Stuart WoodHSL supplied a full production package to Arenacross, an indoor sports event featuring bikes, trucks and stunts.
The indoor Motocross racing and Freestyle MX event also featured an adrenaline-pumping soundscape. It was produced and organised by Arena Sports Live, taking place at arena venues in Belfast, Birmingham and Sheffield.
Additional venue ‘sports lighting’ was also provided by HSL for the two Birmingham shows at the Resorts World Arena (NEC).
HSL’s project manager was Ben Perrin. He and the team were delighted to be back having supplied lighting for the 2018 tour, and lighting and video for the recent Liverpool International Horse Show, also an Arena Sports Live event. They worked closely with producer Matt Bates and production manager Tony Nash from Arena Sports Live.
A series of lighting trusses were installed over the arena and a selection of moving lights – around 120 in total – were dotted all over these, including some of HSL’s new Chauvet Maverick MK3s together with Maverick MK2 Washes, Maverick MK2 Profiles, Vari*Lite 6000 Beams, Philips SL Hydrus 350 beam washes and Martin MAC III AirFX.
Nick used an Avolites Sapphire Touch console for control. During the programming period, he had to be as adaptable as possible to incorporate tweaks and changes to the running order which continued right up until showtime, so on-the-fly requests needed to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
He commented that the Chauvet MK3 washes were a “great fixture” for this type of show, with “punchy tight beams and the effects macros which were extremely useful for creating eye-candy” when building the show’s big, ballsy sweeping signature looks – not totally unlike an EDM event!
Lighting the stunt teams as we noted was tricky and required the most precision, and the audiences also needed to be able to see them. Having the Q-7s to hand enabled him to cast a nice even wash across the space that was also vital for this section of the show.
Looking after HSL’s video was Marcel Wijnberger. His team utilised over 400 panels of Martin EC10 and EC20 product – of which HSL has a substantial stock, with the main screen flown at one of the long ends of the arena, measuring 8 metres wide by 5 high, made up from EC10.All the other video content including sponsor logos and showreels were stored and replayed via PlayBack Pro machines.
Ben Perrin commented that it was “great to come back and collaborate with creative director Matt Bates and all the crew and staff involved at arena sports live”.
“Having been the supplier of technical production for the 2017 tour, all department teams knew the high standards and quality of production required to make the 2019 shows an even greater success.
“The lighting and video needed to complement the high octane show flawlessly, while being flexible enough to incorporate the diversity of the action – from racing to freestyle displays. The crew and equipment worked brilliantly to make this a reality.”