The awards, sponsored by O2, celebrated women’s achievements in music and related industries, with Sharon Osbourne walking away with the coveted ‘Woman of the Year Award’. Women from all areas of the music industry picked up awards in categories including lifetime achievement and special achievement of the year given by guest award presenters, from Dr Fox of Capital Radio fame, to Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker and Will Young.
Canegreen Commercial was presented with the challenge of achieving audio coverage to all of the 450 guests in the Grand Ballroom at the Inter-Continental, from a central stage. They achieved this by flying eight Meyer UPA-1P SP speakers, which were carefully angled on a UPA flying frame in the ceiling of the room. Chris Ekers was sound engineer, carefully adjusting the sound throughout the evening, so that the speeches and videos were always clearly audible over the background chat in the room.
Andrew Frengley, Canegreen Commercial’s project manager, designed and managed the logistics of the installation: "No two events are the same, and this event’s distinctive characteristic was the stage in the centre of the room. Flying the speakers meant we could achieve good audio coverage without affecting sightlines. The UPA-1P Meyer cabinets were ideal for this style of awards dinner." With four plasma screens (supplied by XL Video) also flown with the speakers above the podium, the audience could follow the speeches and pre-recorded videos from their tables throughout the room. Three UHF handheld radio microphones were also supplied by Canegreen Commercial to give all of the presenters the mobility to address the audience in all directions.
(Ruth Rossington)
