Tait Towers project manager James Erwin started concept development with Chris Vaughan, Es Devlin, Malcolm Birkett, and Phil Broad four months ahead of the tour, working on three key custom show elements.
The custom B-stage was 40' 6" wide and37' 6" deep, based on Tait's proprietary Mag Deck. Incorporating eight 30"x80" lift decks and one 12'4"x7'11" centre- lift, the stage was designed with maximum use of limited space in mind to store theatrical props used during the show. To maintain clear audience sightlines on the stadium floors the stage was only 5" high (normally stages are 6"), and included a custom front-of-house mixer bunker with retractable roofs.
The custom curved bridge spanning the stage at 13m² held up many of the other effects. The band performed one song on the bridge, with a spectacular descent back to the stage.
Built into the underside of the bridge was a 6"aluminium i-beam track for tracking the video screen (structure by Tait, video by Nocturne), with 6" aluminium track for tracking winches and three tracking winches with a lifting axis of 10 feet / sec and tracking axis of5.5" per second. There were also lighting positions for VL3500'S,2-lite Moles, colorblaze 72's and cable management.
The Venetian Cart was also part of the water effect, with five rainbars, each delivering a further 160 gallons per minute, cascading down on to the aerialists as they performed.
Their 'Venetian Cart' name came from the look of the retractable ladders made up of opposing aluminium channels fabricated to supply a bit of spring for the dancers. They were lifted on four chain motors, with six par can lights built in per cart, permanently cabled for ease. Tait also allowed a provision for Flywire to hang six half ton cyber hoists per cart that pick up aerialist dancers, lighting and props.
(Jim Evans)
