Al Gurdon designed the lighting, assisted by programmer/operator Mike Owen, and Vari-Lite supplied a massive system comprising over 400 automated luminaires, 700 conventional lights and a Virtuoso control desk. Vari-Lite also supplied a prodigious 3,500 feet of truss, 105 chain hoists and nearly two kilometres of cable. The stage consisted of two large curved set pieces, principally lit by a combination of VL5s, VL6Cs, VL2402s, together with 26 MAC 2000s and 13 truss-mounted Sky-Art Searchlights with beam divertor mirrors. There were also a number of Molefay and fluorescents scattered around the stage system. The draping and trussing was supplied by Blackout Triple E and between the two set pieces there was a large Westernhagen LED Video screen.
The auditorium lighting was mounted on a central circular truss with 14 truss spines radiating round the hall with a bend in the leg to follow the curve of the roof. Mounted on these were VL2416s, VL2Cs and VL5s. Completing the auditorium were 17 VL2C spot luminaires and bars of six Par cans mounted around the balcony rail, each with a double Encapsulite fitting attached. Keylights for the presenting areas were provided by ETC Source Four profiles. These were also used to highlight a couple of the ‘odd’ set pieces - the Cat's Head, the Vomiting Man, the giant flies and the large inflatable poo!
Mike Owen operated the show on a Virtuoso control console. "The two large set walls either side of a large low resolution LED video wall, provided the main set lighting. The challenge was to use these elements to complement each other and the styles of the acts performing, and it provided a visual scale and interest that filled the stage area with a coherent mood. VL6C floor lights provided kickers from the sides and silhouettes from the back, along with into-camera colour and 'arciness'. The Sky Art searchlights are really the only type of unit available that can provide a beam effect that works on this scale. Unlike the Brits, where they were only used for the one band that paid for them, they were available for the whole show and it would be difficult to now imagine the show without them. They were the first thing to grab the interest of just about every band representative on site."
