School Disco has been going for three years and has become the largest club night in Europe, with weekly events in Ibiza, Ayia Napa, London, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham. Its first outdoor event, School Fields sold 6,000 tickets in advance, with a further 2,000 sold on the door - school uniform and over 18's were the only entry requirements! The intention was to invoke the feel of the last day of school before the summer holidays and teams were encouraged to enter for the sports day events via the School Disco website.
Commissioned to bring the concept to life, creative agency Just Add Water hired lighting designer Paul Cook, who used a range of equipment from Fourth Phase London to light the inside of the 95m x 65m event marquee. "Although it was a daytime event, held between midday and 11pm, the lighting was for the most part controllable because of the darkened marquee," said Paul. "It was basically a nightclub event with guest appearances, so the emphasis was on creating the right kind of disco feel. The marquee had lots of entrances, with quite a lot of daylight coming through, but we worked around it to make sure the lighting looked good.
"This is the first time I've used Fourth Phase and I have to say their attitude was refreshingly efficient and friendly. I received a lot of support from Alan and his crew chief Darren Hodge - who was sporting blue shorts teamed with a red blazer and Clarks sandals - and his team. I combined Martin MAC 500s and 600s, ETC Source Fours, Clay Paky Stage Scans and Lycian followspots, with Avolites dimmers and a Wholehog desk, to provide band, stage and dance-floor lighting."
Jeremy Sturt established Just Add Water along with Claire Sampson at the beginning of this year: "This is the first time I've worked with School Disco and it was the first opportunity the new company had to do something a bit different in the public arena. Paul Cook used to do a lot of work for Lively Arts and it was his first job with Just Add Water. Working on a very limited budget, Paul and Fourth Phase did a brilliant job together - it was well organized as ever. All in all, a very effective day, and with the bands and the crowds it was one massive party."
(Lee Baldock)
