28
REGIONAL ROUND-UP
TOMORROWLAND TERRA SOLIS OPENING PARTY PROTEC PROVIDES END-TO-END SOLUTION FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE LATEST DESERT DESTINATION CONCEPT BY TOMORROWLAND. An iconic new Tomorrowland destination set among the rolling dunes on the outskirts of Dubai officially opened its doors with a grand opening party, with Protec – which has delivered multiple Tomorrowland experiences in the UAE – once again entrusted by its client, Envie Events, to supply a turnkey solution. Project Manager, Pieter Smuts led a team of 25 crew members on the three-day load-in. “As this was a completely new venue which was already up and running with guests, we had to plan carefully to ensure minimal disruption,” he explained. “This included working on a flexible timeline, minimising noise disturbance and working very discreetly and tidily. We created as much as possible in our scenic warehouse offsite, which helped minimise disturbances.” Smuts recalled the unusual placement of the VIP bays, behind the DJ booth. “That was
ME
something different and had to be accounted for with the audio design,” he said. “We also had Absen PL series LED panels placed in custom balustrades in front of these VIP bays, which was unique and an interesting element. As with all new venues, establishing access to certain areas like the rooftops could have been a challenge, but with the help of our rigging department’s expertise, we overcame that quickly. Our guys showed up looking neat, and in uniform, which helped maintain our professional appearance and that of the venue in front of guests.” The brief included a heavy lighting requirement with the lighting design provided by Maarten Pitteurs of Tomorrowland. Protec provided 32 Claypaky Sharpy Plus, 22 A.leda B-EYE K10, 16 A.leda B-EYE K20, 48 Robe Pointe, 32 SGM Q-7, and 76 P-2 fixtures, as well as four FQ100 fog generators and two Stadium Hazers.
Two MA Lighting grandMA2 Full Size consoles were provided for control, while networking solutions included Luminex GigaCore 16FRO, Neutrik Fibre Optic, and MA Lighting network. Miguel Paris, HOD, praised his lighting team. “They were amazing in how they worked together as a team, quickly and cleanly, overcoming short lead times and last-minute design changes,” he commented. “You can see the benefit of their long experience working together. The feedback was all very positive. The LD was very happy with the outcome of the setup and the show. His design looked great.” According to Protec’s new HOD of Audio, Evgenii Shparenkov, particular attention needed to be paid to the bass formation. “We needed to provide even coverage for the audience in front of the DJ, provide additional coverage for the VIP areas (backfills) for each of the eight sectors