This featured multiple events worldwide and in Ireland, incorporating major live stages in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Limerick - plus a myriad of organically flowing pub-based live music gigs and celebrations in all those towns and throughout the entire country.
The main venue for the whole event was the Guinness Hop Store at the St James's Gate Brewery, where PSI supplied a new eight-legged Litec ground support and trussing system that was purchased for this event. They also supplied all lighting, trussing and over 60 points of rigging.
The performance line up of the Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini, The Saturdays, Yasmin and more was recorded and the highlights broadcast on national TV channel, RTE.
The main Belfast event was in the Ulster Hall venue, kicking off at the now famous 17.59 One minute to six Arthur Guinness day toasting 'moment'.
Six popular bands each played a 30-minute set before decamping around the city to also perform at a variety of the 'secret' bar/pub locations, reaching an even greater audience.
Competition winners Mojo Gogo started the live music action in Ulster Hall, followed by Ash, Kelis, DJ Fresh, Cashier # 9, The Enemy and The Horslips.
PSI's Ciaran Tallon and Brian Reilly co-ordinated the southern end of the operation at the Guinness Hop Store at the St James's Gate Brewery, working for Kevin Saunders - lighting production manager for the Hop Store gig - and the event's overall production manager, Rob Allidine of MCI.
The moving light fixture count across all areas - main stage, audience, walk-in, bar, VIP and Storehouse area - exceeded 100 fixtures.
On the main stage and audience trusses were 26 x Robe ColorSpot 1200E ATs, 18 x Robe ColorWash 2500E ATs, 22 x Robe ColorWash 700E ATs, 80 PARs, six ETC Source Four profiles and eight Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s, which were out-rigged off the mid truss.
Onstage, there were eight vertical truss towers - four at 5 metres high and four at 4 metres. On to these and the front four legs of the ground support system were rigged a total of 40 x JTE PixelLine LED battens and 40 active Sun Strips.
Five Novaflowers were used to produce fabulous, high-impact flower effects on the main stage, three on the back truss and two on the floor.
Three FOH Lycian M2 2.5k follow spots and two 1.2k truss follow spots and chairs completed the main room lighting set up.
For control PSI supplied an Avolites Pearl Expert with wing for all the main stage/auditorium generics which was run by lighting designer Eugene O'Connor, with moving lights controlled via a Road Hog Full Boar console and full expansion wing, run by Johnny Mc (John McCullagh). Nick Malbon used a Chamsys MagicQ 100 and Catalyst to run the PixelLines, Sun Strips and the MiSphere LED curtains.
(Jim Evans)
