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Nearly 500 Martin Audio speakers help bring Tulleys Farm Christmas Light Festival to life
08/01/2025
Mathias Kuhn lights Creed shows with Robe
22/11/2024
Audio Music stattet Bühnen des Siegburger Stadtfestes mit Systemen von dBTechnologies aus
19/11/2024
Rico Münzer kreiert Bosse-Bühnenlook mit GLP
19/11/2024
Wetterfeste Scheinwerfer von Elation im Outdoor-Dauereinsatz auf Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg
18/11/2024
Young designer Tegan Rehbein chooses Chauvet fixtures for The Conference Live at Lititz
In keeping with its mission to foster “innovative creativity” within the live event industry, the Conference Live at Lititz selects one young designer to light the main stage at its popular event every year. In 2024, that honor belonged to Tegan Rehbein. She worked with a rig supplied by the 4Wall Entertainment team led by Project Manager Zack Spadaccia. Anchoring the rig were 246 Chauvet Professional fixtures.
Rehbein painted the stage in an array of vivid colors, while filling the venue with dramatic aerial patterns and audience lighting. Key to helping her create her show were 48 Color Strike M motorized strobe-washes in full pixel mode. “Very early on in the design process I knew from the event organizers that Studio 1 had three different uses over the course of the conference: party, speaking, and a gathering place for meals”, says Rehbein. “They expressed the desire to have it lit well and evenly for the speaking and the dinner.”
“With the space having three distinct modes, there were some changeovers regarding the lighting”, she continues. “When I was given a list of available gear from 4Wall, I knew that the Color Strike M was the perfect light to meet these goals. The color pixels provided a nice color wash for the event, while the center white LEDs provided bright and even work light for the room flips. I used twelve of the Color Strike Ms on the six overhead torms that were along the upstage wall. The rest were placed approximately 20-feet or so from each other on the trusses throughout the room for that nice even down wash.”
Rehbein’s talent was also evident in the way she used the rig’s 22 Maverick MK3 Profiles to accent the set created by Tait and Atomic. “I placed four of the profiles out by FOH to provide texture on the chandelier that the set designer from Tait had made using Atomic Designs’ Gaus”, she details. “I wanted to have the ability to cut shutters in the production as I saw fit.”
The eighteen remaining MK3 Profiles were placed in the air around the stage to provide key, fill and hair light for the various speakers - six of them were positioned on the farthest downstage part of the inner curves, six others were on either side of the stage, while the final six were flown over the stage. When the room was reconfigured for the final party, Rehbein repurposed most of her fixtures.
Also featured in the rig were the Maverick MK3 Wash, Rogue R2X Wash, and Rogue R1 BeamWash. Rehbein arranged the MK3 Washes on vertical torms to compliment the MK3 Profiles and positioned most of the R2X units on the four fingers over the stage to work with the MK3 Spots. The R2X units we positioned in the “Plaza”, an area that featured hanging set pieces from Atomic along with material from Tait that highlighted client projects. “I ran the R2X in 33 channel mode in case I wanted some visual movement in the rig with the ring control”, says Rehbein. “They provided a really good wash for this very unique set element.”
Throughout the show, she paid careful attention to color rendering. “I color balanced everything in the rig for the party using my C-800 meter”, she explains. “I was really happy with the CRI that I was able to achieve in the MK3 Profiles to make the video team, and myself, very happy. I went with 4200K for the key, 3200K for fill and 5600K from the top. I felt like this gave me a good and flattering wash on all of the panelists.”
Rehbein appreciated the team she had around her: “I want to give a shoutout to Project Manager Zack Spadaccia and Lighting Crew Chief Steve ‘Scuba’ Onoszko along with the entire team from 4Wall. They prepped and built this design and it worked flawlessly. Also want to thank James Weir from Tait. He worked on the set design and truss layout. He handed me great bones to put some meat on. Thanks too to Emily Cassidy, the Conference Director for Rock Lititz, and Natasha Benne, Senior Producer at Atomic. Every one of them was great to work with and get to know.”
Looking back on the event Rehbein sums up the experience this way: “This project is one of the biggest things I have designed to-date. I also knew my peers in the industry, as well as some legends, would be there, so I wanted to make sure I put my best foot forward in this design.”
(Photos: Chauvet Professional/The Conference Live at Lititz)
www.theconferenceliveatlititz.com
Mediapool setzt Martin Audio WPS in Oktoberfestzelt auf dem Cannstatter Wasen ein
Grandls Hofbräu-Zelt auf dem Cannstatter Wasen ist vom Event- und Mediengestalter Mediapool Stuttgart mit dem WPS-Line-Array-System von Martin Audio ausgestattet worden. Das Festzelt auf dem zweitgrößten Oktoberfest der Welt hat ein Fassungsvermögen von bis zu 8.000 Besuchern.
Insgesamt 24 WPS-Elemente, kombiniert mit zwölf SX218-Subwoofern, kamen im Hofbräu-Zelt zum Einsatz. Angetrieben wurden die Systeme durch sechs iK42-Systemendstufen, die je viermal 3.000 Watt Leistung lieferten. Das WPS-System von Martin Audio hatte Falk Gruber, Inhaber der Mediapool Stuttgart GmbH, zuvor gezielt für Veranstaltungen wie den Cannstatter Wasen, aber auch für Live-Veranstaltungen in vergleichbarer Größe mit Rock- und Popmusik, angeschafft.
„Martin Audio ist ein englischer Hersteller, und in England ist Rockmusik die Volksmusik - das spiegelt sich auch im WPS-System wider“, erklärt er. „Das System von Martin Audio hat in den Mitten deutlich mehr Druck als andere Systeme in der Liga. Damit ist es für Rock, Pop, Punk, Blues und ähnliche Stile in besonderem Maße geeignet.“
(Fotos: Thomas Niedermüller)
“Parapapam” at Montreal’s Maison Symphonique lit with Chauvet
In December 2024, lighting designer Pierre E. Roy was called upon to light the holiday show “Parapapam” at La Maison Symphonique in Montreal, Canada. “The director wanted the stage to be kind of dark - but not black - to make it dramatic”, he shares. “He also wanted to make the solo artists more prominent by having most of the stage a bit subdued. When the soloists weren’t singing, the orchestra, and or choir, became more prominent and brighter.”
But the darkness also created challenges when it came to key lighting a cast that included thirty musicians and more than twice as many chorists. Complicating matters further, the soloists often roamed the stage. “When the solo artists came to do their numbers, they had specific places to sing, but of course, they never stayed on the X, so I had to follow-spot them on the show”, says Roy. “I had to rely on the fixtures on the FOH to follow them. In other words, I had their starting X and I had made myself an override sub that moved the fixtures from stage right to stage left, in addition to being focused on the operation of my show. Nevertheless, this was a very fun project and all of us were happy with how the five shows in the series turned out.”
Roy’s use of color was one reason for the lighting design’s success. Throughout the concert, he created different depths, tones, and auras on stage through color changes. “I used the colors that I felt best represented each song”, he explains. “Another designer might have chosen different colors. The choice of colors is a personal signature for every designer.”
Roy used 38 Chauvet Professional Colorado 2 Solo RGBW LED washes, supplied by Solotech. Arranging the fixtures on three levels - the stage, Balcony One, and Balcony Two - he filled the venue in deep, vivid colors from cool blues and greens to soft ambers and purples, to powerful reds that popped against the relatively subdued stage.
Beyond setting the tone on stage, the colorful lighting from the Colorado fixtures accented the architectural features of La Maison Symphonique with its curved balconies and walls and Quebec beach wood facade.
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
Mehr als 100 GLP JDC1 intensivieren Ant Wans Rekordshow in Stockholm
Mit einem Konzert vor 40.899 Zuschauern hat der schwedische Hip-Hopper Ant Wan kürzlich den von Madonna aufgestellten bisherigen Besucherrekord in der Stockholmer Tele2 Arena gebrochen. Es war erst das zweite Live-Konzert des Künstlers überhaupt (nach einem ausverkauften Gig in der Avicii Arena im vergangenen Jahr).
Lichtdesigner der Show in Stockholm war Jakob Larsson von Light it Production, der mit dem szenografischen Konzept des bildenden Künstlers Alexander Wessely interagierte, welcher gleichzeitig als Showregisseur fungierte. Larsson integrierte eine ihm vertraute Familie von Hybridprodukten in die Show: JDC1 und JDC Line von GLP. Er hatte sich in der Vergangenheit schon oft für diese Kombination entschieden, das JDC1 nach eigenen Angaben „im Grunde seit dem ersten Tag“ spezifiziert und später Schwedens führende Verleiher motiviert, auch in die JDC Lines von GLP zu investieren.
Diesmal wurde das Equipment von Soundforce bereitgestellt und umfasste 84 JDC Line (ein Mix aus JDC Line 500 und 1000) und vierzig JDC1. Die JDC Lines wurden hauptsächlich zur Beleuchtung der Laufstege und der B-Bühne verwendet, während die JDC1 mit einem Abstand von jeweils etwa einem Meter hauptsächlich als Gegen- und Gassenlicht auf der Hauptbühne dienten.
Ihre Rolle war allerdings nuancierter, da sie auch Wesselys Bühnenarchitektur in Szene setzten, welche aus einem großen LED-Screen, neun Säulen und einem Altar mit Thron als Centerpiece bestand. Die Inszenierung verlangte vom Lichtdesigner, die Lichtquellen möglichst zu verbergen. Gleichzeitig sollten die JDC1 in der von Lasern und Pyrotechnik dominierten Show bestehen können.
„Daher wollte ich die Lampen im Bühnenbild verstecken und es wirklich klar und sauber halten“, sagt Larsson, der die JDC Lines entlang des Laufstegs um 45° neigte, während der Künstler zur Bühne B hinunterging. „Wir haben sie im Vollpixelmodus verwendet, während er den Weg abschritt, und ihn jeweils einzeln beleuchtet. Aber die JDC Lines konnten auch die gesamte Arena bis zur gegenüberliegenden Seite beleuchten. Außerdem brachten wir JDC Line 1000 auch hinter allen Säulen an, sodass wir, wenn wir sie anstrahlten, neun wirklich große, dramatische Schatten auf der Bühne erzeugen konnten.“
Einige der JDC1 wurden am Rand der Hauptbühne eingesetzt, „um viel Farbe in das Bühnenbild zu bringen“, wie Larsson sagt. Programmierer war Nikolaj Brink, selbst ein versierter Lichtdesigner. „Wir haben alles in Depence vorvisualisiert und hatten dann zwei Tage Vorbereitungszeit in der Arena“, so Larsson weiter. „Die gesamte Show lief über Timecode und wurde von Nikolaj überwacht. Ich habe die Verfolger und Nebelmaschinen bedient und die gesamte Kinesys-Automatisierung gecallt.“ Wenn das Kinesys-System bei einigen Songs das Overhead-Rig absenkte, feuerten die JDCs auf dem Boden nach oben, wodurch ein dynamischer Effekt entstand.
Die JDC Lines wurden im Modus 3 SPix (68 Kanäle) betrieben. „Wir stehen gerade total auf Pixelmapping“, lacht Larsson. „Das JDC1 haben wir jedoch im normalen 23-Kanal-Modus betrieben. Ich verwende das JDC1 sehr gern im Normalmodus, da man mit den Makros und Effekten im 23-Kanal-Modus fast alles machen kann.“
(Fotos: GLP)
Nearly 500 Martin Audio speakers help bring Tulleys Farm Christmas Light Festival to life
Based in Crawley, Sussex, Tulleys Farm turns into a seasonal theme park in the Autumn and Winter months. It’s then that they promote a programme of festivals and visitor attractions with “Shocktober” (developing into a Pumpkin Festival), now followed by a newly inaugurated Christmas Light Festival through its various woodland trails, occupying the month of December.
When Martin Audio partners SWG Events were brought in to create an integrated and immersive sound and light trail - part of an overall Christmas experience - it required around 400 of the manufacturer’s Adorn A55T series loudspeakers, spanning forty zones. SWG Events were introduced to handle the inaugural Christmas Light Festival, which occupies an entirely new trail through the woods.
Simon Purse, Head of Audio, says the installation is an extension of the Pumpkin Festival where Adorn speakers already featured. For the Christmas light trail, wooden fencing follows a pathway through the trees where the Adorn speakers, weather-protected by their IP kits, are festooned along the route. These are powered by a series of Martin Audio Via2004 and Via5004 amplifiers.
According to Purse, the 26 dedicated DX0.4 2-in/4-out network system processors also play a prominent role: “The client wanted to be able to control everything from a central position, and with the DX0.4s all on the same network we were able to use the Martin software in a single location. From here, any adjustments could be made to the sound remotely - and all 26 devices can be controlled from anywhere with access to our wireless network.”
“Of the forty different zones each might have a different track or require a different level - all fed and adjustable from that master control location over a Dante network”, he adds. In terms of security there is a live mic override which ducks the system in the event of an alert.
Since the experience needs to be constantly evolving in and out of different themes, SWG are also sending timecode down the same network to various locations, as the content, played out from a media server, works through different genres - from love songs, to classical, rock and disco - synced to the various areas that require programmed lighting. Projection video reinforcement is also tied into the show control. Leading the project for SWG Events is Dan Jenkins. “It’s very much Dan’s vision of system deployment and flexible control”, says Purse. “In fact it took eight of us a month to put everything in.”
However, it doesn’t end there: the trail opens out to a pair of large lakes which offer views of the lights, and alternate between different shows. To match this dynamic, SWG Events have beefed up the sound system, installing 48 Martin Audio Blackline X12 speakers. “Since the lightshows are more impactful it required a bit more SPL and low end”, says Purse. A further area provides a live band stage and lasers.
(Photos: Martin Audio)
Jonas Brothers’ engineers choose DirectOut solutions for worldwide tour
DirectOut’s Prodigy.MP has been selected for the Jonas Brothers’ “Five Albums. One Night.” world tour. Adam Robinson, Front of House engineer, along with systems engineer Cameron Manes, explain how they came to decide on Prodigy.MP for Jonas Brothers system and redundancy requirements.
“In the past we were using different system processors, but it felt like it was coloring our sound, so we wanted to look for a new solution that gave us the flexibility we were looking for without affecting the signal”, says Manes. “We needed a way to future-proof our system and respond to the growing demands of the production throughout the tour, but also retain the clarity we were looking for.”
Self-confessed geeks, both Robinson and Manes were excited by the opportunity to expand control of their audio system and were interested in the level of autonomy that DirectOut and Globcon offer. Hand-in-hand with long-term vendor partner Clair Global, their investigations have been a success. The rental company helped them try different cards. Manes is now using Globcon and a Stream Deck interface, to control multiple Prodigy devices and his playback system, as well as using the Prodigy.MP to control their Smaart acoustic test and measurement software.
“Prodigy has become my Smaart interface. I no longer have a separate Smaart computer and that means that I can route all my wireless mics wherever I want”, says Manes. “We’re running quite a few wireless mics for system measurement and tuning. With Prodigy I can route that to our Front of House console, which makes it visible to Adam at the console and on Smaart.”
When doing one-off performances or fly-ins, the team sometimes find the supplied sound system is not exactly what they were hoping for; there could be a little less energy in the front fills or stage thrust loudspeakers than they need. With Prodigy powering the system, Manes can send an extra feed via MADI to the Front of House (FOH) console which then gets passed on to the stage rack, where it can be split into additional powered speakers that can be placed exactly where required.
“We are using two additional Prodigy.MPs, one on either side of the stage”, continues Manes. “They send AES signals directly from the FOH Prodigy.MP into our d&b amplifiers. Should there be any issues, I also have the signal in analog. Our primary transport is AVB. A lot of manufacturers are integrating AVB into their products now, so we have transitioned to that format for our networking.”
With Globcon software, Robinson and Manes can view and edit any part of their system simultaneously. Manes’ interface layout displays only what he needs for the show ensuring a streamlined look, while Robinson’s screen shows just system EQ, as a reference. “Cameron has given me an ‘All’ page, so I can just make a quick EQ change to the whole system if needed”, says Robinson. “It’s great that we can both interact with the system, making changes at the same time, even to the same EQ. If I add a filter and Cameron adds a filter, we’ll both see them.”
“I’m the type of person that only wants to see the things that are relevant to me at any given time,” adds Manes. “With Globcon, you can create floating objects and configure a page where everything that’s relevant to you can be right at your fingertips. I have also integrated a Stream Deck for tactile control of my scripts.”
Manes has written scripts that send OSC commands to automate functions throughout the show, including switching from work-mode into being ready for the audience to enter. With a single push of a button on his Stream Deck, Manes can switch to the correct music playlist, start the audio, un-mute the correct loudspeakers in the system and bring music to the correct level with a gentle fade-up.
“My scripts are executed seamlessly”, concludes Manes. “When I first started playing with automation, I was a little apprehensive, but Prodigy has quickly become the most reliable part of the entire audio system. Whatever I ask it to do, it does it, and exactly how I want it to.”
(Photos: DirectOut GmbH)
SeeSound calls on Wisycom for theater applications
Since 2004, SeeSound has offered professional solutions in the audiovisual market. The Barcelona-based provider often turns to a variety of RF solutions from Wisycom, including the MRK16 Ultra-wideband Wireless Receiver System, MCR54 Four-channel True Diversity Wireless Microphone Receivers, MPR50 Wideband IEM Receivers and MTP60 Multiband Bodypack Transmitters.
For the theatrical touring productions of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Producers”, SeeSound deployed the Wisycom solutions mentioned above, in combination with the brand’s SPL2208 Wideband Active Antenna Combiner/Splitter. Javier G. Isequilla, Sound Designer, SeeSound, deploys the system with DPA Microphones’ 6060 Subminiature Lavalier Microphones.
“Using the Wisycom gear, we are able to deliver all audio on a single data cable”, he says. “For ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ specifically, we deployed a total of sixteen receiver systems along with forty receivers. We chose Wisycom because we are able to deploy just one single rack unit for this large system.”
“The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Producers” had showings throughout Italy and Spain, in a variety of theaters averaging 1,200 spectators per show. “The Phantom of the Opera” was performed at Rossetti Theater in Triestre, Italy; Albeniz Theater in Madrid, Spain; Arcimboldi Theater in Milan, Italy; and Salle Garnier, a casino theater in Montecarlo, Monaco. Additionally, “The Producers” was shown at Tivoli Theater in Barcelona and Alcala Theater in Madrid.
“The system configuration does not change with Wisycom - you only have to do frequency calculations in each new place”, says Isequilla. “As the working band is 470 Mhz to 694 Mhz, which is quite wide, it is easy to integrate the number of frequencies required for each show.”
(Photos: SeeSound/Wisycom)
Allen & Heath bei „The Grand Jam“ in Frankfurt mit rund 1.000 Musikern und über 200 Kanälen als Mischzentrale im Einsatz
Beim Live-Projekt „The Grand Jam“ mit 232 Inputs von rund 1.000 Hobby- und semiprofessionellen Musikern verwenden die Tontechniker Mischpulte und Stageboxen von Allen & Heath. Insgesamt kommen vier Mischpulte zum Einsatz: drei dLive S5000 und ein dLive S7000, außerdem als Stageboxen drei MixRack DM48, ein MixRack DM64, fünf GX4816, zehn DX168 sowie ein DX012 Expander.
Alle dLive-Pulte und Stageboxen sind in ein Dante-Netzwerk eingebunden. Trotz der hohen Anzahl an Verbindungen und einem aufwendigen Routing verliefen die Events im Frankfurter Stadion Deutsche Bank Park sowie die Auftaktveranstaltung im Dresdener Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion laut Veranstalter reibungslos. Die gesamte Audio-Planung erstellte FOH-Techniker Richard Redl in Zusammenarbeit mit Jens Heuser, Inhaber von Music & Lights, dem technischen Generalausstatter der Veranstaltung. Um bei der Vielzahl an Mikrofonkanälen den Überblick zu behalten, teilen sich vier Tontechniker auf.
An einem dLive-S5000-Pult von Allen & Heath verwaltet FOH-Techniker Michael Tischler insgesamt 122 Instrumenten-Kanäle, darunter Schlagzeug, Bass, zwei Gitarrengruppen, Keyboards, Streicher und Bläser. Drei Drumsets werden für den Live-Mix komplett abgenommen. Ähnliches gilt für Bass, Gitarren und Keyboards, wobei vor jeder Instrumentengruppe vier bis sechs Kondensatormikrofone aufgebaut sind, über die die Instrumente zusätzlich als Chor abgenommen werden.
Diese Spuren spielen für das parallel laufende Recording eine essenzielle Rolle, um den charakteristischen Gesamtsound von hunderten Musikern einzufangen. Für den Live-Sound werden sie nicht benötigt, da bereits das akustische Signal der Musiker das Stadion mit einem kräftigen Grundsound füllt. Streicher und Bläser werden in größerer Zahl mit Clip-Mikrofonen abgenommen. Für jede Instrumentengruppe erstellt Tischler einen Stereomix - in Summe werden sieben Stereomixe an seinen Kollegen Richard Redl weitergeleitet.
Nikolaus Schweiger, ebenfalls FOH-Techniker, erstellt an einer dLive-S5000-Konsole aus 110 Mikrofonkanälen von rund 500 Sängerinnen und Sängern einen Vocal-Mix. Etwa dreißig Vokalisten performen dazu vor einem eigenen Mikrofon, während die übrigen in kleinen Gruppen in Mikrofone singen. Von diesen Mikrofonen werden mittels Y-Kabel jeweils zwei bis drei zu einem Kanal zusammengefasst.
Schweiger stellt während der Probe EQ und Kompressor für die einzelnen Kanäle. Die Kanalpegel korrigiert er über das gesamte Konzert hinweg, denn nicht allen Sängerinnen und Sängern ist es möglich, über zwei Stunden alle Songs gleichmäßig laut zu performen. Außerdem achtet Schweiger auf ein ausgewogenes Verhältnis von Frauen- und Männergesang. Den summierten Vocal-Mix schickt er an Richard Redl weiter. Zusätzlich sind vierzehn Kondensatormikrofone zu Aufnahmezwecken ins Publikum gerichtet, um die Stimmung im Stadion einzufangen.
Redl erstellt an einem dLive-S7000-Mischpult aus insgesamt 36 Kanälen - einem Stereokanal pro Live-Instrumentengruppe, die Live-Stereo-Vocals und als Backup acht vorproduzierte Stereo-Spuren aus einem Qlab-System - den finalen Mix. Das Prinzip, nach dem Redl und seine Kollegen verfahren, kann theoretisch beliebig skaliert werden und wird lediglich von den logistischen Kapazitäten des Stadions beschränkt.
An einer weiteren dLive-S5000-Mischkonsole von Allen & Heath ist Felix Zwerger für den Monitorsound zuständig, wobei die Musiker der verschiedenen Instrumentengruppen jeweils einen vorproduzierten Stem hören, nicht aber das Live-Signal. Diese kommen ebenfalls wie der Klick aus der Qlab-Session vom FOH. Lediglich die Streicher bekommen zur besseren Eigenresonanz zusätzlich ihr Live-Signal beigemischt. Die Signale werden den Musikern über ein Silent-Disco-Kopfhörersystem ausgespielt.
Etwas anders verhält es sich bei den Instrumenten-Coaches, die jeweils eine Instrumentengruppe betreuen: Sie hören den Live-Monitoring-Mix über ein In-Ear-Monitoring-System, um den Live-Sound ihrer Instrumentengruppe besser beurteilen zu können. Ein weiterer Monitorweg wird für eine Tanzgruppe genutzt, die ebenfalls im Stadion zur Musik performt. Für die 16-köpfige Vorband Joker, Popup Club aus Österreich kamen weitere zwölf Monitorkanäle hinzu, die über ein In-Ear-Monitoring-System ausgespielt wurden.
Bei „The Grand Jam“ kommen insgesamt fünf verschiedene Stageboxen von Allen & Heath zum Einsatz. Alle drei dLive-S5000-Konsolen sind mit GigaAce-Karten ausgestattet, über die Signale zu den MixRack-GX48-Stageboxen übertragen werden. Die Verbindung zwischen MixRack und den dLive-Pulten erfolgt aufgrund der weiten Strecken im Stadion über Glasfaserkabel und ist redundant aufgebaut.
Michael Tischler nutzt zum Mischen von 122 Instrumenten-Kanälen an seinem dLive S5000 ein MixRack DM48, das nicht nur als Stagebox dient, sondern auch die eigentliche Mixeinheit enthält, die über das dLive-S5000-Pult gesteuert wird. Erweitert werden die Eingänge um zwei GX4816 und vier DX168-Stageboxen, die als Stagesnake angeschlossen sind. Das dLive S5000, über das Nikolaus Schweiger 110 Vocal-Kanäle mischt, besteht aus einem ähnlichen Setup mit einem MixRack DM48, einem GX4816 und sechs DX168 als Stagesnake.
Weniger physische Eingänge benötigt Richard Redl am dLive-S7000-Pult: Er nutzt ein MixRack DM48 mit 48 Eingängen, an dem diverse Kommunikationsleitungen zu einem Ü-Wagen sowie Intercom-Kanäle zur internen Kommunikation im Team angeschlossen sind; die acht Live-Stereokanäle werden hingegen über Dante in das Pult eingespeist. Außerdem sind an seinem dLive-Pult die zwei Computer angeschlossen, über die alle vorproduzierten Stems ausgespielt werden. Diese werden über MIDI vom dLive getriggert. Über den verwendeten Audio-Expander DX012 von Allen & Heath wird über die AES-Digitalausgänge die Stadion-PA angesteuert.
(Fotos: Allen & Heath/Audio-Technica)
EAW Adaptive PA system installed at Great Park Live
Pacific Coast Entertainment (PCE), live event production company and AV equipment provider in Southern California, recently provided a sound system to the newly opened Great Park Live outdoor venue in Irvine, using Anya Adaptive loudspeakers from Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW). Tom Pappanduros, production manager at PCE, led the installation of the system.
Nestled within the park’s picturesque setting, Great Park Live offers an entertainment experience for guests of all ages. This venue has been so successful that the city of Irvine will continue to invest in a permanent amphitheater, set to open in 2027. Great Park Live offers a unique acoustic challenge, though. “The venue is situated in the middle of neighborhoods”, says Pappanduros. “We needed a sound system with enough control to ensure an excellent audience experience while minimizing sound bleed into the surrounding community. We chose EAW’s Anya rig, which proved crucial in meeting these demands.”
The custom EAW sound system consists of 24 Anya boxes, twelve per side, and 24 Otto subwoofers in a centralized cluster. “The combination of these speakers allowed PCE to modify the sound based on the needs of the variety of events held at Great Park Live”, adds Pappanduros. “We’ve worked through about seven different configurations for the low-end, focusing on energy control to maximize the venue’s space while minimizing disruption to nearby homes, and the end result offers the ideal balance.”
One of the Anya system’s features is Adaptive Technology. “During one event, city officials noticed higher-than-allowed noise levels in the surrounding neighborhoods. Thanks to the Anya’s advanced control features, we quickly reduced the area’s effective size from 300 feet to 180 feet, lowering the decibel levels without disturbing the concert experience”, reports Pappanduros.
(Photos: Eastern Acoustic Works/Pacific Coast Entertainment)
Brian Courchine colorizes Pink Talking Fish with Chauvet Professional
New Hampshire-based lighting designer Brian Courchine, the LD at the Northland Music and Arts Festival, recently designed the lightshow for a sold out Pink Talking Fish concert at Infinity Hall in Hartford. Pink Talking Fish combines the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish, each evoking a different aura - and each lending itself to a different palette. Adding a little extra spice to this particular evening was the healthy serving of Beatles songs thrown into the set.
Following the music with his color rendering skills, Courchine immersed each song in hues that fit the sounds. “I try make a distinction between the three musical acts in the Pink Talking Fish show”, he explains. “Talking Heads is usually a more straight forward vibe. Although this band does jam out these songs, the palette I choose will stick within boundaries. On the other hand, Pink Floyd tunes can be a roller coaster. Some of their more epic songs can range anywhere from a single solo spot to an explosive, fill-the-room-with-bright-beautiful-gobos types of looks.”
“Then again, they also have straight up rock’n’roll songs like ‘Young Lust’, where I stick with the same vibe throughout”, continued Courchine. “With the Phish tunes I pretty much go on auto pilot. I’ve seen Chris Kuroda do lights for Phish so many times, I just think, ‘What would Chris Kuroda do if he still only had sixteen movers?’. The night in question also included a good amount of Beatles songs which I tried to keep a unified palette. Also, I realize everything I just said can fly out the window in the moment.”
Courchine utilized 32 Chauvet Professional Rogue fixtures to create his multi-hued show. He had eight R1 Spots and eight R1 Washes in his floor package to complement the eight R2 Spot and eight R1 Wash units in the venue’s house rig. “All my spots and washes usually end up in a line upstage”, says Courchine. “I try to keep them away from the backdrop for situations when I want to project gobos back on it. It’s helpful that PTF sets up across the downstage area, so I am never fighting for space.”
Courchine used the lighting fixtures in his rig to create a richly textured background of colorful aerial gobo patterns. “I’m not a big fan of video. I don’t want to choose the distinct image or feeling that an audience member is going to associate with a specific song”, he explains. “That being said, I have seen it done very, very well.”
“I definitely use the backdrop sparingly. The song attached to the picture with the backdrop lit was ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ by The Beatles”, he concludes. “It’s one of the more psychedelic songs I know by them, so I was going for that old-school oil projection look by just swirling a few different gobos with a prism.”
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
CTC Events realisiert Jubiläums-Veranstaltungen der GWW Wiesbaden
CTC Events hat für die Wiesbadener Wohnbaugesellschaft GWW zwei Veranstaltungen anlässlich des 75-jährigen Jubiläums der GWW realisiert. Das Jubiläumsjahr startete mit einer Auftaktveranstaltung vor der Hauptverwaltung, an der rund 200 Mitarbeiter teilnahmen.
Geschäftsführer Thomas Keller eröffnete die Veranstaltung mit einer chronologisch aufgebauten Ansprache, die die Geschichte der GWW in Form eines Comics lebendig werden ließ. Die Zeichnungen dazu fertigte ein regional ansässiger Künstler im Auftrag von CTC Events an. Unter Begleitung einer Marching Band und Trommelwirbeln wurden Fahnen mit dem Jubiläumslogo vor dem Unternehmenssitz gehisst.
Am 13. September 2024 folgte eine exklusive Feier im Schloss Biebrich. Rund 400 Gäste, darunter Mitarbeiter, Geschäftspartner der GWW und Vertreter der Stadt Wiesbaden, genossen in den Räumlichkeiten des Schlosses und der Parkanlage ein Programm aus Musik, Show und interaktiven Aktionen. Die WISAG bot an verschiedenen Food-Ständen eine kulinarische Zeitreise an: von 1950er-Jahre-Klassikern wie Wackelpudding bis hin zu einer Insektenverkostung als Blick in die Zukunft.
Auch die Inszenierung der Dekoration und des Bühnenprogramms stellte sich als Zeitreise durch die Jahrzehnte dar. Kammermusik, Swing der 1950er-Jahre und Tanzmusik aus unterschiedlichen Epochen boten emotionale Anknüpfungspunkte für das Publikum. Durch den Abend führten die Radiomoderatoren Daniel Franzen und Leni Eckstein. Die Comic-Zeichnungen zur GWW-Geschichte wurden während des Events zugunsten des DesWos-Projektes „El Salvador“ versteigert.
(Foto: GWW)
Ed Warren serves up dramatic looks for The Last Dinner Party with ChamSys
Ed Warren designed the lighting for British glam rock/art rock quintet The Last Dinner Party’s recent European tour. The show featured a backdrop adorned with a crescent moon and velvety clouds. It was hand painted by artists Beth Quinton, then scanned and digitally printed on to cloth with a definition so fine that it looks like a highly textured hand painted work.
Warren accented this backdrop with a variety of lighting effects that shaded the image it projected. At other times, he blocked it out altogether with outpourings of light. “Just because a backdrop is there doesn’t mean you need to light it the whole time”, he observes. “A blackout moment is good to change the dynamics and stage depth within the show. Then when the backdrop is lit again next time it pops even more.”
Warren programmed his design on various ChamSys setups, mostly at his studio on his MagicQ MQ250M Stadium Console. “Sometimes, I programmed at other show venues where I had a desk in front of me with a bit of spare time, as well as on long haul flights on my laptop”, he shares.
Franki McDade was running Warren’s show live on tour using the ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console. She states that the Group Cues feature of her console were particularly important on the tour, as there were four variations of the rig for different sized venues.
Before this tour, McDade hadn’t worked with a ChamSys console in quite some time. “Everyone at ChamSys was really supportive in getting Franki back into the swing of things”, says Warren. “Early on, I sent her the show file and Visualiser in advance for her to get her head into things. Then a couple of days before the tour started, she spent two days at ChamSys in Southampton where they set everything up for her and walked her through all the new features such as Group Cues, FX Palettes and the Timeline.”
“Given the theatrical nature of the band, spotlighting played a big role in the show”, adds Warren. “The lead singer (Abigal Morris) rarely stays in one place, so it’s important to pick her out wherever she is.”
(Photos: Luke Dyson)
Datum Creative and Elation Pulse Bar pay tribute to NYC skyline at We Belong Here
We Belong Here has been uniting EDM lovers on Miami’s Virginia Key Beach for the past three years and has now hosted their first-ever festival experience in New York City amid Central Park’s greenery and panoramic skyline views. Held October 4-6 at historic Wollman Rink, design collective Datum Creative created an immersive 360-degree experience for festival-goers, including a visual tribute to the city’s skyline using Elation Pulse Bar strobe and effect lights.
The We Belong Here festival, known for its “no video” policy, provided Datum Creative the opportunity to design a stage that was as visually impactful as the panoramic views surrounding it. On the southern end of Central Park, the lighting and production team utilized a series of 26 staggered truss towers lined with Pulse Bars to mimic the verticality of New York’s skyline.
Datum Creative wanted to do more than simply mirror the surrounding high-rises. “We didn’t want to just copy the skyline, but rather give it a nod”, says David Singleton, Creative Director at Datum Creative. “We’re based in New York, so we often went on-site with pen and paper to sketch out designs - that’s how it was originally conceived.”
With performances by headliners Kaskade, Fisher, and Monolink, along with other acts, the event’s signature 360° stage allowed attendees to encircle the stage and immerse themselves in the festival’s atmosphere. “You’re not just looking at the stage all the time but moving through the space”, says Singleton. “We created a truss circle system with custom 40-ft diameter roof that organizers will now use on all We Belong Here shows.” Gracing the circle truss were Elation Proteus Maximus and Proteus Rayzor 760 fixtures.
“Our approach was all about creating something dynamic that could work both day and night”, adds Singleton. “You’re not going to see any beams until it is dark, so we thought of how we could do something interesting visually that would also work during the day. That’s where the Pulse Bars came into play. We ran effects pixel for pixel, using about 78 universes to create layers of effects that were visible throughout the day and into the night.”
The staggered heights of the truss towers (the tallest at 24 feet), filled with Pulse Bars, wrapped around the stage in a 180-degree array that followed the natural shape of the rink itself. “Their versatility - whether used as blinders, strobes, or simple background lighting - was key to maintaining the aesthetic of the show throughout the entire day.”
In collaboration with Technical Arts Group (TAG), the lighting vendor for the project, Datum Creative used 120 Pulse BarS, both long and short versions, to achieve their vision. The gear’s IP65 rating ensured that all lighting fixtures could withstand outdoor elements, a crucial factor given the event’s rain-or-shine policy. TAG provided all production materials for the show, including the sound, lighting, staging, and structure, along with all lead department staff.
“With only sixty hours from trucks unloading to the first guest entering the venue, we needed to make sure we had a 24-hour team of leadership there getting things built and completed quickly and efficiently”, states TAG owner Kevin Mignone. “Our team spent weeks leading up to the show in prep and pre-production, fine-tuning every detail of the schedule and gear to ensure the deployment could happen within the timeframe we had.”
The Proteus Maximus units served as workhorse beam fixtures with gobos and were placed in various locations around the site to create layered visuals. The Proteus Rayzor 760 fixtures were used primarily as keylights and to define the circle truss, all run in pixel mode to generate eye-candy looks throughout the event.
“We’re always thinking outside the box with multi-layered and multi-dimensional designs”, says Singleton. “The Maximus and Rayzor 760 gave us the flexibility to achieve both symmetrical and asymmetrical looks. It’s important to give lighting designers something different to work with, and the variety we created on this stage made it a really fun project.” Datum’s Brandon Jeffries served as the on-site lead, while Renzo Cubus took charge as the lead programmer, handling the majority of the show’s lighting operation.
(Photos: Datum Creative)
Dora Showtechnik deploys XTA MX36 console switcher at Oktoberfest in Munich
The largest folk festival in the world, the 189th edition of the Oktoberfest, took place recently on the Theresienwiese in Munich. Across the event’s sixteen day duration, more than six million guests visited the site. Germering-based event production specialists Dora Showtechnik handled the audio for the festival’s Paulaner Festzelt venue - where two bands alternate throughout the day - and this year deployed the XTA MX36 console switcher to simplify their workflow.
Dominik Hähnel of distributor S.E.A. Vertrieb & Consulting GmbH had drawn Dora Showtechnik’s attention to the MX36: “Dora Showtechnik is a longtime customer of ours and during a conversation with their team about making elements of live projects more efficient, it quickly became clear that the MX36 could make a significant difference to their workflow for this and many other projects”, he says.
“At this year’s festival, for the first time, the bands in the Paulaner Festzelt tent used their own mixing consoles, enabling each front of house engineer a separate direct connection to the PA and the comfort of using a familiar mixing setup”, continues Hähnel. “The MX36 also allowed them to connect other essential signals to the PA, including evacuation microphones and media players.”
(Fotos: Maximilian Kuhn/Dora Showtechnik/S.E.A./XTA)
Manuel Knigge improves in-ear monitoring for The BossHoss with DMI-Klang
During German band The BossHoss’ summer tour, sound engineer Manuel Knigge benefitted from immersive mixes via the DMI-Klang expansion card, installed in their DiGiCo SD12 console, to improve in-ear monitoring.
“Summer tours can involve a lot of different styles of venue, one night we would be in a field, the next a tent”, says Knigge. “Before using Klang, we had to work really hard to get the mixes right for every space. We would make adjustments at soundcheck, but then the audience would come in and change the acoustics, so inevitably I would have to spend the first couple of songs each night perfecting the mix, only to have it completely change the night after. It was pretty full on.”
A regular user of Klang with his other clients, Knigge had explained to the band that Klang would be the way forward for their IEM mixes, but when the opportunity to use DMI-Klang with their SD12 finally came around, there was no pre-production rehearsal, “just a day of prep at Clair Global’s Berlin facility”, he notes. “Luckily, I had the multi-track recordings from last year, so I could make a rough 3D panned mix, just to give them a little more space in the mix. I just went for it during our first soundcheck. As soon as they started playing, their faces lifted to look straight at me. After the first song the band turned to me and said, ‘Whatever you did, don’t touch anything!’”
“From a playing perspective, the best show was the first one because they were all excited about the change and they loved it”, continues Knigge. “The band joked that they no longer needed a soundcheck because nothing needed changing and, by the end of the tour, they actually started ditching soundcheck!”
The FPGA architecture of DMI-Klang enables sixteen immersive in-ear mixes, with 64 channels available per mix, so it was a natural progression to offer the unused mixes to the crew. By the end of the tour, Knigge had control of ten musician mixes, a cue mix, a stage technician, three backliners and one guest mix that was used by the Pyrotechnic technician when not in use for guests.
(Photos: Manuel Knigge/DiGiCo/Klang)
Martin Dudley connects UB40 to fans with help from Chauvet Professional
Lighting designer Martin Dudley, owner of Martin’s Lights Ltd, chose Chauvet Professional’s Strike 4 blinders and Rogue R2X Washes for the just-concluded 8-city UK leg of UB40’s international “Red Red Wine” tour.
“The Strike 4s were on the front truss as good old-fashioned crowd blinders, and the Rogue R2X washes were in three sets of four fixtures on the floor, one set behind each band riser”, reports Dudley. “As everyone knows, there’s a lot of crowd participation in a UB40 show, so the blinders helped the audience become part of things, in addition to helping the band see who they were singing to.”
“On this tour, the Rogue washes did a lot of traditional ACL-style looks from the floor”, he continues. “With the Rogues, we were able to do the crowd washing in different colors, and beam widths, as well as with movement, which helped us reflect the energy of the show.”
Dudley arranged his rig to ensure that fans had clear sight of the band regardless of where they were sitting. “We had a video screen that is 4.5 m (14.8 feet) tall and its lower edge sat just above head height for practical reasons”, he says. “So, the lighting trusses were trimmed just above the top of the screen - around 6.5 m (21.3 feet) for the back truss and a little higher for the mid truss. The front truss was as high as we could reasonably get it to be, because we did not want it blocking anybody’s view of the stage, even if they were in the furthest away and highest seats.”
Also, engendering the sense of intimacy between the band and its fans was the clean look of the stage. There were no scenic pieces and minimal fixtures on the stage deck. Most of the floor lighting, as well as the ChamSys console used to run the show, taken from Martin’s Lights’ own inventory, were behind the risers.
“The only lights in front of the risers were six moving spots, all tucked away where they didn’t cause any problems”, adds Dudley. “There are a lot of band members and several of them were frequently moving between the stage and the risers. So, we didn’t want to put any trip hazards in the way.”
Limiting the fixtures on the stage deck, Dudley created much of the visual excitement from his flown rig, which was supplied by Liverpool’s Adlib. “The excellent team of Will Sutcliffe and Tim Eastham from Adlib were doing a fantastic job looking after the lights”, says Dudley. “We were also lucky to have Nick Jackson looking after the video screen, and I had my long-term colleague Chris Davey from Touring Electrics Ltd setting up the floor lights.”
After the UK leg of the “Red Red Wine” tour, this team is now off on an 8-city EU run, which began November 26 in Luxembourg and ends in Berlin December 4.
(Photos: Richard Purvis/RJP Photography UK)
Coda Audio CiRay bei Rheingrün Open Air im Einsatz
Das Rheingrün Open Air verzeichnete bei seiner elften Auflage am 14. September 2024 einen neuen Besucherrekord. Bei dem Techno- und Electro-Festival am Rheinstrandbad Rappenwört in Karlsruhe setzte MKM Event Show Technik GmbH in diesem Jahr erstmals das kompakte Doppel-10-Zoll-3-Wege-Line-Array-System CiRay von Coda Audio ein.
Auf das erhöhte Besucheraufkommen reagierte MKM mit einem erweiterten Beschallungssystem: Das Main-Hang bestand aus sechzehn CiRay 90° und acht CiRay 120°. Den Outfill-Bereich übernahmen zwei Hops8 (2-Wege-Point-Source), für das Nearfill waren achtzehn Komponenten des 2-Wege-Ultrakompakt-Line-Array-Systems TiRay zuständig. Das Tiefton-Segment, bei Techno und Electro ein dominierender Frequenzbereich, deckten 21 SCP-Sensor-Controlled-Subwoofer ab. Delay: 8 x ViRay-3-Wege-Doppel-8-Zoll-Line-Array-System 80° plus 4 x ViRay 120°. Monitoring: 6 x ViRay 80° plus 2 x SCP-Sensor-Controlled-Subwoofer. Amping: 4 x Linus-T-Rack-12-Kanal-Systemverstärker-Rack plus 2 x Linus-M-Rack-4-Kanal-Systemverstärker-Rack.
Die in einem Zelt untergebrachte „Stage 2“, bei der ebenfalls Coda-Audio-Systeme zum Einsatz kamen, musste kurz vor Showbeginn „aufgrund verschiedener Begebenheiten“, wie es Systemtechniker Daniel Vollrath ausdrückt, von der Stirnseite auf die Längsseite verschoben werden. Vorteil: „So konnten wir getrost auf eine Delay-Line verzichten“, sagt Vollrath. Folgendes Setup wurde für die Zelt-Shows gewählt: 4 x G715-Pro-3-Wege-Multifunktionslautsprecher, 4 x G712-Pro-3-Wege-Multifunktionslautsprecher, 3 x SCP, 10 x SCV-F-Sensor-Controlled-Subwoofer. Monitoring: 2 x Cue-One-3-Wege-Bühnenmonitor, 2 x SCV-F, 3 x Linus-M-Rack und 1 x Linus-10C-4-Kanal-Systemverstärker.
MKM verantwortete als Generaldienstleister den Bühnenbau sowie die Licht- und Tonproduktion. Das von Kai Hanstein geführte Unternehmen nutzt seit 2019 Equipment von Coda Audio.
(Fotos: Daniel Vollrath)
Mathias Kuhn lights Creed shows with Robe
Floridian hard rock band Creed’s “Summer of 99” and “Are You Ready?” tours this year were among the fastest selling rock shows in the USA. The production design was created by Mathias Kuhn and included eighty Robe moving lights and LED fixtures - 36 MegaPointes, thirty BMFL Spots, four BMFL FollowSpots, ten Footsie2 LED footlights, and four RoboSpot remote follow systems - all supplied by rental company Bandit Lites out of Nashville.
The initial summer tour played a mix of arenas, theatres and amphitheaters with 10K to 36K capacities and the most recent leg stepped up to arenas, including Madison Square Garden, which were all sold out. Kuhn is based in Hamburg, Germany, and brings his style and aesthetic to a lot of rock and metal bands, a genre he loves and that offers plenty of scope for imagination and dramatic lighting.
Kuhn talked to the band after being asked onboard, who revealed that they liked the idea of a circular halo-like shape being associated with the stage look. Kuhn took this as a stylistic starting point, basing the essential trussing architecture around two circles, a main 41-ft diameter sphere that defined the space, in conjunction with a smaller 21-ft diameter “supporting” circle flown inside the big one. Both were scalable to deal with different sized venues.
The fragmented LED screens were part of the look Kuhn crafted to avoid the “big TV” syndrome, complete with ladder trusses loaded with fixtures in between to further break it up and enhance the depth of the performance area. He controlled the screen outputs via his Resolume video server, triggered by the lighting desk, which ensured there could be a mix of playback content and IMAG footage from seven cameras.
Robe MegaPointes are consistently Kuhn’s first choice of moving light. “They are the first piece of kit that goes on the plot”, he says. Eighteen units were rigged on ladders in between LED screens at the left and right upstage corners of the rig, hung vertically in a line of nine each side, with the other 18 deployed on the floor on rolling Tyler GT truss, located directly underneath the LED screens.
BMFLs were chosen as workhorse fixtures. Eighteen units were rigged on the downstage half of the large circle, with four on each side of the stage on subs to extend the overall stage look. Four standard BMFL Spots were also part of the follow spotting system together with four BMFL FollowSpots (with the integral camera).
It was Kuhn’s first time out with the Footsies, which were used to assist key lighting, running in combination with the four-way RoboSpot system controlling the eight BMFLs. They were rigged four per side on two small truss sections flown downstage left and right. Having the follow spots at this very steep angle to the stage ensured they had a neat trajectory and minimized unsightly spillage.
Also on the rig were some other hard-edged fixtures, strobes, blinders and FX units with LED floodlights on the large halo, plus a few wash lights on the floor - Kuhn is not a fan of wash lights in conventional contexts. Different shades, textures and variations of white dominated the show, making it raw and contrasty, with color mainly introduced via the video content. Kuhn’s personal presence is generally to avoid distracting gawdy or “candy colored” scenes and keep it stark with the focus on the band and music.
The principal idea was to keep the band front and center of the action and at the epicenter of the picture. “It’s a live rock show, not a YouTube stream”, says Kuhn. Video content was commissioned by Creed and delivered by Wayne Joyner and Dave Letelier with a lot of discussion between them and Kuhn as it was imperative for the two medias to dovetail. “They did a great job”, says Kuhn. Content was shaped for each song, leaving enough black and dark spaces for him to mix and apply IMAG feeds and effects as he felt appropriate.
Kuhn set up, programmed lighting and ran the show for half of the first leg of the “Summer of 99” tour before leaving due to other commitments, with lighting crew member Brian Bogovic operating for the remaining dates. Bandit’s lighting crew chief was Cheyan DeBrower who was joined by Haley Elliott and Lucas Gamez, with Kenneth Ackermann working as video crew chief for this department which had equipment supplied by PRG.
(Photos: Chuck Brueckmann/Mark Scherer)
Adlib supplies Coda Audio VCA system for Aurora European tour
Norwegian singer/songwriter/producer Aurora recently completed a European tour which included a mixed itinerary of arena and theatre shows ranging in capacity from Brussels’ 8,000-seater arena Forest National to Edinburgh’s 2,200 Usher Hall. In total, the tour reached over 60,000 fans across the three-week period. Event production specialist Adlib provided audio and video for the tour.
“We deployed a Coda Audio system at the request of Aurora’s Front of House Engineer Paul Inge Vikingstad”, says Adlib Account Manager Craig Hamilton. The requirement for a scalable solution was achieved through a combination of Coda’s VCA “family” of ViRay, CiRay and AiRay line arrays with SCP and SC2 subs, supplemented by units from Coda’s Hops (high output point source) and Aps (arrayable point source) ranges.
In addition to Vikingstad, the touring audio team also included Adlib’s Billy Bryson, who assumed the role of a Systems Engineer, and freelancer Keiran Lowrie, who served as an Audio Technician for the tour. “In its largest configuration, the system comprised twelve AiRays and four ViRays in the main hang, with six SC2 sensor-controlled bass extensions flown behind, to allow us to steer the low-frequency pattern to suit the geometry of each venue”, says Bryson, who was responsible for system design and calibration.
“Additionally, side hangs of up to twelve CiRays per side were deployed”, he continues. A centre hang of three Aps flown from the front lighting truss ensured the desired coverage. “Subs were on four touring carts of three SCPs each, with one on either side also including two Aps as outfill”, details Bryson. “The subs were deployed left and right in an end-fired configuration to retain the best possible tonality and impact, with four single SCPs in the centre to fill in for the nearfield. Hops8 were utilised across the downstage edge to complement the centre hang and keep the image feeling natural.”
“Carrying a mix of AiRay and CiRay allowed for scalability between the arenas in mainland Europe and the theatre shows in the UK”, he concludes. “The lightweight nature of the CiRay made it perfect for split systems in theatres such as Edinburgh’s Usher Hall where three hangs were flown from the house advance truss to cover the hard-to-hit upper balcony.”
(Photos: Adlib/Coda Audio)
Audio Music stattet Bühnen des Siegburger Stadtfestes mit Systemen von dBTechnologies aus
Vom 23. bis 25. August 2024 verwandelte sich die Siegburger Innenstadt für Tausende Besucher in ein buntes Festgelände. Die Veranstaltungstechnik für die drei Bühnen des Siegburger Stadtfestes wurde von Audio Music realisiert. Das Unternehmen setzte dabei Audio-Systeme von dBTechnologies ein.
Die Merkur-Bühne, das Herzstück des Stadtfestes, stattete Audio Music mit jeweils acht Vio-L1610-Einheiten rechts und links der Bühne aus. Unterstützt wurden die aktiven 3-Wege-Line-Arrays durch zwölf Vio-S218-Subwoofer. Für die Nahfeldbeschallung nutzte Audio Music sechs Vio-X205-Lautsprecher. Das Monitoring auf der Bühne übernahmen W15t-Monitore.
Die Front-Beschallung der Rhenag-Bühne wurde durch zwei Vio-S118R-Subwoofer und vier Vio-L208-Lautsprecher pro Seite, die in einem gestackten Setup platziert waren, realisiert. Zwei zusätzliche S118R waren mittig vor der Bühne positioniert. Das Delay-System bestand aus weiteren zwei S118R und vier L208, ebenfalls gestackt. Für die Nahfeldbeschallung kamen kompakte DVX-d10-Lautsprecher zum Einsatz, während DVX-p12-Monitore den Musikern auf der Bühne den Sound lieferten.
Für Musikdarbietungen und Sprach-Beiträge auf der Kreissparkasse-Bühne verwendeten Audio-Music-Geschäftsführer Gerald Albrich und sein Team je sechs Vio L208 rechts und links der Bühne plus sechs Vio S218. Für die Nahfeldabdeckung sorgten, wie auf der Rhenag-Bühne, DVX-p10-Lautsprecher und DVX-p12-Monitore.
Auf der Merkur-Bühne traten unter anderem Queen May Rock und B. and M. auf; auf der Rhenag-Bühne waren es unter anderem Mo-Torres und die Kelz Boys; und auf der Kreissparkasse-Bühne unter anderem die Westernhagen-Tribute-Band Ganz und Gar und das Männerballett „Die Überflieger“. Für den Abschluss des Stadtfestes sorgte die Siegburger Band Hausmarke auf der Merkur-Bühne.
(Fotos: Sascha Gansen)
Rico Münzer kreiert Bosse-Bühnenlook mit GLP
Seit 2018 ist Rico Münzer für das Lichtdesign bei Konzerten von Aki Bosse und dessen gleichnamiger Band zuständig, so auch auf der diesjährigen Arena-Tournee durch Deutschland. Das aktuelle Tourdesign umfasst 200 Scheinwerfer von GLP - 86 KNV Arc, 76 JDC Line 1000, 24 Impression X5 Wash und vierzehn JDC1 -, um den Bühnenraum zu strukturieren und auszufüllen.
Von Anfang an „gesetzt“ seien dabei die KNV Arc und JDC Line 1000 gewesen, ohne die der gewünschte Look nicht zu realisieren gewesen wäre, wie Münzer erläutert: „Am Anfang des Designprozesses stand die Idee, mit Kreisen zu arbeiten. Zunächst plante ich hier noch mit LED-Flächen, was grundsätzlich auch Anklang im Team fand. Aber letztlich bin ich doch der Meinung gewesen, dass Video-Content künstlerisch nicht das ideale Medium für Bosse-Live-Shows wäre. Diese Konzerte leben von Spontaneität, von auf der Bühne umarrangierten Songparts, intuitiven Ansagen und Handlungen. All das beißt sich mit fixiertem Video-Content. Aber ‘nur’ Kamera und VJ-Elemente sind eben auch nicht das Richtige.“
„Also suchte ich nach einer anderen Ausdrucksweise und erinnerte mich an die KNV Arc von GLP“, fährt er fort. „Diese Geräte sind zwar nicht mehr ganz neu, aber man hat sie eben auch noch nicht tausendmal in Shows gesehen, sodass sie immer noch einen frischen Look bieten. Ich selbst habe die KNV Cube einmal genutzt, aber noch nie mit den KNV Arc gearbeitet. Im Gegensatz zu einer LED-Wand, die im ausgeschalteten Zustand wie ein grauer Klotz aussieht, machen die aus den KNV Arc geformten Kreise schon als rein physische Objekte etwas her. In Verbindung mit der Treppe sahen sie selbst im Arbeitslicht stimmig und stylisch aus. Definitiv ein schöner, unverbrauchter Stagelook.“
Die KNV Arc setzte Münzer zu insgesamt neun Kreisen in drei verschiedenen Bühnentiefen und -höhen zusammen. Zur zusätzlichen Stabilität der Ringe fertigte der technische Dienstleister Ambion Stahlkreise an, die die Schellen der einzelnen KNV-Arc-Module fassten. Darüber hinaus wurde jeder Ring von drei Punkten gehalten, um ein Wegdrehen zu vermeiden und bei Bedarf unterschiedliche Neigungswinkel zu realisieren.
Der Designer nutzte die KNV-Kreise überwiegend als stehenden Look, gelegentlich aber auch als Effekt, wobei „die Strobe-Ebene super Akzente auf die farbigen LEDs“ gesetzt habe. „Im Allgemeinen haben wir aber vermieden, diesen Look zu oft im Konzert einzusetzen, um die besonderen Momente auch besonders zu halten“, so Münzer. „Es ist meiner Meinung nach absolut kontraproduktiv, einen schönen Look, eine tolle Lampe oder einen Effekt während einer Show so auszuquetschen, dass er seinen Zauber schnell verliert.“
Eine mit 76 GLP JDC Line 1000 bestückte Treppe bildete einen weiteren Eyecatcher im Bühnendesign. „Für mich waren die JDC Lines auf der Treppe gesetzt“, erläutert Münzer. „Bei Bosse habe ich sie häufig in Verbindung mit den KNV genutzt. Durch die beeindruckende Stückzahl ließ sich der Raum auf der Bühne wunderbar begrenzen, öffnen oder auch einfach nur illuminieren, um ein gewisses Backlight für die Bühnenebene zu erzeugen.“
Die GLP Impression X5 Wash betrachtet der Designer eher als „klassisches Washlight“, ein „Arbeitstier“, das er für sehr viele allgemeine Looks und die Ausleuchtung der Bühne nutzte. Vierzehn JDC1 füllten die Bühnenräume zusätzlich auf: „Ich habe sie überall eingesetzt, weil sie eine großartige Möglichkeit sind, zusätzlich Farbe und Fläche zu gestalten“, so Münzer.
Generaldienstleister (Setbau, Licht, Rigging) der Tournee, die am 17. August in einem Open-Air-„Heimspiel“ in Braunschweig gipfelte, war die Ambion GmbH aus Kassel, welche in Person von Jesko Purmann und Alexander Neuparth laut Rico Münzer „fantastischen Support auf allen Ebenen“ geleistet habe.
(Fotos: GLP)
Wetterfeste Scheinwerfer von Elation im Outdoor-Dauereinsatz auf Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg
In den vergangenen Jahren ist die Licht- und Tontechnik der Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg, Deutschlands größtem Freilicht-Musiktheater, schrittweise modernisiert worden. In diesem Zuge wurden im Rahmen der Umrüstung auf moderne LED-Technik im Jahr 2022 erstmalig wetterfeste Scheinwerfer von Elation installiert. Zwölf der IP65-zertifizierten Moving-Lights Proteus Lucius und 22 der wetterfesten (IP65) Profilscheinwerfer WW Profile HP IP kommen seither zum Einsatz.
Die Kolibri MediaS GmbH aus Ibbenbüren, die auch die Tontechnik der Freilichtbühne zuvor umgerüstet hatte, stellte dem Technik-Team der Freilichtbühne die Geräte vor Ort vor. Seither mietet die Freilichtbühne die Scheinwerfer vom Technik-Dienstleister jeweils für ein halbes Jahr.
„Die Modernisierung der Lichttechnik war nötig geworden, da der Stromverbrauch der alten Geräte zu hoch war und teilweise auch Leuchtmittel und Ersatzteile nicht mehr zu beschaffen waren“, erklärt Frank Schwegmann, Geschäftsführer von Kolibri MediaS. „Mit den IP65-Geräten von Elation verfügt die Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg nun über statische und kopfbewegte Scheinwerfer, die keinerlei Probleme mit den langen Außeneinsätzen während der Spielzeit haben.“
Die Proteus Lucius kommen jeweils zur Hälfte unter dem Bühnendach und ungeschützt am Vordach zum Einsatz, während sich die WW-Profile-HP-IP-LED-Profilscheinwerfer auf die Dachkante sowie die Beleuchtungstürme rechts und links der Bühne verteilen.
(Fotos: Oliver Winkler/LMP Lichttechnik/Freilichtbühne Tecklenburg)
W E Audio supplies newly purchased Martin Audio WPL for Seal tour
Long-term Martin Audio rental partner W E Audio recently underlined its commitment to the British manufacturer by making a massive investment across the latest Wavefront Precision line array portfolio.
W E Audio’s upgraded inventory is headed by Martin Audio’s flagship WPL large format line array, and SXH218 subwoofers, as well as FlexPoint FP12s, Torus, and XE500 wedge monitors. At the same time, in order to give them further scalability, the company has also invested heavily in the smaller WPS and WPC line arrays - all delivered in recent months to its base in Oxfordshire, UK.
Last month saw the production company’s highest profile deployment of the large-format WPL to date, on Seal’s European tour. The core PA design was based around twelve WPL cabinets per side, with six WPS units for front fills, Torus T1230 speakers on outfill duties, and sixteen SXH218 subwoofers, powered by iK42 amps in bridged mode.
(Photos: Martin Audio/W E Audio)
New London production of “Starlight Express” supported by Icefog Q and TheOne generators from MDG
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Starlight Express”, re-envisioned for the 21st century, has taken to the stage in the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
With new orchestrations, choreography and songs, the story of a child’s train set that magically comes to life retains all its original wonder, with roller skate races around the auditorium and powerful performances from the 40-strong company of “rolling stock” (engines and carriages) in a production that begins from the moment the audience steps into the theatre. The audience is closely entwined in the action which takes place on a near in-the-round main stage with racing track “spokes” leading off between sunken areas of seating and around the auditorium.
In anticipation of a long run, the show’s producers, Michael Harrison Entertainment Ltd, made an early decision to purchase four MDG Icefog Q low pressure generators directly from MDG UK to handle the show’s low fog requirements.
“With forty roller skaters travelling at speed, it was vital we employed a top-class CO2 system because it would not leave any slippery residue - water or vapour - on the track”, says Oliver Thomas, Senior Production Electrician for “Starlight Express”. “Noise levels were also a factor as the Icefog Q generators are located under the show floor very close to the audience.”
Two Icefog Q low pressure generators are located upstage left and right providing low fog across the centre stage area of the main floor. Two more Icefog Qs are embedded in the central stage lift where low fog is pumped through ducting that travels up with the lift and cascades down its sides to give the impression the lift - and the performer on it - is floating. “If we were to use smoke machines the atmosphere would become too ‘smoky’ with the movement of the skaters, but the Icefog has a dense low fog that provides perfect wispiness but remains low enough for sight lines to remain uninterrupted when it is skated through”, explains Thomas.
The decision process was helped along by MDG UK, whose Matt Wiseman took a demo unit to the show’s rehearsal studios in 3 Mills, East London. Here director Luke Sheppard and lighting designer Howard Hudson were able to see how the low fog reacted with the movement of the skaters, and also try out new ideas to explore what effects could be achieved. It also gave the skating team the chance to feel confident that the low fog option would be safe and to acclimatise to skating through it on different surfaces.
“By choosing the low pressure Icefog Q we were able to dispense with individual CO2 bottles and feed the four Icefog Q generators directly from two 230 ltr CO2 dewar tanks located within the theatre”, adds Thomas. “These dewars have content gauges which make it easy to see how much CO2 is left, so there is no wastage swapping out part-used bottles, and they are refilled directly (by BOC) on a weekly delivery. The dewars never leave the theatre, there’s no time wasted or manhandling in disconnecting bottles and hosing, and we only pay for what we use. They are much easier to manage, cost effective and there’s less wastage. From a cost and environmental point of view it’s a very efficient system for long running shows.”
The haze for Starlight Express is supplied by two MDG TheOne dual haze and fog generators from Christie Lites, the main technical provider for the show. “The new production of Starlight Express is performed in a large space (60 m x 30 m) with inconsistent and varied air flow so we knew using MDG’s TheOne would be vital to provide a consistent and adjustable level of haze across the vast space”, says lighting designer Howard Hudson.
TheOne generators are rigged over the stage area and in the gantry over the auditorium seating, their travelling cradles, Thomas states, making them “easy to roll on stage and useful to hoist into position”. “Tucked away in these positions they fill the room with constant haze which is virtually undetectable by the audience”, he continues. “The haze is so fine it just travels through the natural air circulation of the venue. TheOne gives us the volume and large range of control to handle the huge space without the network of ducting and multiple CO2 bottles that a large number of smaller generators would require. Instead we feed TheOnes from the same dewar tanks as the Icefog Qs, TheOnes using vaporous CO2 and the Icefog Qs using liquid CO2, and the fluid reservoirs on each of TheOne holds 25 ltrs.”
“MDG was extremely helpful in providing us with all the information we needed to create our own pipework to be able to site the Icefog Qs and TheOnes wherever we wanted”, concludes Thomas. “All of this ties together to form a very efficient, economical and environmentally conscious fog and haze system.”
“Starlight Express” began its journey in June 2024 and has recently extended its booking until October 2025.
Pictured: “Starlight Express” at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. (Photos: Pamala Raith)
Tascam’s Portacapture X8 central to Roland Guerin’s musical activities
Whether he is performing, working on sound design, or hunkered down in the recording studio, the ability to quickly capture performances, experiment with musical ideas, or record instruments and more for inclusion on a recording is essential to bassist/recording engineer Roland Guerin. His preferred solution is the Portacapture X8 8-channel 32-bit float Portable Audio Field Recorder from Tascam.
“My Portacapture is my personal audio stenographer”, says Guerin. “At any time throughout the day and whenever inspiration hits, I capture voice memo clips of me singing or playing my bass. Having this capability lets me feel good about not missing a moment of inspiration. These moments are like gold nuggets to me. I can take these ideas and add to them, drop them in software on my computer, drop them into a sampler/drum machine, and more.”
“I’ve been actively recording all of my live shows for many years now”, he continues. “From back in the day of using cassette tapes, MiniDisk, and other recording formats, capturing my live shows lets me evaluate what actually happened, as opposed to my perception of what took place. This form of documentation has helped me to learn and grow.”
“To this day, I still have my first Tascam recorder, the DR1”, he adds. “Now, my Portacapture X8 takes matters to a whole new Ievel. The audio from some of my shows is definitely worthy of a live album release and I’m about to be in a position to start using multiple mics in my live show capture. And outside of live shows, I’ve used my Portacapture X8 to record a final mix from my DAW and I’ve used it several times as an audio interface while on tour.”
Since getting his Portacapture X8 in May of 2022, Guerin has used the recorder for a wide range of projects. “My Portacapture X8 captures my ideas, feeds my samplers, fuels my songs, and interfaces with my computers”, he concludes. “It also records audio into my Fuji cameras, it records my rehearsals and my performances. It also provides me with wireless control capability by using the Portacapture Control app with my Android Galaxy S24 Ultra.”
Guerin has a wide range of musical and creative experience. From 2008 to 2015, he was the bassist for musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer Allen Toussaint. Later, Guerin served as Musical Director to singer/songwriter Dr. John. Currently, he has his own band called the Roland Guerin Band, planning to release an album in early 2025. Further, Guerin’s work as a photographer will soon be released on a historic publication titled “Seeing Black”.
(Photo: Roland Guerin/Tascam)
