The shows were presented and produced by Cream and Loudsound Events and HSL was working for technical co-ordinators, BPM, who also supplied pyro and lasers.
SHM Management's Amy Thomson's brief to BPM was to have the 'biggest and best' show possible. BPM worked closely with HSL to design a full show based on a four section lighting rig, action-packed with strobe pods, moving heads, specialist LED products and three large video wall sections.
HSL's Mike Docksey project managed for the Blackburn-based company, working closely with BPM's Adam Murray. Dave Lee was asked to produce an exciting and fresh visual design concept which incorporated both lighting and video elements that could be run, improvisational style, with lasers and pyro to create a synergetic visual extravaganza.
Swedish House Mafia's management, X-Ray Touring, had a few initial ideas. They wanted good video screens and liked the idea of having video/LED tubes cladding the DJ booth that could be mapped and matched to video material being shown on the large screens. They also wanted everything to be integrated via a media server - for which HSL proposed a Hippotizer. They also wanted "lots" of strobes, so 40 Atomics were spec'd.
Docksey and Lee took these ideas and rolled them into a design concept that X-Ray liked and gave the go ahead
The DJ booth was a custom construction made from Litec QX30 trussing, based on 2 x 5m diameter half circles top and bottom. HSL utilised 40 CK Accent video tubes for the front fascia, chosen for its smooth and seamless diffused surfaces. On the back corners of the booth were PAR 46 fuzz lights.
HSL contacted XL Video to supply the onstage screens, of which there were three - above and flanking left and right of the DJ booth. These comprised XL's PixLED 40 LED and all measured 3.2m wide by 2.6m high. Another original aesthetic requirement was to have good screens for displaying graphics as well as other more ambient content.
Five trusses were rigged by the HSL crew in the Academy - a 16 x 12m box was flown above the audience, onto which was rigged an eclectic collection of mirror balls, mirrored mannequins and other scenic pieces.
(Jim Evans)
