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RIHANNA’S SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW TPi talks to those involved in the staging elements of one of the most talked-about halftime shows of all time.
Words: Stew Hume Photo: JJohnny Keirle, courtesy of L-Acoustics and TAIT
Although we’re based in the UK and admittedly don’t have the first clue about American football [it’s a bit like rugby, right?] There is one element of the sport that always grabs the attention of everyone in the TPi office: The Super Bowl Halftime Show. This year was no exception, with a small army of dancers joining Rihanna for a performance that not only took over the field but also the vertical space within the stadium. Using the world’s biggest stage to announce that she was pregnant with her second child, she would have been forgiven for producing a dialled-back performance. However, this couldn’t have been further from the truth, with the singer elevated several feet in the air on automated floating platforms as she blasted through her back catalogue spanning her decade-and-a-half career. TAIT was brought in at the ground floor to follow through with the audacious design, and Project Manager, Erick Fields gave TPi the lowdown on the project. “We received our first phone call in the last week of October 2022, which then prompted the first of our site visits the following week,” began Fields. “We began creating concepts and we had a full design by mid-November. Fabrication began in early December and it was a race until load out to get everything built and then prepared by our first ship date in early January. It was an extremely tight turnaround given the scope of the project and the holiday season.” The eventual delivery included seven custom flying platforms and two TAIT Navigator
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camera systems. The platforms were rigged at four locations per platform for extra stability. The rigging system fed around seven miles of Vectran rope through a series of diverter pulleys rigged on trusses connected to the stadium roof. From their field positions, the flying platforms were diverted to an array of TAIT 440 winches via an arbor system that routes the 56 lifting lines. Given the tight turnaround, TAIT required materials that were readily available. Not only that, but the platforms needed to be as lightweight as possible, which led Fields and the team to opt for an aluminium I-beam and C-channel construction with a plywood top, making them lightweight, rigid, and buildable in the timeframe. Fields continued to discuss the logistical challenges of putting on such a massive production amid the huge sporting event. “It was a rather big challenge for us to overcome,” he stated. “The platforms were in a storage position that was up and out of the field of play for the game. To do this, we had a second automation system that would take these platforms up into their storage position by another counterweight arbor along with a redundant Nav Hoist system.” With the system living in the stadium prior to the show, this brought along a unique set of coordination challenges. Everything from when the field was coming in and out each day to coordinating the airspace with the Skycam teams for the game meant it was a daily conversation for the TAIT team to map out the
work that needed to be done with the other vendors and the stadium. Discussing the safety implications of the show was TAIT Control Integrator, David Alfano. “Safety of everyone involved was our number one design consideration. While it may have been hard to see on TV, all performers were tethered to the platforms via a short selfretracting lanyard that restricted motion to the centre of the platform. Even though dancers were tethered, floating, much less dancing 60ft in the air can be a bit unnerving. To make sure everyone felt comfortable, dancers went through an extensive safety on-boarding at rehearsals in LA and then again in Arizona.” Before every rehearsal and before the game, the entire system was fully inspected. In the event something unexpected were to occur, spotters positioned on the field, in the air, and next to the winches were capable of stopping the system safely. The TAIT team of 35 that were onsite starting in mid-January and throughout game day oversaw the load-in for the show. The advance team consisted primarily of riggers and automation system experts to install and commission the rig. Teams transitioned to show support and programming two weeks before game day, and riggers and local crew were back on-site for the five-day load-out. “Finding enough time to program and rehearse for a Super Bowl is always tough,” commented Alfano. “This year was especially challenging due to the precautions in place to protect the turf. We had seven days – around