The boutique weekender attracted in excess of 20,000 festivalgoers keen to witness the multi-sensory experience. Contributing to the visual spectacle, a range of Avolites equipment supplied by London based Colour Sound Experiment (CSE) occupied the Front of House lighting positions on five of the most prominent areas, including the main stage. CSE also sent an 18-strong team headed by Jonathan Ricketts, to operate and support the event.
The festival's main 'Great Stage' featured international acts such as Fat Freddy's Drop and Public Enemy, lit by Chris Steel and Dave Kyle, using a Sapphire Touch. Chris has used Avolites consoles for many years, noting his love for the support LDs receive from the team when using their consoles at festivals: "It was nice to have Pete [Budd - Avolites Software Test Engineer] down there taking notes and answering questions, whether from us or incoming LDs. Steve [Warren - Avolites managing director] and Jaz [Bhullar - Avolites creative consultant] visiting all the other stages supporting the rest of the CSE team on site was also great!
"It's fantastic that Avolites have never lost their build quality, their consoles still look and feel like a top quality product. I chose them for this project as they are still one of the fastest consoles for busking and that's what you need at a festival. When on a main stage, you get lots of LDs turning up. Everyone knows Avolites, and they can all get a show out of it within a changeover if needed. This makes my life easier as I don't have to spend time programming or trying to explain how it works. I've never met an LD who can't programme an Avolites.
"The two touchscreens on the Sapphire Touch get you to your groups and palettes fast and with more than enough faders so you don't need to change pages. The quick sketch is great as it's fast and makes a difference from boring generic text labelling. I love the fact you can now have speed master for your Shapes."
Also present on the Great Stage was Immersive's latest camera feed control technology 'Ai Multi-View', from co-founder Ralph Lambert.
Controlled via a Sapphire Media console, Ralph used four HD/SDI inputs on an EX8 to capture and mix feeds from four camera operators on The Great Stage. Using Multi-View, it was possible to apply Open GL effects to each feed, and to VJ different content library media over multiple live camera feeds on a single screen.
Further Avolites consoles were found across the site at Temple of Boom, Colosseum, Dance Off, Where the Wild Things Are, and Badger Woods Stages, controlled by Dan Williams, Paul De Villiers & Stu Barr, Sam Akinwale and Toby Lovegrove, Luke Avery and Sarah Payne, and Matt Jeffson respectively.
Avolites and Avolites Media MD Steve Warren was at the festival: "We have supported Secret Garden Party for many years now and it never ceases to amaze me how it has grown whilst retaining its boutique vibe and dedicated following. The festival has quickly become one of my favourites and it was a great pleasure to get down there, support our friends and see our equipment being used in new and innovative ways such as Ai Multi-View.
(Jim Evans)
