Working for MTV Networks Europe, Stage One built all of the Ray Winkler-designed stage and set elements, along with specific band extras for several of the artists, including Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, P Diddy and Rihanna.
The main stage and performance areas consisted of a 40m diameter, horseshoe shaped stage, along with a 12m diameter central performance area and several presenter islands. All stage areas were clad in over 900sq.m of black mirror gloss laminate, with a three-strip Neo Light detail to the edges.
Providing several unusual access points onto the stage were two time tunnels consisting of structural rings, inserted with Neo Lights and covered in white lycra material. The tunnels sat on a 2.4 metre high steel bridge section and were accessed by scissor lifts.
An all encompassing surround and backdrop was created around the stage with 108 illuminated panels, supported on a metal frame, fixed to truss supplied by Blackout. Each panel consisted of a steel frame, a weld-mesh backing and mounted CNC profiles. The panels and profiles were each edged with Neo Lights, offering 11 circuits per panel: a total of 6.5km of Neo Light in a mixture of red, white and blue enabled the lighting designer to create a huge variety of lighting effects.
Band extras included a stage lift with treads, dancer platforms, a 4m high replica speaker, a further black gloss entrance tunnel, a thrust stage and finally two Perspex cubes.
Steve Dolan, senior project manager for Stage One said: "The last-minute band requirements meant our flexibility and resourcefulness was tested to its limits. However, we proved our ability to react quickly under pressure, delivering all of the extras within the time-frame and to our usual high standard."
(Lee Baldock)
