P!NK: Beautiful Trauma World Tour

P!NK

LDX86N handheld cameras partnered three long-lens cameras with 107x and 99x Fujinon 4K lenses. A Ross Furio Robotic camera track, dolly system, plus a jib located on stage right, as well as a pit camera at the front of the B-Stage, helped keep pace with the non-stop action of the show. Jones said: “It’s always an evolving capture process depending on what is happening within the audience. It’s the nature of the live show; things change.”

An additional RF Link GoPro was mounted in the chandelier that P!nk began the show hanging from. “The camera shots have to match the high energy of the show, adding cameras to key acrobatic apparatus such as the chandelier helps us capture that energy and excitement,” Jones added. “The RF GoPro allows us to capture P!nk flying up towards the camera just as the pyro is going off.”

Video Director, Larn Poland brings the show to the big screens through a Grass Valley K-Frame with Korona Switcher Panel. “Larn and P!nk have worked together on pretty much every tour since the beginning,” Jones explained. “We have eight operated cameras, which is not the norm for a lot of shows. You would struggle to achieve the same quality of visual story that we are aiming for if you replaced manned cameras with robocams. With such a fast paced show you need the eight sets of eyes out there in the audience and onstage reacting and finding the best shots to bring the show to life on big screens.”

A mainstay of the two-year tour, Solotech’s support was crucial to the visual delivery of the show. Jones explained: “Solotech’s commitment to the tour doesn’t just stop with the guys on the road. Having the support and depth of expertise of the guys (back in the US) who build and service this gear makes a huge difference. If something breaks, being able to get a replacement piece of gear, technical advice or information, the support from the Solotech technical staff is gold standard.”

Jones commended Solotech systems as “well built and rock solid” for the touring environment. “They’re modular so we can add extra pieces of equipment if needed,” he said. “As soon as we made the jump from arena to stadium-sized shows, we were able to up-scale the equipment very easily and with minimal time needed to re-prep”.

Video Engineer Richard Parkin agreed: “This tour has kept up with the technology; as the show has progressed, so has the technology.”

JUST LIKE FIRE Pyrotek was brought in for pyrotechnic, flame, atmospheric and confetti looks, as well as manning the technical, safety and logistics factors in order to create the looks on stage. Pyrotek Project Manager and Designer, Reid Derne commented: “We worked closely with Halpin and P!nk to put the technical pieces in place to bring on-stage moments to life.”

Pyrotek deployed 12 Salamander Quad Pro DMX-controlled flame units, two Silent Storm confetti machines to blow leaf confetti during the singer’s powerful forest scene; a 30 x 30 gold gerb waterfall; close to 100 comets, mines and flashes; and low smoke generators. Derne explained: “One of the biggest reasons we chose to use Salamander Quad Pros, which run on liquid fuel, was to avoid any kind fuel regulations that would have prohibited us from using propane.”

The kit was set up by two touring pyrotechnicians throughout the tour, ensuring that all equipment was inspected, placed and executed correctly. Adjustments were made to the gear as it travelled European venues. Stage Operations Manager, Kenn MacDonald commented: “Our crews also work with local officials on site to ensure all equipment is operating within a safe distance of audiences and performers, while also conforming to any codes or regulations required by the venue or location.”

Derne said working with P!nk on a tour of this magnitude was incredibly rewarding: “We are thrilled to be helping her tell her stories all over the globe. It’s a one of a kind tour and sets a precedent for those looking to create something that is theatrical at its core.”

P!NK NOISE For control, FOH Engineer David Bracey relied on a trusty DiGiCo SD7. “I’ve used nothing else but this mixing desk since it launched in 2007.” He explained his keen interest in exploiting automating functions traces

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P!NK

back to the analogue age, summarising that live sound engineering is a “continual exercise in problem solving.”

Interestingly, Bracey mixed with no plug-ins, instead using outboard reverbs in the shape of Bricasti Design’s Model 7 Reverb Processor. The FOH Engineer acknowledged that pop shows always come with the challenge of “extensive choreography, stage design and props which don’t lend themselves to sound design.” However, he was quick to state his admiration for P!nk who made mixing the show a pleasure. “It’s a joy to mix because she’s such a good vocalist.”

One thing that Bracey and Systems Engineer, Johnny Keirle discovered challenging was the fact P!nk spends most of the show in front of the PA, coupled with the fly gag. “We have to be very mindful when we’re talking about tower placements and ring delays,” Keirle explained. “For a show of this scale, you also need to have the best speaker system possible.”

The PA choice was unanimous. “L-Acoustics are my favourite speaker manufacturer and the rest comes down to the working relationship between myself, Johnny and the speaker boxes,” explained Bracey.

The standard stadium configuration comprised 16 L-Acoustics K1s, four K2s and 16 flown KS28 subs. A further 16 K1s as side hangs, four K2s underneath, and an upstage hang of eight K2s covered the top corner, fills and subs in the ground. “We’ve upped our game when it comes to stadiums. It’s imperative is to ensure that it sounds great in every seat,” Bracey said.

The team deployed two delay towers with 12 K1s per side. In some venues, it fluctuated between three or four, while in others, ring delays varied from five to 10 K2s. “We have to be very mindful when we’re talking

about tower placements and ring delays,” Keirle explained. “We have to make sure it’s cohesive with the other departments, which is modelled beforehand so she knows where she can and cannot go.”

Bracey added: “The ring delays and additional delay towers help with more sources at lower levels and localises the sound, especially when it comes to stadium sound restrictions, which we have to deal with in Germany.”

Signal distribution was achieved by Lake Processing LM 44s and LM 26s, while the majority of processing was done by L-Acoustics LA12X. Britannia Row Productions supplied the tour’s audio elements for the entire European run, enlisting its worldwide partnership with Clair Global to facilitate the wider worldwide dates. “As well as packaging the kit fantastically, they offer quality people and a service like no other vendor,” Keirle confirmed. “I’ve done a lot of work with Britannia Row in the past so I’m familiar with their high standards. Their global partnership with Clair Global also makes it much simpler from a logistical perspective.”

Britannia Row’s Dave Compton added: “Once again, we’ve really enjoyed working with P!nk’s team. It’s been an amazingly popular worldwide tour where the artist and engineers have given it their all across a multitude of dates in some huge - and tricky - venues. We’ve been managing the project from London, shipping the universal control package and key crew from the UK and picking up the rest locally from Clair Global and JPJ Audio in Australia. Having this kind of worldwide back-up and resources makes a world tour on this scale a smooth operation to execute.”

Due to the complexity of audio coverage during the acrobatic elements of the performance, it was imperative that someone was focused solely on P!nk’s mix. Step forward Jon Lewis, who as well as playing a vital role on stage, featuring in a flute-based cameo to open the show, is also a dab hand behind the curtain. “It’s always a very physical show, as well as vocally demanding in the spaces because she sings every note live and nothing is on track – even while suspended upside down,” the Monitor Engineer told TPi. “Fundamentally, she works hard so everybody else works hard; because she puts 100% effort in, everybody else in the crew goes that extra mile.”

Sennheiser provided an integrated in-ear monitor and Digital 6000 system, both handheld and bodypack, an improved custom mic / in-ear combination, and wireless monitoring via Sennheiser 2000 Series. Nine Sennheiser 6000 Series wireless mics covered the stage, in addition to wired mics. “She sings with one IEM because she likes to hear the crowd, and it’s what she’s comfortable with,” Lewis added. “If she’s above the audience or stage, on bungees, each singing environment is different, so it’s about tailoring her mix with that in mind to keep it in constant.”

For IEMs, P!nk used a custom, bespoke, one-off piece manufactured by Sennheiser. “They have always been good to us,” Lewis gestured to the model. “It’s been years in the making to end up with this P!nk mark 2.0. Her mix is generic, picture and timing references; it’s about keeping the consistency for her across all areas.” The IEM features an integrated mic

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Image ©2018 Todd Kaplan

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