Entertainment Technology February 2019 by Sun Circle Publishers

www.entertainment-tech.co.za

February 2019

IN THIS ISSUE GUNS N' ROSES THE MOSAIEK TEATRO ROCKING AT PLATTELAND MONSTER INVESTMENT

FEATURE

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

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Maximum Calculated SPL/1M: 134dB Amplifier: Class D Processor: 96KHz Signal Sampling Frequency, 24bit Precision

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MOSAIEK TEATRO

DEVELOPING LOCAL TALENT

PROLIGHT+SOUND BENEFITS PROGRAMME

DELIVERING A HAT-TRICK

MONSTER INVESTMENT

GUNS N' ROSES

47 42 ROCKING THE PLATTELAND

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INTEGRATION

EDITOR'S WORD

EDITOR'S COMMENT

SA HOSTS WORLDCLASS ARENA EVENTS

reetings, and welcome to the first edition of ETECH Magazine for the year. At the close of 2018, some of the highest-profile stakeholders in the South African live events industry partnered with the Motsepe Foundation and the Global Poverty Project to deliver one of the most technically demanding events ever to be staged at the FNB Stadium in Soweto. The Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 brought an impressive contingent of world leaders and influencers – not to mention some of the biggest headline artists ever to perform on one stage on the continent – to South Africa. The technical teams that made this event possible have a lot to be proud of – and this issue celebrates what was achieved. It cannot, however, be ignored that a member of the rigging crew lost his life during preparations for the Global Citizen Festival on the evening of 1 December. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the passing of Siyabonga Ngodze, and we join the whole entertainment technology industry in extending our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. As we enter 2019, it is a good opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and what we have to look forward to in the year ahead. We have already had the opportunity to visit the Mosaiek Teatro in Roodepoort, where a state-

of-the-art facility upgrade will ensure that fans get to enjoy a spectacular production of the finals of the third season of M-Net’s The Voice South Africa. We have also seen a number of rental companies and venues make considerable investments in gear to ensure that the events and entertainment industry maintains the high standards that we are accustomed to, despite the trying economic climate. Another event that we have to look forward to this year is MediaTech Africa 2019 at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg between 17 and 19 July. MediaTech is a great opportunity for all stakeholders within the entertainment technology industry in South Africa and Africa to gather and network, learn and generate new opportunities. ETECH magazine will serve as a media partner for the event, and we look forward to keeping you informed about planned activities, training opportunities and events at the show. As always, I look forward to having the opportunity to tell the behind-the-scenes stories of the music festivals, concerts, gigs, theatres, houses of worship and venues that promise to keep South Africans smiling in 2019. Enjoy the read! Regards

es Nicole Barn

@etechza

@etechzaW

EDITORIAL Nicole Barnes – Editor editor@pro-systems.co.za +27 (0)66 489 3482 David Cornwell – Staff writer Cover photo: Usher at the

Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 at FNB Stadium.

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ETC CEO FRED FOSTER PASSES Fred Foster, ETC co-founder and CEO, has passed away at the age of 61. According to ETC, Foster was a visionary, an innovator, and a role model. The ETC culture of family, support, and encouragement are attributed to Foster and his vision of creating a people-focused environment. “One of Foster’s greatest qualities was his ability to bring people together and rally them around a goal or a vision. Whether it was a new product technology, a tradeshow booth design, or an employee meeting space, he was always creating, always making, and always giving. His ideas were big, and his heart bigger,” ETC states in a press release following his passing. Foster announced his cancer diagnosis in the summer of 2015 and went through extensive treatment to prolong his life. Foster died peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones. Foster is credited with countless industry contributions ranging from product innovations to student mentorship programmes. He has been recognised repeatedly for his philanthropy from a number of organisations. Mathew Lewis, ETC product manager at ApexPro, the distributor of ETC in South Africa, states: “Fred Foster’s contribution to theatre went beyond just

the creation of ETC. Throughout his life, Fred seemed to emulate that special quality that is innate to theatre geeks all over the world. The love of the work, the always can-do attitude and the sheer joy that comes with making magic happen. And even though we might be a world away from Middleton Wisconsin here on the southern tip of Africa, today our thoughts, hearts and wishes are

WILD & MARR APPOINTED AS APART AUDIO DISTRIBUTOR Wild & Marr, a division of Toms Sound & Music (Pty) Ltd, and Belgium-based manufacturer, Apart Audio, have joined forces to further develop the market in South Africa. As from January 1st 2019, Wild & Marr is the exclusive distributor of the full Apart Audio product range. Apart Audio specialises in small- to medium-sized commercial applications in such verticals as retail, foodservice and hospitality, religion and education,

Gary Furman, director of Wild & Marr

sports and leisure, corporate and outdoor applications. With a full range of loudspeakers and electronics, Apart Audio has a presence in more than 90 countries throughout the world. Gary Furman, director of Wild & Marr, says: “Wild & Marr has always endeavoured to be a solutions company providing AV solutions across a broad range of markets. With this in mind, and

right there, with the whole ETC family. The theatrical community has lost a visionary and champion. But we should feel honoured that our industry was touched by a man such as him. “From all of us at ApexPro and the ETC community here in South Africa, we send the Foster family all of our love and best wishes and will do our best to keep his legacy alive and proud.”

understanding local market conditions, we have been searching for a recognised brand that would not only add value to the markets we already compete in, but serve a dual purpose of opening doors where historically we have not been able to compete. “Apart Audio’s mission of ‘providing superb audio at affordable prices’, along with their track record, resonated with our strategy. We at Wild & Marr are therefore excited to add this brand to the range of products we offer. ” Raf Willems, sales and marketing director at Apart Audio, concludes: “We are thrilled to welcome Wild & Marr as our partner for the South African market. Wild & Marr is a perfect fit for us. They have proven to have a great understanding of the fixed install market and we look forward to work together with the highly experienced and professional team at Wild & Marr.”

PRODUCT NEWS

MARTIN LAUNCHES THE NEW ERA 300 The Martin by HARMAN ERA 300 Profile is a very compact profile fixture with an extremely efficient 260W white LED engine that produces a sharp gobo projection with a flat field and more output than typically associated with similarly-sized and featured fixtures. This modern, everyday workhorse is designed to fit anywhere, is easy to handle and rig, takes up less truck space and boasts professional features, including CMY colour mixing, 1:2 zoom and 9,500 lumens of output. Additional features include electronic dimming and

Martin ERA 300 Profile

strobe; colour wheel; two layers of gobos, including rotating gobos; iris; rotating prism and pan/tilt. The electronic dimming feature ensures extremely fast strobing, instant intensity control and the ability to maintain a consistent flat field down to zero percent. On-board CMY colour mixing offers wide-ranging versatility, from subtle pastels to deep, vibrant colours, as well as fast transitions and smooth fades. And, with 13 to 28 degrees of zoom, the ERA 300 Profile is perfect for various trim heights and is wide enough to ensure great coverage on smaller stages.

The Martin ERA 300 Profile also delivers increased ROI by requiring minimal maintenance. The steady, stable LED source eliminates the worries of lamp ageing, loss of output, shifts in colour temperature and fans sucking dirt through the optical path. What’s more, the modular design makes maintenance extremely safe, quick, and easy. The ERA 300 Profile is built for the road and is ideal for small and mid-sized concerts and touring, live TV productions, corporate shows, cruise lines and houses of worship. For more information, contact www.electrosonic.co.za

MEYER SOUND AT ISE Meyer Sound used the opportunity presented by ISE 2019, recently held in Amsterdam, to preview what it bills as the most innovative redesign of its point source loudspeakers since the introduction of self-powered systems more than two decades ago. Designated ULTRA-X40, the new loudspeaker series features a concentric driver configuration, new amplifier and processor technologies drawn from the LEO Family of line array loudspeakers, a rotatable horn, an extraordinary power-to-size/weight ratio and a wide selection of versatile rigging options. “The ULTRA-X40 is the first in a completely new generation of Meyer Sound point source loudspeakers,” remarks Meyer Sound senior vice president of marketing John McMahon. “We are confident it will redefine the category of compact loudspeakers, much as the UPA-1P did when it was first introduced back in the late-nineties. The ULTRA-X40 offers significant advantages across an exceptionally broad range of portable and installed applications.” Drawing from the proven design approach of LEO

Meyer Sound ULTRA-X40

Family loudspeakers, the ULTRA-X40 employs a concentric driver configuration with dual 8-inch neodymium magnet cone drivers coupled to a low-mid waveguide surrounding the single 3-inch diaphragm high-frequency compression driver. The 110° x 50° Constant-Q HF horn is easily field rotatable, and working in concert with the concentric design it ensures

that the full bandwidth coverage pattern will be uniform with either horizontal or vertical orientation. The ULTRA-X40 also incorporates a newly designed and highly efficient three-channel class D amplifier that produces a total peak output power of 1950 W with very low power consumption thanks to its highly efficient design. The new amplifier design also contributes to a total system weight of only 25kg, a reduction of more than 9kg relative to the UPA-1P. Housed in a premium multi-ply birch enclosure with a textured finish, ULTRA-X40 loudspeakers measure 318mm wide, 567mm high and 356mm deep. An integral handle for portable applications is standard, but it may be quickly removed for permanent installation. Flexible mounting and rigging is facilitated by 11 integral M8 points, as well as an integral 35mm pole mount receptacle with an M20 threaded insert socket for added stability. For more information, visit www.prosound.co.za.

SHOW PREVIEW

PROLIGHT + SOUND 2019 BENEFITS PROGRAMME

Concept image: Networking Area (Hall 4.1)

Registration for the buyers’ Insider benefits programme are now open for Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound 2019. The ‘Insider’ programme offers a variety of benefits for buyers: from free admission on all four days (2 to 5 April) and cloakroom service to personal on-site support. In 2019, the Insider programme is open for the first time to buyers of both Musikmesse and Prolight+Sound and purchasing decision makers from the music and event sectors can now register as Insiders. The Business Matchmaking Programme is aimed at specialist retailers from all parts of the musical instrument business with up to 50 employees and an annual turnover of less than € 2.5 million, as well as employees of commercial enterprises and rental companies from the event, media, stage, lighting and sound technology sector. After registering at www.insider-programm.com, participants will be sent a season ticket for both trade fairs, which entitles them to use local public-transport services operated by the RMV

public-transport authority in Frankfurt and the region. Insiders will be welcomed at the reception counter in the new Networking Area (Hall 4.1) and given their personal Insider Bag with food vouchers, information about the fairs and other giveaways.

PROLIGHT+SOUND NETWORKING AREA Insider participants and all other buyers attending Musikmesse and Prolight+Sound will find the optimal setting and a peaceful atmosphere for business discussions in the Networking Area (Hall 4.1). With an elaborate lounge design, lecture platforms and catering zones, the Networking Area is a modern venue for encounters between decision makers on the exhibitor and visitor sides. Hall 4.1 is centrally located at the Fair and Exhibition Centre, only a stone’s throw from the Messe Frankfurt ‘S-Bahn’ railway station and the ‘Torhaus’ entrance. The Networking Area is an essential part of the new Musikmesse concept aimed specifically at international trade visitors.

BUSINESS MATCHMAKING The Business Matchmaking Programme brings together the right visitors and exhibitors and thus helps buyers find companies taking part in the fair that are particularly relevant to their business interests. A clearly structured online platform is available for planning meetings with new and existing partners. Additionally, the Messe Frankfurt Matchmaking Team is also available to assist participants. Retailers and buyers who register for the Insider programme automatically receive a Business Matchmaking profile, which they can manage easily using an online tool. Further information about Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound at www.musikmesse.com and www.prolight-sound.com.

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Photo by Michelly Rall/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

GLOBAL CITIZEN FE MANDELA 100

ESTIVAL: The Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 2 December 2018, brought together an impressive contingent of heads of state, dignitaries, some of the world’s most talented artists and influencers and thousands of global citizens to end world poverty and celebrate the centenary of Nelson Mandela. The event broke a number of records, not only for the commitments made to support the Global Poverty Project in its fight to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, but also for the entertainment technology industry in South Africa. In this feature, ETECH takes a look at the enormous undertaking, as well as the achievements and challenges of delivering one of the biggest live events ever to be held on South African soil.

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

FEATURE 12

DELIVERING A HAT-TRICK

GLOBAL STARTS

JOBURG WELCOMES

A GLOBAL STAGE

MAKING A

BEYONCÉ

DEVELOPING

WITH A PRAYER

THE WORLD

FOR FNB STADIUM

CONNECTION

REIGNS SUPREME

LOCAL TALENT

Naomi Campbell speaks on stage during the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

DELIVERING A HAT-TRICK GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

Providing comprehensive technical solution services for a large-format arena

production is never a simple undertaking. Delivering three world-class arena events, in the space of a week, in the same venue, is Herculean by anybody’s account. The Gearhouse Group of Companies proved their mettle in December last year by achieving just that at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. ETECH takes a look at how they accomplished this outstanding achievement.

TAKING ON THE WORLD The Gearhouse Group is a leading technical solutions and services provider for the live entertainment and events markets in South Africa – having provided turnkey solutions for clients across Africa for almost three decades. The company has been relied on for technical solutions for international touring artists visiting the country since 1991, and is known internationally for their technical expertise, willingness to go the extra mile and can-do attitude. The company reaffirmed this reputation in recent months by successfully providing technical services to three of the largest events to be hosted at the FNB Stadium in recent years – and all in the space of a week. Gearhouse Johannesburg branch operations manager Stuart Andrews details how it came about that the events were scheduled in such close succession. According to Andrews, The Motsepe Foundation had booked the stadium for the National Day of Prayer. On becoming the principal sponsor for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, they decided to move the National Day of Prayer to 25 November – allowing Global Citizen Festival to be held on 2 December. At the same time, Big Concerts required the Stadium on 29 November for the Guns N’ Roses concert. This situation that culminated in “all the interested parties agreeing to stage all three events in very close succession, with the understanding that they would collaborate closely to make it all work.” While most technical solution providers would baulk at such an undertaking, Andrews points out that, at the time, the decision seemed to work in their favour. “This arrangement actually suited us because we were able to capitalise on the fact that we could build a large portion of the stage, load in the generators and rig the sound system once – and use this infrastructure for all three events – including Beyoncé’s OTR II tour, which basically ran as a separate production on the back of the Global Citizen Festival programme.” Although Andrews reflects that, “In hindsight – had we known how complicated Beyoncé’s production was going to prove – we may

have reconsidered the decision,” in this issue of ETECH we discover how all three events were expertly executed by The Gearhouse Group, who created nothing less than a new production standard for South Africa in the process.

GEARING UP FOR SUCCESS According to Gearhouse’s Jako de Wit, who served as project manager for the National Day of Prayer, Guns ‘N Roses and the Global Citizen Festival, “When we received the OTR II tour rider from Beyonce’s production team, we decided to expand our existing inventory of L-Acoustics to ensure that we were able to deliver on the rider without having to compromise.” Andrews explains that Gearhouse, therefore, made a significant investment in new audio equipment to supplement their already impressive L-Acoustics inventory. “We purchased 12 boxes of L-Acoustics K1, to bring our total count from 36 to 48. We also invested in a complete L-Acoustics K2 series system to meet the various audio riders for Guns N’ Roses, the Global Citizen Festival and Beyoncé’s OTR II tour,” Andrews points out. He adds that “it is worth noting that we have invested in 28 subs and LA12X amps, to bring the K1 system up to the KS standard.” De Wit explains that the new K2 system will live in Cape Town – and so will ensure that all three branches of Gearhouse (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg) will be able to supply complete L-Acoustics systems for events where nothing but the very best in live sound quality will do. “Investing in the K1 system means that we can deliver on international riders that require the KS standard, and this makes everything a lot easier. Audio designers will base their designs on a complete 48-box system, and in the past, we have had to make certain compromises. That won’t happen anymore – now we’ve got the equipment to accommodate any design,” Andrews concludes.

Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

Eddie Vedder on stage at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

TOTAL TECHNICAL S O LU T I N

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT INTERNATIONAL ACCOLADES The Gearhouse Group prides itself on being an organisation that, through its various divisions, is able to provide clients with a turnkey solution for their events. At no time has this been more evident than during the week leading up to the Global Citizen Festival. “One of the guiding principles behind the Gearhouse group is that we pride ourselves on working as a team,” Andrews points out. “Every subsidiary within the Group, in this instance, including Gearhouse South Africa, Sets Drapes Screens (SDS), LEDVision and In2Structures, has a critical role to play in achieving this run of events and staff members from all over the country, including our Durban and Cape Town branches, came to lend a hand. We are extremely proud of our team and what we have achieved,” Andrews concludes. De Wit echoes these sentiments by stating: “While I was the project manager for all three events, it is far too big a job for one person – and without the entire team behind me, and the willingness of all of the production teams and crews involved working tirelessly to achieve a unified goal, we would never have achieved success.”

The Gearhouse Group has proven beyond a doubt that they have the ability to deliver at the highest international standards, as confirmed by Global Citizen Project Events Director, David Beame. “I have to say that working with Mushroom Productions and all of the companies of the Gearhouse Group has been amazing. I can say without question – based on my extensive experience working with technical suppliers all over the world – that they are truly world-class,” he told ETECH in a telephonic interview in the days leading up to the event. This sentiment was echoed by the world-renowned tour manager and run-of-show producer for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, Tina Farris. Speaking at a presentation organised by the SA Roadies Association in Newtown, Johannesburg, Farris said: “I have worked with technical suppliers all over the world, and the Gearhouse team compare with the best in the industry. It has been a pleasure working with them.”

Photo by Michelly Rall/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

Master of ceremonies, Trevor Noah, raises his hands at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

Always on.

24 hour technical support. visual environment technologies | etcconnect.com

GLOBAL STARTS WITH GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

A PRAYER

The Motsepe Foundation and the Gearhouse Group collaborated to produce a memorable National Day of Prayer at the FNB Stadium on 25 November 2018, one week ahead of Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100.

The Motsepe Foundation emerged as the principal sponsor of the Global Citizen Festival Mandela 100, held on 2 December at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The Foundation set the tone for the international humanitarian Global festival by holding the annual National Day of Prayer one week before, on 25 November 2018 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

A FORCE FOR GOOD The Motsepe Foundation was founded in 1999 by Patrice Motsepe and Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe upon the philosophy of Ubuntu, the African concept of giving and caring for your neighbour and other members of your community. Through various social action initiatives, such as fundraising drives and bursary funds, the Motsepe Foundations aims to improve the quality of life for all, including the unemployed, women, youth workers and marginalised communities in South Africa. The foundation also aims to build a non-racial South Africa and promote diversity and tolerance across race, gender and different religions. The Motsepe Foundation, therefore, seems a natural sponsor for a festival such as Global Citizen – which describes itself as being founded on a “movement of engaged citizens who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.” After announcing its sponsorship of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 event, the Foundation said in an official statement: “The hosting and presenting partner of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 announced a series of massive commitments totalling over $104.4 million. These commitments, announced by Dr Precious Motsepe and Patrice Motsepe, are set to advance education, economic inclusion and equality of women and girls, as well as to ensure that current land discussions and processes in South Africa will result in land being made available to black people living in rural and urban areas.”

THE STORY BEHIND NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER The National Day of Prayer was first hosted by the Motsepe Foundation – along with 33 separate religious organisations – in November 2017, an event which drew more than 100,000 people. With expectations riding high for the 2018 instalment, Gearhouse branch operations manager, Stuart Andrews, provides some background about how the scheduling of the National Day of Prayer was worked out. “The Motsepe Foundation booked the FNB Stadium well in advance for the annual National Day of Prayer, to be held on 2 December 2019. Subsequently, the Motsepe Foundation came onboard as the principal sponsor for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, and they decided to reschedule the National Day of Prayer for 25 November – allowing the Global Citizen Festival to occupy the stadium on 2 December,” he explains. In addition to booking the FNB Stadium for two major events on consecutive weekends, Big Concerts required the FNB Stadium for Guns N' Roses on 28 November – which could have been compromised but for some very considerate negotiations between all of the parties involved, and a giant leap of faith from Gearhouse. As Andrews points out, while the schedule seemed impossibly tight – with some clever planning and close cooperation by all parties – the arrangement actually provided the Gearhouse crew with some ingenious solutions when it came to designing the rig for the National Day of Prayer. “This arrangement actually suited us,” he says, “because we were able to capitalise on the fact that we could build a large portion of the Global Citizen stage, load in the generators and rig the sound system once – and use this infrastructure for all three events.” Gearhouse production manager Jako De Wit expands: “There was no rider for The National Day of Prayer, as we simply worked backwards from what Beyoncé’s tour rider specified. As a result,

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

National Day of Prayer, held on 25 November 2018 at the FNB Stadium in Soweto

the rig that was specified for Beyoncé’s show – which was to be the closing performance of the Global Citizen Festival, was used for the National Day of Prayer.” To sum up of the importance of the event to the entire week-long production project Gearhouse had committed to at the FNB Stadium, De Wit shares: “The National Day of Prayer was a keystone in the entire undertaking – if that went wrong from a technical perspective, it would have derailed the entire project.”

“There were 100 000 people inside the stadium for The National Day of Prayer, and we still had between 30 and 40 thousand people outside the stadium. So, The National Day of Prayer was – in fact – double the size of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in

REACHING THE NATION The 2018 edition of The National Day of Prayer exceeded the alreadyimpressive scale of the previous year’s effort. In De Wit’s words: “There were 100 000 people inside the stadium for The National Day of Prayer, and we still had between 30 and 40 thousand people outside the stadium. So, The National Day of Prayer was – in fact – double the size of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in terms of attendance.” To ensure that everybody who turned up was able to participate in the events, Gearhouse provided relays to broadcast the ceremony to areas outside the stadium. “We provided relays and sent the signal wirelessly to areas outside the stadium. In addition to audio systems, we erected LED screens to broadcast the ceremony to the people gathered outside the stadium, as well as a small stage. “We were integrated with the systems that had been put in place for Beyoncé, and – as such – we had to negotiate for their video and camera team to be there on The National Day of Prayer. We were in a situation where the Beyoncé production team had put their infrastructure in place to deliver the Beyoncé OTR II tour, including their screens, media processors, video control systems and camera equipment.” In another fitting act of collaboration, this request was honoured, and – as a result – the memorable day was broadcast to millions more South Africans via the SABC. For more information about the work of the Motsepe Foundation, visit www.motsepefoundation.org.

terms of attendance.” – Jako de Wit

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

JOBURG WELCOMES THE WORLD The Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 set a number of records at the FNB Stadium on 2 December 2018. According to event organisers, the festival brought together the largest-ever contingent of world leaders and influencers to further the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. In addition to this outstanding achievement, the Global Citizen Festival brought a record-setting stage to the FNB Stadium, saw the largest deployment of networking infrastructure at an event of this nature and set a new standard for entertainment technology in South Africa.

A MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE The Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 2 December 2018, brought together a large contingent of heads of state and dignitaries, a group of the world’s most talented artists and influencers and thousands of global citizens to further the call to end extreme poverty and celebrate the centenary of Nelson Mandela – who, himself, set a stellar example as a humanitarian and advocate for social justice. According to the organisation’s website, “Global Citizen is a movement of engaged citizens, who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.” Global Citizen encourages people to sign up to its online platform, where they can learn more about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues and earn rewards for those actions. The first Global Citizen Festival was held in 2012 in New York’s Central Park and featured Foo Fighters, The Black Keys and John Legend, among others. Over the years, Global Citizen Festivals have expanded both in size and influence, with some of the world’s most celebrated artists performing at events across the world.

Through its various activities – carried out primarily through social media campaigns – the organisation has achieved a dramatic increase in awareness about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, especially among the millennial generation. In addition to its impressive advocacy work, the Global Poverty Project has directly and indirectly improved the lives of millions, especially among the world’s most vulnerable populations.

GLOBAL COMES TO JOHANNESBURG The Global Poverty Project announced that a Global Citizen Festival would be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, to honour the life and work of Nelson Mandela in early 2018. Headline artists for the event included Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Cassper Nyovest, D’Banj, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Femi Kuti, Kacey Musgraves, Pharrell Williams and Chris Martin, Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, Usher and Wizkid. According to Global Citizen, the Mandela 100 festival raised $7,248,459,840 billion (ZAR 104,107,121,793), which is set to affect the lives of 121,540,775 people. Forty-three commitments worth $2,672,940,521 resulted from the organisation’s campaigning and the direct actions of Global Citizens. The remaining $4,575,519,319 of commitments were made by partners on the Global Citizen platform.

MAKING GLOBAL HAPPEN Speaking to ETECH in an interview after the event, Stuart Andrews, branch manager at Gearhouse SA, says that the company have delivered full technical solutions for events of the scale and complexity that Global Citizen Festival presented in the past, and they had every confidence that they would be equipped to deliver on all the technical requirements put forward by the international event management and technical teams. “What sets festivals of this nature apart is the level of collaboration and communication that is required between the technical crews and artists involved with the festival,” says Jako de Wit – who served as project manager for Gearhouse on the event. “One of the biggest challenges with the project was that we only had comprehensive riders for Beyoncé, and the Global Citizen Festival production team provided us with sound riders. Outside of that, everybody had to negotiate for their space.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

Cassper Nyovest gets the crowd jumping at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

As a result, the most challenging aspect of managing the project was ensuring that communication channels were open between all of the crew members involved, all of the time,” De Wit goes on to explain. “What sets us apart as a rental company,” Andrews points out, “is that we are able to provide a turnkey solution for big events – and at no point was this more evident than at Global Citizen Festival. Every business division was intimately involved in this project and we were able to provide for every aspect of the event.”

the Gearhouse team worked in close collaboration with the touring crews of all of the artists to develop a strategy that made for a seamless show experience. “We prepared a festival set-up, which involved having rehearsal rooms in parallel with what was going on inside the stadium in the days ahead of the event – which most of the artists used. Because of this, there was time beforehand for technical teams and artists to do the patching and labelling of desks.”

GEARING UP FOR GLOBAL

A JOINT EFFORT

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 is the amount of technology that was used for the show. “While they are able to rent the same model and brand of equipment locally, the standard for the big international touring parties is to have their core elements – such as their sound desk, lighting desk, microphone package, and in-ear systems – with them on tour,” De Wit explains. “This is because timeframes are usually short – they fly into a country and they arrive at the venue and they have three hours before they have to do a sound check. Therefore, they prefer to have their own equipment, which has been programmed, labelled and set up, to deliver the show.” As a result, the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 saw a record number of DiGiCo sound desks and grandMA lighting consoles, not to mention an awe-inspiring level of control and networking infrastructure, deployed inside the FNB Stadium. “Normally, the supporting act at a concert will use one setup, and then the entire show will shift to the production team of the headline act,” De Wit points out. “The principle remains the same, but for Global Citizen Festival, we had eight artists – each with their own crew and equipment that needed to be accommodated.” While this sounds like an organisational and technical nightmare,

According to Andrews and his team, key to the successful staging of the Global Citizen Festival was teamwork. “All of the international consultants, production teams, artists and technical crew members were in constant communication both ahead of, and during the event, which made it possible to fulfil everybody’s needs.” In addition, Gearhouse managed to provide a turnkey solution for the event by drawing on all of its resources as a company. “One of the guiding principles behind the Gearhouse group is that, as a company, we pride ourselves on working as a team,” Andrews states. “We pulled resources from all of our branches, including manpower and equipment which came from Cape Town and Durban to assist. It was really a group effort and I am very proud of what we were able to achieve,” he concludes. “The number of crew that were onsite during this time was incredible. We had a team of 60 crew, both permanent staff and freelancers, on site every day. This also included working in shifts – where day teams would be replaced by nightshift teams to ensure that setup could continue on a 24-hour basis.”

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

A GLOBAL STAGE FOR FNB STADIUM According to event director at the Global Poverty Project, David Beame:

“The Global Citizen Festival aims to achieve two very important aspects, first and foremost is the cause – the fight to end poverty by 2030 – the second is to deliver a fantastic event.” With this in mind, the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, required a stage that would accommodate a diverse range of needs.

Stufish and SDS produced a record-setting stage at the FNB Stadium for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

A STAGE FOR EVERYTHING One of the most important technical aspects that needed to be achieved for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg was an iconic stage that would suit all aspects of the event. The stage needed to accommodate Beyoncé’s OTR II touring rig, which was performed as the headline act at the end of the festival, as well as catering for a montage of international

and local artists – many of whom came with their own crew and gear. Additionally, the stage needed to provide a platform for world leaders and dignitaries to speak. Finally, the event was to be filmed and broadcast live on various television and online channels – and so needed to look the part even under close scrutiny. To achieve this ambitious task, Global Citizen turned to international entertainment architecture agency Stufish to

come up with the right stage design for the event. Ric Lipson, who was responsible for designing the set for Beyoncé’s OTR II World Tour, took the lead in designing the stage for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100. “The design for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 had to do two things,” Lipson explains. “The first was to provide the Beyoncé and Jay Z show with all of the main elements from the OTR II tour, while also creating a dynamic and interesting background for all the other acts and presenters throughout the day.” Lipson goes on to explain that: “As this was a televised event, we needed to design the show to work well on a close-up or wide camera shot. Imagery from the Global Citizen graphic campaign was integrated physically and with the video content, to make the show read with the iconic red arches of the Global Citizen Festival brand together with the skyline of Joburg.”

BRINGING THE BUILD TO SA Beame points out that while the stage design was led by Stufish, the majority of the stage build was achieved locally. Set Drapes Screens (SDS), a part of the Gearhouse Group of Companies, was contracted to build the stage that would serve for the National Day of Prayer, the Guns N’ Roses concert and the Global Citizen Festival. Pieter Joubert, director of SDS, states “The project was really exciting for the SDS team, as it is always an honour to work with Stufish. However, it was a little intimidating, taking into account the jobs that SDS had already committed to, as well as the size of the Global Citizen event, the tight schedule, the turnaround schedule between the three shows and – being November and December in Joburg – the weather is always a challenge.” According to Joubert, the short lead-time on the project, coupled with the 24-hour turnaround between the Guns N’ Roses and Global Citizen shows – gave the SDS crew the opportunity to show their collective mettle. “The biggest challenge was to manufacture the set in less than 10 days, as well as the turnaround times between rehearsals, where we had to adapt the floor to accommodate the OTR II show elements. This required a really strong team on site, but also a strong construction team, even with some crew from Durban,” Joubert states. Joubert gives some details about the job, explaining that SDS had to source and cut 400 sheets of plywood in 10 days, using CNC technology. “We then had to get them all painted in a grip floor epoxy paint in time. For the presenter arch and the two arches on the side of the stage, we worked with Dibond for the first time, which helped a lot as this required fairly little finishing and is a waterproof product.” Reflecting on the success of the show, Joubert says “I am proud to be part of a company like SDS. It is an achievement to have pulled this off in such a short time – as well as delivering each show on time even with the incredibly tight deadlines and difficult weather conditions. It is an honour to have supplied designers like Stufish, and most importantly, to have delivered a product we can all be proud of.” Despite Joubert’s initial concerns, and the incredible turnaround times demanded by the line-up of events, the SDS team delivered an exceptional set for all three shows, proving that they are well-equipped to realise the most ambitious and creative stage designs from some of the best agencies in the world.

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

MAKING A CONNECTION ROBERT GROBLER Lighting Designer at Gearhouse SA

Vital to the success of the ‘Gearhouse hat-trick’ was the internal communications system deployed at the events, which provided the crew with a way to coordinate and manage the audio, lighting and visual aspects of the various productions.

As Gearhouse’s Jako de Wit explains: “One of the biggest challenges with the project was that while we had comprehensive riders for Guns N’ Roses and Beyoncé, the Global Citizen Festival production team provided us with sound riders. Outside of that, everybody had to negotiate for their space. As a result, the most challenging aspect of managing the project was ensuring that communication channels were open between all of the crew members involved, all of the time.” We spoke to three key players to find out how they solved these technical challenges and what equipment it took to pull of this impressive production feat.

Speaking about the logistical approach his team adopted, Grobler says: “We started by looking at the Global Citizen event, as this was the biggest and would be the most timeconsuming, and reversed the process from there. Having OTR II drawn in, we looked at the other acts and their potential needs and – not forgetting the broadcaster’s needs – took it from there.” However, as tricky as this process was, it was given a further twist in the form of the Guns N’ Roses concert, which took place a few days before in the same venue. “Guns N’ Roses was treated as a completely separate production,” Grobler explains. “This is because it was planned and approved before Global Citizen confirmed. Therefore, some of the elements in Global Citizen were worked out of the Guns N’ Roses planning to ensure faster, smoother turnaround times as much as possible. Effectively, we had a complete separate lighting rig waiting in the wings for the Beyoncé rehearsals to finish; then we could take it out and wheel in the rig for Guns N’ Roses.” In addition to a true arsenal of gear – including 11 grandMA2 consoles (five full, six light) and scores of Luminex switches – Grobler provides a sense of the networking requirements for a project of this magnitude. “When you do a show in the FNB Stadium, and it is not only on a stage but the entire stadium, it becomes a touch scary. Lots of lights, power and processing to make it all work. To give you an idea of the scale, the 2010 World Cup Closing Ceremony, excluding video servers, was about 48 DMX Universes, and we had 120 for this. After weeks of planning and conference calls between myself and the OTR II team, I made the call to stick to one product and tie it all in together. There were about 50 Luminex switches doing various things, and if we had really wanted to, we could have delivered 300 DMX Universes.” Reflecting on the project, Grobler says the biggest challenge was “meeting everyone’s requirements and expectations. We had some of the bigger touring and concept designers come in – not to mention meeting deadlines. This is where we needed a strong Crew Boss and an effective team that could punch through boundaries and deliver against all odds.” He concludes by saying, “For me, this was an event for the books. Bigger than anything I have worked on before and I feel we can be proud of it. It is proof that we as a team can deliver any task at hand.”

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

JESSE DULLABH

Live Events Technical Manager and Controller Support for Luminex at Electrosonic SA Jesse Dullabh echoes Grobler’s thought about the magnitude of the networking task they faced. “The networking requirement for the show was the biggest in country to date.” Dullabh explains that, essentially, the network needed to “get all of the different lighting consoles talking to the lights. A large part of the networking was the ability to get all the grandMA consoles taking to each other, as well as operating independently, when required. “Due to the size of the events,” he explains, “a total of 22 Luminex Switches were used on the show. These included Luminex 12, 14R, 16XTs and a 16FRO to achieve the lighting solution. In addition to this, there were another 30 16XTs for other departments from Beyoncé’s rider. Other usage of the switches were associated with the multiple D3 media servers and a few other servers based on what artists toured with which was largely used for the content on the LED walls of the production.” Speaking about the Luminex brand, Dullabh shares that “Luminex has started to be adopted internationally as the networking device of choice and, therefore, was the central According to Gearhouse’s Thabiet backbone for the design. Luminex assists in making Waggie, his team was responsible for networking easy through its smart and intuitive web“distributing audio, video and data to interface. This allows us to generate VLANS [virtual remote locations in and around the subnetworks] in a matter of seconds, as well as trouble shoot Festival Precinct.” as issues arose through the Luminex Monitor, which is built for "Audio Visual over Internet Protocol (AVoIP) technology is creating a the live entertainment industry. The combination of fibre and buzz in tech-orientated industries around the world, but in the case of the Cat6 cables we used worked smoothly, allowing for distances Global Citizen Festival, which had so many different moving parts that over 100 metres to be connected with ease.” needed to be seamlessly linked together, its deployment was a necessity," As Dullabh explains, “Electrosonic are the sole distributors says Waggie. of Luminex, and so it was imperative that support was given “We specified the use of AVoIP because of the distances between the during such a big load in. Robert [Grobler] required support artist compound and the green rooms, holding rooms and production with the network design to achieve a fast and smooth compound. These areas were also both inside and outside of the stadium,” transition during tight turnarounds from show to show.” he points out, making traditional cabling solutions impracticable. According to Dullabh, “Robert did a lot of the work and Waggie’s team were also able to furnish the festival crew with “VLANs for pre-production off-site ahead of the event, as he didn’t want crucial data that was used for AutoCue and transmitted between the to get onto site unprepared. This allowed for an easy AutoCue rehearsal rooms and the OB van, as well data transmission from transition. Once the international touring groups arrived, we the production compound and backstage areas.” were ready to tap into their networks with ease.” Waggie shares that his strategy used a “combination of wired, wireless Dullabh says that experience was “truly world-class”, and point to point and wireless bridge technology,” a flexible set up that that he feels “glad to be part of the biggest lighting and allowed the crew to maximise what was available to them and work networking event hosted in this country to date. The around the logistical challenges presented by the venue. combination of events with legendary artist was another tick In terms of the gear required to execute this innovative connectivity in the box, but I was happy to play a role in assisting solution, Waggie’s team employed both 4K-ready Matrox Maevex and Gearhouse and to represent the Luminex brand of products.” Teradek Beam encoders and decoders, which transmit over the 5GHz band are ideally suited to crews needing to feed full HD video back to an OB van.

THABIET WAGGIE

Business Development Manager at Gearhouse (Cape Town)

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

BeyoncĂŠ dazzles at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

BEYONCÉ REIGNS SUPREME

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

South African audiences were treated to a condensed version of the latest international tour by husband and wife team Beyoncé and Jay-Z Carter as the headlining act of the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100.

Speaking about her experience at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, Beyoncé posted the following on her Instagram account in the days following the show:

“After settling in at home from a beautiful trip to South Africa and India, I am still in awe that 7.1 BILLION dollars was raised to aid Global Citizen in its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. “I’d like to give my praise and respect to all the speakers, performers, and volunteers who donated their time to contribute to making positive change. Every person in the audience at FNB Stadium earned a seat because they generously donated their time to help their community. Now their efforts and the money raised will help improve education, healthcare, sanitation, women’s rights, and countless other causes for millions across the globe. “I felt so much positivity and pride in the audience at Global Citizen: Mandela 100. Madiba, Johannesburg, and all of my African sisters and brothers, we hope we made you as proud as you all make us. South Africa was an extraordinary trip for me and my family. God bless.”

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

Beyoncé and Jay-Z join hands at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

Taking into account the enormity of all that encompasses The Queen of R&B, it is of little surprise that the On The Run II (OTR II) tour dominated not only fan’s attention but also the technical, production and staging requirements for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100. Standing on the platform at the Gautrain Station in Rosebank on the morning before the highest-profile music festival that South Africa has ever hosted, I was surrounded by hundreds of fellow Global Citizen Festival goers – all of whom had engaged diligently on the Global Citizen platform to earn their tickets ahead of the show. Despite the incredible line-up of both local and international artists performing on the Global Citizen Festival stage, almost without exception, the name on everybody’s lips was Queen B.

RUNNING WITH THE CARTERS The On the Run II tour is the second co-headlining stadium tour by husband and wife team Beyoncé and Jay-Z, collectively known as The Carters. The tour was first performed at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in the UK and officially concluded in Seattle in October 2018. The OTR II tour is a true collaborative effort between the husband and wife team, who between them served as creative directors and producers of the tour. The full-length production is a celebration of the couple’s creative collaboration over the years, and serves to promote their recently-released joint album, titled Everything is Love. The Carters continued to pledge their support to end world poverty by committing to perform at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, and therefore brought a scaled-down and compressed version of OTR II to the FNB Stadium on 2 December 2018.

DESIGNED TO DAZZLE The OTR II tour was designed by Ric Lipson, who is a world-renowned stage designer and a partner at Stufish, one of the world’s leading entertainment architectural agencies. Lipson has designed shows for the likes of Pink Floyd, Madonna, U2 and Lady Gaga, and has a long-standing relationship with Beyoncé and her production team – having designed a number of her tours in the past.

Lipson’s brief for the OTR II tour, “was to base the design around the story of two lovers who become separated and spend part of the show ringing around each other until they are reunited,” he says. He worked in close collaboration with The Carter’s creative team to fashion a canvas to play out the couple’s narrative and describes the creative vision behind the show as being “a blend of art installation, meets an opera, meets a pop concert, meets a dance piece, meets architecture.” Lipson’s ambitious design was realised by StageCo, an international staging company that is renowned for designing and building custommade concert stages for some of the biggest names in the industry. The overall stage for OTR II measures 60 metres wide and 27 metres tall at its highest point. The central performance stage is divided into four floors of five boxes, and functions as both the main scenic element and the crucial structure that supports a scissor lift, three quick lifts and the tracking video system that is cantilevered into place. Also contained in the design are two stair houses with scaffolding, built by Stageco, that are used as holding areas for the artists. Upstage, a large structural ‘performer wall’ is a major part of Lipson’s design, and this offers a series of integrated boxed spaces – with various performers inside – that are alternately revealed and concealed by a large 13-metre high video wall. Video content and photographs of The Carters are used to take the audience on a journey through Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s life together and are complemented by a spectacular lighting design that adds mood and excitement throughout the show.

THE QUEEN REIGNS AT GLOBAL As OTR II would be performed, in part, at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, festival organisers contracted Lipson to design an adapted version of the tour rig to enable The Carters to perform a compressed version of the OTR II tour, while at the same time accommodating the array of artists and high-profile public speeches at the festival. “We were honoured to be invited by Global Citizen to design the whole day’s events,” says Stufish. “This design had to do two main things. The first was provide the Beyoncé and Jay Z show with all of the main elements from the OTR II tour, while also creating a dynamic and interesting background for all the other acts and presenters throughout the day.” Lipson’s design delivered the largest stage ever to be erected at the FBN stadium, providing a stellar platform to present a memorable and deeply impactful Global Citizen Festival to the world.

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DEVELOPING LOCAL TALENT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

By David Cornwell

Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy learners: Dali Ndlovu, Pierre Huskisson, Katlego Dire, Tshidiso Motaung, Nhlanhla Ntshingila, Dewald van Breda and Lumka Songela

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100

The Gearhouse Group has, a long and proud tradition of empowering youth through its highly respected Kentse Mpahlwa Academy. As the key technical solutions provider for the recent Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, held at the FNB Stadium on 2 December, Gearhouse used the occasion to extend a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to its current academy learners.

The Gearhouse Group offers proactive training programmes through the Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy, both for existing long-term employees and for youngsters entering the industry, and many recent graduates of this Academy were given a chance to shine at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES The Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy is used to upskill the local live event industry by means of an annual, free-of-charge Live Event Learnership. It provides learners from under-served communities around the country with the opportunity to study Technical Services Production and graduate with an annual SAQA-accredited Technical Production Services Learnership Certificate (Live Event Technical Production Certificate: SAQA ID 48669 at Level 4). The course material was written in-house and lays a solid foundation across all disciplines. Moreover, as Josef van Schalkwyk (Gearhouse Learnership Training Manager) explains: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Learners who show certain aptitudes may be accepted to continue with a secondyear specialisation in a particular field, such as lighting, audiovisual or rigging. Gaining experience on the varied live events gives learners a wide variety of opportunities to work in diverse technical setups, from very corporate, to large-scale musical events and smaller social responsibility functionsâ&#x20AC;?.

GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: MANDELA 100 The three Gearhouse training facilities – in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town – produce around 45 work-ready Graduate Technicians per year. The Academy has produced a total of 450 graduates to date, the majority of which go on to work at rental supply companies, or in the fields of broadcast supply or production.

GEARHOUSE’S GLOBAL CITIZENS The Global Citizen social impact initiative, therefore, ties in very well with the Gearhouse Group’s values and their own attempts to improve the lives of local youths, as well as to contribute to social upliftment and ultimately benefit the economy through the growth of the live events industry. The strength and vitality of this mission are captured in the words of some of the Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy’s current and former students, all of whom had the chance to participate in South Africa’s biggest-ever live production: the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100. “It was an amazing experience to work on the Global Citizen Festival,” says Pierre Huskisson, who has been with the company for five years. “To see how they do everything overseas – lighting, audio, AV, LED – and to see how everything comes together to deliver a show that makes the audience happy. We saw a lot of new ways of doing things, and it’s so exciting to be able to use these skills in a South African context and help make local productions better.” For Katlego Dire, “The Global Citizen Festival was my first time working at a stadium – so it was quite an experience for me. It gave me an opportunity to work with internationals, to see how they do things and to show them how I do things – it was an amazing opportunity to learn, especially for a second-year student like myself.” Nhlanhla Ntshingila agrees, saying: “I’ve seen these kinds of events on YouTube, so to be a part of one of them myself was just

“The Global Citizen Festival was my first time working at a stadium – so it was quite an experience for me. It gave me an opportunity to work with internationals, to see how they do things and to show them how I do things – it was an amazing opportunity to learn, especially for a second-year student like myself.” – Katlego Dire

amazing. To be included in the whole project was a very good experience, a very stretching experience, and I learned a lot,” she says, and Dali Ndlovu – who will specialise in rigging at the Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy this year – adds: “After all, it’s gigs like this that build our experience and make our CVs credible.” Lumka Sonegla, who was only a first-year student when she was involved in the Global Citizen event, says it was “exciting to see a production of that standard come together. We do a lot of different kinds of shows and conferences – but this was something different. Some of the equipment we were exposed to is not available in this country – like some of the follow-spots we got to set up – so it was eye-opening for us.” Asked about his experience of the Gearhouse training programme, Tshidiso Motaung reflects that: “It has moulded me a lot. I come from a studio background and I was new to the live event industry. I didn’t have much knowledge at first, but it gave me enough understanding to learn about the ups and downs of the industry. So, when the crew from Global Citizen came through, I was up to standard with international-level knowledge regarding equipment and how to plug things up and how to manage the power supplies.” Dewald van Breda echoes these thoughts, identifying “the work experience and the workshops” as his favourite aspects of the Gearhouse training programme. “Getting out in the field, meeting new people, learning new things – all these experiences. Working on the roof at Global, we got a new view on things: how it all worked, how the project came together – we saw how important teamwork is, and how everyone worked together to get the job done.” Global Poverty Project event director, David Beame, agrees that the Gearhouse Kentse Mpahlwa Academy affirms the ethos of the Global Citizen Project. “We were very happy to work with the Gearhouse Academy during the Global Citizen Festival – which is an amazing initiative,” he said in a recent interview. He adds that “We are extremely pleased to be creating opportunities for young technical trainees to work on an international production of this nature.” It is clear that the Gearhouse Group’s training programmes are succeeding in producing engaged, confident and exceedingly competent live engineers: young industry professionals who will rig South Africa’s biggest shows for many years to come. In the words of former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

This feature is dedicated to the memory of

Siyabonga Ngodze “I’d like us all to think for a moment of one of the young men who put together this extraordinary night for you... Siyabonga Ngodze.” – Sir Bob Geldof

GUNS Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ROSES: A ONCE IN A LIFETIME LIVE EVENT: ARENA CONCERT

EXPERIENCE

Rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus rocking it old-school at the FNB Stadium

LIVE EVENT: ARENA CONCERT

The iconic band Guns N’ Roses rocked Joburg when Big Concerts brought their Not In This Lifetime tour to the FNB Stadium in November last year.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Guns N’ Roses established themselves as legends of the hard rock genre with hits such as Sweet Child of Mine dominating the charts in the late1980s. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Following several years of strained relationships between the original band members, Guns N’ Roses fans were thrilled to receive the news that Rose, Slash and McKagan would again be joining forces as a headline act for Coachella 2016, an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

In April 2016, the reunited Guns N’ Roses initiated the North America leg of its Not In This Lifetime tour – named for a pessimistic statement that Rose made in a 2012 interview when asked about a potential reunion. Guns N’ Roses have brought Not In This Lifetime to several continents, delivering more than 160 shows over the past two years. The tour has grossed over $563.3 million, making it the second-highest-grossing concert tour of all time. In 2016 it was the highest-earning global concert tour per city, as well as the fourth-highest-grossing overall, and it ranked as the second-highest-grossing worldwide tour of 2017. In June of 2018, Big Concerts announced that they had secured Guns N’ Roses, for the first time in South Africa, for a single performance of the Not in this Lifetime tour at the FNB Stadium on 29 November.

Axl Rose greets fans during the Not in this Lifetime tour at the FNB Stadium, Joburg

LLIVE I VEVENT: E E VARENA E N TCONCERT S REPORT

PRETTY TIED UP

ONE IN A MILLION

Mushroom Productions, one of The K1 large format WST Line Source by South Africa’s leading production L-Acoustics is widely recognised as the companies, and technical solutions benchmark for sound at global stadium tours provider, Gearhouse SA, regularly and the world’s largest outdoor festivals. serve as partners when Big Concerts According to L-Acoustics, “the K1 has no presents large format international equal in SPL per meter and, coupled with the arena shows, and this was the case K1-SB, offers an unprecedented level of for Guns N’ Roses. directivity control, making it the leader for It happened, however, that the solving noise pollution and throw issues in Motsepe Foundation had secured outdoor settings. With proprietary, state-ofthe FNB Stadium for the National the-art rigging, the K1 is the go-to choice for Day of Prayer on 25 November, and precise deployment and lightning fast load-in talks were underway to book the and load-out.” stadium for Global Citizen Festival: It is, therefore, not surprising that both Slash steals the show during the Not in this Lifetime tour at the FNB Stadium Mandela 100 on 2 December. Both Beyoncé and Guns N’ Roses specify the Big Concerts and Mushroom L-Acoustics K1 as their sound solution of Productions were involved with choice when on tour. To ensure that the these events. While all parties have a very solid and well-established sound riders for both Beyoncé and Guns N’ Roses, as well as for the Global working relationship, the string of events sheduled for the stadium Citizen Festival as a whole, would be fulfilled, Gearhouse invested in new presented an interesting challenge. The Guns N’ Roses concert was equipment to supplement their already-impressive L-Acoustics inventory. sandwiched between two of the biggest events of the year to be held at “We purchased 12 boxes of L-Acoustics K1, to bring our total count from 36 the FNB stadium, which could have derailed Big Concert’s plans for Guns to 48. We also invested in a complete L-Acoustics K2 series system to meet N’ Roses. the various audio riders for Guns N’ Roses, the Global Citizen Festival and Fortunately for the band’s fans, the technical requirements for all three Beyoncé’s OTR II tour,” says Stuart Andrews, the Johannesburg branch events were carefully considered, and it was decided that – with careful manager of Gearhouse SA. He adds that “it is worth noting that we have planning and solid communication between all parties – the three events invested in 28 subs and LA12X amps, to bring the K1 system up to the could be staged at the same venue in one week. “We were able to KS standard.” deliver on all three events because the sound rider for Beyoncé’s On The Gearhouse’s investment in L-Acoustics ensured that fans experienced a Run II tour, which would be the closing act of the Global Citizen Festival live music event that was delivered at the highest international standards. and by far the most technically demanding, was consistent with the rider Considering that South Africans have been waiting for more than two provided by Guns N’ Roses,” explains Gearhouse’s Jako de Wit, who decades to hear Guns N’ Roses play a live arena show, the exceptional served as project manager for all three events. sound achieved at the FNB Stadium on 28 November made it a ‘one in a million’ experience.

Axl Rose welcomes Joburg's November Rain at the FNB Stadium

LIVE EVENT: ARENA CONCERT

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EXPERT EXPERT OPINION OPINION

EXPERT

OPINION

baskets. These slings are equipped with a hook at one end and a regular oversized thimble at the other end of the sling. Sometimes, people prefer to have that thimble to be fitted with a master-link instead of a shackle. The sling body itself often is a standard Type 6 strand wire rope.

with Rinus "Rhino" Bakker

‘BASKET DOWN’ ON A STRUCTURAL BEAM Since there is not a specific definition of ‘basket slinging’, the assumption is that it does not matter where and in which direction this technique is carried out. However, there is a big physical difference between slinging a structural steel beam elevated 25 metres over the arena floor and slinging a truss when the structure is lying on the arena floor.

polyester round slings (spansets) are pretty much becoming obsolete because of national or local fire regulations and high-temperature hazards (fixtures, pyro, lasers).

Fig. 2: ‘Bridle Baskets on the Beam’: Shown are the ‘click’ type of baskets, which use a shackle in the termination opposite the hook.

‘BASKET-ON-A-BEAM’ Fig. 1: Basket variations: A) with an extra shackle, or ‘working

The truss can be used as a ‘secondary beam’, placed in position after being ratcheted on the venue beams. This can be found in low venues to avoid the loss of height in the bridle apex and to eliminate the horizontal forces that are applied to the venue beams as a result of bridles. The easy and safe application of the basket sling to the beam/truss requires a sling set-up with an additional shackle or hook, used to close the basket while leaving all components connected. The sling itself can be a wire rope or soft steel, but

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shackle’; B) with a hook fixed to the sling, Ba) hook on the wire rope, Bb) hook on the soft steel.

Note: In this diagram, the corner protection material (burlap, a slab of thick rubber or a ‘beambo’) is left out. The basket with the additional shackle has different names, like slave-, side-, or working-shackle. However, this set-up is gradually being replaced by slings that are predominantly being used to do baskets only – also called click-baskets or quick-

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Some people are a bit hesitant about using this click-basket method, perhaps because their national regulations require that all components must have a closed character. This standard type of latch in a standard type of hook is not considered to be ‘closed’. Some others will argue that in slack chain situations, the latch or hook might get undone. However, when applied to a roof beam there will always be gravity pulling with a force of between ca. 15 to 25 daN (the chain self-weight) and eventually ca. 75 daN (the weight of the chain + chain motor).

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INSTALLATION: HOUSE OF WORSHIP

THE MOSAIEK TEATRO TAKES ON THE WORLD By Nicole Barnes

World-class in-house technical infrastructure for the home of M-Net’s The Voice South Africa. The Mosaiek Church, situated in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, recently made significant strides in achieving its ambition to raise its flagship venue, the Mosaiek Teatro, to world-class technical standards. Highly respected audio engineer and current head of technical at the church, Estian Els, spoke with ETECH about the recent upgrades to the lighting, sound and control rig at the venue. Over the past fifteen years, the Mosaiek Church has established a reputation as a highly respected religious organisation that enjoys a strong following both at its facilities in Roodepoort, as well as on various broadcast channels, including M-Net’s kykNET. When not hosting church services and in-house worship events, the Mosaiek Teatro has become a popular venue for filming live performances for some the country’s favourite music contests, including M-Net’s South African Idols and The Voice South Africa.

INSTALLATION: HOUSE OF WORSHIP

A UNIQUE OFFERING Els explains that when the Mosaiek Church moved from a modest 800-seater venue in Randburg to their new facilities in Roodepoort, they wanted to establish a world-class venue that would meet all of the needs of its growing congregation. At the same time, the church wanted to expand their capacity to support a wide range of outreach projects aimed at improving the lives of people in the community. It was soon realised that by hiring out the Mosaiek Teatro to third parties, the church could diversify its revenue stream, which would – in turn – strengthen its ability to fund missionary work. The business model has proven highly successful, and over the past 15 years, the Mosaiek Teatro has hosted an impressive number of high-profile productions and live events. “The Mosaiek Teatro has become a firm favourite for a number of South Africa’s leading production and events companies because the venue provides a well-equipped and secure environment to host audiences, while being perfectly set up for filming,” Els points out. M-Net first used the Mosaiek Teatro for the live broadcast of the performance rounds of the reality TV series SA Idols in 2009, and the venue soon became popularly known as 'the home of Idols' after hosting the final rounds four times. In 2017, M-Net produced the second season of the critically acclaimed reality TV singing contest The Voice South Africa, and they elected to film the final performance rounds at the Mosaiek Teatro. M-Net will be returning to the venue for the finals of the third season of The Voice South Africa in May 2019.

Worship service at the Mosaiek Teatro

A WORLD-CLASS VENUE When Mosaiek was established in the early 2000s, church management decided to invest in the highest-quality technical rig for their flagship venue, in order to achieve the highest production standards possible for their services. “Our vision for the Mosaiek Teatro is for it to become a world-class theatre, that offers a turnkey solution for live event and broadcast productions,” Els explains. “There are many venues in the Johannesburg area, and we want to differentiate ourselves by providing a safe, family-friendly environment for audiences while ensuring that artists and their crew can simply arrive at the venue, plug in and put on a world-class show.” According to Els, the decision to upgrade the technical infrastructure at the Mosaiek Teatro was largely driven by this goal. “The rig at the Mosaiek Teatro has been in almost daily operation for 15 years, and while our initial investment has served us well, it was time for us to update our theatre infrastructure – especially as smarter, more energy-efficient products have become available and are increasingly being requested. We also wanted to ensure that the in-house technology was rider-friendly for both local and international artists,” Els explains. As a result, the Mosaiek Teatro has made significant investments in new lighting fixtures, lighting control as well as a state-of-the-art PA system from d&b, all of which will be operational by the time that the season three finale of The Voice South Africa begins filming at the venue in May of this year.

INSTALLATION: HOUSE OF WORSHIP

SHINING A NEW LIGHT There were a number of factors that Els and his team needed to take into consideration when considering the theatre’s lighting rig. “As an organisation, we are very committed to being environmentally responsible. The whole venue runs off of solar power – with roof-mounted solar panels feeding a large UPS. As a result, we decided to move our whole lighting rig onto LED fixtures, which are far more energy efficient,” Els explains. Another consideration was that the theatre needed to be equipped for live events and camera applications simultaneously – especially as services are broadcast on kykNET on a weekly basis. After extensive research and consultation with some of the country’s leading lighting designers and production companies, Els decided to invest in 10 MAC Auras and four MAC Encore Profiles, distributed through Electrosonic SA’s Martin by HARMAN brand. The MAC Aura is an award-winning light that has become widely recognised by lighting designers across the world for its versatility as a powerful wash beam and wash luminaire. The fixture is the first LED moving head wash light to combine multicolour beam LEDs with a backlight LED array that removes the ‘synthetic look’ which has been much criticised by lighting designers working in film. The Martin MAC Encore has been

specifically designed for applications in theatre and television and therefore fulfils all of Els’s needs. The fixture’s high CRI, TM-30 and R9 values ensure that skin tones, costumes, set pieces and more will render their true colours naturally, while carefully-chosen LED refresh rates ensure flickerfree operation in camera applications. Reflecting on his decision to install the Martin by HARMAN range, Els states that when the church invested in its first professional lighting fixtures, they elected to purchase five Martin MAC 250s and four Martin MAC 500s. “Over past 15 years, the lighting rig has been extended significantly. However, those very first Martin fixtures remain in the rig and are fully operational, despite their age.” In addition to his confidence in the brand, Els points to the exceptional customer support that he has received from local Martin by HARMAN distributor Electrosonic as a huge deciding factor. “The support that I have received from Electrosonic – especially Renier Smit – is truly exceptional,” Els states. “Electrosonic has always provided the best possible customer support, and Renier and the team have been extraordinary. If I have a fixture that is broken and I take it in, I will often get it back the very same day. They understand the urgency of what we do, and we simply could not ask for more from a service provider.”

“Over past 15 years, the lighting rig has been extended significantly. However, those very first Martin fixtures remain in the rig and are fully operational, despite their age.”

INSTALLATION: HOUSE OF WORSHIP

BUILDING FOR GROWTH

RE-SOUNDING SUCCESS

In line with the church’s goal of providing a state-of-the-art turnkey solution for clients wishing to hire the Mosaiek Teatro for professional live events and the filming of shows, Els and the team gave a lot of consideration to the lighting control infrastructure available at the venue. The Mosaiek Teatro has been relying on PC-based lighting control for a number of years, and as a result, production companies frequently brought in their own professional lighting consoles to run their shows. The decision was taken to invest in a lighting console at the theatre that would provide the most versatility and would be rider-compliant. “We looked very carefully at the pros and cons of staying on PC or upgrading to a state-of-the-art lighting desk, and we decided that if our objective is to provide clients with a turnkey solution for their events, then the grandMA3 light console is the best that we can offer,” Els points out. The acquisition has also created a huge sense of interest and excitement among the churches' volunteer crew, known as ‘medewerkers’. “A number of youths in the community have become interested in working with the technical team since the upgrade so that they have the opportunity to gain some experience with world-class technology,” Els shares. “The Mosaiek team have had the privilege of being a part of the MA Lighting E-Learning platform, which is all video-based and super easy to follow. Even as an audio engineer, I now have a much clearer understanding of how it works. The E-Learning platform has also provided a unique opportunity to invest in people – which is a large part of the role that we play as the technical team at the church,” he states. In addition to the online training platform, the technical team at the Mosaiek Teatro will be visiting DWR’s offices in Johannesburg to receive intensive hands-on training with DWR’s MA Lighting product specialist, Jannie de Jager. “We are very excited about the opportunity to learn new skills and empower our medewerkers and interns through this experience. DWR has a solid reputation for outstanding customer service and training, which they have reinforced throughout the acquisition process,” Els concludes.

The Mosaiek Teatro has a long-standing tradition of investing in the best possible sound solutions for the venue and was the very first church in South Africa to install a line array system in 2004. “France van der Merwe, a sound engineer who is a legend in our industry, has been a part of our community for many years and was involved in installing our first PA system. While we have been extremely happy with our sound system for many years, the time came for us to invest in a new PA for the venue.” After extensive research, Els and his team decided to invest in a comprehensive line array PA system from d&b audiotechnik. As the certified distributors and undisputed product experts in the country, Stage Audio Works consulted extensively with Els and his team and specified the d&b J-series large format three-way line array system. The installation includes a number of d&b J8 loudspeakers, d&b J12 loudspeakers, d&b Yi8 loudspeakers, d&b Yi12 loudspeakers, d&B B22 subwoofers, d&b 8S loudspeakers, d&b 10S-D loudspeakers, d&B D80 amplifiers and a d&b 30D amplifier. Together, the sound quality achieved is remarkable and is one of the very few installations of its kind in the country. “We decided to go with the d&b system because the system is very popular on international riders and offers outstanding processing capability,” Els points out. “We were very privileged to be able to fly out to Germany to see the system being manufactured first hand, and the quality of production and attention to detail that is invested into every box is truly mind-blowing,” he reflects. Adding to the world-class infrastructure that is provided in-house at the venue, the Mosaiek Teatro is equipped with two Soundcraft by HARMAN Vi3000 Digital Live Sound Consoles – one at front of house and another on stage for monitoring purposes. Boasting an efficiently designed 36 fader control surface, Vistonics II™ touchscreen interfaces with 3D graphics as well as Dante/MADI, MIDI, redundant power supply and many other connections. “We purchased our Soundcraft consoles from Wild & Marr some years ago and they have proven well suited to our needs, especially as we often have volunteer teams at front of house, and the console is very user-friendly,” Els says.

“We decided to go with the d&b system because the system is very popular on Estian Els and the Mosaiek team with Jannie de Jager of DWR, opening their brand-new MA3 light console

international riders and offers outstanding processing capability. ” – Estian Els, head of technical, Mosaiek Teatro

INSTALLATION: HOUSE OF WORSHIP

DIGITAL BY DESIGN One of the important goals that Els wanted to achieve with the upgraded sound system at the Mosaiek Teatro was a seamless migration from analogue to digital, which was also achieved by Stage Audio Works, using state-of-the-art technology by QSC. The QSC Q-SYS is one of the world’s leading platforms for scalable audio, video and control as it leverages the power of Intel processing, the robustness and mission-critical reliability of a purpose-built Linux kernel, the interoperability of IEEE networking standards, and the limitless potential of the Q-SYS realtime operating system to deliver an open and IT-friendly ecosystem. The capabilities of Q-SYS software-based processing and control transcends the limitations found in a single purpose, hardware-based products. “A large part of the upgrade was moving the d&b J-series large format three-way line array system being rigged at the Mosaiek Teatro entire rig onto a digital network, which has been achieved with the help of Stage Audio Works’ outstanding use of Q-Sys. Currently, there is no copper between front of house and the stage, as everything has been cabling and racking has been managed by Stage Audio Works, and their integrated on the network.” work really sets the standard. Nathan Ihlenfeldt and his team not only met Els adds that the level of service and expertise delivered by Stage Audio but exceeded all of our expectations, and we are very proud of what we Works was exceptional. “Stage Audio Works offered outstanding customer have to offer our worship community as well as private parties that hire our support and the installation carried out was truly outstanding. All of the venue for their events,” he concludes.

SOUND CRAFTED TO PERFECTION

96 INPUT CHANNELS WITH 24 MONO/STEREO MIX BUSSES

128 INPUTS WITH 32 MONO/STEREO BUSSES

•

96 INPUT CHANNELS WITH 24 MONO/STEREO MIX BUSSES

sound@wildandmarr.co.za | wildandmarr.co.za

INSTALLATION: LIVE MUSIC VENUE

Rocking the Platteland Centurion-based Platteland recently invested in a new L-Acoustics ARCS WiFo sound system, equipping the venue with a truly world-class, international rider-compliant rig as it looks to establish itself as one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading live music venues.

NSTALLATION: LIVE MUSIC VENUE

ccording to Rudi Oosthuizen, co-owner of Platteland, “The venue developed from the point of view that we need places in South Africa that can provide a quality stage and quality sound system for our artists. I know there are a lot of bands playing in smaller pubs, but for them to come and play on a stage like this, with big sound, is remarkable for them. I play in a band, and I know how important it is.” Meanwhile, brother and fellow co-owner, Marcus Oosthuizen, explains that “while the venue is new, my partners and I worked on the concept for the past three years, waiting patiently for the perfect site. It took close to a year to secure the right deal and then to build the venue. We wanted to give the live music industry a boost by opening an internationallyequipped venue which, in turn, would bring the best music to our customers and enable them to experience a quality production.”

NSTALLATION: LIVE MUSIC VENUE

“We looked at a number of options, however, we invested in the venue with the aim of ensuring that the sound quality was up to international standards – and it quickly became evident that the L-Acoustics system fits that bill."

Roan Ash performing at Platteland

WHY L-ACOUSTICS?

The Oosthuizen brothers explain why Platteland decided to opt for the L-Acoustics system: “When we started, we had a CRV line array system – and we all assumed that’s what we would use in the new Platteland venue. But, when we got it out of storage, we discovered that we would need to – Rudi Oosthuizen replace it, as it was extensively weatherdamaged. So, that left us with a bit of a problem, because we hadn’t budgeted for a brand-new L-Acoustics system,” Rudi says with a grin. “We looked at a number of options,” he continues, “However, we invested in the venue with the aim of ensuring that the sound quality was up to international standards – and it quickly became evident that the L-Acoustics system fits that bill.” Marcus echoes Rudi’s thoughts, saying that their search for versatility, power and clarity of sound application led them to the L-Acoustics brand: “We did our research and spoke to many sound companies and audio engineers, and all of them mentioned L-Acoustics. We required a clean sound that would deliver a punch, and without a doubt, that is what the ARCS WiFo system has delivered.” To complement the system’s pristine sound – which features patented L-Acoustics Wavefront Sculpture Technology – Platteland invested in a DiGiCo S21 mixing console, which is a

cost-effective solution that still delivers the power and reliability for which the DiGiCo brand is known. According to DiGiCo, the compact dual-screen design of the S21 provides ten channel strips per screen, allowing the operator instant feedback and control on 20 simultaneous channels. This gives great reassurance when mixing large shows, and the newly-designed drag, swipe and drop channel layout system makes it simple for operators to move channels and audio busses across the surface to design their own custom fader layouts. The advantage of having two screens on the S21 is that it not only gives you more channels to view at any one time, but it allows you to utilise one as a setup or master screen, while still operating the system with other.

OPTIMISED INSTALLATION Rudi explains that during the sound design phase, the DWR team came to the venue armed with specialised computer software and conducted a comprehensive analysis of the space. “They told us where our bass waves would be travelling, and that we were going to need fillers by the pool table and under the balcony, by the VIP bar. They custom-designed the layout of the system around the shape and the acoustic dynamics of the venue.” Platteland’s interior is an attractive, high-ceilinged space, and DWR’s Jaco Beukes – who managed the project – explains that “due to the design of the venue we were not able to hang anything from the beams in the ceiling, but we had a fair amount of gear that needed to be suspended.”

NSTALLATION: LIVE MUSIC VENUE

In response to these challenges, the team designed an 8 x 5 metre, 4.5-metre high, H40 Prolyte structure that overshadows the entire stage, with a circle truss flown on the back of the main structure and six totems with lights and TV displays on them. “We needed a clean and professional look that would also be safe and secure and future-proofed so that we can add sound, AV or more lights with ease of mind to the structure. Prolyte delivered on the spec,” reports Marcus.

PLATTELAND MEANS PROFESSIONALISM

All respondents were extremely positive about the future for Platteland as a live music venue. As Rudi explains, “We use Kilowatt Productions for our inhouse engineers. Working with the L-Acoustics system and the DiGiCo S21 desk, we have some of the best technology in the world at our fingertips. It is digital-based, which is a bit of a learning curve for those who are familiar with analogue – but once you’ve got the hang of it, the results are incredible. All the reviews that we have had about the sound quality so far have been brilliant.”

The venue looks forward to hosting sold-out shows for bands such as Australian hard-rockers Hands Like Houses, in early 2019. Marcus comments: “We have an amazing internal marketing team, and by offering artists the best possible platform in regards to audio and the production as a whole, we find that bands are loving the opportunity as much as we are enjoying having them on our stage.” Beukes adds: “It’s clear that the Platteland team have put much thought into their establishment, without doubt making a permanent impact on the local music scene. They have invested in quality gear and quality personnel. We wish them every success for the future and would like to thank them for the opportunity and their support.” Rudi concludes by highlighting the effect he hopes Platteland will continue to have on the local music scene. “Being on a big stage, with a good system behind you, just gives bands and audiences that sense that it’s awesome playing music again. We’ve played shows in the past where our bassist has had to fill in as a sound engineer – run over and tweak things on the desk in between songs – and that’s no way to build a proper, professional live music industry. We want to be the kind of venue that leads the turn towards top-class professionalism in our industry.”

H40 Prolyte structure enables flown rigging at Platteland

RENTAL INDUSTRY: PRO AUDIO

Local production and events company, Monster Productions, recently invested in the new EAW Radius RSX212L self-powered line array system from Surgesound, which has already made an impact at the recent Varsity Cup rugby game between North West University and the University of Johannesburg, televised on SuperSport from the UJ Stadium on 4 February.

Monster Productions managing director, Lloyd Wild, is very excited about the new opportunities the investment will open up for Monster Productions.

SOLUTIONS FOR UNIQUE APPLICATIONS When deciding to invest in a medium-format line array sound system for Monster Productions, Wild and his team looked at a wide range of options, and after much consideration, decided that the Radius series from EAW was the best system for their specific needs. According to EAW, the Radius RSX212L couples unique and intelligent features with the company’s signature acoustical design to deliver solutions for rental firms and system integrators. The Radius articulated array features OptiLogic, providing automatic array self-detection and instant optimisation including air loss compensation and more. EAW mosaic™ app provides total system optimisation from anywhere in the venue, plus intuitive room design and prediction in a single, comprehensive application. With the proven sonic performance of EAW’s acoustic design and DSP mastery, plus full Dante integration across the line, the Radius series delivers an intelligent and flexible system to fit any budget.

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE When asked why Monster Productions decided to opt for the EAW system, Wild states: “We have had EAW sound equipment as a part of our rental inventory for some years, and in my experience, EAW produces very robust products that have low failure rates, and you can push the system when you need to. The cost of repairs is very competitive and Surgesound, the official distributors of EAW in South Africa, have consistently provided us with very solid service and support over the years.” While a number of the smaller Radius RSX 208Ls are already in circulation with various rental houses, Monster Productions is the first rental company in South Africa to take delivery of the larger EAW Radius RSX212L system, and Wild feels that having a unique solution that is highly adaptable and scalable will enable him to service a niche market in South Africa. “We understand our customers, and while there are a number of very reputable production companies that are well equipped to service the big international riders, there are not as many servicing the medium to large local events, such as sports festivals, outdoor festivals and larger corporate events. “The EAW Radius RSX212L represents cutting-edge technology from a company that we know we can trust. The fact that the system is self-powered means that we can service a wide range of venues and the system’s modular ability makes it very adaptable and scalable,” Wild points out. “We do everything from corporate events to smaller outdoor festivals, and for the capital investment, this is a very high-quality line array that promises to deliver a return on our investment in the years ahead,” he concludes.

DELIVERING THE GOODS Monster Productions were called in to provide sound for the recent Varsity Cup rugby game between North West University and the University of Johannesburg, televised on Supersport from the UJ Stadium on February 4, 2019. In addition to giving the company the chance to show their credentials as a turnkey solutions provider in the live events sector, it also allowed them to debut their newlyacquired Radius RSX212L. According to Curwin Jeffries – onsite production manager – the new system was so freshly unpacked that they had to start their afternoon by striking the contingency system, and then cutting and re-wiring the EAW Radius RSX212L US-ready plugs to be able to run on South African power outlets. “Converting the plugs was the only stress we had today. But we had a good team here, and as long we’re working together, I’m happy – I know we’re on top of it.” As Jeffries explains, the EAW Radius RSX212L is perfectly suited to outdoor events such as the Varsity Cup because the built-in technology allows the sound to travel further distances with higher fidelity. “If we were using a system that wasn’t based in line array technology, we’d need ten times more gear than we have here – and it wouldn’t allow us to dial in the throw length we needed.” Run through a DiGiCo SD9 sound desk, the full, rounded sound of the system excelled when carrying both DJ music and the voices of presenters and announcers into the stands, adding enormously to the vibrant atmosphere inside the UJ Stadium. Its sleek, sophisticated design was a barely-noticeable addition to a small section of the athletics track encircling the field – providing a powerful sound solution without obstructing anyone’s view of the action. In the wake of its debut, Jeffries was excited by the prospect of future applications for the system – such as live music events – pointing out that, “What you see here, in terms of the speaker array, that’s not even half of what the system can do.”

A PROMISING FUTURE FOR EAW ETECH recently had the opportunity to speak with EAW company president TJ Smith, together with founding members Jeremy and Kenton Forsythe, at their stand at Integrated Systems Europe, held in Amsterdam between 5 and 8 February. “There have been a lot of changes in the past cycle at EAW – but these have been necessary and extremely positive for the company,” Smith states. “Under our past parent company, many of our operations and functions were centrally managed – affording us a rather narrow range of control. RCF has recently acquired EAW, and since the change in ownership, we have been resourced and encouraged to maintain our independence and pursue future success and growth on our own terms. RCF understands the pro-audio business, and therefore understands what it takes to be successful in a highly competitive market, and are supporting us accordingly.” Director of product management at EAW, Jeremy Forsythe, concurs, stating that: “We now have the capital and inventory necessary to respond to market demand, which has been a challenge in the past. Also, we have been able to hire engineers and expand our research and development activities, which will result in new products entering the market that are designed to meet the very specific needs of our customers,” Forsythe states. The leadership team at EAW have also extended a guarantee that all EAW products will be supported globally, and its distributors empowered to ensure that servicing and repairs will continue to be carried out efficiently and effectively. For more information about EAW’s extensive range of pro-audio solutions in South Africa, please contact www.surgesound.co.za

SOCIALS

DWR PROLYTE TRAINING

hosted by DWR Johannesburg

Kojo Poku, CEO and head of technical at Big Ideaz, Ghana

Geraldo Papo and Char-Anne Husselmann of dB Audio Namibia with Blessing Bero of Events Evolution

Prolyte training session at DWR Distribution

SPOTTED AT ISE Amsterdam

Absen head of marketing, EMEA, Alex Couzins

Eugene Coetzee, Bruce Schwartz, Bruce Genricks and Viljoen Lambrecht of Electrosonic

MD at TV Audio, Peter Berry

Claire Badenhorst of Pro-Systems and Phil Lord of Christie Digital

Francois Van Der Merwe and Denzil Smith of MGG

ELECTROSONIC SAYS FAREWELL TO ROBBIE NASSIE hosted by Electrosonic Johannesburg

Robbie Nassi with Bruce Schwartz and Bruce Genricks at Electrosonic

The Electrosonic team bids Robbie Nassie farewell

SA3218

SA315

SA312

ACTIVE DSP SUBWOOFER

ACTIVE DSP LOUDSPEAKER

Frequency Response (-6dB anechoic chamber): 35Hz-150KHz

Frequency Response (-6dB anechoic chamber): 44Hz-20KHz

Frequency Response (-6dB anechoic chamber): 48Hz-20KHz

LF/MF Driver: Customised AUDIOCENTER ferrite driver, 4” Voice Coil

LF/MF Driver: Customised AUDIOCENTER ferrite driver, 3” Voice Coil

LF/MF Driver: Customised AUDIOCENTER ferrite driver, 2.5” Voice Coil

Signal Input / Output Connectors: 1x NEUTRIK ® Female XLR 1x NEUTRIK ® Male XLR

Signal Input / Output Connectors: 1x NEUTRIK ® Female XLR (Mono jack

6.35), 1x Mono jack 6.35, 1xRCA, 1x Wireless bluetooth ,1x NEUTRIK ® Male XLR

6.35), 1x Mono jack 6.35, 1xRCA, 1x Wireless bluetooth , 1x NEUTRIK ® Male XLR

Maximum Calculated SPL/1M: 134dB

Maximum Calculated SPL/1M: 132dB

Amplifier: Class D

Processor: 96KHz Signal Sampling Frequency, 24bit Precision

Weight: 28Kg

Weight: 24.5Kg

Dimensions (W×H×D): 439×760×454mm

Dimensions (W×H×D): 356×608×372mm

Maximum Calculated SPL/1M: 140dB Amplifier: Class D Processor: 96KHz Signal Sampling Frequency, 24bit Precision Weight: 75Kg Dimensions (W×H×D): 988×520×714mm

PRICE

R15676.00 R7516.00 R6440.00 INC.

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5% DISCOUNT

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A-list Drummer Derrick Wright

Derrick Wright is a busy man. Whether he is producing a new project, building a new studio or touring with Adele as her drummer and musical director, Derrick does not have time for second best. His choice of microphones to deliver great sound night after night: Audix.

SCX1

SCX25A

STUDIO ELITE 8 (STE8) A compelling array of eight drum microphones th for on stage and in the studio. This collection of mi engineers to accurately capture every nuance and d of instrument or genre of music. Includes two SMT2 rim mounts, and mic clips. SCX1

SCX25A

STUDIO ELITE 8 (STE8) A compelling array of eight drum microphones that will suit a wide variety of needs for on stage and in the studio. This collection of microphones enables artists and engineers to accurately capture every nuance and detail, regardless of the type of instrument or genre of music. Includes two SMT25 shockmounts, four DVICE rim mounts, and mic clips.

OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA: DWR DISTRIBUTION Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the people

Block C, Unit 1, Kimbult Industrial Park, 9 Zeiss Road, Laserpark, Honeydew, 2170, Johannesburg Tel: +27 11 794 5023 | Fax: + 27 11 794 5702 | sales@dwrdistribution.co.za | www.dwrdistribution.co.za