Total control for all lighting and video came from MA Lighting. Four grandMA2 full-size consoles, each with a full backup, as well as five grandMA2 faderwings ran all lighting and video, triggered via timecode. Eleven MA NPU (Network Processing Unit) devices handled all traffic in one session on the MA-Net2.
"It's not even practical to do a show like this without timecode and grandMA2 is the best," said Appelt, "Absolutely every millisecond is cued and then rehearsed again and again and again. There is no room for an error in a show of this size. The MA system delivered a great result."
Four operators ran the desks - one for video, one for effect light, one for white light, and one for audience and Green room. Pre-programming began in Hamburg at NDR from 21 March through 8 April 2011 with the cost free grandMA 3D running on four custom built Cape Cross PCs. The team built moving paths for all moving trusses in grandMA 3D to show the exact positions of the lights in each song. Programming commenced in Düsseldorf 11-15 April. In total there were 70 patched universes and 2,921 cues.
Approximately 8.5km of truss were required to suspend the 280 tons of equipment for the show. The main stage centre rings held 60 Clay Paky Alpha series fixtures - a mixture of Alpha Wash 1500, Alpha Beam 1500 and Alpha Profile 1500 fixtures, creating a variety of bright effects to the stage below.
Moving truss sections were arranged like spokes from the ring trusses. The truss sections held an additional 28 Alpha Wash 1500 and 36 Alpha Beam 1500 with four shorter truss sections holding 24 Alpha Wash 1500 fixtures.
Additional truss stretching the ceiling to the perimeter of the arena held 35 Alpha Profile 1500 and 42 Alpha Spot HPE 1500 fixtures. Finally, the top perimeter of the arena was home to an additional 50 Alpha Spot HPE 1500 fixtures. To match the intensity from above, Appelt placed 24 Alpha Beam 1500 and 24 A&O Falcon Xenon 3K flowers on the floor behind the stage and along the sides for a full range of effects. Appelt also specified 24 Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures for the floor surrounding the front of the stage specifically for Lena's performance for Germany.
Follow spots had full coverage as well with six Robert Juliat Aramis 2500W HMI DMX main spots on the platform, five Robert Juliat Victor 1800W HMI as back followspots on truss seats and four Robert Juliat Lancelot 4000W HMI followspots on the balcony. Lighting was supported with 48 ETC 750W Source 4 10° fixtures.
Cape Cross of Cologne, Germany provided all lighting and rigging for the show, sending 130 trailer trucks, each with 40 tons of equipment.
All video content was operated off eight MA VPU (Video Processing Unit) each with full backup. A Barco Encore system was responsible for routing the signals from the OB truck to the LED wall. Video equipment and servers were supplied by Creative Technology.
All media equipment was housed next to FOH and operated by Michael Giegerich off a grandMA2 and managed by Stephan Flören (media server technician). The graphics were created by the screen design team from Gravity, Julien Rigal, Falk Rosental and Thomas Neese.
Video content was displayed on a 67m wide by 18m tall CT Spider 30 N5 LED screen forming the back wall of the stage. 2100 Barco MiSTRIP 1480mm and 165 x MiSTRIP 375mm plus 2480 Barco MiTRIX tiles were used for visual detailing around the stage and the movable rings overhead. 12 x R20 projectors were used for the audience screens. Even the satellite stage and Green room got special treatment with
