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Classical Stages from Star Events Group
Star Events Group supplied two Star Vertech stages and a Star Orbit stage for three of this year’s BBC Proms in the Park concerts.
The BBC co-ordinated five regional Proms in the Park events, with concerts in Hyde Park London, Belfast, Glasgow, Swansea and Manchester. As in previous years, each city had its own distinctive concert before joining together with big-screen link-ups for the live relay of the famous finale of the Last Night of the Proms from the Royal Albert Hall, all broadcast on BBC television and radio.
In Belfast’s beautiful City Hall Gardens, Phil Addyman managed a team of nine, to build a 20m x 15m Vertech system. The Vertech stage system was designed to suit the needs of the Belfast concert, its versatility allowed an integral ground support for 2 tons of video screens on stage right, whilst a 6ft cantilever truss supported the half-a-ton of PA speakers, positioned on stage left.
The weather in Belfast had been forecast for 75mph gusts, but wind speeds on the day only reached 24mph. Blowing into the back of the Vertech stage the infrastructure of the stage coped comfortably with the wind and afforded adequate weather protection for the Ulster Orchestra throughout the three hour concert, which was broadcast live by the BBC.
In Swansea, a 20m, 3-bay Star Orbit stage accommodated the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by David Charles Abell. The stage had been used by the city council for two previous shows in Singleton Park and was kept on site for the Proms in the Park concert. The stage had been used for Escape in the Park, three weeks prior to the Proms event, for which Star Events had installed the orbit stage, a large FOH tower, to accommodate Basement Jaxx’s large production package and two of the newly-designed V towers, from which the PA was hung. The stage maintained this format for the Proms concert, which included a Cuplock flooring system, allowing a cleaner look to the flooring than other systems, often used for the Star Vertech stages.
Project Manager for the Swansea site was Mike Goodwin who commented: “Having been recently brought on board with the Star Events Group, this was one of my first projects working with the team. It’s been an enjoyable challenge and the success of the whole series has been very satisfying.”
Another event was due to take place in Glasgow but severe weather led to its cancellation. In Glasgow, Star Events Group director Pete Holdich worked with production manager Paul Ludford to install a 25m Vertech stage in Glasgow's Pacific Quay, which had to be called off on the afternoon of the concert because of fears that high winds could pose a safety risk to the audience and performers.
A BBC Scotland spokeswoman said: "Due to adverse weather conditions and a worsening forecast it is with regret that the BBC Proms in the Park event at Pacific Quay in Glasgow has been cancelled for the safety of audience and performers." A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said its officials had agreed it would not be in the interests of public safety to continue with the event.
Pete Holdich commented: “The whole event team were disappointed that the weather left the organisers with no choice other than to cancel the event. Right up to the final meeting our crew had worked through some awful conditions to ensure the stage was ready for the concert, but the forecast wind speeds forced this precautionary decision. We hope to be back next year and hope for better weather.”
http://www.stareventsgroup.com
24th September 2004
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