STOCKHOLM, Sweden — With campy set elements ranging from ersatz letters spelling E-L-T-O-N to a monstrous set of inflatable boobs, it’s unlikely that many people are paying much attention to the truss on Elton John’s Red Piano tour. But it’s also safe to say that the visuals for the show as a whole would not be the same without the truss and the 20-way Kinesys automation system provided by Summit Steel that moves set elements around. Summit’s Jon Bray, who is managing the tour, worked closely with head rigger Richard Wythes and production manager Henry Crallan to pre-plan the touring version of the Las Vegas show and make sure everything was running smoothly.
Summit is supplying 10 trusses to the tour. The trusses support drapes, two side IMAG screens and a MiTrix video screen that measures 24.5 meters by eight meters and weighs in at 7 tonnes. PRG is supplying the lighting.
“The great thing about Summit is the fantastic back up and support and the impressive speed at which they react — the service is really excellent,” said Wythes, who has worked with Summit before.
To meet the tight gig scheduling, specific rigging, automation and lighting elements are being advance rigged on certain shows. Wythes is working with a team of two riggers on the main system. An additional four are on the advance crew — two riggers, a lighting tech, and a tech for automation.
Gareth Williams runs the Kinesys system using that company’s Vector control platform. He has 18.5 tonne motors and two 100Kg Liftkets in the system, all controlled by Kinesys Elevation 1+ drive units. An extra set of Elevation 1+ units is on hand for the advance system.
Ten of the half tonne motors are used to suspend the campy letters fabricated by Tait Towers using steel frames, wood and Perspex. All the letters are heavily embedded with non-neon and pigmy bulb light sources to pump up the glam. The letters fly in at the top of the show as Elton John sings “Benny & The Jets.”
A total of four motors are used to fly in the two-piece “Love Hotel” sign, consisting of a big heart and the word “Hotel,” which emerges downstage right for “Tiny Dancer” and “Your Song.”
The two 100Kg Liftkets are being used to lower in a campy mannequin of Elton sporting bouffant hair during the encore, just before “Your Song”.
The remaining four half tonne hoists are located stage left and right — two per side — and used to lower in large roses hidden in the roof, which, like the oversized boobs, are inflated. The roses fly in and inflate for “Believe,” then get dropped offstage and de-rigged at the end of the song.
The tour is scheduled to run until Christmas, with a live broadcast from the London O2 Arena for New Year’s Eve.
For more information, please visit www.summit-steel.co.uk.
