Rental company Siyan in partnership with Dutch company Flashlight is supplying all lighting equipment and Siyan ordered the two brand new consoles for the occasion. Whitehouse, who is also operating, says: "The D4 is my console of choice now - I use it for all my work, it's a massive step forward for integrated lighting and video control but retains all Avo's trademark hands-on features."
The D4 is running eight universes of DMX to lighting and assorted video sources triggered via the new Radical Lighting NG1 high definition digital media server. Avolites worked closely with Whitehouse and Leach prior to the tour, and made some special software customizations specific to the show. They also supplied software developer Oliver Waits for the duration of the rehearsal period to ensure everything ran smoothly.
The bulk of the lighting rig is hung on twelve 'randomly' positioned two metre trusses, rigged all over the roof, each contains three SGM Giotto 400 CYM spots and an Atomic strobe. The four upstage trusses are on a vertical plane and on vari-speed Cyberhoists. The rest of the flown rig includes 12 Vari*Lite 3000s on TV-style Pantograph moving arms, supplied by Desisti, DMX controlled and also running through the D4. On the front of each Pantograph is a 2-lite Molefey unit.
Singer Chris Martin wanted a B-stage set up to make the feel more intimate for the acoustic numbers. Leitch and Whitehouse decided to go for something a bit different and after much searching, discovered three antique Mole Richardson 10K fresnels. The lamps give the stage a filmic feel, mounted on Pantographs, which lower in to light the forestage, emitting a fabulous, rich tungsten glow.
There's a series of Mole Richardson 5K fresnels on the floor to match the overhead fresnel look, the front trusses contain another 18 V*L 3000 Spots and fifteen 4-lite Moles for audience lighting, and band key lighting with eight V*L1000s. Lighting the backcloth and the band are seven V*L3000 washes. A foot in front of them are another eight V*L3000 spots for beam looks from the floor, plus a further seven Atomic strobes with colour changers utilized for strobing through the band. Eight B5/2 Syncrolites are used across the 50m wide stage for large beam looks into the stadium. The floor lighting picture is completed with some individually dimmable Studio Due CS4s and some upstage Studio Due Dominators - a 6.6K Moonflower effect - retrofitted with 5K shutters. Between songs, the stage space is lit with seven James Thomas PixelLines in a dark wash. Followspots comprise three Strong 1.2k Super Troupers truss spots and two Gladiators FOH.
Avolites also supplied Whitehouse with a Diamond 4 Tablet PC for the tour. This is a complete interactive D4 simulation on a touch screen PC, which allows the full programming and control facilities of the real console. It works wirelessly via ArtNet, and he's found it absolutely invaluable for daylight focuses.
In addition to running all the lighting, the D4 is triggering Radical Lighting's new NG1 digital media server, which stores and plays back all video sources via two projectors onto two onstage screens. Over 30 video clips have been specially created by Whitehouse and Leitch, the NG1 also allows eight live IMAG camera inputs to be made available to Whitehouse to output to the two onstage screens.
"It's absolutely essential in a show as tight as this to be able to control both lighting and video. It's very much the way I prefer to work to create a fluid and streamlined visual experience. The D4 is the perfect tool to enable me to do this."
All video hardware is co-ordinated by Pictureworks. Tour Tech suppl
