The performance was the highlight of an Audi UK-sponsored mini-festival (which lasted considerably longer than their racing car!) with further performances being provided by French and Italian bands throughout the weekend. The event was managed by Indeprod, a live event, video and new media solutions provider, commissioned by Audi UK. The company was assisted by Le Mans-based companies Bebop and Acropolis.
Indeprod's Nigel Dean became France-based, taking on the onerous task of converting a tree-strewn, rubble-covered field into a safe and secure environment for the production. Walls and trees were removed, water supplies and sewerage installed and over 2km of Heras fencing erected.
Paul Gavin of Purple Sheep Lighting filled the role of technical production manager and lighting designer for the supporting rig. With Jamiroquai having a pretty full complement of 94 High End x.Spots and PC Beams, the rig ended up being quite densely packed with the extra equipment used for the various support bands. Jamiroquai resident LD Darragh McAuliffe programmed and operated the Wholehog II for the headline act, while Steve Burton and Paul Gavin operated the support line-up from an Avolites Diamond 3 and a Pearl. Neg Earth provided all the truss, motors, effects and dimmers, as well as the majority of lighting fixtures.
Strasbourg-based FL Structures built the substantial 280sq.m performance stage with over 12 tonnes of PA and lighting to be flown and extra wing space to double-up the monitor desks. It also constructed two car display plinths and the three-level FOH tower. Purple Sheep Lighting also supplied bespoke truss rings which interlocked to form the Audi logo. They were flown over the stage front and illuminated by 36 James Thomas LED Pixelpars - making their touring debut.
The production's greatest area of concern was with 50 unsilenced racing cars less than 50m from the stage, producing enough SPL to bend the needle on the sound pressure meter. Brit Row provided the solution, in the form of an L-Acoustics V-Dosc line array with 32 standard elements, 12 dv-Dosc speakers and 32 SB218 sub-bins, which just served to bend the needle even further. A range of Turbosound monitors provided the in-fills, and both FOH and monitor systems were mixed by Midas Heritage 3000s.
Pegasus Rigging took charge of the high resolution LED screens provided by CT Screenco and rigged them onto an ESS steel support structure. Two of these screens were the new Lighthouse LVP1650 16mm pixel displays, with 7.1 x 5.3m module configurations providing 38sq.m giant screens either side of the stage. This was complemented by an 18sq.m 25mm repeater screen, positioned at the rear of the FOH tower. As expected, a healthy supply was required and came in the form of generators provided by Power Logistics.
