Clay wanted some large moving elements to his rig, both for general dynamics and for those big 'rock statement' moments. Four moving pods -previously incarnated as a back wall effect for the show earlier in the year - have now evolved into the overhead rig. Once the precision, speed and flexibility of the Kinesys system was demonstrated to Clay at Neg Earth - Clay describes it as, "The most reliable and accurate I have ever used" - he had no hesitation in integrating it into his rig.
Branford and lighting crew chief Nick Barton went to Kinesys to receive training on the system, and it was also set up and fully tested in Neg Earth's warehouse before the tour commenced. The four box-truss pods, each measuring 3 x 2.5m, were custom devised by Neg Earth and are constructed from mini-beam trussing. Each is picked up - at the corners - by four motors. An additional cable pick motor for each box makes a total of 20 motors. The 16 main lifting motors are 1 tonne 12m/min Liftket motors, and the cable picks are the 500kg 24m/min versions.
The pods are arranged in a diamond formation above the stage, and the geometry of the trussing is an integral part Clay's lighting design. The pods are fully loaded with 36 silver Par cans, 16 Martin MAC 2K lighting fixtures plus three Atomic strobes. They can be raised, lower and tilted as required, and currently have eight different positions, some of which are repeated throughout the show.
The moves and looks created vary enormously. Sometimes the movement is the effect itself, and at other times the pods move unnoticed - during blackouts when people's attention is otherwise distracted. There's other times when the movement is so incredibly subtle and smooth that the shift is unnoticeable. Rod Clay enthuses: "The Kinesys system is absolutely excellent - I'll definitely be using it again."
For the acoustic numbers, the pods are lowered in from their average trim height of 28ft, to approximately 12ft above stage, making the space more intimate. They are also used strategically to mask the upstage wall - of 60 High End PC Beam fixtures - which blast through, creating shards of light and broken up silhouettes, throwing light into the crowd. The pods also become architectural set pieces in their own right when their glistening silver outlines are highlighted by floor-based MAC 2000s.
(Lee Baldock)
