Production Services Ireland, was asked by promoters MCD to take care of all lighting and production rigging needs for the main stage. PSI's Sean Pagel states, "It was great to see the return of Tennents Vital and a huge amount of enthusiasm and energy from all involved went into ensuring that it had the best production values and a fantastic vibe."
Pagel's lighting crew included Darragh McAuliffe, Richie Flanagan and Rob Meyer.
The lighting had to match Eminem's rig - designed by Dan Boland - as fixture perfectly as possible. PSI rigorously adhered to the specification, requesting very few substitutions. The Script (LD Jamie Thompson) used the same overhead rig, augmented with their touring floor specials package and all other artists - including the Wombats, Bangor's own Two Door Cinema Club and Elie Goulding - also utilised the same set up as a festival system.
The lights were hung on five overstage trusses, all straight, and all sub-hung below the StageCo roof. The moving lights were a mix of Vari*Lites and Martin Professional MACs and these were combined with a substantial amount of LED sources.
On the back truss were 18 MAC 2K XBs and 12 JTE PixelLine 1044 LED battens and on the next downstage to that were 12 MAC 3s, 12 i-Pix Satellites, six Atomic Strobes and two truss mounted Robert Juliat Ivanhoe follow spots, positioned towards the centre of the truss span.
The mid truss mirrored the back, with 18 MAC 2K XBs and another 12 PixelLines, while the one downstage from that featured 12 MAC 2K XB Washes and another 12 PixelLines.
On the front truss were 12 VARI*LITE V*L3500 Washes, 10 Atomics and 12 8-cell Moles.
Along the top of each of the PA wings, PSI provided six Robe ColorSpot 2500E ATs and 10 x 4-cell linear moles.
Eminem's floor package was an entity of its own, comprising 12 V*L 3500 Washes along the front line of the stage, 36 Atomics, 18 of them also along the front of stage, six PixelLine 1044s, 16 i-Pix Satellites, which were used to illuminate the set which came with the band, plus two 9-cell Moles. Their set also contained eight practicals that were hooked in to the main system.
A grandMA full size console was supplied for Boland to operate the show, complete with a grandMA light running in full tracking backup and for a festival desk, PSI brought in a Road Hog Full Boar with an expansion wing. The lighting set up was completed with four Lycian 2500 follow spots at FOH.
PSI's rigging team of six was also led by Sean Pagel. One of their tasks was to fly Eminem's video screen, provided by XL Video and flown upstage on its own truss suspended by five 2-tonne motors. Rigging the two side IMAG screens also came under the rigging detail.
(Jim Evans)
