production news

Element Labs Stealth Screen for Britney Spears World Tour

Element Labs' Stealth LED technology has stood centre-stage with many of the world's leading performers, including Led Zeppelin, Kylie, Muse, Madonna and now also Britney Spears. Stealth, which set the industry standard for light, transparent video screens, is the ideal robust, reliable LED display solution for a demanding life on the road.

The Stealth displays, supplied by Solotech, are used in two separate circular screens: one screen above center stage and a smaller circular screen around the elevator. The main circular Stealth screen totals 1,300 panels with a height of 4 metres and a circumference of 58 metres. The rigging for the impressive screens was custom-made by Tait. The Stealth screen is used to show custom-made content developed by Franco Dragone's team under the guidance of Dirk Decloedt. The screen shows unique animated and stylized images created specifically for each song, which add brightly colorful content enhancing the Circus experience that themes the tour.

Barbara Nelson of Element Labs says: "Stealth has proven itself to be an absolutely fantastic LED product for the concert touring industry. It offers the visual performance expected of a high-quality LED product, yet also delivers the limited weight and size as well as ease-of-use that is so critical in this industry."

Martin Gear for Elton John / Billy Joel Face 2 Face Tour

Two of the entertainment industry's top piano men - Sir Elton John and Billy Joel - have reunited for an extensive ‘Face 2 Face' tour, continuing what is being described as the most successful and longest-running concert pairing in pop history.

John and Joel are touring the US together in an extraordinary show that sees the musicians play a series of duets on twin pianos, perform separately for an hour each, and then conclude the performance together on stage. The show includes some of their greatest hits along with a selection of rock ‘n' roll classics.

Steven Cohen Productions, in conjunction with Epic Production Technologies and Syncrolite supplied a large lighting package that includes Martin MAC III Profiles, MAC 700 Profiles and MAC 2000 Washes with lighting control from a Martin Maxxyz and Maxxyz Modules. Video control for low resolution LED screens is from a Martin Maxedia Broadcast.

Production Designer for the show is Steve Cohen. Lighting design is by Cohen and Mark Foffano. Foffano programmed for both artists and served as the overall system designer. Kevin ‘Stick' Bye serves as Elton John's lighting director.

The lighting rig includes 32 Martin Professional 1500 watt MAC III Profiles located upstage on three separate hinged trusses that conform to the angle of the upstage.

"The MAC IIIs are extremely bright, and their optics are amazing," states Foffano, who has worked with Joel since 1998. "They're brute lights that push themselves through anything, the video screen, the background..." For both John and Joel the powerful MAC III beams are used to shine through the low res LED screen / scenery in what Foffano describes as an awe-inspiring look.

The MAC III Profile features a unique fat beam and houses an enhanced CMY color mixing system for a wider range of vibrant colors - true reds for example. A fixed color wheel houses interchangeable slots for an even broader color range.

"The colors are outstanding and color changes are incredibly fast," Foffano continues. "The color mechanism is crisp and the color saturations are excellent - the cyan and magenta are really clean and pure." When asked about reliability, Foffano reported no issues.

The MAC 700 Profiles sit atop LED built into a Tait Towers lifting system that allows the look of a skyline. The MAC 2000s are located in trusses both upstage and downstage.

Two Martin Maxedia Broadcasts - Martin's user-friendly media server for media composing and playback - feed graphical content to low resolution LED screens over the stage. One Maxedia Broadcast is used for pixelmapping and the other for video content purposes. Maxedia programming was executed by Curtis Cox.

The entire show and Maxedia servers are controlled by just one Martin Maxxyz console using more than 26 universes of DMX. The DMX is transmitted from the Maxxyz console backstage over ArtNet. Maxxyz Modules provide easy direct playback access.

"Maxxyz is a platform we are comfortable with," says Foffano. "We've been using it for about five years now. Its ease of programming is a great time saver - you can get to where you're going without having to push a thousand buttons. The support is great too. It doesn't matter where we are in the world, we can always call someone."

The Elton John / Billy Joel Face 2 Face tour is expected to run periodically over the next two years with a stadium tour this summer and more dates set for November.

Britney Spears Soars with PRG's Scenic Technologies

PRG's Scenic Technologies group has had many opportunities over the years to engineer new and innovative automation solutions but they were particularly excited to have the chance to join The Circus Starring Britney Spears. The European leg of the world tour, which began at the O2 Arena in London, was the debut of the overhead automation system and two flying scenic elements. PRG received the request to engineer and build the system approximately four weeks prior to installation. The design concept presented a challenge that the PRG engineers found impossible to resist.

Tour producer/director Steve Dixon, production designers Nick Whitehouse and Bryan Leitch, and costume designer William Baker have created a spectacular set with a large circular mainstage and two smaller stages, evoking a three-ring circus. Above the mainstage is a large circular truss system, containing a massive 360° video screen and a red drape, which raises and lowers during the show. However, that is far from the only aerial work of the night; there is a complex automated flying system for scenic elements as well as performers, including Ms. Spears herself.

"PRG was able to deliver the show that we conceived," explained Dixon. "It is unique automation for a concert environment, more like a Broadway show, but with the ability to handle a touring schedule of back-to-backs with eight hours to load in and four hours to load out. With PRG, I now have a slick, smooth automated flying system that is precise, repeatable and most importantly, tourable. PRG is a company that has an absolutely positive attitude. It was never ‘no, we can't do it'. If there was an issue, they came to us with solutions. Their focus was on the timely delivery of the system and the costs. They understood the importance of balancing both things."

PRG engineered the overhead automated flying system on the show including all 15 winches. There is a centre lift winch that rotates 720° and works as both a scenery winch and a performer winch. Though this winch is used throughout the production it is particularly effective during two major moments in the show, both of which also include new scenic elements supplied by PRG. The first is when Britney sits onstage on a large umbrella that opens and flies up while slowly rotating as she sings a soft ballad. Later in the show she steps into a basket-style element that lifts her above a ring of actual fire.

Another key automation sequence in the show involves three large picture frame assemblies that each contain one performer. All three frames revolve in a circle as well as lift and lower. Previously, they only tracked 70° but PRG engineered a solution that allows the units to rotate 340° around the stage. Three lift winches were installed which are connected via an aircraft cable so that they lock into one another and become a single cable-loop. One revolve winch moves all three frames around the circle and the distance between the frames remains constant.

An essential part of the assignment given PRG was to provide four performer fly winches that the aerialists use with both ring choreography and fabric routines. Here safety, precision and consistent cue accuracy were absolutely imperative. PRG Scenic Technologies built permissive switches for each performer winch, which were used by the performer's individual spotters. The spotter presses a button in order to allow the winch to move up and down. If the button is released the winch is disabled and will not move until re-enabled (the permissive button engaged). This provided another layer of individual safety for each winch. The actual control of the winches is handled by a single operator on PRG's Commander console, the newest version of the PRG Stage Command system for automation control.

The Commander console utilizes new software and it shares many hardware components with the new PRG V676 lighting console. All of the effects go back to submasters on the control console where the operator can manipulate the time signatures via faders. There is a grandmaster that can operate all of the effects, as well as individual submasters that control individual winches. Once programmed, the Commander console ensures the speed is going to be the same every night at the touch of the go button. All of the drive racks and control intelligence for the system were moved to ground level where they could be more easily serviced. This also reduced the weight on the grid and allowed for faster load in and out.

The new control system and permissive button arrangement is particularly appreciated by the lead aerialist, Shannon Beach. She praised Scenic Technologies saying: "The new automated flying system had a big impact on the production and the feeling of security for the performers who work with it every night. It's so tight and so specific; we now feel that we can sharpen and expand our performances. Our confidence in the system allows us to focus on our performances."

PRG Scenic Technologies has over 20 years experience engineering automation for the theatrical market, corporate events and themed environments. It was the expertise and confidence of the well-respected Scenic Technologies team, led by Orestes Mihaly, general manager, that convinced the tour they had found the right shop. "I have worked for years with PRG; they are always excellent and reliable as a company," explains Mo Morrison, production executive for the tour. "Yet going with PRG Scenic Technologies to handle concert touring automation work was still a gamble; but they very quickly adapted to the concert touring concerns of back to backs, fast in and out; the truck space considerations; and the gear reliability required for work on the road. They were very open to what we required and always had a positive, confident attitude. What is not to love about the new automated flying system? It does everything that we wanted; it's sexy; and it's always on the mark. It's predictable and with automation, predictability is your friend. When you have people and scenic elements in the air, you want it to be spot on. I can truly say this has been another great PRG experience."

Prior to this tour, Whitehouse and Leitch partnered with Steve Dixon, William Baker and touring veteran Mo Morrison to form the production company Road Rage, which is producing The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour as well as handling the production design for the current Il Divo world tour.

MC2 Audio Expands Into Western Australia

MC2 Audio's Australian distributor, CMI Music and Audio, reports further success in the uptake of the brand across the continent.

Western Australia based Dream Catcha Productions, also known as DC Productions, have been growing what has become a very high end and impressive inventory. DC started out with the philosophy that only the best will do. With a high customer focus, they are fast becoming one of WA's most sought after hire companies.

Last year Dream Catcha purchased an HK Audio Contour Array system and some Contour Monitors and to add to this system, they have chosen to run with the MC2 Audio E Series amplifiers.

With a combination of both the MC2 E25s and E45s, DC Productions are very pleased with their purchase. Jeremy Harris, one of DC's managing directors, told CMI: "These amps are awesome. They are so light and powerful we can run a line array system with an amp rack that weights only 27kg." He continues: ‘With the MC2 amps it is very easy for one man to go out and set up the whole Contour Array, Monitors and amps."

The MC2 amps are also proving to have great sonic advantages as well. "These amps really bring out the best in our speakers. The power that comes out of these is unbelievable. Out of all the high end light weight amps we have used, these are without a doubt the best sounding," states Craig Skelton, DC's other managing director.

Dream Catcha have acquired a total of four E45 and eight E25 amplifiers. "This is just the start of our MC2 inventory and we are very much looking forward to making our next purchase in the coming months as we truly believe in this product," says Jeremy.

MC² sales and marketing director Bill Woods said: "I am delighted that MC² amplifiers are finding their way into the very discerning hands of companies like Dream Catcha Productions. It has always been our philosophy to make the best sound amplifiers possible and CMI are doing a great job of introducing the E Series to the very demanding Australian production companies."

In picture: Dream Catcha Productions managing directors Jeremy Harris and Craig Skelton.

Seal's "Soul" Tour Goes Global with Sennheiser

Three-time Grammy Award-winner Seal is currently on a world tour to promote his sixth album "Soul," which features such soul classics as "A Change is Gonna Come," "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," "Stand by Me" and "People Get Ready" and is, for many, the high point of an already exceptional career. Having recently wrapped up the U.S. leg of his worldwide "Soul" Tour, Seal next heads to Australia for some promotional events before a busy summer of European dates and a return to Australia with his three-piece band and a stage full of Sennheiser and Neumann mics, a NET 1 system and Sennheiser personal monitor systems.

"Every mic on the stage is a Sennheiser," confirms monitor engineer Chris Lantz, who has been working with the London-born singer and his band for the past eighteen months. The production maintains a complete mic and personal monitor system in the U.S. and an identical set-up in Europe, plus a basic rig in a flypack for promotional events.

Taking pride of place is Seal's vocal mic, a Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless handheld with a Neumann KK 105-S capsule. "It works great for him," reports Lantz. "He likes that high-end, whispery sound, so we take a lot of the mids out. He doesn't like to get right on the mic, either, and it works well for his dynamics. He's happy as can be. He loves it."

The vocal mic is paired with an EM 3732 receiver. "I love the way you can find all the frequencies and how easy the scanning is. It's so simple," says Lantz. There are also four hardwire e 935 mics for background vocal contributions from the band, one pair positioned upstage and another pair downstage.

The drum kit is covered with Sennheiser evolution series microphones, according to Lantz. "We have an e 602 on the kick drum." Previously there was a mic from another manufacturer on the kick drum until, he says, "I went to another show and heard someone using an e 602. It's probably one of the nicest sounding kick drum mics I've used." Sennheiser e 905s mic the top and bottom snare drum, a pair of e 614s are positioned for overhead and ride cymbal and e 914s on the hi-hat.

The clean and quiet stage layout features three of the four musicians on Sennheiser G2 wireless personal monitors. "The drummer is on a hardwire," he notes. "In addition to Seal, there's a bass player/keyboard player and a guitar player, who are on ears. One of the backline techs also has his own unit." The only two monitor speakers are a sub for the drummer and another for the bass/keyboard player, which helps front-of-house engineer John Robbins perfect his mix, says Lantz. Additional e 914 condenser mics are positioned to introduce audience and ambience into the personal monitor systems for the musicians.

He adds, "I run both a 500 MHz and a 600 MHz frequency personal monitor unit simultaneously for Seal, in case I have problems. Depending on the local RF environment, some days the 500 works better, some days the 600." Lantz remotely controls and monitors the wireless systems using a Sennheiser NET 1 system.

Although Lantz has been working in the industry for many years and was one of the first to adopt wireless personal monitors, it's a constant learning process," he says. "I just think that the support that Sennheiser has given us is incredible." He noted that he has received training on the road, has visited the office in Connecticut, and completed a Sound Academy class. "You learn the right ways to do it. When you learn the tricks from the people that work with the equipment every day, it makes your job a breeze."

In picture: With Seal using a Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless microphone with the stellar Neumann KK 105-S capsule and a stage full of Sennheiser gear, Seal's global "Soul" tour is a classic in both performance and sound. Photo: Getty Images.

Barco Debuts New Wash Light On Tour

Barco has announced that three premiere band tours - No Doubt, The Crystal Method and the upcoming Aerosmith tour -- are all debuting the new High End Systems' Showbeam 2.5 in their shows.

The Showbeam 2.5 is a new 2500-watt automated wash luminaire that features the revolutionary Twin Beam technology, allowing two hard-edge beams to exit the fixture on command. Features include variable control over the Twin Beam's deviation and rotation speed, all with little brightness degradation, the ability to add incremental colour to the Twin Beam using the CMY colour mixing system, and a unique LED tracking system encircling the lens. Showbeam 2.5 also features a user-changeable fixed colour wheel, a variable CTO and the ability to produce an 11-degree fixed hard-edge profile with fast colour change and Electronic Strobe. The profile can be rapidly zoomed from 11 to 33 degrees.

Butch Allen, No Doubt's lighting designer, said, "These lights are amazing. Well done!" Tour lighting contractor Epic Production Technologies is supplying six Showbeam 2.5 fixtures, along with six HES DL.3 Digital Lights. No Doubt's North American tour started on May 2.

"I love the colours," said Lawrence "Loz" Upton, The Crystal Method's lighting designer. "First of all, you can use Showbeam 2.5 as a very powerful wash light, and I especially love the colours with the ring of LEDs. It works really well in the show with our circular trussing. The next thing is, at a moment's notice, you can turn on the Twin Beam effect, and it's pretty hallucinogenic," continued Upton. "You go from a beam focus, and then all of a sudden, you've got this crazy two-beam focus that comes in, which is just awesome, and it also has a cool oscillation effect. Ours is an effects-driven show, and Showbeam 2.5 adds to the layers of looks to match our layers of sound. Barco's High End lighting products are very innovative, and personally, they work well for me."

Delicate Productions is the lighting contractor for The Crystal Method's tour. In addition to Showbeam 2.5, the tour includes Showgun, StudioPix and Axon Media servers, plus CLM projectors - and all controlled from a Wholehog 3 console and DMX Processor 8000. The Crystal Method's North American tour began on May 5.

Aerosmith's North American tour starts on June 10. "Showbeam 2.5 will work out great in my design," said Bryan Hartley, Aerosmith's lighting designer. "I needed a strong wash light and the Twin Beam is really cool. Plus, it has the LED ring, which gives it a Showgun look. I'll have ten Showbeams in my rig for the tour, and I'm psyched."

Hartley will control the lighting with a Wholehog 3 console and a DMX Processor 8000. Creative Stage Lighting (CSL) is supplying the Showbeam 2.5s to Epic Production Technologies, the lighting contractor.

"Barco's High End Systems knows what designers want," noted CSL's George Studnicky IV. "Another year goes by and they bring another innovation and benchmark to the table. It's a very exciting time to be in our industry. With the further development of LEDs and the automated lighting market, there's a custom design to every show you see. The Showbeam 2.5 with the Twin Beam and the internal wash lens truly add to this ability."

"We are very pleased that our new wash light is being specified, and adding excitement to the stages of these top tours," said Chris Colpaert, VP Creative Lighting for Barco North America. "As the touring season hits the heights this summer, look for Showbeam 2.5 and other Barco lighting and control products to make more headlines."

CATS Crosses Asia with Meyer Sound

CATS, one of the longest-running musicals on Broadway and London's West End, is now traveling across Asia and putting on more than 400 performances in 20 venues spanning Taiwan, China, Thailand and Korea. Sound reinforcement for Andrew Lloyd Webber's unforgettable score is provided by a Meyer Sound M1D line array loudspeaker system.

"We're a long way from our support base in Australia, so we needed a system that was flexible, reliable, easy to tour, and great sounding," says Kelvin Gedye, sound designer for the CATS production by Really Useful Company Asia Pacific (RUCAP) and the production supervisor for Melbourne, Australia-based System Sound, the tour's sound provider. "We know Meyer speakers always deliver, night after night. CATS is a very dynamic show, going from whisper-quiet moments to pumping dance segments, with everything in between. It's also a very wordy musical, with T.S. Eliot's witty wordplay transformed to song requiring excellent vocal intelligibility. I've not found a speaker system that can do it better than Meyer."

The exceptionally low-profile enclosure of the M1D line array loudspeaker makes it the ideal travel companion for CATS' Asian tour. "The M1Ds are compact, scalable, and powerful for their size," Gedye says. "They are the main vocal speakers for the balcony and/or dress circle, so they're of critical importance. Their small size allows us to rig them on the advance lighting truss, where space is at a premium. Depending on the configuration of the venue they might be rigged as a center hang of six or seven, or a left/right hang of four each."

With the tight turnaround times for touring productions, Gedye's crew enjoys uncommon flexibility from the system, which also includes six CQ-1 loudspeakers, two 650-P subwoofers, three UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers, eight MM-4 loudspeakers, and two UPM-1 loudspeakers, in addition to eight M1D line array loudspeakers. Meyer Sound's self-powered design makes a huge difference in setup time. "Meyer's self-powered systems reduce our footprint on stage, simplify patching, and make for fewer boxes to load in, load out, and pack into the truck or container," says Gedye.

Virtually trouble-free for over 400 shows across Asia, the marathon CATS tour was Kelvin Gedye's latest reminder why he always travels with Meyer Sound. "When I first worked on CATS, it was 1987 in Melbourne as a young sound operator doing my first big Broadway musical," he recalls. "The FOH speaker system was the new Meyer UPA-1, and I was amazed at the sound quality and power of these tiny speakers. I've been a Meyer fan ever since, and so has System Sound."

Head of sound on the CATS Asian tour is Jason Graham, who works alongside Kerril Ezzy and Claudia McErlain.

Robe at the Melbourne Motor Show

Robe moving lights got right into the fast lane for the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show, where they were used on several stands for which lighting equipment was supplied by Victoria-based Clifton Productions, one of the exhibition's main technical suppliers.

With nearly 340 cars on show, there was something to suit the needs and dreams of most new car buyers, and supreme efforts were made all round for each booth to look spectacular.

Different combinations of Robe ColorSpot 1200 ATs, ColorWash 2500E ATs and ColorSpot and Wash 700E AT Series fixtures were used to illuminate a host of premium automotive brands including Toyota, Holden, Mazda, Lotus, Honda and Nissan.

Each of the stands lit by Cliftons had its own unique design and layout - developed with each of the individual LDs involved, complete with specially created lighting effects. These ranged dynamically from Lexus' massively impressive display with large washing effects to KIA's modernist LED screen presentation.

"Lighting effects play a huge part in having impact and making booths stand out at large exhibitions of this calibre," explains Clifton's systems tech, Aaron Humber.

Robe fixtures were used primarily to colour wash the cars, Humber adds. "The reliability and brightness makes them ideal for applications like this."

The Mazda stand used Robe ColorWash 2500E ATs specifically because they had the ability to punch through the prominent stand working lights and create a vibrant colour wash on the back wall.

Kia used Robe ColorSpot 1200 ATs for gobo projections on to the cars, while Lotus used both ColorSpot 700E AT and ColorSpot 1200 ATs for a reveal and to wow the crowds. On Lexus, lighting designer Ziggi Ziegler from ZZ Creative Services added his personal imaginative touches. Robe ColorSpot 1200 ATs and ColorWash 2500E ATs were used for gobo projections during the press launch session, and thereafter to wash each of the cars in colour and texturing. The ColorWashes were used for lots of high impact gobo effects and fast CMY colour mixing. Clifton's system tech John Stanley programmed and operated the Lexus stand with an Avolites Pearl, the Toyota stand with a Hog PC and the rest of Clifton's stands with LSC Maxium consoles.

Clifton Productions has in excess of 500 Robe moving lights in their inventory which are in constant and continuous use around Australia, says Aaron Humber. "I wish we had more - we just can't get enough of Robe!"

www.robe.cz

XL Video in the Funhouse with Pink

XL Video UK is supplying cameras, PPU, LED surfaces, media servers and projection for Pink on the latest European leg of her hi-energy ‘Funhouse' world tour, which firmly establishes her as one of the most spectacular live music performers of the moment.

With a set designed by Mark Fisher and show direction / lighting by Baz Halpin, the show is action packed with visual extravaganza from start to finish. Video was always going to be an integral design component, for which they wanted the contrast of both high and low resolution surfaces.

Upstage a central section of 7mm F-LED flanked by two Barco MiTrix panels are masked by a scenic interface congruous with the overall edgy, off-kilter, carnivalesque ambience of the set and show. This creates an approximately 40 ft wide by 15ft deep six-part surface.

The light-weight and high resolution pitch of the F-LED make it an ideal choice, and this is the first show worldwide that the 7mm has been used on. The MiTrix sections are built as 6 x 4 panel frames, specially modified by XL Video to suit the shape of the fascia, complete with a custom cable management system devised to minimise the run distances.

The quintessentially quirky live mix is cut by Richy Parkin, primarily sent to four side screens, but also appearing across the on stage LED at strategic moments.

The account is project managed for XL by Jo Beirne and Phil Mercer, who comment: "It was a very brave decision by Baz Halpin and production manager Richard Young to specify a brand new screen without even seeing the 7mm beforehand, particularly with a schedule as rigorous as this one - not only does it look right for the show, it's also been bomb-proof!"

Playback content was created by Halpin and Olivier Goulet from Canadian company Geodezik. It runs for about 85 per cent of the show and is all programmed into a Catalyst media server running on four layers and triggered by lighting director Trent O'Connor's Martin Maxxys control console. It is treated and masked to fit the six different shaped screens via the Catalyst.

Ahead of the tour starting, Larne Poland joined Halpin and Goulet as video consultant, and together all worked on developing camera treatments for the show. These are very precise and designed specifically to reinforce the style and mood of the Funhouse narrative - an intelligently trippy journey into the unexpected and unconventional. Pink herself was also very involved in all creative elements of the show which wraps around her energetic performance.

In addition to the onstage screen, XL is supplying four side screens. The two downstage ones measure 16 x 12 ft each and are flown at about 60ft high on their own trusses to cover the upper tiers of the arenas. The other 2 are flown side stage at 90 degrees to it, covering the ends of the 270 degree format. Each is fed with a Barco R12+ projector.

The cameras are five of XL's Sony D50s. Two hand-helds are onstage and the stage left side of the pit, with one on track-and-dolly also in the pit, on the stage right side of the thrust - both hand-helds are with wide angle lenses. Stationed at FOH is the fourth camera, complete with long lens, and the last one is a hot head clamped to trussing above the B stage, which covers all Pink's movements up and down the thrust and at the back of the stage. This gets some spectacular shots and adds a unique and totally different spatial dimension to the camera mix.

The camera treatments are all achieved using numerous in-built effects on Parkin's Kayak 2.5 ME mixer, the feeds from which are then output to screen via the Catalyst.

Black and white is used at certain points, specifically during ‘Sober', flipping to colour - representing a burst of reality - when Pink starts a daring acrobatic trapeze routine - after which the video reverts back to a dirty, flickering vintage image.

The mixer is programmed to do an overall film "field drop" look with a subtle flicker to de-clean the images and introduce a slightly gritty cinematic - and fun - look to match the imaginative oeuvre of the show.

Other individual songs have their own special IMAG look and feel too. Engineer John Steele ensures that the cameras are calibrated to compensate for this, and to enhance the set and flamboyant costumes, rather than delivering clinical technical shots.

It's a very busy show all round for the XL crew - on cameras as well as for Parkin creating the mix. The tight choreography means there are numerous cues that have to be spot on, and keeping up with Pink who isn't still for longer than a few seconds at a time, is probably the biggest challenge. "Every show tests me and keeps me totally on my toes - it's an extremely invigorating and satisfying way to work," he comments.

The hugely successful Funhouse phenomenon next visits Australia for a record-breaking 15 weeks, then back to the US for a month before returning to the UK and Europe in October, running right up till Christmas.

In Australia, video kit will be supplied by a combination of XL Video UK and their local Sydney-based partner company, TDC.

www.xlvideo.tv

New Zealand Audio Institute Purchases Third Allen & Heath Mixer

The Music & Audio Institute of New Zealand has just purchased a 32-channel Allen & Heath GL3800 multi-purpose live sound console for use on its live sound course.

The new mixer replaces an older GL model - a GL2000 - which has been in use for 13 years and is now installed in one of the smaller classrooms. The GL3800 will assume duties in the Institute's main teaching facility and out on the road for field activities,

"The GL2000 gave us many years of faithful service but we wanted to move up to a 32-channel format and to have the combined FOH and monitor mixing facilities that the GL3800 offers," explains Tony McMaster, Head of Department for Live Sound and Event Production at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand.

"As a teaching tool the GL3800 gives our students experience on an analogue desk that is easy to find your way around when starting out. We love the clear and straightforward layout and can get our students up to speed on it in no time at all. A&H is a popular brand in NZ and there are lots of mixers in the field, so for our students to work with familiar gear gives them more confidence and helps them produce great live mixes," he added.

The Institute now runs three A&H mixers - the GL3800, GL2000 and a WZ316:2 - and selected the GL3800 model because they required 8 subgroups and 10 aux sends, providing plenty of capacity for FOH, dedicated monitor or dual FOH/monitor operation.

Ballas Hough Band Rock Bandit

The Ballas Hough Band came dancing into the world, literally. Mark Dallas and Derek Hough are both regulars on the wildly successful Dancing With the Stars, each having won the competition in the past. While both are world-renowned as dancers, because of their fame on the TV show they experienced instant success with their band as well. Their first album is out now as they continue to travel the world and perform on both the TV show and in the concert experience. The infectious first single ‘Do It For You' is an instant sensation.

Tour manager JB Blot and lighting designer Ali Hunter selected Bandit Lites as their company of choice and together the show has emerged, grown, morphed and impressed everyone they meet. Carrying a package of Martin fixtures, Atomic Strobes, Thomas floor trusses and a Jands Echelon console the new act is making serious headway as they storm across the world. Bandit client rep Brent Barrett is very excited to work with such a highly talented group of people and knows this artist will go a long way.

Houston, Texas and London, England are locations that both play into the background, growth and development of the band, as both Mark and Derek spent time in these cities. Bandit Lites say they look forward to growing with the band as they progress. The current demand for this artist is unbelievable and the sky is certainly the limit, so watch for them on Dancing with The Stars, and in a local venue!

www.banditlites.com

 

Martin MAC III Profile Helps Dress Massive Set in Captivating Colour for André Rieu World Tour

The numbers are huge: a 125 metre wide stage, a 4000 square metre palace façade set, over 400 Martin Professional automated lights, 80 containers of transport. What is being called the biggest transportable touring set ever graces Andre Rieu's latest and greatest tour - ‘World Stadium Tour: A Romantic Vienna Night'.

The 34 metre high stage - a reconstruction of the Schonbrunn castle in Vienna - includes a ballroom with gilded chandeliers, majestic fountains, and even ice for skating. Lighting the massive set is an equally impressive Martin lighting rig made up of 30 MAC III Profiles, 185 MAC 2000 Washes, 58 MAC 2000 Wash XBs, 114 MAC 250 Washes, 10 MAC 2000 Performances and 14 Exterior 200s. Lighting contractor is Rent-All BV, one of the largest rental companies in Holland, who have been supplying lighting for André Rieu shows for years.

Lighting design for the tour is in the capable hands of Maurice Verbeek who has been designing lighting for André Rieu for nearly 12 years. Verbeek turned to Martin's popular 1500 watt MAC III Profile to span the set's enormous trim heights. "When I started to draw the plots for the World Stadium Tour I realized the size of this stage was enormous!" Verbeek says. "The trim of the main rig needed to be 15 meters and we needed a lot of strong lights.

"At that time, the MAC 2000 Profile/Performance was the strongest spot but I needed something stronger with a bigger zoom range. After finishing the European tour, Rent-All informed me about the new MAC III Profile. After seeing a demo we decided to exchange the VL 3000 with the MAC III."

Verbeek first used the MAC IIIs on the Australian leg of the tour, programming them to match the gobos and effects of earlier shows. "The MAC III performed very well with few problems. Finally, there is a profile spot that's strong enough to compete with the power of a MAC 2000 Wash."

Co-designer and programmer on the tour is Gertjan Houben of Moving Lights Support of Amsterdam. He adds his thoughts about the MAC III units: "When we started designing for André Rieu's World Stadium Tour we knew we needed something bright, powerful and versatile," he said. "While looking at all the usual suspects in that segment, Rent-All BV invited us for a demonstration of the then soon to be released MAC III. Having heard some rumors about it being bright and powerful, we didn't hesitate to accept the invitation. The demo was very impressive and we knew we had found the light we were looking for."

Luckily, says Houben, the release date of the fixture coincided with the shipping dates to Australia. "When the rig came online in the Telstra Dome in Melbourne and we started programming, the light kept all its promises. The brightness of the output exceeded our expectations and with the impressive zoom we could get the light where we needed it most."

Besides the versatility of the fixture's gobo/prism combination, Houben was most impressed with the new color mixing system. "It's fast and mixes beautifully," he comments. "The extended range of color depth in the magenta and yellow are a huge improvement. Together with Bart van Stiphout the system engineer, I was also very pleased with the relatively small channel footprint of the light. When it comes to universes in these big shows, more is not better."

Looking back on the shows, Houben says that they definitely made the right choice with the MAC III Profile. "I'm looking forward to the next production I can spec it on," he concludes.

photo: André Rieu - Australian leg

Tasmanian Audio Company Chooses MC2 Audio

Recently appointed MC2 Audio distributor in Australia, CMI Music and Audio, has supplied Professional Music & Lighting Systems, Tasmania with additional E Series amplifiers to augment their existing inventory.

Andy McIntyre, Pro Audio product manager of CMI explains: "PMLS, an AV and backline company operating out of Hobart, Tasmania, contacted us recently as they were looking to upgrade their stock of MC2 amps and of course, we were very happy to oblige."

PMLS director, Nick Morse continued: "We have been using MC2 now for four to five years and have not ever had a problem with them - even when we have run them at dance parties, driven hard for 50-plus hours straight. They don't even get hot. We have tried most other big-name amp brands and have not come across a lightweight amp to sound even close to MC2 with the same reliability (what you put in is what comes out). Having complete confidence in MC2 E series amps, we made our decision to standardise our FOH amplifiers with MC2 and we've since purchased another 12 MC2 amps from CMI."

For MC2 Audio, sales and marketing director Bill Woods added: "CMI are already proving to be an extremely able distributor for us with MC2 Audio. The combination of CMI's sales and marketing prowess and our excellent product offering is already gaining great results for us both and making our products more accessible to the Australian market. We are delighted!"

Allen & Heath Manages New Zealand Festive Event

New Zealand PA company, Noise Productions, employed its Allen & Heath iLive digital system at the Christmas in the Park event held during the festive period in Masterton, near Wellington.

Hosted by a local radio personality and supported by More FM Radio, the community-based event was held in Masterton's main park and featured a performance by the Nick Tansley Big Band, custom-created for the event using session musicians and fronted by the host himself.

iLive managed FOH and monitor sound for the 26-piece band. The iDR10 MixRack was installed on stage linked via CAT5 cable to the iLive-144 Control Surface at FOH, whilst monitor sound was mixed on stage over WIFI with a laptop loaded with iLive Editor control software. An analogue splitter was not needed as Noise Productions used iLive's digital patchbay to split the inputs in the iDR10 MixRack into two channels, one set up for FOH and the other for mixing the required 18 monitor sends.

"You should have seen the look on the artists' faces when I stood beside them at their wedge and asked them what they wanted to hear and did it there and then!" explains Noise Productions' MD, Toby Mills, who was monitor engineer for the evening. "iLive is so simple to install, we managed to set up the whole concert in 3 hours with 3 people - it's saving me an absolute fortune in labour alone. Packing up monitor world at the end of the night consisted of closing the lid on my laptop and putting it in its case. The year before I used an analogue console and it took an hour to pack up the analogue split patch and a mountain of cable."

"iLive is getting rave reviews in New Zealand and certainly everyone who uses mine is just blown away by it," concludes Mills.

In picture: Nick Tansley Big Band performing at the Christmas in the Park festival.

Pollard Productions Invests in Kinesys

Rigging specialists Pollard Productions, based in Sydney, Australia has invested in a Kinesys automation system.

Kinesys is a European market leader for flexible, user-friendly, precision automation solutions. "We'd been following the development of the system for some time," explains James Ring, managing director of Pollard Productions, who says they were eagerly awaiting the release of the latest K2 3D programming and visualizing platform, and had also seen Kinesys in action on several concert tours throughout Australia. "Kinesys came highly recommended by many of the touring riggers we know."

Pollards' system consists of eight 1 tonne Liftket and 12 0.5 tonne Liftket double brake chain hoists with 20 metres of travel, 20 Kinesys Elevation 1+ variable speed hoist controllers, a 24 channel Kinesys Array PD-ES and two 6-channel Mini Array PD-ES power distribution units, three Smart 8 fixed speed chain hoist controllers, Rigger 8 and Rigger 16 variable speed hand-held controllers, plus Kinesys' proprietary Vector and K2 software.

Pollard Productions are impressed by the 3D programming ability and being able to offer their clients exact movement with 100 per cent consistency. One element of their business is people flying, and with this, as with flying any special objects, "It's imperative to offer the highest levels of safety and accuracy."

Ring adds that they look forward to offering show directors "A guaranteed flight path", and see huge potential for complicated flight and fight sequences to be achieved using Kinesys and timed perfectly for the camera.

"The Kinesys System means we can always be precise with variable speed, smoothness and consistency."

Pollard's Kinesys system was in demand even before it had left the UK, so much so that they rapidly switched freighting plans from sea to air to get it into the country in time for their colleagues at Bytecraft to use on the final stages of the  "Kylie X" world tour. 

Kinesys' Dave Weatherhead recently visited Pollard to co-ordinate training for Pollard's staff, which created much interest, prompting a large turnout. "Dave's training was thorough, interesting and enlightening," reports Ring. "We all discovered far more about the hardware, software and system philosophy and are proud to be part of the Kinesys Family."

Pollard Productions Pty undertake a wide variety of projects throughout the Asia and pan-Pacific regions, providing expertise and technical solutions to the film, TV, concert touring and corporate exhibitions/events sectors, in addition to consulting on design and installation projects for all types of venues. The company also provides house rigging services to many of the major venues in Sydney.

Meyer Sound TM Array for Metallica In-the-Round Arena Tour

‘World Magnetic Tour' is taking Metallica across the US and Europe, playing arenas in-the-round with the new TM Array configuration deploying four centre overhead arrays of Meyer Sound's ultra high-power 700-HP subwoofers. A fresh approach to providing even, powerful low-end coverage for in-the-round concerts with fewer subwoofers than traditional configurations, the TM Array delivered such exceptional results at Metallica's London and Berlin record release events that the band specifically requested production to use the system on the arena tour.

Playing in the round presents both opportunities and challenges. With successful implementation, it offers a dynamic and high-energy live experience for the audience with intimacy and immediacy unmatched by other layouts. Such a set-up, however, creates myriad problems for production, especially in the low-end dynamics. Metallica, the reigning godfathers of heavy metal, has been experimenting with different configurations for the past 17 years, but with varying success until the adoption of the TM Array.

"It's difficult," says "Big Mick" Hughes, the sound engineer who has been with Metallica since the band's beginnings. "Ask any engineer that's ever mixed in the round, and they will all say the same thing - it's very difficult to get even coverage, particularly in the low frequencies."

Meyer Sound Tech Support first supported Metallica in 2004 when the band played to 18,000 fans using a MILO line array loudspeaker system in Iceland. Meyer Sound continued working closely with Hughes and Thunder Audio vice president Paul Owen on Metallica's appearances at music festivals, the 2006 "Escape from the Studio" tour, the ‘Sick of the Studio' tour in 2007, and played an integral role in providing a creative and effective solution for the in-the-round conundrum.

One of the first attempts was a groundstack configuration, and the crew also considered going underneath the stage. Both ideas were rejected - the former because it would blast the first rows with an eardrum-rupturing 145 dB of SPL, and the latter because it would cause earthquake-level tremors on stage. The intricate problem was solved when Thomas Mundorf, Meyer Sound's European technical support, used MAPP Online Pro acoustical prediction program to create the radical design of four arrays of ten 700-HP subwoofers above the stage. The configuration effectively achieves the desired coverage while using a smaller number of subwoofers than traditional configurations, a major logistical benefit for the large tour production.

"I must admit I was skeptical at first, I didn't think it would work," notes Owen, "but it did, and it was spectacular."

Mundorf had utilised a similar - though smaller - type of sub array in previous designs, so he knew the theory was solid, even with the unique demands Metallica brought to the table.

"By creating a line array of 700-HPs," says Mundorf, "and bringing them closer together, you take advantage of the fundamental law of good sound design, the basic line array principle that one sound source is the best possible option. This design uses that and the subwoofers' omnidirectional throw pattern."

The sound reinforcement for the tour also includes eight arrays of 12 MILO and four MICA line array loudspeakers each. Rounding out this system are 24 MJF-212A stage monitors. System drive is provided by a Galileo loudspeaker management system with five Galileo 616 processors. The RMS remote monitoring system feeds extensive real-time loudspeaker status and performance data directly to the operator. A SIM 3 audio analyzer is used to optimize, calibrate and monitor the performance of the system.

"We'd never had even sub coverage in the round, ever," adds Hughes. "It's just the nature of the beast. But the fact that the TM Array puts bass absolutely everywhere is a first for in the round. It's just fantastic."

Pressure was high leading up to the TM Array's first deployment, but Metallica's enthusiasm about the resulting sound quality and the artists' insistence to use the configuration on tour proved that Mundorf's design was solid, and made the efforts worthwhile. "We've done this show for years with all configurations of PA," concludes Owen, "and this is the most even SPL we've ever been able to achieve. We're sold on Mundorf's design and the 700-HP subwoofers."

AC/DC Charged up with grandMA on its Black Ice Tour

Rock legends AC/DC are electrifying sell-out crowds on their first tour in eight years, and grandMA is plugged into the excitement. The band's long-awaited Black Ice World Tour comes on the heels of its ‘Black Ice' album for Columbia Records and takes as its theme the first track, Rock 'n' Roll Train, with the stage featuring five curved trusses reminiscent of a railroad station's roof beams. It's the best show they've ever done," declares the band's lighting director Cosmo Wilson. "Every tour gets progressively better. AC/DC has always done larger-than-life things, and they love a huge set so this time we have a huge train on stage."

The Black Ice World Tour marks the first time that Wilson has toured with the grandMA. A main system and backup are on hand to control the extensive lighting package required for the massive set and AC/DC's over-the-top performance. "I've used a lot of different consoles, but I started using the grandMA on some one-off dates for other artists and have done a lot of corporate shows with it," he says. "This is my first chance to tour with it. That's when you really get to learn it. I've always liked a lot of grandMA's features, and I'd been thinking I wanted to use it for AC/DC. Dave Hill, the co-lighting designer with Patrick Woodroffe, is also a grandMA fan."

"Generally, I take notes during the show and try to make it better the next day. But since I'm an on-the-fly guy, with the grandMA, it's so easy to grab things and change them in the middle of the show. Everything is at your fingertips, " says Wilson.

Among the lighting instruments supplied by Upstaging Lighting & Transport and controlled by the grandMA are 48 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 300s as well as 36 Vari*Lite VL3000 spots. The rest of the lighting rig consists of Coemar, Lycian, Elation, Zap Technology, Martin and Color Kinetics products.

Wilson reports that the grandMA is "working fantastically" on the Black Ice World Tour.  "I'm really impressed with it; I love the console." Among the features he particularly enjoys is the touchscreen interface, which enables him to "put anything I want where I want it and make changes in seconds without missing a cue. It's really fast!" 

"Cosmo is a real hands on guy, and he has thrived on this very intuitive desk. Cosmo's artistry and long relationship with AC/DC, combined the excellence of Patrick Woodroffe and Dave Hill is an unbeatable combination. Also, Upstaging is predictably excellent. The quality of their preparation really allows the artists to concentrate on doing their job," adds A.C.T Lighting president and CEO Bob Gordon. (A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive distributor of the grandMA in North America.)

photo: Steve Jennings

www.malighting.com

 

 

Martin Lights Pendulum Winter Tour

If you didn't know who Pendulum were during summer festivals a few years ago, you could be forgiven. But if you were to make the same claim today people might well ask you where you've been hiding. In an incredibly small period of time, the spectacular rock and dance music act from down under have taken centre stage on the UK tour scene. And not just here. Their recent tour of NZ and Australia saw them break records for crowd numbers.

The man behind their lighting is LD Andy Hurst, who has been with the band from the beginning. "As the band is a dance meets rock , we wanted to do things the old fashioned way while at the same time presenting the audience with a back lit screen - both visuals and lights, but the visuals are all beat driven and very organic.

"During the first tour we used a large wall made up of a PixelLine but for this one we decided to look at options for a full LED screen. We decided on Martin's LC panels - not least because they are extremely affordable for the quality you get. They are about 15% of the price of the other leading brands, which is very substantial.

We ended up using 28 panels and made our own visuals especially for the show and to fit the size and shape of the LC panels. It looked really good. The panels are also extremely lightweight which is great

for touring. Other panels claim to be lightweight but that is not including the power pack - which is very heavy and therefore negates the lightweight claim. Being so light means you can hang more units and we were able to get the whole back wall of LC units into just seven flight cases."

Behind the wall of LC2140s were 35 pulsating Atomic strobes from Martin, which were used to power through the semi transparent LC panels when Andy faded the visuals.

"The wall of LC units really looked like it was a set piece because the bars of the LC panels run vertically and the light from behind fill them when they're dimmed and transparent. Each strobe tower behind in turn looked like a glowing set piece too. As the LC can go from solid to transparent, you have a lot of options," continued Andy.

"In front of these we had 35 MAC 2000E Profiles. On this tour I wanted hard edge beams and I also used gobos - although sparingly."

The results of the combined effects of MAC 2K hard edge light beams, an organic wall of visuals on the LC units and the shock of colourful strobe breaking through are truly breathtaking. The light show pulsates with a force that reflects the band's ceaseless presence and energy.

After their tour down under, the band and Andy are heading to the US in March and then onto a summer festival tour.

www.martin.com

MSI Powers The Sound Of Change at Historic Presidential Inauguration with Crown Amplifiers

In a show of powered sound for one of the most watched events in history, Crown amplifiers were utilised by Baltimore-based Maryland Sound Industries (MSI) at the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20, in Washington D.C. The event drew the largest civic-event audience ever served by an outdoor sound reinforcement system in the United States, with a crowd of as many as two million people.

Baltzell Audio Design designed the audio system and MSI, led by president Bob Goldstein, supplied the Crown I-Tech amplifiers for the massive sound system at the event, powering a large number of JBL VerTec line array towers, which are dispersed throughout the Capitol End mall area. The I-Tech amplifiers feature advanced DSP processing which allows for additional tuning of the JBL line arrays. With a built-in LCD screen on the front panel, basic features and amplifier status can be accessed from the amplifier's location.  Additionally, the added convenience of Harman HiQnet System Architect control and management interface allows a front of house or monitor engineer to easily monitor an amplifier's status from their location.

Pat Baltzell of Baltzell Audio Design feels the features of the I-Techs give the flexibility needed in this type of challenging outdoor environment.  "It made it possible to run System Architect and actually make subtle adjustments in the amps; each 14-box speaker column was divided into three zones, but to get even better resolution, you have the ability to go directly into the amps and put in filters to make subtle high-frequency adjustments in the amp that we would not have been able to do previously," stated Baltzell.

"One of the biggest challenges we faced was the high frequency. We tried to manage this by boosting the top cabinets in a way that would not affect the near field. Having the fine resolution of I-Tech with DSP in the amps takes us to another level of fine control," he added.

"We are extremely pleased with the assortment of tools that Harman provides us. From the superb JBL Vertec line arrays to Crown amplifiers and Studer and Soundcraft consoles and other products. We are able to achieve the highest fidelity sound possible and vastly superior to that which was available only a few years ago.  Given the harsh environmental conditions we were working in which has brought sub zero temperatures and lots of precipitation the equipment worked flawlessly with no failures," stated Goldstein.

The amplifiers powered JBL VerTec line arrays with up to 14 VT4889 large-format line array speakers in each tower.  JBL VP315DP, VRX932, and Control 25AV speakers were also utilised for the swearing-in ceremony, president's speech, and performances by major music artists.  

Delivering the Tension of Unnoticeable Change

Artistic director and choreographer Lemi Ponifasio founded MAU in 1995. MAU is an ensemble of artists taking its name from the non-violent Samoan independence movement Mau, meaning testimony or revolution. Mau offered sustained resistance to colonisation, first by the Germans, then Britain and New Zealand. The work of MAU reflects this keen social perspective, an awareness of history and a critical eye on our own times. Ponifasio collaborates with contemporary and traditional artists, refugees, and marae and Pacific Island communities reviving local-oriented arts, thought and narratives that have been silenced or excluded. In Ponifasio¹s words: "It is a dance or theatre that is mau, truly contemporary, that deals with the life as we experience it, a theatre of where we find ourselves planning our future."

With bold vision and without ingratiation to western aesthetics or South Pacific clichés, Ponifasio's minimalist choreography and staging radically reassesses the divisions between disciplines of dance, theatre, ceremony, visual arts and daily life. His often-controversial stage world is inhabited by humans, birds, gods, demi gods, oratory, chants, animals, ancestors, stone and song. The work challenges theatrical parameters of time and space; the searing imagery is enacted by a talented and dedicated ensemble of highly disciplined, cultivated artists from across the Pacific region, their movements, reduced and sacral in space of light and shadow.

Lighting designer Helen Todd has worked with Ponifasio since 1993 and here she discusses her part in two recent productions: Tempest and Requiem.

"With Tempest, I began with imagining shadows and black spaces as this work deals with disappearing people, individuals and cultures. I wanted stark and arresting contrasts, and I wanted to make the spaces appear and disappear seamlessly and magically, just as it happens in the political realities we are dealing with in our world today.

The work Requiem requires a sacred space, for ceremony and remembrance. It requires an edge of darkness that inspires prayer, or reflection on inflicted loss of life. I try to define territorial zones that shift us, hovering between reverence and fear, where humans and even angels should tread only tenderly.

In both these works I have chosen to use the Selecon 575W MSR Zoomspot fitted with the Pacific dowser mechanical dimmer which we take with us when we tour. I rely on the subtle and minutely accurate dimming action of these dowsers in order to engage the audience without drawing attention to what they are seeing, but rather the tension of unnoticeable change. The hot-strike lamps allow me to focus and check plotting without losing precious time, and of course interchangeable lenses are perfect if you care for absolute accuracy in your plot. For touring I am delighted to find that increasingly these beautiful instruments are available in Europe and of course in the US."

MAU tours internationally appearing at venues and festivals which include the Lincoln Center NYC, Vienna Festival, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Holland Festival, Venice Biennale, London International Theatre Festival, Theatre Der Welt, Adelaide Festival and the Prague Quadrennial.

Photo: Richard Termine.

www.seleconlight.com

Catalyst for the Kings

Two Catalyst digital media servers are being used to great effect on the Kings of Leon "Only By The Night" tour in an integrated visuals show created by live visuals director Phil Haynes, lighting co-designer/director Ali Bale, creative designer and co-LD Paul Normandale and live video director Phil Woodhead.

The Catalysts - running a pre-release version of the latest V4.2 software which gives 10 submixes on 16 layers - are outputting the nine-camera IMAG mix and assorted playback content to 1000 tiles of Barco MiTrix screen and 270 Element Labs VersaTUBE HDs.

These latest spec Catalyst machines were supplied by Catalyst's UK distributors Projected Image Digital (PID) to the tour's UK and European lighting contractors Lite Alternative. They are fitted with two Apple MAC 3.2  GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon  processors, 4GB RAM, an 8800 Graphics card, 128GB Solid State Drives and Active Silicon HDSDI Capture Cards.

The MiTrix is used to clad both wings of a chevron shaped front truss which ‘crowns' the stage. The VersaTUBES are arranged in 10 varying sized pods attached to the front of 10 individual lighting trusses, all of which move into different configurations via a Kinesys automation system during the show. All video equipment for the tour apart from the Catalysts is being supplied by XL Video.

The 10 lighting pods are what initially prompted Haynes to go for the V4.2 software - because he wanted the facility to mix each pod individually.

He says: "Although content is king, there are some song visuals that are created in Catalyst just using the power of the FX and colour FX to create unique looks. This is achieved using a simple image transformed into a dynamic visual via Catalyst magic."

Playback material is a collage of new and existing footage and includes two authorised black and white Hammer Films B-movies which have been re-edited and treated in Catalyst. Approximately 40 songs worth of playback content is programmed into the Catalysts, of which about 22 are chosen for each night's set.

The Catalysts are triggered via a Hog iPC console running in Hog II mode, They're used to produce some seriously funky positional and layering effects with the cameras, which enable changing the shape of anything appearing on the MiTrix - so it can be slanted, horizontal, vertical, layered, tiled, etc.

The outputs of the nine cameras - one Sony D50 at FOH, four operated Robo cams onstage and four static mini cams, three onstage and one at FOH - are all sent from Woodhead's GV Kayak switcher to Haynes' Catalysts where they're tweaked for every song - be it positional, sizing, colouring, graphics, etc.

This gives ultimate versatility and is an extremely interactive way of creating show IMAG visuals that also relies on the spontaneity and improvisational abilities of Haynes and Woodhead alike. Haynes can output these as one single or up to eight different camera shots. "It's a great illustration of Phil's Catalyst skills," says Woodhead, "and it's great for IMAG to be involved in the whole song ‘look' equation rather then just doing its own thing."

Haynes, Woodhead and Ali Bale are all stationed at FOH - breaking the standard mould of the video director cutting the mix from backstage. All three also worked on the last KOL tour, and realised that it was the only way to maximise their full team creative potential and the synergy  that relies on all of them being able to experience the show and develop their work from the audience's perspective.

"It's a big progression from the standard IMAG and abstract playback and band images we were doing on the last tour," expands Haynes, adding that it's a hugely enjoyable and democratic way to work. "We can all pool our individual talents to construct that collective big picture."

Neat special effects include the song ‘My Party', when four interactive audio inputs are sent to Woodhead from sound and live mixed with a waveform video effect via the Kayak and Catalyst. This then appears on the VersaTubes and MiTrix surfaces so fans can ‘see' what the band are singing and playing, simultaneously hearing it in real time.

They also have lots of tightly cued tied-in looks with colours and texturing which are easily executed via the Catalyst. During ‘Charmer', when lead singer Caleb Followill screams, a specific effect blips up on the MiTrix.

The tour which kicked off in July 2008 is proving a massive success with ‘Only By The Night' hitting the number 1 UK album slot on its release in September. In early 2009 they head to Australasia, with the tour currently scheduled to run until September 2009.

www.pi-digital.co.uk.

Bandit Lites Rings in 2009 with New Equipment Purchase

Bandit Lites has recently added new equipment to their rental inventory. After examining the upcoming needs for 2009, Bandit made a sizeable purchase of Vari*Lite products to add to their current Vari*Lite inventory.

Two million dollars worth of products were purchased including Vari*Lite 3000 Spots, 3500 Washes and 2500 Spots. The new purchases were added to an already substantial rental inventory, which features products from every major entertainment lighting manufacturer.

"We feel blessed to be able to continue expanding our inventory considering the current economic conditions," chairman of the board, Michael T. Strickland commented. "We will continue to do everything we can to provide the best quality service to our clients."

Named Pollstar and PLSN Parnelli Awards' ‘Lighting Company of the Year' in 2008, Bandit looks forward to the upcoming year and the addition of new equipment, which will help it to provide even better service to a growing client base.

www.banditlites.com

Leonard Cohen Tours the World with Solotech and Meyer Sound

After more than 15 years off the road, legendary singer-songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen is treating fans to a long-anticipated world tour. Cohen and his nine-piece band, led by renowned bassist Roscoe Beck, kicked off the tour with dates across Canada and Europe. Montreal-based Solotech is providing support for the tour, using a high-performance Meyer Sound system featuring MILO and MICA line array loudspeakers.

As FOH Engineer Mark Vreeken explains, the Meyer Sound system was chosen for flexibility in the face of an assortment of venue sizes and shapes, from London's O2 Arena to the Olympia, the oldest music hall in Paris. "We brought a number of different Meyer speakers along, so we can interchange and still maintain consistent tone everywhere. And the Galileo loudspeaker management system and SIM 3 audio analyzer are both excellent tools."

Solotech systems technician Étienne Lapré typically configures the rig with 16 MILO and 12 MICA line array loudspeakers per side, with each array also carrying six 700-HP subwoofers. Ten M'elodie line array loudspeakers provide downfill, with eight M3D-Sub directional subwoofers and a complement of CQ-1 and CQ-2 loudspeakers in front. Delay hangs vary between eight and 16 MICA boxes, depending on the venue.  Three Galileo 616 processors handle system processing, and Lapré configures the rig using MAPP Online Pro acoustical prediction program.

"Depending on the day, we juggle things around a bit to cover every spot," says Vreeken. "Acoustically, some rooms will always be better than others, but the consistency of the Meyer Sound system has delivered in every venue. And the Meyer speakers are ideally suited for the detail of Mr. Cohen's music."

Vreeken consulted with Solotech's Mario St. Onge, Richard Lachance and Dean Roney to design the audio system, with Roney and David Brazeau overseeing the logistics. "Solotech is just an incredible company, and the crew is terrific," says Vreeken. "Things always go smoothly when Ian Donald is production manager and Solotech is providing audio." Vreeken also points to monitor engineer Russ Wilson and recording engineer Ed Sanders as important links in the chain. "Those guys shared a lot of insight about artist-specific considerations and potential challenges. Without them, we would not be having nearly as much fun out here."

"The reviews from the tour have all been great," Vreeken concludes, "and we owe a lot of that to the speaker system itself. At the end of the day, it's about making the artist and the audience happy, and I think we've achieved that."

Bringing the Virtual to Life with Animotion Live

Launched as a joint venture between PSP and Writemedia, Animotion Live is a revolutionary animated character system that sits at the cutting-edge of motion capture, bringing fully mobile, virtual characters to life and providing live audience interaction.

Aimed at the live events, film and video and computer games industries, the Animotion system operates in real time and in 360 degrees to capture every nuance of body movement.

Applications for the system at live events are vast. For example, virtual mascots on large screens can interact live with crowds at sports matches, virtual presenters can be used at conferences or to meet and greet guests at a gala dinner. The system has already been successfully used at an event at the IMAX cinema in central London with Apple Macintosh co-founder Steve Wozniak, who was interviewed by a virtual humanoid.

Video / film production and computer games can also utilise Animotion. As the system has no time lag, and all elements of motion are captured in real time, the post-production pipeline - traditionally a very expensive and time consuming process - is virtually eliminated.

The motion capture system is based on an actor wearing fibre optic sensing devices that capture highly accurate data on full body and head movements. The system also uniquely incorporates data gloves, giving seamless, real time data transfer of intricate hand movements with stunningly integrated effect. Facial and voice capture is achieved using phonetic driven real time voice capture. This eliminates lip-sync issues and provides full facial expressions and movement.

Animotion uses the very latest in 3D animation software to produce stunning results, including real time lighting and shadow dynamics. The system works with all leading 3D applications, so it is possible to import existing 3D animations. A portfolio of stock characters is available, or bespoke characters can be specifically designed by the in-house team.

Animotion's David Woodcock says: "The product has been in development for over a year and the results we are achieving are exceptional. Although motion capture has been around for a while, we have really pushed the boundaries in terms of making all the elements work seamlessly together in real time.

"We have produced a robust, durable accurate and reliable system that provides a complete solution for the live events production world. This new technology has a real wow factor and certainly creates a buzz around events. Audiences are stunned, as they initially find it difficult to comprehend a virtual character interacting with them.

"With event budgets being made to work harder than ever, Animotion Live offers an alternative to hiring an expensive celebrity to host an event. A virtual host can offer a more cost effective option, whilst adding significantly to the dramatic impact."

MixWizards Stops the Nation at Iconic Event

Victoria-based Intavent Technical Services provided all the AV requirements for this year's world famous Melbourne Cup in Australia, basing the audio system around two Allen & Heath WZ312M mixers.

Renowned as the "race that stops a nation", the iconic event is a day of frivolity and fashion, attracting over 400,000 race-goers, and culminating in the famous 3200 metre dash.

Gary Ashmore, Managing Director of Intavent, celebrated his twelfth consecutive Cup as the contracted audio supplier. He commented on his choice of Allen & Heath mixers:

"The two MixWizard consoles were the backbone of the audio system, distributing audio to 22 corporate and public areas. The mixers performed flawlessly in terms of operation, gain structure and ergonomics."

Two MixWizard 12-output monitor mixers were connected using Allen & Heath's Sys-link standard, which links two consoles together with a single cable to expand the channel count. This provided up to 24 zone outputs for the various areas around the Flemington Racecourse.

First raced in 1861, the Melbourne Cup is held at the National Heritage-listed Flemington Racecourse on the first Tuesday of November.

In picture: Flemington race course during the Melbourne Cup 2008.

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