Stufish designed the three-dimensional diamond-shaped 'skate park' with multiple performer levels that spread across the 54m wide x 21m deep main stage. The set incorporates pairs of ego- and band-risers, perimeter ramps and screamers arranged either side of a steep central slope, which rakes upstage at a 19° angle to a height of 4.5m, and is fronted by a 34m long skate thrust to the B-stage.
Brilliant Stages designed and built the decking and supporting framework for the walkways and risers, along with scarlet powder-coated aluminium access stairs and onstage treads, handrails and skate bumper rails, and plentiful substage storage and tech areas. Also incorporated into the design are LED strips that edge all audience-facing fascias and weatherproofed lighting positions for the Mac Aura moving lights that are inset onto the on-stage ramps. The whole is finished in a customised slip-resistant coating in striking colours of red, black and silver.
"When looking at the design of the stage I had to make sure that the supporting structure was kept to a minimum to keep the clean look of the set," says Brilliant Stages' CAD designer, Mel Welch. "As always we have to consider the working crew as well as the artist making sure there is as much storage and tech areas as possible to operate the show."
The perimeter ramps, ego risers and screamers positioned stage left and right are fabricated from Brilliant Stages' customised, heavy duty, aluminium deck frames, into which are slotted 18mm birch plywood facings. "The decking drops into the aluminium extrusion from the top and is hand-crafted for an exact fit," explains production manager, Wob Roberts. "The aluminium frames are designed to fit flush with the decking so water cannot penetrate and swell the boards. This saves the crew significant maintenance time which might otherwise be spent changing water-damaged decks."
The steep central ramp incorporates a hinge-down section for support band access; the symmetrically positioned band risers are fitted with overhead frameworks and plastic covers as weather protection for the keyboards and drumsets and conceal tech bunkers beneath; the down stage apron walkway, or 'boomerang', has been fitted with five hatches, or 'toasters', to facilitate the entrance of the band mid-show. All are constructed of the same Brilliant Stages frame and decking system and supported above the Stage Co substage by scaff insert legs.
The 4.2m wide skate thrust that leads to the B-stage sports a series of ramps and red powder-coated aluminium skate bumper bars. The bumper bars locate into Brilliant's plywood decking and aluminium framework and can be set to two different heights, while a pair of specially-designed adjustable access treads lead to the thrust and can move so the whole system can be raised or lowered easily to suit the varying heights of each venue.
Revolution Display Blade LED battens trace the edges of the thrust and B-stage and are attached to the sides of the decks by aluminium brackets. Further LED strips are inlaid into silver dibond edging on the downstage deck and screamer fascias. These delineate the edges and accentuate the set's complex aesthetic structure. "Devising a method to incorporate the LED strips into the set was the main challenge of the project," says Welch.
The extreme gradient of the skateboard slopes, especially the central slope, combined with the potential wet weather conditions in the outdoor stadiums provided another challenge in need of a Brilliant solution. It was evident that something more heavy-duty than a standard non-slip finish to the decking was required. Brilliant St
