Denmark-based Motor Stage Automation (MSA) supplied a complete automation system, comprising Moveket VMK-S 500 vari-speed hoists, Moveket V-Motion 40 E-drives, especially modified Alfasystem M-1020L stage lift and Moveket control, to facilitate several scenic, creative and technical solutions for Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour.
Moving objects included two spectacular eight and five-metre-diameter ‘astrolabe’ LED rings, six lighting pods, a ‘puck’ on which the artist flew above the stage, while the two astrolabes created kaleidoscope effects above, and the upstage lift, which was utilised extensively for stage access throughout Dua Lipa’s acclaimed live performance.
The production design was a collaboration between tour & creative director, Pete Abbott, and show designer Matt Pitman, who also created the lighting scheme. Sam Jackson was head of automation, and Ross Maynard was the production manager, coordinating all technical departments.
Jackson and Maynard made the decision to get MSA on board to help provide a tour-ready solution for this elaborate and highly effective staging, and together with MSA’s project manager, Jimmy Johnson, designed a tourable automation system that they could take on the road. This met all the required EU safety regulations and was fine-tuned to be as practical and portable as possible to assist with quick and efficient get-ins and outs.
The astrolabes were custom-made circular set pieces with integrated LED products that flew in and out and pitched and turned seamlessly and elegantly around each other.
Together with the chasing LED pixels, this created a three-dimensional visual effect that appeared to be floating in space, as Dua Lipa initially performed below on the B stage at the end of a 40 ft thrust emanating from the main stage and then flew up on the puck to be in the centre of the two circling and rolling astrolabes.
These major WOW moments of the show drama happened during two songs, Love Again and Anything for Love after which the artist was lowered to the floor and the puck flewback out to the roof. The astrolabes were each rigged on four Moveket VMK-S 500 variable speed hoists, and the puck on three.
Two motors each were allocated to the six lighting pods which were positioned downstage left and right and loaded with eight moving lights, eight strobes and one laser on each, giving a total of 23active hoists over the full performance area.
The pod motors were synced to run at the same time and speed, with all operated by George Davies located at FOH using a Moveket Expert-T III console and the Moveket KES operating system.
PosiStageNet (PSN) positional data was sent from the Expert III to the SFX department’s grandMA3 control console, and for safety, SFX sets limits at their end, instructing the lasercues not to run unless the pod is stopped in certain pre-defined positions calculated with some necessary tolerance. If the position did not stop between these parameters, the ES was automatically activated and the lasers did not switch on.
A major challenge for the automation department, explained Jackson, was in integrating all the different elements located all around the arena, merging the system and running everything back to FOH and Davies’ operating position next to lighting director Aaron Veness with tidy and expedient cable management.
The stage lift was positioned upstage centre, and was designed, built and commissioned by MSA based on an Alfasystem stage lift that was modified to meet the specific requirements of this show.
The lifting mechanism was a SERAPID motor-driven chain lift rather than hydraulic. It all ran off a 32A power supply and was compliant with the EN 17206 “machinery for stages” EU standard.
The lift was controlled via a Moveket Basic controller, which was separate from the rest of the moving elements and moved 2.5 metres up and down. The desk allowed different level user access to be set up for get-in and show run, so the set carpenters running it during the show could only execute cues programmed by the automation team. They simply had to push the joystick up or down, and the lift moved to the precise correct positions.
“It’s very robust”, commented Jackson. “It just worked solidly gig-to-gig.”
For the get-ins and outs, the automation was split, with the B Stage going in and being rigged first, followed by the stage overheads and then the overheads further down the room. The MSA system was designed and thought-through specifically to make this a smooth and swift process, with power supplies and other essential components packaged in racks anddollies so they could be rolled quickly into place.
It was also modular, with no components more than 1.5 metres high, so they fit underneath an aeroplane and were ready for palletisation/air freighting as the tour continued.
“It was a very collaborative effort between all the technical disciplines,” stated Jackson. “With great teamwork involved in coordinating lighting, effects and video and automation working so closely.”
In addition to Jackson and Davies, the automation team comprised technicians Alex Hughes and Joseph Rapson.
This tour was also Jackson’s first time working with MSA: “I’d heard about them for some time, and their reputation was constantly growing, so we were keen to get them involved with thisproduction, and the service exceeded that of any other automation supplier I’ve previously worked with!”
“It was brilliant to be able to supply such a good range of essentially off-the-shelf products with practical solutions to meet the required functional safety for the production team’s design,” Johnson added. “Everyone was a joy to work with. The key to the smooth running of this tour was the communication between Dua Lipa’s production team in their design process and MSA’s ability to offer practical integration solutions for efficient and safe touring.”
