TPMEA #020 - Sep/Oct 2019

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER • ISSUE 020

JEDDAH WORLD FEST INSIDE THE LARGEST MUSIC FESTIVAL EVER HELD IN SAUDI ARABIA

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WESTLIFE • TONY ROBBINS & ALICIA KEYS • RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS • 20 YEARS OF PROTEC • MISS SOUTH AFRICA

TPMEA

WELCOME...

TO TPMEA

A warm welcome...

This is my first issue working on TPMEA, and if my first couple of months are anything to go by, the years to come are going to be an absolute blast. While I’m familiar with the Middle East, having spent five years living and working in Dubai, as a newbie to the industry, I’ve been struck by the warm welcome and hospitality I’ve received from everyone I have met so far.

During our trip to Dubai last month, Justin and I had the pleasure of attending many a coffee-fuelled meeting – the overwhelming majority of which brought up the same subject as a main topic of conversation: Saudi Arabia.

With a huge influx of cultural events backed by massive investment, the Kingdom is becoming an increasingly important source of revenue for many in the region. A prime example of the kind of progress being made in Saudi Arabia was Jeddah World Fest, which saw the likes of 50 Cent, Janet Jackson and Steve Aoki perform on the largest festival stage ever built in the Middle East, cheered on by a raucous 40,000-capacity crowd. Turn to page 20 to read our write-up.

With events like that, it’s no surprise that more companies than ever are setting up in the Kingdom; with this in mind, we spoke to ILEA Middle East’s Legal Board Advisor and Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, Mark Hill, to get his legal dos and don’ts for operating in Saudi (p51).

Back in the UAE, I had the pleasure of dropping into Protec’s Dubai office and chatting with owner and CEO Stephen Lakin, who looked back on 20 successful years of operation for the company (p48). I also spent plenty of time in the Coca-Cola Arena, taking in shows from Westlife (p30) as well as a 10-hour marathon starring Tony Robbins and Alicia Keys (p40).

Until next time…

Peter Iantorno Assistant Editor

www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpmeaawards.com

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KEEP YOUR AUDIENCE FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS

info@pitchblack.ae

+971 525 249 242

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS MIDDLE EAST 06 - FIRST LOOK: SVEN SCHUSTER

N&M Dubai’s new Senior Project Manager extols the virtues of good-quality professional AV.

08 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP

The latest news from the Middle East.

20 - JEDDAH WORLD FEST

46 - RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

The legendary LA rockers make their UAE debut at Abu Dhabi’s brand new indoor arena.

48 - 20 YEARS OF PROTEC TPMEA pays a visit to the company’s Dubai HQ.

51 - SETTING UP IN SAUDI ARABIA

ILEA Middle East’s Legal Board Advisor, Mark Hill, explains the basics of operating in the Kingdom.

TPMEA speaks to the people behind the largest music festival ever held in Saudi Arabia.

AFRICA

30 - WESTLIFE: THE TWENTY TOUR

54 - INDUSTRY TRAINING

40 - ACHIEVE THE UNIMAGINABLE

56 - MISS SOUTH AFRICA

EDITOR Stew Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk

ASSISTANT EDITOR Peter Iantorno Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7763 233637 e-mail: p.iantorno@mondiale.co.uk

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

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk

SALES EXECUTIVE Harley Daniels Tel: +44 (0)161 476 9119 Mobile: +44 (0)7854 087731 e-mail: h.daniels@mondiale.co.uk

SALES EXECUTIVE Lyndsey Hopwood Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7800 0557094 e-mail: l.hopwood@mondiale.co.uk

DIGITAL EDITORIAL ASSISTANT James Robertson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7725 475819 e-mail: j.robertson@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

TPMEA INTERN Lily Harrison

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Sonam Diki: s.diki@mondiale.co.uk

The Irish band arrives at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.

SLS Productions’ Aiden Kobus lifts the lid on Tony Robbins’ and Alicia Keys’ marathon Dubai show.

ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh

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

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Educational events from Stage Audio Works.

Lighting Designer Joshua Cutts on creating a look befitting of a beauty pageant.

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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Jeddah World Fest by ROQU Media International PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk @tpmea_magazine facebook.com/TPMEA_Magazine @tpmea linkedin.com/company/tpmea

See back cover for more productiontec.com

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

SVEN SCHUSTER, N&M DUBAI SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER NEUMANN&MÜLLER’S NEW SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER EXPLAINS WHY EVERY EVENT, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR LARGE, SHOULD INVEST IN GOOD-QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL AV.

From small internal meetings to large-scale conferences with thousands in attendance, the importance of professional AV should not be underestimated.

AV companies like ours invest time, money and effort to raise the standard of our products and services through training and even collaborating with the manufacturers of the products we use on our events.

As AV professionals, we provide substantial value and help in overcoming the challenges presented by the event by identifying and reducing potential hiccups from the beginning. If the appropriate highquality equipment is used by suitable technicians, then the audience can grasp the message of the event and connect properly.

The first step for any event is creative design and concept consulting. Planners should make use of our technical expertise from the get-go. At N&M, we collaborate closely with event planners from the conceptual design to the development to help them turn their concept into reality.

Next, we move into technical planning and implementation. Event technology is highly technical, and we are here so the agencies don’t have to worry about anything in that area.

We help them plan, build and implement the concept. We use various tools such as 3D CAD drawings, 2D and 3D renderings as well as photo-realistic renderings and VR presentations to pre-visualise the event to give a realistic impression at an initial stage.

In terms of the equipment used, high-quality, tested and certified kit is an absolute must.

Specifying certain equipment for a job is not enough. Although it can be an added value, the latest is not always the greatest. Equipment has to be not only of high quality, but also well maintained and even tested to be able to deliver a seamless customer experience.

Equally as important as having the right equipment is having the right people in place to work on project management, operations and troubleshooting. This business is all about people who have the capabilities – qualified experts to make it work successfully. We project manage every aspect of the technical side of the event. And if hiccups arise, our professional event specialists know exactly how to troubleshoot and find alternative ways, so the show goes on. Their technical know-how differentiates them from the amateurs.

Ultimately, that point of contracting professional AV is the make the most of the client’s investment. As AV professionals, we know it’s our job to make the client’s life easy and achieve the goal of the event.

Photo: Neumann&Müller www.neumannmueller.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

PROTEC INVESTS IN ROBE

Protec’s Aaron Russ with Robe’s Elie Battah.

Protec Group’s Dubai branch has invested in Robe moving lights, delivering and deploying a range of fixtures including BMFLs, Pointes, MegaPointes, Spikies and RoboSpot systems on various projects over the past two years.

The purchases have been spearheaded by Protec’s Head of Lighting and recent winner of the 2019 TPMEA Award for Lighting Designer of the Year, Aaron Russ. He explained that it was a case of the right product at the right time with Robe. Obviously, the company had other moving lights in stock up until this point, but the first batch of 96 Pointes were sourced to replace a competitor beam light product, together with 48 Spikies on the same order.

Then in 2018, for the ground-breaking Opening Ceremony of the Qiddiya Theme Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a design by US-based LD John Featherstone of Lightswitch, a powerful wash light was needed – so Protec purchased 24 BMFL XF Washes with the barn door module.

“Every design we receive from John specifies a lot of Robe,” commented Russ.

Also delivered by Robe Middle East with this second batch of luminaires were another 24 Pointes and 12 MegaPointes. The next purchase was two RoboSpot base stations with two BMFL Blades luminaires and separate motions cameras

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to be used specifically as remote-controlled followspots. “I love them; they work really well – especially outdoors in adverse weather conditions,” commented Russ. “In fact, I’ve never had to send a Robe fixture back to be repaired – they are really tough and, believe me, we’ve beaten them up enough times in terms of harsh operating environments!”

Russ thinks the products are generally well designed and have been engineered to make life as easy as possible for those using them. The crews greatly appreciate the fact that they are not “needy lights”.

From a design perspective, Russ called the optics “impressive”, commenting that he liked the flat beam field, the gobo selection and the fact that they make good workhorse lights for both theatre and rock ’n’ roll.

He went on to cite the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Presidents Cup Football in the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, as a good example, where he positioned 24 BMFLs on one of the balcony handrails at the top of the seating bleachers shooting a long way down to the field.

“They were completely still – rock solid – which was noticeable compared to some of the other lights on the job,” he confirmed. In addition to these creative advantages of using these Robe

units, Russ appreciates the support from Robe Middle East, which is headed by Elie Battah.

“Robe has come a long way, especially in the past five years,” he observed.

When Russ arrived at Protec seven years ago, the company was heavily invested in alternative moving light brands and, coming from New Zealand, he wasn’t familiar with Robe. However, Russ soon learned how the brand could work for him. “It was the launch of the BMFL five years ago that really alerted me to how much Robe had advanced in that short time,” he commented.

Robe is now regularly on his designs. This includes the Opening Ceremony of the Nas Sports Challenge at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai, during which Russ used Pointes, MegaPointes and RoboSpots amongst other fixtures – and the RoboSpots turned out to be the stars of the show.

The event was staged in a room with no followspot rigging facilities other than flying a special truss, and the eight-hour-long standby times meant that having operators up there for that long was totally impractical. “They are fantastic ace to have up your sleeve,” he said.

Photo: Protec www.productiontec.com www.robe.cz

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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VARI-LITE PROVIDES A WINNING TEAM FOR SAUDI CUP FINAL CELEBRATIONS Called upon by event producer Maestra Group to light the prestigious King Cup Final in Riyadh, Lighting Designer Koert Vermeulen used the versatility of a rig exclusively from Vari-Lite to deliver his spectacular, stadium-scale design.

His creation utilised 350 Vari-Lite fixtures including 100 new VL10 BeamWashes and 100 fixtures from the LED-based VLZ range.

The King Cup, the highlight of the Saudi football season, was held in May at Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium. The event included three separate shows – a five-minute pre-match entertainment, a 17-minute halftime show, and a post-show entertainment featuring an hour-long set by Saudi popstar, Rabeh Sager.

Vermeulen, of Belgium-based consultancy ACTLD, is no stranger to the challenges of designing on a stadium scale, and the variety of demands it makes of a lighting rig. Using six different Vari-Lite models, Vermeulen created a dynamic and flexible show lighting environment with depth and texture, for both live audience

and television cameras, encompassing the pitch and performance area, the audience seating and the stadium structure.

Discussing his approach to the design, he said: “We are collaborating with the Artistic Director, Haitham Dghaili. It’s his vision we interpret. We deliver what is possible and then maybe add a few sparkles of our own on top.”

The powerful effects capabilities of the VL10 BeamWash offered sparkles aplenty. Vermeulen positioned these around the outermost audience perimeter to serve “as beam lights and eye candy” and to illuminate the stadium’s roof structure and canopies. This was his first experience using the fixture. “The VL10 was a big surprise – a real contender among the other fixtures on the market,” he said. “It compares very well with them.”

His extensive Vari-Lite toolkit also included the company’s latest LED-based lighting fixtures.

In all, 30 VLZ Washes provided a low backlight wash for the audience and effects during the

presentation ceremonies, while 70 VLZ Spots were positioned around the stadium, in groups of six and eight, to cover the pitch area. “The VLZs met my expectations,” said Vermeulen. “They performed very well.”

Delivering impactful beam looks from high on the stadium’s supporting columns were 50 of the popular large-format searchlight-style VL6000 Beams, while 50 VL800 BeamLines added to the audience wash. Vermeulen also placed 50 VL4000 Spot fixtures on the stadium floor, making use of the internal shutter system to avoid interfering with the on-pitch projections.

Vermeulen concluded: “This was the first time in a long time that I had a full Vari-Lite rig, and they delivered – even above my expectations. I have experienced now, firsthand, that Vari-Lite is back with some quality products.”

Photos: Vari-Lite www.signify.com www.maestra-group.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

NMK ELECTRONICS HOSTS SEASON KICK-OFF NMK Electronics held its annual Season Kick-Off, bringing together more than 250 AV industry professionals. Held at Hard Rock Café in Dubai Festival City on 3 September, the eagerly anticipated event signalled the start of the busy events season in the UAE.

NMK’s brand partners Astera, Avid, Ayrton, Bose, Clear-Com, Denon DJ, Epson, Furman, Luminex, Mersive, Neutrik, Shure and Terbly were all present at the event. The event provided a chance for the who’s who of the industry to catch up ahead of the busy season.

“This event is organised to bring together the AV rental community and to extend our support to our partners, while also providing a networking opportunity for the industry in a casual setting,” Dino Drimakis, Business Development Manager at NMK Electronics said of the event.

Senior Sales Manager MEA at Shure Chant Utukian was glowing with praise for the evening.

“This event has attracted a lot of people from

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the industry and is another great initiative from NMK,” he said. “Our schedules rarely afford us such opportunities to interact with friends and colleagues outside of office hours. Nights like these give everybody the chance to meet in a casual environment, connect and get to know each other personally, which I think is healthy.”

Avid’s Audio Sales Manager Ansgar Liem offered his opinion on the night. “The NMK team executed this event with true passion for the industry and the attendees,” he said. “The mix between high-level technical conversation and entertainment was perfect. I saw many interesting conversations about varying topics for the rental and production market that gave us an insight into the local business requirements.”

For Nittin Dargan, Regional Manager at Bose Professional, the venue holds fond memories.

“Bose has been focusing on the rental market for past couple of years with the launch of ShowMatch systems,” he commented. “Hard Rock

Cafe, Dubai, was one of the first global marquee project for ShowMatch. We are now working closely with our distributor NMK to grow this segment here in UAE.”

Abdulnassir Ali, Sales Manager for Visual Instruments and Professional Display at Epson Middle East, was also full of praise for the event.

“It is an excellent opportunity to display what Epson does best and showcase solutions that can open doors for the rental and events market.

We look forward to a lot of growth in the future.”

And while the hospitality and entertainment went down well, NMK’s Drimakis was keen to stress that, at NMK, the hard work never stops.

“With the dawning of Expo 2020, it is crucial for us to mark our presence in the industry,” he commented. “We want to let our partners know that we are here to meet their needs and to facilitate all the events that they undertake.”

Photos: NMK Electronics www.nmkelectronics.com

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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AVENGER ELECTRONICS BECOMES RCF’S UAE AND OMAN DISTRIBUTOR RCF has appointed AVenger Electronics as its UAE and Oman distributor.

“Since RCF had the entire range of professional audio products in its portfolio, catering for the installation, touring, MI and evacuation segments, they were our preferred choice for servicing the markets in the UAE and Oman,” stated AVenger Sales Manager, Joseph Ninel Rebero.

The company had also done its homework and recognised RCF’s existing high brand value in the region. “We knew it was well established in both the touring and MI market,” Rebero said.

With extensive knowledge of RCF through his time with previous distributors, Rebero leads a team that will be focused on brand promotion throughout the UAE and Oman.

“Our mission is to focus on the integration market to bring RCF to the next level,” he said, forecasting that initial impact is likely to be created through the Live & Pro Series, as well

as the new business music solution products, due for release imminently.

AVenger Electronics has also set a vigorous marketing campaign, favouring roadshows and seminars over trade shows in the Middle East. “In this way we can give more interaction and product awareness with industry professionals,” commented Rebero.

Luca Ombrati, RCF Sales Manager Europe & Middle East, added: “Having known Joseph Ninel Rebero for some time, when he informed me about the new company he was about to co-found with other experienced people in the industry – their appointment was a no-brainer.

“AVenger Electronics’ decision to keep RCF as the unique and exclusive audio brand in its portfolio further confirmed our impression that they were best suited to our needs.”

Photo: RCF www.rcf.it www.avengerproav.com

AVenger Electronics’ Joseph Ninel Rebero and Anil Kumar.

BOUJIKAN BROS TO REPRESENT JOECO IN LEBANON JoeCo has expanded its reach in the Middle East by signing a new distribution agreement with Boujikian Bros. The Beirut-based company will now represent JoeCo in Lebanon, targeting TV production houses and live event clients.

“We have been searching for JoeCo partners in the Middle East for some time and Boujikian Bros’ name came up a number of times,” explained Graham Murray, Business Development at JoeCo. “Their experience and technical expertise make them a complimentary fit with JoeCo’s philosophy of providing high quality solutions for audio professionals.”

Gary Boujikian, General Manager at Boujikian Bros, commented: “We already distribute a number of top pro audio brands in Lebanon, but we had a gap in our range for reliable multitrack players/recorders and audio interfaces. We knew how JoeCo systems were being used in TV, concert and installed sound applications around the world and believed that it could bring added value to our existing offerings.”

Boujikian Bros will target the local broadcast and live markets. “Boujikian Bros is well known in the pro audio markets, across a number of applications including studios for TV broadcast,

JoeCo’s Graham Murray (left) and Joe Bull (right) with Gary Boujikian (centre).

live events and concerts. All of which are appropriate for JoeCo products,” noted Murray.

“Working with Gary and his team gives us an opportunity to address these core market sectors and provides a wider and more direct exposure of JoeCo’s products in the region. Most of our clients are TV production houses and live event companies, and they are all looking for a reliable and stable system for their multitrack recording,”

furthered Boujikian. “Since we are known in the market and have good relationships with our clients, due to our outstanding technical support and after-sales service, we believe it will be easy to introduce this reliable brand and grow JoeCo’s business in the Middle East.”

Photo: JoeCo www.joeco.co.uk www.boujikian.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

SENNHEISER HOSTS SEMINARS AT ROYAL OPERA HOUSE MUSCAT Sennheiser has teamed up with the Royal Opera House, Muscat to host a three-day event for rental companies, broadcasters, AV consultants, and audio engineers. Held in response to the growing popularity of 3D and wireless audio, the event saw the first Ambeo Cube immersive audio recording ever completed in the Middle East.

As well as a series of educational seminars aimed at familiarising attendees with 3D audio theory, the most anticipated part of the event saw a live Omani band recruited to perform in the world-class opera house in order to demonstrate the immersive recording capabilities of the Ambeo Cube.

“Today, we have all the tools required for breath-taking immersive audio recordings and mixing, and with the advance of Virtual Reality (VR), 3D audio has become, for the first time, a must-have for an application,” said Ryan Burr, Head of Technical Sales & Application Engineering, Professional Audio at Sennheiser Middle East. “The interest and appetite for 3D audio in the region is evidenced by the impressive number of attendees.”

The first day of the event was dedicated to education on the nuances of RF theory, as well

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as the dos and don’ts of wireless technology.

This was followed by a session on the special microphones and equipment used to capture immersive audio, before the live Omani band took to the stage. The next session detailed the mixing of immersive sound formats and here, the team also demonstrated the upmixing of content using Sennheiser’s patented algorithm. The event concluded with the playback of the content created during the preceding sessions.

Among the attendees was Philip Perry, Business Development and Project Manager at HiTec Center, who praised the Ambeo Cube.

“The Ambeo recording method does a great job of maintaining the space, localisation, depth and clarity of the sources, and translates perfectly to a 5.1.4 immersive playback,” he said. “For me, it is the most enjoyable immersive listening experience I have had.”

This sentiment was echoed by Bruno Silva, Assistant Head of Sound and Broadcast at Royal Opera House Muscat. “The Ambeo Cube recording method provides the opportunity for a more realistic recording by allowing us to capture the acoustic environment in a broader dimension,” he commented. “Regardless of how creative one can be afterwards in post-

production, I believe the Ambeo Cube is the future of audio recordings.”

Commenting on why he believes such workshops are essential for the industry, he said: “It’s very easy to read about recording techniques and understand them technically, but there is no substitute for a hands-on demo, listening session and technical discussion. It was a well-planned seminar, with carefully considered content, a great presenter and a nice venue. I would recommend this training to anyone in the industry with experience of recording and/ or postproduction, and to colleagues with an interest in immersive audio production.”

Sennheiser’s Burr summed up the purpose of the event, commenting on its success.

“With our workshop, we aimed to turn interest into action, which is why the larger portion of it was dedicated to hands-on sessions and walkthroughs of practical applications,” he said.

“We have no doubt that we will soon start to see the technology expand from being a niche domain, to an established and preferred audio standard with the power to deliver unforgettable experiences for listeners and audiences.”

Photo: Sennheiser www.sennheiser.com

DESIGNED & ENGINEERED IN GERMANY Gravity® is a registered brand of the Adam Hall Group.

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

EVEN2 EXPANDS TEAM EVEN2 has expanded its Middle East operation with the hiring of three new staff members.

The rigging company has hired Tom Jacobsen as Senior Rigger and Project Manager, Alex Franzetti as Sales Manager for the GCC region, and Winnie Orines as Office Admin.

“We’re happy that we’ve found great new employees who will be assets in years to come,” commented Operations Manager Alex Eiben.

“We expect more new faces to follow very soon.”

Eiben explained how EVEN2 has been busy throughout the summer despite the typical seasonal slowdown. “The company is going from strength to strength; the operation in Saudi Arabia is up and running and was busy all over the summer,” he said. “Almost the entire Dubai team was engaged in projects in Europe over the summer, where the team also attended their yearly rigging training.

“Getting our staff qualified is key,” he said.

“We believe in partnerships with agencies and production companies. We want to enable our clients’ project managers and designers to have new technology implemented in their shows.

“We can help with technical drawings, load calculations and technical engineering. We’ve assisted several companies over the last months with new engineering approaches and technical

documentation for venue approvals.” With the addition of more intelligent Cyberhoists, the kinetic movement stalwart for 15 years, to their already well-sorted stock, EVEN2 directly served notable clients and presented their accurate movement skills at the opening of the Handball World Cup in Dammam, HP Launch event in

Dubai and Blue Man Group in Qatar. “We’re listening to our clients and are ready to move with the market – we are committed to delivering our clients’ events with the best equipment and staff for a maximum of success.”

Photo: EVEN2 www.even2.com

MAESTRA LAUNCHES BAHRAIN OPERATION WITH NEW RITZ-CARLTON ARENA PARTNERSHIP

Maestra Group has opened its first base in Bahrain, announcing a new partnership with the Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, for the debut of the luxury resort’s Arena, a new 43,000 sq ft, stateof-the-art conference and exhibition facility.

As the exclusive event partner, Maestra will oversee all technical aspects of the new Arena.

Maestra’s Tom Clements commented: “We’re excited about this new venture and to be involved in such a high-profile and well-designed

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event space. For Maestra Group, this is a logical expansion of our work in Dubai, and it will also be the first step in some strategic expansion plans for Maestra Group in the Middle East.”

Maestra Dubai has already delivered a range of innovative events in Bahrain this year, and it will work with several local and international clients in this new enterprise.

“As Bahrain becomes a global destination for events, it’s our pleasure to partner with Maestra and unveil a new conference facility complemented by our signature Ritz-Carlton service,” said Bernard de Villèle, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.

“With modern interiors and high-tech capabilities, The Arena stands to be one of the most sought-after venues in the region and a perfect addition to the resort’s already existing portfolio.”

Overlooking the Arabian Gulf in the heart of Manama’s Seef district, The Ritz-Carlton,

Bahrain will be a fitting setting for the new 4,200-capacity multipurpose venue, which becomes the largest in the Kingdom.

The new venue is designed to host all types and styles of gatherings and events, including conferences, trade shows and car launches.

Maestra Bahrain will include a core project management and technical team as well as an inventory of sound, lighting, AV and rigging equipment. Maestra Bahrain will have access to the vast resources in the company’s Dubai base – both in terms of human skills, expertise, ideas and the latest technologies in all disciplines.

“Our new set-up will allow us to service events utilising The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain facilities and services plus other Maestra clients in and around Bahrain quickly and efficiently with everything they need for a great event – from design to technical production,” said Clements.

Photo: Ritz-Calton Bahrain www.maestra-group.com

The Gulf leaders in the field of rigging, technical consulting and live event production www.even2.com

+971 (0) 4 339 3717

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

Neumann&Müller’s Adrian Tudela, Sven Schuster and Matangi Sumbél.

N&M APPOINTS NEW AV SPECIALISTS Neumann&Müller has strengthened its Dubai workforce with the appointment of three new AV specialists.

“Since 1981, our valued clients have trusted us to help bring their events’ technology to life,” said Jens Giessler, General Manager of N&M Dubai and Senior Business Partner of the Group. “To enhance their experience and offer exceptional service and even faster request turnaround, we’ve expanded our Dubai team by appointing three AV specialists with an impressive 37 years’ combined international experience.”

German video specialist Sven Schuster joined the company as a Senior Project Manager, bringing international AV experience to N&M Dubai, having worked on some of the world’s most interesting events. “Events for the Homag Group were pretty special to me, because the client gave us creative freedom and allowed us to showcase new and innovative presentation methods, like showcasing live content on cameras overlaid with pre-produced content,” Schuster commented. “The Dubai International Motor Show 2017 and the New Delhi Auto Expo 2018 were memorable, too. I’ve been very

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fortunate to do great jobs from Spain to France, Italy to Portugal, and more.”

Commenting on standing out in the event technology industry, Sven said: “It’s not so much about the devices or technology we’re using – other companies can use them too – it’s about how to use that technology to make our clients happy. At N&M, we set high standards, not only in terms of quality but also in terms of creativity.

We really understand how to deliver on our clients’ needs.”

Matangi Sumbél, a German audio specialist who started as an apprentice at N&M before being appointed as a Technical Project Manager in July, has always been destined for a career in audio. “I’ve known since I was five years old that I wanted to work with audio, or with what we call ‘knobs and faders’ in the industry,” he said.

Recalling when he first got into event technology, Matangi commented that it all started with lousy sound at school concerts. “At high school, there was a band that had terrible sound quality because they mixed themselves and then started playing on stage. I asked them if I could help – even though I had no idea what

I was doing – and my interest expanded from there, leading me to study sound engineering.”

On the topic of studying, Matangi said: “The business needs more qualified people, especially those with an understanding of the complex health and safety aspects of the industry. One of the things that drew me to N&M was the respectful way it treats its employees and clients, as well as its pioneering and safe approach to making extraordinary events happen.”

Adrian Tudela, who joined the N&M team in February as a Technical Project Manager, started his career in Spain as an in-house theatre technician 15 years ago. “After that, I joined local crews doing outdoor live events, and my life became about trucks and touring,” he said. After qualifying as an event technology professional in 2009, Tudela went straight into corporate events.

“I worked for big clients who organised events like the FIFA Club World Cup 2018 and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, both in the UAE,” he commented.

“I’m really excited to work on many more incredible events in the future.”

Photo: Neumann&Müller www.neumannmueller.com

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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MATRIX LASER TEAMS UP WITH LOOK SOLUTIONS Matrix Laser has teamed up with Look Solutions as the exclusive distributor of fog and haze machines and consumables in the Middle East.

“Matrix Laser prides itself in providing world-class, top-of-the-range solutions to your events, from bespoke laser shows to special FX solutions,” commented Managing Director Michael Hilgemann. “With more than 20 years of experience and expertise, clients can be assured that only the very best quality equipment and consumables are utilised.”

Hilgemann furthered: “High-quality fog and haze is an essential component to an impressive laser or light show, and to this end we have been using Look Solutions products for several years for the consistent quality and effect it offers,” he concluded. “German manufactured Look Solutions are industry leaders - a brand you can trust to impress!”

Photo: Matrix Laser www.matrix-laser.com www.looksolutions.com

VENUETECH PARTNERS WITH LEA PROFESSIONAL Venuetech has joined forces with LEA Professional in the Middle East region to help bring LEA Professional amplifier products to market in the greater Middle East region.

Vice President of Sales of LEA Professional, W. Scott Robbins, commented: “Venuetech shares our passion for exceptional customer service and also shares our vision to advance AV technology as we are doing with our Connect Series product range, the world’s first IoT/Cloud enabled professional amplifier products.”

He added: “We are very impressed with Venuetech and their commitment to support their customers from design assistance all the way through post-sales support. Venuetech has world-class infrastructure and staff to support logistics, marketing and technical support.

“We are looking forward to mutual success for LEA Professional, Venuetech and their customers who purchase LEA products.”

Audio Specialist of Venuetech Ismat Assafiri

said: “It is a very exciting step for Venuetech to be working with the most innovative amplifier supplier in the world.

LEA provides a new standard in IoT audio amplification through networked communications with the connected product line, a flagship series that has already got the industry buzzing. “With our strong relationship

and similar-minded industry aspirations, we look forward to setting a new stage for professional audio amplification in the increasingly connected AV world especially the Middle East. We believe that this is the future of audio technologies.”

Photo: Venuetech www.venuetech.ae www.leaprofessional.com

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PANASONIC UNVEILS REAL-TIME PROJECTION-MAPPING PROJECTOR NEW TECHNOLOGY USES REAL-TIME TRACKING AND PROJECTION MAPPING TO ACHIEVE INDUSTRY-LEADING LATENCY LEVELS.

Panasonic has launched its new real-time tracking and projection mapping-compatible projector.

Unveiled during the Tokyo 2020 ‘One Year to Go’ Ceremony held at the Tokyo International Forum to celebrate a year before the start of the Olympic Games, the new technology was used for an innovative live video performance.

Starring Honami Tsuboi, a Japanese rhythmic gymnast who competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the performance saw Tsuboi deliver an energetic dance routine to a videoprojected backdrop of colours and effects that

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followed and reacted to the dancer’s dynamic movements in real time.

The new projector uses real-time tracking and projection mapping to detect the movements and positions of the target object (in this case, the dancer) at high speeds to achieve smooth, low-latency projection mapping.

The new technology achieves the lowest latency in the industry, at just 0.0016 seconds between detecting an object’s position and transmitting the relevant image; a major industry breakthrough, that figure is less than one tenth that of a conventional device. When it comes

to Middle East application for the technology, Yasuo Yamasaki, Director of System Solutions & Communications Division for Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa believes that the region is a perfect breeding ground. “The Middle East is one of the fastest-growing AV markets globally,” he told TPMEA. “It is driven mainly by the emergence of smart cities as well as global events being hosted across the region.

“These events aim to deliver unique and fully immersive audience experience, which can be achieved only through advanced AV solutions measuring up to the highest quality standard

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such as Panasonic’s real-time tracking and projection-mapping technology.”

Yamasaki expanded on the potential uses of the technology, commenting that projection-mapping tech has a range of uses “beyond mega-events”.

He said: “Innovative projectors and the most advanced audio-visual solutions have also become a norm across all industry verticals, including hospitality, retail, events and exhibitions, education and healthcare.

“We are optimistic about the opportunities for these solutions in the region and we see a steady demand for Panasonic products, as we have a wide range of AV solutions that deliver on quality and performance.”

Photos: Panasonic www.panasonic.com

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JEDDAH WORLD FEST A GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT FOR SAUDI ARABIA’S LIVE EVENTS INDUSTRY, JEDDAH WORLD FEST SEES THE LIKES OF 50 CENT, JANET JACKSON AND STEVE AOKI WOW AN EXPECTANT 40,000 SELL-OUT CROWD AT KING ABDULLAH SPORTS CITY. TPMEA GETS THE LOWDOWN ON THE AMBITIOUS PRODUCTION.

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Top left: President and CEO, ROQU Media International, Robert Quirke.

Global stars including 50 Cent, Janet Jackson and Steve Aoki performing on the largest festival stage ever built in the Middle East, cheered on by a raucous 40,000-capacity crowd… It was the kind of scene that’s commonplace at major festivals the world over, but what made 18 July 2019 special was that the concert wasn’t taking place in the US, UK or even the UAE. This was Jeddah World Fest – the largest music festival ever held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“I have never seen an audience so excited and responsive in all my life,” commented Robert Quirke, President and CEO of ROQU Media International, which produced the event and project in its entirety.

“This project is something truly special.

It absolutely represents a wave of positivity for the youth of Saudi Arabia and unites all

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people together. Ultimately, this is about inspiring young people through live music experiences.”

Taking place at King Abdullah Sports City, the star-studded concert was the culmination of a 41-day series of arts and culture events that tied in with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – a progressive plan aimed at opening up the country as an entertainment destination.

“The heart of this project is built on bringing positivity to the World,” Quirke continued. “It’s about the fans, the performers, the positive energy and shared experiences.”

ROQU brought The Manual London into the project as lead production partners, and the company’s Co-Founder and Director, Richard King, was under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge. “There were strong perceptions of KSA from a global audience, which brought its own challenges across the project,” he began. “We had

to create a progressive story to reflect the values of the rising youth culture, positively promote the Kingdom and create a new era in entertainment history for Saudi Arabia.”

The Manual London brought in Lighting Designer Mark Cunniffe who, in turn, called upon World Class Events to assist with the event’s technical production. “World Class Events is completely at home working on large events that push the boundaries in terms of production, scale and profile,” said Managing Director John Adkins. “I was delighted to get a call from Mark, asking World Class Events to work alongside The Manual team to deliver an event that will be remembered in the region for a very long time.”

World Class Events appointed Jeddah World Fest’s suppliers, including Electra, Showforce Creative Technology (CT). Also brought into the supplier fold was Protec, which was tasked with

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delivering an audio, lighting and rigging package for the event. “The show looked and sounded incredible,” said Protec’s Project Manager, Luke Doyle, reflecting on the historic event. “The stage structure was the largest ever seen in the Middle East. This type of event had never been done to this scale in KSA and it was great to be a part of – definitely one to remember! The crowd were absolutely fantastic; it was emotional to witness.”

CHALLENGES World Class Events’ Adkins served as Production Director for the project, assisted on site by Safety and Security Consultant Chris Woodford and supported by Showforce, which sent in two teams – site crew and production crew.

The site crew arrived at King Abdullah Sports City before the rest of the crew, to unload trucks, prepare some of the extensive kit and secure the fencing for the entrance lanes and egress

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system, ensuring the public could queue safely.

Unsurprisingly for such a ground-breaking event, the ambitious production didn’t come without its challenges. Protec’s Doyle outlined them to TPMEA: “As the line-up wasn’t 100% confirmed until the last minute, we were under immense pressure to fulfil the technical rider for each artist,” he commented.

“We had catered well technically for the event using stock from our Riyadh and Dubai warehouses. However we had to move quickly to discuss the requirements with the relevant teams and production and get the extra kit rushed into the country once the line-up was finalised.

“The event was also a few days behind on build schedule, so we were pushed for time to deliver from our side with only two nights for build and rehearsals,” Doyle continued.

Despite the time contraints, the 22 on-site crew members were able to set up in just two

days and derig in a single shift. The Saudi Arabian climate is notoriously hot and humid during the summer months, however, thanks to the company’s more than 20 years of experience in the region, Protec was able to step up to the challenge. “Working long hours, it was imperative to keep the crew hydrated,” commented Doyle.

“We worked throughout the night to avoid the intense heat and humidity during the day.

Hydration salts in Camelbaks and frequent water breaks kept the crew well hydrated.”

With temperatures topping 40°C, the extreme heat was a topic on everyone’s lips and, while he was delighted with how the event went overall, ROQU’s Quirke reflected that avoiding the height of summer would be a good idea moving forward. “We are definitely hoping to move it earlier in the year; we’re aiming to do it in May,” Quirke told TPMEA about next year’s event. “The heat was incredibly intense – I have

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never felt anything like it. Crowd welfare is the upmost priority, so we are creating innovative and bespoke ways of cooling the audience.”

AUDIO Protec deployed an L-Acoustics K2 system as the primary PA for the event. “This was for a combination of factors, including rigging height and weight loading,” explained Technical Director, Ed Ross. The PA comprised a main left

and right hang of 23 K2s each and two large outer hangs of four K1-SBs, 13 K2s and six Karas per side, “as the venue was very wide,” he said.

“Two small hangs of Kara were used behind the followspot towers to fill out the dead spots in that area,” Ross said. While 32 SB28 subs were used in a sub arc configuration, with Kara frontfills.

“The power-to-weight and size ratio of the K2 made this perfect as we were able to hang very large hangs as the main left and right to get the

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throw needed without main delay towers, which the client didn’t want,” Ross explained.

Protec chose all DiGiCo consoles; SD7, SD10 and SD11 were used at FOH and an SD5 and SD10 at monitors. It also provided all the DJ equipment – primarily four CDJ 2000 Nexus and DJM 900 Nexus. “We had 20 channels of Sennheiser 2000 series IEMS and 16 L-Acoustics 115XT HiQ wedges for use by all the artists, as well as large sidefills of L-Acoustics ARCSII and SB28 onstage,” Ross

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added. For the on-stage package, Protec used a mixture of Shure Axient Digital and Sennheiser wireless microphones along with a complete package of top-end wired microphones from Shure, Sennheiser, Neuman, DPA and AKG. LIGHTING Production and Lighting Designer Mark Cunniffe conceived the set-up to complement Jeddah World Fest’s elaborate stage design. Protec provided the fixtures, which included 74 SGM Q7s on outer SL and SR towers, 80 SGM P5s on inner SL and SR towers, 66 Claypaky Scenius Unicos used on stage rear wall and stage sides, 20 Claypaky Scenius Profiles covered the stage rear wall and stage sides, 72 Claypaky K10 B-EYEs used on stage rear wall and stage sides, 25 Claypaky K20 B-EYEs used on stage rear wall, 40 Robe Pointes used to line the catwalk and the

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aprons of the SL and SR towers. These fixtures were controlled by three MA Lighting grandMA2 full-size along with two NPUs and a complement of Luminex Gigaswitch.

“We also supplied a WYSIWYG suite for this event,” Project Manager Luke Doyle explained to TPMEA. “Two BMFL Blades were used with two Robe RoboSpot followspot systems and four Gladiator followspots.”

The creative lighting design looked impressive from all angles, and with the major challenge being time, the crew managed to dead hang an impressive 340 fixtures in just two nights.

Despite this large quantity and the harsh weather conditions, not a single fixture failed. Clearly impressed with what he saw, Cunniffe expanded on his experience of working with Protec. “An ambitious show the scale of Jeddah World Fest requires an excellent team to pull off successfully,

so it was a pleasure to work with Protec through my client The Manual London,” he began.

“Protec has years of experience in Saudi Arabia and the whole team came on site with a professional and confident attitude. They know the pitfalls and were prepared for any eventuality.

The equipment was faultless and, despite the extreme weather conditions and short setup time, they managed to deliver a spectacular show.

“It was a pleasure working with the entire team, but I’d like to especially thank Luke, Robert and Frank, who went above and beyond. I look forward to working with Protec again very soon and would recommend them for any future events as a technical supplier.” The Manual London’s King was understandably pleased with the collaboration. “When our client ROQU Media came to us with the brief for Jeddah World Fest, we knew it was going to be an important moment

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“The event was a huge success from beginning to end.

Everyone came together to work as a team and our client, The Manual London, did a fantastic job of bringing the production to life.”

Creative Technology Project Manager, Giorgio Devecchi

in history, throwing Jeddah into the international media spotlight,” he commented.

“We created a historical moment where the audience came together to produce an experience never before seen in the market.

“When creating the show, it was essential we used excellent suppliers like Protec, which is known for its reliability and huge inventory available locally,” he continued.

“It’s not suppliers that you need when producing shows like this; it’s ‘partners’ – and that is exactly what Protec became. The Manual London looks forward to working with Protec again on next year’s production, which will be even bigger and better!”

LIVE VIDEO Creative Technology (CT) worked alongside Production Designer Mark Cunniffe to deliver all live video aspects of the event. CT supplied 15 custom-mounted 4.8mm outdoor LED screens in the shape of diamonds at 4m by 4m each, two 4.8mm rolling DJ risers and 150 running metres of ROE LED strip, outlining the stage and catwalk.

The unique design was achieved through rotating the screens 45° across the 90m structure. CT’s Project Manager, Giorgio Devecchi, explained: “Mark Cunniffe’s creative design was so unique that it required an engineering safety approval before we could hang the LED panels 45° along the scaffolding structure,” he said.

“Prior to delivering the project, we carried out pre-production testing of the large diamonds at Creative Technology headquarters in Dubai.

During this pre-production phase, we compiled a full pixel study to ensure the content and live feed was displayed at the correct angle.

“Once on-site, the install went together seamlessly thanks to the dedication of the CT team of 12 professionals, who worked together to achieve our client’s creative brief.”

CT provided a full video control package, driven by disguise gx 2 servers incorporating Notch for live camera processing and visual effects. CT’s Senior Video Engineer, Tom Stocks, stated: “The screen control and switching were

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managed from a linked Barco E2 and S3 system with an additional two Image Pro 4Ks at FOH for VJs and touring media servers. We also supplied our PPU for a sub mix of the broadcast cameras for IMAG to correspond to the diamond pixel area of the LED screens.” A full 4,000 at 50, pixel for pixel workflow was maintained with CT’s Gen2 Barco system, Lightware 2.0 Matrix and Novastar 4K processors as well as 4K fibre distribution.

Devecchi continued: “The event was a huge success from start to end. Everyone came together to work as a team and our client, The Manual London, did an absolutely fantastic job of bringing the production to life. This is a new chapter for the local entertainment scene in Saudi Arabia, and it was a pleasure to be part of it. Thank you to our client for trusting in our ability to deliver world-class video solutions.”

Looking back on the event, ROQU’s Quirke had nothing but good memories. “The artists were absolutely overwhelmed by the crowd reaction. It was a seven-hour show and the

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crowd were roaring out every word throughout.

Some 40,000 young men and women enjoyed the live show together, many saying it was the greatest night of their life,” he said.

“At the show, our event teams were flooded with thanks from the crowd, who genuinely see this as a new beginning – we even had long queues of fans waiting to give our support staff a hug to thank them for their work on the show.

It is testament to the hunger and desire of the young people here to connect and enjoy these moments as one, regardless of your background.”

This sentiment was echoed by The Manual London’s Richard King, who commented that the attendees were “finally able to express themselves in an environment like never before”.

He said of the event: “It has set the scene for the future of live events in the Kingdom, opened the doors to mass engagement shared experiences and shown that there is definite demand for such events.” And King is not wrong.

Jeddah World Fest, it seems, is only the start for

what many expect to be a transformative period of heavy investment for Saudi Arabia.

With next year’s Jeddah World Fest already pencilled in the calendar, the high-profile boxing rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr confirmed to be taking place in Riyadh on 6 December, and the country’s General Entertainment Authority set to inject upwards of $60 billion into the project over the next decade, it is safe to say that the Kingdom is going to be a prominent fixture on the region’s live events calendar for years to come – and that can only be good news for the Middle East’s events industry.

Photos: ROQU Media International www.jeddahworldfest.com www.roqumedia.com www.themanuallondon.com www.worldclassevents.global www.productiontec.com www.ct-group.com www.showforce.com

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WESTLIFE: THE TWENTY TOUR CELEBRATING 20 YEARS SINCE THE BAND’S RISE TO FAME, THE LATEST LIVE OFFERING FROM THE IRISH FOUR-PIECE ARRIVES AT DUBAI’S COCA-COLA ARENA. TPMEA’S PETER IANTORNO MEETS THE TEAM BEHIND THE EVENT.

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Two decades since the band first burst into the charts as fresh-faced youngsters, Westlife still pack out arenas across the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe and Asia. Back together after a seven-year hiatus, the Irish four-piece embarked on a 51-show tour, beginning on 22 May at Belfast’s SSE Arena before drawing to a close on 15 September, with a massive finale at London’s Hyde Park.

Comprising two European legs and an extensive Asia leg, The Twenty Tour saw the band stop off in Thailand, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and, on 29 August, the UAE’s Coca-Cola Arena.

Prior to doors opening and the 10,000 screaming fans streaming into the arena, TPMEA caught up with Mark Ross, Project Manager at eclipse Staging Services – the company tasked with providing the kit for the event. Although

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eclipse provided monitors for the Russell Peters Deported World Tour in June, this was the first time the company brought a full set-up into the Coca-Cola Arena.

The Twenty Tour also marked the first major project that eclipse had collaborated with Live Nation Entertainment on. “It’s a great opportunity for us to show what we can supply,” Ross said.

“It’s pretty much a sell-out tonight so it’s a big deal for us and the arena.”

Live Nation’s Vice President of Middle East and South Asia, Zaed Maqbool, was in agreement at the success of the show.

“We knew that we needed to get ahead of the holiday and get ahead of the summer,” he explained to TPMEA over a coffee in the backstage area.

“Thankfully, we struck the right balance in terms of pricing and we hit the sweet spot that

was able to create an almost sold-out show in the middle of the Dubai summer.”

The event, which was promoted in collaboration with India-based ticketing company BookMyShow, was one of the first to take place in the Coca-Cola Arena, and Maqbool was full of praise for the venue. “A show of this scale hasn’t really been done before, right in the middle of summer,” he said, “but that’s why having an indoor arena is such a blessing, because suddenly it opens up an entire year of touring.”

Coca-Cola Arena’s Director of Technical and Production, Malcolm Giles, was also happy with the take-up. “It’s the right gig at the right time of year,” he commented. “Everyone is back in Dubai after their summer holidays now and up for going out again, so I think it’s been pitched perfectly.”

Giles was in relaxed mood as the arena doors opened, confident that everything was in place

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“It’s such a privilege to be among the first audio engineers to commission a full sound design in a venue like the Coca-Cola Arena.”

Senior Audio Engineer, Wissam Shaheen

for the show to go off without a hitch. “I’ve been working with eclipse for years,” he commented.

“They are always very professional and do the job without any fuss. All I have to do really is open the doors for them, then kick them out at 6am the morning after.”

FLYING WITHOUT WINGS Sounding out the spectacle, eclipse supplied a d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system. The main hangs comprised 12 J8s and four J12s per side, along with two hangs of eight J Subs. A total of 16 d&b V8s and eight V12s were purposed as

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outfills to cover the raised seating along the sides of the arena. The floor package was made up of six J-Infra Subs in a Sub-Array configuration along with eight Y8s for front fills. All this was processed and amplified by 34 D80 amplifiers.

After walking TPMEA through the PA specs, Ross brought eclipse Staging Services’ Senior Audio Engineer, Wissam Shaheen, into the conversation. Busy making some last-minute tweaks using d&b’s ArrayProcessing, Shaheen explained his process.

“We’re putting the final touches in our system optimisation process,” he explained,

opening his laptop to reveal a graphic showing a representation of the arena with different colours, representing varying levels of audio coverage. “The most important thing for us is to keep a unified coverage for all the listeners, so everybody in the arena gets the same experience of the show.” As large venues inherently come with a big acoustical footprint, Shaheen commented that extra care and attention to detail are the rule of the day.

“We designed the PA for this show weeks ahead of setting foot on site; using extremely accurate data in modelling the venue, we generated

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Top left: eclipse Staging Services’ Head of Rigging, Andreas Ehrenberger; Above left: Head of Video, Richard Bearpark; Top right: Project Manager, Mark Ross and Senior Audio Engineer, Wissam Shaheen; Above right: Senior Lighting Technician, Sam Connolly.

a sonic prediction and a precise audio rigging plot, allowing us to put a solid plan in place.”

Shaheen is a long-time d&b fan and user. “It is our weapon of choice. We have been using it since day one, and this event was no exception,” he commented. “d&b’s ArrayProcessing helped us minimise the reverberant fields’ ‘counter-attack’ and focus the sonic energy where it was wanted” – and that was all done stealthily “without affecting the overall tonal balance”. Precise measurements were taken across the venue and the results were as “astounding as ever”.

He furthered: “Obviously, there is no such thing as perfect – it’s physics. Compromise is the key word here, however, there’s a ‘perfect solution’ and I believe we’ve achieved exactly that for this gig. It’s such a privilege to be among

the first audio engineers to commission a full sound design in a venue like the Coca-Cola Arena, which we are very proud to have right here in the city we call home – a beautiful piece of engineering, which I predict is going to leave a great mark worldwide.”

For control, eclipse specified a DiGiCo SD11 console for production, while a DiGiCo SD7 was allocated for Westlife’s FOH Engineer. As for monitors, a DiGiCo SD12 was the console of choice, sounded out by Meyer Sound MJF-212A wedges.

Commenting on the importance of preparedness, Ross chimed in: “Everything is prepped in the warehouse, so we are as close as possible to plug and play when we arrive on site – all we should be doing when we’re setting up is build then optimise. The only thing that doesn’t

get built in the warehouse is the speaker systems.”

Shaheen continued the conversation: “All that means is that you’re at a good starting point where you can start measuring and tuning the room and doing a few tweaks here and there.

Then the touring crew comes in, has a listen to what we’ve set up and if they’re happy, you’ll get a thumbs up, then it’s all theirs from then on.”

Shaheen had nothing but praise for the touring crew. “It’s been amazing working with them,” he enthused. “FOH Engineer, Chris Pyne and Monitor Engineer, Becky Pell are great people.

They are very experienced and comfortable working in any kind of stadium or arena, so they know what to expect. Chris has shared a similar impression towards our delivery, and we look forward to working with them again.”

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“It’s the largest screen that eclipse has ever supplied for an event. It works up to 4K and it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Project Manager, Mark Ross

I’LL SEE YOU AGAIN The truss lighting comprised eight Lycian followspots (four on the front and four on the back), 48 Robe Robin BMFL Blades and 32 Claypaky Stormys, while on the floor, 16 Claypaky Mythos 2s and 10 Martin by Harman MAC Auras were used. Two 9m towers either side of the stage were lit with 32 Chauvet Professional COLORado Batten 144s with 20 Claypaky Mythos 2s fixed at intervals in between.

“These fixtures were specified by the tour,” opened eclipse Staging Services’ Senior Lighting

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Technician, Sam Connolly. “We had to make a few alterations to what the tour would usually use to fit into the venue, but we’ve been very careful to keep almost exactly the same look and feel to the show as when it goes anywhere else.”

For control, eclipse supplied two MA Lighting grandMAs utilising Luminex GigaCore 16RFO switches. “It was a relatively easy install,” Connolly told TPMEA, also in a relaxed mood backstage as the arena started to fill up with expectant punters. “We had everything in within two days, and we will be out within six hours.” Connolly

went on to talk TPMEA through his favourite, albeit the most challenging, part of the install.

“The towers were the most difficult thing to do,” he said, pointing towards the two 9m pillars either side of the stage.

“It was vital that all of the measurements were correct and aligned with the truss beams.

They are pixel-mapped in blocks of three so the FOH can change colours and create dynamic moving effects for the show. While the rest of the set-up is fairly standard, the towers are something a bit more unusual and definitely worth the extra

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effort when you look at them.” Connolly was also keen to point out the Robe BMFL Blades: “They are the newest addition to eclipse, so we are excited to show those off and show how great they can look,” he added.

For video, a pair of IMAG screens displayed either side of the stage were supplied in-house, while eclipse provided a large 4.8mm LED screen.

At 17m by 8.5m, the screen was an impressive point of focus, providing the main storytelling elements of the show, displaying a mixture of old images and videos of the band from its heyday, as well as creative visuals for each song.

“It’s the largest single screen that eclipse has ever supplied for an event. It works up to 4K and it’s absolutely beautiful,” commented Ross.

Richard Bearpark, Head of Video at eclipse Staging Services, joined the conversation: “We only got the screen about six months ago and it’s brilliant,” he said. “It is 3,536 pixels by 1,768.

We’ve run it off an Analog Way Ascender fed by four processors, then we have another four processors as a backup.” Bearpark went on to explain how the show’s visuals work.

“All our video processing is at the back,” he said. “Best Broadcast Hire does all the camera work; they send the images for the IMAG screens and any images that need to be mixed into the main screen.” All of the visuals were provided by the touring company; they then run via fibre back to video world. “Basically, we work as the main processing unit and mix to either the side

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screens or main screen,” Bearpark commented.

Reflecting on his experience working with the touring crew, Bearpark had nothing but praise. “It’s been great working with them again,” he continued. “We just get the signal on screen, stitch it together to make one big image. We’re always on standby should anything go wrong.”

YOU RAISE ME UP Unusual Rigging’s Alex Taylor explained the brief to TPMEA as Senior Project Manager of the in-house rigging team. “The brief from the client was to install a total of 68 rigging points,” Taylor began. “We needed 12 for PA, 12 for video, 34 for lighting and 10 for drape truss.” A total of 68 motors were hung, ranging from a quarter to two

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tonnes. “Due to the versatility of the Coca-Cola Arena roof rigging beams, you can put a rigging point more or less anywhere for each different show,” Taylor said. “We ended up installing 25 dead hangs and 43 bridles, with most of the bridles installed under the catwalks.”

From Taylor’s point of view, the main challenge for the event was making sure that all of the video points were in line with one another.

“This is done by putting some of the bridles on a slight angle to one another in the roof, but at the same time keeping the motor in its correct position.” He also pinpointed the need to ensure that PA points were in the correct position to avoid delays when hanging the PA.

Taylor worked alongside eclipse Staging Services’ Head of Rigging, Andreas Ehrenberger.

Chatting to TPMEA after the four spotlight operators had been winched into position above

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the stage, he highlighted the importance of health and safety. “These people are sitting up there isolated from regular evacuation routes, so if something was to happen and the venue needed to be evacuated, we need to be able to get them down to the ground as quickly and safely as possible without involving a lot of people to do so,” he said.

“We found that the most effective method of doing this was to install a simple abseil rope on a quick-release system. This means that the operators can drop a rope within seconds, clip in a rescue set and abseil down the truss and be on the floor within seconds.”

In fact, eclipse utilised three different methods to ensure the safety of the spotlight operators. “There’s a quick-release system that comes off on a pully, there’s an abseiling system that’s on old-school rope, and there’s a chain

and hoist system that brings them up and down,” commented Ehrenberger. Ross joined the conversation: “It’s the first time that we have had an opportunity to use all three of these systems together at the same time,” he added.

On the whole, Ehrenberger was delighted to work at the Coca-Cola Arena. “It is fantastic,” he said enthusiastically. “It can handle pretty much any type of event that you throw at it. The roof is capable of handling 190 tonnes of loading capacity, which is more than enough for any calibre of show.

Everything is done from a raised catwalk at chest height so there’s no need for any climbing around and no areas are difficult to access.”

He also praised the trim height of the “brilliant” venue. “The beams are 26m, which gives us the opportunity to fly PA well out of the way of any visual content, so the video guys are happy and the audio team is happy, too, as they

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have enough height to be able to fire sound downwards over the crowd.�

SWEAR IT AGAIN With the band bringing out slick performances of all its biggest hits on the night, including Swear It Again, My Love and You Raise Me Up, and even performing an unexpected Queen medley including I Want To Break Free, Radio Ga Ga and We Are The Champions, the throngs of adoring fans remained enraptured throughout the set.

And by the time the four-piece remerged for an encore of Flying Without Wings and World Of Our Own, the crowd reaction left little doubt that the show had been an overwhelming success.

Photos: eclipse Staging Services & TPMEA www.eclipse.ae www.unusualrigging.com www.livenation.me www.coca-cola-arena.com

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ACHIEVE THE UNIMAGINABLE STARRING TONY ROBBINS AND ALICIA KEYS, ACHIEVE THE UNIMAGINABLE DRAWS A CROWD OF MORE THAN 10,000, INCLUDING UAE ROYALTY, TO DUBAI’S COCA-COLA ARENA. TPMEA CATCHES UP WITH SLS PRODUCTIONS’ LIGHTING DESIGNER AND OPERATOR AIDEN KOBUS, TO FIND OUT MORE…

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Organised by Najahi Events, Achieve the Unimaginable promised to be a groundbreaking event for Dubai’s newest large-scale events space. Globally renowned life coach and public speaker, Tony Robbins headlined the show, performing four hours of non-stop content. There were also unique performances

by Alicia Keys, as well as guest speakers Prince EA and Nick Vujicic. Providing a triple threat of audio, lighting and video for the event was SLS Production, which was delivering its first turnkey project in the venue.

With the dust settling on the highly anticipated event, TPMEA caught up with SLS Lighting Designer and Operator Aiden Kobus.

A relative newcomer to the region, Kobus spoke of his experience with the event.

“This is the first gig I’ve done as a Lighting Designer and Operator with an international client,” the young LD began. “I never thought I’d

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be at this level at the age of 20. It’s amazing to see something I’ve designed come to life.”

Having been a member of the wider SLS family for over a year after moving over from South Africa, Kobus has become an integral part of the company’s ever-increasing presence in Saudi Arabia, with the traditionally quiet summers now being busier than ever. “The past year has certainly been an eye-opening experience,” commented Kobus. “It’s a different way of how events are conceptualised,” he commented.

On that note, the LD went on to describe the rig he was overseeing for Achieve the Unimaginable, which incorporated three circles of lighting trusses hung above stage (left, centre and right), with two left and right IMAG screens relaying the action. Below the main centre stage screen were an additional three-quarter circle trusses. “The only straight truss used was FOH lights and batten type fixtures. Whereas the entire

circle truss was highlighted to bring a different look for the show,” Kobus explained.

For control, Kobus used an MA Lighting grandMA2 full size at FOH, having programmed the show on a grandMA2 Lite in the warehouse.

“I only want the best fixtures to be there,” he said. To that end, Claypaky Sharpys and Martin by Harman Viper Performances were the workhorse fixtures on the extensive lighting rig, used primarily for their “gobo effect” capabilities.

The show was part pre-programmed and part manual operation. “Timecode is great to see your vision replayed in front of your eyes, and busking is fun because I like being thrown in at the deep end and being kept on my toes,” Kobus said. During the set, Kobus busked through six of Alicia Keys’ songs, which he dubbed “an enjoyable mix of spoken word and music”.

He furthered: “The show flowed nicely, with no abrupt song endings. My favourite aspect

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of busking is creating a show that can never be replicated. It’s all about rising to the challenge.”

The LD continued to explain some of the challenges he faced during the performance, namely getting around 200 house lights, run via ArtNet, in an acceptable state for camera. “Tony has a special ending scene where everything is a rich magenta colour, so I had to spend a lot of time tweaking it for camera work. We tried to make sure that line of sight was good enough for the audience while still having enough front lighting,” he said.

A total of 18 Arri 2K Fresnels were purposed for front light to make sure it was high and wide enough to cover the faces of onstage performers.

The show also gave SLS Productions a chance to use its latest audio equipment. The company has invested substantially in new equipment, including the new JBL A-12 Audio system, which was purchased to supplement the in-house

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system at the Coca-Cola Arena. Director of Technical and Production, Coca-Cola Arena, Malcolm Giles added: “Any speech-based show in a big building such as this is always a challenge in its own right. The client has very strict criteria for the kind of atmosphere that they want the show to take place in, so it’s down to us to facilitate that,” he continued. “They wanted the bowl temperature to be down to 18°C for the duration of the event, and that’s not easy to guarantee in Dubai at the start of September. It’s a 10-hour show, so a pretty big deal.”

Speaking after the show, Founder & CEO of Najahi Events, Awfa Mustafa, stated: “This event is about how to achieve the unimaginable and that’s exactly what we accomplished today.

“After three years of visualising Tony Robbins on my stage, we delivered a message that learning is for everyone at any stage of life, and the UAE is capable of delivering this. I am all the

more humbled and grateful that the leadership of the UAE supported us,” he continued.

“It’s an invaluable endorsement of our mission to inspire, encourage, educate and entertain the people of the Middle East. I am overwhelmed and thankful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, for attending and continuously inspiring us.”

Mustafa concluded: “Gathering, motivating and empowering more than 10,000 changemakers at the largest event of its kind in the Middle East is a massive step forward for both the community and the region as a whole.”

Photos: SLS Productions & Najahi Events www.slspro.net www.najahi.org www.coca-cola-arena.com

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TECH PROFILE

ABU DHABI SHOWDOWN WEEK: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS BROUGHT IN FOR A SPECIAL ONE-OFF SHOW, THE LEGENDARY LOS ANGELES ROCKERS MAKE THEIR UAE DEBUT AT ABU DHABI’S NEW INDOOR PERFORMANCE SPACE, THE ARENA.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Showdown Week saw Red Hot Chili Peppers appear for the first time ever in the UAE. Taking place at The Arena, Yas Island – a brand new indoor performance space purpose-built to host Showdown Week, which culminated in UFC 242 – the gig drew an expectant sell-out crowd.

Tasked with supplying the equipment to supplement the touring crew’s kit was MediaPro International. Head of Department Production, George Venter, who lead the project, was delighted with the result. “The event went very well,” he told TPMEA. The band put on a great performance, the sound was absolutely amazing, and the crowd seemed to love it.’’

Venter and his team worked with the touring crew to make sure everything was in place, so the sound matched the energetic performance put on by the band. Fronted by enigmatic Anthony Keidis and legendary bassist Flea and backed up by charismatic drummer Chad Smith and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who is this year celebrating 10 years of playing with the band, the Chilis raced through a hit-packed set that was met with adulation from the adoring audience. “They were absolutely fantastic to work with,” Venter

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commented. “They were very specific in the things that they wanted but they were extremely pleased with what we had set up for them. The results spoke for themselves: the show sounded absolutely spectacular.”

The PA system in place consisted of a full L-Acoustics rig, made up of 24 K1s, 60 K2s, 36 Karas, 16 K1SBs, 24 KS28s, 24 SB18s, while a Yamaha Rivage PM7 and two Yamaha CL5s were used for control.

For lighting 14 Robe BMFL Spots and 20 BMFL WashBeams were deployed, while four Lycian 4K Extreme Long Throw Spotlights were used as followspots. Meanwhile outside the tent, 60 Claypaky A.leda B-EYEs and 80 Mythos were also used for exterior lighting on concert night.

For control, two MA Lighting grandMA2 consoles were utilised, along with six MA2 NPUs (both as main and back-up). The overall network was run over a Luminex network system by MediaPro International.

Meanwhile for video, Sumesh Vasudevan, Video Crew Chief, oversaw the installation of the LED solution, with MediaPro opting to utilise two brands – Absen and Gloshine. The rear stage screen, which came in at 20m by 9m, was flanked

by two 6m by 8m IMAGs and 14 5m by 3m delay LED screens. “We also had a header LED on the Stageco truss with live content processed by two Analog Way Ascender 48s, along with four display and two production high-spec Dataton Watchout V6 Servers,” Venter explained.

“We also had a complete HD projection on the outside of The Arena for the show,” Venter revealed. This was achieved by 17 Christie Boxer 2K30 projectors and 28 Christie Roadster 20K projectors. The overall content was run through MediaPro’s high-spec Watchout V6 Machines – seven display servers and two production servers.

Led by Head of Rigging, Colin Silvers, MediaPro’s trussing and rigging department provided all the points and electric chain hoists for the event. The company also supplied 12 twotonne long chains and 14 one-tonne long chains.

As is always the case at the tail end of the sweltering UAE summer, the heat turned out to be the toughest aspect of the job. “It was extremely hot and humid,” Venter began. “It tends to get to you when you’re bringing equipment in and out in the heat of the afternoon. Thankfully the venue cooled down in time for the audience’s arrival and it was very pleasant inside the arena.”

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Despite The Arena being brand new and completely untested, when it came to large-scale concerts, Venter was impressed with the space, calling it “a blank canvas that can be adapted to whatever you want to do”. He commented: “It’s a tent structure but it’s also semi-permanent.

It has been designed really well. Nothing is

permanent in the venue. Everything comes in and gets taken out for each show.”

Concluding, Venter commended his team on a job well done. “Special mentions must go to Lighting Director, Harold Fernandes, Lighting Crew Chief, Semynov D’Souza, Audio System Engineer, Nitin Kurup and Production Coordinator,

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Croft Clinton. The job had its challenges – install time was a little tighter than we would have liked – but everybody pulled together to make it work.

It was a great effort and a great success.”

Photos: MediaPro & Abu Dhabi Showdown Week www.mediapro-av.com www.adshowdownweek.ae

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INSIDE LOOK

20 YEARS OF PROTEC AS PROTEC TURNS 20, PETER IANTORNO VISITS THE COMPANY’S HQ IN DUBAI TO SPEAK TO OWNER AND CEO, STEPHEN LAKIN, ABOUT HIS PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS OVER THE YEARS.

Dubai Investments Park (DIP) is awash with offices, factories and warehouses belonging to some of the UAE’s biggest and best companies, and from the moment the large steel gates to Protec’s expansive DIP headquarters swung open and we stepped inside, it was clear that this is an operation to rival any of them.

A cavernous facility comprising a stylish office space as well as a series of warehouses in which some of the company’s giant stash of equipment is housed. It’s a fitting home for a business that has established itself as a cornerstone of the Middle East’s events industry since it was formed in 1999. Now, 20 years on

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from the company’s inception, Protec’s owner and CEO, Stephen Lakin, has fond memories of how it all began.

“I started Protec when I saw an opportunity to work on a huge job; the launch of the Faisaliah Tower – the first skyscraper in Riyadh,” he revealed to TPMEA over a coffee in the company’s plush meeting room.

“I’d heard that the Faisaliah Tower job was out to tender, so I got in touch with the Faisal Foundation and they said they would see us the following day for a pitch in Riyadh.”

And sure enough, after seeing what Lakin could deliver, the Faisal Foundation was so

impressed that it awarded him the job – and at the full $7.6 million price quoted.

With such a huge job needing a lot of equipment, Lakin needed to act fast in order to source everything needed for the project. “We didn’t have any kit at first,” he reminisced. “They wanted to keep the equipment in Riyadh for six weeks so, with shipping and logistics taken into account, it was going to be a 15 or 16-week hire.

“We soon realised that on those timescales, it was far more economical for us to buy the kit rather than rent it. After the job finished, we were left with a convoy of 20 40ft lorries full to the roof driving our equipment back into Dubai.

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Top left: Dubai Shopping Festival opening ceremony; above left: Faisaliah Tower; Top right: Protec owner and CEO, Stephen Lakin; above right: Dubai Media City opening ceremony.

What do you do with a bunch of second-hand kit? We used it to start a company… and that was the start of Protec.”

RAPID GROWTH Following the success of the Faisaliah Tower job, Protec grew exponentially. “We started to make noise about the fact that we existed, and we ended up getting more work as a result,” Lakin recalled. “After the Faisaliah Tower we worked on the launch of Dubai Media City.”

As is common in the Middle East, Protec was brought into the project at short notice, so had to scramble to pull together the equipment and the team. “We were given the job just 10 days before the delivery date,” Lakin chuckled.

“Thankfully this was immediately after we’d finished work on the Faisaliah Tower so, as luck would have it, all of the freelancers we had used for that job apart from one were available for the project. We brought them all over to work on the launch and it went really well.”

Another formative job in Protec’s history was the Dubai Shopping Festival. “That was a massive show,” Lakin recalled. “We brought in five international dance troupes from around the world. The stage was 90m wide and we built

three hydraulic lifts with built-in staircases to elevate the entire central part of the stage up to around 15m in the air. There were five giant globes – representing the different countries that the dancers came from – and each troupe emerged on stage through a different globe.

It was really effective.”

Between all these projects, Protec accumulated a lot of equipment and hired new full-time staff, expanding its operation rapidly. “We bought a huge amount of kit,” Lakin commented. “We also bought Vari-Lite Middle East. That meant we went from 12 employees to a staff of 21, and we also acquired all the equipment – the VL5s, VL6s and VL2s.”

KEEPING THE FAITH Of course, it hasn’t all been plane sailing for Protec and, like any company that has endured 20 years at the sharp end of the industry, it has overcome its fair share of turbulent times.

“The market crash brought about after the September 11th attacks in 2001 had a massive effect on the business. We were almost wiped out,” Lakin reflected. “We were left with lots of kit, lots of people but no work. Thankfully our creditors at the time in the UK were very

understanding and kept faith in us. It took around six months for us to recover and we’ve grown and grown from then on, really.”

Today Protec has expanded its reach to cover the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Far East, with fully equipped facilities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh and Birmingham. Such is the company’s growth, it is now backed with an investment in excess of $85 million-worth of the latest technology in lighting, sound, audio-visual, staging, rigging, hydraulics and motor control equipment, motion tracking, robotics, drones, SFX, backline and conferencing equipment.

A large portion of that equipment was bought to service Protec’s continued affiliation with IDEX (the International Defence Exhibition & Conference). Held every two years in Abu Dhabi, IDEX is the largest show of its kind in the Middle East, and has proved to be an extremely profitable one for Protec.

“We did 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019,” Lakin began. “They are probably one of the biggest shows in the world now. It’s nice because every time we work with them the military get more and more used to us, which means as well as designing the show, we now control the whole military side of things as well, including aircraft

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INSIDE LOOK

and other military equipment.” As you might imagine, working on a military show requires an incredibly efficient methodology.

“It’s different to any other show,” Lakin commented. “You have to work the way the military work. We use the same crew every year for that very reason.”

Clearly confident, Lakin is looking forward to IDEX 2021 already. “We’ve had IDEX for eight years now – they keep giving it to us – and even though we have to pitch for the job every time, we are confident that we have a very strong offering. We have to keep coming up with new ideas. Next time we’re hoping for something bigger and better than ever.”

According to Lakin, this confidence is based not on the price of the quote, but on the standard of the job. “We are not the most expensive company out there, but we certainly aren’t the cheapest either,” he said. “We offer a very professional service at a fair price. Some clients value low price over service, and that’s not us. We’ll never compromise on quality.

“The biggest problem you get in the Middle East is that, unlike in Europe, the UK or the US, where companies build up over years with a loyal base of staff, over here people tend to come

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and go a bit more, so we have to constantly re-introduce ourselves to new people who don’t know us and haven’t worked with us before.”

BRAND LOYALTY Be that as it may, loyalty has never been a problem for Protec. “Our strength is in our people,” Lakin said proudly. “Anybody can buy equipment. It’s providing the people with the skills to do a job; people who don’t panic, keep a cool head and deliver a show come what may.

That’s what we have here: a phenomenal team.

And a loyal team. We have lost around about 12 key staff in 19 years, and eight of those have now come back to the company.”

In fact, Protec now boasts a 140-strong workforce, with acclaimed industry professionals from the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Asia and the USA, who have decades of experience in the corporate and rock ’n’ roll industries.

When it comes to growth, Saudia Arabia is the subject on everybody’s lips at the moment, and it’s no different for the team at Protec.

“Saudi has amazing infrastructure but it hasn’t really been open to the general public as yet, but all that is changing now. The whole

place is changing. Give it a few years and I firmly believe that Saudi will be a big tourist destination,” Lakin predicted.

“The friendliness of the locals is unbelievable.

If and when Saudi opens up, there’s no doubt it will dominate this region. We own our business 100% – our offices are in the government headquarters building in Riyadh – so we have a very close relationship now with the government.

Hopefully that will grow as the years go by.”

Exciting times for Protec, then, and while Lakin is the driving force behind the company’s growth over the past 20 years, the owner and CEO is looking forward to a future where he can take a back seat. “We’re building this company in such a way that it really no longer depends on me. It depends on the team beneath me – they run the business,” Lakin smiled, gesturing towards his office full of staff.

“I don’t want to be working full-time forever, but I want to make sure that this business grows, and as we get bigger, we are controlled in the same way that we have always been – with good people in charge who understand the industry and have direct experience in the industry.”

Photos: Protec www.productiontec.com

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SETTING UP IN SAUDI ARABIA WITH SAUDI ARABIA BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT MARKET FOR THE REGION’S PRODUCTION INDUSTRY, ILEA MIDDLE EAST’S LEGAL BOARD ADVISOR AND PARTNER AT CHARLES RUSSELL SPEECHLYS, MARK HILL, LAYS OUT THE LEGAL DOS AND DON’TS FOR OPERATING IN THE KINGDOM.

With a huge influx of cultural events backed by massive investment and underpinned by the country’s 2030 Vision, Saudi Arabia is very much a topic on the lips of everyone in the Middle East’s production and events industry.

It’s no surprise, then, that the Kingdom was the subject of the latest ILEA Expert Session. Taking place on 8 September, Setting Up and Operating in Saudi Arabia in the Events and Production Space saw ILEA Middle East’s Legal Board Advisor and Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, Mark Hill, deliver an educational look at what UAE-based companies should think about when operating in the country.

Speaking to TPMEA after the session, Hill reflected on the event’s stronger-than-expected take-up. “We sent off the invites thinking that we might have eight to 10 people and we ended up with around 35,” he began. “The demand for what was intended to be a small and intimate session is

clearly there. Legal contracting, how to operate effectively in the production and events space and how to get into new territories and markets properly are subjects on everybody’s mind at the moment.”

Touching on a few of the topics covered in the session, Hill commented that the best route into operating in the Kingdom “for 90% of companies”, is to launch a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or branch. “Most people are looking at going down those routes these days,” he said.

Other possible routes into Saudi Arabia are Temporary Commercial Registration (TCR) and Technical Services Office (TSO), however, according to Hill, in most cases these options are, “too limited”. He commented: “A TCR is project specific, so it will only work in certain contexts. A TSO would be oriented towards doing nothing more than supporting promotional activity, so it’s really a bar to being able to engage directly in

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ILEA COLUMN

“Saudi Arabia is seeking to change its international, local and cultural profile. The kind of comments that are coming out of the investment authority and other organisations support that.”

ILEA Middle East’s Legal Board Advisor, Mark Hill

commercial activities within the Kingdom. For those reasons a branch or LLC tend to be more suitable options.”

In the past companies have found it very difficult to obtain the necessary paperwork to operate in the Kingdom – “there have always been challenges, particularly from the investment licence perspective,” said Hill – but now things are improving quickly. “Saudi Arabia is seeking to change its international, local and cultural profile,” Hill continued. “The kind of comments that are coming out of the investment authority and other organisations support that.”

The comments that Hill alluded to came in a recently released statement from the Saudi Investment Authority claiming that processing time for licences could be cut to just four days.

While that estimate is perhaps on the optimistic

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side, Hill believes that it’s a good sign, at very least. “For the Investment Authority to make that kind of bold statement is very encouraging,” he commented. “It’s certainly a sign of intent that the government is aiming to make things easier and smoother moving forward.”

However, even with the concerted effort to increase the speed and ease of obtaining the necessary licences, Hill warned that there are still a few barriers to entry into the Saudi market. “Unless you have GCC ownership within your structure, you are required to get not only the commercial licence but also the investment licence. So that is still a hurdle,” he said. “It’s certainly becoming easier to overcome, though.”

And it’s not just commercial and investment licences that are required. “You have to get extra approvals in both the events space and the

production space,” Hill said. “So, whether it be the audio-visual media approval or the National Programme for Exhibitions and Conferences, there are an additional range of approvals that are required to operate in this space. And you have to run all of these things in tandem.”

Hill commented that, “being flexible in terms of the kind of set-up or operation that you would like to have” is helpful when setting up in Saudi.

“Some of my clients are looking at agency appointments rather than a direct set-up,” he commented. “That means appointing someone with the ability to expand a market for them in the Kingdom. That way you don’t need to have a licenced entity operating within the country in order to appoint an agent on your behalf.”

And when it comes to contracting, Hill advised that although Saudi Arabia operates

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under different laws, regulations and practices, “they are underpinned in the same way as anywhere else”.

He commented: “The principals are the same.

Contracts are all about knowing who does what, when, and for how much – and what happens to the intellectual property rights after the project comes to an end. And the way of knowing that is simply writing things down.

“It can be an industry-style contract,” he continued. “As industry lawyers, we don’t need to write a War and Peace epic to get the job done.

But writing it down certainly stops any doubt. The other thing that is just as important in the Kingdom as anywhere else is the contract provides leverage for any difficult discussions you may have relating to delivery, procurement and payment.”

Summing up, Hill was pleased with how the session went. “The day went really well,” he said.

“I’ve been involved with ILEA as a board member from the very beginning; I’ve done a lot of talks over the years and this was as successful as any.”

Photo: Charles Russell Speechlys & ILEA www.ilea-me.com www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com

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INDUSTRY TRAINING

STAGE AUDIO WORKS STRENGTHENS FOCUS ON INDUSTRY TRAINING Stage Audio Works has made industry education a key priority with a variety of initiatives designed to enhance the knowledge base of industry professionals at every level of their career. This new focus will see dedicated workshops for a variety of brands covering some of the major disciplines that professionals need to be successful.

“The pace of change for technology in this industry means that you can never sit still,” said Shaun Xavier, Marketing Manager at Stage Audio Works. “We understand that people have to stay up-to-date if they want to deliver the best service to their clients, audience or congregation and we are here to help them do just that,” he continued. One of the first highlights for this

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initiative was a dedicated live mixing workshop that took place at the Mosaiek Teatro-Roodeport on 11 and 12 September.

This event combined the technologies of Sennheiser, Yamaha and d&b audiotechnik to provide a comprehensive workshop that covered the whole signal chain. On top of this, presentations from Freelance Engineer Oliver Voges and d&b audiotechnik’s Janko Ramuscak offered a brand-neutral approach to various techniques and methods.

“This is a unique opportunity for sound engineers to participate in a practical workshop in a live environment and learn how to overcome specific audio challenges in a hands-on manner while being mentored by some of the leading

minds in the global audio industry,” stated Xavier. “With the combined knowledge of the companies and individuals involved, this workshop was the most comprehensive live mixing workshop South Africa has ever seen.

Users left this event with new skills that they can apply regardless of the environment they face on a regular basis.”

Following this, Stage Audio Works also be hosted an open day at its Johannesburg office on 18th September. This event was dedicated to dBTechnologies’ VIO Series concert system.

“The VIO series has been increasing in popularity amongst local staging firms due to the value it has been shown to deliver,” stated Xavier. “Due to this, we felt it was important to

INDUSTRY TRAINING

host this session to ensure that everyone can get the best out of these systems and hear why they’ve become such a common site on gigs in the region.”

It is not only current professionals that Stage Audio Works is looking to help educate; the company has also been holding sessions to assist people at all stages of their career. This has seen a workshop covering an introduction to the d&b audiotechnik workflow hosted specifically for students at The Academy of Sound.

“We are determined to help people at every stage of their career learn about the latest technology and new solutions to age-old problems. The sessions we have planned will be valuable for anyone working in the rental staging industry,” Xavier noted.

Stage Audio Works has also joined forces with sales partner K2 Innovate to deliver free training for house of worship technicians in South Africa – Tech Tuesday.

Created to boost the technical skillset of worship volunteers, the initiative got underway

with a session covering the basics of web and multisite streaming.

“Streaming is a popular technology for houses of worship with multiple campuses as well as those looking to reach a dispersed congregation, so we thought it was the best starting point for Tech Tuesday,” explained Nathan Ihlenfeldt, Technical Director at Stage Audio Works.

“The response we had was phenomenal,” he continued. “The audience of worship technicians embraced the concept and made sure that this first Tech Tuesday really delivered on what we were trying to achieve. Everyone left there with a greater understanding of how this technology could help to improve their services.”

The event itself, which took place in Stage Audio Works’ Johannesburg office, covered the basics of web and multisite streaming technology and the various solutions available.

Following this, a special focus was put on the unique way that Living as One’s web and multisite technology enables this with the less

than optimal internet connections typically found in South Africa.

“We know and understand the challenges most houses of worship face when it comes to connectivity,” said Ihlenfeldt. “The technology that Living as One has pioneered to help combat these difficulties ensures that all of the positive aspects of streaming can still be experienced and your congregation can be engaged, no matter where they are.

Tech Tuesday is set to become a regular part of Stage Audio Works’ extensive educational calendar. The workshops will take place on the last Tuesday of every month, giving worship technicians the opportunity to learn and network with the community.

“Whether you need to brush up on your technical knowledge or discover and learn about new skills, methods and ideas for taking your tech to the next level, then this is for you,” concluded Ihlenfeldt.

Photos: Stage Audio Works www.stageaudioworks.com

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MISS SOUTH AFRICA

MISS SOUTH AFRICA ONE OF THE MOST HOTLY ANTICIPATED ANNUAL EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY AND A POTENTIALLY LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS, THERE’S A LOT RIDING ON A MISS SOUTH AFRICA SHOW. TPMEA SPEAKS TO LIGHTING DESIGNER JOSHUA CUTTS OF VISUAL FRONTIER TO FIND OUT HOW HE CREATES A LOOK BEFITTING OF A BEAUTY PAGEANT.

Amongst the biggest entries on South Africa’s live events calendar, Miss South Africa is one of the most prominent shows lighting designer Joshua Cutts of Visual Frontier works on each year. A high-profile event for numerous companies, sponsors and the many individuals involved in the production, Cutts is under no illusions as to the task in hand.

“It’s a life-changing moment for the girls, so you have to get it right,” he said. “You have to make them look good, and it has to work on television, so you end up putting a lot of pressure on yourself to ensure that everyone else succeeds along with you,” he explained.

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“I was very proud of this year’s Miss SA,” Cutts continued. “It looked exactly like my renders, the project looked clean on television, and the contestants were well lit with enough vibrant background in the walk and the performances, which I was hoping for.”

Celebrating its 61st anniversary, this year’s contest was held on 8 August 2019. Hosted at Time Square Sun Arena, Pretoria, the show was produced by [sic] entertainment and directed by Gavin Wratten, with MGG appointed as the full technical supplier.

Cutts has worked with Creative Director Wratten on Miss South Africa for the past five

years. “Every time we start with a Miss SA design, we talk about new ideas in the industry or new images we’ve seen,” he commented.

“Gavin and I draw on each other; he starts with the ramp style in his mind and then I go away and create something around that.” Fire is recognised as a purifier, representing energy, change, creativity and inner light. Wratten’s vision was to incorporate flames to be used right from the promos to the live performance.

Stepping away from a single fashion-style ramp, this year saw two ramps on either side of the stage coming together to form a triangular shape. Built within each corner of the triangle

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Above left: Lighting Designer, Joshua Cutts, and Assistant Designer, Andre Siebrits. Above right: Joshua Cutts with Music Team Kurt Herman, Llewellyn George and Tia Herman.

was a pool of water contained in a spearhead shape, each outlined with a trough dedicated for the pyros. This created the contrast of water and fire. Bird view camera shots saw the lights above the stage reflecting in the water.

“Last year we used a large number of LED screens as the main background, but this year, while I still required LED screens, I wanted to create a central feature using lighting for the backdrop,” said Cutts. “I wanted to draw in people’s attention, so my mind started drawing lines, and from drawing the lines I had the outline for the Martin by Harman Sceptrons.

“I realised I couldn’t just have Sceptrons and needed to add something more,” Cutts

continued. “Then one of the most exciting lights out there came to mind: the Robe MegaPointe.”

The lighting design incorporates 180 Martin

by Harman VDO Sceptron 10 Strips, 24 Robe MegaPointes, 24 Vari-Lite SL Nitro 510 Strobes and 27 Robe LEDBeam150s. It then continues up into the roof, where a V-Shaped truss, hung over the stage and mirroring the triangular stage, has 39 Robe Spiiders.

“You have to keep lights in groups, clusters and formations,” Cutts explained. “Instead of taking 24 fixtures and spreading them throughout the whole room, it works better to group 12 together as closely as you can, so they almost become one fixture and work in unison.”

Cutts and his Assistant Designer, Andre Siebrits, made use of two MA Lighting grandMA2 full sizes, five NPUs and a VPU for pixel mapping.

“Andre was the programmer and operator for the show. We have a very strict style when working on MA,” said Cutts.

“This year’s Miss SA had limited rehearsal time, but because we understand the production so well and work so well together, we were able to work on the tight deadline thanks to how we structure our MA show files. That’s why I love MA, because it lets me keep to a certain style and we get through a big job quickly.”

For a number of years, Cutts has relied on Vectorworks for his drawings. “It has all the

Show Laser and Special FX Solu ons

www.matrix-laser.com m.hilgemann@matrix-laser.com Af

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MISS SOUTH AFRICA

Top left: MGG Productions’ Johan Botha.

tools you need and is very similar, in my head, to MA,” he commented. “It’s a very powerful and accurate device and I do not start a grandMA show file until I have completed it in Vectorworks. It’s hugely beneficial how well Vectorworks and grandMA work together.”

Cutts and Siebrits also took control of the video and pyros, enabling them to be in sync with the entire production.

The Green Hippo Boreal Plus was the main media server used, with an additional Boeral.

“We used all 4K outputs to map the large surface,” said Cutts. “The total pixel count across the large screen surface was 10,416 pixels across and 2,688 pixels down, so essentially 10HD

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screens altogether. I find Hippotizer intuitive and easy to operate. I don’t do the nuts and bolts of setting it up – Johan Botha from MGG did that for us. He slices up the content and applies it to all the LED screens. That is the tricky stuff, but it’s still very simple on a Hippo.

“What I love about the Hippotizer for LED screens is that you can slice a piece of content out of a video file and put it on a specifically dedicated LED screen easily. The way it allows me to control colour of the content is great. I just find it a very powerful server and simple enough for any programmer to use.”

The end result was a design that was a mixture of both the left and right brain – creative

and logical at the same time. “You have to put the science, logic and angles behind lighting, and at the same time use colour, expression and mood to create feeling,” said Cutts.

While Cutts admits to still getting nervous ahead of shows that he is working on, after the dust settled and the new Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi, was crowned, he knew that all his and his team’s hard work was worthwhile.

“Congratulations to Zozibini,” he said, “and congratulations to every person involved in putting on a fantastic show.”

Photos: DWR Distribution www.dwrdistribution.co.za www.mgg.co.za

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