Locally based lighting and visual specialist Fineline was once again at the forefront of providing some of the high production values for which this event is renowned - delivering lighting, video and rigging for the three main stages.
Fineline MD Rob Sangwell commented, "We were excited to be involved again after supplying lighting and video to the main stage last year. It's great to see the festival move forward and it was a huge pleasure collaborating with production manager Tom Paine and everyone from organisers Team Love."
Production lighting and visuals designs for the three stages were created by Fineline's Wingnut based on the headliner's rider requirements and ensuring that there was a good general purpose lighting rig in place for all artists playing over the weekend.
This year the main stage size was increased to a 15m Supernova structure from Serious from which the Fineline crew sub-hung three trusses loaded with a variety of lighting fixtures.
Twelve Robe Pointes positioned upstage were the main effects moving lights, rigged at staggered positions on four drop arms - three units per arm. These rows of Pointes flanked three central columns of Lighthouse R7 LED screen. Also on this truss were six 2-lite Moles and four bars of ACLs.
Hung on the offstage edges of the mid truss were two further drops of LED screen. Having these over two trusses added some proper depth to the stage. Also on the mid truss were 12 x Robe LEDWashes for general stage coverage, plus another six 2-lites and four bars of ACLs.
The front truss facilitated all the key and front lighting with four lamp PAR bars, six ETC Source Four profiles and - audience facing - six 8-lites.
For control, two Avolites Tiger Touch II consoles at FOH enabled multi-user set-up to facilitate simultaneous programming on two consoles by two different operators ... which saved a lot of time. The main console also triggered the AI media server running video content, and the server was monitored - and tweaked when necessary - a by Stu using another Tiger Touch located onstage in the dimmer area.
Other control infrastructure included a ChamSys R8 ArtNet node for the networking and Avo FD dimming.
Stage Two was a single king pin 40m Big Top marquee, so a very well balanced front truss was installed with the help of substantial bridling to keep it stable. The truss was loaded with two bars of 6 PARs, four Robe 600E Spots and four 600E Washes.
Onstage, four 20cm trussing towers on floor bases provided the main lighting positions, two at 8ft high and two at 6ft high, and to give these a bit of idiosyncrasy ... they were angled at 10 degrees.
Each tower was rigged with four Miltec LED PARs, a bar of ACLs, a 2-lite, an Atomic strobe and a Robe LEDBeam 100 on the top.
Fifteen panels of Lighthouse R7 LED screen were arranged in a large U-shape onstage, and for this stage, video content was supplied by Love Saves The Day.
For lighting control, the ever popular Tiger was run by Will Dale, who ensured that the mix of bands and DJs all received great looking shows.
(Jim Evans)
