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Capital and Martin Audio Entertain Troops in Iraq
Asked to provide production services to forces bases around the world, Capital Productions’ contract with Combined Services Entertainment (CSE) last year extended to Iraq. Wherever members of HM Forces are stationed, CSE promote twice-a-year shows for the troops on behalf of the MoD, taking in a wide variety of entertainment.
Staging and production were originally provided as an in-house function but when Liberty X were booked to see in the year 2003 with the troops in Bosnia, the band's management insisted they use their own production company who happened to be Capital Productions. The London-based company was formed as an extension to parent company Capital Sound Hire’s core PA business. They put together a package of staging services, and Paul Timmins went out to project manage.
“It went so well that the following week I received a call from the CSE, telling us how delighted they were, and that they had been considering outsourcing the production services,” relates Paul. “Today we do shows wherever there are forces, including the Falklands, Kosovo and Cyprus.” And with a high number of troops stationed in Basra the shows in Iraq tend to be more complex and upscale.
Here Capital Productions create the staging, the barriers, build the six-legged ground support, supply the backline kit and sub-contract the lighting (from Siyan). And in Basra (where the British troops are stationed) they set up in three separate locations, including Basra Palace — effectively rigging a mini arena system.
The most popular acts among the forces tend to be tribute bands, and this month saw Eye Candy headlining in Basra, in a two-and-a-half hour show in which Martin Audio line array enclosures were used for the first time.
“I'm always striving to improve on the equipment and I desperately wanted to use the Martin line array system,” Paul admits. “It's the first time these premium speakers have been in the sand.”
An array of eight W8L enclosures and six groundstacked WSX subs were positioned either side of the stage, supported by a further six Martin Audio W2's for barrier fills. With air support provided by the Royal Air Force, some 24 tons of equipment was flown out from Brize Norton on C17 heavy lift aircraft (using spare capacity) during the week preceding the show.
“The first time we worked in Iraq we suffered from sand being blown into the equipment,” continued Paul. “But now we build walls of ISO containers behind the stage, which serves as a wind and sand barrier.”
Aided by the ISO wall, the Martin Audio system passed the test with flying colours. “We had an audience of 5,000 standing — and the sound was fantastic,” remarked Paul.
19th April 2004
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