The R&B Tour (Raymond & Brown Tour) commenced in June. Having collaborated with the respective touring camps previously, special effects and pyrotechnics specialist ER Productions was commissioned to deliver over four-and-a-half trucks worth of special effects and pyrotechnics and 25 touring technicians for 59 shows across 26 stadiums in the United States and Canada.
ER Productions began working on the project in March, testing special effects and pyrotechnics at its Dartford facilities. Months later, production rehearsals took place at Gateway Studios in St. Louis. “This production team always tries to present something new,” Steffi Menacher, Global Head of Projects at ER Productions, said enthusiastically. “There are many opportunities with several creative teams involved, making for an interesting and diverse project.”
Given the scale of the project, special effects were integrated into every technical department. “It is a very collaborative process across a big production,” Menacher explained. “The creatives wanted big, impressive looks from the special effects, which is exactly what ER Productions is known for, pushing creative boundaries.” This meant that ER Productions was involved in several production meetings in the lead up to the tour, evaluating logistics, and collaborating with the designers to meet their vision. Solutions evolved over time, were expanded upon or sometimes left on the cutting room floor. “There were opportunities to involve some intricate and innovative engineering, such as flamebar effects with the Flameber XL making its debut on this tour.”
The 1m wide Flameber XL units are the newest addition to ER Productions’ family of flames. With dual ignition, the effects provided the ability to chase flames from left to right, along with the ability to vary output of heights.“ The normal Flameber is 60cm, but this one can go significantly higher with four additional jets to provide flame fingers as well as walls of flames up to 3m. “We build every product in house and test them, devising everything from metal to screws,” Menacher explained. “To finally see it pass certification and be featured on stage in front of thousands of people is magical.”
The special effects and pyrotechnics package included 53 Flamebers and 20 Flameber XLs; 58 Psyco2Jets; 22 G Flames; 31 AT60X and 22 Kinekt AS lasers on Wahlberg Winches; 16 MDG theONEs for atmospherics; 15 RE120 lasers; 10 Hell Fires; eight Titan Flames; eight Eco2jets; eight Waveflames; eight Silent Storms; six Ice Fog Qs; six Colored 5 Finger Flames; four burning barrels, a pair of Cyclones, in addition to Profans, Vipers and a Creeper XL .“It’s a lot of equipment in a lot of different positions and that makes it exciting,” Menacher remarked.
With offices across the globe, ER Productions was well equipped to send gear from one place to another, meeting regional specifications and certifications. “We have strategically placed equipment,” Menacher explained. “Our standards are high and that works in our favour with clients who understand our capabilities and creativity.”
ER Productions used over 100 US gallons of Isopar, around 150 bottles of CO2, over 300 aerosol cans, over 1,000 pieces of pyro with a 360° Pyro Finale, on the downstage edge, the B-stage and high Altitude Pyro Positions behind the stage and on delay towers – 50 Pyro Positions alone on the Header Truss in addition to ‘concussion cages’, and almost 100 falling comets per show. Further robotics were integrated into set pieces.
The project required a big team on the road with 25 touring technicians supporting the production.“We always want to push boundaries, which requires educated and experienced technicians, with workflows that work for everyone and knowledge as transparent and accessible as possible,” Menacher added, citing the global nature of the workforce. “People from the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Poland, and New Zealand all featured on the tour.”
ER’s health and safety specialists ensured the equipment met standards. “Special effects has a lot of health and safety and consumable management, so the number of fluids and volume of consumables the crew deal with is a lot to manage,” Menacher said. “It’s a full truck of consumables a day – over 300 cans a show.”
The 20m Titan Flame is a slightly bigger unit, weighing 250lbs when filled, so it required more than two people to lift. In addition to the raft of solutions, the engineering required to power such effects was equally impressive. “We utilised a crane to lift the units as they sit on top of delay towers, so we had to engineer a specific plate to rest them on and brace. We also had them on the main stage, which required additional bracing, so FABER made custom brackets/plates,” Menacher explained.
“The brown stage required a certain clamp size, therefore we contacted a clamp manufacturer to make a specific clamp for this structure. Thanks to Becky at our office, we call it the ‘Becky Clamp’,” Menacher added
”On stage, carps and creatives collaborated on integrating small pieces of pyro into wooden, scenic consoles made for the project, providing short circuit spark effects. Additional downstage edge pyro required integration within the grill of the stage, where other Flameber units were sitting. “With so many people and departments, every move had to be precise,” Menacher said, citing the close communication between departments.
The Flamebers were integrated into the thrust of the stage and spanned the B-stage and the XLs shot upwards in multiple moments within the show. In one of the key moments, Usher throws a bottle on the floor to ignite the Flamebers spanning the thrust of the main stage. Then the XLs turn on to create an enveloping rise of flames with the video content that looks like an inferno, and additional black Powderfetti is fired from the Silent Storms providing an ash-like look covering the crowd with a soft and gentle effect juxtaposed with the inferno.
“There are so many good moments,” Menacher enthused. “I love the way the lasers look; it’s a strong laser show. The pyro finale is a standout and there is so much CO2, when all the Psyco2jets go off it looks impressive.” Special effects and lasers featured throughout the show. Falling Comets blended with the LED wall’s content to make for a cohesive visual feast for fans. “It’s not always the big pyro and flame moment that captures crowds,” Menacher said, referring to moments like a Creeper or low fog machine being triggered in the right position at the right time.
“We have this one set piece with a creeper attached, Chris Brown stands in this tube, because of his body temperature, the low fog rises slowly, so when he emerges it falls and the robotics fire – a subtle moment that looks stunning,” she added.
The tour demonstrated the gamut of effects in ER Productions’ vast portfolio with an A and B rig for outdoor and indoor stadiums. “It was a big team effort from the entire camp. I want to send a massive thank you to the production and everyone involved. You can feel the level of respect and individual areas of expertise. There were so many pieces to the puzzle and you could see people show their perspective before a decision was made. Working closely with production brought all these perspectives together and the decisions were well reflected,” Menacher said.
“A massive thank you to Production Managers, Hydro Mullin and Raphiki Rhodes, the creative team, advance crews, coordinators, promoter reps and everybody from ER who played their part in this project. A special mention for Crew Chief, Jay Scrivener and Operators, Dan Wilce and Sam Wakerley and Pyro Lead, Seba Huss.”
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Jay Scrivener
