Stageco was specifically asked to improve the event's sightlines for both the audience and television cameras. The company came up with a novel solution. They sited the front of house mixing positions in low profile structures to the left and right of the auditorium, with lighting desk stage right and sound desk stage left.
The stage itself was a Stageco Boogdak roof system, which created a 18.6m x 14m performance area as well as height above the stage of 11.6m.
"We worked with production director John Probyn and sound company Britannia Row both to see how we could change the configuration of the PA and video wings flanking the stage," says Stageco's project manager Dirk de Decker. "We hung the PA outside the video screens, so they were out of the mainstage sightline, about 35m apart as opposed to the normal 26m. This also gave more space for the set and lighting designers as well as excellent vision into the performance area.
"We used combined spotlight/PA delay towers which we designed and manufactured for the Werchter Festival in Belgium a few years ago. They not only reduce the footprint and interruption to sightlines, but are designed to be quick and easy to install, so two men can put them up in half a day. We didn't need them on site until two days before the concert."
With a performance area 2.4m above ground level, Stageco was able to install a camera platform and track in front of the stage. This infrastructure remained in place for Hyde Park Calling, with small changes including new headers, branding and additional artists' runways downstage left and right.
(Jim Evans)
