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.

TechnoPro Turns to PR Heads for GCC Spectaculars

PR Lighting fixtures have recently been out in force at a number of major events and festivals in the Gulf recently.

Earlier this year, territorial distributors and event production company, TechnoPro LLC, produced the spectacular staging for the Muscat Festival 2009 at Al Qurum National Park in Oman, including lighting, audio, lasers, pyrotechnics and rigging equipment.

The gathering, which included Oman's royalty, and dignitaries from the government and private sector, witnessed the splendid lighting effects created on the set during the Opening Ceremony.

Twelve PR Lighting Mega Color 4000 CMY, 36 XL1200 spot and 24 XL1200 wash lights turned the Set into a spectacular show, which reached its peak with a multimedia laser show and fireworks display.

All FX were triggered from a grandMA lighting desk, programmed and operated by Elie Khader from TechnoPro, and the show was transmitted live by Oman TV.

This followed a truly spectacular event using one of the GCC's landmark buildings as a backdrop. The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi provided the location for the 37th UAE National Day, which was celebrated both in the Emirates and by all UAE nationals around the world.

With bases in Dubai and Qatar, TechnoPro was commissioned to execute the technical production for the three-day ceremony, held in the outdoor event area of the famous Emirates Palace, and provided lighting design, technical equipment and installation.

This time, Elie Khader called on 12 PR Lighting Mega Color 4000 CMY, 12 XL1200 spot, 24 PR XL 700 spot and 24 PR XL 700 wash lights - again controlled from a grandMA lighting console. The show was transmitted live by Abu Dhabi TV.

Said TechnoPro managing director, Nabil Bourgeili: "Once again, PR Lighting fixtures proved the ‘pure reliability' of their slogan. They were durable and accurate during the shows, even though the units were operated outdoors, under severe weather conditions.

"At an affordable price, with the XL Series lighting designers can get all the features required from professional automated luminaries."

In picture: Muscat Festival 2009; 37th UAE National Day.

Ampco Sets the Sound for new WOMAD Abu Dhabi

The fine white sand of the Abu Dhabi Corniche was the latest setting for WOMAD's global world music caravanserai - the recent inaugural WOMAD Abu Dhabi World Music Festival - with sound provided by long-time WOMAD audio partners Ampco, for up to 22,000 people a day, a total of 80,000 over the weekend.

Staged by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and WOMAD (World Of Music Arts & Dance), the multi-cultural festival opened on the North Stage with Zimbabwean group Siyaya, accompanied by children from schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, while the South stage opened with South Korean act Dulsori (pictured).

Three days of spectacular performances from over 20 award-winning artists from around the world followed, including such stellar names as Khaled, Youssou N'Dour, Trilok Gurtuj, Egypt's Mohammed Mounir and special guest Robert Plant, on three stages at Abu Dhabi Corniche and Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain.

Ampco, who have worked with WOMAD for over a decade worldwide, were brought in by production manager David Taraskevics of Judgeday, and supplied audio control systems and crew for the North and South stages, under crew chief and audio production manager Natsja Geerdink. It was the first major festival to benefit from Ampco's newly introduced Lake Drive Rack.

Ampco's control equipment on the North stage, with FOH engineer Ronald Koster, included a 48 channel Midas Heritage 2000 and an effects rack comprising Lexicon, TC Electronic and Yamaha effects units, and insert racks with Klark Teknik DN 3600 digital EQ, XTA GQ 600 2x30 graphic EQ, Avalon and dbx comp/lim's and Drawmer noise gates. Intercom was an ASL PS 278/279 dual channel series with Beyer DT109 headsets.

Ampco's new self-contained Lake drive racks controlled the overall equalisation of each loudspeaker sytem. Ampco's Dieter van Denzel explains: "This 8x8 matrix drive rack is very useful control tool for system engineers during a festival situation, where various speaker systems and/or sound areas are in use. The system runs on an embedded Windows computer with a wireless tablet to operate the Lake Processors, XTA processors and SMAART analysis software. The rack also includes a 19" packable SlimVision TFT screen, M-Audio FastTrack Pro Audio Interface and XTA D2 stereo dynamic EQ. The rack enables fast and accurate control over the entire loudspeaker system."

Monitors were mixed by Koen Benschop on a 48 channel Midas Heritage 3000, accompanied by 16 channels of Klark Teknik DN3600 with wireless remote, dbx comp/lim and Drawmer noise gates. Effects units were Lexicon and TC Electronic. Stage technician Remco Verhoek was in charge of Ampco's festival stage infrastructure and a microphone package that included more that 60 various microphones, featuring a mixture of Shure, Sennheiser, AKG, Neumann, ASL and various ‘specials' for various ethnic acoustical instruments.

Wireless systems were Shure UR4D R9 wireless microphone systems with various mics and assesories, while in-ear systems were Shure PSM700s with active 8 into1 antenna combiners.

The South stage featured a broadly similar package, with a Midas Heritage 1000 at FOH, mixed by Steve Watson, and a Midas XL3 on monitors, in the hands of Richard Procee with stage technician Koert van den Bosch.

The final evening drew the largest crowd of the weekend with 30,000 people enjoying ‘The King' of Egypt, Mohamed Mounir, as he headlined the festival to fireworks that brought WOMAD Abu Dhabi to a spectacular close.

Chris Smith, WOMAD Festival Director, commented: "We've never experienced a WOMAD festival like this. There has been a true cross-section of society here during all three evenings. The multicultural aspect of the festival has been quite unique for us. We have been working in partnership with ADACH for 18 months and it has been a fantastic team effort to produce such a successful festival. We are already discussing next year's WOMAD festival with ADACH."

In picture: Dulsori on stage at the inaugural womad abu dhabi, photo by richard procee.

MILOS Flies High In Dubai

Milos trussing was at the heart of the rigging system designed and utilised by Almoe AV Productions' Dubai office for the official launch event of the new UEA-based budget airline, flydubai.

The venue for the high-profile VIP event was the former Royal Hangar at the Expo site at Dubai International Airport, and Almoe were contracted direct by flydubai LLC as the technical services provider. In addition to rigging, this included sound, lighting and AV.

The big technical and creative challenge for the Almoe team was to transform the barn like structure of the hangar into a theatrical space for the event. The launch culminated in the reveal of a new Boeing 737-800 airliner, which necessitated flying trussing the length of the hangar, and bringing the new aircraft in underneath screens that were suspended from it. With the plane valued at $75 million, the rig above had to be super-safe!

Chief rigger Shane Manning rigged a system comprising four 40 metre spans (the same length as the plane) of MILOS M400 and M520 trussing, all suspended by CM Lodestar motors - to facilitate hanging of all the required production equipment. The show rig was designed by Steve Shipman of Cleanedge Design Dubai.

One run of M400 was used to rig back-lighting for the far end of the plane. Two M520 runs were braced together and used to fly all the PA, main performance lighting and screen motors plus kabuki hardware for the reveal. This produced a total loading of approximately 3.5 tonnes on the centre of the roof, with a 7 tonne distributed load suspended in total.

Manning worked closely on the weight loadings with engineers from the Airport.

The evening before the show, the plane arrived direct from Boeing's assembly plant near Seattle, USA, and was reversed into the hangar. A nail-biting moment for all involved in the event build saw its tail clear the lower edges of the screen by 60cm - exactly as calculated!

On show day - staged at lunch time - the audience entered via a tunnel to a refreshment area, where they glimpsed the silhouetted aircraft hidden by fabric sails and two 9 metre projection screens. When the reveal sequence started, the sails dropped and the screens flew out over the plane. Photo opportunities followed before the hangar doors were opened and the plane was towed outside to prepare for takeoff.

Back inside, the hangar doors closed and the screens were reset, along with a second kabuki drop which came down to define the stage area. Guests were then treated to a live broadcast of the new plane taking off, relayed via remote camera positions on the runway.

"The whole event was a great success, and the rigging crew were very pleased with the performance and strength of the MILOS truss system," says Michael Fudge, technical director of Almoe.

Almoe first invested in MILOS trussing about a year ago, and now has stock of M400 and M520 trussing and ground support.

They chose Milos, explains Fudge, "for the quality of the product and the great service. We like the way Milos market themselves and think their manufacturing process is excellent. Of course, the prices are also very competitive!"

MILOS M520 QuickTruss is a high-capacity system consisting of fixed and folding formats. The folding version reduces storage and transportation volume by 70% and is quickly assembled to its load-bearing condition without any tools. Milos M400 has been designed specifically for heavy-duty applications and is ideally suited for large productions needing long and very strong spans of trussing like the flydubai event. In addition to its strength, the system features Quick-Connectors for fast, easy assembly.

Other recent Almoe events using MILOS products include the 2009 Arab Media Forum, a new cigarette launch for Davidoff and the 2009 Hotel Show.

The launch of flydubai is expected to boost Dubai's tourism sector and help residents travel at low cost. The airline will also bolster the Emirate's plans to become a hub for international air traffic as it begins to fly to more regional destinations.

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."

Rhyme Time: grandMA Supports Dubai's International Poetry Festival

A grandMA was the choice to run lighting for the prestigious 2009 Dubai International Poetry Festival, staged in the Rashid Hall and Hall 4 of the Dubai World Trade Centre. Instituted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the event featured 100-plus regional and international writers from 45 countries. The festival is a unique literary gala uniting poets from around the world in one city. Based on a lighting design by Sonu A.B., the show was controlled by a grandMA ultra-light with a grandMA 2Port Node PRO and grandMA onPC as backup, plus two MA Digital Dimmer Rack 48 x 2,3 kVA.

Sonu A.B. explained: "It was challenging to use the same lighting setup in another venue just 15 hours later. The poetry festival started in Hall 4 exclusively for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Fazza'a), Crown Prince of Dubai, after which the venue was shifted to the Sheikh Rashid Hall for one day, and then back to Hall 4 for the remainder of the festival. We had the same show running in the two different venues."

"We had almost no time for programming, as the very precise key lighting focus was so time consuming, with both Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Ahmad bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Azzam), Chairman of the Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, reciting that night," Sonu continued. "His Highness Sheikh Mohammad also attended that same poetry evening. On the programming side, the grandMA came in handy as we just had to update the presets and that was done in no time. We used different fixtures in the two venues, so the fixture exchange option also made life quick and easy. More than anything else, it was reliable."

Amongst other lighting fixtures there were 12 Clay Paky Alpha Spot 1200s, 12 Clay Paky Alpha Wash 1200s, six Clay Paky Alpha Spot 575s and six Clay Paky Alpha Wash 575s installed in the rig.

The Show was televised on Dubai TV. The lighting equipment was supplied by Events Productions to organisers Done Events.

www.malighting.com

Stage One Set for VIP Inauguration

The world's first fully integrated value chain of liquefied natural gas has been officially inaugurated in the State of Qatar, and Stage One were on hand to provide a suitably high-quality set for the attending VIP's.

Contracted by Production Company WRG, the team from Stage One were on site for three weeks and were responsible for dressing an internal seating area, providing a large external pool area and an automated reveal.

Tim Elliott, technical director, WRG, said, "It was a difficult venue to work in, but Stage One rose to the challenge, making our life easier in a difficult environment and resulting in an event that both met and exceeded Qatargas's expectations." He continued: " It's always a pleasure working with Stage One and we look forward to doing so again in the near future."

The decorative pool constructed by Stage One surrounded three sides of the temporary dome structure built especially for the inauguration event and occupied an area of around 2,250 square metres. The shape of the pool was created via a timber and plywood structure and the use of a beautiful marble paint effect finish and vivid blue liner completed the look.

Stage One completed extensive cladding of the 1000 seats inside the dome with a luxurious feel, including a wallpaper and high spec paint finish throughout. A number of large vinyl graphics were then applied.

On the main stage the Company supplied two 11m wide reveal screens, controlled by Qmotion, Stage One's renowned motion control system. The screens opened up to reveal the ‘moment' video wall. This contained several apertures allowing further theatrical elements to be introduced into the proceedings.

Taking place at Ras Laffan Industrial City, a gas field north-east of the capital Doha, the inauguration was attended by HH the Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and witnessed by His Royal Highness The Duke of York, Prince Andrew.

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

Milos Gets into the Rhythm for UAE National Day

Saudi Arabia based rental and event production company Rhythm Media supplied a 22 x 10 x 12 metre high Milos trussing structure for the main stage of United Arab Emirates 37th National Day celebrations in Abu Dhabi.

The structure utilized 6 Milos MT2 towers and their M520 Quatro trussing for the spans forming a box truss onto which was rigged lighting, sound and AV equipment.

The stage was used for a concert featuring performances by a host of artists, bands and orchestras.

Rhythm media originally invested in the Milos' MT2 aluminium trussing tower product for its strength and great aesthetics. Each leg is stabilised by two adjustable feet, making for a very tidy footprint. The MT2 Tower was first developed for use in conjunction with the Milos M400 & M520 trussing systems and is also a basic support unit for the Milos MR3 Series Roof systems, so it has a very robust and tried-and-tested track record. Each MT2 tower can support up to two tonnes of weight loading and can be built up to an impressive height of 12.5 metres.

Rhythm Media has also bought substantial quantities of Milos M520 trussing as used to make the horizontal support spans for the National Day stage structure.  

When they initially had to decide on which trussing brand to buy, they considered all the options before committing to Milos, which was chosen for its extremely quick assembly, its reliability and its long-span load capacity.

The folding version QuickTruss M520 reduces storage and transportation volume by 70% and can be exceptionally quickly assembled without any special tools. QuickTruss M520 Quatro is available in custom lengths and with a variety of junctions, and it can be curved. It comes in natural silver or a wide variety of powder coated colours and finishes.

Rhythm Media ordered their first M520 for the Janadriyah Festival Operetta in early 2008, after which it went into hire stock. Together with the MT2 Towers, the roof/trussing system has been in constant use ever since for numerous different applications and events serviced by the company across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

 

Outline Butterflies for Royals in Dubai

Dubai-based production company Events Productions deployed multiple hangs of Outline's Butterfly line array system to cover the massive indoor venue at the Al Maktoum Wedding Celebrations hosted by the ruling family of Dubai (UAE) on 12 January.

To meet the needs of such a huge venue, Events Productions decided to significantly increase their stock of Outline equipment by purchasing more than 80 boxes including Hi-packs, subs, Hard wedges, etc.

Hosted at halls 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the Dubai World Trade Centre exhibition halls, occupying a total area of 14,400 square metres with a Royal Banquet seating capacity of 6,000 at any given time, this was one of the largest sit-down dinners ever hosted in the region. A total of nine line arrays were deployed to cover the area and ensure the clear, consistent and "hifi-quality" audio that the ‘Butterflies' are known for.

According to Carol Olympus, technical manager and systems engineer for Events Productions, "You could walk right across the venue and further away from the array and still have an uncanny consistency in both SPL levels and frequency response, especially in the vocal range. The Butterflies amaze me every time we use them, in small venues as well as large-scale applications."

A DigiDesign D-Show was used as the Master mixing console with a 48 x 32 Stage Rack to take advantage of plug-ins and parallel multi-track recording on Pro Tools. Performances from prominent Arabic artists including Hussein Al Jasmi, Rashid Al Majid, Mohammed Abdou, Alisha, Mehad Hammad and Abdullah Bulkhair enthralled the high profile guests throughout the evening.

The bands are traditionally placed behind the main stage or "Kosha" and Hammad Al Ansari, a well-respected audio engineer for his vast experience with Arabic bands, handled the master mix. A Fujitsu Siemens T-Series Lifebook and HP tablet computer were used to remote the D-Show to balance levels initially. SmaartLive 5.4 with an Earthworks S30 measurement microphone aided the engineers in balancing the system as well as monitoring the PA indoors.

There were two band setups with ten Outline HARD 115 SP and 12 Outline HARD 212 SP foldback wedges. High consistent levels are normally expected by Arabic musicians, especially the percussionists, and the monitors proved their mettle throughout the nine-hour event. Eight Outline SPECTRA 5040 were used as stage fills and four Outline Kanguros used for two drum-fills. Shure UR4Ds paired with KSM9 UR2 wireless handheld microphones and Shure PSM 700 In-Ear Monitors were used by the singers.

Khalid Fatallah and Savio Mendonca of Events Productions, proud owners of the biggest Butterfly Line Array system in the region, commented on the prompt supply and unending support provided by Outline's team in Italy: "Outline have always ensured us great support, right from when we owned just Outline Spectras. Even though we placed the Butterfly order during the Christmas holiday season, Mr. Biffi and his team pulled off an admirable job in delivering the goods on time and their undying technical support is greatly appreciated."

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."

Customizable Martin LC Series Backdrop for CNBC Arabia Studio

Look behind one of the main broadcast desks at television studio CNBC Arabia and you will see a flexible, animated and visually professional backdrop courtesy of Martin LC Series LED panels. The semi-transparent, modular system of LED panels - praised for its brightness and set up ease - is floor mounted and creates a customizable graphics backdrop and one-of-a-kind set piece.

CNBC Arabia, which broadcasts live coverage across the Middle East and beyond from Dubai Media City in the United Arab Emirates, is the region's first 24-hour Arabic language business TV channel. The channel's Head of Operations, Nick Turner, was looking for an alternative display to augment a range of changeable and moveable ‘light-boxes' that would display backlit graphics for a range of new shows.

"We needed something to simplify operations and replace one of the virtual sets we had been using for a couple of years," he stated. "We also wanted the flexibility to change backgrounds to different shows and already have a video wall that displays high resolution graphics or video. We thought that in this area we would take a different approach with a high tech look but not necessarily a full resolution look. In fact, as we already had the video wall, we wanted a look that was distinctly different.

The Martin LC LED curtain gave us exactly the look and feel we wanted and something that no other broadcaster was currently using."

Bureau operations manager, Suhail Ahmed, explains the decision to outfit the studio in LC Series panels. "We required a medium resolution animation stand-alone unit that was easy to install and maintain, one that would provide us with a variety of looks and ease of operation and we chose the LC Series.

"The unit is so portable and flexible - it is quite light and easy to handle, making it ideal for small installations."

According to Ahmed, the installation was "relatively simple" with four panels mounted vertically in the main studio. A variety of graphical content is run from a Martin Maxedia Compact media server located in the studio's control room. Maxedia, which includes a large library of media clips, still images and animations, allows for simple media composing and playback without the need for a complex lighting controller.

"So far the LED panels have been performing well without any issues," Ahmed says. "We do plan to do changes and add-ons to further complement what we have. I would like to thank the Martin Middle East team for meeting our deadlines and providing us with prompt support whenever it was needed."

www.martin.com

 

 

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

 

 

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.  

grandMA Joins Lavish Opening Ceremony for Atlantis

Dubai's latest mega-project, the Atlantis Hotel, hosted a lavish opening party and this one-night celebration for 2,000 elite VIP guests including actors, musicians and politicians, was set to be the most expensive private party ever staged. According to press reports, the cost was estimated at around $32 million. The firework display was planned by Grucci's, who also organised the displays for the Beijing Olympics. Lighting designer Raymond Thompson used a grandMA to run the show.

Multiple Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE1200 and Alpha Wash 1200 moving lights, plus 150 ETC Source Fours were used for the impressive light show. Syncrolites were also scattered around the hotel making it a light show to remember. A giant HD video projection sequence visualised the story of Atlantis, featuring the rising of the mythological city from the Arabian Gulf.

Cory Fitzgerald and Steve Shipman worked as grandMA programmers. Gearhouse Staging Connections delivered the lighting, stage and sound. Andrew Stachan (HOD Lighting) for Gearhouse worked closely with Thompson to bring all elements of the lighting design together successfully.

www.malighting.com

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."

ORB Arrives in Dubai

ORB, the fully mechanised LED globe, has caught the attention of the Middle East. It is now in the hands of leading set and stage rental company, IBS Decor LLC, which has secured the exclusive sales and rental agreement for the region.

"Although we only took deliver of the ORB very recently, we have already arranged for it to be used at the closing ceremony of Dubai Film Festival and at the Shakira concert to be held in Abu Dhabi on New Years Eve," says Nick de Fay, sales manager LED Products for IBS Decor.

"We feel the potential in this market for ORB is excellent," he continues. "In addition to Dubai Shopping Festival and Summer Surprises, the region hosts a large volume of concerts, exhibitions, promotions and corporate events. There is a high demand for sponsorship for these events and this is where we see ORB coming into its own.

"The fact that it is a spectacular object in itself, with the additional ability to show graphics, text and images, makes renting ORB an attractive proposition to events companies eager to attract sponsorship. Likewise, sponsors are attracted to the opportunity to be seen in such a novel manner."

IBS Decor is always on the lookout for new and interesting products and ORB is another first, complementing the company's existing range of LED products, particularly its LED Video Floor and Wall, which have proved hugely popular.

"In fact, now we have ORB, we are placed as the leading supplier of LED digital media to the region, with the most extensive range of products by far," adds de Fay. "Our core business has been providing stage sets, props and lighting to the Middle Eastern AV and exhibition industry.

"However, the acquisition of Video Floor has taken us into the arena of digital media and we believe we have strong potential for the use of ORB as a promotional tool in shops and malls who use LED products as part of their ambient media. We are also moving towards the area of OOH advertising and believe ORB could play a significant role here too."

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."

Delta Sound Makes Atlantis Launch go with a Bang

Atlantis, The Palm - the focal point of the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah, billed as the ultimate fantasy hotel and estimated to have cost around 1.5 billion dollars - launched itself upon Dubai on 20th October with a much publicised extravaganza attended by stars from stage, film, music and sport. Audio specialist Delta Sound, which has recently expanded its Dubai office, was on hand to provide a sound system that truly befitted the occasion. 

"We were recommended by technical director, Simon Ransom, and worked directly for Atlantis's owners, Kerzner International," explains Andy Jackson, in charge of Delta Dubai and sound designer and project manager for the Atlantis launch. "Simon asked me to design the sound design and so it made sense for Delta to look at the whole project, including supplying equipment."

With an 11-month planning period and Delta already in a significant growth period, it gave the company both focus and sufficient time to carefully consider its scale of investment for new equipment, a decision that now stands it in good stead for future large-scale events.

"We started the project pretty much with a clean slate," recalls Jackson. "We knew there was going to be a large audiovisual content and we knew that there would be some serious pyrotechnics involved. Those were the things that were set in stone as far as the sound design went. Things evolved over the next eight months, but we also knew fairly early on that there was going to be a major artist performing. The sound design had to cover all those aspects and preferably not double up on systems."

That artist was, of course, diminutive pop princess Kylie Minogue and Jackson designed a system that worked for Kylie's engineers, who brought in their own DiGiCo SD7 and D5 consoles as local control to dovetail with Delta's system, as well as for the 5.1 system that Delta installed and mastered for the overall production.

Delta's Front of House control was via a DiGiCo D5 digital mixing console - the first to reside permanently in the UAE - operated by FOH engineer Martyn Ward, with playback from two RADAR V 24-track hard disk brought out from Delta's UK head office specifically for their durability. These were primarily used for the 20-minute audiovisual 5.1 surround piece that was the climax to the show and included the music the fireworks were set to.

"All the sessions were mastered on Pro Tools by Ali Viles. We then put everything onto the RADARs and two 360 Systems Instant Replay V2 were used for all the incidental two track audio, walk up music and backing tracks," says Jackson. "We were the source of all timecode, which we distributed to everyone else - pyro, lighting, projection, show callers, etc - so when we hit the button, we effectively blew up The Palm!"

The previously mentioned equipment investment includes a substantial L'Acoustics loudspeaker contingent, which Jackson knew would be perfect for the job in hand. "We had a total of 28 V-DOSC, 32 dV-DOSC, 24 SB28 subs, four ARCS, 12 KIVA, four KILO and four dV subs. Our monitor system was 16 Audio Analyst 12FRs with control from a Yamaha PM5D and was run by our monitor engineer, Phillip Down. Everything was powered with L-Acoustics amps."

Main left and right hangs of 10 V-DOSC, a centre fill of 12 dV-DOSC, and rear left and right of four V-DOSC in each position, plus 16 subs covered the main room for both the 5.1 system and Kylie's stereo system. As the guests arrived they were met by Poseiden himself as part of the opening reveal, for which a separate system consisting of 24 dV-DOSC and eight SB218 Subs was employed. This system also covered the ‘Afterglow' party, hosted by DJ's Donna D'Cruz and Samantha Ronson.

As well as the main act, a newly set up local eight-piece Dubai band Ziryab also played, offering a mix of fusion and Arabian talent, which Delta was responsible for engineering. Local regional star Nawal Al Zogbhi also entertained the celebrity audience during the evening.

"We had a fantastic crew," concludes Jackson. "As well as those already mentioned, Liam McGrath and Peter McGlynn were in charge of the stage, system engineers were Robert Eatock and Craig Harvey with Mohamad Arif also drafted in from Gearhouse which, being an L-Acoustics network supplier, we also occasionally bring in additional equipment for our larger projects.

"Everything went extremely well, the client was very happy and we're now looking forward to our next project."

photo Getty Images

With Meyer Sound MICA PRO4 Takes Audio in Jordan to the Next Level

As one of the leading companies for live event production in Amman, Jordan, PRO4 Total Event Solutions has upgraded its rental sound systems with Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers to meet a variety of production needs in the area.

"Our goal was to raise the quality standards for live audio production in Jordan. This was why we invested in Meyer Sound," explains Hisham Al Asad, production manager of Onstage, a division of PRO4 Total Event Solutions.

PRO4 is now stocked with MICA line array loudspeakers, 700-HP subwoofers, and a GalileoTM loudspeaker management system. According to Al Asad, Meyer Sound's reputation and popularity among international customers were both key factors that led to the purchase decision, but it was the system's power and clarity, along with the ease of installation and operation that sealed the deal.

The first deployment of the MICA system was at the annual Amman Summer Festival, a 24-day marathon of social, cultural, and musical events held in the city's huge King Hussein Park and attended by more than 150,000 people. "Our client, the Greater Amman Municipality, was very satisfied with the high-quality audio production at the event. Of course, we are very happy as well," says Al Asad.

Emad Deeb, PRO4's managing director, notes that the company is already planning to expand its Meyer Sound stock. "Our acquisition of Meyer Sound gear is mainly to support our strategy to compete on the regional level using the best equipment available on the market," he states. "For festivals and concerts, the sound system is critical for companies like us to make a good impression on the customers. By using Meyer Sound, we feel confident that our reputation is in good hands."

Céline Dion Tours with grandMA

Success is often proven by numbers and 200 million albums sold is a testament to the Franco-Canadian artist Céline Dion. With her current album ‘Taking Chances' Dion completed her five year run at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace and is back on the road travelling around the globe again.

Her world tour leads to five continents, 24 countries, 84 towns and features 124 shows. Lighting designer Yves Aucoin uses for the show an MA Lighting grandMA system composed of one grandMA full-size plus one as back-up, one grandMA replay-unit, seven MA NSPs and four MA 2Port Nodes.

The lighting rig controlled by the grandMA is impressive: 188 Ayrton Dreampanel Floor 256s, 122 Ayrton Moduled 150 AWWs, 48 Ayrton Arcaline 50 RGBs, 24 Ayrton Dreampanel Wall 64s, 1,080 Element Labs Stealth LED-modules, 88 Vari*Lite VL3000 Spots, 32 VL2500 spots, 22 VL3500 washes, 18 VL3000 Wash and eight Robert Juliat Cyrano followspots are used to light the show.

Jamie King is show director, Louis-Philippe Gaudreau operates the grandma and  Francois "Frankie" Desjardins is working as FOH-technician. Solotech delivered the lighting equipment. David Bergeron is the project manager for Solotech.

photo: Louise Stickland

www.malighting.com

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