Patrick Woodroffe was the global designer for the project, creating a formal plot that would be developed into the flagship London rig. As it was impossible for him to be present at all the events, he appointed a team of lighting designers - one in each hosting country - to re-create individual designs based on the availability of fixtures in the various locations.
In New York, Performance Environment Design produced the show and lighting designer Patrick Dierson explains, "We were approached not only out of trust, but also due to our past efforts in promoting environmental sustainability within live entertainment production. The crux of Woodroffe's vision for Live Earth was to rethink how shows are designed and make the overall rig more energy efficient while still being entertaining.
"For the NY show, each product was carefully chosen by performing side by side comparisons and research on power draws versus light output versus entertainment value. The final specification included High End's Showgun and Coemar's Infinity wash for the moving lights, and a LED battery of 64 PixelLine 1044s. 11 PixelPar 90s were also used to complete the organic rock columns that hung from the rig which incorporated clusters of dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs - affectionally known as the "Eco-Pods".
Dierson continues: "Going back to Woodroffe's design philosophy, we looked at the raw basics of creating the average rock show in this day and age. In its simplest form you end up with a complement of fixtures pointing at the stage and another pointing at the audience. We wanted to approach it in a different way. Keeping with the idea that we would use higher output fixtures and fewer of them - we were able to devote moving lights to the stage, so now the idea was to devote something to the audience - the PixelLines."
The PixelLine 1044s were rigged at the top chords of each of the three main stage truss spans creating three levels of LED battens pointing straight out towards the audience in a 'blinder' fashion. The power of the 1044s allowed some great eye-candy trickery but also forced colour into the look of the daytime performances where, traditionally white light would only be used on stage during the daylight. And at night the sky lit up under the sheer power and effects produced by the LEDs.
Dierson concludes: "The PixelLines had the punch to help light up the stadium and enough isolated control to let us really make them dance without having to tie them into our video system."
PixelRange also featured heavily on the London concert, the specification boasted 123 PixelLine Micro washes, 54 PixelLine 1044s and 37 PixelPar 90s. All the lighting was supplied by PRG.
(Jim Evans)
