INBOX AUSSIE FLOYD’S FINGER ON PULSE
Entec Sound & Light has been out on its fifth consecutive tour with the acclaimed Australian Pink Floyd Show (TAPS) — the definitive tribute to the classic UK rock band. With Noreen O’Riordan working as Entec’s
project manager, the Shepperton company has supplied lighting and video equipment plus crew to the UK and European sections of the TAPS 2010 world tour. The current lighting design by Phil White
(below) is inspired by the Floyd’s seminal 1994 Division Bell production and includes faithful references to many of the band’s historical elements. Entec invested in a series of new Martin
MAC 250 upgrade kits for this tour, which have turned 38 of its MAC 250 moving lights into MAC 250 Beams. New flight cases for these were also purchased. The stage space is defined by a large arch
upstage. In the centre of this and slightly downstage is a 6m diameter circle of truss. The MAC 250 Beams are divided between these two pieces of architecture, both of which are also used as projection surfaces. There are 22 fixtures on the arch and 16 around the circle. White is extremely pleased with the MAC
250 Beams. “They are stunningly bright,” he commented, explaining that as it was a two- truck tour with lighting and video having to fit into one, they wanted a small unit that was agile and powerful and an expedient size for the truck pack. They looked at the options and the MAC 250 Beam offered the dynamics of becoming a wash light with the diffuser and an effects light using the gobos, as well as very bright. Other moving lights include four MAC 700
Washes and six MAC 700 Spots, which are upstage on the floor. There are another three MAC 700 Washes on the front truss, used for lighting the band together with 10 ETC Source Four key lights, and this is the only front light in this heavily backlit show. There are also five 4-lite Moles for audience illumination. Effects include Atomic strobes and i-Pix
Satellite LED bricks, while other fixtures are Source Four PAR narrows and CP60 PARs. Also new to Entec’s rental stock are two of the new Novalight Nova Flower 2kWs, a mega-bright
flower effect with pan/tilt and colour changing features, positioned upstage at the back to add drama to the mirror ball sequence in ‘Comfortably Numb’. The lighting rig is completed with 11 2-lites
positioned around the arch and eight in the circle, all pointing outwards, which are great for emphasising the shape and form of the metalwork. White’s console of choice for control is
a grandMA full size. This is networked to a grandMA light that triggers a RADlite media server running all the video via MIDI from the Fostex machine onstage, which also generates the click track. Video is an integral element to the TAPS
show, used highly imaginatively to bring post Floydian irony to the visual equation as well as humour, with Skippy, the pink kangaroo, who features prominently in the footage. The ‘narrative’ video is mainly concentrated
on the circle, with abstract effects and more ambient clips appearing on the arch, as the two are treated as separate surfaces. Much of the video is referenced to Floyd’s
vast body of creative work, but uniquely created and engineered by video producer Brian
Kolupski and the band’s lead guitarist Damian Darlington, ensuring that it gives TAPS its own unique identity as a performance. Entec is supplying three Barco R10
projectors, one for the circle and two for the arch. They are fitted with DMX cards to control the shutters, giving a proper blackout. White is working alongside Entec crew
members Richard Hutton, John Lahiffe and Charlie Denny. The tour is production managed by Andy Keightley. Wigwam is supplying the PA and lasers are from Colour Sound Experiment, operated by Neil Marsh. FOH engineer is Gareth Darlington and Matt Coton is on monitors.
www.entec-soundandlight.com
PEAVEY CELEBRATES 45 YEARS
Forty-five years ago last month, a young Hartley Peavey received his college diploma and took his first steps as an entrepreneur when he opened Peavey Electronics in Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. Providing good but reasonably-priced equipment
for music makers was Peavey’s motive since he started the business in 1965 and it continues to drive Peavey Electronics today. Peavey brought the industry into the 21st century
25 years early by employing CNC routing and other computerised processes on the production line. Although Peavey was the first to employ these production techniques, today they are industry standards. The company now produces more than 2,000
products sold in 137 countries and has earned more than 180 patents worldwide.
www.peavey.com
TPi JULY 2010 • 19
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