TPMEA #008 by Mondiale Media

APRIL 2017 • ISSUE 008

DUBAI JAZZ FESTIVAL

ECLIPSE PROVIDES FULL TECHNICAL SUPPORT

IDEX 2017 • BRYAN ADAMS AND GUNS N’ ROSES WIN WITH 117 LIVE • DELTA TO DISTRIBUTE MARTIN AUDIO INTERVIEW: PIERRE SAMPSON • TALKING TWINPOWER WITH FLOW • DUBAI PARKS AND RESORTS OPENING

Image: ©Gareth Kays

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TPMEA

WELCOME... TO TPMEA

Georgia and I were welcomed back to Dubai last month (pictured here with fellow northern Brit, Protec’s Claire Armes) for a week of meetings and networking, just after we celebrated our annual, international awards show. (If you haven’t been, put it on your to-do list for next year!) During the week we caught up with the latest innovations and production plans in the UAE, and I enjoyed my first visit to Abu Dhabi to see the Mother Of The Nation festival site. Elsewhere, Ste almost had his beard melted off at IDEX - partially due to the sun, so I hear - and eclipse Staging Services deployed full tech duties to cover story, Dubai Jazz Festival. I personally visited the crew behind Guns N’ Roses and Bryan Adams’ shows at the 117 Live Autism Rocks Arena and Action Impact took the lead for the grand opening of Dubai Parks and Resorts. Off stage, Flow introduces its new TwinPower generator to the tough climes of the desert, South African laser expert Pierre Sampson talks shop with Stew and ILEA’s Ashley Campbell discusses being the association’s only employee. Just as we were approaching our print deadline (a matter of hours beforehand), Delta AV Solutions announced its new distribution deal with Martin Audio in the Middle East market. It’ll be interesting to see how next season’s events will unfold with the British manufacturer present in the region...

www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpiawards.com

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 17 - TECH ANNOUNCEMENT

Delta AV Solutions takes on Martin Audio.

18 - TECH PROFILE

Dubai Jazz Festival TPMEA was on site at Media City Amphitheatre to look behind the scenes of the eclectic event.

24 - TECH PROFILE

A Double Win for 117 Live Guns N’ Roses and Bryan Adams descend on the Autism Rocks Arena.

30 - TECH PROFILE

Dubai Parks and Resorts Action Impact pulls together some of the region’s best and brightest for a production spectacular.

36 - TECH PROFILE

IDEX 2017 Protec conjures up the mother of all live shows at the biennial defence expo.

42 - R&D FOCUS Flow introduces TwinPower to the UAE.

MIDDLE EAST 06 - FIRST LOOK AFRICA

SNAP’s Ross Marshall tells his Middle Eastern tale.

08 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP

The latest news from the Middle East.

14 - ILEA COLUMN

Ashley Campbell discusses the importance of volunteers in the industry.

AFRICA 44 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP The latest news stories from Africa.

50 - INTERVIEW

Atomic One’s Pierre Sampson talks to TPMEA about his experience within the industry.

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 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk

GENERAL MANAGER - TPi MAGAZINE & AWARDS Hannah Eakins (on maternity leave until 17 July). 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 9357 Mobile: +44 (0)750 1597 837 e-mail: g.guthrie@mondiale.co.uk

EVENT MANAGER - TPi AWARDS Mo Naeem Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 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

MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh

EDITORIAL INTERN Luke Wainhouse

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY David Guetta at Nasimi Beach, photos courtesy of eclipse.

www.tpmeamagazine.com www.tpimagazine.com www.tpiawards.com

PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk

@tpimagazine

ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 e-mail: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

SNAP’S ROSS MARSHALL EMERGING FROM DECADES OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN LIVE EVENT PRODUCTION, SNAP’S PARTNERS DARREN HODGE & ROSS MARSHALL HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST ELITE EVENTS INCLUDING CONCERT TOURS, LIVE TV SHOWS, CORPORATE SEMINARS AND INTERNATIONAL AWARD CEREMONIES.

Dubai was a natural progression for both of us, with the many large-scale projects, product launches, ceremonies and annual sporting events being a great attraction. Essentially, live events in this region were a very exciting thing to be part of. The concept of SNAP came from our broad knowledge of all aspects of event production from technical delivery to creative programming and overall production management. This gives us the ability to support our clients on many different levels. Formed at the end of 2013, we have already maneuvered ourselves into a premium position in the region’s event industry supporting such productions as Sharjah’s City of Heritage 2014, Abu Dhabi Yasalam Closing Ceremonies, The ROTA Gala Dinner in Doha and the Dubai World Cup Opening Ceremony at Meydan Racecourse. Our passion is to maintain an international level of event production in this region, whether it’s through our production management services, technical equipment services or technical design and health and safety standards. Since our formation we have been steadily investing everything back into the company to grow our stock levels of lighting, video, rigging and audio equipment and our crewing levels, which now enable us to support all aspects of productions. Over the last 18 months we have now introduced special effects onto our line up of technical services, which has proven to be one of our leading departments. We have passionately invested in all areas of this discipline, including advanced, cutting edge equipment, technical crew and health and safety certification. We’re very proud to have already executed many large-scale special effects projects in the region including the Dubai Parks & Resorts launch for Action Impact, Autism Rocks festival for 117 Live and RedFest festival for Done Events, with some very exciting projects coming up towards the end of the season. Similar to most disciplines of technical production, special effects continues to push the boundaries in advancing technologies and is now a standard inclusion in most productions. We are very excited about the future of this department and will continue to invest and keep our fingers heavily on the pulse in the latest innovations coming to market. Now, given the international creative agencies and global technical production suppliers settling down here, the horizon looks very exciting. There seems to be continued confidence in the events industry here in the GCC. The industry itself is continuing to innovate creatively and technically within a backdrop of other local industries that continue to do the same. We are very driven to push ourselves forward and position SNAP at the forefront of this ever-advancing market. Ross Marshall Director SNAP www.snap.ae

FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

REGIONAL ROUND UP

RISING STAR ESTHER EDEN GETS HER VOCAL EDGE WITH SENNHEISER REINFORCING ITS POSITION AS THE BRAND OF CHOICE FOR TALENTED ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SENNHEISER HAS ANNOUNCED ITS NEWEST BRAND AMBASSADOR IN THE REGION - SINGERSONGWRITER ESTHER EDEN - WHO JOINS AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF LOCAL ARTISTS AND DJS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO ENSURE THEY GET THE BEST SUPPORT AVAILABLE.

Sennheiser is the brand of choice for a long list of global industry megastars and, in recent years, has been committed to increasing its outreach among local artists. Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sennheiser Middle East, said: “We have been replicating in the region what we do on a global level, with an emphasis on young, emerging talent. We want local artists to know that we’re highly active in the Middle East, that we’re here to listen to and support their requirements, and of course, that we have a host of world-class audio solutions for musicians of all genres, and even budgets.” Sennheiser hopes to support Eden with advice on the right microphone to use to get the best out of her vocal style, plus product and technical support at her gigs. Commenting on her experience with the

brand, Eden said: “Sennheiser has always been on top of their game, especially where wireless mics are concerned. They have been the choice of many of the top stars in music. But what struck me the most about Sennheiser is that they are willing to support new talent and that, to me, is important as I want to be connected with brands that are interested in uplifting the community.” Eden’s pop style is perfectly complimented by Sennheiser equipment such as the ew 135 G3 handheld microphone, which has been specifically designed to deliver excellent quality of audio capture, clarity, and vocal or instrumental fidelity. According to the artist, the system offers a “crisp” sound that “enhances her voice”. After being discovered by Jessie J, who invited her to sing at the RedFest DXB 2014, Eden has

enjoyed rapid and ongoing success. In 2015, she was signed on by Universal Music MENA and went on to once again perform at the RedFest DXB 2016 as an artist in her own right. Shortly after releasing her debut album Solitaire, she performed at Beats on the Beach in Dubai to an audience of over 50,000. With all the makings of a successful career ahead of her, Esther Eden excitedly commented about the support she has received from her label and from Sennheiser, saying: “I am just starting my journey and I have been blessed to have Universal Music MENA at the helm. To now have the support of another leading international brand not only encourages me but endorses my art and my talent.” www.sennheiser.com

REGIONAL ROUND UP

Lighting Operator Joselito Del R Tablanza, Dion Da Costa, Head of Lighting at IAC-Qatar, Steve Eastham, International Customer Support from Robe, and Angelito Miguel, Llighting Operator.

LARGE ROBE INVESTMENT IN QATAR QATAR-BASED RENTAL AND TECHNICAL PRODUCTION COMPANY, AL ISTEKLAL IAC-QATAR, HAS TAKEN DELIVERY OF 148 ROBE MOVING LIGHTS TO BOOST ITS CURRENT RENTAL STOCK.

Al Iateklal Iac-Qatar’s first investment in Robe started with the purchase of 24 LEDWash 600’s in 2012, which was followed by another 24 LED Wash 600’s, 24 Pointes and 24 LEDBeam 100’s. The newest fixtures - 48 Pointes, 36 LEDWash 600’s and 64 LEDBeam100’s - were supplied by Robe Middle East. “These three models of luminaire all complement each other very well on one hand and are also all extremely good in their own right for specific tasks,” said Al Isteklal Project and Sales Manager, Elie Salameh. He also explained that the company continued to choose Robe for several reasons, a major one being because the brand is now stipulated on most of the important technical specifications and riders coming its way. He added: “It’s definitely the best and most popular moving light brand right now.” On top of the “excellent features and

competitive price”, Salameh also praised the excellent support from Elie Battah and his team at Robe Middle East, which is headquartered in Dubai. “The service is amazing, very fast, totally professional and very knowledgeable - from the sales through to the technical and everyone you encounter in the company,” underlined Salameh. The company was founded in 2004 by Akram Hamada to supply premium lighting, sound and AV packages, together with staging, rigging, trussing and all associated infrastructure, to a wide range of clients in the Qatari market. The scope of its work encompasses concerts, festivals, live events and spectaculars, television and theatre productions, corporate events and product launches as well as multi-sector fixed installations. It now services over 100 events annually and has built a reputation for offering a ‘full

production’ solution that is delivered with imagination, flair and efficiency. The Qatari market is currently buoyant for Al Isteklal, which undertakes a lot of high profile government projects and has built up a solid base of regular and loyal clients as well as fixed installations in a selection of hotels, clubs and theatres. Recent projects include the Chi Al Shaqab Equestrian Championship, which the company has serviced with technical production since 2013, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Qatar Summer Festival, which it has delivered for the past three years. The company also supplied Qatar National Day in 2015 and 2016 and the Qatar Exxon Mobile Tennis Championship in 2016. www.robe.cz

REGIONAL ROUND UP

ECLIPSE AT MCGETTIGAN’S ST PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATIONS ECLIPSE SUPPORTED ‘THE ULTIMATE CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS IRISH’, AT THE MCGETTIGAN’S PADDY’S DAY PARTY, BY PROVIDING AUDIO SOLUTIONS TO THE FULL DAY OF LIVE MUSIC, AWARD WINNING FOOD, AND OF COURSE, THE SUNSHINE.

With a very limited time frame for planning and preperation, eclipse provided a compact, fullcoverage setup to the green grass of Dubai’s Media City Amphitheatre. eclipse’s kit included: six d&b audiotechnik J8’s and two J12’s per side, all Array Processed, 10

J-SUBs and four J-INFRAs for the sub-array, three V-SUBs, two Y8’s and two Y12’s for the ground stacked outfills, three V8’s for the frontfills, two V-SUBs and three V8’s per stage side fills. There were also eight M4’s and six M2’s for stage wedges, with six D80 Amp Touring Racks and 11

D80 Amp sleeves. Two Dolby Lake LM44’s, two d&b DS10’s, and two Cisco Managed Network Switches were used for signal processing and networking. “We made a last minute decision to bring eclipse on to do the audio for our Paddy’s Day event at Media City. Having already been confirmed to supply the power weeks before, the team only had several days to prepare the audio. Despite the time constraints, eclipse turned the job around and delivered the audio and power with no issues. With 8,000 people attending we were very happy with the result and all international acts commented on how professional the audio was. As a regular supplier of ours, we look forward to working with eclipse on our next event, DXBeach,” Commented Greg Dufton, Managing Partner of DGT Events. In addition to supplying the Paddy’s Day Party with an impressive audio system, eclipse also mixed five acts of the night, including the Stars of The Commitments, with eclipse’s own Tariq Al Hassan and Wissam Shaheen at the helm. Wissam Shaheen, eclipse Staging Services’ senior audio engineer, commented, “The coverage was excellent, and we utilised the usual superb quality of the J Series in its full glory.” www.eclipse.ae

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

HÅKAN SJÖÖ MOVES TO POWERSOFT AND TAKES ON TOP EMENA SALES ROLE WITH THE CREATION OF A NEW DIVISION DEDICATED TO THE GROUND-BREAKING DEVA MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM, POWERSOFT HAS REPLACED THE MAN BROUGHT INTO HEAD IT, KARL KAHLAU, WITH THE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED HÅKAN SJÖÖ.

Swedish-born Håkan Sjöö, a 20-year pro audio veteran, takes on the role of Regional Sales Account Manager, EMENA - including India, the Nordic countries and German speaking territories - with special focus on rack-mount amplification. Sjöö brings vast industry knowledge from the extensive time spent in different roles with Renkus Heinz, for whom he was latterly EMEA Regional Sales Manager. He said he is relishing the chance to move from a project-based organisation to a forward

thinking, family-run business, as the Italian manufacturer’s focus moves increasingly from touring more into installation. “The installation sector is my strength,” he said. “Powersoft is one of the industry’s most recognised, and inventive brands and the new direction they have taken with Ottocanali, Duecanali and now Quattrocanali underlines the amazing developments now taking place in that segment.” He also highlighted the strength of the

manufacturer, which runs from the factory floor, through R&D to all departments of the company, noting its ‘flat’ rather than hierarchical structure. “They have been extremely welcoming and Karl [Kahlau] has left me a fantastic map to work with.” Sjöö’s knowledge of the region - particularly India, where he moved in 2008, and the GCC countries - will stand Powersoft in good stead. “The growth in India in particular has been amazing and countries like Iran are also now up-and-coming, with trade embargoes lifted. As for Europe, Germany has also produced some amazing results, and these are markets I will be focusing on as a priority.” Luca Giorgi, Powersoft’s Sales and Business Director, commented: “Håkan is a passionate leader and his channel distribution knowledge will greatly contribute to Powersoft’s expansion in EMENA regions. We’re always looking for passionate talent and we are all very happy to have him join our world-class team.” Powersoft’s new recruit said he is hugely optimistic by the potential offered by the role. “Powersoft devices have always had a lot of muscle, it’s in their DNA, and this is now transferring to install. They are really challenging the market, as no-one in that segment is doing what Ottocanali does. It will run everything from a small theatre to a sports bar, is attractively priced and has green credentials, which is important in territories such as India.” He also pinpointed major projects coming up, such as Dubai Expo 2020 and 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. “But at the same time we also have to take care of the day-to-day [installation] business, and this we can now do with Quattrocanali.” In conclusion, he said his overall aim is to open up new business segments in install, based on his vast network of contacts. “I am grateful to Powersoft for the chance to come on this journey and to grow alongside them.” www.powersoft-audio.com

THE COMPLETE

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

A BRACE FOR MATRIX LASER THE WORLD GOVERNMENT SUMMIT AND THE PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE OPENING CEREMONY ALLOW MATRIX LASER TO REVEL IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

With the first quarter of this year out of the way, TPMEA caught up with Matrix Laser to discuss some of the latest jobs it had been involved in over the past few months. PSL - OPENING CEREMONY Season two of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) tournament took off with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Dubai International Stadium in February. Matrix Laser supported the star-studded event with 8 RGBB 20 Watt laser Systems and 2 20W 532nm Laser Show. The packed stadium was treated to perfomances by Pakistani singers, Shahzad Roy and Ali Zafar, as well as Jamaican singer Shaggy. For Shaggy’s performance the company installed 8 MagicFX

Flamaniacs, 6 Galaxis G-Flames, as well as 10 MFX CO2 Jets onstage. WORLD GOVERNMENT SUMMIT 2017 The prestigious World Government Summit took place in Dubai from 12-14 February 2017. For the Awards Ceremony, Matrix Laser in conjunction with 3 Monkeys LLC created an opening show combining laser ‘mapping’ and video projections to form a spectacular stage backdrop. A total of 6 RGBY laser systems were installed for the backdrop projections and 4 RGBY Laser Show Systems were installed around the screen to create an atmospheric laser beam show. www.matrix-laser.com

ILEA COLUMN

ASHLEY CAMPBELL: MANAGING THE INTERNATIONAL LIVE EVENTS ASSOCIATION, ILEA. “ASSOCIATION: A GROUP OF PEOPLE ORGANISED FOR A JOINT PURPOSE.”

Any member who has been with the International Live Events Association (ILEA) since the beginning, and so too those that are recent joinees, can agree on the exponential growth of the association. Each President, Board and chapter manager stands on the shoulders of their predecessors. We have legacy as an association, and bear the responsibility to continue the good work of those before us to continue to propel us, the association and the industry’s voice into the future. Together, we keep ILEA running like a well-oiled machine. I am the only employee of ILEA. All board members, committee and advisers are volunteers. I love our volunteers, but they are busy people with full-time demanding jobs that come first. And that is where I come in! The board has made a consistent effort to find out what members want out of the association. I spend much of my day in conversation with members in their offices, on the phone or at a local café following up on that effort. Members want to get involved with

the events community, network for business, and give back to the industry – normal for a trade association. However the consensus across the range of members is for increased support from the local government, to make Dubai a safe and ethical place to work in events, to remove barriers to doing business and to clarify confusion emanating from official sources. We have been shouting about ILEA for a long time and it has paid dividends: ILEA has received requests to meet with DTCM, DED, DAC, which has then led to meeting with representatives from Dubai Events and Convention Bureau, Dubai Business Events, DWTC and Expo2020; and on those coat tails we have interest and engagement from YMC, TCA and TwoFour54. Dubai Department for Economic Development recognised ILEA as a conduit for information to those in events community. Dubai Association Centre recognises ILEA as the only trade association for the events industry, giving us the ability to work in a community that until recently did not permit trade associations. These are the type of meetings that are opening doors for ILEA and its members. Another area in which the board work tirelessly is in obtaining for support from our members, urging them to showcase their work at events whilst also facilitating ILEA showcasing itself. We are so fortunate: there has never been a case of members denying their support and there has always been a sense that they want to give back. Whether you’re attending, supplying or hosting an ILEA event, you are broadcasting you and your brand to a community that is a part of a massive chunk of the UAE non-oil GDP. In an initiative to find out just how much the events industry contributes to the local economy, ILEA has partnered up with Dubai Economic Department to conduct a survey across region to find exactly how much…the results will be out later this year. Through this work I meet so many people from within and without the membership, and the more I learn about who our people are and their history, there is no question of my commitment to this industry. Having the opportunity of time with people who held onto Michael Jacksons feet during his Smooth Criminal

ILEA COLUMN

performance, or provided the lasers for HRH Prince Edward’s 21st birthday, or was a roadie for the Clash and Queen; just to name a few, I am constantly impressed at the wealth of knowledge and experience we have amongst us. I’m so proud of the work we do, but my proudest moments for the association over the two years where I have been involved would be:

1. ILEA’s name change: Moving forward to a name that is better suited to what we do and getting the ball rolling on what would then be implemented on a global scale

2. MOU signing with DED: Continuously relaying our objectives and agenda, creating an understanding of each other and forming concrete relationship

3. Becoming the 3rd biggest chapter out of 55: Riding the tail end of Northern California and Austin. Watch out ILEA World – we’re going for number 1!

With that, I feel inclined to mention my personal pride in

working for ILEA and meeting and working with some of the most amazing people and characters I’ve ever had the fortune to meet. There really are too many proud moments to mention all of them, and there are days that I may celebrate a milestone or personal accomplishment on my own over a nice cup of coffee because those I would like to celebrate with are so busy running their own businesses. So this is a great opportunity to give a heart-felt shout-out to ILEA’s volunteers, as without them, I believe that I and we wouldn’t be where we are today. I cherish all the moments I am able to have with these people. I’ve learned everything I know from the members and ILEA’s VP’s. Our industry will never stop evolving and all of us must follow suit, or preferably be those leading the charge! I for one am excited to be a part of this international community of innovative, creative, passionate and warm-hearted professionals to see what happens next. For details on ILEA membership please email: admin@ilea-me.com www.ilea-me.com

TECH ANNOUNCEMENT

Delta AV Solutions’ Gareth Armstrong (left) seals the deal with Martin Audio’s Bradley Watson

DELTA AV SOLUTIONS TAKE ON MARTIN AUDIO IN MIDDLE EAST MARTIN AUDIO HAS APPOINTED DUBAI-BASED AUDIO-VISUAL INTEGRATION COMPANY, DELTA AV SOLUTIONS, AS ITS NEW DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE GCC COUNTRIES. THE NEW ARRANGEMENT COMES INTO EFFECT FROM 1 APRIL.

Set up three years ago as a division of Delta Sound, which has bases in the UAE, Qatar and Hong Kong, Delta AV Solutions specialises in the sale and distribution of pro audio and control to the local rental and integration markets. Contracts Manager, Gareth Armstrong, a veteran of running special projects in the region, said that Martin Audio plugs an important gap in their portfolio of Tier 1 brands. “Nothing compares to products like the BlacklineX and CDD ranges; as Martin Audio is now being specified a lot on BOQs [Bill of Quantities] we are optimistic that these will slot in quickly.” Another factor that impressed him is the manufacturer’s support. “Their back office in particular is really strong; it can be difficult to know everything and Martin Audio is awesome

in providing information and replying instantly to requests. In Dubai, Clients want everything yesterday, and so this is vital.” Armstrong is also acutely aware of Martin Audio’s technology in being able to mitigate sound pollution problems. “I am presently dealing with just such a problem, similar to that of Hyde Park, where the proximity of other buildings around a site is making life tricky, and Martin Audio’s advanced software in dealing with containment issues will be a huge benefit. He confirmed that, working with integration partners, he has already begun specifying Martin Audio solutions. “We have several exciting projects in the pipeline and this will provide us with useful reference sites - as people really want to listen to the Martin Audio sound in a real world

situation. “We see this as a long term relationship, and aim to do our best for the brand,” he concluded. Bradley Watson, Martin Audio Sales Manager, EMEA, added: “Following a number of potential enquiries for the new partnership in UAE, working with Gareth and Delta AV was the obvious solution. “Gareth has been at the heart of the integration and pro audio market in Dubai now for over 15 years - and with exposure like this, his relationships and links to the specifiers and owners is second to none. I look forward to a strong working relationship with Gareth and Delta for many years to come.” www.martin-audio.com www.deltasound.uk

TECH PROFILE

DUBAI JAZZ FESTIVAL ECLIPSE STAGING SERVICES PROVIDED A POWER-PACKED SUPPLY OF AUDIO VISUAL SOLUTIONS TO HELP THE EMIRATES AIRLINE DUBAI JAZZ FESTIVAL CELEBRATE ITS 15TH BIRTHDAY.

TECH PROFILE

With a string of performances from music veterans Tom Jones, Mariah Carey and Enrique Iglesias taking place over three consecutive days, 2017 was undoubtedly a monumental year for Dubai Jazz Festival. As with past editions, the festival was held at the Media City Amphitheatre, a venue that the eclipse team were very familiar with, as the company’s Head of Audio, John Parkhouse, explained: “We have grown comfortable with making the minimum amount of noise for tuning purposes at Media City for minimal environmental impact outside of incoming tour’s sound checks and shows.” The audio system was a similar design to the recent Redfest DXB festival with some minor tweaks to accommodate the slightly different layout. “This system configuration is more than capable of delivering a wholly immersive sonic

experience for the whole venue when it’s firing on all cylinders,” commented Parkhouse. eclipse supplied all of the PA system, consoles, monitors, RF, IEMs, mic packages and line systems to the festival. The system was based around a d&b audiotechnik J-Series system comprised of a 16 box per side main hang, supported by 6 V-SUBs per side flown directly behind and 8 boxes of V-Series per side as outfill. The crew also set up a 16 J-SUB / 6 J-INFRA sub array across the front of stage, while four pairs Y-Series served as frontfill. The entire system was powered by a total of 24 D80 amplifiers in touring racks. Parkhouse added: “We also brought in a few specific consoles from our friends at Delta Sound, as well as using some of our own, and shipped in several items that are not available in this region from the UK. It’s very important

to us that we meet the riders in full, that way the visiting engineers can work exclusively on their own console and ensure that we’re never overburdened at FOH.” The FOH rider consisted of a DiGiCo SD7 for Mariah Carey’s engineer and the support acts, while an Avid Profile was specified by Tom Jones and Enrique Iglesias’ techs. A DiGiCo SD9 was also at FOH to matrix the consoles into the Lake LM44’s, as well as to be used for secondary jobs such as controlling MC and shout microphones. The eclipse audio team adopts a procedure of allocating their crew to very specific roles, which allows the incoming technicians to have targeted points of contact for the various elements within audio delivery such as RF, patch, stage, system, FOH and monitors, making the visiting production’s short time with eclipse as smooth as possible.

THE CANVAS TO YOUR IMAGINATION

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Above: eclipse’s Aaron Lewis, John Parkhouse and Tom Warneke.

Parkhouse continued: “We always spend as much time as necessary communicating with incoming engineers before the day to make sure we have everything ready to go for them.” He concluded: “Show days by their very nature are long for the audio crew, but while that is tiring, we always keep ahead of the game and ready for the next step in the process of doing everything we can to facilitate an amazing experience for both the tour and, of course, the audience.” Although all three performers had different video requirements, the screen configuration at Media City did not change. Tom Jones utilised both the upstage and side IMAG screens, with content being driven via Catalyst through various lenses at FOH and on stage for the live feed, while Mariah Carey went for a simpler set-up by only using the IMAG screens. The last day with Enrique Iglesias was when the video team could make full use of their equipment, using both the upstage and IMAG, while the artist’s team also requested a further eight camera set ups to capture his lively performance. This included two 72X lenses, two 22X lenses, two robo cams, and two ‘lipstick’ cams for the drums and percussion. Lee Worthington, eclipse’s Head of Video, recalled: “The biggest challenge

was the changeover between the acts, but the combination of great pre-production, pre-rigging on-site, and a great tech team, made a very challenging few days relatively easy.” eclipse supplied all the secondary power requirements for the festival, including the double-deck VIP grandstand, the main stage, all the food and beverage vendors and market areas. In addition, eclipse also supplied the secondary power for all the site lighting, which was a mammoth task as the team were limited to how many lighting towers could be used. The crew overcame this by using most of the trees in the Media City Amphitheatre to light up the festival. At this time of the year, the UAE usually goes through a period of bad weather, and from the team’s experiences during their recent projects, they were aware of what needed to be done to prep the equipment in case of a weather change. The power department took extra precautions when wrapping the distros and the connections while keeping as much of their equipment off the ground as possible. Thankfully, the festival saw no rain or wind. For his usual high-intensity, energetic performance, Enrique Iglesias used Stage FX

and Laser FX to bring the audience an extra degree of excitement to really leave them with a lasting impression. With the combination of Iglesias’ performance, Stage FX’s impactful Co2 bursts, and stunning lasers from Laser FX, the fans left “enthralled”, according to Stage FX’s General Manager, Arran Hopkins. He continued: “Supplying special effects to acts such as Enrique is great fun as they thrive on the atmosphere of the crowd, and giving the fans an unexpected thrill of Co2 jets, pyro and laser beams is just the nudge they need to take them to the next level.” To round off eclipse’s full technical package, over 150 lighting fixtures were supplied to the main stage between the flown lighting rig and floor design. In addition, Travis Shirley, Enrique Iglesias’ lighting designer, requested for extra kit to fit out the extended stage catwalk for the final day of the festival, increasing the overall fixture count to nearly 200. While the flown rig design remained the same, each performer required a different floor package, meaning every night the team needed to reconfigure the equipment to the specific design pre-determined by the various lighting designers. Photos: eclipse Staging Services www.eclipse.ae

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A DOUBLE WIN FOR 117 LIVE’S AUTISM ROCKS ARENA IT’S NO EASY FEAT TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE BIGGEST ROCK STARS ON THE PLANET, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT 117’S AUTISM ROCKS ARENA DID ON CONSECUTIVE WEEKENDS IN EARLY MARCH. U.S ROCKERS GUNS N’ ROSES AND CANADIAN FAVOURITE BRYAN ADAMS PLAYED THE OUTDOOR VENUE TO AUDIENCES OF 30,000 AND 10,000 RESPECTIVELY. TPMEA SPEAKS TO THE SUPPLIERS BEHIND THE LATEST TECH FEATS ON REWORKING THE SPACE JUST DAYS APART.

Once an act is booked, the task of bringing together the technical details falls to 117’s Head of Operations and Production, Malcolm Giles. The key to running two successful events days apart meant his chosen vendors would supply both gigs. Giles commented: “These two shows had a very similar set up throughout, with the lighting package - supplied by PRG Gearhousebeing the main difference. Guns N’ Roses had a huge rock ‘n’ roll style rig, whereras Bryan Adams had a simple, stripped back lighting package.” Alongside PRG, Giles opted to use Delta Sound and CT for video. “With those three companies doing your shows, it doesn’t get much better!” he said. “There’s a lot of competition out here, but I always stick with Delta for audio - you can’t go wrong with them.” Each supplier did their own rigging, with CT’s screen install assisted by TECS, which also installed the site’s zipline area. Gak Logistics and

Rock-It Cargo facilitated any freighting needs, Bryne provided power and temporary cabins / dressing rooms and Dutco installed fencing and barriers. An unexpected and interesting part of this set up would have been familiar to Glastonburygoers in the UK; when 117 was looking for a staging solution with a roof, it turned to Serious Stages. The company shipped its purpose-built festival stage - originally used as Glastonbury’s ‘Other’ stage - to Dubai in conjunction with Al Latih. The stage will now remain in Dubai for operation by the two staging teams. “I think, as outdoor concerts go, this has been a fairly straight run for all of our suppliers. Most of our shows here previously have been in the region of 8-10,000 capacities, so it was great to know that we could pull off a gig the size of Guns N’ Roses. We did have some traffic management issues following that concert, but by all accounts, the things we could control, we

controlled really well,” added Giles. “We managed to keep all of the visiting crew happy and their feedback was very positive about coming to play in Dubai. Bryan’s camp is very chilled at the best of times, so it was very relaxed with that show in particular, even during his advance. He might have played for 2.5 hours, but I’d say he carries a very low maintenance tour. The only real rider request he had was space for his own chef to set up, as he follows a strict vegan diet.” Giles’ right hand woman at Autism Rocks is Venue Manager Dawn James, an industry veteran who honed her impressive list of skills in the UK, having previously helped run both Wembley and London’s O2 Arenas. “The overall responsibly for making sure the venue is ready for operation falls with me, from security to traffic management, to dealing with local authorities and coordinating with the F&B vendors. There’s a lot to consider when your venue runs on generators - we run

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on water tanks and we’re in the desert, so it’s not quite like an indoor arena in the UK!” smiled James. “More than anything, doing two high profile, back-to-back shows is simply very tiring. We did experience issues with the traffic - but that doesn’t shy away from the fact that Guns N’ Roses was an amazing concert. Everything worked the way we wanted it to, but the one thing out of our control, was that we didn’t get the taxis we were promised which had a big knock on effect for our audience. That really was a huge issue for us, because we are a new venue and we know that we still have to gain peoples’ trust. It is only 25 minutes to the town, but we couldn’t get people there once we were aware that the pre-arranged taxis - which should have been on site from 10.30pm - didn’t materialise. “We knew we could be in the same situation with Bryan Adams even though the capacity was

much smaller, but we also couldn’t let there be any risk so we tried different traffic routes to the venue and thankfully people got to the here very quickly.” Event Manager Tom Wheeldon agreed: “Everything went smoothly with the transference of these two different tours into our venue. My main priorities are to look after the artists and their riders, which by all accounts had very different requests. Guns N’ Roses had a large tour party with a lot to consider and as Malcolm said, Bryan’s tour was very relaxed for a star of his calibre. A difference between working with artists in the UAE compared to in the UK is that because touring artists come here far less often, when they do play, they want to experience the environment they’re in which might mean arranging a beach front apartment for example. “On the whole, people are very understanding of the fact that we don’t have the kind of showers

backstage that they’re used to at permanent venues, yet we’ve had a lot of comments on how good our dressing rooms and cabins are. At the end of the day we know we can offer global touring artists a very comfortable time here.” FINELY TUNING THE SYSTEM Delta Sound’s Al Woods project managed the venue’s sound reinforcement for each gig as System Tech and Crew Chief. The company supplied an L-Acoustics rig comprising 24 boxes of K1 (12 per side), K2 for downfill and outfill with 16 KARA for frontfill, placed in pairs. A total of 40 SB28 subs were used in a cardioid configuration, with 6 flown subs placed behind the main K1 line array. Guns N’ Roses utilised VDOSC delay towers (8 per side), however no delays were used for Bryan Adams’ performance. The sound team also cut back on the amount of subs used (to 32) for the second show but still designed them

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in a cardioid fashion. Additionally, thrust falls finalised the Guns N’ Roses PA requirements with 4 ARCs used on stage. The system was driven off L-Acoustics LA8 amplifiers and controlled by Meyer Sound Galileo 616 loudspeaker management system. Woods stated: “It’s been a pretty cool thing to be a part of; the advance was very well done. We spent a lot of time tuning the system, to reduce any feedback interference with so much going on on-stage, but the system sounded great. Bryan Adams is very particular about

even crowd coverage, and his team pays a lot of attention to front fill in particular, ensuring everyone gets a full audio experience. Guns N’ Roses was slightly trickier as we couldn’t place the subs exactly where we wanted due to their screens, but I think we did a great job in working around that for the best sound possible.” Avid Profiles were chosen for both FOH and the monitor position. Guns N’ Roses had two monitor engineers, one for lead singer Axl Rose, and one for the band. A deployment of Sennheiser and Shure microphones and IEM

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packs were used by both acts. The Delta team was completed by Nadine Ali, Robbie Dock and Arif Khan. LIGHTING THE LEGENDS The production lighting from PRG Gearhouse was headed up by Theo Van As. He told TPMEA: “A large stadium configuration of almost 80 tonnes of equipment for was used for Guns N’ Roses stage vs a much more intimate, almost theatrical, performance from Bryan Adams. He lighting was the biggest difference for these two shows but

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the team delivered each event successfully. “It was a complex rig for Guns N’ Roses, but nothing we couldn’t manage with a brilliant team who made the job at hand a breeze, even with turning it all around for Bryan Adams.” The key fixtures from PRG’s plethora of equipment for Guns N’ Roses included 9 Martin By Harman MAC Viper Air FX, 133 GLP Impression X4’s, 18 GLP Impression X10’s, 4 TMB Solaris Flare Jrs, 4 Robe Beamwashes and 6 Martin by Harman LED Strobes. The show was controlled by an MA Lighting grandMA2 Lite. Guns N’ Roses production brought in Hex pods, which houses the GLP units, which were operated by the tour’s own automation system. For Bryan Adams, the lighting rig used 24 PRG Best Boy HP Spots, 13 Philips Vari-Lite 3000 Spots, 15 Philips Vari-Lite 3500 Washes and 6 GLP Iimpression X4’s. Again, grandMA2 was the console of choice, this time in its full size unit. Continued Van As: “Ron Schilling, LD for Guns N’ Roses was very complimentary about our professional and detailed delivery of such a complex lighting design, and awarded us the best crew he’d delat with since the tour’s kick off. “Similarly, Ewan McRobb, touring LD for Bryan Adams was also very happy with our faultless delivery and had a great time working with the PRG team, including his time spent on

the 117 site.” Van As also recounted some of his highlights from watching the shows: “Being up close with the living legends was a night to remember. Slash was brilliant throughout the Guns N’ Roses concert, and there’s also a lot to admire in Adams’ back-to-basics approach. His slicked back hair, the everlastingly buttoned-up suit jacket and big vintage guitar is a great look! He was backed by just a small quartet of bass, drums, keys and a second guitar so there was almost a cabaret feel to this suited, booted - and distinctly hit-filled revue.” A VIDEO MASTERCLASS CT’s Chris Philpott looked after the two prestigious shows’ video needs. The company deployed 18m x 8m of Infiled ER5 USC LED screen with 7m x 10m Infiled ER5 for IMAG. Delay screens were 6m x 4m of Infiled ER5, of which Guns N’ Roses gargantuan crowd required a third screen in the centre of the crowd. Both acts own product ion teams brought in camera packages and video switchers. Having only re-routed to Dubai in the last 8 months following a successful career in the UK, Philpott described the 117 Live Autism Rock Arena as having, “a great level of European health and safety standards on site, the level of profession

from their team is second to none. It’s been great working with Dawn and Giles since my arrival, and I’m pleased to say we do several shows for them per month. “From these shows in particular, I thought both looked great in different ways. The Guns N’ Roses show really was fantastic; the production was slick and the crowd were great. Bryan Adams was also a great job for us, because his team decided to keep us on for his Middle East tour, facilitated from our Dubai office. Following the show with 117, CT also supplied his shows in Beirut, Bahrain and Doha, which we were very proud to do.” THE ZIP LINE EXPERIENCE Shane Manning’s company, TECS, once again brought some adrenaline-fuelled fun to a music event. “The towers are left in for the concert season, only the netting is removed and reinstalled for each gig. We remove our entire infrastructure - lines, zip stops and so on, and reinstall and test it before each gig. It definitely gives people a different view of the whole area. 117 Live wanted to add other elements to the experience of their concert. Walking around the site generally, there’s a multitude of things to see and do... different bars, different types of amazing food, and one idea was to try and encourage the

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crowds to come into the grounds earlier and enjoy a fun day out on top of watching the music acts play.” The zip line doesn’t run directly over the main part of the crowd, nor does it operate during the live show, and the line has been designed over and above the industry standard of EN15567. Manning continued: “At least 2/3 of our staff on each zipline has IRATA or similar Rope Access qualifications. All of the kit we own is inspected and documented each day before and after operational times. Our ZipSTOPS - the emergency stop elements - are annually inspected and re-certified by our supplier in Germany. We also use Broadweigh Wireless Loadcells in every single zipline for accurate monitoring. “For the queueing of the public, the lineup has been set to one side to ensure it doesn’t affect footfall moving freely into the venue and more importantly the exit points should there be an evacuation. The standard we operate to exceed the requirements set out by DAC - the Dubai Accreditation Centre - which is quite in-depth, so this is reassuring for us, our clients and any riders.” Manning concluded: “It’s been great working with the whole 117 Live team on these shows. I really do feel they are doing great things in Dubai with their concert promotion and the diversity of the live experiences they’re offering punters. I’m excited to see what they have in store for the next season.” Before the season is out another Canadian singer, Justin Bieber, will descend on Dubai’s premier outdoor concert venue to put the 117 Live team through it paces. Watch this space! TPMEA Photos: 117 Live & TPMEA

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ACTION IMPACT DELIVERS ‘AMAZING’ FOR DUBAI PARKS AND RESORTS DUBAI PARKS AND RESORT’S (DPR) VENTURE IS AS UNIQUE AS IT IS SPECTACULAR: THREE SEPARATE THEME PARKS IN ONE EXPERIENCE. LEGOLAND, MOTIONGATE AND THE VERY FIRST BOLLYWOOD PARK OFFERING VISITORS A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS EXPERIENCE ENCOMPASSING A HOST OF WORLD RENOWNED CHARACTERS.

Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, DPR’s CEO, made it plain from the start that he wanted a world-class show to open the parks, and he stressed that it should be created and produced by a locally based company. “That’s where we came in,” said Mike Wain, Executive Director of Action Impact. “We were determined to repay the trust DPR placed in us by delivering a show that would create a lasting memory.” The Action Impact team got to work and proposed that the event should take place in Riverland; the themed dining and retail destination that links the theme parks. “We built a 1,500 seat auditorium - part of which had to float on

water - and built a customised bridge that linked it to an impressive stage on the riverbank opposite,” explained Simon Tapping, Action Impact’s Executive Creative Director. “We created a story that was both simple and ingenious, and gave DPR’s characters, Luna and Nova, the leading roles in it,” said Tapping. “Up to the show, they’d just been animations used in promotional videos. We brought them to life in a surprising way.” Instead of putting actors into costumes, the team decided to match the ambition of the parks by creating 6 metre tall animatronic puppets

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that appeared to magically fly across the entire performance arena, expressively controlled by a team of 10 specialist technicians and performers. “They were manipulated with such skill that they became a seamless part of the on-stage adventure,” said Tapping. Action impact approached Artem to design and build the event’s large animatronic puppets, which acted as narrators during the performance. “The overall look of the characters was already determined as the characters existed as animations,” Artem’s Simon Tayler commented. “The puppets needed to operate remotely as the intention was to fly them on a cable system.” Tayler and his team utilised the already available original 2D references to create the 3D entities. “We added ball and socket joints to the arms and adapted the eyes to accept a spherical eyeball,” Tayler noted. Using CNC machining and 3D printing, the team were able to create a range of shapes, which were then formed into lightweight GRP for the puppets. Fronds of silicon, polypropylene rod and silk were used to make the hair and tails. The puppets then fitted with a complex radio controlled mechanism to control all functions. “The puppets brought Luna and Nova to life on stage and provided a focal point to link between the various stages of the show.” Tayler commented. Finally, Tayler praised working with Wain, Tapping and the rest of the team at Action Impact. TECS Event Services was integrated

throughout the project to oversee the majority of the rigging with the exception of lighting, which PRG did themselves. This included from load calculations, installing the spreaders into the roof for the flying system, and rigging the automated trolley systems for the opening and closing the main proscenium doors. Managing Director of TECS, Shane Manning commented: “It’s one of those shows that I personally enjoy being a part of, and I know even though we pulled some long days and nights, our crew really enjoyed it too. Having the opportunity to really showcase the technology and capacity we have here on such a scale is great for us all, and to see the result of all of our hard work in show of this magnitude is very rewarding. Across the board there was fantastic event technology on this show, and it shows the depth of locally based suppliers and technicians. Kudos to Action Impact for giving us the chance to shine once again.” JAW-DROPPING MOMENTS His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s arrival at the event began with a specially arranged preview of Bollywood Park and a huge mesmerising 3D video mapping performance at Motiongate conveying stunning snapshots of the theme parks’ ambitious content. After His Highness took his seat in the main auditorium, the main show opened with a film showing the project rising from the sand through its construction phase to what is seen today,

followed by a performance of the specially commissioned theme song All The Wonders of The Universe by multi-Oscar-winning composer, Alan Menken, who was flown in from Hollywood with his daughter, Anna Rose, to perform the song live. “We wanted to take the show to another level - into the skies above the audience,” said Tapping, “So, we commissioned a large fleet of specially retrofitted drones, each fitted with an ultra-bright full-colour LED cluster, to perform an intricately choreographed display synchronised with Alan’s music.” UAV expert NEWSUBSTANCE was contacted to deliver this bespoke swarm formation drone show. The company’s Creative Director, Patrick O’Mahony, worked closely with Wain and Tapping in creating the show. He commented: “We first identified the key motifs and tableaux that they wanted to achieve and from there were able to determine the number of drones required to form the fleet. A mandatory aspect was His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s three-fingered salute, which was to be the finale of the sequence and required pinpoint precision. With this trajectory formalised we calculated a performance fleet of 40 drones and began the pre-visualisation of the overall show choreography. Once the trajectory was finalised and approved we overlay the lighting.” Pre-programmed LEDs with full RGB were synchronised with the drones’ trajectory, allowing the team to deliver a remarkable light show over the park. Mungo Denison,

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NEWSUBSTANCE’s Projects Director, concluded: “The fleet flew a perfect formation on the night, consistent with all of the rehearsals leading up to it. Operating at a ceiling height of 120m (400ft) above ground level and creating shapes and formations over 100m in width the fleet flew within an enormous performance envelope ensuring the delivery of a truly dramatic and visually impactful drone show that garnered a great response from the audience.” Wain added: “The ‘drone ballet’ was a major technology challenge and climaxed with a giant image of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s threefingered salute in the colours of the UAE flag. It was a jaw-dropping moment for all the guests and especially the VIP party.” His Highness then triggered the start of the high-energy 25-minute show, sending lasers, courtesy of SNAP, across the water and bringing the spectacular stage set to life. Luna and Nova then flew into view and, to the surprise of the audience, began to tell the story of a family setting out to hunt for a missing ‘Amazium’ crystal. Along the way, the family encountered over 170 performers including lookalike film stars from Bollywood, puppets from LEGOLAND, and a host of Dreamworks and Columbia Pictures characters, including Ghostbusters and Shrek and a show-stopping performance from the dancers of the in-park resident show, Step-up Dubai. “It was a spectacle of music, light and dance,” said Tapping, “And at the height of the action we triggered the illumination of specially designed LED pendants worn by each member of the audience. They lit up to reveal that all along - the audience had the missing Amazium!” Wain added: “It was a moment that was shared and enjoyed by everyone, especially the children.”

Invited to provide these pendants was PixMob. The 1,500 audience members were supplied the exclusively modified ‘Amazium’ wearable on arrival, containing Pixmob’s controllable infrared LEDs. 10 infrared emitters installed on the sides of the stage covered the complete audience area, to ensure complete immersion. Using a dedicated and exclusive DMX line, the team used an MA Lighting grandMA2 onPC command wing to send the control signal to the infrared emitters, which interfaced with the rest of the show via SMPTE time code. Rafael Linares, PixMob’s operator on site, commented: “We turned the whole audience into a glimmering crystal right before the grand finale, where the pendants would follow the music and the fireworks effects. “As soon as the show is over the pendants come alive again, blinking automatically in the colours of Dubai parks, so guest have a shiny memento to take home with them.” Luna and Nova were then able to officially introduce each of the three parks, and the grand finale of the show saw all 170 performers on stage, the second appearance of the drones, high above the auditorium, and a spectacular fireworks display filled the sky over all the parks. “It was a memorable extravaganza of colour, movement and music, that brought the scale and ambition of the whole DPR project to life in one, incredible moment,” said Wain. Delta Sound was chosen as the communications and audio supplier for the ceremony. Using a 5:1 theatre surround system, Delta Sound set out to provide an immersive 3D audio experience for the whole audience. Audio Crew Chief and System Designer, Al Woods, commented: “We don’t want to see any PA, the majority of the grand stand is floating and the best positions

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for the main system are 70m apart. After numerous technical and creative meetings, this system was born.” Schematics and 3D audio simulation models were invaluable to prove that the proposed positions of systems would be 100% effective before sign off. The areas that needed comms and audio feeds turned out to be vast distances apart and the only solution was to distribute both on the same fully redundant fibre loop system. Redundancy is a big part of Delta’s scope of work, according to Woods, so redundant cable routes never took the same path. In fact, all showspecific equipment had a redundant unit or dual power supply; one of each running of a UPS should power fail. Once on site and the network up, both audio and comms departments were operating the fibre nodes interfacing audio and data distribution to various parts of the site. “It was an extremely involved theatre show,” Woods noted. “This required a great deal of separate communications rings, show call, stage management, aerialists, pyro, lasers, lighting, sound. Not to mention boats, drone operators, off-site pyro and lighting effects.” Delta Sound used its ClearCom Matrix system, giving unlimited discrete multi-channel show communication for all involved. Where mobility was required, Delta provided over 30 wireless Freespeak units. Where fibre connectivity was not an option due to location

and distance, the system was interfaced with site wide RF repeaters to ensure that remote pyro fire sites could communicate and also receive timecode. The system had to provide a coherent image at the stage for spoken word and immerse the audience with 360-degree audio experience. It was important to try and image the speech from Luna and Nova and the special effects with the best possible accuracy. To do this Delta provided a second remote multi track Pro Tools system that was available for late night programming and system set up. Creative Technology (CT) was contacted to supply video cameras, crew and transparent LED screens for the event. Starting conversations with Action Impact in autumn 2016, CT worked alongside Action Impact’s Technical Director John Adkins and Production Director, Will Glendinning. Andy Reardon, CT’s Project Manager, commented: “They were looking for a certain transparency of screen that would work for the reveal and the upstage elements of the show. We started talking quite way back, looking at different types of resolutions, and we nailed it down to a product.” Reardon and his crew used the 20mm transparent LED for the upstage screen, opting for a 5.9mm product for side IMAG, which utilise brand new Infiled technology. CT also supplied a 5-camera PPU with Sony 1600 camera heads and a total of 20 crew. The company also provided plasma screen

TVs for the site as well as CCTV for stage management and security, so the stage could be seen at all times. As well as the lasers, SNAP also provided confetti cannons, while Ruggeri provided the pyro and fireworks, and PRG Gearhouse provided the lighting rig. All of the main staging elements came courtesy of Al Laith, which was complemented by set pieces designed and manufactured by IBS Décor. Show power came from Aggreko. EXPERIENCE AMAZING Action Impact’s ambition had matched that of DPR’s brief. The show was watched by millions of people live on TV while being streamed simultaneously online across multiple platforms. Wain concluded: “For those who couldn’t be there, we put together a film that captures ‘Experience Amazing’ which, after all, was made by the agency that always invites you to ‘Experience Difference!’” Photos: Courtesy of Action Impact www.actionimpact.com www.newsubstance.co.uk www.tecs-me.com www.allaith.com www.ibs-group.com www.ct-group.com/me www.prg.com/ae www.ruggieri.fr www.deltasound.uk www.snap.ae www.pixmob.com www.artem.com www.aggreko.com

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IDEX 2017 OPENING CEREMONY THE ABU DHABI NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE (ADNEC) AGAIN PLAYED HOST TO THE INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE; A FIVE-DAY EVENT SHOWCASING DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT TO MILITARY OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE. FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE TIME, PROTEC DELIVERED THE MOTHER OF ALL PRODUCTIONS FOR IDEX’S FAMOUS OUTDOOR DEMONSTRATION.

As events go, there is probably no other theatrical production in the world that can boast the kind of special effects, choreography, assets and scenic staging as IDEX, all of which is thrown into a 250m x 60m performance stage built from the ground up. The show kicked off with a musical tribute to the nation’s Emirati heritage, as well as a performance by Russia’s Presidential marching band. An intense combat scenario followed in which full movie grade special effects (including high grade vehicle hits, land fireballs, debris explosions, rock falls, bullet hits, and water explosions) were engaged. It mimicked a battle scenario that involved fighter jet and attack helicopter fly-bys, military tank and fast-moving armoured vehicle pursuits in challenging surroundings and terrain, and a bespoke working train and submarine built entirely by Protec, as well as scores of soldiers in engaging ‘firefights’. It was a technology demonstration worth the dedicated staging set that Protec built up for the

show, which left audiences and special guests awestruck on all five days the show ran. The first day began as the formal opening ceremony, which was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; Crown Princes of all the Emirates; defence ministers and senior military officers from 57 nations, head of delegates and other senior officials. Guests awaiting the official opening were treated to displays from Emirati military and police bands as well as over 400 traditional dancers who also paraded the flags of the 57 nations participating at IDEX to welcome them as part of their choreographed heritage sequence. Following the arrival of the Royal Party and the playing of the UAE national anthem, the Presidential Regiment and Orchestra of Russia

performed an impressive rifle drill sequence as a prelude to the capability demonstration. This year’s live military demonstration comprised a breath taking, all-action display that highlighted the capabilities of many divisions across the UAE Armed Forces. The fictitious scenario designed, developed, directed and delivered by Protec for its client IDEX, involved a successful liberation by an elite military group in a ‘war torn mountain nation’ where a ‘militia’ group attacked a long-awaited humanitarian aid train and hijacked a ship loaded with chemicals. The threat was further enhanced with a hostile submarine detected out at sea that was headed towards the ‘chemical plant’ at the base of the mountains. IDEX, the main event organiser in conjunction with ADNEC and the UAE Armed Forces, used Protec to produce and build the entire temporary venue. Eddie Andradé, the show’s Creative Director, explained: “This show involves jets and helicopter fly-pasts that have

TECH PROFILE

“The venue we built looked as realistic as possible with high attention to detail in order to look good even without any action on stage.” Stephen Lakin, CEO, Protec

to be timed to the precise second to match up with the action sequences on the staging area performed by military tanks and armoured vehicles, infantry, weapons systems, and special effects.” He continued: “This also involves intense coordination between the show caller, stunt director and choreographer, special effects crew, stage managers, video, audio, cameras, the Navy, the Land Forces, the pilots, the airport and air bases, air traffic control, road traffic control, the police and civil defence.” The scenic design was conceptualised by Protec and the build of the venue and staging areas involved specialist road surfacing and scaffolding firms that the company subcontracted. The performers, consisting of local military personnel, had to be trained to act and were given specific direction for every move made. A precise planning method with all the relevant documents had to be undertaken to ensure an efficient build and show, which

included structural drawings, artist impressions, evacuation plans, contingency plans, build and rehearsal schedules, pre-filming, and military training. As well as the venue, which was built on top of the ADNEC Exhibition Centre’s 250m x 60m outdoor car park, Protec had another 100m on either side to be used as backstage areas for the performers and vehicles, including all the required plant, ablution units, pathways, holding areas, and production offices. Protec’s founder and CEO, Stephen Lakin, was in charge of building the entire scenic set, staging area terrain as well as the props, landscaping and paint finishing. “The exhibition centre’s utilities and drainage systems that were underneath the temporary venue had to be protected from the weight of the military vehicles - some of which were in excess of 60 tonnes. Therefore it had to be built up to 1m above the existing surface and graded up with sand, road

base and tarmac / asphalt,” he said. In total, over 6,500 tonnes of sand, roadbase and tarmac was used to build up the bespoke designed surface to suit the show and creative delivery. Protec also built a temporary 65m long x 30m wide x 1m deep ‘lake’ that held 2 million litres of water and created a space for the jet boats and submarine to get involved in the action. Protec’s staging department, led by its HOD Matthew Lakin, built temporary wooden structures with a high standard of artistic paint finishing to resemble aged village houses, electric pylons, a mountain military outpost and a rotating radar antenna. A 100m long railway track that was shipped from the UK was assembled on-site and complemented by a ‘railway station’ and a working train made from timber and metal frames and run using a Jeep. Protec then built a submarine that was powered with a custom designed motor pulley system. The submarine was built with steel frames and timber and had

TECH PROFILE

room for six crew in it, as well as a working hatch for the crew to emerge out of it on the lake during the show to join the battle. A complete asphalt road network with road markings and road signs was added, as well as artificial greenery, a rock face and road humps that acted as obstacles for the vehicles. The mountains themselves were built out of base scaffold structures with a carpet fascia that was painted to resemble rocky, moss and grass covered mountains finished off with artificial greenery and landscaping. The mountains also had to be strong enough to withstand powerful pyro explosions at various heights, soldiers’ abseiling, zip lining and a lot of personnel movement. Over 400 tonnes of ballast was used to secure the structures, which worked well with the high and dangerous wind speeds experienced during the buildup. Two 16m x 9m LED screens were built into the upstage mountain structures with access to work behind them. “The venue we built looked as realistic as possible with high attention to detail in order to look good even without any action on stage, just in case visitors stepped out to look while taking a break from actual exhibition,” added Lakin. Protec also provided the complete AV requirements for the show. The audio package included 40 L-Acoustics K2 in blocks of four, ground stacked with L-Acoustics SB28 subwoofers positioned between each set of two K2 stacks. Protec’s Head of Audio, Ed Ross, explained: “We ran a dual redundant fibre network using DiGiCo racks running digital outs and Optocore Sane units running analogue outputs to the LA8 amplifiers. This complemented our use of the DiGiCo SD10 mixing desk with SDRE redundant engine, which meant we could lose kit or connections anywhere in the network and not lose audio or control at all.” Ross continued: “For communications we used a Clearcom matrix

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TECH PROFILE

and a selection of control panels, HelixNet belt packs and Motorola digital radios that were integrated with Riedel RiFace units for seamless communication across platforms. The stage management team were mobile across the entire site, which included large metal structures and tanks in a high noise environment, so using digital radios with isolated headsets ensured that there were no signal dropouts and every cue was heard. The sound effects and music all came from Apple Mac laptops running QLab and Dante straight into the DiGiCo SD-rack.” When asked about the process of creating a show like this, Andradé said: “This is a unique show. It’s not as simple as delivering an action movie-styled show because it also has to be realistic in the sense that it’s a military show demonstration. It needed to involve military procedures and methods, especially considering the fact that some very senior military personnel visiting from across the globe watch this show. At the end of the day, this is not just about delivering what we want but delivering what the client requires and expects, albeit with strong

creative input from us. This calls for some serious research and coordination. “I do admit that, having done this show twice before in 2013 and 2015, the experience and knowledge gained also helped. From a creative standpoint, we had already done a desert theme and a port theme so this time had to be in a completely different setting. Once we had the setting, we had to develop the storyline. The way this part works is that we develop the creative storyline and then work out the details with the Armed Forces representatives to ensure that whatever is being created and developed is also practical and - most importantly - safe for them to perform live. This relates to all aspects; personnel movement, vehicle movement, aircrafts, and so on. We have to remember that this show is performed entirely by the UAE military personnel with no professional actors, stuntmen or drivers.” Right from the start, senior military representatives, ADNEC senior executives and IDEX senior officers and staff formed the Steering Committee for IDEX along with Protec,

which ensured the whole process ran smoothly by working together as a team. This included brainstorming sessions, regular inspections and coordination with all the relevant authorities. The show was watched by millions of television viewers via live TV broadcast and social media, as well as thousands of guests that watched from the grandstand, which was packed to 5,000 capacity on each of the five show days. The venue took Protec 55 days to build, ensuring all the elements that were used to build it up were properly set up and would take the wear and tear for the duration of the five shows, as well as the three weeks of training and rehearsals. After the show, Protec de-rigged the entire temporary venue and cleared the site completely in 13 days, and eventually handed back the site in exactly the same condition as it was received - an important client requirement. The complete production for the IDEX 2017 Opening Ceremony was, according to the client and event organisers IDEX, GHQ and ADNEC, the best they had seen and experienced in the exhibition’s history.

TECH PROFILE

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC, had this to add: “For ADNEC and Abu Dhabi this was the most successful year ever in IDEX’s history. This year’s show has broken all records, including reaching more visitors than previous years. Working with Protec was a pleasure not only for myself, but for all my team, who mentioned that it was a delight to work with such a professional and well-structured organisation. I am sure the stress behind the scenes was well worth it in the end. Each day I watched the performance I noticed even more intricate details to the show. The opening ceremony ran as smoothly as I’d hoped and my expectations were not only met, they were exceeded.” When asked about what could be in store for 2019 for the next show, Lakin smiled: “That would be telling! We already have a few ideas but you will have to wait until the show is delivered to find out what comes next. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves - we need to win it again first!” Photos: Courtesy of Protec www.idexuae.ae www.productiontec.com

R&D FOCUS

FLOW INTRODUCES TWINPOWER TO THE UAE TPMEA’S STE DURHAM SPOKE WITH JONATHAN CALVERT TO DISCUSS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO FLOW’S POWER INVENTORY AND THE IMPACT IT COULD HAVE ON THE WIDER MARKET. rest. We initially used an Australian supplier but the distance was starting to create a few practical difficulties. We had heard a lot of good things about Atlas’ products and decided to enter into a financing deal with them. This allowed us to buy equipment of them straight away, but the relationship has progressed since then to the point where it is more of a partnership now. They’re interested in how the generators are performing in this market so we’re in constant contact with their product developers (in Europe) to feed information back and help make improvements.

What exactly is the difference between the TwinPower generators and those that are currently on offer in the UAE? TwinPower or twin pack generators, which are effectively two generators in one, are common in the European and US events scenes, and are usually found at concerts, festivals and TV productions. They are offered by most leading rental companies in these regions but not in the Middle East until now. To give you an idea, a standard 500 KVA generator would normally be in a 20ft ISO container, as that is the room required for the engine, air circulation, and service access. Twin packs in Europe usually go up to 350 KVA, but they haven’t been seen in higher climates simply due to the engineering required to fit the engines into half the space and still keep them cool, allowing them to perform without overheating. Somehow, Atlas Copco have managed to engineer this product to fit two 500 KVA generators into a 20ft ISO container, which was built and tested in Brazil’s tropical climate making it the perfect unit for the Middle East’s temperature conditions. How did the affiliation with Atlas Copco come about and how closely has the company kept in touch since then? Basically the relationship with Atlas Copco started when we did a lot of research on the type of product we wanted and they stood out from the

What are some of the advantages the TwinPower has over using two separate generators in synchronisation? The main advantage comes from the fact that you are essentially halving the footprint required for the placement of equipment back stage, not to mention the fact that you also reduce the transport space necessary to get it there. The engines are also extremely economical and, in the correct circumstances, can drastically reduce fuel consumption. Is the Middle East, and particularly the UAE, leaning more towards a greener way of looking at issues such as event power? The power sector of our industry is highly competitive, so we needed a new product that looked the part in terms of performance. If we can look after the environment at the same time, then so much the better. One of Atlas Copco’s (and Flow’s) key philosophies is to be as efficient and green as possible and we’ve really bought into that. To be honest the market here is a little

behind the times in that respect, but we feel that it’s important to be more of a leader than a follower. There’s a big push here for sustainability and efficiency over the coming years but our industry hasn’t really started taking notice yet. It’s important to harmonise with this mentality, despite the fact that we’re in the business of providing power. In short we have to do the best we can with the equipment we have, and investing in TwinPower is a great way to get a head start on head. How do you expect the industry to respond to the arrival of this unit? Has it proved a success in any applications so far? I do feel people from within the events industry will find it an interesting product, as it’s something they may have seen in other places but not here in the Middle East. Ultimately it saves them space, money and helps the environment, while still giving them the solution they require with regards to a synchronised, backed-up power package for their concerts, events and broadcasts. We’ve already used it to back up the power at World Government Summit 2017, which was an incredibly high profile event for its first job, and it performed brilliantly. We’ve also used it for a A.R Rahman live in concert in Sharjah and it’s slated to be used at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship event next. In the short time we have had the product, wherever we have used it, people have always been very interested to take a look and understand how it operates. www.flowme.co

REGIONAL ROUND UP

JACO BEUKES JOINS DWR THANKS TO FANTASTIC GROWTH WITH DIGICO SALES IN SOUTH AFRICA, DWR DISTRIBUTION HAS WELCOMED JACO BEUKES TO THE FAMILY. Below: Jaco Beukes and Kyle Robson.

“We had no idea that DiGiCo would grow as fast it has,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “It has been less than a year that we acquired the agency and the only way we can continue to support this great product is to invest in great people.” Jaco Beukes will be assisting Kyle Robson, who handles DiGiCo sales. “I want to take this opportunity to say well done to Kyle and the DWR team so far. It’s an honour that this brand has grown the way it has, and it’s going to be great to have Jaco here,” added Riley. Hosting DiGiCo roadshows, revealing new products, training and supporting festivals, Robson has been the face behind DiGiCo in South Africa. “With the growth of a product comes a lot more meetings with clients and it’s important to continue offering the same support,” said Robson. “I have known Jaco for many years and I have had opportunity to work with him. I am really looking forward to his appointment.” Beukes is a respected audio engineer in South Africa. His very first console was the Yamaha 01V, but the bug bit when he was introduced to a DiGiCo SD8. “My dad was involved with an install in Mauritius in 2000, supplying the sound in a church,” Beukes

recalled. “The install took longer than anticipated, and in the interim, the SD8 stayed at our house. During this time, I got very familiar with the console.” Beukes has since worked with DiGiCo products for eight years. With a passion to work on shows, Beukes joined rental company Sound Stylists, which is home to the DiGiCo brand. In the past he has worked on project including Afrikaans is Groot, where he was the RF and Assistant Tech, while

at Oppikoppi, he recalled being one of the crew members to use a DiGiCo console on one of the smallest stages at the festival. “I had an SD9 on FOH and had more inputs (two stage racks) than the main stage!” Beukes sees this new chapter of his life as an opportunity to grow, learn a new skill and see a different side of the industry. “I’m excited about the challenges to come,” he said. www.dwrdistribution.co.za

REGIONAL ROUND UP

Collective Works’ Chris Bolton, Josh Cutts and Bradley Hilton.

COLLECTIVE WORKS IS LAUNCHED THE BRAND NEW CREATIVE VISUAL DESIGN PRACTICE HAS BEEN CREATED BY THREE HIGHLY TALENTED AND RESPECTED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS; CHRISTOPHER BOLTON, JOSHUA CUTTS AND BRADLEY HILTON.

Bringing all the energy and vibrancy of the region to an international marketplace, the trio specialise in the disciplines of lighting, video and set / scenic design, as well as digital content production. They have known one another and worked together in different capacities for some time, designing and delivering a variety of high profile music shows, live events, and theatre & TV productions. Sharing this vast experience, and possessing the same passion, imagination, and tendency for lateral thinking in creating memorable experiences, Collective Works is a new and exciting venture. It offers clients an enthusiastic and innovative approach to live shows and event design - whatever the genre, scenario, size and budget of the project. From the raw material of fresh ideas to the complex modelling of 3D and virtual simulations,

the equipment specification and co-ordination, client liaison, lighting and video programming delivery, and execution on-site, Collective Works promises to provide a complete creative service for those wanting great looking shows. “There is a great chemistry and fluidity of ideas and thoughts between all of us,” said Bolton, explaining that while Collective Works is a really natural synergy between the three of them, their totally different personalities ensure that the team remains dynamic. With three strong creative minds, projects requiring full technical design - lighting, video and set, including automation - are the key target. The approach of Collective Works involves using a variety of technologies wisely and appropriately to help communicate with audiences - bringing narratives, performances, presentations, installations, public art and any

other form of expression alive with projections, set architecture, pixel mapping and lighting. Immediate work confirmed in the months ahead includes Afrikaans is Groot and Starlight Classics, both in Cape Town, and the 2017 series of The Voice. One of his first breaks was managing a multi-projector blend mapped over a 3D set for Johannesburg based company Keystone Productions, after which his profile as a trusted FOH video engineer and director grew. As Pixel Native, formed three years ago with Chris Bolton after they worked on a job together, Bradley has had the chance to work on some ambitious projects in SA and internationally. Bradley had immediately liked the vibe of Chris and Keystone Productions, so they started the company to develop and integrate more complex video projects into their work. www.collectiveworks.co.za

REGIONAL ROUND UP

AVOLITES PROVIDES THE PERFECT GOSPEL ‘EXPERIENCE’ IN NIGERIA TWO OF AVOLITES’ MOST POPULAR LIGHTING CONSOLES, SAPPHIRE TOUCH AND TIGER TOUCH II, WERE SELECTED TO DELIVER THE MULTI-LAYERED, DIVERSE LIGHTING FOR 15 OF THE BEST GOSPEL MUSIC MINISTERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD DURING NIGERIA’S MAMMOTH PRAISE EVENT ‘THE EXPERIENCE 11: REVEALING JESUS’.

Reported to be ‘Africa’s largest concert’ with over 500,000 revellers, The Experience has been running since 2006 and is produced by the vibrant, multi-ethnic church House on the Rock. Stephen Davies of UK-based Subfrantic Production Services, longstanding technical supplier of the church’s London branch, has been involved with the gospel extravaganza for the past four years. Each year he selects Avolites to handle the increasingly large lighting concept. “Choosing Avolites to deliver The Experience’s lighting is always an easy decision to make,” said Davies. “We have a long history with the brand and for every LD we work with it’s their primary choice of desk.” One such lighting designer is Graham Roberts, who programmed the extensive looks for the event. “Having a Sapphire Touch at FOH is always my first choice,” he said. “The dual touch screen allows quicker access to more pallets and media server controls. The addition of the motorised faders allowed more playbacks to be utilised

over pages, which meant I could make quick and unscripted changes even more easily.” Roberts’ design featured more than 200 lighting fixtures, over half of which were powerful Claypaky moving heads. Using the advanced software features of the Avolites Sapphire Touch, he created a series of bold, bright and colourful looks that worked alongside the music to immerse the crowd in praise and celebration. “The new features in Key Frame Shapes make programming shapes across multiple types of fixtures a lot easier,” said Roberts. “One addition that is great is the ability to add haloes, which makes it easy to keep your programming looking neat and tidy. With each update the Titan software gets more and more feature rich, allowing me to create more intricate lighting designs, all whilst retaining the easy to use interface.” As well as being impressed with the Titan software, Davies and Roberts commend the consoles’ ability to function in Nigera’s sweltering climate: “An issue with Lagos is the excessive

heat and 90% humidity, however we noticed that the upgraded touchscreens on the Sapphire Touch kept up with the changes in temperature and bright sunlight,” said Davies. “The Experience is a truly unique event that Subfrantic is very proud to be a part of. It’s taken a lot of time and effort from a lot of people including ourselves, House on the Rock, and the local equipment suppliers to get to the point that it works as smoothly as it does, and having reliable equipment is an enormous part of that. Avolites consoles offer peace of mind in what is otherwise an incredibly stressful and hectic build and event. We wouldn’t consider using anything else.” The Experience took place in Lagos’ Tafawa Balewa Square in December 2016 and saw performances from Don Moen, Frank Edwards, CeCe Winans, Donnie Mcclurkin, Tim Godfrey, Smokie Norful, Travis Greene, Chioma Jesus, Midnight Crew, Eno Michael, Micha Stampley, Segun Obe, Samsong, Tope Alabi, and Tim Godfrey, amongst others. www.avolites.com

WHERE INNOVATION & CREATIVITY

FUSE

17 - 18 MAY 2017, FESTIVAL ARENA DUBAI

THE NEWLY REBRANDED MIDDLE EAST EVENT & EXHIBITION SHOW The previously known Middle East EVENT Show, has this year been completely revamped to the Middle East Event & Exhibition Show (MEES), held from 17 to 18 May 2017 at the Festival Arena in Dubai Festival City.

SO, WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THE NEWLY BRANDED SHOW AND HOW HAS IT BEEN IMPROVED? INCREASED GLOBAL PRESENCE

EASIER NETWORKING

International buying delegations, innovative content, increased exhibitor sectors and a dedicated audience attraction campaign will aim to bring the most innovative event and exhibition companies together from both, the Middle East and internationally.

A central networking lounge will be located at the heart of the show giving attendees a state-of-the-art area to catch up with other industry professionals and facilitate new relationships.

EXHIBITOR OFFERINGS

VISITOR PROFILE

Double the number of exhibitors, a full events and exhibitions value chain will be represented at the event, allowing visitors the chance to explore the industry from A to Z.

Key industry professionals like Event/Exhibition Organisers, Event Management Agencies, Event Promoters, Marketing and Procurement Professionals, Wedding Planners and Project Managers are expected to attend the show.

Aligned to the evolution of the show will be the MEES Awards, bringing 13 new categories and covering a range of exhibition and event solutions, including Best Event Marketing Campaign, Best Music Event, Best Consumer Exhibition, Best Video Content Production and Industry Icon Award, and many more. Check out the judges: www.me-eventawards.com/en/JUDGES.html

CALL US: +971 (0)4 407 2551 WWW.ME-EVENTSHOW.COM | WWW.ME-EVENTAWARDS.COM

REGIONAL ROUND UP

DLIVE DEBUTS AT GOSPEL EVENT FOR KENYAN PA COMPANY Kenyan PA company, Sound Creations, introduced its new Allen & Heath dLive S Class system at the third annual Gospel Extravaganza in Nairobi. Comprising the flagship S7000 surface and DM64 MixRack, the system was installed at FOH, managing a wealth of national and international gospel artists. Attended by around 2000 people, Sound Creations and organisers, Trublaq Entertainment, hosted performances from artists, including Gloria Muliro, Dr. Ron Kenoly, Esther Wahome, Size 8, Willy Paul, Solomon Mkubwa, Mercy Masika, and Pitson. Lead Sound Engineer, Edwin Martin, was overwhelmed by the functionality of the system, exclaiming: “This is the best desk I have worked with.” www.allen-heath.com

NEW MOTORS FOR EVENTECH

Eventech’s Wynand Veldsman and Tanya Duvenage with their twelve new Prolyft Aetos motors.

Eventech, a Centurion-based rental company, has purchased 12 new Prolyft Aetos motors which will be used for its ground support and flying PA, with the ability to be rented out. “We chose Prolyft for various reasons: their reliability and safety, as well as it being the time to upgrade our current motors,” said Wynand Veldsman of the company. “Prolyft is often specified, and when used on events, the motors are quiet, aesthetically pleasing and look neat in a rig.” The motors were purchased from DWR Distribution. “We are pleased to see the growth of Eventech and all the exciting projects they have in the pipeline,” said Robert Izzett from DWR. “When a good crew is complemented with good equipment, you can’t go wrong.” http://eventech.co.za

INSIDE LOOK

PIERRE SAMPSON FOUNDER OF SOUTH AFRICAN LASER SPECIALIST ATOMIC ONE, PIERRE SAMPSON, TALKS TO TPMEA ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRYâ&#x20AC;¦

INSIDE LOOK

Like many of those who have made a life for themselves in the live events industry, Pierre Sampson was bitten by the bug at a very young age. However, when he started working on shows in his early teenage years there was one aspect that always fascinated him; lasers. Now the owner of successful laser operation, Atomic One, along with being a long-time collaborator with Cape Town’s SoundEvents, it’s safe to say that the young Sampson would be over the moon. TPMEA managed to grab Sampson for a quick chat after a long weekend of working eight functions. Who said that chasing your dreams was easy... “Since I knew I wanted to work with lasers, it turned into an obsession that I doggedly pursued for several years. I got my start in the world of sound and lighting over 30 years ago but every show I worked on as a stage hand I always found the head of the laser department and asked them a million questions. Over the years I built up my knowledge and experience and after several years I bought my first laser fixture. It wasn’t brand new but I managed to get it working. I suppose that was my first step on the ladder,” said Sampson. For the last 10 years Sampson has been working with lasers full time splitting his work

between SoundEvents and his own Atomic One. “In the region the jobs both companies cater for vary greatly. One day you can be providing lasers for a private function or a wedding, then the next you’ll be on a festival site. The diversity really keeps you on your toes.” He continued to discuss some of his proudest events he’d worked on: “There are too many to mention but off the top of my head I think I have to give the top spot to the opening ceremony of the 2016 Ice Hockey World Cup, that was certainly a special evening.” As anyone with experience in lasers in either America or Europe will know, health and safety regulations have become incredibly stringent over the past decade. TPMEA asked Sampson if he had seen a similar trend in the South African market: “In our region the stringent measures you see in other places are not enforced. However, in the case of SoundEvents and Atomic One, we really want to set an example for the rest of the industry in terms of our attitudes to health and safety. We have found that our clients really appreciate this. We also try to educate our clients about some of the potential dangers when dealing with these type of products.” Sampson also discussed how he kept up to date with all the developments in other areas of the world. “Everyday I keep up to date on a

chatroom that has various people within the industry from across the globe. I constantly make notes so I am one step ahead of the competition over here.” With over a decade in the industry, Sampson laid out what was next on his schedule. “First thing on my list is getting some new toys! The industry has grown much quicker than most in terms of new tech and you always want to be ahead of the competition.” One such as investment has been in Pure Diode lasers as the demand for DPSS fixtures has fallen over the years. He continued: “There are not a huge about of people in the South African region who cater for this side of the industry so we always want to make sure we are one step ahead.” But with the loftiest of ambitions comes a rather intimidating price tag, especially on some of the latest laser fixtures the market has to offer. “This means the more immediate plan is work on as many shows as possible,” explained Sampson. “There are a lot of jobs in the pipeline. From movie and advert shoots to trance parties and festivals. On average we work between three to four lasers show in the week but we could always do more.” TPMEA

Celebrating 10 Years of delivering quality service in the Middle East

Our Dubai office was established in 2007 as a result of our global clients requesting that we offer and execute the same trust-based relationship that we deliver in other international markets. We provide a professional support service from comprehensive planning to on-site execution with a know-how gained from over 35 years of experience and deploy tested and certified technical equipment to guarantee the smooth running of your event. Together we can turn your ideas into reality. Audio • Lighting • Video • Conferencing • Rigging • Event-IT • Content Production

Winner: • Supplier of the Year 2015 Shortlisted: • Employer of the Year 2015/2016 • Supplier of the Year 2016 • Best Use of Event Technology 2016

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Telephone: +971 4 88 53 55 8 neumannmuellereventtech www.neumannmueller.ae

24.01.17 10:12