Star Events uses Orbit Flexidome

UK - Star Events Group Ltd was approached to offer a staging solution for three regional football stadiums - Hull, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest - for the UK leg of the REM World Tour, and, made innovative use of Orbit Flexidome technology. The brief from promoters CCE was to maximize audience capacities whilst maintaining the large, festival appearance of a traditional Vertech stage and, of course, accommodate REM's exciting and creative lighting and video set. After the first round of site surveys it became obvious that the way to maximize the capacities would be to construct as much of the stage as possible in the terraces of the stadiums. Once the limited height to the underside of the stadium roofs was taken into consideration, it became apparent that a new approach would be required.

With the experience gained from involvement with the Wembley Pavilion project, where a large backstage area was required, the Star Events Group design team began looking at the possibilities of utilizing similar technology for the REM shows. After several drawing revisions and some number crunching, the VerBit (VerTech/Orbit Hybrid) stage was developed. REM's production requirements were plotted on the new stage format and group development director Roger Barrett and Vertech divisional director Peter Holdich met with Dick Adams and the REM team during rehearsals in Grenada to confirm suitability of the new design, before pressing the 'GO' button on the fabrication of the new components.

The Star Design team liaised closely with the in house project managers for the tour to ensure any new developments would not compromise the tight schedule. With three shows taking place over four days, restricted access and one 'virgin' venue, a need for stringent scheduling and slick installation was essential. Although planned originally for the CCE-promoted football ground shows, Regular Music and SJM also opted to use the same VerBit system for Loch Lomond and LCCC Manchester. SEGL also provided two ground support systems to support the video screens for Cardiff, Millennium Stadium show.

In keeping with all SEGL's constructed stage products, the new VerBit stages are completely modular and are available with a 20m span, 11m trim and depths from 15-30m, set up times of two to three work shifts and strikes of one to two shifts, the new systems are expected to be busy in 2006.

(Lee Baldock)

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