PSI has been involved with the event every year, seeing it grow steadily since its inauguration in 2008. This year the promotion was a collaboration between Shine Productions and MCD. The 6000 capacity outdoor concerts were all a success despite the unpredictable northern Irish weather at this time of year.
PSI's Sean Pagel created a production design that covered the requirements of all eight headlining acts - Kasabian, Paolo Nuttini, Florence & The Machine, the Stereophonics, Soulwax/2 Many DJs, Paul Weller, Biffy Clyro with special guests The Lost Prophets, and David Guetta, who brought the eight shows over two weeks to a tumultuous close. All of these brought their own LDs who supplied basic specs to Pagel in advance.
The biggest creative challenge for Pagel was "delivering a lighting rig that would cater for eight world class acts, covering their essentials, whilst allowing them enough options to each create an individual and different looking show".
Pagel and his team installed three overhead lighting trusses, a rag truss upstage for the backdrop and a 'reveal' truss midstage, which was also utilised for hanging screens. He chose to use Robe moving lights throughout - for their power and reliability, especially in challenging environmental conditions.
The back lighting truss was rigged with six Robe ColorSpot 700E ATs and six ColorWash 700E ATs, and three Martin Atomic strobes.
Downstage of this was the 'reveal' truss, complete with tab track, which could be rigged with a drape to go behind the opening acts if this was practical, and it also proved a handy rigging position for the screens brought in by 2 Many DJs and David Guetta.
The middle lighting truss contained eight ColorSpot 700E ATs and six ColorWash 700E ATs, four Atomics and ten 2-cell Moles which were pointed into the audience.
On the front truss were 10 Robe ColorWash 250E ATs. There was another three Atomics on this truss, along with four 8-cell Moles, attached to the audience facing rail. Also directed at the audience, were 10 4-lite Moles rigged to the stage legs and PA towers.
To offer more variety and flexibility for each band's show, PSI made a floor specials package available to all headliners, consisting of six ColorSpot 700E ATs, eight ColorWash 700E ATs and four Atomics. Various combinations of these were used by some of the artists and 2 Many DJs brought in their own floor package.
PSI supplied an Avolites Diamond 4 Vision - running the new Titan software - as the main house lighting control desk, and also made available a Hog 3 and a grandMA full size. Some bands also arrived with their own touring consoles that were hooked into the system.
Pagel worked with PSI crew members Brian Crowe and Joe Byrne for the show run, with 8 extra crew and locals brought in for the get in and load out.
(Jim Evans)
