CANADIAN RETREAT: OSHEAGA

Transcription

1 CANADIAN RETREAT: OSHEAGA SINCE 2006, THE VIRGIN MOBILE SPONSORED OSHEAGA MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL - OR THE FESTIVAL DE LA MUSIQUE ET DES ARTS TO MONTREAL NATIVES - HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVALS OF ITS GENRE IN CANADA. WITH SIX OUTDOOR STAGES LOCATED AT PARC JEAN- DRAPEAU ON MONTREAL S SAINT HELEN S ISLAND, OSHEAGA 2014 ATTRACTED 45,000 FANS PER DAY FOR THREE DAYS. TPi S KELLY MURRAY HEADED WEST TO SEE THE FESTIVAL S 9TH EDITION. The weekend event is dedicated to music and visual arts, and Osheaga has given itself the objective of discovering local and national emerging talent offering the opportunity to play alongside some of the biggest international artists in the business. Before now, the green manmade island (it was formed from the soil which was dug up to create the local metro line) has seen the likes of Iggy & The Stooges, Sonic Youth, The Roots, Rufus Wainwright, Arcade Fire, Eminem, Beck and Mumford and Sons play in the past, and this year the three main headliners were Outkast, Arctic Monkeys and Jack White. Osheaga also held a series of concerts and exhibitions in several locations around the city during the week leading up to the main event, which this year held its ninth successful weekend festival. This year, Osheaga welcomed around 135,000 fans into its gates to see 114 acts (which provided 30 hours of music), while the site required 4,500 employees. Interestingly, over 60 percent of festival goers came from outside of the local Quebec province, with visitors coming from the UK, Japan, USA and Europe. Although a bustling festival site, the atmosphere at Osheaga is very relaxed; cups of rainbow fruit and freshly squeezed traditional lemonade is sold throughout the crowds of enthusiastic teens as the dusty floor defies the early August weather reports of potentially show-hindering thunderstorms. For a six-stage festival to run smoothly, event producers, Evenko, rely on some of Montreal s best-known production companies to ensure that Osheaga is again completed without a hitch. AV integrators and high-end rental company, Solotech has been supplying technical 28

2 Opposite: Arctic Monkeys headlined Osheaga on Saturday; Childish Gambino was one of 114 acts chosen for the 2014 line up. Below: Chromeo delivered a crowd-pleasing set; Moment Factory created 2D and 3D graphics for Outkast s Friday night performance; 135,000 fans attended the festival throughout the weekend; The Solotech crew behind the main stages. equipment and skilled staff to the site since Osheaga s inception nine years ago, with audio support from Meyer Sound. Stage and lighting design was handled by 4U2C and mobile stage manufacturers, Stageline, supplied most of the festival s various sized stages for the ninth year running. The stages have appropriately scenic names: Green, Tree, River, Mountain and Electronic Picnic. THE PRODUCTION PARTNERSHIP Solotech s Eric Labbe has been project managing the majority of technical aspects for Osheaga the past three years. Today Osheaga has five mobile stages and a new tent structure for up and coming acts. On each of these stages, Solotech has provided audio, lighting, video and rigging solutions. The partnership with Osheaga is one which Labbe enjoys working on, as he explained the company s role at the event is much more than a rental supplier. Besides having gear in great quantity and diversity, being with the customer from start to finish and providing professional, quality service is definitely one of the strongest assets we have at Solotech. We are more than a user manual ; we go beyond the standard technical support service. Our technicians working and playing in the field are devoted, flexible, quick to react in an unforeseen situation and always ready to collaborate where needed. When it s time to deliver the final product, no matter what challenges are faced or what energy is spent, Solotech staff will do the impossible for you. At the end this shines during the live production and it s gratifying for us all. It s the reward we all look forward to at the end of a long stretch! As with any production, especially one which is from a long-standing relationship, Labbe enthused that Solotech is always looking for ways in which to improve upon the previous year s success. Osheaga is a dynamic opportunity for us to better what we do. This year, putting two Stageline SAM750 mobile stages side by side is a good example of how we have improved on building the show. And as a consequence, having one FOH position for both stages changed our usual workflow, so a new approach was needed. Solotech prevails when the limits are pushed, said Labbe. The 2014 three-day event saw 35 full-time technicians from Solotech working on site and preproduction to the festival included four days of prep at Solotech s Montreal HQ. Another new addition to the festival, this time from Solotech s inventory, was Meyer Sound s Lyon line array system. Continued Labbe: Since the festival is located in an urban area of Montreal, the audio design had to be able to contain the festival sound in a delimited area, and to reduce the impact outside the festival site. On the main stages, I know the Lyon was a perfect match with the Meyer Sound Leo line array. The sound system design and configuration for Osheaga s various stages was handled by Solotech. Besides the Meyer Sound choice (more on this later), Solotech provided Arkaos media servers, Solotech s own SL-Pro8 panels, 8mm LED IMAG screens for the main stages and half tonne, one-tonne and two-tonne Liftket chain hoists were utilised. For audio, artists often brought in their own microphones but the Solotech choice was a Shure package comprising UR4D wireless receivers and PSM-1000 in-ear monitors. At FOH, consoles comprised SSL (Live) Avid (Profiles) Meyer Sound Galileo AES (main system drive), and a Yamaha DM-1000 digital mixer. For monitor desks, Avid Profiles and Midas H3000 consoles were chosen. With regards to the lighting design, Solotech worked closely with its in-house set production company, 4U2C. It s like being in a big family. Working with your usual partners, you get to know their habits, strengths and reactions. During collaborations every partner creates a unique bond leading to success and renewed partnerships, explained Labbe. The festival keeps growing and so does Solotech. Every year, we adapt by providing new equipment, skilled expertise, design concepts and turnkey solutions throughout 29

3 PRODUCTION PROFILE: Osheaga Below: Stageline provided two SAM750 s for the double main stages, River and Mountain; Shlohmo performed on the Elektric Picnic Stage in front of a scrim designed by a local artist. the whole process. Next year will be the 10th edition, and it will be no exception! SINGING TO THE RIGHT TUNE Solotech s PA manufacturer of choice for Osheaga, Meyer Sound, has also worked closely with the event for some time. Touring Liaison chief, Lee Moro has been attending the festival personally from his Nashville base for the last three years. My job is to support Solotech and interact with the visiting engineers. This year was really amazing; the Meyer Sound Leo / Lyon system was received very well. Last year was more of an introduction to Leo, but this year I feel many were very comfortable and had gained some valuable experience with the system, said Moro. All the engineers walked away happy with their shows, so there were honestly very few challenges for me this year. Well, other than the endurance of heat and non-stop shows for The Outdoor Event Services Exhibition Where Exhibiting Means Business 22& 23 OCT Newbury Showground Berkshire RG18 9QZ The UK s original and most comprehensive exhibition of products, services and entertainment for the outdoor event industry For exhibitor & visitor information contact: Lance Show & Publications Limited Tel: Fax: info@showmans-directory.co.uk Courtyard Office, The Courtyard, Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8AP 30

4 Below: Solotech Project Manager, Eric Labbe; Meyer Sound s Touring Liason expert, Lee Moro; Pierre-Luc Rompre, Commercial Director at Stageline. three days! It was an honour and privilege to be involved again. Festival support can be a challenge for a manufacturer, as many visiting engineers have their own preferences, but for Moro it s always interesting to observe those who may be experiencing Meyer s new products for the first time. They re under pressure since many artists don t soundcheck. The direction of our new systems has been received really well and allowing touring engineers to just do their job, which is to mix without having to worry about the system at all. A big plus point for the Osheaga promoters was Meyer Sound s virtual prediction software, MAPP, which is very precise and in turn allows sound designers to provide a solution that meets the needs of the festival. This software combined with the Leo / Lyon set up for the two mains stages became a real feature of Oshega s production this year. Moro continued: This year was a split system with four hangs of eight Leo over six Lyon. It worked so well that the same system was used for the following weekend s festival on the same site, Heavy Montreal. We re also reconfiguring it for ilesoniq. In effect, the Meyer Sound Leo self-powered linear systems and Lyon line array combination has been welcomed by three different types of event on the same site, which must adhere to the same noise licenses. Osheaga is the mainstream indie and hip hop event, Heavey Montreal is the hard rock / metal festival and ilesoniq offers an urban EDM lineup, proving that this system combination is an ideal choice for any genre when supplied by Solotech s audio Smart speakers for clever people From touring sound to fixed installations, audio professionals spec NEXO for the high levels of performance and reliability that come only from a truly innovative approach to speaker system design. Find out more at Thinking. Inside the box. 32

5 Below: New Zealand teenager Lorde captivated crowds; Solotech utilised a Meyer Sound rig which comprised both the Leo and Lyon loudspeaker systems; 35 full time technicians from Solotech worked on the staging the event; Awolnation were a popular choice with the audience. Opposite: The afternoon sunshine came out for Shlohmo s set. team. In addition, Solotech also provided a Meyer Sound rider for the main stages including HP subwoofers in two rows of six behind each hang, LFC low-frequency self-powered loudspeakers (nine far left, 18 centre and nine far right), and MSL6 High-Q loudspeakers for frontfill. Meyer Sound has had a fantastic long standing relationship with Solotech. They have been involved in so many different types of events around the world and have very specific requests and needs. Their audio team is topnotch and very educated too. They push the limits of what is possible and work closely with Meyer Sound products to create new features and even work on the R&D of potential new solutions. To me, Osheaga is a great event to work with them on as it attracts the current top touring acts who come with some of the top touring sound engineers in the industry. No one will accept less than amazing results from the systems on those stages and those results were achieved with the combination of fantastic staff at Solotech, our products, great artists and their engineers. Plus, it s always impressive to see the full, complete production supplied by one company, flawlessly. Solotech really has carved a path in the industry for full service solutions. GREEN AUDIO K-Array, in partnership with Sennheiser Canada President Jean Langlais, has developed the concept of the Green Stage PA system for the last four years. In the 2014 edition of the festival, Sennheiser Canada in collaboration with Sonorisation Ranger supplied the PA systems for the Green stage and the Sennheiser VIP area. These two different, yet high demanding set 34

6 TRUSS YOU CAN TRUST ups, were exceptionally managed with the use of the K-Array Concert Series (main stage) and K-Array Portable series (VIP area). The Green Stage concept has an environmental spin to it. High SPL PA systems have to conform to low emission, more sustainable power sources. said Marcel Savard, Production Manager for Sennheiser Canada. More so, festivals all around the world are becoming the new trend in the Live Entertainment Industry where established artists share the stage with upcoming and local artists, raising the bar for a high-quality reproduction of the live performance. This was the perfect scenario for the flexibility, high SPL, low power consumption and high-fidelity of the K-Array systems. The K-Array Concert Series was the PA of choice for the Green Stage. The main L/R systems comprised one cluster of five KH4, mid / high speakers, side-by-side to one cluster of five KS4, low-end speaker units, flown on either side of the stage. Twin stacks of six KS4 units were positioned on the ground level underneath the main clusters. The subwoofers system of eight KO70 (two 21-inch self-powered) was installed on the ground in front of the stage. For front fills application four KH15, mid / high speakers were placed on top of the subwoofers. The K-array PA system was designed by Vaino Gennaro, Business Director for Sennheiser Canada. The setup of the complete system was incredibly fast, commented Gennaro. The KH4 / KS4 clusters in combination with the subwoofers KO70 and KH15 yielded exceptional results with SPL to spare and perfect coverage. The precise tuning and time alignment of the system gave us the opportunity to perfectly match the PA system with the needs of the entire venue added Gennaro Amazing results for an amazing sound experience, he added. When singer Travis Scott missed his live performance on the main stage due to travel complications, he decided to surprise the VIP area and the crowd with an improvised mini live gig. The K-Array KR202 system, installed in the VIP, was called into immediate action. Gennaro continued: It s always exciting when an artist can surprise and entertain the audience but it s a big challenge for sound engineers and event organisers. Thankfully we had the K-Array KR202 on hand and everyone was delighted with the results. STAGING SAFETY Like Solotech, Stageline Mobile Stage Inc has been involved with Osheaga since its inception in 2005 but the business relationship started in the 90s. As this festival s popularity grew so did its stage requirements. This is not a flat land and the leveling requires some work which is easily done with Stageline hydraulic stages, explained Stageline s Founder, Yvan Miron. In addition, our logistic team is on it from the beginning and liaise with Evenko every step of the way to ensure that everything goes flawlessly. Promoters and event organisers have so much work to do, often attend to last-minute situations and we believe the stage should not be one of them. Our vision is that a stage is equipment that has to simplify the technicians, creative designers and artists jobs. In fact, it should be a tool for the success of any production large or small, bring efficiency, save some serious time and money. Furthermore, as Stageline stages are selfstanding equipment that don t require the use of ballast, stabilising cable or any type of ground anchoring, they have very minimal impact on the environment as sites are left undamaged, he told TPi. This year, Stageline provided five performance stages and an exclusive VIP area structure. The Elektric Picnic Stage was a SAM 440 (sponsored by Honda) the Tree Stage an SL260 (Galaxie), the Green Stage a SAM 555 (Garnier, Sennheiser) and the twin River and Mountains stages utilised two SAM 750 s, (sponsored by Virgin Mobile and Molson Canadian). It took a total of just 30 hours with 12 stagehands to build the double SAM750 structure. In addition, two VIP Areas (Molson and Garnier) comprised Stageline Promobile stages with a mezzanine level. Our smaller stages are also good options for VIP areas. The QUALITY AVAILABILITY RELIABILITY INNOVATION phone: International distribution Europe: Germany: France: Spain: India: Australia: Americas: Chile: India: S.E.Asia: Singapore: Lebanon: Japan: Taiwan: Dubai: Saudi-Arabia: fb.com/stardimensionsindia skypub17@hotmail.com facebook.com/globaltruss 35

7 Below: Californian sister act, Haim jammed through the weather threats on the main stage; An Avid Profile console was chosen for the main stage monitor duties. Promobile is our largest marketing unit, but we have done multiple projects with smaller stages over the past years. The SL50 and SL100 stages are being utilised more and more for marketing purposes, explained Pierre-Luc Rompre, Stageline s Commercial Director. Stageline has over 25 years of experience in providing staging solutions to outdoor events. Our engineering criteria is based on the Canadian and International Building Codes for wind loading (90 mph or 140 km/h) whereas the industry follows lower criteria, which we think, are too low. Besides the conscientious design based on the International Building Code (IBC), Miron cites great manufacturing by certified and experienced workers, quality control, Stageline s in-house training, on-site inspection programs, product development, and most importantly, safety as the imperative ingredients for a successful outdoor event. And then, there is the weather factor. During the festival, local weather reports predicted thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind. What actually occurred was a mild shower innovating products. From a staging point of view, it went perfectly. SET AND LIGHITNG DESIGN 4U2C s Karl Gaudreau, a partner in the new visual design company, has also been involved with Osheaga since the festival s humble beginnings. For three years he was the event s Head of Lighting before growing into the role of Visual Director as the festival expanded and its production needs blossomed. I think we started out with just three small stages utilising PAR cans and moving heads. The challenges to turn this into a world class festival in Montreal and be part of the global festival family mean that after all these years the production team has a very close bond, he told TPi. Design challenges ensued for Gaudreau with the double main stage addition, but he loved the ambitious situation: We needed to minimise the overnight change over and create the looks needed for all of the headliners. I always try to make new concepts on each of the stages to bring a new experience to the fans. Professional LED 180 PARs and TMB / Firefly s LED Marquee / Festoon lighting system. For the Elektric Picnic Stage, I merged between video and light by using Clay Paky Sharpy Spots and Chromlech Elidy LED panel fixtures behind the 25mm screen with a custom scrim paint by a local artist hanging on the curved truss. On the Green Stage, the idea was a tungsten effect with Philips Vari-Lite VL500 s and more Chromlech Elidy LED panels. For the Tree Stage, I primarily used a mixture of Chromlech Jarag and ETC 10 Deg Source for big ACL looks, and to get powerful backlighting during daylight shows. For the two main stages - River and Mountain - the idea was to merge the main LED screens so the public felt as though it was just one huge stage. We could do this by using Stageline s SAM750. I also have the best team from Solotech to back me on all my crazy ideas, especially with all of the atmospheric lights around the site which make a great experience all over the place. I will certainly be there next year for Osheaga s 10th anniversary! he smiled. I have the best team from Solotech to back me on all my crazy ideas, especially with all of the lights around the site which make a great experience all over the place. I will certainly be there for next year for Osheaga s 10th anniversary! and nothing more than a breeze that might have knocked your fringe out of place. Yet the Stageline team was still in tune to the possible climate change. Continued Rompre: In addition to our emergency procedures, we have our own meteorologists providing weather forecasts around the clock. All of Stageline s mobile stage models are designed with the unpredictability of the weather in mind. With an average of 15,000 events staged globally throughout the year, Stageline has certainly earned a place as a serious staging contender. Our staging technology is proven, and given the expanding awareness to provide a safe staging environment, we will continue to do our best to serve the industry with safe and Solotech provided a lighting rider at Gaudreau s request, which comprised MA Lighting grandma2 full size and grandma 1 and 2 light consoles with a PC wing for control. Fixtures included Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 Spots, VL-3000 Spots, VL-3500 Wash FX Clear Lens, V-L500 80V Washes, VL-2500 Washes, VL Spots, Clay Paky Sharpy Spots, Martin by Harman MAC 600 Nt Washlight, Martin Atomic 3000 DMX Strobes and Martin Color Changers. Additional visual effects comprised MDG s The One Atmospheric Fog Hazer, MDG Atmosphere Haze Generator, Robert Juliat Cyranos 2500W Followspots, Mole Richardson Mole Strip 4 Lites, Showtec Active DMX Sunstrips, Chromlech Elidy LED Panels, Chromlech Jarag 25 Blinders, Elation THE FUTURE S BRIGHT The success of the festival s 2014 production was clearly felt by all parties as Nick Farkas, VP Concerts and Events, Evenko, explained to TPi: Every year we aim to provide the best festival experience to our fans. We work with the best teams to deliver a top of the line production with the best sound and lighting available on the market, impressive stage and video set ups, and an unforgettable site layout. I m very proud of the work we did this year and we will prepare something even better for our 10th anniversary next year! With this production team behind it, Osheaga 2015 will surely throw a birthday celebration worth attending. Get there if you can. TPi Photos: Pat Beaudry, Eva Blue, Evenko, Arcouette&Co. and Kelly Murray