TPMEA #034 - February/March 2022

FEBRUARY / MARCH • ISSUE 034

UAE 50TH NATIONAL DAY THE UAE CELEBRATES ITS GOLDEN JUBILEE WITH AN AUDIO-VISUAL SPECTACULAR

MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM • DAVID GUETTA NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVESTREAM • EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS • FIFA ARAB CUP

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WELCOME...

TO TPMEA

Happy birthday UAE This issue of TPMEA feels like something of a watershed moment for me. Why, you ask?

Because back in December, for the first time since the emergence of COVID-19, Fran and I got on a plane and flew to Dubai. That’s right – after two whole years of reporting on the Middle East from the comfort of my back bedroom, it was finally time for me to get back out there and see it in person again – and, boy, was it good to be back.

It was great to catch up with friends old and new, and to reassure everyone that we do, in fact, exist outside of a Zoom call. We even managed to tear ourselves away from the Irish Village and Mr Toad’s for long enough to take in the simply stunning spectacle that is Expo 2020. As anyone who has set foot on the immense site will know, a day was nowhere near enough time to appreciate it in all its glory, and I’ll be sure to return before it closes on 31 March.

Our trip came just after a huge milestone in the history of the UAE, as the country celebrated its 50th birthday. Unsurprisingly, the event did not pass by inconspicuously, with the National Projects Office pulling out all the stops, commissioning an audio-visual spectacular centred on a giant, Es Devlin-designed rotating disc floating in Hatta Dam. We’ve got an in-depth tech profile on the event on page 18.

Elsewhere in the issue, one of the world’s largest EDM events, MDLBEAST Soundstorm, returns to Saudi Arabia (page 32), and David Guetta is back with another livestream – this time a New Year’s Eve special from the Louvre Abu Dhabi (page 42).

I’m also delighted to announce that the TPMEA Awards is returning to Dubai on 19 May, with a venue to be confirmed. After such a difficult period for the industry, we can’t wait to get everyone back into one room again for a good, old-fashioned knees-up.

Stay tuned for more details.

Enjoy the issue.

Peter Iantorno Editorial Director

www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpmeaawards.com

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 06 – FIRST LOOK: CHRISTOPHE BERTHONNEAU

The CEO and Creative Director of Groupe F explains his artistic process and speculates on the future of drone-powered pyro shows.

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10 – MIDDLE EAST NEWS

The latest news from the Middle East, including the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, FIFA Arab Cup Opening Ceremony, Colour Sound Experiment’s new KSA HQ, and the teams at Pyrojunkies and ER Productions joining forces.

18 – UAE 50TH NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION

The UAE celebrates its Golden Jubilee in style with an extraordinary production centred on a giant rotating disc floating in the waters of Hatta Dam.

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32 – MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM

One of the world’s biggest EDM festivals makes a triumphant return to Saudi Arabia.

42 – DAVID GUETTA NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVESTREAM

The French superstar DJ and UAE resident performs a spectacular New Year’s Eve livestream from the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

50 – EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

High-tech examples of innovation among the catalogue of pavilions on show at Expo 2020.

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60 – AFRICA NEWS

The latest news from Africa, including a new dedicated distribution company for Stage Audio Works and the YouthX Summit.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Peter Iantorno Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7763 233637 e-mail: p.iantorno@mondiale.co.uk

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Stew Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk

CONTRIBUTING ASSISTANT EDITOR Jacob Waite Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8352 Mobile: +44 (0)7592 679612 e-mail: j.waite@mondiale.co.uk

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 e-mail: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk

ACCOUNT MANAGER Fran Begaj Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7852 336728 e-mail: f.begaj@mondiale.co.uk

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER James Robertson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7725 475819 e-mail: j.robertson@mondiale.co.uk

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Mel Capper: m.capper@mondiale.co.uk

ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk

MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY UAE 50th National Day by Done & Dusted

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

CHRISTOPHE BERTHONNEAU, CEO AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, GROUPE F THE CREATIVE MASTERMIND BEHIND SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAYS EXPLAINS HIS ARTISTIC PROCESS AND SPECULATES ON THE FUTURE OF DRONE-POWERED PYRO SHOWS.

For 30 years, Groupe F has been designing and realising open-air pyrotechnic shows and theatrical works. With an ability to bring together multidisciplinary teams of the highest artistic and technical level, the company is constantly striving to find new, creative ways of delivering “once-in-a-lifetime” moments to audiences all over the world.

Here, CEO and Creative Director, Christophe Berthonneau reveals some of the methods behind the magic and looks back on some recent notable projects from the Middle East.

Talk us through your creative process…

Whenever I start a project, I think about the context and create something that will fit into the space and the remit we are given. Creating a show from scratch is a bit like having a fridge full of lots of things to eat and being able to open that fridge and pick anything you like. If you pick items that don’t go well together then you won’t make a nice meal, but pick the right ingredients and combine them in the right way and you’ll create something beautiful.

How do you balance the business and artistic aspects of your role?

I always lean towards the artistic and creative side of a project. Yes, I understand that I am in control of the technical – and this is the correct way to do it because pyro is inaccessible for most people – but even working within that strict framework, there is still the opportunity to let your imagination run wild. We have the power to create climactic moments, to thrill and to make memories that will last a lifetime.

We have three pillars that govern the way we work in Groupe F: safety, artistic and production. Safety is simple and is, of course, the most important. We are creating joyous moments for the audience and there can be no accidents under any circumstances.

Coming just behind safety is artistic. Life is long, and each project we undertake requires a lot of hard work. So, if at the end of the project you’re not happy with what you have done artistically then, for me, it’s a waste of time. I’m nearly 60 years old and I don’t want to waste any time; I just want to be more creative and more relevant with every new project.

Third is production. Sometimes artistic intent and production don’t complement each other. What is more creative is usually harder to achieve; while a simple technical solution may

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

be easy, a more creative solution may be much more complicated. However, the fact that I must find the balance means that the artistic wins.

experience. This doesn’t happen every time, but when it does, I always come home with a huge smile on my face.

What are your main aims with each show?

My goal is to do something that makes me proud, and it makes me proud to create moments that people never forget.

It’s a very high-level requirement that I’ve been working to achieve for more than 30 years now. I don’t want to do an ‘interesting’ show, and I don’t want people to be ‘entertained’ – I want people to have a true once-in-a-lifetime

How important is the Middle East for you?

We have a strong demand in the Middle East and there is a genuine desire and means within the region to push the boundaries of creativity. For example, we have done the Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve show for two years in a row.

After last year’s show, we identified the possibility of doing something even more special for 2022. We immediately got to work on the

concept and came up with something incredible.

We broke two Guinness World Records, with the number of pyro drones used (458) and the height of the drone tower (1km and 55m). The audience reaction was amazing – what a way to start 2022.

How is new technology such as drones changing what you do?

Pyro has been around in one form or another for a long time and, on a basic level, we are doing the same job that we and those who came before us have always done – creating special moments for the audience. Part of this job is keeping up

FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

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“We’re trying to show that pyro can be done locally with less environmental impact but maximum creativity.”

Christophe Berthonneau, Groupe F CEO and Creative Director

to date with advancements in technology that ultimately create a better, more engaging show.

The first time I saw a drone show it was before a firework show we did in Qatar and my first thought was that the quality and precision of this format is so high, and the possibilities are so many that fireworks will soon be redundant.

However, then I thought about it some more and realised that we have all the tools to combine drones and pyro. We investigated various options and ultimately decided to develop our own drone, made in Toulouse, France, with all programming done in Europe.

To be autonomous without relying on Chinese manufacturing is one of the goals of Groupe F and it’s very satisfying to be on course

to achieve this. We’re trying to show that pyro can be done locally with less environmental impact but maximum creativity.

How did Groupe F handle the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic?

We did the opposite to many other companies.

While they were reducing size and consolidating, we took on more employees – especially those younger than 25. I tried to take those two years to redefine the tools of Groupe F. I’m mindful that I can’t go on forever, so I decided to push hard on the technical side of the business, focusing on new technology that excites young people. When you see the young team we had working for the UAE’s 50th National

Day Celebration for example, they all left the project smiling and happy – that is the future of the company. We employ a diverse group of people from all over Europe, the US and Asia, and we try to be representative of society. For me, it’s very important to have a good mix.

What are your goals for the future?

The main goal is to create nice memories – especially now when a lot of the world is depressed and life is uncertain. We aim to mix the old and the new to generate special experiences.

Who am I to decide what is special? Nobody, but I am the right guy to throw a party!

Photos: Hervé Hôte, Nicolas Chavance, Groupe F www.groupef.com

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

FIFA ARAB CUP QATAR 2021 OPENING CEREMONY CT DEPLOYS BARCO AND PANASONIC PROJECTORS AT QATAR’S AL BAYT STADIUM. Even before a ball was kicked at the hosts’ opening FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 match against Bahrain, there was a feast for the eyes as the newly inaugurated Al Bayt Stadium staged a stunning opening ceremony. In a show befitting the historic occasion, fans were treated to a jaw-dropping pyrotechnics and projection display, along with beautiful choreography that featured traditional themes, scenes, and costumes from the Arab region.

Having previously delivered several largescale projection-mapping projects in Qatar and with a local office in the country, Creative Technology (CT) was entrusted with the video

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projection elements of the ceremony. The company supplied and installed 20 Barco UDV-4K40 projectors to cover the full field of play, as well as a combination of Panasonic RQ35K and more Barco UDV-4K40 projectors to cover three motorised transparent screens.

With each unit manually loaded up the steep step incline and narrow walkways of Al Bayt Stadium to the final seating level from the top concourse, the resulting projection was bright, high-contrast and able to reproduce high-quality content delivered by the client accurately within a full 4K workflow onto a large canvas size. “We have been operating in Qatar for over 15 years,

which is prior to Qatar being awarded the FIFA 2022 World Cup rights,” commented Irum Ashraf, General Manager in Qatar.

“Our presence there will always remain a key part of our business,” she continued. “The World Cup in 2022 is a very exciting time for us.

We have just signed on an additional warehouse and employed further local staff, allowing us to service more projects. Beyond 2022 is also key for our local office as we are looking forward to the challenges that the 2023 Doha Expo and 2030 Asian Games bring.”

Photos: FIFA www.ct-group.com

REGIONAL ROUND-UP

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STAGE FX AND LASER FX ADD SPARKLE TO F1 ABU DHABI THE COMPANY SUPPLIES SFX AND LASER MAPPING AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. Stage FX and Laser FX were tasked with supplying a range of special effects and laser solutions during the Abu Dhabi F1, at both the race and the Yasalam After-Race Concerts.

At Yas Marina Circuit, the company provided its new MagicFX CO2 free stadium blowers with gold confetti to create a podium celebration.

Laser FX meanwhile worked with Neumann & Müller, supplying multiple RYGB Phaenon lasers to bring to life the large Abu Dhabi logo on Yas

Marina Circuit Hill. At the Yasalam After-Race Concerts, Flash Entertainment appointed the company to provide a special effects package for Stormzy and Lewis Capaldi, as well as special effects and lasers for DJ Snake and Martin Garrix. The supply included CO2 jets, G-Flames, Sparkulars, Stadium Shot Xtremes and lasers.

Photo: Stage FX and Laser FX www.stagefx.com www.laserfx.com

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

ECA2 LIGHTS BURJ KHALIFA FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE THE COMPANY DEPLOYS PR LIGHTING AQUA 580 BEAMS AT NEW YEAR’S EVE SPECTACULAR. Dubai’s 2022 New Year’s celebrations went ahead as usual despite the COVID-19 pandemic, including a spectacular laser and light show from the Burj Khalifa, created and produced by ECA2 with Laser System Europe (LSE) Managing Director, Patrick Awouters at the helm of the light and laser elements.

The company drew on its inventory of PR Lighting fixtures, deploying 250 AQUA 580 Beam waterproof moving heads. These lined up alongside 60 RGB lasers, ranging from 60W to 100W. The IP66-rated AQUA 580 Beam fixtures were recommended by Awouters, project managing the lighting with his son, Nathan. The fixtures had been purchased specifically for this

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project, and Awouters was in no doubt that they would be fit for purpose after delivering proof of concept for the client.

He cited “the combination of the brightness, the power, the weight and the experience of PR Lighting manufacturing IP-rated products over many years – mixed with our own experience of using PR products”, as the principal drivers.

The company has had more than four years of working with PR Lighting. “They are really professional and always react extremely quickly to all our requests, reflecting the quality in their product,” Awouters commented. “The AQUA 580 Beams met our expectations perfectly. We are impressed with the incredible power-to-weight

ratio, the colour fidelity as well as other options.”

Awouters was unequivocal in his praise for the AQUA Beam 580. “When we conducted a test for the customer, showing the AQUA 580 Beam against the competitor product, as soon as he saw the brightness and beam quality, his choice was immediately to the PR Lighting fixture.”

The show will be projected onto the building every hour from 6:15pm to 10:15pm on weekdays, with extended shows every 30 minutes until 10:45pm on weekends up to 31 March.

Photos: Ralph Larmann www.pr-lighting.com www.eca2.com www.lse.eu

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

PYROJUNKIES JOINS ER PRODUCTIONS GROUP THE MOVE IS SET TO INCREASE THE GROUP’S CAPACITY TO DELIVER MORE MAJOR SFX AND LASER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND. Pyrojunkies has become part of the ER Productions Group. “Dan [Mott, Pyrojunkies Founder] and his team were aware that we had started working with SFX with the goal of bringing it to the same standard as our laser offering, so it seemed like a great move to bring Pyrojunkies into the group due to their experience in this field,” stated Ryan Hagan, Co-Founder of ER Productions. “We know the team at Pyrojunkies and have even worked on numerous shows together.”

The new team has already been out in the field in the Middle East, supplying a complete SFX and laser package for all stages at Saudi Arabia’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm [page 32]. “It’s a great time to make this announcement, following our successful delivery at MDLBEAST Soundstorm,” Mott informed TPMEA. In fact, the Middle East has become a major region of interest for both companies. In the past few months, ER Productions has opened its new Saudi Office – home of all the equipment used on

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Soundstorm – and the new partnership is set for a full season in the region, working on a range of high-level projects including Formula E. Currently the two companies will remain in their respective headquarters, however, the plan is to bring the Group under one roof at ER Productions’ new facility, which has been five years in the making.

“Although we are bringing both companies into the same building, nothing will change with client experiences,” assured ER Productions CoFounder, Marc Webber. “Clients who have worked with Pyrojunkies in the past will still be speaking to the same team and the same goes for those working with ER Productions.”

Speaking generally about the partnership, Mott explained what he believed being part of ER Productions Group would mean for Pyrojunkies.

“I hope some of my day-to-day operations are going to become a lot easier,” he chuckled.

“Pyrojunkies is a much smaller company, which inevitably means most of us have worn multiple

hats over the years. Now being part of the ER Productions Group is going to help us when it comes to bigger shows and means some of our staff can look to specialise in a specific skill rather than have to do it all.”

The new partnership is also set to bring a benefit when it comes to product development.

“We have always designed and developed our own products when it comes to lasers,” said Webber. “With Pyrojunkies now in-house with their knowledge of SFX, it will be interesting to begin developing products in the field.”

Webber closed by praising Pyrojunkies forefathers, Shane Caulfield and Richard Huffam.

“They started the company back in 2003 and although Dan has been running the show for a few years, they were still brought into the conversation, and we talked at length about the future of the company.”

Photo: Drew Ressler (www.rukes.com) www.er-productions.com www.pyrojunkies.com

ER PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCE THE A C Q U I S I T I O N O F P Y R O J U N K I E S LT D The industry leading special effects company Pyrojunkies Limited has recently become an integral part of ER Productions.

ER Productions are the world renowned, innovative and award-winning laser and SFX specialist. Pyrojunkies are a well established company supplying an extensive range of SFX including pyrotechnics & spark, flame & fire, confetti & streamer, CO2 & smoke, water & rain, snow & bubble and much more.

Both companies have unrivalled reputations for providing exceptional expertise, design and technology to some of the most iconic shows in the world.

Together they are looking forward to a spectacular future.

For more information, or a demonstration contact ER Productions: London +44 1322 293 135 | Riyadh +966 53 244 9195 | Las Vegas +1 702 330 8530 | Sydney +61 403 703 731 | Ibiza +34 938 000291

info@er-productions.com | www.er-productions.com

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

The Colour Sound Experiment team onsite at MDLBEAST Soundstorm; Managing Director, Haydn Cruickshank.

COLOUR SOUND EXPERIMENT OPENS IN SAUDI ARABIA THE TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY OPENS A NEW 30,000 SQ FT FACILITY IN JEDDAH IN RESPONSE TO STRONG DEMAND FROM THE SAUDI MARKET.

With an extensive and ever-evolving stock of intelligent lighting and LED, Colour Sound Experiment has become a mainstay of the industry in the 33 years since it began in 1989.

In recent years, the UK-based company has seen demand for its services skyrocket in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia in particular proving a fruitful market. “The volume of shows we were being asked to look at in the country was astounding,” commented Managing Director, Haydn Cruickshank.

To service this sustained demand in the country, the company has opened a brand-new office in Jeddah. A 30,000 sq ft facility, the new warehouse is already full of new stock from the likes of ROE Visual, Leyard, Ayrton, Claypaky and MA Lighting. “We also have a good stock of Litec truss and EXE D8+ motors, as well as CAD

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and previsualisation facilities on site,” he added.

A small Colour Sound team travelled to the Kingdom to get the operation up and running.

“We sent some people there to help get things set up and provide training and integration,” Cruickshank revealed. “A few are staying but most of the team there are new employees.”

This move is part of a long-term strategy on building sustainably in the Kingdom, nurturing local talent and ultimately helping build towards the Saudi Vision 2030.

“It’s crazy that currently to put on a big show in Saudi Arabia you have to fly in many of the techs and bring most of the kit from other countries,” Cruickshank stated. “Our local training programme is a huge part of the plan to help create a sustainable live events industry in the country.” Saudi Arabia is a market that

Cruickshank is incredibly excited about. “It is still in its infancy in terms of live events and that presents huge challenges, which is part of the appeal,” he commented.

“It’s also the biggest population in the region.

The prospect of bringing awe-inspiring shows to a young population – most of which haven’t seen anything like it before – is extremely appealing.

“We’ve made a big commitment to the region and the Middle East is set to become an extremely important market for us,” he concluded. “Our aim is to get the Saudi Arabia branch to a point where there are enough local skills and knowledge in house that it doesn’t rely on the UK side for any technical support, or at least where that support is mutual.”

Photos: Colour Sound Experiment www.coloursound.com

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UAE 50TH NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION THE UAE CELEBRATES ITS GOLDEN JUBILEE WITH AN AUDIO-VISUAL SPECTACLE CENTRED ON A GIANT ROTATING DISC FLOATING IN HATTA DAM.

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Every year, the UAE’s National Day celebration is one of the most important dates in the region’s live events calendar. With 2021 marking the country’s Golden Jubilee, the UAE National Projects Office pulled out all the stops, calling on most of the same team behind the hugely successful 49th National Day celebration in 2020 – which centred around a unique kinetic sculpture installed in the Abu Dhabi mangroves – to ensure that the extra-special anniversary would be celebrated in style. Reprising her role as Artistic Director and Designer, Es Devlin once again worked with LarMac PROJECTS Executive Creative Producer, Jo MacKay in leading the creative team, producing a spectacle that charted the country’s history in the lead-up to its inception in 1971 and throughout the subsequent 50 years.

“Following the success of the 49th UAE National Day, the client decided that they wanted Es to design the 50th. It was to be a big celebration of how the UAE has developed over the years,” began MacKay. “This year, Es’ creativity was the most technically audacious and emotionally ambitious in order to deliver a country’s attitude to its past and future.” The show on 2 December was performed in front of an invited VIP audience

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and broadcast to key locations around the UAE, followed by 10 additional daily shows from 3 to 12 December – all featuring specially composed songs and poetry, drone-launched fireworks, a light show, water displays and 5.1 surround sound to convey the relationship between people and nature, and the ties between Emiratis, their homeland, and the environment.

TV Production company, Done+Dusted and acclaimed TV Director, Hamish Hamilton filmed the event on 2 December for the live TV broadcast, with huge audience numbers tuning in from all over the UAE. The show is still viewable worldwide through the official website.

“The whole show and audience floats,” explained Devlin. “We explored some new ways of using less pyrotechnics to elevate the fireworks into the air, using drones to lift them to a height, then a combination of drone and fireworks to create a new illusion that I certainly haven’t worked with before. In addition, we created projections in mid-air using water screens, as well as a huge sculptural element that, again, is floating. All of these things pushed engineering to its limits at the site in Hatta.”

LarMac enlisted a team of 650 creative, cast, technical and safety personnel from 100 countries to bring Devlin’s vivid designs to life,

with 1.5 million hours of work necessary to build the floating stage alone. Wonder Works provided technical design and engineering, Al Laith supplied temporary infrastructure, Stage One oversaw the centrepiece rotating disc stage, and EFM supplied logistics services. PRG supplied lighting, audio was provided by Agora, and Creative Technology handled projection – utilising VYV Photon media servers.

Industry veteran Bruno Poet was the show’s Lighting Designer, Luke Halls Studio created the detailed video content, while Auditoria, led by Scott Willsallen, took charge of the complex audio design. Groupe F handled the pyro and drone displays, Matrix Laser provided special effects, and Crystal Group supplied the water effects systems. Aggreko Events Services was appointed as the turnkey temporary power provider.

Gulf Crewing Company provided crew, while iRIG was tasked with production rigging, structural anchor drilling and automation and performer flying solutions.

The entire production required monumental teamwork, as LarMac PROJECTS Director, Ian Greenway explained: “Like all National Day projects, this one came with its challenges,” he noted. “We hadn’t built a lake on top of an existing lake before, never mind with automated

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stages or grandstands on top. As always, we try to engage with the best and only by promoting a collaborative team effort were we able to pull off this unique and culturally significant event. We relocated hundreds of talented teammates to the Hajar Mountains and, at times, had to rip up the manual of how to stage events,” he continued.

“We learnt how to build mountain roads, install dam bed anchoring systems, float audience reception and grandstand areas, and manage water safety and diving teams. Most of all, we were inspired every day thanks to the incredible UAE landscape that we were working in.”

As well as Greenway and MacKay, the LarMac PROJECTS team comprised Executive Producer, Nick Levitt; Technical Director, Simon L. Lachance; Creative Producer, Siobhan Shaw; and Assistants to the Producers, Zoe Gillespie, and Finlay Bowrey.

“Thanks and congratulations should not only be extended to the crew and companies working under the LarMac PROJECTS umbrella, but to the five young Emirati female creative forces at the heart of the 50th National Day celebrations,” MacKay noted. “Creative Executive Producer,

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Rawdha Al Qubaisi; Artistic Director, Shaikha Al Ketbi; Scriptwriter, Maryam Al Dabbagh; Voiceover Artist, Raihana Al Hashmi (‘Voice of the Nation’); and Brand Designer, Kholoud Sharafi, who have truly contributed to a meaningful cultural evolution in the region.”

‘BIG BOOTS TO FILL’ Talking to TPMEA after the dust had settled on the event, MacKay looked back on the “crazy roller-coaster ride” of a project, which saw Devlin’s 19m-high rotating disc-shaped stage set in the turquoise waters of Hatta Dam. “With the dam reaching depths of 22m in places and the water liable to rise and fall significantly depending on the weather, finding a floating device that could take the weight of the 200-tonne stage and 700-tonne grandstand was a huge challenge,” she recalled. “That’s where Wonder Works were amazing. Working with Piers [Shepperd, Director, Wonder Works] is always a pleasure. He loves trying to find solutions for crazy ideas.”

After assessing all the options, it was finally decided that the best solution would require

giant floating pontoons tethered to the bottom of the reservoir to prevent movement in the wind.

With over 400 tonnes of water sitting on top of the pontoons to create the illusion of a lake on a lake, this major engineering feat took an army of industry specialists over 18 weeks to perfect. “It was touch and go for a while,” MacKay admitted.

“We weren’t sure if it would be physically possible to float that amount of weight, but the engineers looked at it with Piers and eventually came up with the solution.”

Another major challenge came courtesy of the remote location and harsh terrain of Hatta’s Hajar Mountains. Around an hour-and-a-half outside of Dubai, the steep roads and loose, rocky ground made transporting materials to the site a difficult task – and even once the site was reached, there was the not-so-small matter of the dam wall to consider. “There were around 200 pontoons and each one had to be either brought over the dam wall or floated round from another area of the dam,” MacKay recalled. “Every piece of equipment was craned in over the dam wall.

It added a huge amount of time to the load-in.

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Nobody had done anything like it before.”

The process was aided by the work of Wonder Works’ Technical Designer and CAD expert, Ben O’Neil, who was on site from early September capturing 3D information using a Trimble SX10 laser scanner, which allowed the team to form a clear picture of the terrain to make design decisions with confidence.

“Es Devlin’s creative ideas always push the boundaries of what is possible, which is why we love working with her. We are very proud to be part of a trusted team that can deliver such an ambitious concept without having to compromise on the result,” Shepperd said of his company’s involvement. MacKay added: “Having Wonder Works’ technical knowledge and Ben on site was what enabled me to sleep at night on this ambitious design. No matter the creative, Wonder Works will do what’s needed to deliver the best possible solution.”

Much of the performance infrastructure was engineered, procured and constructed

by Al Laith. “This was an extremely exciting project for us to be part of, which presented many unprecedented challenges we have never experienced before, given the unique nature of

the location and its design,” said Al Laith Senior Technical Manager, Devan Bezuidenhout.

Al Laith’s scope was to engineer, procure and construct the main stage platform, the majlis and grandstand, which included two custom elevator systems as well as construct the floating cast and technical walkways. Al Laith also constructed the technical bunkers in the mountain, plus provided ancillary equipment to support site logistics including fences and barriers, ablution units, site offices, lighting towers, golf buggies and mules.

“Initially, building on the floating pontoons provided its own challenges considering the lack of access into the dam with our vehicles and machinery, but our biggest challenge was to engineer and construct a 12m-wide and 300m-long transportation buggy ramp alongside the dam wall on an almost 45° scope,” Bezuidenhout recalled.

“This was especially challenging as we had to resolve the potential issue of the entire structure sliding down the dam wall and into the water,” added Al Laith Engineering Manager, Malcolm Rees. “We were able to resolve this issue by engineering and installing a heavy-duty rigging solution, using a steel cable tying the structure to

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the top of the dam wall via 68 chemical anchors equally distributed along the ramp.”

The ramp had a 15m-long gangway bridge to enable access to the rear of the majlis that was floating and was hinged to accommodate a rise in water levels in case it rained. The ramp weighed 34 tonnes in total and was installed manually

by Bezuidenhout and his team of construction personnel through a variety of complex lifting and rigging methods.

“We are privileged to be trusted by our clients and the National Projects Office of the UAE to undertake such a critical project,” stated Al Laith CEO, Jason English. “The trust that our clients place in us is an honour we take seriously, and I am extremely proud of Devan and the entire team for their dedication and commitment to delivering this project safely and on time.”

The rotating stage was engineered, fabricated, installed and operated by Stage One. “It was an audacious concept from the get-go,” stated Stage One Managing Director, Tim Leigh.

“Engineering something like this is one thing, engineering under pressure to hit an immovable deadline is another. The location alone created particular challenges; being in the desert, in the

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mountains, in a remote setting.” Starting work in July, the sculpture was designed, built, and transported to site in just three months, with teams arriving to install it in early September.

Once fully loaded on site with scenery, reflective water pool and performers, the disc weighed in at almost 300 tonnes.

The key challenge for the Stage One team was engineering a heavy steel structure that would remain balanced in a cantilevered state on the floating pontoon. This was achieved through judicious structural and marine engineering and “a hefty serving” of ballast. To allow the disc to revolve, it was constructed on top of three concentric track rings and was driven by four motors, controlled by Stage One’s proprietary automation system, Qmotion.

With Stage One another returning supplier from the 49th National Day, Leigh was delighted to get the band back together again. “I’m a big believer that being among friends breeds bravery, so working with the same team as last year meant a seemingly impossible idea, while incredibly challenging, felt achievable,” he said.

MacKay added: “Working with Stage One last year with Artistic Director and Designer Es Devlin’s rotating cube enabled us to work together to fine-tune another ambitious rotating project with a lot more challenges. It was

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delivered by a methodical and hard-working Stage One team.”

Another returning supplier from the 49th National Day was UAE-based iRIG, which was tasked with production rigging, structural anchor drilling as well as automation and performer flying solutions. “This project was the perfect opportunity for us to introduce our new automation partner, SimpleMotion, to the Middle East,” commented iRIG Owner and Managing Director, Ryan D’Cunha.

“The challenges that all departments faced during the installation are impossible to convey.

However, as always, the fantastic suppliers all went above and beyond to produce the most stunning National Day to date. Following last year’s show, we all knew that we had big boots to fill to ensure the wow factor was surpassed, and we feel that this was certainly achieved. It was our pleasure and honour to be invited back.”

Unsurprisingly, the project required a vast workforce, which was provided by Gulf Crewing Company (GCC). Over the course of six months from August until January, GCC supplied 11,545 crew, who put in a staggering 147,708 hours to ensure that the ambitious project was achieved.

“GCC was – and indeed still is – honoured to play a part in another National Day Celebration.

To be part of its 50th is a badge we wear with

pride,” commented GCC Managing Director, Karen Beaton. “The team love working on these shows, but it’s not only about delivering one of the most incredible cultural and heritage shows – it’s very much about working with clients and friends who are part of the wider GCC family.”

‘A VERY HOLISTIC APPROACH’ Auditoria, led by Scott Willsallen, designed the complex L-Acoustics audio system, which comprised near-field, far-field and very-farfield systems working in combination to deliver specific elements of the show.

“As with all of Es’ projects, it starts with her design, which is as much about architecture as it is about the stage and performance. It was a very holistic approach to celebrating the 50th UAE National Day,” began Willsallen, talking to TPMEA after the 2 December show. “The architecture is very strong, so I was keen to do something near field for the audience as well as a more distant panoramic sound field and a third layer to celebrate the environment that we were in.”

The three-layered sound design led the development process of the geometry of the audience grandstand. “The focus was on fitting the required technology into the grandstand so we could deliver that near-field sound as well as local displays for each audience member,”

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Willsallen recalled. With this in mind, the grandstand seating was configured mostly in couples, with each couples seat benefitting from three L-Acoustics 5XTs and individual left, centre and right based on a central LCD display.

X4i loudspeakers were used for rear left and right, while a further 20 Syva Low dual 12” bass speakers were distributed evenly throughout the audience area.

“There were an enormous number of small speakers and displays to fit in, but we were independent of the main design of the staging

object, so the iconic design could lead the whole look of the show,” Willsallen commented. “We didn’t want anything to get in the way of that.

It was labour intensive, but from an integration point of view, it was straightforward.”

Comprising over 500 5XTs, 300 X4is and 20 Syva Lows, this near-field system provided a spatial listening experience for every listener – something Willsallen was particularly pleased with. “Part of the brief for this project was to provide an audio experience that is unlike anything anyone has ever heard. To do that,

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rather than treating the audience area as one large plane and making it the same across the board, we needed to treat each member of the audience as an individual.

“In the design phase, we focused on one member of the audience and asked ourselves, ‘how do we make that person’s experience memorable?’ Then we repeated the process another 350 or so times – keeping in mind that whatever we did for one person couldn’t impact on the person sitting next to them – until we were sure that each audience member was

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getting the best experience.” The far-field audio element consisted of six arrays of six L-Acoustics K2s distributed along the elliptical walkway and an array of 16 L-Acoustics KS28 subs at a distance of 110m from the grandstand. This system was used to add depth of field to the music – particularly strings, choir and percussion – and for sound effects relating to the projected content.

Moving outward to the very-far-field, a system of eight L-Acoustics KARA arrays comprising six speakers each was distributed around the site, using the mountains as a reflective tool to bounce sound back towards the grandstand. “From the early planning phases, there was always the idea to activate the mountains in some way to celebrate the environment and the heritage of how the locals would communicate across these valleys in years gone by,” he said.

While the possibility of rigging the arrays in the mountains was briefly considered, after some thought, the Auditoria team decided instead to point the speakers directly at the cliff face and bounce the sound back towards the audience.

“I started with eight dots on a site plan and the rest we figured out once we got on site,” Willsallen said of the speaker positioning. “Four out of the eight positions worked very well

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straight away and the other four required us to experiment with some different positions until we found a solution that worked. We listened to each individual location and made tweaks to try to make it sound more diffuse, but also balanced to avoid pulling the audience one way or the other,” he added. “What amazed me is how much power we had to put through the system to get a sufficient level back. We didn’t break anything, but we certainly pushed the limits.”

For control, a mirrored pair of DiGiCo SD7Q consoles with a pair of L-ISA Processors, one per console, were used, connected using MADI. The signal distribution system consisted of multiple DiGiCo SD Racks for inputs and various Optocore network devices distributing the outputs to LA-Racks around the venue. The L-ISA session included 96 MADI inputs and 10 outputs. The inputs consisted of mono stems and solo instruments and mono sound effects objects, as well as a printed 7.1 sound effects package. The L-ISA Processor was controlled in several ways including directly from the L-ISA Controller, via DeskLink from the SD7Q and from the Ovation / Pyramix system using the L-ISA Plug-in.

“I’m familiar with all the main products and this is the one I feel most at home with – it feels the most intuitive and tends to give me the best

results for my kind of projects,” Willsallen said of the L-Acoustics system. “There’s also a lot of L-Acoustics available locally.”

With a total of 979 loudspeakers used on the project, good availability was vital. “The quantities are massive,” he laughed. “Thankfully, the timing worked well for a lot of the kit that was used on the Expo 2020 Opening Ceremony to be prepared and sent to Hatta. It was an efficient way of getting huge amounts of product onto site with very little freight required.”

The location of the floating stage made loadin a considerable task – “it was a day’s activity to install the amp rack alone” – however, Willsallen conceded humbly that “the biggest challenges on this project were nothing to do with sound”.

He expanded: “Whatever the biggest challenges were for the audio department paled into insignificance when it comes to the mammoth task of building a giant floating platform and creating the stage and grandstand. The effort of others should be celebrated far more so than us on this project.”

Looking back on the project, the Auditoria owner reflected on the “very enjoyable process” of working in the core creative team. “It’s been a huge collaboration between all departments. It’s such a short journey from having an initial idea,

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to generating a design, to having it installed. That whole process is a satisfying and surprisingly efficient experience. The whole project moves so quickly that as soon as a conversation happens and an idea is brought to the table, it is implemented immediately.”

He added: “Our directive was all about enhancing the creative and making something memorable from an audio point of view. I’m really pleased with the creative direction that was taken, the uniqueness, how special the experience of the show is and how much we were able to add to that.”

The Auditoria team also included Richard Sharratt on FOH, Martin Dineley on systems, Simon Sayer and Matteo Peraccini on replay, with remote support from Luis Miranda and Steve Logan. The system was supplied, installed and maintained by Agora.

‘A TRULY MESMERISING SHOW’ Creative Technology (CT) was selected to provide projection technology and personnel to deliver Devlin’s creative design, with detailed hardware requirements provided by Projection Director, Anthony ‘Bez’ Bezencon of VYV. “CT were proud to have once again been a part of the Official Celebration of UAE National Day, working for LarMac PROJECTS to deliver the projection for

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the show,” said Senior Project Manager, Stuart Young. Projection was used throughout the show to create various looks, transforming Devlin’s iconic disc into everything from a sundial and a solar eclipse to a compass, cityscape, palm-filled desert, and a giant UAE flag.

The projection system, designed by Bez, used 20 Panasonic RQ50, eight RZ31 and two RZ21 projectors, all fed individual feeds from VYV Photon servers. “The new RQ50 projectors are super bright and super reliable,” Young said. “They have excellent depth of field in the lenses and we experienced zero failures, making the projected content look stunning.”

As well as the main rotating cast disc, images were projected onto a variety of 20m-high water jet screens, provided by Crystal Group.

Projection control was located within the main production compound and projector feeds were all sent over fibre-optic, with a run of 1,500m required to reach the most distant positions. “Operating the show with projectors mounted on both land-based and floating structures and maintaining multi-projector alignment across such a wide variety of areas without any immediate pre-show time to check the alignment was one of the biggest challenges,” said Young, who also praised all departments for navigating the ever-changing COVID-19 situation

throughout the project. “The risks of an outbreak within the department, being PCR tested every other day, and being in a bubble for more than three weeks were logistic challenges endured by all departments. Ensuring that crew wore correct PPE, including face masks and life jackets when working near the water, was also vital.”

The show also benefitted from an extensive lighting rig, designed by Lighting Designer, Bruno Poet and supplied by PRG. Describing the project as “a thrilling challenge”, Poet looked back on his main brief.

“Es Devlin’s show design was a sculptural form in an unbelievably beautiful setting, and the lighting had to bring this sculpture to life and support the storytelling. During the performance, the sun set and night drew in, so it was important to light the landscape to keep the mountains and the lake alive. It was essential to see the stunning environment we were performing in,” he recalled.

“The lights needed to deliver scale and spectacle in response to the soundtrack, magnifying the energy of the music, and framing the stage design with elegant, geometric and sculptural rays of light.”

The size and scale of the venue meant that extremely bright sources that would register in the vast landscape were required. “I wanted a consistent quality of light across all sources,”

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he said. “Everything had to be symmetrical and exact – there was nowhere to hide. For this reason, and to save power, I was keen to base the rig on LED sources.”

Being surrounded by water, open to the elements, and on a purpose-built floating stage next to a 20m water fountain, the chosen fixtures had to perform against the elements. So, working closely with PRG, Poet selected predominantly IP65-rated fixtures to ensure the correct level of weather protection. In all, PRG provided around 1,000 fixtures, including Ayrton Perseo and Huracán Profile, Claypaky Mythos, GLP impression X4 Bar 20, SGM Q-7 and P6, Color Kinetics iW Blast TR and PRG GroundControl Best Boy follow spots.

Also included on the rig were Elation Professional Proteus Hybrid and Proteus Maximus moving heads. “The Elation Proteus Hybrid and Maximus were an obvious choice because of their IP rating,” stated Poet. “I had never used them before, but I was blown away by their brightness, quality and reliability – they worked consistently in unbelievably extreme conditions of heat, moisture, wind and dust. They were as bright as I had hoped and had fantastic consistency of

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colour and beam edge from unit to unit. They had the punch to work as narrow pencil beams to scythe through the air, but also the flexibility to make big wide sheets of light as well. They were truly remarkable units and there is no way we could have delivered the graphic air looks the production required without them.”

PRG Sales Director (Music), Yvonne Donnelly Smith, commented: “Our team has worked tirelessly with the brilliant production team at LarMac, Es Devlin and Bruno Poet to set the stage for an experience that proudly showcases the country’s history, progress and potential.”

PRG Managing Director, Bruce MacLean added: “The vision, scale and spectacle of this show is nothing short of astounding. Having first played a role in UAE National Day almost three decades ago, PRG was proud to once again provide technical support for this truly mesmerising show.”

A custom haze distribution system was provided by UAE-based Matrix Laser, with the installation and execution guided by Poet and his lighting team. A total of 32 Look Solutions Viper 2.6 smoke machines and fans allowed haze to be

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dispensed in a continuous and consistent density from a 24m-long slot on the focal point of the display. “We had to ensure that the haze units were positioned in such a way that they would be protected from contact with the water from the fountains,” said Matrix Laser Managing Director, Michael Hilgemann.

“To be able to contribute to such an awe-inspiring jubilee spectacular to celebrate the remarkable progression of the UAE, is an enormous honour for us,” he added. “The result was mind-blowing, and everyone agreed that this show went above and beyond to honour this great nation and its leaders. It was wonderful to work in sync with the extremely professional and talented team from LarMac PROJECTS as well as Lighting Designer, Bruno Poet.”

EFM supported the project from a logistics point of view, supplying a range of services including customs clearances, preparation of permits and customs documentation, charter aircraft, sea and air freight, local trucking, supply of rental containers and lifting support systems.

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and this project has been a special highlight for us,” commented Lisa Ryan, Chief Commercial Officer at EFM. “We love a challenge and have been operating extensively in the Middle East for many years, with our first regional EFM office established in the UAE 15 years ago. This year’s 50th National Day Celebration was spectacular.”

Aggreko Events Services was appointed as the turnkey temporary power provider, with a specialist team on hand working on site to specify, design, project-manage, deliver, install, operate, and then remove all the power generating equipment along with electrical distribution, cabling and end-to-end connections.

“It’s always a thrilling moment when a bare and unused site transforms into a fully powered and operative activation capable of accommodating thousands of staff across the event preparation period and visitors when everything is ready for the show,” stated Martin Nichol, Regional Events Manager MENA. “We were also pleased we managed to bring a sustainability element to the site lighting using solar-powered LED lights capable of delivering more than enough lighting capacity during the night to ensure the safety of construction and operations at the relevant areas.”

‘IF THEY CALL ME, I’LL JUMP ON THE BOAT’ Groupe F – another returning supplier from the 49th UAE National Day – provided pyro and drone

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displays, which formed a key element of the visual spectacle, with 426 drones combining with an arsenal of firework effects to create a stunning backdrop for the show.

“Es is one of the most precise directors I have ever worked with,” began Groupe F CEO and Creative Director, Christophe Berthonneau. “The level of detail in her projects is massive.”

Groupe F had two main goals for the project.

“The first was to complement Es’s vision, using the landscape to create depth and add to the sense of expression,” he noted. “And the second was simply to create something that had never been achieved before.” Berthonneau’s process started with an appraisal of the site. “In this case, the space was hugely complex, but beautiful. For me, it was perfect, because you have the flat line of the water combined with the skyline and the mountains, which are full of depth. So, the threedimensional space is an incredible canvas for us to work with.”

In fact, Berthonneau was so taken with the environment that he decided to sleep in it. “A personal pleasure for me was to stay in a little caravan close to the event site for 10 days,” he revealed. “I’m not a very urban person, and this allowed me to become closer to nature, feel the air, see the plants and animals, look at the stars and see how the mountains are lit by the sun and the moon.”

Part of Devlin’s concept was to have the

show start at dusk as the sun was dropping behind the mountains. “This is the worst time for artificial light as the levels are not stable, but it was important to the concept,” he said.

Running for 36 minutes in total, the show was split into nine sequences – each of which focused on a specific element of the UAE’s growth as a country from past, to present, to future. “Each sequence of the show was an opportunity for every element of the production to come together like a huge orchestra,” Berthonneau smiled. “You have the iconic structure and the beautiful environment, but the reason why we were all there was to create a party – and that was a collaboration between all creative and technical departments.”

Among the plethora of effects achieved

by Groupe F, one of the most unusual was pyro being fired from drones, lined up in formation in mid-air. “Three weeks before the show, I still wasn’t sure if we would be able to create this effect,” Berthonneau laughed.

“I advised everyone from the beginning that what we were doing on this project was truly experimental and had never been used in the field before. Thankfully, everything worked according to plan and now we have this as a demonstration of competency.”

According to Berthonneau, there is a big difference between ‘launching’ and ‘delivering’ pyro. “Drones are very interesting artistically

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because they enable you to control how pyro is lifted into the air. They allow you to create a pure design, because the launches are fixed exactly in the point in the sky that we want them.”

Reflecting on an “enormous technical challenge”, Berthonneau was full of praise for the entire team – especially LarMac. “I have worked with LarMac twice and both times they have been practical, efficient, confident and creative – and, best of all, artistic intent is always high on their list of priorities,” he commented. “I really

admire both Es and Jo. They take opportunities like this to create a piece of art, and I’m full of respect for that.”

Does that mean he’ll be back in the UAE for the 51st National Day? “Who knows?” he replied simply. “My life isn’t to live in hope of the next project. What I can say is that after the past two years, I will always leave the capacity to work with this team again. If they call me, I’ll jump on the boat – and with a result like we managed to achieve together, why not?”

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Photos: D&D / Nicolas Chavance www.uaenationalday.ae www.esdevlin.com www.larmaclive.com www.auditoria.systems www.brunopoet.co.uk www.ct-group.com www.groupef.com www.aggreko.com www.gulfcrewing.com www.prg.com www.lukehalls.com www.vyv.ca www.stageone.co.uk www.wonder.co.uk www.irigevent.com www.matrix-laser.com www.doneanddusted.com www.allaith.com www.efm.global

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MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM ONE OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST EDM FESTIVALS MAKES A TRIUMPHANT RETURN, WITH MORE THAN 200 ARTISTS, 730,000 VISITORS AND A RECORD-BREAKING STAGE.

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Back in December 2019, MDLBEAST burst onto the region’s festival scene, bringing one of the largest EDM events on the planet to Saudi Arabia. Two years later, with the world recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, MDLBEAST returned with Soundstorm – one of the biggest music festivals to take place in 2021, with over 200 global and regional acts, including Steve Aoki, David Guetta, Tiësto and DJ Snake, as well as Nancy Ajram, Tamer Hosny, Amr Diab and Elissa. The event attracted 730,000 visitors across eight stages and four days, and even gained a new Guinness World Record for the ‘tallest (temporary) stage’, measuring 250m wide and 41.2m tall.

Experiential agency, Production Glue called upon a vast array of suppliers to help fulfil this mammoth project. “We were ecstatic when MDLBEAST asked us to pull off the impossible,” stated Production Glue. “They were looking for a team to transform a desert landscape, 40km outside of Riyadh, into a kick-ass festival ground that could host the biggest, boldest, music festival Saudi Arabia has ever seen.

“We leapt at the chance and got to work developing the incredibly complex, semipermanent, festival site plan, which included civil

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engineering and public works projects, stretching across a 5.3 sq km area. For over four months, our teams were on the ground tackling the unimaginable, building what few dare to dream.”

The record-breaking ‘Big Beast’ main stage was delivered by PRG, which supplied a full turnkey solution, including audio, lighting, video, comms and rigging. The company mobilised its global workforce, with 130 members of crew onsite from PRG’s offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, Belgium, Germany, and Spain, working over 3,000 man-days.

Equipment was deployed from PRG’s newly established Riyadh warehouse, and this was then supplemented with kit from various European depots. In all, PRG delivered almost 600 tonnes of technology over the course of seven months of continuous prep and planning and almost three months of set-up on site.

The huge continuous LED screen was made up of over 4,000 sq m of LED, and around 70 million pixels. For the screen’s centre, PRG supplied 2,200 sq m of its brand-new Titan-X panels, which were developed by PRG and INFiLED. This was supplemented with ROE Visual MC-7H for the mid-wing sections and CB5 for the DJ riser. To cater to the mass of stock, weight,

power, and pixel considerations that come with such a large single screen project, PRG designed a comprehensive control system, delivering a large yet flexible sync network solution for all artists.

The main stage lighting rig included over 1,000 fixtures, with 130 universes of DMX, six 400a supplies and 26km of cable. Fixtures included GLP impression X4 Bar 20s and JDC1s, Robe Pointes, hybrid fixtures and LED Bars.

For audio, PRG supplied and distributed an L-Acoustics K-Series system comprising K1s, K2s and KS28s across the main stage and delays, which ran using L-Acoustics LA12X controllers and were monitored using P1 processors. Carrying it all were PRG’s master riggers, who deployed 3.3km of truss and 410 hoists.

As well as the Big Beast, PRG also supplied various other parts of the festival site, including the ‘VIB’ (Very Important Beast) Entrance Gate, a site-wide evacuation system and projection mapping onto the iconic MDLBEAST sculpture located in MDL Town, which used Panasonic PTDZ31K projectors equipped with ultra-long-throw lenses via synchronised servers.

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and each team comes together to deliver one exceptional event,” commented PRG Sales Director (Music), Yvonne Donnelly Smith. “This is a bespoke project, and so PRG built a bespoke team. Such a vast production needed the internal workings and conversations between all our technicians to develop solutions smoothly.”

The project came at a time of massive growth for Saudi Arabia, with PRG among the many companies establishing a local presence in the country. Michael ‘Curly’ Jobson, Executive Director – Events and MDLBEAST, explained why in-country development is so important as the Saudi Vision 2030 begins to take shape.

“We’re at the very forefront of the formation of the entertainment industry in Saudi Arabia,” he commented. “We’ve insisted that our vendors have a Saudi Arabian presence because we can’t continue to support events unsustainably. We have to get going here and everyone has shown a willingness to do this.”

PRG Middle East Managing Director, Bruce MacLean added: “Part of our drive within Saudi

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Arabia will be to make sure that we are enabling, empowering and recruiting local Saudi resources and training them to ensure that they develop the skills to help deliver events of the scale that we put on. That’s one of the key drivers where we’ve been aiming our expansion within Saudi over the past three years.”

‘AN INTENSE, INTIMATE VIBE’ Aside from the Big Beast stage, the site also hosted several other performance areas, including ‘Dance Beast’ and ‘Down Beast’, which were delivered by MediaPro International, as well as four ‘Underground’ stages, which were supplied by Colour Sound Experiment.

For MediaPro International, this was the first time working with MDLBEAST, having not been involved in the first edition. “We were extremely pleased and proud to be appointed as the technical supplier for two stages for the biggest EDM festival in the world,” stated MediaPro International COO, Shaam Pudaruth. “The brief from the client was very clear and detailed.

MDLBEAST is an extremely professional entity, and it was a delight working with both them and Production Glue, who share the same values as us as a company.”

With work for the project proposal starting back in February 2021 and the final green light coming in July that year, this project was a long time in the making for Pudaruth’s team. “From the award of the project, we were straight into pre-production work, interacting firstly with the MDLBEAST team and Production Glue, before moving to the various Stage Designers, including Chris ‘Squib’ Swain from Cassius Creative for Down Beast and Ian Tomlinson from High Scream for Dance Beast,” he outlined. “We also consulted with Trevor Burk from Visual Noise, who was handling the overall content of the site, as well as the audio consultant, health and safety, and the complete logistics team from Ginger Owl.” MediaPro International supplied turnkey solutions across both the Dance Beast and Down Beast stages, as well as site-wide lighting and projection for three entry gates. The supply

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included L-Acoustics K-Series audio systems, almost 3,500 panels of Absen 4.8mm LED and a plethora of lighting fixtures, including Robe BMFL Blades, MegaPointes and Spiiders, as well as Ayrton Magic Blade FXs, GLP JDC1s and SGM Q-7s. “Most of the gear had to come from our HQ in Dubai as it required a huge quantity of each element and specific rider-driven kit,” Pudaruth noted, adding that around a quarter of the kit came from the company’s Saudi branch.

Pudaruth enjoyed working with the huge incoming team. “It was a delight to interact with all of the creative team involved in the overall project – their vast experience in their respective fields and professionalism was very refreshing,” he reflected, listing Production Glue, as well as Silent House, ElectricFly, Clockwork Production, Cassius Creative, High Scream, Visual Noise, Clair Global, One Three Right Studios, The Hive, Peritus, Hidden Road Studios and ER Productions. “It’s been a while since we had such a collaboration of creative minds working simultaneously on stage design and the results were mind-blowing.”

Recalling “one of the smoothest load-ins we have ever had”, Pudaruth was full of praise for the

organisers. “The MDLBEAST team invested a lot of time and effort into planning and pre-production to ensure that they had the solutions to any challenges a supplier could possibly face,” he said.

“To be involved in such a project is a real honour, and thankfully, we were up to the task. From the long months in pre-production to the load-in days, finally seeing the stages come to life was incredibly satisfying.”

Colour Sound Experiment was tasked with delivering four stages across the Underground Zone. “The brief was quite simply to build the biggest and most awesome rave ever!” said Managing Director, Haydn Cruickshank, adding that over 1,750 crew days from 50-plus people were required to deliver this project. “We dedicated a whole management team to the project for six months to deal with logistics, assets, crew, custom fabrication, lighting and video delivery,” he added.

The Colour Sound team worked with the lighting designer’s original plans for the stages, integrating them with the structural drawings and collaborating with other suppliers through many revisions. “The build for us started six weeks

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before doors, with a small team working with structural construction and custom fabrication,” Cruickshank described. “An advance production team started installing some lighting and LED four weeks out, main load-in started two weeks before the show, and final elements such as cameras, directors and operators came in three days before doors opened.”

Across the four stages, a huge 2,000 sq m of LED was supplied, including Leyard CLM6 and ROE Visual CB5. More than 3,000 lighting fixtures were also deployed, with GLP JDC line 1000, impression X4 Bar 20 and JDC1, as well as Ayrton Huracán-LT, Karif-LT and Eurus, and Claypaky Xtylos, Sharpy and Mini-B fixtures featuring throughout the rigs.

The unique nature of all the structures involved meant a lot of bespoke engineering and structural calculations were required. “Managing information flow across the many individuals and organisations involved was a challenge,” Cruickshank revealed. “However, the team we had on the project were outstanding – despite the scale and complexity of the project, everything felt very smooth. The intensity of the show was

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incredible; it’s hard for a large-scale, outdoor show to maintain an intense, intimate vibe, but the vibe was present throughout.”

‘SKILLS AND VISION’ Aggreko was appointed as the principal supplier of primary power for all technical aspects of the stage production. With the venue spread over more than 5 sq km and all stages using large quantities of LED, lighting and audio, the enormity of the task was clear for all to see.

“In total, we had 32 generators providing primary and backup power for the stages, with all the tech equipment backed up so there was no chance of losing power during the show,” said Matt Anany, Events Manager KSA. The reverse current generated by the sheer size of the LED screens also provided a challenge.

“This was all managed by a team of one project lead, three generator engineers, four stage leads (two of them doubling as site coordinators), six stage technicians and two technicians dedicated to monitoring diesel usage and ensuring diesel levels were maintained,” he explained.

“What pleased me the most was having a team of people from different parts of the world, working together to achieve a common goal, putting heads together to solve problems and finding workable solutions,” he concluded.

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“Watching a plan come together to make a successful event was extremely satisfying.”

Byrne Equipment Rental provided temporary buildings for staff offices across the site, as well as ablution units and sewage management facilities. The company supplied high-spec VIP ablution units in the required areas, illuminated the parking area with mobile lighting towers and provided a fleet of power generators for use across the entire site.

With boots on the ground from mid-October, Showforce provided stage crew, climbers, follow spot operators, crew chiefs and crew managers for the build, show days and de-rig. Working with both Stageco and Production Glue, there were more than 200 Showforce crew on site during peak periods and overall the team amassed an impressive 56,412 man hours onsite.

Work began with the build of The Big Beast stage. Working alongside Stageco, a team of almost 50 Showforce crew, including 10 experienced UK climbers handpicked specifically for the project, worked alongside local crew. A senior crew manager was in Riyadh throughout the build to ensure the smooth running of the project, liaising with the office-based operations team throughout. The 30-day build of more than 120 containers of kit made it a logistical challenge, but careful planning and the correct selection of

crew ensured that everything flowed smoothly from the outset and the stage was completed a week ahead of schedule.

From the start of November, Showforce’s crew to support Production Glue arrived on-site and the unloading, preparation, distribution, and assembly of all departments’ kit began. This included over 400 lighting fixtures, 850 sq m of LED and 72 projectors. The crew also assisted departments at various locations across the site, including artist lounges, delay towers and projection structures. Showforce crews remained on hand to meet any further needs from all departments, including unloading backline equipment, assembly of stage risers and the general upkeep and safe storage of empties.

Showforce crew stayed in situ to assist all departments, unloading backline equipment, assembling stage risers, and storing empty flight cases safely. Working on and around show days, the crew supported each department with their requirements, providing standby personnel, follow spot operators, ground spot operators and stage crew.

Under guidance from the stage manager, the stage crew assisted in stage turnarounds and setup for individual acts, culminating in the setting of Jason Derulo’s risers then replacing them with the headline DJ riser, which required

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20 crew to manoeuvre. Crew also provided overnight assistance to the pyro department to help reload for the following show.

De-rig and load-out began immediately after the final act, with Showforce supplying crew to assist in the removal of priority kit and enabling works for the following morning shift. De-rig continued with all crew on hand to disassemble, pack down and load away all remaining kit. Crew also assisted Stageco in the removal of stage wings, front of stage access ramp and front of stage extension in preparation of the arrival of the working at heights-trained team. An additional team was supplied to assist IRMARFA at the Dance Beast stage, including IPAF operators, crew trained in working at heights and experienced ground crew.

Also contributing significantly to the crewing effort was Gulf Crewing Company (GCC), which provided 5,564 crewmembers, who worked a staggering 66,769 manhours between them over the course of the project.

“A significant amount of planning and preparation is required to ensure success for any event, but the ability to produce shows of this magnitude and at such a high level is testament to the skills and vision of the MDLBEAST team,” commented GCC Managing Director, Karen Beaton. “Saudi Arabia is an emerging market that

is quickly becoming a staple on the Middle East tour circuit. Gulf Crewing is incredibly proud to be part of the Saudi journey and we couldn’t be prouder to be a part of these exciting projects.”

‘SHOOT FOR THE MOON’ It almost goes without saying that special effects and lasers are a vital part of any self-respecting EDM festival. So, it came as no surprise that Soundstorm pulled out all the stops in this regard, with ER Productions entrusted with delivering a complete SFX and laser package across all stages.

“The thing that grabbed us immediately was the scale of the project – the saying ‘no expense spared’ has never been better placed,” opened ER Productions Creative Director, Ryan Hagan. “The producers were really putting their heart and soul into producing something incredible for the world to see and be in awe of.”

With the support of Pyrojunkies, which has recently become a part of the ER Productions Group [page 14] the ER Productions team designed the lasers and SFX for each stage with a “shoot for the moon” brief. “All our designs were produced in Syncronorm depence2, so we could present them visually to the lead creatives for each stage,” Hagan continued. “The bulk of what we produced, bar a few tweaks here and there, was what we saw on site. We certainly aimed

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high, and our priority was making sure that every stage felt individual.”

While the company has produced two Guinness World Record-breaking laser shows in the past, Hagan described Soundstorm as “our largest single show to date”. In all, 430 lasers, 100 smoke machines using 4,000 litres of smoke fluid, 140 confetti and streamer machines, 80 flame heads and 11,000 pieces of pyro were deployed.

“We are known for manufacturing large quantities of lasers and producing more than 130 new units for this show was a proud moment for our technical team,” he said. “This included 100 of our AT-30 units, a 30W RGB white light head.”

Across all the stages, ER deployed 13 different laser fixtures, including the company’s new KINEKT AS – an audience scanning head fixture.

With 32 of the fixtures used in total, six of the units were deployed on the indoor Underground 3 stage. “We needed a fixture that could be used safely in here as the effects shot all over the place due to the mirror clad-walls and ceilings,” Hagan explained, praising the design by Sam Tozer of Vision Factory.

In Dance Beast, the company deployed its new electric confetti blowers, which operate without the need for CO2. “It was great to be able to push on with a greener ethos in FX delivery,” he shared. “This has been a plan of ours for some

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years now.” When it came to the Big Beast stage, Hagan stressed the importance of power and positioning. “It’s the biggest stage I have ever seen – it had the appearance of an eagle with its huge wings curling round the crowd stage left and right,” he recalled. “We wanted to give every audience member an experience, so spreading out fixtures across the space was critical.”

The AT-30 was the unit of choice for its pure power. “We had a lot of video and lighting to compete with, so we needed that kind of muscle,” he said of the fixture. “We opted for 66 of those, spread in layers across the stage.

In between those layers, we then used smaller audience-friendly units.” The original plan was to use BB4 heads – “but Alex Reardon from Silent House, Lead Designer for Big Beast, was very interested in our KINKET AS units, so we swapped them for those instead.”

ER also increased its stock of Luminous Stadium Flames, with 18 on the main stage, spread across the width of the 240m structure.

“To shoot all the pyro, we invested into the G2 Fire Control System from Sweden, purchasing 200 modules and five control desks.” Operation of each stage was varied, with some touring laser

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operators using timecode and some preferring to operate live. For those using timecode, two visualisation suites were set up. “This enabled us to programme for the artist or to allow their touring laser op to get their show up and running before hitting stage,” said Hagan.

“Having worked on the project from the beginning, I always love to see the result and see how our vision has been delivered, but more important than that is how it is received not only by the client, but by people around the globe commenting on social media and the festivalgoers there in the thick of it,” Hagan summarised, reflecting on the event.

“I remember one moment in particular at Dance Beast when a drop was coming during DJ Axwell’s performance. The blackout came and Alex [Oita, Laser Crew Chief, Dance Beast] turned on all 124 lasers and the cheer from the crowd gave me goosebumps.”

Hagan’s enduring memory of the festival remains the “simply impressive” Big Beast stage.

“Everything about it left me with my mouth wide open,” he recalled. “I would often stand at the back of the stage and admire Stageco’s structure.

It was an immense piece of engineering that we

complemented with lasers, pyro, flames, confetti, streamers and cryo. The cheers from the crowd when hits of flame and pyro fire upwards and seeing our team smashing the cues out one after the other bang on time really is a great feeling. It’s moments like those that make me realise we’ve done our job properly.”

He concluded: “There are so many key people who worked on this project to acknowledge – too many to mention here – but we would like to thank Michael Jobson, Jim Digby and Matt Richman for entrusting us with this project and for having a vision to deliver one of the most spectacular events we have had the pleasure to be involved in, as well as the Saudi people, who made us feel so welcome.”

Photos: MDLBEAST, Drew Ressler (www.rukes.com) Showforce, MediaPro, Amora Productions www.mdlbeast.com www.prg.com www.er-productions.com www.coloursound.com www.mediaproav.com www.showforce.com www.gulfcrewing.com www.aggreko.com

We’re proud to have delivered Stage Crew, Production Crew, Follow Spot Operators, Crew Chiefs and Crew Managers to MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2021

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DAVID GUETTA NYE LIVESTREAM THE UAE’S FAVOURITE SUPERSTAR DJ RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH AN INNOVATIVE LIVESTREAM PERFORMANCE FROM THE LOUVRE ABU DHABI.

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When High Scream’s Romain Pissenem heard about David Guetta’s plan of producing a New Year’s Eve livestream from the Louvre Abi Dhabi, he was neither surprised, nor disappointed. “As soon as David’s team told me about the project, I thought ‘nothing could make more sense than this’,” he reminisced.

The world-renowned DJ is fast becoming the UAE’s favourite artist, with a string of high-profile performances in the country, including a breathtaking livestream from the helipad of the Burj Al Arab [TPMEA #29]. He also has a history with the Louvre, after performing a New Year’s Eve show from the Paris museum last year.

“After the Louvre in Paris and the Burj Al Arab, it was the perfect time to do it again in Abu Dhabi,” Pissenem said. “It was a different challenge to Paris, but I love Abu Dhabi – it’s a very authentic place and, culturally speaking, it has a lot to offer.”

High Scream was tasked with show production, stage and light design and video content, along with Sugo Design, while NOMOBO handled the live broadcast. The custom-built stage was designed and installed by All Events Services (AES); PRG supplied lighting, audio and networking; Matrix Laser was engaged to provide

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special effects; while Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) supported the livestream on behalf of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Pissenem talked TPMEA through the design origins of the show. “We were building on the success of the Louvre in Paris and the Burj Al Arab. With the first Louvre show, we wanted to create an ‘electronic extension’ of the museum’s iconic pyramid using lighting and lasers,” he shared. “Looking at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, what immediately stood out to me was the dome – it’s a stunning piece of architecture and, again, the perfect feature to focus on.”

With the museum surrounded by the waters of the Arabian Gulf, Pissenem had no doubt that the stage should be floating – “water is all around and you can’t not use it,” he said, praising the “amazing” work of AES in creating and securing the structure.

A key design feature of the livestream was the use of some of the Louvre’s most iconic pieces of art, which appeared animated and in various positions surrounding the stage throughout the performance.

The concept was applied for the first time during the first Louvre livestream in Paris. “We mixed the artworks live the first time we did it

and it looked great, but this time we decided to make it simpler and use post-production tracking techniques instead,” he revealed. “This meant we could have the content moving with the camera.

I was delighted with how it turned out – it looked extremely natural, it felt much more integrated within the show and the artwork was much more present throughout.”

Pissenem explained the process of incorporating the artworks. “After working with David, his team and the teams from the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Paris to select the artworks, the first technical step was to animate them,” he said.

“We started with two-dimensional photos, so we needed to analyse them and turn them into 3D, making sure to keep as close as possible to the original artwork. We’re talking about major, well-recognised works of art, so you can’t mess them up,” Pissenem added. The next task was to specify where and when to integrate each artwork. “We had to identify all the places that we wanted to use them and make sure that they were lit correctly.”

The Show Director’s favourite example of the technology in use came during Titanium, where two giant winged dragon statues suddenly appeared either side of the stage – their detailed

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features accentuated with strobe lighting. “This happens in the first 15 minutes of the show.

When something like that happens early in a set, it leaves you thinking, ‘what’s next?’ That sense of anticipation and tension hooks people and works with the music to help keep them engaged.”

Rather than video mapping the building, the team decided instead to use light to add colour to the backdrop. “Video mapping has been well done but I wanted to use something different,” Pissenem revealed. “It’s not easy to cover the entire building with light, but the effect that was achieved was very impressive – it looked like it was part of the whole structure.”

Pissenem praised the whole team, who pulled off early mornings and late nights to ensure that everything was ready to go on show day. “People always think that we get the set a month in advance and everything is timecoded, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he commented. “We have an idea of what is going to be played, but David plays it how he feels it and things can change right up until the last minute.

Thanks to the combined effort of the team, everything went smoothly.”

Pissenem held the title of Show Director; Jean-Guillaume Charvet was the Live and DJ Manager; Lighting Design and Direction came from Ian Tomlinson and James Betts-Gray respectively; Pol Fernandez Losada was the Video Content Director; Richard ‘Avo’ Atherton took on PM duties; and Crew Logistics were taken care of by Suzie Shorten. Remco Evers was the Broadcast Creative Director; Job Robbers was the Live Director; Ray Van Versveld was Technical Producer; and Marijn Domper was the Editor.

‘A WORK OF ART’ The pre-production process was approximately six months from start to finish and, as the show neared, weekly meetings were set up to make sure all suppliers were aligned with the production and venue teams, both from a load-in and show perspective.

Prior to going onto site, PRG conducted several site inspections at the venue. “Part of the

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brief was to light the entire dome for drone shots during the livestream, so it was important to ensure complete coverage,” commented Head of Lighting, Marcell Wahl.

“Various options were considered to achieve this, including lighting the dome from within, using the venue’s catwalks, as well as from outside the building using the existing structures located around the periphery of the dome. Once the tests were completed and risk assessments made, we decided to place these fixtures around the periphery to achieve the desired effect.”

PRG’s lighting supply comprised more than 500 fixtures, including GLP impression X4 Bar 20s, Claypaky Mythos, GLP JDC1s, Robe BMFL wash beams and BMFL Blades, with two MA Lighting grandMA2 full-size consoles and four MA NPUs used for control.

Audio equipment included an L-Acoustics system of KARAs and SB28s, controlled by a DiGiCo SD5, with Pioneer DJM-900NXS2s and CDJ-3000 Professional DJ multiplayers provided for Guetta’s set. Martin by Harman JEM ZR-44

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smoke machines, Unique 2 Hazers and AVM XL Flames, supplied by Matrix Laser, handled the special effects requirements.

“Operating at a venue that is so iconic as Louvre Abu Dhabi comes with a particular set of requirements and documentation,” commented Project Manager, Bhans Sheomangal. “The most complex were the risk assessments for the 20m flames that were positioned on the main stage.

Due to the proximity of the flames to the venue, this needed to be worked through with the client team, venue’s health and safety management as well as Matrix Laser to ensure it was safe.”

Matrix Laser’s Michael Hilgemann added: “Only the smallest flame heads could be employed, as it was of the utmost importance for the flame heads to be invisible on screen.

On-board tanks were also out of the question – flame units could only be reached by boat, making it impossible for the tanks to be refilled unnoticed during the performance.” The solution was to link the series of flame units with external tanks using long fluid hoses.

“The final produced video that went live on New Year’s Eve is a work of art,” he added, reflecting on the project. “Seeing this all come together against the backdrop of the unique architecture of the Louvre was marvellous. The output was fantastic and working with the PRG Middle East team is always a great pleasure.”

Once AES had completed its install of the main

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stage and satellite stages, the PRG team began to install the equipment, removing the assets from their flight cases and either carrying them onto the stage or carefully placing them into the Louvre’s rescue dingy and boating them across to the satellite stages.

The lighting and audio network was installed in parallel across the site, and the team used the existing infrastructure in the dome to reach the necessary areas. From a broadcast perspective, audio feeds were set up and tested to ensure the feed out to the stream was of the highest quality.

Running secondary power distribution across the site was not a small task – especially when some of that power needed to run from the satellite stages to the main stage with water in-between. During the pre-production process, PRG worked with AES and designed a plan to make sure the cables that were crossing the water were pulled across in a safe way which was followed onsite.

From pre-production to onsite delivery, the various stakeholders involved in the project worked together seamlessly. “The result, hit every ‘note’ that the client and the production team wanted to achieve and as David Guetta closed his set and the fireworks illuminated the sky, it was great to see the energy across the team who had worked on the project,” stated PRG Director of Sales, Harriet Stewart. Pissenem added: “I generally work with technical providers who I

have built trust with over the years. It’s about working with people rather than companies,” he commented. “The PRG team did a great job.

Everything was spot on.”

When it came to sending out the performance to fans across the globe, Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) supported the stream on behalf of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, with the support of David Guetta’s production team.

The supplied solutions consisted of 10 camera channels, Panasonic and Sony remote heads mounted on Furio and Junior 5 systems, a cineflex gyro camera, two drone cameras and over 2km of signal cable. A Riedel communications system was also supplied to complement the sitewide broadcast video setup.

“We are very proud to have delivered the David Guetta spectacular from one of the most iconic venues in the world,” commented Project Manager, Artur Kurowski. “We had a fantastic team of 15 engineers working over three days to ensure the stream was a huge success. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Louvre Abu Dhabi and we are very thankful for the opportunity.”

Photos: Guille GS www.davidguetta.com www.louvreabudhabi.ae www.high-scream.com www.prg.com www.matrix-laser.com www.ct-group.com

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EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS EXPO 2020’S VAST NETWORK OF PAVILIONS ARE AWASH WITH HIGH-TECH EXAMPLES OF INNOVATION.

CANADA CHRISTIE PROJECTORS PROVIDE STUNNING VISUALS INSPIRED BY THE VAST CANADIAN LANDSCAPE. Electrosonic deployed a selection of Christie 1DLP laser projectors as part of an interactive light and sound experience and 360° theatre at the Canada pavilion.

EllisDon, a Canadian contracting company, with Lord Cultural Resources, NGX Interactive and kubik maltbie as strategic partners, was awarded the contract to design, build and maintain the pavilion, and worked with kubik maltbie, which engaged Christie partner Electrosonic to deliver the AV systems and Eos Lightmedia to deliver

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the interactive lighting systems for the public presentation spaces within the pavilion.

With the theme ‘The Future in Mind’ the 1,364 sq m pavilion, located in the Sustainability District, encompasses indoor and outdoor elements, welcoming guests with immersive art installations, an interactive light and sound experience, and a 360° theatre.

The journey begins in a 52.5m circular room, which is outfitted with a 360° projection screen, a video server that runs media from

NGX Interactive, and outputs to 13 additional DHD1075-GS projectors. The 10,000-lumen projectors are suspended from trusses in the middle of the circular room and project the media as a single, continuous 360° image. The full-circumference theatre experience takes guests through Canada’s four seasons and was inspired by the vast Canadian landscape.

The journey through the pavilion continues with two additional Christie DHD1075-GS projectors with short-throw zoom lenses

EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

projecting onto an 8m display that Electrosonic installed and blended.

“COVID-19 was a challenge, but the team was able to work flexibly and with agility to overcome the many struggles that the pandemic placed on the project,” commented Electrosonic Senior Project Manager, Rob Stallard. “The expert collaboration between our offices and the equipment manufacturers, partners and the customer ensured we met the struggle head-on. We were beyond pleased with the result.”

As the Official Projection and Display Partner to Expo 2020 Dubai, Christie has a dedicated team of service engineers onsite and available to provide emergency repair and resolution for several pavilions. “Christie, with its centre of excellence for engineering located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, is pleased to be supporting the Canada Pavilion with its technology and homegrown expertise.

To support the Canada Pavilion, and to work alongside outstanding partners to deliver this project, has certainly been something that all of us at Christie are proud of,” stated Christie President and Chief Technology Officer, Zoran Veselic.

“Christie’s world-class technology has created incredible visual experiences throughout Expo 2020 Dubai, including in the iconic Al Wasl Plaza, which will remain as one of the event’s legacy buildings,” concluded H.E. Jean-Philippe Linteau, Consul General of Canada in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. “Throughout the years, Christie has successfully showcased some of the best Canadian innovations to the MENA region and beyond.

Photos: Expo 2020, Christie www.christiedigital.com www.electrosonic.com

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EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

ITALY POWERSOFT AMPLIFIERS COMPLEMENT A RANGE OF RCF, K-ARRAY AND FBT LOUDSPEAKERS.

Twenty-five Italian-made Powersoft amplifiers are handling the audio demands of the awardnominated Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020.

Over 28,000 people a day are expected to visit the Italy Pavilion, which centres on a spectacular 3D-printed, 1:1-scale reproduction of Michelangelo’s David created in Powersoft’s home city of Florence.

Key to that popularity is the powerful audio experience created by the pavilion’s all-Italian sound system, which complements a striking, sustainable visual design featuring two million recycled plastic bottles.

Powering the system are 25 Powersoft amplifiers supplied by PRO LAB, the company’s exclusive distributor in the GCC and Lebanon, and installed by local systems integrator, SIBCA. Two of the five Quattrocanali 2404 DSP+D amplifiers were used in the main auditorium and restaurant areas, while three were equipped in the first hull, white space, and skywalk – which

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offers visitors a panoramic view of the pavilion from an 11m skybridge. Two Quattrocanali 1204 DSP+D, the 2404s 1,200W baby brother, were installed in the FS Tunnel, a partnership with FS Italiane (Italian State Railways).

Four Mezzo 322 AD power the Belvedere, an area featuring a 360° projection of some of Italy’s most famous landscapes, and another four are in the Teatro della Memoria, where the 17ft David replica is installed. A further 322 AD was installed in the VIP lounge. Also from the compact Mezzo family are the two Mezzo 324 AD installed in the cultural space and innovation space, and the two Mezzo 604 AD powering the VIP area.

Five Mezzo 602 AD, meanwhile, drive the VIP meeting room, education lab, head office and cafeteria, as well as joining forces with the Quattrocanali 1204 DSP+D in the FS Tunnel.

As well as featuring only Italian amplifiers, the Italy Pavilion’s loudspeakers were Italian throughout, with the Powersoft amplifiers

powering a range of RCF, K-array and FBT loudspeakers. “When we talk about ‘Made in Italy’, we almost always think of fashion, food, tourism and art,” Powersoft President, Carlo Lastrucci commented. “But there is another less well-known industry, equally excellent, which must and deserves to be valued. All research and development, production, technical assistance, marketing, sales, logistics, and warehouse activities are in our centre in Florence and production plants in Italy,” he said. This allows us to control the entire chain from start to finish, ensuring the optimisation of processes, quality, and responsiveness to market needs.”

More than five million people will have visited the Italy Pavilion, designed by CRA (Carlo Ratti Associati), Italo Rota, Matteo Gatto & Associati and F&M Ingegneria using recycled and sustainable materials, by the time Expo 2020 ends.

Photo: Expo 2020 www.powersoft.com

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EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

USA CTME INTEGRATES AN IMMERSIVE AV INSTALLATION AT THE USA PAVILION. Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) was appointed by Thinkwell Group to integrate an immersive AV installation throughout the starstudded USA pavilion.

The company’s integration consisted of state-of-the-art, large-scale projection mapping, automated LED ceiling systems, rotating 360° LED cubes, atmosphere and architectural lighting, and a pavilion-wide immersive audio experience.

Alongside the eight exhibition areas, CTME installed an array of AV technology across the pavilion from the VIP Majlis to the conference room and offices. The pavilion is controlled from a centralised and monitored system to ensure a seamless operation. Some of the achievements include mapping the SpaceX rocket, and lighting one of the first translations of the Quran into

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English, which was gifted to Thomas Jefferson – a priceless artifact that hadn’t left the USA before.

Included in the supply were 7thSense and disguise media servers, Epson projectors, Leyard Isky LED mesh, QSC Q-SYS with amplifiers and speakers, CHAUVET Professional moving head fixtures, Traxon pixel dots to illuminate the external façade stars, architectural lighting from ETC and Coronet LED, and custom LED cubes on rotating platforms.

CTME was also appointed by DP World to provide systems integration of the audio, video, lighting and control systems for the DP World Pavilion. The company was instrumental in the product choices and the way in which the technology was used, deploying a full L-Acoustics SYVA system. Vari-Lite profile and wash fixtures

were selected for the atrium with QSC Q-SYS 510i for building-wide audio and show control. Ayrton Diablos and Epson 15K projectors were chosen for the Flow Lab educational centre and an MA Lighting grandMA lite desk alongside a Pharos solution to drive 100,000 channels of lighting throughout the pavilion.

“We are proud to offer our AV and System Integration solutions throughout the USA and DP world pavilions,” said CTME Managing Director, Andy Reardon. “It’s been a thrilling journey from the start where our PMs and engineering teams have worked with our clients to make the vision come alive. Both pavilions are stunning, and we feel honoured to be part of this journey.”

Photos: Expo 2020 www.ct-group.com

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EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

HUNGARY KRAFTWERK MIDDLE EAST DEPLOYS A VARIETY OF APPLIED SOLUTIONS INSIDE THE WATER-THEMED EXHIBITION.

Kraftwerk Middle East was responsible for the digital development, production, and installation of the Hungary Pavilion, which was designed by Designland.

The company applied a range of solutions inside the pavilion, including an interactive wall, immersive room, object mapping, dome projection, an AR telescope, and real-time motion graphics.

The interactive experience focuses on the water resources of Hungary, teaching visitors about the country’s mineral-rich thermal springs and the recreational, therapeutic, and social bathing culture that centres around them. The most popular creative attraction of the building is the centrally located dome room where guests can relax in a virtual pool that resembles

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water. At the same time, above their heads, they can see the underwater world from a whole new perspective.

“With our Hungarian designer and technologist background, it was a great honour for Kraftwerk to be commissioned to develop and produce the Hungarian Pavilion’s exhibition,” said Kraftwerk Middle East Managing Director, Bálint Tordai.

“During the months of preparation and installation, an excellent team was formed from our tireless staff and partner companies. I am grateful for the experience of working together with outstanding professionals and, as a result, leaving a meaningful impact on thousands of visitors.”

Photos: Kraftwerk Middle East www.kraftwerk-me.com

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JAPAN N&M MIDDLE EAST DELIVERS A BROAD AVL SCOPE AT THE JAPANESE PAVILION. Neumann&Müller (N&M) Middle East was tasked by NUSSLI Group and the consortium Tanseisha Co and Murayama with delivering a variety of AVL solutions at the Japan pavilion.

Split into six zones, with each representing the country’s culture, history, traditions, and modernity, the Japan pavilion takes visitors on an immersive journey from the past and into the future. The pavilion demonstrates the country as an “encounter of ideas”, where concepts were being transformed into the actions aimed to better our future. N&M Middle East successfully delivered a range of solutions including multiple projections, string and layer screens, special light effects and a 360° circular screen.

“The demands in this pavilion were extremely high in terms of quality and accuracy, so we had to be very precise with the installation, programming and setup,” commented Senior Video Engineer, Paolo Alves, who noted the 360° spherical screen as a particular challenge. “There’s a lot of warping because the screen is a globe. However, it was achieved using a special camera created and installed by N&M, which did all warping and blending automatically. It’s a one-click, turnkey solution and, from a technology standpoint, it’s incredible.

“We are thankful to our valuable client NUSSLI Group for trusting us with such an amazing project.”

Photo: Expo 2020 www.neumannmueller.com

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EXPO 2020 PAVILIONS

LOGISTICS EFM PROVIDES LOGISTICS SERVICES FOR SEVERAL PAVILIONS, INCLUDING ANGOLA, AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, MALDIVES, POLAND AND SERBIA.

Expo 2020 has produced a lot of work for EFM, with the company handling the demands of a multitude of clients and providing logistics services for country pavilions including Angola, Australia, Belgium, Maldives, Poland and Serbia, to name a few.

The EFM team provided international air, road and sea freight, including customs clearances into Dubai, local support services including warehousing, distribution, stock replenishment, transport, labour, white glove handling services, dangerous goods handling, and dedicated logistics managers on-site.

The specialised team at EFM, which has been based in UAE for over 15 years, was engaged by suppliers, stand builders and merchandising companies, together with the producers of various cultural shows, National Days and activities and several Government entities to manage their logistics.

The work included managing the safe and timely transport of valuable and fragile artwork and sculptures, VR equipment, bikes, audio-visual equipment, furniture, instruments, bespoke props and scenery, items of clothing from around the

world, souvenirs, toys, stand build materials, and international arts and crafts including Aboriginal and African pieces.

Importing food and drink products into the UAE is heavily restricted, and the EFM team secured permits from the various UAE Ministries, ensuring that a variety of items were available for consumption and retail purposes at the many pavilions. From tea and honey for Australia, to sweets, chocolate and even local water for Serbia, and special cows’ milk sweets for Poland, it was the first time that many of these products had been imported into the UAE. Another interesting challenge was the import of fragrances from

the USA, which were used to make bespoke aromatic candles in the UAE for Expo 2020. Due to the nature of these items, EFM was required to arrange specialist packing and documentation.

In recognition of all the assistance EFM provided to the Australian Pavilion, there is even a special mention on the map of Australia mural as visitors exit the Pavilion tour.

The company is now busy working with the Australian Expo team to plan the demobilisation and possible shipping and storage in Osaka for the next Expo.

Photo: Expo 2020 www.efm.global

OPERATION PAVILIONS SPACEMAKER/BYRNE TECHNICAL SERVICES DESIGNS AND MANUFACTURES KEY INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE EXPO 2020 SITE. UAE-based Spacemaker/Byrne Technical Services, a turnkey solution provider specialising in modular construction, was appointed to design and manufacture 14 prominent buildings, spread across the Expo 2020 site.

With preparation beginning in 2018 and the finished product unveiled in 2020, the company designed, manufactured, and installed 12

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operation pavilions and two metro plazas. With sustainability being a pivotal focus, Spacemaker/ Byrne Technical Services utilised BIM modelling systems to lock in the design, ensuring optimum results and minimal wastage.

As well as being aesthetically pleasing, all units boast high-end finishes and are equipped with unique designs. For example, the units that were purpose built for the use of staff offices

were designed and fitted with moss feature walls, bringing the “outside in” and in turn creating a calm and relaxed working environment.

Not limited to one function, the pavilions serve a multitude of purposes, including prayer areas, luxury retail stores and souvenir shops. The internal workings of the structures are modern and progressive, fully equipped with Bosch audio systems, smart toilets and AC units by

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Samsung, lifts by Schindler, Crac units by Mitsubishi and a building management system by Siemens. Lighting was supplied and installed by local vendors.

“The Operation pavilions are among the most functional and extensively used buildings throughout Expo 2020,” commented Spacemaker/Byrne Technical Services Group Health and Safety Manager, Dhileep Raj. “All the components were designed, engineered, and constructed in controlled conditions, allowing us and the client to oversee the quality from concept to completion.”

According to Raj, all materials were selected based on sustainability compliance. “Throughout the construction stage, we complied with the assurance standards of Expo 2020 for health and safety, environment and worker welfare,” he said. “Spacemaker/ Byrne Technical Services completed the project with more than three million manhours without any injury at site, and more than two million manhours off-site, completing all units to a high-spec finish and successfully executing over 700 critical lifts safely.”

The modular structures will remain on site until the end of the project in March 2022, after which they will be relocated for use across the seven Emirates of the UAE, at locations yet to be decided.

Due to their modular nature, the buildings can readily transform into legacy configuration, aiding the efficiency of the process.

Photo: Spacemaker/Byrne Technical Services www.spacemaker.ae

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

YOUTHX SUMMIT AVB AND TAILORMADE GROUP INSPIRE AT YOUTH-FOCUSED HYBRID EVENT AT VODACOME DOME.

The dynamic husband-and-wife duo behind Tailormade Group and AV and Beyond (AVB) pulled out all the stops when commissioned

by Levergy to work on Nedbank’s YouthX, a platform designed to enable young people to learn from experts, sculpt their futures and ultimately realise their potential.

The campaign kicked off in March 2021 on AVB’s virtual platform with a fully virtual launch event, followed by six virtual and interactive masterclasses led by their changemakers; Theo Baloyi, Amanda Dlamini, Rich Mnisi, Rivo Mhlari, Candice Chirwa and Sho Madjozi. Culminating in November with the hybrid event of the year, the YouthX Summit was a 90-minute, high-energy

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production that was held at Vodacom Dome in Midrand, South Africa.

Before COVID-19, AVB and TMG, led by the husband and wife team, Warren Freidin and Hayley Bennett-Freidin, were busy working within the live events space. As Warren focused on AVB, a technical supply company, Hayley, an acclaimed former professional dancer, was the creative behind Tailormade Group, which supplies entertainment and the “wow factor” to events, from conceptualisation, production and direction, right up to providing all talent.

“As the reality of the pandemic set in, so did our concern for the devastating effect that this would have on our businesses, as well as

our industries, our staff and their families,” she recalled. Instead of backing down, the couple partnered with a virtual solution provider.

Adapting quickly, the team worked from three in-house studios, hand in hand with the AVB inhouse content creation team. “This allowed staff and performers to not only survive, but to shine and to lift each other up while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols and government restrictions.”

The YouthX Summit gave AVB the opportunity to dream big once more from design to execution. The bespoke set design with its distinctive ‘YouthX’ shape featured an infinity 2.9 and 3.9 LED screen made up of 846 panels, automated in various areas including the ability to

REGIONAL ROUND-UP

picture-in-picture a multitude of layered content on any section. AVB’s 4k Watchout servers with three NovaStar MCTRL 4k processors and two R5 processors allowed the 1.2 TB of content to be loaded in record time. Technical supply included an MA Lighting grandMA2 light for control, while 12 Robe BMFL Spots and eight ESPRITEs served as key lights for the production, which was also broadcasted. A further 12 Pointes and 10 MegaPointes punched through the LED, 24

LEDBeam 150s delivered wash and beam work, while six Vari-Lite SL Nitro 510s positioned on deck created the big flashy moments.

The show included 24 LED parcans, LED strips, two Le Maitre MVS Hazers, as well as laser work and a pyro show. Audio came courtesy of an L-Acoustics system comprising six KARAs and four SB18s per side, a DiGiCo S21 for control and various Shure microphones. “For all our crew, it was an emotional and happy time to

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be working on this large-scale live event after a very long time,” said Bennett-Freidin. “We have fought together as a family of creative thinkers and highly skilled technicians. Together, we know we can do anything safely, and at world-class standard for our clients.”

Photos: DWR Distribution www.avandbeyond.co.za www.tailormadegroup.co.uk www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

PROSOUND BRINGS DPA TO AMAZING DISCOVERIES MINISTRIES AFRICA THE UPGRADE INCLUDES DPA 6060 CORE SUBMINITURE MICROPHONES. Amazing Discoveries Ministries Africa has invested in DPA Microphones, thanks to a recent upgrade project with Prosound.

With nearly 100,000 subscribers on YouTube alone, Amazing Discoveries Ministries Africa has a large audience to serve. Its studio setup has grown considerably over the years from equipment used primarily to service largescale live events that could get the job done, to dedicated recording gear.

“The right equipment for the recording is of utmost importance, as the better the initial recording, the less time we spend in post-production editing,” explained Amazing Discoveries Ministries Africa’s Fanie Fourie.

“Time is a very precious commodity to us.

We need it done right the first time.” The latest upgrade has seen Amazing Discoveries Ministries

Africa invest in DPA 6060 CORE Subminiture Microphones in a new installation from Prosound.

“We understood that they wanted something discreet that would sound amazing for their productions,” said Prosound’s Keith Karimi. “For us, that means one thing – DPA Microphones’ 6060 and 6066.”

He added: “The clarity, consistency and durability of the 3mm capsule stands out – it squeezes everything into such a small package.

I’m always happy to recommend these mics for applications where you need to deliver crystal clear audio from an almost invisible source and the whole Prosound team are delighted that this solution has worked so well.”

“Changing to DPA was a good choice,” Fourie agreed. “The sound quality is good, and the mic is small and not very visible in the recordings.”

Photo: Prosound www.prosound.co.za

SAW ANNOUNCES NEW DEDICATED DISTRIBUTION COMPANY AV DISTRIBUTION AIMS TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS AT STAGE AUDIO WORKS. Stage Audio Works (SAW) has launched AV Distribution, a new company dedicated to managing markets chiefly served through a reseller/integrator channel, such as corporate AV, education, retail and hospitality. Ashley Coleman takes on the role of General Manager, while Mike Summerfield heads up sales.

According to SAW CEO, Will Deysel, the decision to form AV Distribution was a logical evolution of the process already started in March 2021 when the company restructured its sales operation into two distinct verticals – namely Projects and Distribution.

“We’d already concluded that having separate teams would allow us a better focus on the specific needs of each vertical, and our experience since March last year has borne that out,” explained Deysel. “The requirements for each vertical are very different, so it made sense for us to give the distribution wing its own

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identity and a certain measure of independence.

While still part of the SAW Group with access to all the resources we have to offer, AV Distribution has its own website, its own branding and, of course, its own team who are focused on the needs of the reseller/integrator channel.

“This is an important step in the growth and development of the SAW Group,” concluded Deysel. “We’re stronger and more focused than ever, and excited by the possibilities ahead.”

Anything project-based remains the remit of SAW, with the executive and management teams of the SAW Group also remaining unchanged. The company also continues to invest in the market with the ongoing development and expansion of local manufacturing under its Stage Plus and Pixel Plus brands.

Photo: Stage Audio Works www.avdistribution.co.za www.stageaudioworks.com

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