Lighting designer Paul Normandale was tasked with devising a new means of integrating the visual components for the current Viva la Vida tour.
"For my part the band's desire for a viewing surface without the use of LEDs, was an interesting challenge, and one for which the Pufferfish system of internal projection provided a unique solution," states Normandale. "It allows not only media content, but also live relay footage (via the Hippotizers) in large scale arenas worldwide."
In all, six PufferSpheres were commissioned for the tour, forming a major part of the overall visual design as well as a means of bringing together the video element. Positioned on-stage are five 10k lumen PufferSphere XLs, each driven with a single Barco CLM R10 projector and using a 2m screen, whilst front-of-house is suspended one custom-built 20k lumen PufferSphere, driven with a Christie Roadster and using a 3m screen.
Content for the PufferSpheres is a mix of live-feed footage of the band on stage, provided by XL Video's team, and Viva La Vida motion graphics produced by Justine Catterall.
The content is operated by PufferSphere and Ben Miles, who uses four Green Hippo HD Hippotizer V3s, each with Green Hippo's Pufferizer Plug-In, to create warped and aligned 360° projections. The Hippotizers are stationed backstage and controlled via Green Hippo's ZooKeeper remote software from Miles' GrandMA Lite desk, ensuring control, operation and delivery of real time spherical content to the PufferSpheres.
The five PufferSphere XLs are suspended from 10 half tonne fixed speed hoists, controlled via a 10-way Kinesys fixed speed automation system with Vector control. This allows them to move up and down during the show, appearing and disappearing from 'sock'-style soft elements.
The single central 3m PufferSphere, nicknamed 'Big Bertha', acts as a static 360° video screen in the middle of the Arena, offering a novel alternative to the more conventional 'flat-screen-behind-the-band' concert staple.
(Jim Evans)
