Although the Queen was protected from the strong winds and downpours by a temporary structure, hundreds of Southampton residents, barred from the dockside by tight security around the Ship, braved the elements to watch the ceremony on large screens in the nearby park. Weather conditions were fierce and health and safety regulations prevented the rigging of the stage and other equipment until the eleventh hour when the winds finally calmed. Despite the weather, the afternoon was a colourful, lively spectacle thanks to an array of imaginative graphics from the G-LEC custom graphic library, which were shown on the G-LEC Curtain.
Facilitated and organized by Fourth Phase London, the event marked the first use of the G-LEC Curtain in the UK after extensive use on large-scale concerts and events on the continent and the US. Flown at the back of the stage, it provided a creative backdrop for performances from Fame Academy runner-up Alistair Griffin and new girl band, Clear.
The G-LEC Curtain can be used for both indoor and outdoor performances and proves its worth in windy weather conditions, where traditional LED screens could blow over. Made up of a series of tubes, each separated by a 6cm gap, the G-LEC Curtain offers virtually no wind resistance, making it suitable and safe to use in almost any weather. And with each tube fitted with extra powerful, custom LED's, whatever you decide to show on the curtain, whether it's graphics, moving pictures, still photography or even video footage, the graphics clear - in daylight! What's more, because it's lightweight, it is extremely quick to rig which means (as on this occasion) that it can be put up at the last minute - impossible with traditional screens.
Alan Thomson, Fourth Phase's managing director said: "On what was a drab and dreadful day,the G-LEC Curtain provided a brilliant, dynamic backdrop to the acts - in fact it made the show."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
