broadcast, television studios and casinos will be Kevin Stannett, who replaces Dave Whitehouse after the latter relocated to the UK. “When Dave told me he was leaving DWR and moving back to the UK it broke me,” said DWR Director Duncan Riley. “One evening I phoned Kevin and asked if he would be interested in joining us. I think what is good is that Kevin, a talented Lighting Designer, has a background to Back of House so he is not trying to sell a product that he’s not comfortable with. He will also be able to sell knowing the infrastructure behind products.”

The two new additions to DWR’s team are already familiar with each other, having met four years ago when both worked at the Emperors Palace - Stannett as a freelance Lighting Designer, and de Vernon as Theatre Services Manager.

“When we worked together we always did things proper,” said de Vernon. “Between the two of us, there’s pretty much not a solution we can’t come up with. It’s what we’ve always just done.”

“I look forward to this amazing opportunity,” said Riley. “That these guys chose DWR to be their place is important for me and it’s an honour to have them.”

Kinesys has appointed The Rigging Shop (TRS) as the exclusive distributor for its products in Australia and New Zealand.

Based in New South Wales, TRS is part of Pollard Productions, a longterm customer of Kinesys. It is headed by James Ring - who also owns Pollard Productions - and Mike Stephenson.

“TRS share our core values, standards of excellence and attention to detail,” said Kinesys MD Dave Weatherhead. “They have the right attitude and bring a huge amount of knowledge and enthusiasm to the equation and, through the Pollard Productions connection, the TRS team is also really experienced with our product ranges.”

“We are proud to take on the distributorship and really value being part of the Kinesys international team,” added Ring.

Spanish wholesaler Monacor Iberia has taken on the exclusive distribution of GLP products in Spain with immediate effect.

GLP Managing Director Udo Künzler commented: “It was important to have a presence in the Spanish market, and to do so with a professional partner who understands the needs of the local market. After some discussion it was clear that Monacor was the ideal partner for this development.”

“GLP products are fantastic, but more so in the way that they undertake business,” said José C. de las Heras, Managing Director of Monacor Iberia.

“It was these two key aspects that made us decide on starting a business 106

business begins here

Every January, the industry gathers in California to get the business year started.

And with a new focus on professional live and touring sound, plus dedicated live sound and pro audio seminars, there’s more business to be done than ever before.

To learn more and to register for badges visit: namm.org/thenammshow/2017

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INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Below: Robe’s Asia Pacific team based in Singapore has been bolstered by the addition of Jens Poehlker, who joins as Managing Director; White Light has appointed Tom Wilkes as Business Development Manager.

relationship with GLP and take on distribution of their products in Spain.”

Monacor Iberia will now offer a complete product range from GLP’s impression X series.

Technical Direction Company (TDC) has become the latest d3 Technologies partner in the Asia Pacific region.

Established 35 years ago, Australian company TDC supplies video technology solutions for a variety of major events and live productions.

Based in Sydney and Melbourne, its portfolio includes TV shows such as The Voice and The X Factor and concert tours for Kanye West and Kylie Minogue.

“TDC is well known for its technical and creative expertise and holds the largest stock of high-brightness projectors in Australia as well as extensive LED and media control systems,” said Desmond Yim, d3 Technologies Regional Sales Manager, APAC. “Our partnership with TDC will enable us to support an increasing market for d3 solutions in Australia.”

TDC has been a d3 Technologies rental partner in the region for several years and is currently in the process of building new d3 studio space at its Sydney office to accommodate its expanding business and d3 requirements.

“We are delighted to become a d3 partner, it allows us to work side by side with the developers at d3,” said Michael Hassett, CEO of TDC. “This is invaluable in future technology development for both of our organisations.”

Robe’s Asia Pacific team based in Singapore has been bolstered by the addition of Jens Poehlker, who joins as Managing Director.

Poehlker’s experience in the industry, and the region, includes opening

and running the Singapore office of MA Lighting for the last nine years. His joining the company was described as an ‘easy decision’ by both himself and Robe’s Sales Director Harry von den Stemmen.

“I believe Robe is poised for further growth,” said Poehlker. “And I am extremely proud to come on-board and be a part of making this happen.”

White Light has appointed Tom Wilkes as Business Development Manager.

In his new role, Wilkes will focus predominantly on managing the hire aspects of the various markets in which the company works. He commented: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining White Light at such an exciting time. Whether it’s corporate events, broadcast, education, trade, retail, or themed attractions, we have a strong reputation in each of these fields and this is something I will be looking to strengthen further.”

Wilkes’ industry experience includes a previous stint working at White Light, as Hire Co-ordinator. He joins this time around from Vision SL, a technical production company that he founded in 2009, which will become part of White Light as a result of his move.

“We have such a strong relationship with our current Vision SL customers that this is something I want to continue as we move over to White Light,” said Wilkes. “By continuing our relationship, this simply means that we can continue to offer them a great service, with the additional resources of White Light.”

Martin Audio has announced the return of two members to its team, with Robin Dibble and Bradley Watson rejoining as Product Support Engineer and EMEA Sales Manager respectively.

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www.interfacio.com • +44 208 986 5002

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Their reappointment comes after a successful period for Martin Audio, Watson, who was with the company for 10 years before leaving in 2010. “I under new Managing Director Dom Harter, which has seen the launch of its can’t wait to get going.”

CDD-Live! and BlacklineX series.

Tech LED has moved to Production Park, the complete pre-production “Martin Audio’s core customers know and live events centre for the UK. Robin well - I couldn’t think of anyone better The supply and design company for LED to further our credentials in the installation lighting equipment joins existing customers space given his knowledge, reputation and Perry Scenic Creative, Brilliant Stages and his understanding of Martin Audio products,” Litestructures, bringing them within reach for said Harter. “As for Bradley, I’ve known him for easy project collaboration.

“Moving to Production Park is the many years; he knows Martin Audio well and The move coincides with the most importantly has worked throughout the announcement that Nick Tetlow has joined logical next step and a definitive installed sales channel, which adds skills and Tech LED as Sales Manager for the northern move for us. It meets the market understanding.” region. expanding needs of the company Dibble, who left Martin Audio less than a Managing Director Gordon Addison said: year ago, said: “When I was asked if I would be “Moving to Production Park is the logical whilst allowing us to maintain interested in returning to the fold, I jumped at next step and a definitive move for us. It stability and consistency with the chance.” meets the expanding needs of the company “I’ve always kept a fond eye on [Martin whilst allowing us to maintain stability and customers.”

Audio] developments, including using its consistency with customers.”

Gordon Addison, current portfolio of products on installation TPi Managing Director of Tech LED projects during my six years away,” said www.tpimagazine.com/category/industry-jobs/

VER is a leading, global provider of production equipment and engineering solutions.

We currently have a selection of exciting opportunities to become part of the team at our North London base

A fantastic opening has arisen to join an award winning laser show and laser system design specialist with credits spanning high profile events, advertising, television and international concert tours. Constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to the ongoing development, manufacture and sourcing of cutting-edge laser products, the company has one of the largest collections of laser solutions worldwide and can offer highly competitive rates to its clients. With offices in the UK, Ibiza, Australia and USA, ER Productions is perfectly placed to deliver systems and show-stopping displays around the world.

TECHNICAL SERVICE MANAGER Responsible for the management and excecution of the technical operations activities for all external and internal manufactured lighting products to ensure quality, reliable product supply. Directly responsible for managing other technical service staff such as, Service technicians, Bench technicians, Control-network technicians and Client support specialists

LASER TECHNICIAN

Salary depending on experience Benefits include: company phone & private healthcare

SERVICE TECHNICIAN The service technician’s primary role will be to evaluate, repair and maintain all electronic and mechanical equipment for both the technical services department and equipment that exceeds the technical capabilities of the general QC programs of other internal Lighting departments. Will also be responsible for participating in and executing required software upgrades and hardware retrofits to manufacturer’s Lighting products as needed.

Based in SE London/Kent at our head office you will be part of a team that performs laser displays in the UK and all over the world. Laser and lighting industry experience is preferred but not essential. Computing and basic networking experience is also preferred. The right candidate will be required to regularly travel UK and World Wide.

AUTOMATED LIGHTING QC TECHNICIANS These entry level positions will ensure all automated lighting fixtures are fully compliant with required inspection and maintenance plans/QC Programs. Participation and involvement in all automated fixture cleaning & testing with final verification on all newly received products and ensure all quality control checks have been completed and executed; Ensuring assets are ready for all outbound shipments.

Salary depending on experience Benefits include: company phone & private healthcare

Please send a CV and covering letter to: contact@er-productions.com

PROJECT MANAGER

Based in SE London/Kent at our head office you will be part of a team that project manages projects from one day single laser displays to tours, TV shows and national days. Laser and lighting industry experience is preferred but not essential, industry experience is essential. The right candidate will be required to regularly travel UK and World Wide.

All positions are on a 40-hour week, shift basis including some weekend work, salary and benefits will be commensurate with experience.

Enquiries will be handled in the strictest of confidence and should be made in writing, enclosing a current CV to Gemma Oldfield: goldfield@ver.com

Please send a CV and covering letter to: contact@er-productions.com

109 Job ad TPI.indd 3

03/10/2016 11:26

PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE

INSURANCE BEYOND THE HEADLINES £15,000 is a lot of money to most people but it’s less than £10,000,000. So, if your public liability cover indemnifies you for the latter, a claim for the former shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Well, this is insurance we’re talking about, so that depends.

Public liability insurance covers you for losses you cause by your actions, it’s like the third party bit in your car insurance paying for the damage to the lamp post you reversed into. There are exclusions though; the large print giveth and the small print taketh away. A few years back, a technician damaged some hired in kit by virtue of a voltage mix up, the subsequent claim was refused because the kit in question was in the custody and control of the individual. A tough way to learn about looking for exclusions - that particular one is more common than you might think. A common misconception is also that, if the kit is insured by the actual owner, then their insurer will cover loss. To a certain extent that’s true, they’ll sort the owner out with new kit to help business continue but they’ll still be chasing the person that caused the damage - for £15,000 in this particular case. Of course, cases are not always so easily settled so, when legal arguments ensue and lawyers get involved, it’s comforting to know that your insurers are picking up the tab too.

For over 20 years, the PSA has helped members with insurance matters.

In fact, one of the first issue discussed by the association was whether subcontractors needed cover (yes) and where they could get it. Cover was expensive until words were had and discounts proffered. The work didn’t stop there though, only in the past few years have we gone deeper into the actual wording of policies and the exclusions that exist, mainly with the help

of Precision Broking, whose mission to give insurers a better understanding of the work of our sector, which has resulted in specialist policies that better serve our requirements. Take the ‘custody and control’ issue. When we worked together to create Crewcover, that exclusion was removed and the limit for claims set at the highest level of any insurer in the sector (for some it is still extremely low or excluded altogether). Work at height, pyrotechnics and work overseas were also factors that needed to be considered and covered adequately.

It wasn’t just the policy wording under consideration, time and money were invested into an easy, online application process for those last minute jobs that necessitate swift delivery of documents to the client for a load-in that starts in eight hours or, as has happened, applying at the gate of a festival and having documents in your inbox within minutes. A policy and application process designed with our members in mind so it made complete sense to include membership of the PSA in the price, giving not only a representative voice but a collection of business and individual benefits that could far outweigh the cost of the policy.

Of course, insurers take risk and claims happen. It’s in the event of a claim that insurance proves its worth and your broker goes to work. Imagine wheeling a flightcase out of a venue and accidentally scraping a car; sod’s law dictates that the gig is a corporate, the hotel is the Dorchester and 110

PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE

the car is a Bentley. That claim was settled swiftly and more since. Equally important is a broker connected with the industry so they can deal on your behalf when it comes to claims - a fairly recent case was some damage to equipment in a club venue. The blame was laid at the door of a technician and their invoice wasn’t paid ‘to cover the damage’. A little chasing from the PSA and the insistence that the claim for damage was dealt with by the insurer smoothed things out - a fine example of how the benefits of both work effectively together.

It’s this attention to detail that has led Precision’s development of their new product, Live Insurance, aimed at small to medium businesses supplying production services. Together we looked at how businesses in our sector start and grow, with individual contractors gathering the tools of the trade and perhaps taking on work that requires more than just the individual contractor. This paints an altogether different liability landscape, with the addition all-important employers liability for those that are instructing or managing people in the workplace (and not necessarily on their payroll), the only cover that is a legal requirement.

Devising an industry-specific policy wording, starting from a blank sheet of paper is an expensive, time consuming and sometimes frustrating experience, with the final 5% seemingly taking 95% of the development time. But, in the case of Live Insurance, it has resulted in a policy that covers risks associated with our line of work.

Of course, the tools of our trade come with a hefty price tag, so property cover needs to be effective. Transported by someone other than you, left unattended and rented to anyone who’ll pay the going rate, your pride and joy needs a policy that doesn’t exclude associated risks. Take fraudulent conversion - someone rents your kit and doesn’t come back, having left you

with stolen or fake ID documents. You’ve taken reasonable measures but they count for nothing if it’s excluded from your policy. Needless to say, it’s included in Live Insurance, as well as opportunistic theft from venues. Also covered is theft from unattended vehicles - crucial if a driver is required to take their extended break away from the cab, a legal requirement in some EU territories.

It goes without saying that the liability elements of cover, like Crewcover, have no height or heat restrictions, Worldwide Cover if you need it, including work in the US, cover for equipment being worked on or in your custody and control and, importantly, cover for structures during build.

Throughout its 21 year existence, the PSA has helped its members understand the importance of risk reduction, mainly in terms of reducing the risk of injury, banging the health and safety drum, introducing our world to Safety Passports to help spread the word about safe workplaces and how individuals fit in and working with the health and safety executive to advise and encourage effective policies and enforcement. Perhaps it’s because of this that companies like Precision Broking are prepared to put in the time and investment to develop specialist products and that their insurers are prepared to listen. It’s not always about driving down prices, especially in such a market-driven business, it’s about working together do drive quality and, essentially, insurers having the foresight to support the growth of their customers’ representative body. We’d rather things didn’t go wrong, we certainly don’t want anyone to have to test the full limit of their sum insured, but accidents happen, so we’d rather that you were covered, however or wherever.

TPi www.psa.org.uk

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TPi PRODUCTION GUIDE

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BACK CHAT

NOREEN O’RIORDAN Entec Sound & Light How did you get your start in the industry?

“In the early ’80s, I was a temp at Shepperton Studio Centre working anywhere on site from moulding models in the Model Shop to meeting and greeting at the Preview Theatre. I helped Jake Duncan, the Bay City Rollers’ Tour Manager, with logistics and itineraries, and soon met John Denby, Entec Sound & Light’s then-MD who gave me a temporary contract as Entec’s receptionist and admin clerk. The position became permanent as I slowly worked my way through the different departments of the company, meeting some fabulous mentors who shared their knowledge and expertise along the way.”

talent. Naturally, I wish Production Futures every success and Entec looks forward to assisting wherever possible.”

Can you tell us about an event or gig that you’re most proud of?

“That’s like asking to choose between your children! Last week, my star was Gordon Isaacs from Live Nation who asked us to assemble a very last minute production package for comedienne Amy Schumer. We sourced everything for him including trucks and sleeper buses. This week’s is Allen Spriggs at AEG who has hired sound and lighting from us for The Libertines and Ricky Martin. Next week, it will all be about putting the finishing touches to The Australian Pink Floyd Show’s European tour with Kevin Hopgood and Chris Gadd two very important stars in the Entec galaxy. If pressed, I would say the ones that shine brightest, because of our shared history of more than 25 years, are Blur, whom I admire for never once compromising their values.

We’ve known some of the guys since the beginning and Craig Duffy and I have worked together and been friends for over 20 years.”

How have you seen the live events sector develop over the years?

“When I started at Entec, the big adventure for us was the ‘No Soap ’til Shepperton’ festival run - the crews and trucks would sweep through all the major European festivals with a generic kit list that would suit all festival stages, artists and capacities.

Of course, email and mobile phones didn’t exist back then, so communications were made via the promoter’s telex machine or hotel receptionists, not that there were many hotel stopovers. Nowadays, the technical preparation is very sophisticated and customised for every show and venue. So much preparation is spent getting it right without a piece of kit even being touched.”

When you’re not working, what would TPi readers find you doing?

“I’d like to say that when I am not climbing Kilimanjaro, running a marathon or kayaking up the Amazon, I do a bit of sky diving but, in truth, being the rental representative on the PLASA Regional Board and a very active member of the PSA means I’m always too busy. Entec has also been designing a brand new website - www. entecLIVE.com - and digging through the archives from the ’60s onwards has uncovered some amazing stories, images and footage. My favourite thing to do when not working is to catch up with family and friends, many of them made through work. Never underestimate the power of a worklife balance.”

What are your thoughts on the newly launched Production Futures recruitment event for young people wanting to step into your shoes?

“It’s a great initiative and, being part of the PSA’s Apprenticeship Trail Blazer committee, I’ve heard first hand that all the major industry suppliers are totally committed to setting a standard. That’s certainly true of Entec, which for years has been a successful breeding ground for new industry 114

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