Belgium-based WI was approached to produce an automation solution for three distinctive digital and scenic set elements - a huge skull, six moving video screens and five moving lighting pods - by Hallyday's production director Roger Abriol. WIcreations has enjoyed a long and productive working relationship with Roger who has looked after Hallyday's tours since the start of his career. WI is one of his go-to companies for automation, creative engineering and thinking 'out-of-the-box'.
WI's project manager is Koen Peeters. Chris Das is out on the road with the tour, co-ordinating and operating the automation using Kinesys K2 software running on a WI optimized control desk, working alongside WI motion assistant, Rick Peeters.
In total, over 50 motorized elements are fundamental to the show - something shifts in every song - an impressive undertaking involving 38 chain hoists, 28 of which are zero speed-full torque models, 10 x non-zero speed hoists and 14 x active WI-motion tracking carts.
Together, all these vari-speed motion controlled devices make up a total of 104 movement cues accessed during the show.
The dynamic multi-layered set and lighting was designed by Dimitri Vassiliu. It is an elegant fusion of classic and modern styles blended into a timeless rock 'n' roll aesthetic, which provides both technical wizardry and theatrical magic to help Hallyday draw his audience right into the action and keep them enthralled for the two-and-a-half-hour hour show.
A giant scenic skull - through which Hallyday makes his entrance onto stage - is flown in from the roof and also tracks up and downstage on 18m of WI Touring Track. It is attached to four half-tonne zero speed chain hoists.
Six video screens - of three different sizes - are flown and tracked - using another 108m of WI Touring Track to glide them seamlessly into over 20 different looks and positions - from a flat horizontal roof - where they are used highly effectively as a big block lightsource - to a large dramatically angled single surface backdrop which then fragments in different directions to several different shapes.
The screens are made from a special new super lightweight 6 mm proprietary LED product provided by the tour's video contractor, Swiss and French based Skynight.
The three pairs of screens measure 7.4m wide by 2.9 high, 7.9m wide by 3.5 high and 8.4m wide by 4.0 high respectively, and all are slightly tapered at the offstage edges, maintaining the finesse and clean lines of the stage design.
Twenty-Four Clay Paky Mythos moving lights are also hung on scaff bars sitting on top of the screen tracks.
Each screen is moved by four zero speed 1 tonne chain hoists (500 kg double-reeved) from which some of the positions entail the lower screens moving right down onto the stage just behind the backline. It's just one of a number of careful moves for which the accuracy and stability of the K2 is needed along with the ever-important WI operator skills!
Chris also has two hawk-eyed spotters onstage looking out for any anomalies, so he can take action immediately should anything odd occur with the motion system.
Five lighting pods upstage accommodate a total of 192 Ayrton Magic Panels and are automated by 10 motion controlled chain hoists - moving up and down constantly throughout the show, creating an incredible variety of looks.
Careful programming ensured that the flexibility required for the moves was achieved. The combination of subtle and dramatic effects all needed great precision, and at times the screens - with all the lighting and atmosphere - looked like t
