Depeche Mode's 33 year career has seen them sell over 100m records worldwide . Also acclaimed for being constantly at the cutting edge of live performance visuals, video has played a defining role in their stage shows over the years through the influence of their inspirational artistic director, Anton Corbijn.
The look of the Delta Machine show - incorporating the video elements - was designed by Corbijn in close collaboration with lighting designer Paul Normandale.
In addition to the IMAG, Corbijn has produced eight mini-movies which are interspersed throughout the show.
XL's project manager Phil Mercer comments, "We are delighted to be working with Depeche Mode again. Their shows always push the technical and creative boundaries, and they have unquestionably set standards for several decades in terms of live music video production."
The LED screen surfaces are all XL's Pixled F-12 product. This is a particular favourite of Normandale, who was also the first visuals designer to use the product when it was launched last year, having specified it on many projects since. He likes its high resolution, light weight and general versatility.
The upstage F-12 screen is 17.4m wide by 8m high and is mapped as five interlocking triangles in the Catalyst media server that's used to playback Corbijn's movies. When this happens, it has a massive impact on the stage and the mood of the whole room.
The fronts of the two most prominent onstage risers are also clad with custom sized Pixled F-12 panels, and there is a V-shaped truss border of F-12 above the centre stage area. The two IMAG side screens each comprise 18 x 8 tiles of the same surface.
The cameras are all HD, with four operated Sony HXC-100s, two at FOH and two in the pit on track-and-dolly. All the cameras are fed into a Grass Valley Kayak mixer
The XL crew includes John Steel , systems engineer; Al Bolland, crew chief; Jim Bolland and Joe Makein, LED screen technicians with Darren Montague as head of cameras.
(Jim Evans)
