A year and a half ago, Peter Johansen took ownership of the Italian lighting company SGM and started up in humble facilities in Aabyhoj, Denmark. Now the entire production, warehouse and administration are combining in a new 6,500 sq. metre facility in Aarhus.
Peter Johansen
In the intervening 18 months since Peter Johansen became CEO, a complete new LED product range has been launched, a global distributor network established, top international touring references have appeared across the world’s media — and now the entrepreneur aims to establish a dedicated Danish base. What this will mean is Danish manufacturing, Danish employment and — to a great extent — Danish and European sub-suppliers.
“We anticipate that this move will create up to 400 new jobs over the next two years,” stated a bullish Peter Johansen, announcing the decision.
The strategy is based on the winning model that the entrepreneur has implemented over four decades, with a number of successful start-ups that quickly converted into market leaders. The success story began with Martin Professional in the 1980’s, with its foundation based on many of the same professional and innovative employees who are guiding SGM today.
Having headquarters and manufacturing in Denmark had always been part of the plan, so once the administrative organisation had become firmly established, work was put in place to accomplish the mission. SGM Manufacturing has now been founded as an independent company and a subsidiary to SGM Holding.
A new 6,500 sq. metre facility has been located in Aarhus and renovation initiated to create a state of the art production environment. Meanwhile, the Danish labour force is already increasing dramatically.
By the end of 2013, SGM expects to have moved all production activities to Denmark, thus ensuring greater flexibility and enhanced quality assurance for its customers.
“It is true that labour costs are higher in Denmark, but this evens out with the savings related to international sea and air freight costs,” maintains Johansen. “On top of that there is the ‘feel-good’ factor, knowing that all future products will be manufactured under the most acceptable working conditions and environmental considerations, while it enables us to monitor compliance, and uphold strict quality control.”
This accelerated programme has been made possible by a significant strengthening of the capital base, as Danish investment company, Industri Udvikling, last month confirmed a 30% stake in the Group. The company’s equity now stands at nearly 9.5 million euros.
Investment director from Industri Udvikling, Lars Buhl, comments: “SGM and Peter Johansen have demonstrated an impressive phase of development. In a very short time they have not only developed numerous new products, but they have also gained acceptance on the market. I believe that Peter Johansen and his team have ‘done it again’, and that SGM’s prospects are excellent.”
SGM’s turnover has more than doubled from 2012 to 2013 and the high growth rate is expected to continue as SGM is already market leader in several LED based products.
David P.Meyer, chairman of the board
This development coincides with the appointment of David P. Meyer (former COO at Velux) as chairman of the board. Announcing the appointment, Peter Johansen says: “Now that SGM has passed the start-up phase and is into the growth phase it makes perfect sense to have such experience and competence in our management.”
“SGM is an innovative and customer-focused company based on highly skilled and dedicated employees. SGM sets new standards in an industry where customer focus, creativity and speed are the key for success. It is motivating and inspiring to be part of a company with such significant growth and high potential. Add to this the fact that this growth is based on national labour makes SGM a great asset for Denmark. There should be more businesses like SGM,” concludes David P. Meyer.
This is the latest, and most progressive phase in a remarkable career for Peter Johansen. After building Martin Professional to become the largest company in stage lighting, he went onto further success with Nitram Dental (manufacturer of autoclaves to sterilise dentist equipment), Dencam (manufacturer of moulds for the windmill industry) and Lantic Entertainment Systems (manufacturer of entertainment systems for luxury yachts) — all of which became market leaders in their appropriate segments — before the new adventure with SGM began.
To expand its training support for product users, Meyer Sound has released two new online tutorial videos, focusing on the use of the MAPP Online Pro® acoustical prediction program and the Compass® control software for the CAL™ column array loudspeakers.
The CAL tutorial shows how to use the Compass control software to set up and operate the CAL loudspeakers and control their beam steering and splitting capabilities. Viewers are given an overview of initial system configuration, input selection, preset selection, and parameter modification for creating new presets.
The MAPP Online Pro tutorial introduces users to the software’s main operating modes, and guides them through the basic features of the program, and its use in loudspeaker coverage prediction.
Behind every concert and every TV show we see, behind every play of lights on the stage of a theater that leaves us admired, behind the effects of a skilful lighting of urban architecture or a space for the public, there is always a big deployment of sophisticated technologies. Not all shows, however, have the same ability to excite us, some are great and exciting, others are dull and monotonous.
What makes the difference is the lighting designer, the artist who uses light as a creative tool and plays with the rhythm of the music or the atmosphere of a theater piece. For the Lighting Designer, projectors are like the brushes for a painter and his art is to shape the light, adapting it to the needs of each show.
Patrick Woodroffe is one of the most famous Lighting Designer in the world since many years and shines with his art the most famous artists, the stars of the shows, on the stages of concerts, theaters and television studios.
The conference, the first of its kind in Sweden, is organized by Interlite in cooperation with Wireless Solution and Clay Paky, the Italian manufacturer leader in the professional lighting industry.
Niclas Arvidsson, CEO, Sales & Marketing Manager for Interlite AB, stated: “illuminating the Star will not only be a master of the Conference of the show-biz but a story full of excitement and compelling anecdotes. It is also a perfect place for lighting industry people from all over Scandinavia to social networking and share own experiences. We are proud that Patrick has accepted our invitation, he is a very respected man and a great communicator who likes to share his experiences from over 30 years including ABBA, Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson to London Olympics.”
The event will take place on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 in Stockholm, beginning at 10 am, and will also include a working lunch. Participation is free but places are limited.
The conference will see the participation of the most important media of the industry as well as delegates from the major television networks and the national press.
Do not miss this event, a unique opportunity for your professional development, the occasion to meet a man who has made the history of stage lighting!
Robert Juliat would like to announce the latest addition to the Robert Juliat distributor family with the appointment of Electric Claudio Merlo Lighting Equipment SA (ECM) as its new distributor for Switzerland.
From 1 September 2013, ECM will distribute the full range of Robert Juliat lighting equipment and concentrate on developing closer relations with all regions of the diverse Swiss market. In addition to its excellent product knowledge, ECM brings the benefit of its multi-lingual support team which speaks German, Italian and Spanish, as well as French and English.
ECM represents several worldwide brands in Switzerland and specialises in creating theatre and studio lighting systems. The company is constantly looking for environmentally-friendly products and believes in superior quality and optical excellence, like that found in Robert Juliat’s new LED Zep and Tibo series fixtures, which it backs with its quality support services.
ECM takes over from Lumière Spectacle LSB SA following the retirement of Michel Boillet, owner of LSB, which has been the Robert Juliat distributor for 30 years.
Boillet has shown great dedication to the care of his market and, to ensure the same level of commitment to Robert Juliat, will continue to work in cooperation with ECM until the end of the year. ECM and LSB have enjoyed a close relationship and the next few months will facilitate a smooth hand over.
“The time I have spent ‘in the light’ has been a wonderful life but now the show must go on,” says Boillet. “To be the importer of Robert Juliat products has been a gift. I have really enjoyed selling them and it was marvellous to see the client happy. Juliat has left a big mark in lighting: we rarely had problems and we always looked forward to seeing new products from them. A big congratulations to Jean Charles who was a magician of lighting and to all the workers at the factory who are doing a damned good job.”
Robert Juliat Sales Director, Claus Spreyer, says “We would like to thank LSB for the excellent relationship between our companies and all the years of successful projects. We are very happy to welcome ECM to the family and look forward to the new cooperation with them which will cover the Swiss market even more comprehensively, especially in the German-speaking regions.”
“Personally, I am very glad of the opportunity to become distributor for Robert Juliat,” says Lorenzo Merlo, Managing Director of ECM. “I have always seen this brand as one of the most prestigious and most requested in our Swiss market. I will do my best to give continuity as in the past and to increase the success of the Robert Juliat products in the future.”
Shure Europe organizes bands contest, Call For Legends, open to any band in Europe, provided they have no current recording or publishing deal.
The winning band will pick up Shure equipment worth 3000 Euros, play a gig on one of the free stages at next year’s prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and be given three days of free recording time at London studio Kore with Chris Kimsey at the controls.
Chris will also mix the results, creating a finished EP for the winners.
The competition is open to any band in Europe, provided they have no current recording or publishing deal. Between 7 October and 27 December, entrants have to post one of their tracks to the competition web site, together with a short video blog. Tracks posted must be original compositions (bands posting cover versions will not be accepted).
Once the competition has closed, Shure will whittle entrants down to a shortlist, from which the winning band will be chosen by a three-strong panel of industry veterans: Chris Kimsey, producer/engineer for the Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, Duran Duran and Ash; Matieu Jaton, CEO of the Montreux Jazz Festival Foundation in Switzerland and Antonie Erroll, head of A&R at the Universal Music Group in Holland.
Two bands will also be chosen as runners-up; they will each receive Shure equipment worth 1000 euros as their consolation prize.
At the Call For Legends launch, Chris Kimsey made the following comment: “The music industry can only survive by encouraging new talent, which is one of the reasons I’m really excited to start hearing the entries for this competition. I’m especially looking out for innovative bands who are creative and bring something original to the table.”
Matieu Jaton added: “For nearly half a century, the Montreux Jazz Festival has been a platform for artists to express themselves, from new talents to established performers, from jazz to rock and all points in between. We are very proud to be part of this fantastic competition, encouraging the next wave of creative musicians to come through.”
Rosco’s Miro Cube 4C makes its West End debut discreetly accentuating the architectural details of the Grand Saloon Bar.
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, first built in 1812 in the heart of London’s West End, has recently completed a £4 million restoration. A key component to restoring the historic venue’s Grand Saloon Bar to its original regency-style décor was keeping the look and feel of the space as theatrical as possible. Architect Norman Bragg and Theatre Royal’s Steve McAndrew, the team responsible for illuminating the space, wanted to install efficient LED lighting to showcase the restored architectural elements, but it was imperative that the modern-day fixtures didn’t distract from the 19th century style of the design.
Provided by lighting specialists Stage Electrics, who supplied a full architectural LED lighting solution into the theatre, Rosco’s new Miro Cube LED fixtures were chosen because of their compact size and high light output. “The bright output realised from the self-contained, compact, 4” footprint and the minimalist cube design of Rosco’s fixtures made them a natural fit for this installation” comments Paul Roughton, Business Development Manager for Stage Electrics. Fourteen Miro Cube 4C fixtures, specified in white housings, were installed throughout the Grand Saloon Bar. Fixtures were mounted above the main doorways as well as hidden on top of the crown moulding to highlight the gold decorative accents designed into the curve of the Grand Saloon’s arched ceiling.
Though predominantly lit with white light, the Grand Saloon is often hired out for special events where a coloured accent or theme is desired. The Miro Cube 4C’s native cool white combined with its colour changing capabilities provided the bright output and versatility required. The 4C produces a flattering white light in the space during normal exhibition and performance hours, but can quickly be reprogrammed by the theatre’s staff to match the colour pallet of an evening’s event.
Miro Cube 4C specifications
Led: 4 Osram Ostar RGBW 12 W
Output: 1200 lm (no lens)
Beam angle: 17°
Set of lens : 20, 40 et 60°
Operation : Manual or DMX (8 ou 16 bit)
Power consumption : 50 W
Connecteurs : Powercon et XLR5 (in/out)
Dimensions : 4” x 4” x 4.25”
Weight : 950 g
Miro Cube is also available in versions WNC turnable white and UV black light
Hellfest is not as frightening as it sounds! For three days, 40,000 rock and metal fans gather in the French western countryside (Clisson, just outside of Nantes) for this annual festival.
Headlined by Def Leppard, Kiss, and Volbeat, this year’s event saw Nexo’s new STM system make its Hellfest debut on the two main stages.
French rental company Melpomen provided the audio kit for Hellfest since its inception in 2006, and, as Melpo has been a big Nexo user for nearly 20 years. The festival has always been Nexo-centric. With STM onboard this year, that meant more headroom and more control than ever before, according to Thierry Tranchant, Melpo’s president.
“We have a very good relationship with the festival organisers, so when we explained that we needed STM because it is such a fantastic, powerful system, and it’s so easy to rig, they just took our word for it,” he says, backstage
During day one of the event.”We’ve designed it so that the maximum level of the system is 118 dB, so we have a serious amount of headroom to play with.” And evidently so: the headliners were coming through loud and clear at just 104 dB from FOH – some 55 m back from the stage. Tranchant says the throw from stage was actually 70 m to the end of the audience area.
“We’ve always had a great sound from GEO-T at Hellfest, but I have to say working with STM is quite a step up. Sonically, the HF and the mid frequencies are just perfect, and we now have an extremely solid and powerful low-end”. Tranchant insists. “The additional power, in fact, is so evident that we only need to use two-thirds of the amount of STM cabinets in comparison to what we would need if we were using GEO – that is really impressive.” As usual at Hellfest, there are two main stages located next to each other and the bands ‘flip-flop’ between the two to ensure that the festival soundtrack is uninterrupted. “There is no silence at Hellfest,” jokes Tranchant.
The two PA systems effectively run as one, continuously. When a band was playing on main stage A, the B stage system dropped 6 dB in level, and vice-versa. Both stages were equipped with identical STM systems with crossover frequencies set to 180 Hz (Bass to Main) and 60 Hz (S118 Subbass to B112 Bass). Each stage had a dedicated L/R main hang of 15 x STM M46 Main Modules and 15 x STM B112 Bass Modules per side; and two stacks of 15 x S118 Sub Modules in a cardioïd configuration on the floor. Amplification was handled by 20 x units of Nexo Universal Amp Racks, each containing two NXAMP 4x4s.
Melpomen’s team was led by crew chief David Prevost, with Cedric Bernard and Christophe Rousseau supervising FOH on Main Stage 1, and Samuel Biraies and Wilfrid Hubert on Main Stage 2.
Derrick Saunders died on Friday 16 August. He had been battling with a long illness for the last 18 months. Derrick was one of the best-known personage in the UK’s professional lighting industry, as sale and marketing director of Pulsar light.
“Derrick sold my first Modulator in 1969”, said Paul F Mardon, Pulsar’s Founder, “and became our first employee in 1970 when Pulsar was formed. He soon became our Sales Director and led the Sales department until his retirement in 2000. He was of course an inspiration to all of us, full of fun and humour, totally passionate about Pulsar and loved by our distributors and friends around the world, and us! What a sad loss!”
After his retirement Derrick remained actively involved with family business Adda Super Cases, alongside his wife Monica. We express our profound condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.
With the help of Skyrock, Universal, Stade de France Prod. and, above all, thanks to the Stade de France production manager Olivier Matabon’s will and energy, we invite you to experience Urban Peace 3 from the inside – from the preparatory meetings to the progress made on site up to the four and a half hour show to be held September 28, 2013.
While the lineup is still evolving with the news of Maître Gims, a member of Sexion D’Assaut, coming solo alongside I Am, La Fouine, Orelsan Youssoupha and Psy4 de la Rime, we offer you an exclusive first glimpse of the event with a technical report detailing all of the project from sound to video and from structure to lighting. We also look forward to seeing you in September as we report the day to day developments with exclusive videos and photos
A co-production and a new economic model
SLU : How was the Urban Peace 3 event conceived ?
Olivier Matabon, (production manager at the Stade de France) : This is a co-production in which all three partners, Universal, Skyrock and Stade de France Productions, are equal, and each carries out the part of the production that is most relevant to its activity. Sky and Universal are thus in charge of the artistic lineup, while we take care of logistics, marketing and technology in general. In short, Stade de France Productions is essentially the executive producer. Stade de France Productions, in turn, relies on production manager Isabelle Trapon Leggett to coordinate the entire project through her service company, ITL Production. All three entities share promotional activities.
SLU : As part of this co-production, is everyone involved in determining what UP3 will be, artistically speaking?
Olivier Matabon : Yes, except that we are the ones who need to make sure that the event is economically and technically feasible and that the overall “look” of the stage and set does not miss the mark. Universal and Skyrock rely on us for that part of the project but they are still part of the decision-making process. We regularly show them the stage plans so that they can confirm them as quickly as possible so we can finalize their technical integration. For example, it is the co-production that requested Raphael Maitrat at the FoH to work on the sound specifications with me, and it was Julien Mairesse who suggested that Julien Martin be put in charge of monitors and of taking care of the artists on stage, which is crucial for all of us. They also collaborate in the development of the audio specifications.
For lighting and video we work with Concept K, in the person of Frédérick Fayard (aka Aldo, a regular at SdF, having done events including Nuits Créoles (Creole Nights) and Kassav’s 40 years – Editor’s Note). Scenography and set design are being done by Julien Mairesse, who already works with two of the groups that will be on stage, Sexion d’Assaut & Psy 4, and with whom we worked on Nuit Africaine (African Night), Urban Peace 2, Excalibur, Bigard, Aida, Unighted 2, Nuit Créoles (Creole Night)…
View of the Urban Peace 2 stage, October 2008 (Photo F. AGUILHON)
SLU : Backing up a little: why is SdF Prod. the initiator and co-producer of an event such as UP3?This goes far beyond what you normally do in terms of production.
Olivier Matabon : This is more of a question for Martin D’Argenlieu, who is responsible for leading the development and programming of SdF – and who can correct me if I’m wrong – but, overall, with our two partners Universal and Skyrock, we would like to build a business model combining the artistic side and the technical side that we could export to other stadiums.
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SLU : When did you start putting shows on the pitch?
Olivier Matabon : In 2001, with Aida. We were not co-producer at the time, We just bought a packaged show and took care of ticketing and local production. A multitude of tasks can hide behind this generic term, such as finding lots of sand because well, no, the production does not bring that along! I also think about Ben Hur, which earned us a month of rehearsals, half-way through which we were told about a France vs Italy football match right after unloading hundreds of tons of red soil from 120 40-cubic-meter trucks. It was just after the Zidane-Materazzi episode, so we had to win! We removed part of the soil, laid in a new pitch, removed the set that went all the way to the steps and won the game. 51 hours later rehearsals resumed as if nothing had happened.
Shows have become an integral part of the business of the SdF, which has no resident football club. They contribute to its commercial balance and to its appeal. Sport is not enough to satisfy advertisers and professionals who rent sky boxes annually. The SdF was a pioneer in this field. All the stadiums now think that their venues also need to be able to host events other than sports.
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The chosen suppliers Melpomen, FL Structure, PRG et Digital Vision
SLU : In addition to FL-Structure, what other vendors have been selected by SdF Prod. for Urban Peace 3?
Olivier Matabon : There is Melpomen for sound, PRG for lighting and video screens, and Digital Vision for cameras and video.
Sound system site meeting in the offices of the Stade de France Production. On the left Thierry Tranchant, CEO of Melpomen, and François Deffarges, director of Nexo R&D and, on the right, Ludovic Monchat (Soundlightup journalist)...... with Olivier Matabon, production manager at the Stade de France (right)
SLU : Why did you choose Melpomen?
Olivier Matabon : First, because we’ve known Thierry Tranchant for a long time and, in 13 years of shows at the SdF, we have never had the opportunity to work with them, despite the fact that they are internationally recognized professionals. Also because it gives us the opportunity to try a new system, the Nexo STM, and to deploy it for the first time in a stadium for 80,000 people …
François Deffarges (Nexo R&D Director) : Well, this is not entirely accurate. The STM is currently touring in the U.S. with Morris Light & Sound, doing stadiums for 100,000 people. And it’s going so well that, when I arrived, the tour manager opened the cellar in one of the buses and took out a 1989 Pauillac grand cru for us to enjoy in the heat. They expressed their satisfaction that way.
SLU : Is it nonetheless a risk to start with a system that has not yet been tested in France?
Olivier Matabon : Not really. Nexo is the company to whom the Stade de France entrusted the renewal of the resident sound system. So they know it very well. Hiring Melpomen to provide the material for this concert seemed the wisest thing to do. So we formed a technical partnership on our productions. Lets just say that it is the continuation of the installation.
SLU : I suppose that there was a tender and perhaps a system test anyway…
Olivier Matabon : Of course there was a tender, because we always compare several offers, play the competition and retain the vendor that seems to make the best bid in technical terms, in terms of personnel and in terms of current legislation. This step is essential, even if sometimes we have had attractive opportunities in terms of sharing equipment with other productions that were taking place before or after ours. There were five bids for sound, five for lighting, five for video, only three for the structure because there were not that many companies who were able to provide what we wanted, three quotes for catering, the bids for security and so on. Three months of work!
François Deffarges : Raphael Maitrat came from Nexo to evaluate the system. He then made an appointment in Angouleme with Sexion d’Assaut and the STM system, where he mixed them “flat”. He was very professional in his approach.
Olivier Matabon : As he is responsible for the system that will be installed for UP 3, I asked him to choose one of the five or six leading sound systems, including the STM. For me, all the major systems work, whether the L-Acoustics, the d&b or others.
What matters is how they are used. I’ve made no secret of needing to fit in a tight budget. He returned delighted with the STM, saying that, in his opinion, technically there was no problem. He will be responsible for its proper use by the sound engineers of the different groups and will help them, along with the technicians from Melpomen, to get the best sound!
SLU : Who will design the STM system?
Thierry Tranchant (CEO Melpomen) : That would be me. It is almost finished, just waiting for the final decisions in terms of scenography. I defined the mission this way: Melpomen will install the system, manage the coverage and sound pressure levels and deliver an equalized system; it will be up to Raphael Maitrat to operate it and manage the sound color. Ideally he could mix all the groups in addition to Sexion d’Assaut for whom he is the “house” sound engineer, especially since some of the groups will be performing together for the event and making original creations. This would bring a binding element and coherence to the whole show, but it may be not possible.
SLU : How can one make estimates and therefore choose a vendor before the list of gear and its implementation is completed?
Olivier Matabon : The number of boxes is defined, as is the number of lighting fixtures and screens. I have, for example, the equipment list of Concept K. If it fits into my budget, we do not touch anything, otherwise we work together to make the necessary changes or we ask the chosen vendor to propose alternatives.
SLU : Did you choose the suppliers based on price by the piece or “key in hand”?
Olivier Matabon : No, we do not operate like that. The equipment, whatever it is, can be found anywhere but, for us, 90% of success is the personnel, not only from the professional point of view but also on the human level. When we work with Laurent Boillot, who went from SPL, to Procon and now to PRG, we trust him and that changes everything. And this goes for all the others I mentioned before.
We do not choose the lowest bidder, but the vendor that ensures us impeccable service, while staying within budget and with a team that listens and is proactive. PRG and Melpomen, for example, are very familiar with the venue and the way things work within the stadium and, when they have a question, they ask. That alone is worth gold!
SLU : In your choice of suppliers, there is still compliance to an overall budget…
Olivier Matabon : Of course the supplier must comply with a global budget, say, around 3000 €, and we understand quite well when they respond that our venture is lovely, but their company is not able to respond favorably to our offer. This is a decision that only the supplier can make by looking at his own numbers.
SLU : How did you go about breaking down the estimates, such as those on the sound?
Olivier Matabon : We collected all the quotes, we put everything on the table and we went over them with Raphaël, who is responsible for ensuring that all the suppliers had responded correctly to the specifications and had submitted projects consistent with them.We then presented the selected vendors to co-production for confirmation.
SLU : Who will be the director of UP3?
Olivier Matabon : This will be Stéphane Convert (a regular for major events at SdF – editor’s note). He will take charge starting one month prior to the event . We’ve worked together often at the Stade over the last ten years, and he knows it as well as I do, because he was there before I was! We try to divide our work on site in order to meet our objectives while respecting the various current laws. In short, and coming right to the point, he will directly supervise the construction and installation. For my part, I will remain in “withdrawal”, dedicating myself specifically to dealing with the management of the stadium, the regulatory authorities, the problems of health and safety, logistics and, especially, to keeping an eye on things from a more external viewpoint, rather than just concentrating on the stage.
A preview of the sound system
SLU : The definition of the location of sound diffusion points is well underway?
Olivier Matabon : Yes, it has already evolved quite a bit but risks being changed back to what we had planned at the very beginning, depending on the size of the screens, the budget allocated to them and also to whether they will be oriented in “portrait” or “landscape” configuration. Aldo also has a say on what he will focus on, in terms of plans. These decisions will be made very soon (they are being made as you read these lines – editor’s note). The subs should be under the front of the stage. We also made sure that the contractual obligation of Melpomen’s results is limited to obtaining a uniform coverage in the stadium and to the playing of a CD to demonstrate proof of audio quality.
We can not put any possible misuse of the system or any artistic responsibility on the shoulders of the supplier. If, for example, a singer ends up with a white voice, the vendor cannot be held responsible. It is not only the tool that makes the results. If you gave us an F1 it would probably not go too well; give Prost a Clio, and he could probably take better advantage of it than we could!
SLU : What will be the size of the stage?
Olivier Matabon : Fairly large, 23 meters wide. We don’t think it should be any bigger. Skyrock, Universal and Julien Mairesse alerted us early on in the project. We attended a few concerts of this type and we noticed that the artists generally work on stages about 14 x 10 meters. Putting them on a 23 x 16 meter stage is already confronting them with an unusual space.
SLU : At what time will the doors open?
Olivier Matabon : At 5:00 pm, with the concert beginning at 6:30 and DJ Abdel to warm up the crowd. This part is not yet completely defined, but we know that they will play until 11:15 and the curfew is set at 11:30 by the Prefecture. It’s about a four and a half hour concert.
The concert première of the Nexo STM at Stade De France
SLU : Where are you with the STM? Is it out of the testing phase?
François Deffarges : Oh yes, quite! It has been in testing for a year, and Thierry (Tranchant) was one of the first to get his hands on it. It was launched in October 2012. We are therefore completely out of the testing phase. This year alone it has been used for, among others, the Solidays Festival, Elton John in Nantes and the Printemps de Bourges festival…
SLU : How are sales?
François Deffarges : We’re near the thousand mark in six months.
SLU : Of all enclosure models?
François Deffarges : Ahh no, of systems! We’re really proud to have already delivered 1000. Just to be clear, our system consists of a sub unit, a bass unit and a mid-high “main” module.
SLU : Ever since you have had it in the warehouse at Melpomen, what has gone out out less?
Thierry Tranchant (CEO Melpomen) TT : Not much! GeoT maybe goes out a little less, as it is aging, but, since we are growing, the STM is for our new markets
SLU : As a partner and the first to take delivery, has this allowed you to get good prices?
Thierry Tranchant : Not really but, risk-taking aside, if the product works – as is the case – you collect knowledge about the system and get one step ahead, which gives us a better image on the market.
SLU : But you’re not the only decision-maker: Melpomen is part of a group. How do you justify this choice?
Thierry Tranchant : I do what I want.
SLU : You discuss choices together anyway!
Thierry Tranchant : Of course we discuss them, especially something as strategic as a FoH system, but, as the group already has some L-Acoustics, Nexo, Meyer, d&b and Adamson, getting some STMs on was no problem. I’ve always had a trusting relationship with Nexo, for whom I worked, from the field, to the completion of a lot of systems before the STM. This is not a trial run with them.
SLU : Have you started to play with the modularity of the STM, which seems to be its strong point?
Thierry Tranchant : No, not yet. For the moment we respect the manufacturer’s recommendation, that is a “Main”, a “Bass” and “Sub”. We haven’t felt the need to do tests every day. However, we did split the two columns in two for the Printemps in Bourges at the convention center, a room that has a wide coverage area for its size and a wooden structure that does not allow heavy hangs. We flew a column of “Main” modules and, behind it, one of “Bass” modules, which would not have been possible with a larger, classic system. It will take some more time and understanding of the system before we begin to really use it in ways other than the standard one. We still need to gain some experience to understand how far we can go in terms of modularity.
SLU : In addition to modularity, what struck you about the STM?
Thierry Tranchant : Its power. To give you an idea, we are talking about power in the realm of K1, and also the composite material of the high-frequency diaphragms of the STM M46 provides very good results with a much higher “breaking mode”. The four midrange transducers with flat membranes generate very little diffraction in the highs, and this is something that we did indeed verify. Their placement in the first part of the high-frequency waveguide and their coupling with it makes them apparently less sensitive to wind. We used to suffer a lot during some shows, and we found significantly less loss in the midrange and upper midrange, where we find most of the useful signal. Only the extreme highs tend to fluctuate.
SLU : What kind of sound does the STM have, a Nexo sound with an aggressive high end?
Thierry Tranchant : Not at all. You will hear it for yourself, but I find it highly transparent in the highs. I decided this time around not to have any biased preconceptions and, instead, to listen to the users. I find it more interesting. What I am hearing so far comes down to: easy to work with, neutral and transparent
SLU : How many STM units did you put into stock at Melpomen?
Thierry Tranchant : We have what they refer to as 24 “systems” which includes 24 M46 “Main” modules, 24 B112 “Bass” modules and 24 S118 “Sub” modules. This is certainly not enough for our inventory, but I am giving myself until the end of the summer to reflect on the additional units we will require. As we will need to supply 78 M46 units for Urban Peace 3, I’ll have to ask some colleagues to complete the system.
SLU : Is Nexo coming with you to the event?
Thierry Tranchant : They will certainly help us and, if they want to come, Plailly is not far from St. Denis (laughs). That being said, when we are on a job, I like to have my independence because I do not like to spread my responsibility over several companies. I would still be glad for them to be there, if only for any real-time feedback that they have and, if necessary, we could talk about any particular problem on the spot.
The resident Geo S System Used for reinforcement in the upper tribunes
The main and side systems for the stage.The delay system.
A prediction of SPL for the FoH system in dB (A)class=”sluItv”>SLU: As the designer of the system for UP3, can you give us some details and how far along you are?
Thierry Tranchant : The arrays might still be moved a few meters and the placement of the subs is not yet certain but, for the rest, we know the number of enclosures and the diffusion points. It has two main hangs on either side of the stage, each consisting of 15 STM M46 heads and 15 STM B112 bass units, two side arrays are hung at the same height with nine heads and nine bass units. Two delay systems are placed 10 meters behind the FoH – therefore at 60 meters – each of these also with nine heads and nine bass enclosures and, finally, there is a last pair of delays at 80 meters, each composed of six heads and six bass units. The stage itself will be reinforced with in-fills and lip-fills, and a number of S1210s and RS18s will be deployed to cover some small zones. The 72 STM S118 subs will be under the stage in 12 stacks of six units each. A new characteristic this year is that we will use the resident reinforcement system to bring some clarity and brilliance to the upper tribunes throughout the south curve of the stadium, because the upper corners are the most difficult points to cover with a system installed on the field. We did it in June for Bruce Sprinsgsteen, just for the corners. This time we want to go further and cover the south curve and even the sides.
SLU : Are you planning to maintain the same levels there?
Thierry Tranchant : Yes, according to the simulations we get them to the same levels.
SLU : The sound of the two systems will not be too different there?
Thierry Tranchant : On Springsteen, we implemented only two clusters and the sound delivered in the coverage areas was significantly better than in zones without the clusters. It was more precise and “closer”. Although the sound is not exactly the same, we can manage to create a satisfactory coupling of tone.
SLU : Even in the infra bass?
Thierry Tranchant : Yes, because we can use either the subs that are installed in the stadium roof or the subs of the main system, so we should be able to achieve a fairly similar sound. On the subs, though, with prediction software it is a little more difficult to be certain. Theoretically it works.
SLU : In addition to the design, are you also going to do the calibration of the system in the stadium?
Thierry Tranchant :Yes, absolutely. I will not be alone, however. There will Cédric Bernard (of Melpomen) and another system engineer, but his availability is not confirmed yet so I’ll give you the info later, it’s still early.
SLU : You still want to get your hands dirty and be a technician?
Thierry Tranchant : Yes, totally. I started as a technician, and when the choice came down to working freelance and living in Paris or moving out to the province and setting up my own shop, I made that choice. The STM is not complicated to set up, and the manufacturer’s NS-1 prediction software works perfectly.
SLU : It works either way, you tell it what you want and it tells you what to hang or vice-versa?
Thierry Tranchant : You place your elements, and it gives you the result. Nexo is against systems that are too automated, they prefer for the user to retain control. Just think that this software provides predictions from 30 Hz to 16 KHz and is more accurate than Ease. In fixed installations it has happened to me to work with this software, and then to have to do the same thing with Ease in order to provide the acoustic consultant with standard files!
SLU : Getting back to UP3, have the technical choices been made regarding the consoles?
Thierry Tranchant : This is still under way. There will most likely be two Midas Pro6s at FoH and a Yamaha PM1D for monitors. The audio transport will be on Ethersound.
Concept K’s Urban Design
SLU : Aldo, how were you chosen to take part in in this adventure?
Frédérick Fayard aka Aldo (Associate Designer for Concept K, head of the UP3 visual project) : It was the production manager, Isabelle Trapon-Leggett, and Olivier Matabon who submitted the proposal to the co-production, which is shared by Stade de France, Skyrock and Def Jam (a label of Universal).
Except for Skyrock program director Laurent Bouneau, whom I did not know, I had already worked with Benjamin Chulvanij, the director of Def Jam, and Stade de France’s Martin Argienlieu for the “Stade de France Live Event”. Benjamin Chulvanij and I had also worked together on the Jena Lee tour: a great experience.
One of the first scene previews conceived by Concept K for Sexion d'Assaut.Since then, the project has evolved in terms of the screen surfaces and the scenography.
SLU : What is the precise role of Concept K?
Aldo : We work with Julien Mairesse, the artistic director, set designer and director of the project. We were put in charge of the visual production in general. Julien designed the stage, the set and video concept. We have put this project in motion. We adjusted the plans with Olivier Matabon, who deals with the suppliers. We at Concept K do the field work. We integrate the video, we produce video content and we handle the lighting.
We are, in a way, like the director of photography, in the sense that we are responsible for the overall visual impact, including the set, images, lighting and artists.
SLU : Is it the screens that actually create the scenography?
Aldo : There is indeed a lot of video. This is a choice that has been officially decided by the co-production. We will end up with close to 280 m2 of displays, if we consider both the low definition and HD. Two large 60 m2 side screens are for classic 16/9 format I-Mag; there is a screen in the center – a PRG 30 – a transparent screen with a 31.25 mm pixel pitch. It works well, it’s bright and highly transparent and therefore quite interesting. There is an elevated gangway, in the shape of a “V” with the two legs pointing out from upstage. This platform will be 2.5 m in height, 2 meters of which will be covered with the PRG 30 display. The goal is to integrate a long strip screen over the entire width of the stage, that is 50 m.
Recent rendering of the screens and lighting fixtures for the UP3 stage
SLU : So the wings of the stage were finally dedicated to the visual aspect.
Aldo : It’s a trick at the Stade de France, all the artists know it. You have to occupy the space with the scenography. The artists stay in the middle, and you decorate around them. It is a structure that will support screens and sound. It has three or four meters of extra stage space on an apron thrusting outward in the center, for when the artists want to go and rally the audience, but that will not be their main stage space.
SLU : What fixtures have you chosen?
Aldo : As usual with the productions for which we work, we communicate a generic list to be adapted according to the vendor’s availability, in this case PRG. When you are able to use the supplier’s stock, it is a real win-win situation. If you ask a vendor for specific fixtures and they don’t have them, they will be forced to sublet them. They will not be able to make the same financial commitment. When you go to PRG, you will of course specify the Bad Boy because you know it is effective. It is a no-compromise spotlight with an expensive hire rate, about twice as much as a 1200 W. It has a long throw. The first time I used it was for the festival of lights in Moscow. We projected on Red Square. We had to have a very long throw and Bad Boy worked really well.
SLU : Is there no equivalent?
Aldo : No, not when you want to open the zoom a lot (7°–56°).There are other 1500 watt projectors that open a lot, for example the Clay Paky Alpha 1500 (7°–57°) but, beyond a certain aperture, it runs out of steam faster than the Bad Boy.
SLU : What are the Bad Boy’s main defects?
Aldo : The downside is its weight (75 kg) and size, but here we are not so limited, therefore it is the right fixture.
SLU : Where are you going to place them?
Aldo : I put 20 on the ground, including 12 that follow the shape of the gangway to provide a general backlight for the stage. These will also be used as audience blinders. But for the real blinding we will use the eight on the front truss, which, in turn, will either paint the stage with gobos to create a basic scene or produce effects in the audience or in the air.
SLU : Starting at the beginning of the project, what visual approach did you work on with Julien Mairesse?
Aldo : It was the kind of visual approach one needs to create an event that revolves around Rap. We needed an urban visual setting. This is why there are gangways that show scaffolding and metalwork. These will be black, and therefore discreet, but very present. We have provided a vertical rig, therefore it’s urban and punchy. The Sharpys will be positioned in two upstage vertical matrices of 24 units each. By default these are already very aggressive. And I added some Atomics as blinders to emphasize the rhythmic highlights. The Atomics and Sharpys are then repeated over the side screens on the wings, in order to complete the scene: two sets of nine units on each deck. FL 650’s will be placed under both side screens, behind the matrices and the two 13-meter lateral, low-res screens for the punchy part, which will be backed up with 4-light Molefays on the front truss.
The idea was not to have a wide variety of types, but powerful and effective fixtures. All around the stage and the wings is underlined by TourKolors, and I chose MAC 2000 Beam XBs in two vertical lines for either side lighting or aerials. I also hung these on the front truss, alternating with Bad Boys.
This is a solution that I used for the Nuit Africaine and it works well. It can be re-adapted to any style. I double up my front truss with spots and washes and when the the spots are doing the key lighting, I use the washes to do designs and vice-versa. It allows me to create more varied scenes. Behind the gangway, there is also a line of 14 MAC 2000 Beam XBs positioned at 1 meter in height and, finally, there are four Robert Juliat Lancelot follow spots.
SLU : Will each song by each artist have a specific program?
Aldo : Yes. We are not in “festival mode”, but it is not a tour, either. The approach is something like a television broadcast. This means that for every tune, you want a different visual scene. We have 10 days to program, which may seem like a lot on paper, except that 4-1/2 hours comes to 270 minutes, and that does not leave much time for each tune. We will have one important parameter to manage: starting during the day at 6.30 pm and finishing during the night. The idea is to give a look to the scene from the start with DJ Abdel, who will do the warm up.
SLU : How many of you will be controlling lighting and video?
Aldo : There will be three, maybe four, of us. There will be a lighting designer, a video director and a director of photography. And then there could be a coordinator – me. The video director has a huge task because it is Concept K that will distribute the signal and control the production; in other words, the director and cameramen will operate according to our requests. Their signal will return to our media servers, that are Catalysts, and it is we who will route the signal to the screens. And Julien Mairesse, who is the artistic director, is also directing the show. He is linked to the artists. We will develop specific entrances for each artist. Associated with him is stage director/show caller, Laurence Pelissier, who is No. 1 in France. It will be awfully hot on the sequences and, given the number of parameters to manage – inputs, outputs, sending jingles – without a stage director we could never pull it off.
SLU : How are you dealing with the lighting designers of the groups?
Aldo : Like I said, by the will of the co-producers, we will find ourselves halfway between a festival and a tour. The artists come into the imagery of Urban Peace. There is a graphic signature for this concert and all groups will be inserted therein. It recalls the logos of each artist and they are asked to entrust us with the media they have. That media will be aired during the show, but we keep control of the visual scene. It would be inconceivable to operate like a festival. We have an Urban Peace format and artists perform within that. But I’ve asked the LDs to send me information on the habits of their group and their color choices for each tune so that the artists will feel comfortable on stage.
Tonspur began selling the consoles to the Swiss and Liechtenstein markets in 2010
DiGiCo’s five year involvement in the Montreux Jazz Festival has made such a positive impression on audio supplier Tonspur AG that the company has been appointed DiGiCo’s exclusive Swiss distributor.
“We have been coordinating the audio for Montreux since 2007 and our first experience with DiGiCo was when they became the official console sponsor in 2009,” says Tonspur owner Hansjürg Meier. “We immediately realised that there was an enormous difference in sound quality, compared to other digital mixing desks. We were also really impressed by the flexibility of the consoles and the use of the latest technology, like FPGA processing, which minimised the physical footprint.”
DiGiCo made such an impact that Tonspur began selling the consoles to the Swiss and Liechtenstein markets in 2010.
“DiGiCo is a very proactive company, which has a trickle down effect in terms of sales,” says Hansjürg. “With the T versions of consoles, from the SD7T to the SD9T and SD10T, theatre productions can have the tools they really need. We already have two key rental customers investing in DiGiCo and the figure is set to rise.
“We have also seen an increase in use in the professional installation market. The routing flexibility of DiGiCo consoles and tools like the UB MADI interface, DiGiGrid and Purple Box means we can satisfy all the needs of any serious audio production.”
“We always have feedback from the engineers and the best thing is that DiGiCo listens. We often see the wishes and hints passed through us implemented in the next software update,” says Hansjürg.
“We like to work with companies that are as passionate about our products as we are. The team at Tonspur definitely are,” concludes DiGiCo managing director James Gordon. “We’ve built up a close working relationship with them through our collaboration at Montreux and we know that they will help us gain more ground in Switzerland.”
Over the past five years, the Free Press Summer Festival (FPSF), staged at Eleanor Tinsley Park just west of downtown Houston, has quickly grown into one of Texas’ most eagerly anticipated music festivals. The event ultimately drawing nearly 100,000 concertgoers to enjoy 90 national and local artists performing on six stages over two days.
Matt & Kim Concert on the Saturn Stage (photo: Ryan Paulin)
Houston’s LD Systems once again served as the primary audio, video and lighting provider for FPSF 2013 and supplied production gear and services for the festival’s four primary stages. This year, however, the company chose to deploy L-ACOUSTICS K1 systems on the two largest stages, Mars and Saturn.
Mars Stage, Calvin Harris (photo: Ryan Paulin)
FPSF’ Mars stage featured night-closing performances from EDM superstars, Bassnectar and Calvin Harris preceded by a broad spectrum of musical artists like Of Monsters and Men, TV on the Radio, Mavis Staples, Alabama Shakes, Passion Pit and Cat Power.
Saturn stage hosted an equally eclectic variety of performances ranging from The Postal Service, Gogol Bordello and Matt & Kim to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Geto Boys and The Mavericks.
Six K1-SB per side just outside of the K1 hangs. (photo: Ryan Paulin)
According to LD Systems Director of Production Services Robert Ausmus, both the Mars and Saturn stages utilized identical main hangs comprised of 10 K1 per side, each featuring three KARA for downfill. For low-frequency reinforcement, Mars flew six K1-SB per side just outside of the K1 hangs, supplemented by 18 SB28 groundstacked subs spread out across the face of the stage, while Saturn relied solely on two dozen groundstacked SB28.
A total of 22 KUDO on each stage served as flown outfills and offstage fills. Two ARCS atop two SB28 per side delivered sidefill for the stages, and several KARA were additionally called upon for stage apron fill. Various quantities of 115XT HiQ, KARA and SB18 were also deployed as needed for stage monitoring, and all FOH and monitor systems were LA8-powered and processed.
LD Systems’ K1 at FPSF
“Having been a part of the Free Press Summer Festival from the very start, it’s exciting for us to see it grow from less than 10,000 people to 100,000 in just five years,” says Ausmus. “Omar Afra at Free Press Houston and Jagi Katial at Pegstar Concerts have a real genius for assembling an increasingly diverse roster of hip talent that has really helped drive their success since 2009.
“Last year, after hearing that we had invested in an L-ACOUSTICS K1 system for RodeoHouston, they asked if it would be appropriate for their festival as well. We told them that K1 would greatly elevate their production values, help attract higher-profile artists and continue to build up the FPSF brand, which it certainly has.
Every artist walked away from this year’s festival completely satisfied and the producers were ecstatic with how everything sounded, especially on the monster Bassnectar and Calvin Harris shows at the end of each night.”
L-ACOUSTICS is a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-performance loudspeakers, amplifiers and signal processing devices for touring and installed sound markets. Known around the globe for pioneering and championing the modern line array loudspeaker concept with V-DOSC®, the company has received numerous accolades for its K1, KUDO™, KARA, KIVA™, ARCS®, XT coaxial loudspeaker systems and SB line of subwoofer enclosures, all powered and processed with the LA4 and LA8 amplified controllers in fulfillment of a “total system approach.” Product distribution and customer service for the USA is handled by L-ACOUSTICS’ subsidiary in Oxnard, California.
L-ACOUSTICS US, 2201 Celsius Avenue, Unit E, Oxnard, CA 93030 Tel: 805.604.0577 / Fax: 805.604.0858 Email: [email protected] / Web: www.l-acoustics.com
It wouldn’t be the Fourth of July without the “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular,” and Robert Juliat Cyrano followspots helped light up the annual event, which was televised live from the Charles River Esplanade.
The free outdoor concert marked its fortieth anniversary. The event draws over 500,000 people each year to the Boston and Cambridge sides of the Charles River.
Audiences wait with anticipation to hear the Boston Pops’ now classic rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” with real cannons, church bells and fireworks; “The Stars and Stripes Forever” with ceremonial American flag drop and confetti shot; and watch a final explosive fireworks array. This year musical guests included Susan Tedeschi, Ellis Hall, Howie Day, Ayla Brown, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Keith Lockhart conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra.
“The event was a lot of fun to be part of,” says lighting designer Christopher Landy of Vibrant Design LLC. “Summer shows like this one can be challenging because they start in the daylight and end at night, so you need to use spots that are able to compete with the sun.”
Landy utilized two Cyranos obtained from Capron. “The talent looked great,” Landy says. “The spots fields are perfectly even and consistent and they’re very easy to operate – Which is more important than you think. It makes it easy to balance and easy for the operator and myself to subtly tweek levels.” Cyrano is a compact and efficient 2500-watt HMI followspot with a high-performance quartz condenser optical system. It features a 100% closing iris in a removable cassette; 100% closing dimmer; B-size gobo holder ; and 6-way boomerang color changer with removable filter frames.
Landy reports that he uses Robert Juliat lighting exclusively these days – even on less spectacular shows. “When I am lighting A-List talent, I need an A-List fixture Juliat provides that,” he says. “The camera sees every imperfection and flutter, an inconsistent field is not an option. In fact, on a recent comedy shoot, I had to swap out three competitors’ spots after the first day of taping. They just weren’t cutting it. With the Juliat spots it was like a new show. Shows with Juliats equal happy clients”.
About Robert Juliat
Robert Juliat is a three-generation, independent, family-run company dedicated to stage lighting. The current chairman’s grandfather was, at the end of the 19th century, one of the pioneers in creating special effects for the fledgling motion picture industry in France.
Robert Juliat lights are used worldwide by customers who include the Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion in Las Vegas, Disney World, The Royal Shakespeare Company, the Comedie Francaise, the Holiday On Ice tour, the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games and football’s World Cup in Japan and Germany. R&D, production and the company headquarters are based in the village of Fresnoy-en-Thelle, 50 km north of Paris. Robert Juliat USA is located in Wallingford, Connecticut.
On request of the Quebec City Summer Festival, Unison Structures, a Quebec company specialized in the manufacturing of aluminum trusses and architectural elements, achieved the largest freestanding mobile stage designed so far in North America, called Hi -Roof.
View of the Bell (Hi-Roof) stage at the Quebec City Summer Festival during the Def Leppard show (picture by R. Philippe).
The first official setup of the stage took place on June 7 (to 17) on the Plains of Abraham park (historical site), where the festival runs. Since then, the stage hosted performers Bruno Mars, Stevie Wonder, The Black Keys, Def Leppard, Rush and many others during this 11-day festival (between July 4th and 14th) and more recently those of Paul McCartney, July 23, and Celine Dion, on the 28th.
According to Patrick Martin, Production Manager of the Festival: “We really needed to expand our main stage (Bell stage), to improve its technical capabilities while increasing safety. Unisson has presented an innovative concept meeting all these criterias”.
For Olivier Jobin, Vice President of Unisson structures: “We are proud to offer so far, the stage with the highest degree of technological achievement. Working with the leaders of the Quebec City Summer Festival expertise, we have been at the heart of the issues of our more sophisticated customers. “
Hi-Roof
The Hi-roof Stage (patented), which took five years of R&D and hard work, stands out for its size and capabilities with unusual and impressive values :
The total area footprint is about 68 m (width) by 32 m (depth) for a height of 26 m.
The stage itself has an scenic area of about 500 m2 with an aperture of more than 27 m.
Wind resistance is 120 km/h, and the stage can handle loads of 730 kg per m2.
The total hanging capacity is 68 tons for a uniformly distributed load!
Map of Hi-Roof stage with dimensions. The structure supports gusty winds of 120 km / h and carries 68 tons hanging!
The Stones sell-out 50th anniversary tour (photo: Todd Kaplan)
The Rolling Stones have wrapped the US leg of their 50 & Counting world tour with grandMA2 consoles along for the still-wild ride. The Stones sell-out 50th anniversary tour is their first in six years.
They opened the U.S. leg in LA and concluded their 18 dates in Washington, D.C.
The band performed on a stage set featuring a giant set of psychedelic lips and a tongue-shaped walkway that riffed on their iconic logo. Patrick Woodroffe was the lighting designer and Ethan Weber the co-lighting director. Upstaging supplied the lighting equipment.
Weber and programmer/co-lighting director Dave Hill manned two grandMA2 full-size consoles, networked together, for the tour.
“We love them”, says Weber. “I handled the key lighting on one console and Dave ran the bulk of the system off the other.” Both men are veteran Stones lighting directors with Hill having programmed every tour since Steel Wheels. And both are veteran MA users.
“We both spent a few years on the grandMA,” Weber says. “I switched over to the grandMA2 last year for Green Day, and found it a very fluid changeover.
The grandMA2 has a good feel and look to it. I very much like the way it programs and operates-the bigger screens make for quicker access, the effects engine is much improved, more functional macros, etc. And I’m very appreciative that the command syntax is close to that of the grandMA ‘series 1’. It seems like it can be hit or miss with updated/re-designed consoles, but think MA got it right with the grandMA2.”
A bespoke automation system has been designed by Kinesys to open and close two large set doors integrated into the rear video wall backdrop on Robbie Williams’ current ‘Take The Crown’ stadium tour. The set was conceived by Artistic Director and Lighting Designer Willie Williams and Stage Architect the late Mark Fisher.
The doors – positioned stage left and stage right – each measure 7.73 metres high by 6 metres wide and open and close to allow set trucks with giant heads of the singer to enter and exit the stage.
Kinesys was contacted by the tour’s Set Technical Manager Nick Evans and Head Rigger Jerry Hough and asked to come up with a neat and safe automation solution for quickly opening and closing the doors – that had been mechanically engineered by TAIT. The particular challenge with operating these doors is they are required to tilt back 6 degrees before raising 7 metres to fully open.
The mechanics of the system were designed and engineered by TAIT’s Pieter Denijs and Jerry Hough and features a counterweight system driven by Kinesys Elevation vari-speed hoists to lift the doors and linear actuators to operate the tilt mechanism driven by Kinesys Evo drives. This theatrical style approach utilising counterweights means less force is needed to move the doors, which each weigh over 2 tonnes … and can open or close in around 25 seconds.
The back wall itself is constructed from LED-integrated polycarbonate panels incorporating 18,000 of TAIT’s Pixel Tablets. Hough specifically wanted a really simple handset to control the door movement with just ‘open’ and ‘close’ buttons “Similar to a warehouse door”.
The custom control system devised by Kinesys combines the actuator movement to tilt the door back with the Elevation hoist lifting operation into a single open and close sequence.
Safety features such as ‘dead man’s handles’, interlocking between the tilt and lift operations, and ‘group halt’ on error or position difference make the system safe for operation during fit-up and show conditions. On the road, the door movement is being looked after and operated by riggers Jules Grommers and Craig Rattray. Grommers comments, “The system is good and provides a very straightforward way of executing a complex move”, adding that he was also impressed with the full instruction manual that accompanied the system when it was handed over by Kinesys.
In addition to this, the two onstage follow spot trusses are flown in on Kinesys Elevation motors pre-show so the operators can be picked up on these and taken up to their positions – as opposed to having to climb. A Kinesys Rigger 8 hand-held control is used.
The show production and Robbie Williams’ performance have already received fantastic reviews as the singer firmly re-establishes himself as a masterful showman and charismatic top level live entertainer.
The band performed on a stage set featuring a giant set of psychedelic lips and a tongue-shaped walkway that riffed on their iconic logo. Patrick Woodroffe was the lighting designer and Ethan Weber the co-lighting director. Upstaging supplied the lighting equipment.
