Progress Tour, from Rehearsals at Sunderland’S Stadium of Light and from the Fifth Night of Their Eight-Night Residency at the City of Manchester Stadium

Home , Gary Barlow, Take That, The Band (musical)

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July 2011 entertainment, presentation, installation www.lsionline.co.uk

Making Progress LSi visits Take That on tour

Also Inside . . .

Shrek the Musical ABTT in Review Technical: LEDs WOMAD: Cáceres Arrives in the West End LSi reports from London The State of Play . . . Music amid bewitching beauty PLUS! . . . The NSA’s Apprentice Schemes • APG at FOMFest • RSAMD’s Audio Upgrade Midas on Broadway • Recollected Works • Audio File • Crew Cuts and more . . .

View LSi’s Digital Edition & Archive online - register FREE at www.lsionline.co.uk/digital OT_TakeThat:On tour.qxd 08/07/2011 13:24 Page 42

Making Progress

Steve Moles reports from behind the scenes of Take That’s Progress Tour, from rehearsals at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and from the fifth night of their eight-night residency at the City of Manchester Stadium . . .

Most of you will know by now the stories of the 70ft several years now - no front-of-house tower, no delay towers, (21m) tall robot that graces the Take That stage. Known no obstructions to the punters at all. This in turn forged a dramatic response from the PA department, and hats off to as OM, derived from the French homme, he’s more Capital Sound and Al Woods (a direct employee of TPO) for affectionately known by most of the crew as OM the making it work. This was not a new PA system, just one of ‘Other Man’ (as opposed to BM, the ‘Big Man’, a giant the systems that we all know are the top pick for audio at the with a 200ft (61m) arm span who enfolds the stage and highest level; it was down to the way it was applied. The holds the main PA from his finger-tips). OM is a walking result was easily the best stadium sound I’ve heard, ever. It behemoth. As Donald Rumsfeld famously said, “there remains to be seen whether the cost/benefit analysis of extra seat sales can justify the expense of this unusual application are known unknowns, and there are unknown of off-the-shelf audio. unknowns”. In terms of audacity, Take That’s production team has stepped boldly into the realm of unknown While video and lighting may not have broken new ground in unknowns, and - take a bow all of you - has pulled it off. such spectacular fashion, they certainly pushed the boundaries: the Nocturne screen on main stage transcended There are, in fact, several significant elements to this mere ‘LED VID’, becoming an integral part of the non-stop production that break new ground. For those of you who theatricality cooked up by set designer Es Devlin and the scan my preamble and then jump to their own discipline imagination of choreographer Kim Gavin (and choreographer (lights, sound, set or video) know this: promoters SJM got isn’t a big enough word to encapsulate Gavin’s input). to sell several thousand extra tickets to every show thanks to Lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe, meanwhile, confirmed an innovation that The Production Office (TPO) supremo some applications for stadium lighting that I’m sure we’ll be Chris Vaughan has been stealthily marching towards for seeing used for his Olympic opener in London next year. OT_TakeThat:On tour.qxd 08/07/2011 13:24 Page 43

But in the end, production laurels must go to stage set; the the main stage, then carries them out along the now lowered simple fact that Brilliant Stages, Total Solutions Group and peninsula deck and deposits them on B stage, whereafter he Tait Towers were all heavily involved tells you pretty much all slowly stands up - and 55,000 people stare open-mouthed you need to know about the breathtaking scope of this as he towers above them and stretches out his arms. show’s ambition. Audio: Capital Sound A Brief Description . . . The approach to sound epitomises how this production The Big Man (BM) defines the stage, his arms, shoulders challenges the established mores of stadium rock. The lack and head dwarf the stadium and top off the Stageco of FOH or delay towers impacts Gary Bradshaw in his role of structure that holds the compendium of gags and house engineer: would he be able to see and hear properly? technology that is the Progress Tour. To right and left the Would flown delays off the grandstand roof be adequate? main PA suspends from BM’s finger-tips: beyond these The answer to the second question is yes, of course: the stand two portrait screens for IMAG, and further still, the oval of a stadium is a simple shape to handle, perfect in side-hang audio systems, some 260ft (80m) apart. The many ways because flying off the roof puts the speakers Bridge spans 160ft (49m) across stage. Upstage of the closer to the listener and at a much better angle than a delay bridge is BM’s torso, not revealed till the last third of the tower (providing the venue allows enough to be flown in the show when all the theatrics of the Bridge are finally right places, and that production has the budget to commit exhausted and the torso opens to reveal OM curled within. the necessary resources). But that didn’t mean it would be To either side of BM, huge walls of video are also revealed. simple. “I was genuinely worried,” Bradshaw began. “The Concealing these elements for most of the show is the rationale behind Chris Vaughan’s idea is about sightlines apparatus from the Bridge: soft kabuki screens with woven and more seats, and from that perspective it works really LEDs sit upstage of the so-called Venetian, though in reality well. But there is a sound benefit too. I’ve been out for the the Venetian blinds are steel scrambling nets upon which Pet Shop Boys (PSB) set and listened from all over the balletic aerial dancers scamper. The main stage screen venue; compared to what we did for Circus last time, the hangs in front on a track: Robbie Williams’ grand entrance clarity from the Ring is even better, especially at the back.” through it is just one of the tricks up the screen’s sleeve; there are numerous others between screen and venetians. The PA crew refer to the flown grandstand system as ‘the Ring’, and it functions on a similar rationale to the Ring Forestage is multilayered, the band stood within two tracking system employed for Eurovision (see LSi June 2011), but at dollies that flank the central focus. A long peninsula of deck rock show rather than TV show SPLs. I too spent the runs far out into the audience and onto the B stage, which opening set by the PSBs walking up and down every has more props and lifts concealed within it than a West End staircase in the stadium; I also talked with as many punters musical, and yet tucked neatly into it, looking towards stage, as I could. The consensus was positive: they liked the open sit light, video and sound control beneath canopies just 5ft sightlines, though most hadn’t noticed the absence of a FOH 8” (1.7m) tall. As for OM, when he eventually appears, he tower till I pointed it out (no surprise there?). Many had first lifts the Boys up on his hands as he sits up for a song on noticed the excellent intelligibility, however, even if they OT_TakeThat:On tour.qxd 08/07/2011 13:25 Page 44 tour on

hadn’t spotted the Martin Audio system hanging a temperature inversion layer above a hot from the roof. The clarity from the mid/highs was sweaty crowd? “The Martin Audio temperature excellent, that proximity benefit was all too and humidity correction takes care of that, apparent, and though there was a degree of though of course we have noticed some ground separation from the low end coming from stage effect from dampness. We also started in this wasn’t troublesome for the listener. I don’t Sunderland by sending more drive to the roof recall ever seeing subs way out in the house for Ring system. I was anxious there wouldn’t be stadium gigs, so situation normal really. enough vocal presence, but in the end it’s proved unnecessary. The mix that goes up there “From a mixing perspective, last time we were now is the same as the mains left and right. way off-centre, here to one side of B stage Here at Man’ City, the stadium is quite dry we’re much more central and I can see the main acoustically compared to Sunderland; the stage pretty much down to front barrier level,” reverb is short and smooth.” says Bradshaw. That’s a crucial factor any promoter contemplating the ‘no towers’ policy Bradshaw emphasised the importance of the must not overlook: The simple fact is that the unrestricted view of the band: “Capital has used crowd barrier around the B stage gave a much speaker dollies for main and backup desk; the more generous gap than normal in order to racks beneath have been custom-made so accommodate the multiple props and the large when I’m sat on my drum stool, my knees fit number of people needed to manage them, and under the desk. When I’m stood, the dollies to shepherd OM out into the stadium. Thus FOH allow me to wheel the desk around when the sound world, although at exactly the same level boys come out to B, rather than twist my neck.” as the audience, had a good five to six metres in front before they met the back of a punter’s With five vocalists out in front of a big PA system head. It’s that gap which is absolutely essential you can understand his need. “We’ve switched and allowed Bradshaw to see and hear and to DiGiCo SD7s for this tour,” he says. “My thus to do his job correctly. session is also in the second (PSB) desk if needed. The big change from D5 last time is “The other thing is the roof of our shelter: built quality of sound, first and foremost; I’m also by Tait as an integrated part of B stage, it can handling up around 80 inputs; it’s a big band, Top, The emergence of OM. be whipped off or on in two seconds, so I mix including Gary Nuttall from Robbie’s band. with it off as it gives me perfect view when the Besides instruments, four of the musicians sing Crew, from top: band are on B stage, which is often, and an BVs and they’re all an important part of the Take Dennis Gardener, lighting operator uncompromised sound.” He also has from That sound. The band is split on two risers DiGiCo some nifty custom transparent covers either side of stage and each has a transparent Gary Bradshaw, front-of-house engineer for the desks with a letterbox slot at the leading shelter; because of the rain effects on stage Ben Leach, Pro Tools and show caller edge: “I’ve tried them and you can operate with they’re always covered, but this hardly affects

www.lsionline.co.uk your hands poked through the slot.” And does what I take from them; the guitars, for example, he suffer the acoustic bounce of main PA off have all their amps off-stage in isolation boxes,

44 L&Si - July 2011 TTkTa:ntu.x 80/011:5Pg 45 Page 13:25 08/07/2011 tour.qxd OT_TakeThat:On W8L Longbow, with sidehangsfurtheroffstage far end.Thestage main PA isMartinAudio’s roof, withfourstationsofpitchstack delayatthe There were10hangsofRingPA aroundthe and EQindividuallytoeachposition.” every ampstation,sowecanaddress delay pitch androofdelaysanXTA226 isintegralto nothing toofancy,” the says Woods. “Within without compromisefortheaudience.“There’s that the‘notowers’soundsolutionworked worked intensivelywithCapitalSoundtoensure a memberoftheTPOteam.Assystemtech’he The PA set-up istheworkofAlWoods, PA System system sounds.” a combinationofthecapsulesandhowwell headroom inthevocals;that’sdownto system EQismuchflatterandIhaveenormous ring outputtopullalittlehigh/mid.Overall,the as good.Ialsohavesomedynamicontheroof the 3-4kHzonRobbieindeskandit’sjust XTA’s SiDD, nowIcanpullthat7-8kHzonGary, the deskwehavedynamicEQ. Before,Iused better thananythingelseinthisapplication.In of theSennheiseranyway, butit’sjustsomuch gear inacar, withoutthinking.Ilikethesound second nature.Idropthefaderlikeyouchange same placesthey’vealwaysdone,soit’s match, butnewsongsapart,theydoitatthe mic awaytofadeoffandIrideallfivefaders background harmonybeneath.Theyallpullthe and themainharmonyvoice,then have allfivevocalsflatout,soItakeleadvocal so far.) “Theboysgoforitbutyoucan’tjust out totheaudienceithadrainedateveryshow handle therainbetter.” pointed (RobbieWilliams mic, butit’snocompromise.Thecapsalso pick uplessambientnoise.Itisn’tasuperhi-fi mics withMD5235dynamiccapsules-they perfect. TheboysalluseSennheiserSKM5200 drums andpercs,restoftheband,voices- that meansI’vesplitthedutiesthreeways, have threefaderblocksof12channels,not8, “The otherthingIlikeabouttheSD7iswenow right nexttothem,soIhaverolloffthehighs. The Bassplayer, who’sareallygoodsinger, is boys’ mics,thoughitdoesstillaffecttheBVs. reduces anyelementofcymbalsplashfromthe and havingthedrumsinsheltersactually then tomaindolliesleftandrightupstage, returns fromFOHruntothefloorSUBdollies, Capital andIresearchedafibresolution.Two dollies; therunsarelong,soIanColevilleat arena multi-coreeachside.ThenAESfromthe analogue toandfromthedeskwithastandard distribution intheroof,” saysWoods. “We run thought longandhardabouttheaudio stage link,solinkingisviaoutfront.“We Because oftheOMtrackthereisnocross- other two-K1andVertec. favourite threesystems.”Imanagedtoelicitthe choice ofsystem,asLongbowisonemy most important.Capitalwasdeterminedby Production OfficeandIpickthecrew:teamis the frontspeakergrilles.I’memployedbyThe Socapex connectorshavebeenreplaced,even insisted thatithadtolookpristine,cable system hasbeenrefurbishedbyCapital;we Muse’s stadium/arenaouting.“Thewhole Vaughan hadSkanmakeuplastyearfor top fortrucking.”Identicalreallytowhat dolly systems,PA cablesitsinthehopperon “Everything intheairisfedfromS/LandS/R hangs, withafloorarrayofsubsbelow. vertically flatimmediatelybehindtheselatter also W8Lfamily:theonlyflownsubshang • • Fred Opsomer&Tait Technologies Take Notes • straightforward.” trouble. Apartfromthatit’svery Without themwewouldbein especially withwater-proofing. Sennheiser havebeenthesame, also helpedsortafewniggles,and fantastic inhelpingwiththat.They own complexity. DiGiCohavebeen and backtotheoutputshasits signal totheSD7sfromband of theOMtrackway, sogetting pods can’tlinkbackstagebecause pixels.” develop somethingforjust300 units. Therewasnoneedto the fabricarejustoff-the-shelf drape maker. TheLEDssewninto Showtex, theBelgiantheatre to hidetheoutlines;itcomesfrom of transparencybutenoughweave something withtherightamount We didalotoftestuntilwefound magically whenlitfrombehind. front lit,sotheycouldappear outlines shouldn’tbevisiblewhen Es Devlinwasadamantthatthese figures fromthealbumcover, but a printedoutline,thehuman fabric isquitedifferent.Theyhave from ourstandardstock,butthe from Tait Tech, themechanismare that. Wealsoprovidedthekabukis speed andstrength,simpleas go, thetotalpackagewasfor speed. Thedollieswerethewayto because hewasconcernedabout Shure SM57sontheguitars. Sennheiser, butBradshawput of thebacklineisvarious show, theBVsuse935s,andmost microphones: thisisaSennheiser Pete McGlynn:“Thetwoband “Chris Vaughan calledme Microphones: Aquicknoteon L & S - i July 2011

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Optocore up to the roof: we run fibre from each the band (and also provides the comms rarely change. They all have their own full mix. side of stage all the way round in both system, via his company SurfHire). The stage As to the SD7, I’d mirror what Steve said: I like directions, so we have a fully redundant loop. left monitor shelter is also inhabited by Ben the power in the desk. I’m driving a lot, all 40 There are also fibre returns to FOH so I can Leach who runs the Pro Tools rig and for fun is dancers have ear packs too - there’s no other monitor the full system from there. I also had the show caller. Lutley is delightfully modest way to keep them in time. This way the Capital build me a bespoke rack-mount PC with about his position: “I’m here because way back choreographers can talk to them as well. That’s AudioCore and three Meyer Galileo - one for I did monitors for Gary Barlow’s solo tour and 20 channels for the band and boys in total, and matrix, one for system and a spare. I also have I seem to have been here ever since.” another two for the dancers.” Smaart in there for reference and a 5G wireless system to link to tablet PC and an Electrosonic The monitor set-up is provided by Delta. The Both men pointed out the benefits of the little mic for RTA and the transfer functions - it means IEM system is all Sennheiser SR2050 with video monitor in the SD7’s meter bridge: “On I can look at stuff on the spectrograph and use G2000 receivers and Ultimate Ears inserts. shows this scale you can never see everywhere, it for time-aligning. Lutley says: “I like ‘engineer mode’ - I use one so a video feed to this is great.” pack, programme in five different frequencies “Also, because we’ve hung the subs flat behind and then don’t have to go through pre-fade to Hodge says: “The MD5235 capsule has proved the main side-hang, I’ve curved the subs in time listen to each of the boys - that’s very useful. incredibly robust, considering they sing through so the departure time matches that of the main They all have quite a big band mix - they’re the rain drenchers, and Robbie sings upside array in front. By coincidence, the subs end up similar, but each has his own individual mix. down as he descends from the bridge through pretty much an exact horn length distance from Although B stage is far away I do have water: they’re amazing. In eight shows we’ve the Longbow in front. It’s very smooth, they reasonable line of sight, much better than last only lost one and that not through moisture. We cross over at 65Hz and there are no nulls tour . . . For rehearsals Pete McGlynn, who sets really thought we’d lose one a show.” anywhere. Because of the stage configuration up the desks and stage, drives the desk and I the side hangs are in fact time zero; the main sit out at the B stage and watch - especially the Pete McGlynn added that the capsules were system, 5-6 metres in front, is delayed back to new songs. Both me and Hodge have moved to treated with conformal coating to add to their them.” the SD7: we wanted the spare desk option of water resistance: “Even so, they are damn using identical boards that can mirror each impressive,” he said. As McGlynn is one of the The Subs are not a heavy component in this other’s session.” most experienced stage audio techs in the show, more an effect, so even though Woods business, you have to say that’s praise indeed. has put a substantial number on the floor, the The mixes can be quite nuanced: “Gary even level for audience members nearby is much wants reverb on the snare, and Mark wants Video kinder than many a comparable system. “The vocal distortion on one of his songs. When Gary There are two elements to the video - content system also has unexpected benefits, we’re sings a ballad he wants none of the other voices and IMAG, inevitably - with the LED screens a good 5dB under noise limits outside the in his mix. The point is, either desk can do coming from XL Video and Nocturne. XL’s stadium - a direct advantage of the roof ring. everything, if needed.” Stuart Heaney was kind enough to provide an Even at 120m everyone gets a good sound. overview, while Richard Shipman (another direct I always ask myself, am I sitting in an £80 seat, Hodge explained: “Each band member is contractor to TPO) front-of-house, explained and is it worth it?” It certainly is. a producer in their own right, so they know image and screen management. precisely what they want to hear. We were also Monitors blessed with lengthy band rehearsals before the “The Nocturne screens are all V9 (two portrait www.lsionline.co.uk This is a two-hander: Steve Lutley from Delta boys came in, so we had it nailed. The band are screens to the sides for IMAG - mostly), and the Sound mixes for the boys, Simon Hodge does all controlled, no-one gets carried away, levels centre tracking screen which has a door

46 L&Si - July 2011 TTkTa:ntu.x 80/011:0Pg 47 Page 13:30 08/07/2011 tour.qxd OT_TakeThat:On UVA D3systemissupervisedbyRichard continued Heaney. “Contentplaybackoffthe “All thePPUandcamerakitisfromXL,” worth theeffort. negates theneedforclimbingriggers-well - atypicalengineeringsolutionfromthemthat by Stageco,intothemainstagestructureabove gallows masthead-typepulleyblocksintegrated motors floor-mounted, withwireropeover One pointofnote,XLflytheirscreenswith Could theyworkforarenatouring?Mostly, yes. cabling thattravelsinsituanothertime-saver. gained isobvious,andtheamountofpanel ready toreceiveasitdescends;thespeed and areabletositdirectlybeneaththescreen The dolliesareinfactenormous,over5mlong, not quitethere:timeforapublishedstandard? dollies.” You’ll note‘attempted’,meaningthey’re re-set forksastheyshiftfromvideotoPA we don’thavedrivershavingtojumpoff widths onthedolliesunified,”saidHeaney, “so times. “He’sevenattemptedtogetforkslot dollies tominimisecablingandloadin/out embraced theUSconceptofbig,forkable For stadium-scaletouring,ChrisVaughan has PPU isalsopackagedfortheroadbyTait.” Technologies (seeside-panel,page45)andthe packaging fortheF11isbuiltbyTait BM’s torso.Theframestructureandroad pixel pitch)1080tilesintwohalveseithersideof began. “TheXLscreenisournewF11(11mm function andalsosplitsleftright,”Heaney screens inthebackshotofcameras.” shooting theDVD, soIcanreadilytonedown especially advantageousnowwhenwe’re easier tobalancethescreensfromhere;that’s Why isShipmanpositionedFOH?“It’smuch manual cuesfortheopening.” MIDI timecode,ortoclick-track; therearelotsof it allasonebigimage.Mostofthesetlistis of pixelsfromonescreentotheotherandtreats landscape toportrait,theD3knowsnumber jumps fromcentretosidescreen, where Robbie’simage(fromcontent,notlive) showing totheband.Onsong‘Shine’, look likewithcontentrunningtoscale-greatfor have anaccuratepictureofwhatthestagewill imported them,addedinthescreensandyou video, wejusttookthestageCADdrawingsand I wantfromSanta.It’sagreatpre-visualiserfor them all-Hippo,Catalyst,andthisistheone D3: “I’minlovewithD3,”hesays.“I’veused Richard ShipmanisakeenadherentofUVA’s facial close-ups. sequenced whole:Iespeciallylovedthegiant knows hischops.Hiscutswereslick,partofthe understandably unavailable,butheclearly and additionallightingtocontendwith,hewas the liveshowDVD; withadoublingofcameras Asken wasalsopreparingforthefirstshoot with thebandforyears.” video, usesourGrassValley Kayak:he’sbeen definition. MattAsken,whodirectsthelive cameras, allSonyHXC, usedinstandard Shipman. For theliveIMAGworkwehaveten System tech’AlWoodsofTPO. Richard Shipman,screensdirector XL Video’sStuartHeaney From top: L & S - i July 2011 ontour

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The content is provided by Sam Pattinson from for a hard, theatrical side-light. And then we Man. They literally reach the parts that other his company Treatment: “His footage is needed something across the front of stage. lights cannot reach!” absolutely cracking,” says Shipman. “He really I always like to put something there to define the understands how LED works, as opposed to front edge of the performance area but until Woodroffe is fortunate in having such a bold some content providers who hide away and now I’ve never found a light that could do that tableau to light: “We have an open stage, a mix work from HD studio screens; Sam works to the and provide something usable to light the act. of pop and rock and some heavy conceptual exact amount of pixels we have.” It’s a measure Sometimes there are 40 cast members up pieces, all cleverly and theatrically directed by of how compelling the live show is that I paid there, so now with the Martin MAC 301 we’ve the amazing Kim Gavin. He’s very collaborative, scant attention to the content, but when I wasn’t got a 21st Century footlight.” cool and imaginative and it’s unusual to find all being assaulted by gags, dancers, pyro, props, these talents in one person. And of course he elevators, rain effects, aerialists, confetti and Nevertheless, it’s a huge stage to light and it has the complete trust of the band.” I witnessed robots, I looked - and yes, Shipman is right: eats up fixtures. “Clearly, with something on this a similar level of trust shown by the boys cracking. scale you have to hang a lot of lights - to light themselves that evening, as they comfortably the audience, to give variation to the looks, to fell into conversation with Woodroffe about this Lighting: Neg Earth create drama and spectacle. But you don’t or that element of the show. I spoke to Patrick Woodroffe at the Sunderland need to insist on the traditional things like Stadium of Light during production rehearsals a lighting position at 45 degrees to the front of Dennis Gardener runs the light show. “He’s one as he would not be present for my visit to stage. That might seem like a sacrifice for the of Patrick’s best operators and has been doing Manchester. As ever, Woodroffe does not lighting alone, but the payoff is that you get stuff for Patrick for years,” said the show’s design to a formula but finds his creative muse something unique and the other things don’t programmer and co-designer Dave Hill (another from the elements around him. “I approach matter so much. Because of the nature of the indispensable member of Woodroffe’s team) these stadium shows in a different way,” he Progress album, this show is a little darker than during rehearsals in Sunderland. “I love running says. “I started by discussing the show in its the last tour - more robotic and less organic, these big shows,” said Gardener two weeks entirety with Es Devlin and Kim Gavin and then without the same level of joyfulness as Circus later. “The fine-tuning is what I enjoy, especially we let the set take the lead on the design. You had. So the choice of lights is different this time, on a show like this where you get to work need to light the scenic pieces and you need to with a design that is more syncopated and closely with someone like Matt [Asken, video light the band but after that you must consider more about the narrative than simply the director], evolving the live video content lighting the essentials rather than the style of the music.” as we also settle the big show picture.” lighting.” How does Woodroffe respond to the ‘no towers’ Gardener was especially animated this evening, He continues: “It was the Stones’ Steel Wheels ethos? “It inevitably raised big questions: Where “We’re tuning the show for the DVD. I’ve got an tour that first dispensed with roofs for bands, do you put your followspots and how do you get extra dozen followspots in the house - 22 I’m roofs that gave an obvious but fixed place to front light on the stage? So we doubled up the calling in total.” You’ve only done eight shows hang lights. But the roof never kept the band followspots - five Lancelots a side in the house, so far, don’t you use a caller? “No, I love it, I call dry anyway, so being able to turn to the set and for audience light we took what would have it all by name. I don’t believe in working to designer - Mark Fisher in that case - and say, been the traditional spot towers, and figuratively a script - do that and you end up becoming you do your thing, we’ll figure out where to hang speaking, turned them horizontal and rigged a machine. If you call from memory it keeps you the lights afterwards, was hugely liberating. On them from under the grandstand roof. We do sharp.” Sharp? He must be deadly. Take That we could see early on that the Bridge that a lot when filming stadium concerts so we was the essential light position as the stage knew how effectively that can work. We have Of the GrandMA 2, used to programme and demanded a coherent set of lights for the Clay Paky Alpha Beam 1500s on each of the operate the show, he says: “Layout is good, the donkey work of lighting the performers, and for side trusses. They are a terrific light - clean, big screens especially; I found the switch from these we used a row of Vari*Lite 3500 wash FX. white, pokey and accurate. They became the 1 to 2 easy. MA haven’t tried to re-invent the Above the video screens, at the rear of the key light for the action on the B stage and the wheel, so much of it is very familiar. It’s very fast www.lsionline.co.uk stage, we rigged Coemar Infinity washlights and front of the A stage and also for the higher for programming and networking. We have two on the side torms we had Clay Paky Shotlights scenery like the head and the hands of the Big full-size desks, one mirroring the other. I’ve

48 L&Si - July 2011 TTkTa:ntu.x 80/011:1Pg 49 Page 13:31 08/07/2011 tour.qxd OT_TakeThat:On the basisofcost(OMisalreadyfabulously placement butcouldeasilyhavebeenomittedon many thingsinthisshowthey’reanobvious each OMbodypanelareworthamention;likeso effects. ThePanalux LEDclustersinthecornerof mainly uponthebridgetodownlightwater There areanother35PARs inthishightechrig, for hisheart.” eyes, andthepairofPAR 64swithabitofLee106 lights aretheMartinMAC301sinOM’shandsand more thanenoughforthecameras.For me,thefun on theCircustouratcomparablerange.They’re handle mostofthelong-rangestuff;weusedthem more. Gardenersays:“TheAlphaBeam1500s edges ofthegrandstands,typicallya70mthrowor stage lightingoutontrussesriggedofftheleading especially longrangepositionswithpracticallyallB Woodroffe’s lightingchoicesincludesome a buginitandit’sback30minuteslater.” Norfolk atMAUKacomplete21MBshowfilewith fantastic back-up throughrehearsals-sendPhil squeeze tofitveryprecisely. MAhasalsoprovided great forlampswithshutterswereyoucanmanually screens andthefullcolourmixappearsbelow;also especially useful-grabafixtureonthetiltdisplay “The touch-screendownontheconsolesurfaceis an assetinanyoperator’sbook. a totallycrash-proofdesk,andspeedyrecoveryis like toseethatinprint,butthennobodybelieves - muchfasterthanatotalre-boot.”MaybeMAwon’t you’ll bebackupandrunninginwellunderaminute it’s software,nottheCPU, sotype‘autostart’and found thatiftheconsoledoescrash,90%oftime each end,butactuallythat’sprettysimple.It’sthe columns acrossthestagepluswhereitpicksupat with ashrug.“Thebridgeissupportedbyfour Baaten wasunderstated:“It’swhatwedo,”hesaid interfacing isrequiredtoaccommodatetheseitems. support structure,andagreatdealofcustom amounts offlowntechnologyintegratedintothe for thisvenue.Thisisarooflessstage,withlarge contingent andthemansupervisingstageteam Baaten, aDutchmanamongsttheBelgian Stageco isaninternationalchurch:IspokewithWeis Stageco song -well,hejustdoesavery, verygoodjob”. just works.AndthetouchofKimGavinonevery Machine’ -greatvideoandlightingcombination,it anything itwouldbe‘SOS’and‘Underground constantly singalongouthere.IfIwastopoint help butenjoytheirperformance.RichardandI “Whether youthinkyou’reafanornot,can’t and hesaidsomethingIcanonlyagreewith: Finally, IaskedGardenerforhisstand-outmoments lights intheend.” Sunderland wesentbackatleastatruck-load of out whatworksbest.From finalrehearsalsin subtraction, havingmanyoptionsandthenrefining props used,etc.Insomewaysit’sajobof anything relevanttoeachsongonit-colour, video, “He bringsawhiteboardtorehearsalsandputs in themid-80s,stillusesanoldconferencingdevice. I hadthepleasuretoworkonacoupleofbigtours Gardener remindedmethatWoodroffe, withwhom is whatmakesthequalitymarkofthisshowsohigh. expensive) buttheyweren’t.Suchattentiontodetail at thecompany. emotional periodforeveryone standards inwhatmustbean maintaining hishighest and isbyallaccounts taken upthereinsbackatHQ, PA, Tracey Donnelly, has outstanding show. Fallon’s what is,byanymeasure,an here isaseamlesspartof tribute tohislife.Hiswork this willstandasafitting that respectyoucouldsay detail thattypifiesthistour;in mark isintheattentionto was snatchedaway.” His inimitable fashionbeforehe put thisonetogetherinhis Heaney remindedme,“hehad outing sincetheirreturn.As had managedvideoforevery projects ofDesFallon, who course, oneoftheregular was, of Take That on tour, Video team the XL who runs Heaney it’s Stuart Although Des Fallon L & S - i July 2011

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box structures at the end where the side It’s amazing what the Stageco crew achieve. to the trussing sub-structure of the man we screens are flown that are most tricky. There’s They exemplify how Belgium has managed eventually built. These point downwards and a lot of weight there and accuracy of position is without a government for so long. Maybe we locate into receptacles on the Stageco system; critical.” can learn something from them? as you crane parts of BM into place the cones become self-centreing devices and once fully The box structure looks quite simple: four tall Take That - Stage Set lowered, the BM part is secure.” columns with horizontal beams linking them For Es Devlin’s stunning stage set the division together at the top, the base area is small and of labour runs three ways: B stage and Bridge - The other gee whiz factor with BM is the fact although they ultimately tie to the main stage, Tait Towers; main stage and OM - Brilliant that the main PA system hangs from his they are precisely craned into position Stages; the Big Man (BM) - Total Fabrications fingertips. “They certainly were an extraordinary freestanding. “To base out this stage, (to (TFL). Before you read on, you should note that challenge,” admitted Cronin. “What you see measure and mark the footprint) is most critical, between Sunderland and Manchester, the first from the audience perspective is an index finger pretty much to the millimetre because the way two venues, all these spectacular feats of with a line-array beneath, but transferring two the parts fit together is so tight. Normally, by the engineering were subject to ferocious weather and a half tons of PA back seven metres to the time we’ve unloaded the trucks on the first day conditions - storm-force winds in Sunderland, Stageco tower proved a work of art.” we have based out and can start, but with this monsoon conditions in Manchester. They all we take our time - three to four hours. Back passed with flying colours. Cronin devised a custom truss structure central area first, then the two side boxes, then concealed within the hand to transfer the load, the main stage. We build the BM torso on stage The BM is massive. His arms span over 200ft “It actually looks more impressive when the and hoist him up, and then the arms, hands and (61m); his head tops out at approximately 100ft hand is unclad - well, to an engineer like me it head are craned into position. There is nothing (30m) above stadium floor: when I attended does. We had to calculate back from a finite simple about the BM and although Total Sunderland the BM’s head protruded above the finger size and build trussing with extra thick Solutions have made a good structure it’s not grandstand roof by 20ft (6m). Weis Baaten from chord walls and strengthened web; even so, easy to travel because of its size.” Stageco commented on the ease of assembly, with all necessary safety factors calculated we even if the size of BM proved somewhat were using 85% of load capacity. If the PA Amazingly, the Stageco gear takes 14 trucks, problematic. I asked Chris Cronin from TFL just weighed three tons then Big Man would have the BM another eight. “The main thing is how you negotiate strapping a 60m giant to needed some chubby fingers.” co-operation,” says Baaten. “We have many a 25m tall stage structure. “Even before we more decks on the pitch than normal to allow knew quite what we would build we made a trip All other elements of the BM are based upon room for big pieces to be assembled, but we to Belgium to talk to Stageco; me, my structural TFL’s SMD truss, although in non standard save time elsewhere - no FOH tower, no delays. engineer Malcolm Richards, and Nigel Tranter lengths, the cladding is from nine millimetre That helps, but it is three full days. If you look at from TFL who would be my project manager. plywood and fixes to a strut type device fixed to how the OM drives out through the centre of The solution is rather elegant, though possibly the truss. Cronin revealed that building the two stage you realise that even the simple sub commonplace in large building structures where BMs (to leapfrog venues with the main stage www.lsionline.co.uk stage decking has to be placed extremely huge cladding panels are craned into place. “In systems) took 200 people over 12 weeks, “and accurately, the tolerances are tiny.” simple terms it’s a series of vertical cones fixed a team of eight scenic artists to apply the

50 L&Si - July 2011 TTkTa:ntu.x 80/011:1Pg 51 Page 13:31 08/07/2011 tour.qxd OT_TakeThat:On You’ll havenoticedthere areonlyfourelevators. extreme lengthsto ensurethesecan’tgetstuck. band todescend stage.We havegoneto which isaverticaltrack withelevatorswebuiltforthe across thespanarecustom-cladbyTaits, integralto Bridge hangsofftheStagecotowers, thefourtowers winches stayinanddon’tneedre-stringing. The of lightsandwinches.Aswiththelights, allthe provide thebaseforothertheatricson stage;it’sfull but forthemostpartBridge’sfunction isto “The guysinthebandperformupthereforonesong, load-out across50%ofit.” effectively cutsthestageinhalfandprevents Chris Vaughan, becausewhenloweredin,it disassemble in45minutes;thatwasthelimitsetby stay inplace(Colorblaze72).Thewholethinghasto come offbuttheclampingdevicesthatholdthem travel withitlikethetwolightMoles(P36);andsome to itflickinandoutfortransport;somefoldback a custompackageineveryway. Thelightsmounted element andit’sfulloftricks,”saysErwin.“It’s apparatus. At160ft(49m)longit’sourlargestsingle “The Bridgeisanaltogethermorecomplexpieceof as I’veseen. as neatapieceoffunctionalstagingandpackaging special effects,andsomeonetocontrolthelifts;it’s during themorecomplexroutines;thenthere’spyro, devise theirownchoreographytoavoidpile-ups hour: thepropsandcostumedepartmentshadto Sounds simple,butimaginePiccadillyCircusatrush decks arecustom,togivebiggerspansthannormal.” incredible volumeofpropstoaccommodate;the much spaceaspossiblebelowdecktherearean were thatitneededtobelight,andprovideas personnel-sized onesaroundit.Themaincriteria stage hasninelifts,onelargewitheightsmaller experience liesmainlywithcorporateevents.“TheB Technical Services(nowalliedwiththeTait group)his been atTaits justoverayear, formerlywithFisher James Erwin,projectmanagerforTait Towers, has runs throughtheshow. is theBstageandBridgethatprovidethread to bothmenatlength,butfirst,theTait element-forit took onthedauntingtaskofmakingitwalk.Ispoke project manageOM,whileAndyCaveofKinesys Bowern engagedtheservicesofRichardHartmanto though wewereabletopre-testindividualarms.” get tofullyassembleandenergisehimtillCardington, might appear. ButaswiththeBM,wedidn’tactually of themechanicsit’salotmoreknownterritorythanit Besides, wedohavetheoptiontosay‘no’.Interms wouldn’t befunifwedidn’ttakeonthingslikethis. plainly bonkers.Atwinklecameintohiseye.“It of thousandsfans,whileexcitinginconcept,is tall manweighingseveraltonsstandinginthemidst But whatoftheriskynatureOM?Ananimated70ft stage andotherprojectsnotbeensoheavy.” house,” hesaid,“hadthecommitmenttomain specialist. “We wouldhavebuiltmuchmoreofOMin manufacture wasundertakenbyahydraulicmachine Tony BowernofBrilliantsaidthatmuchthe The roboticOMisthestand-outfeatureofshow. make anoffer. end oftheA1intimeforOlympics.GoonBoris, which isashame-he’dlooksplendidatthebottom may findquietlydecomposinginafieldoneday, like U2’sclaw, BMisoneofthoseobjectsthatyou fire-retardant coatingsanddecorativefinish.”Sadly, Take That:TPO paid ontime; thiswaywe can give often oursuppliers weren’tgetting reasons. Wefound inthepastthat financial role?“We tookitforpractical What promptedTPOtotakethis easier decisionforthemtomake.” everything else,thatbecomesamuch Because theycanseethecostsof special -theset,theatrics? you wanttospendonwhatmakesit I canthenaskthem,howmuchdo Put thattemplatetothebandand the budget,evenforashowlikethis. and actuallythat’sthebiggestpartof a stadiumshowisfairlywelldefined, video, cameras,sound-thespendfor applies withmostequipment,lighting, many crew, somanyhotels.Same production trucks,adozensteel,so some accurateestimates-forty-five than youmightthink.Wecanmake a scaleasthistour?“Moreisknown the budgetofsomethingonasgrand And howexactlydoyoudetermine production rehearsal.” just beforethebandgoesinto looking atthespecialeffectspend going tobesomedistantaccountant us theyknowthat’sit;thereisn’t of view, whentheyagreetermswith that’s crucial.From thesupplierpoint touring soimportantthesedays, earnings willbe.Withincomefromlive clearly seewhattheirexpected artist aswell;bigorsmalltheycan over thepennies.It’sgoodfor with smallissues;we’renotfighting big picturewedon’tgetboggeddown of thetour. Beingallowedtoseethe on theshow, butontheprofitability means wehaveaperspectivenotjust production financeaswell;that responsibility, takingcontrolofthe TPO istolookatawider like tospend.Whatwehavedoneat they wantfortheamountwould trying todeliverthebandshow schedule. “Withanyproductionwe’re certainty tothesupplierpayment budget andinsodoingbringmore rigorous controloftheproduction partner KeelyMyers,takeamore Chris Vaughan andhisbusiness The ProductionOffice(TPO),runby the Take Thattour, Idiscoveredthat In anothernon-conventionaltwistto to seeandhearwhat theyneedto.” light andvideo,enough openaccess gives theseatedoperators,sound, was thecatwalktoBstage-that about ittheywereallforit.Thekey cautious, butoncethey’dthought their reactionwasprofessionally who wouldnormallybeonthattower, stadium roof.Intermsofthepeople sound andlightingthroughthe additional costsofriggingextensive ticket revenuemorethanjustifiesthe shows atonevenue,theincreased Certainly, ifyou’redoingmultiple show shouldn’tbedoingitthisway. no reasonwhyanysold-outstadium who promotethis,havesaidtheysee the localauthoritiesknowus.SJM, several yearsnowsothevenuesand through theUKeverysummerfor We’ve takenastadiumproduction comes fromtherelationshipyoubuild. surprisingly opentoit,someofthat policy, “Venue managerswere acceptance ofthenoFOHtower Vaughan alsorevealedageneral make theirshowspecial.” profit theywillneedtocommit they knowexactlywhatpartoftheir because therevenuestreamisclear, a take-the-money-and-runband; their fans.Theyaredefinitelynot spectacular andenjoyableshowfor profit towardsmakingatruly a bigpartofwhatwouldbetheir than many, arepreparedtoallocate working withTake That:theymore “That’s oneofthepleasures much doesitcosttomakeanOM? Which justleavestheunknowns,how three daysafterthetourends.” a prettyaccurateoverviewjusttwoor the tour.shecanusuallypresent pivotal: “Shekeepsittightthrough Vaughan revealedthatMyersroleis make theirshowspecial.” the necessitiesofsoundandlightsto budget inaproductionspendabove seriously lookathowtheymight little ornofundsbehindthem,can means evensmallacts,withperhaps have tofinancethatcashflowit them certainty. Also,ifthebanddon’t > www.tpo-online.com L & S - i July 2011

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Robbie swallow dives off the Bridge’s centre over the Stageco tower tops lifts slim horizontal development of how to move a unique span attached to a new winch we’ve developed; scenic panels which the aerialist on the tracking structure, while Gareth Williams runs the called the Stage Automation T Winch, it’s dollies can then scamper across the full stage Kinesys for the show, and Richard Hartman is in a Fisher/Tait product. Designed to be small but width. “Flown upstage of the bridge are the his all-too-familiar position of project managing able to handle a useful pick-up weight at speed, Venetian carts with more T winches to raise and the unknown. I spoke to Hartman first. “The it has variable capacity through a variety of drive lower the blinds, and then from the carts’ main area of difficulty is when he stands up. It’s belt change. Paul Sapsis, son of Bill, is our upstage edge is an LED Kabuki. The five kabuki the combination of what he’s doing and what ‘flight’ guru, he’s excellent at reassuring artists. panels have printed upon them the Darwinian the trailer on which he travels is doing below.” He works with Casey Roche, who’s the ‘ascent of man’ style images off the Progress Navigator programmer to drive it - they’re an album sleeve, the soft string LEDs by Showtex This difficulty will become clearer: suffice to say excellent team. Paul develops amazing moves.” outline these in silhouette. The Venetian carts OM is mounted on a modified articulated lorry also house more lights, and a rain bar. There’s trailer. Complexity derives from 19 axes within For the tour, Gareth Williams, who also drives a fair bit of water works in the Bridge: each of OM - one electric, 18 hydraulic: all movement, OM, runs the Navigator control system for the the rain curtains can flow 600 litres per second, says Cave, “is achieved to within a few show: “I spend two thirds of the show at and this is cascading down from 40ft above the millimetres”. The arms, unclad in rehearsals, a Navigator station stage right, then dash out stage decks below. As the boys’ elevator pods look deceptively like the robots you see in car front for the last third and drive OM. descend there are rain blast nozzles above factories, but they’re not - they’re all custom-built each of the band members’ heads as well, just and much, much bigger. “And the ones used in “There are other tracking winches,” continued for a touch more drama. They are shielded from automotive plants are generally all electric, not Erwin. “These are for the aerialists across the the water by polycarbonate domes we built, but hydraulic, and thus much easier to work with Venetian blinds we’ve built to mask the XL video their trouser cuffs get splashed. There is from a control perspective,” says Cave. screen behind.” The Venetian blinds are fronted another set of fountain nozzles that blasts by steel scramble netting with horizontal towards the front row of the audience.” “OM’s truck trailer is custom”, continued aluminium rungs to form a scaling surface for Hartman. “The rear bogey and fifth wheel bogey the aerialists to work off. “There is also So not only are there all these interwoven axes parts are separate and there’s an a Nocturne video screen suspended from the of motion - LED screen, aerialist on static and extending/contracting spar between them. OM Bridge; in two halves which track in across tracking winches, horizontal ascending scenic is permanently mounted so the whole thing gets stage on the downstage edge.” The screen has panels, Venetian blinds and kabukis - but the tarp’ed and hauled by a regular tractor on the a scenic border so when the two halves are whole assembly is hosed with hundreds of road, so it all has to be road legal. The tractor mated it gives the appearance of a PC monitor. gallons of water. drops it off in the stadium, then we have a tug “Taits developed the hanging system for that picks it up and drives it into position, then Nocturne’s V9 LED panels. We’ve also Erwin says: “All the water catch tubs below are out-rig legs extend horizontally, we fit wheels to incorporated hinged door panels that open in decked with grilles so the aerialists can walk the ends of them, add end-plates to the wheels, the suspended tracking video wall.” There across them - at the right time, of course . . . and so you end up with the trailer running on a song scenario where Robbie Williams is We use aerated nozzles to enhance the visual rails like a train, except the wheel flange is on trapped - ‘sucked into’ the internet through the effect of the water. It’s in areas like this where the outside edge.” screen. “He beats on the screen from behind, Tait excels, I believe; nobody specifically tasked the doors blow open and another T winch whips us with a number of nozzles in fixed points Some rails: at 4m gauge, each eight foot steel him up through the opening onto downstage.” across the stage, they just described the effect section weigh 1500kg and is essentially a heavy they wished to achieve and we developed it for duty ‘I’ beam. “All the pumps, electrics and “There’s another track upstage with three more them.” Erwin revealed that Taits learned a lot hydraulics are self-contained; only the decorative T winches trolley-mounted, which pick up the about water management developing the stage cladding is removed, so it all folds down to 2.4m aerialists who perform vertical and horizontal for Kylie: “We’re now expert in this field.” wide and 13m long for the road. Using the acrobatics,” adds Erwin. It’s a highly hydraulic extender/contractor device we can compressed bit of lifting mechanics in there, And then there’s OM. A Brilliant Stages creation, shrink the trailer to 9m to get into tight stadiums. just upstage of the aerialists on the three dolly- OM is largely the brainchild of Andy Edwards, He weighs 23,800kgs, add the trailer it comes to tracked T winches are a set of 30 static Brilliant’s hydraulic genius in residence (it was 35,000kgs. Atelier One calculated all the centre mounted Cyberhoists in five blocks: each Edwards who built the Bridges to Babylon of gravity stuff for wind speed tolerance, anything www.lsionline.co.uk supports an individual who scales the Venetian. extending bridge). The control system is by above 15m/sec and he can’t stand, above To complicate matters, a further set of winches Kinesys, with Andy Cave overseeing 20m/sec and he has to remain crouched.”

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From far left: Action on the B Stage; Behind the screens; one of the DiGiCo SD7s consoles under a rain cover; view from rear of stage showing the main PA hangs, with OM out front . . .

It’s that ‘centre of gravity stuff’ that makes the Brilliant, it didn’t all come together till the stage.” This is true: maybe next time BM will standing up tricky that Hartman mentioned Cardington; even with the best CAD you cannot stand up instead and frighten the whole earlier; the distance between fifth wheel bogey predict where the cladding will prevent neighbourhood? and rear bogey has to expand and contract movement; you just have to run it and see during his ascent to maintain Centre of Gravity. where it conflicts, then cut the fibre glass and Andy Cave had similar unique challenges in Essentially, OM’s spine extends through his re-fit. And let me tell you, the way the clevis pins driving OM. “In terms of sensing positions backside down to the trailer - his spine being attach the cladding to the skeleton is a work of there’s nothing out of the ordinary, we put a large cherry-picker hydraulic arm. art.” standard encoders into the hydraulics and string encoders into the axes. Unlike normal Having established the general complexity, Cladding clash as the arms moved was still structures, with OM you have to move I asked Hartman about running the project. happening to a small degree during rehearsals something to learn how it will respond. “The go-ahead came just at Christmas. Frankly, in Sunderland. “You also have to track all the Hydraulics is 18th century technology and by anyone taking this on that late needs their head hoses to see they don’t get caught. Then they nature it’s lazy, whereas an electric motor is examined,” which didn’t stop Hartman, wanted to put lights in it, and that produces instant and precise. Hydraulic movement is not I noticed. “You start by having to work when all a debate over who has precedence on space. necessarily always proportional to flow, the of industry either slows down or stops for four There are lights in the hand palms for up light protection against hose failure requires a certain weeks. That immediately presents serious when the band is there. The arms and legs are over-pressure to initiate movement, so it tends problems - all the actuators and sensors come essentially cylinders, relatively simple, but the to run away too fast and you have to throttle from Italy, and all the slew rings from China, and chest is a three-dimensional form - again, John back just as quickly to bring that under control. have to be ordered immediately. Unfortunately, Prentice managed the drawing out of that That in turn can set up shudders - oscillations manufacturing industry doesn’t work to rock framework. It’s really complex in there, and John that, considering the lengths of the limbs and and roll deadlines - 8- to 12-week lead times are did a great job accommodating everything. their weight, can run for some time.” typically as short as they get.” “There is an operator position within the chest, Cave continues: “The difference with electric This is undoubtedly one of the main reasons so in the event he can be manually controlled to motors is you can easily tweak a move; with why OM hasn’t behaved himself quite as well as descend from within. It’s like a submarine in hydraulics there’s no such thing as a quick he might have. That and the fact that pushing there. When the large hydraulic cherry-picker tweak. We spoke to manufactures and they said boundaries as ambitious as these really mast pushes him up through the inside, the legs that to affect the way something like this moves deserves a good six to eight weeks rehearsal to move passively during that process. We have to you have to start looking at changing the types solve the unexpected. stop ascent just before the slew rings of his of valves, you can’t do it in the control of the knees pass total vertical, otherwise he might sit pumps. There is, unfortunately, no fast and “The form of the cladding is down to Kim Gavin back down with knees bent backwards, so the certain way of predicting valve behaviour, they and Es Devlin’s input,” continued Hartman. relationship between mast and feet is critical.” advised us it’s just faster to swap them and try “They modelled it; then we scanned their model alternatives,” which was what Cave was doing by laser to produce the CNC moulding. The On balance what does Hartman think of OM? the night before dress rehearsal. At Manchester, shell is fibre glass with a metal frame. John “Trouble is, as the Greeks noted when they built I asked operator Williams if this change had Prentice at Brilliant kept on top of that element - monumental art into their theatres; whatever is improved movement? “Yes, it made all the he managed the CAD drawings so that it all met largest diminishes the others, so OM’s impact is difference, much smoother, but we are still up. Trouble is, OM was too big to assemble at lessened by the presence of his big brother on learning how he behaves.” And still are. www.lsionline.co.uk

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