The 30m x 22m stage was initially built and installed in the open air stadium for Nuit Africaine, an African music concert on 11 June. It remained in the stadium for use by the Black Eyed Peas on 22-25 June, and, with only a few weeks' notice, Prince on 30 June. Stageco made adjustments to the stage to suit each act, changing the configuration to meet different requirements.
The Black Eyed Peas played to 75,000 people during each of the three sell out nights, for which Stageco altered the floor level of the stage and adjusted the lighting and sound arrangement to maximise the audience's view.
Aaron Cass, the Black Eyed Peas tour manager comments: "I have been working with Stageco since 1996. They are always so prepared. We just show up and everything is ready and done for us on time. It is a great cost saving for us to use a stage that is already in the venue for another band and Stageco's stages are flexible enough to meet our needs with a truss system strong enough to hang whatever we want, so we never have to compromise."
Stageco installed one of its standard stages for the concerts, which was then customised accordingly. A front of house structure and four of Stageco's innovative freestanding towers, which incorporate delay speakers and follow-spot lighting on slim scaffolding, were also built.
Working closely with Parisian producers, Nous Productions, Stageco based two members of staff on site at Stade de France at all times during the three week period to make amendments to the set up for each of the different performances.
During the summer, Stageco is on tour with a number of artists including Bon Jovi, Take That and the final leg of U2's tour. Running alongside these worldwide tours, Stageco is providing stages for a number of one-off European concerts for the Black Eyed Peas, Foo Fighters and Prince.
(Jim Evans)
