The show's designer Peter Bingeman and director Tony Dickson were also keen to use the Cyberhoist system, as it would maximise time during their tight set-up and rehearsal schedule, and also be a flexible solution for moving certain set pieces in and out during changeovers, to get the next band's backline onstage.
Vertigo undertook the rigging for the event, project managed for them by Tom Roberts, who worked with a team of six Vertigo crew for the in and out, and three to run the show. They also worked closely with the in-house riggers from Outback, led by Bowie Ebrill.
Vertigo supplied 13 Cyberhoists and the dedicated, fully programmable InMotion 3D controller which runs on Duel Mac G5s with UPS. Two hoists were used to move the upstage mirror flats in and out, enabling band gear to be taken on and offstage. Three were on lighting booms in between the flats, which were raised and lowered during the show for additional dynamics. They were also raised during changeovers so artists could enter and exit between the mirror flats. A further four Cyberhoists were used on a 6m diameter trussing circle overstage. This could tip at any angle and raise and lower, and was used to help create different 'architectural' looks for each band.
Far upstage was a frame of ACL lights, flown on another three Cyberhoists, which was also raised, lowered and tipped as the thirteenth Cyberhoist was used to fly a suspend a 5ft diameter mirror ball in and out. The highly flexible InMotion 3D control was run by Eric Berends for the show. He joined Noad and his two lighting console operators Theo Cox (moving lights) and Stuart Pring (conventionals) at the FOH position.
Noad, Bingeman and Dickson were delighted with the results: "We wanted to do something different," says Noad, "and it worked a treat. I will definitely be using the system again - it's just so production friendly." He added that apart from the aesthetic aspects, using Cyberhoists enabled a technically complex show to flow really smoothly in practical terms like moving bands and equipment on and offstage in the short time available.
(Lee Baldock)
