The three-night weekend event was headlined by Elton John, Robert Plant and Neil Diamond respectively.
The main challenge for lighting was that it had to look great on TV - the shows were broadcast on TV and BBC I-Player, and streamed live on Radio 2 - and equally as cool for the audience in the Roundhouse. It also had to cover the basic production requirements of each artist and their designers as well as those of three diverse TV directors. The three artist LD's - Andrew Pygott, Will Thomas and Marilyn Lowey - all worked closely with the Siyan team in an advisory capacity to ensure that unique elements of their respective shows were retained.
Finch used 16 i-Pix BB7s, 16 x BB4s and 20 of the new BB 2x2s. The BB7s were positioned in-between the venue's structural arches at the back of the stage and used primarily as camera candy, proving to be a great beamy light effect through the lens.
The BB4s were rigged as uprights to the pillars around the rear of the stage and were focussed so they actually enlarged both the stage and the room on camera. Like the BB7s, they were also used for a beamy effects.
Both BB7s and BB4s were re-focused or re-rigged for each act as required.
The BB 2x2s were positioned right up in the 'gods' of the Roundhouse, attached to the catwalks and beamed upwards to illuminate the top dome of the venue, and downwards to light the audience. Twenty four i-Pix Satellites were used as truss toners for eight 'spine' trusses running upstage/downstage and a front truss.
All the stage lights on the rig, including all the i-Pix units, were controlled by an Avolites Diamond 4 Vision programmed and operated by Paula Trounce. The television lighting elements were run by Ewan McRobb using an Avo D4 Elite.
The three Electric Proms telecasts were directed by Phil Hayes (Elton John), Matthew Amos (Robert Plant) and Janet Crook (Neil Diamond).
(Jim Evans)
