ADELE IN MUNICH
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“Luckily for us, Renzo Cargnelutti, our crew chief, is one of the most sought- after pyrotechnic programmers in the industry. His sequencing is a masterclass in how pyrotechnics can consist of more than just controlled explosions firing off ballistically – and actually be artful. “Then there was the task of taking the amount of confetti Adele is famous for using at her shows and finding a way to amplify that,” he expands. “We had to make sure we had enough to cover the whole crowd – the equivalent area of two American football fields – while having fire simultaneously.” The final total at the event was 100 confetti units which had
flame, and had the team build a lot of additional systems to massively beef up the number we utilise for this compared to a normal show,” Varley adds. “Through months of research and testing, our team succeeded in debuting four of our brand-new Liquid Flame Terra systems. These produce a massive flame over 30m tall. “We then also had to figure out how to do the pyrotechnics,” continues Varley, “developing effects in close proximity to the audience that could be safely fired as well as providing a massive, high-altitude finale to be shot up into the air behind the stage at the end of the show.
what our visuals were capable of in a temporary environment.” PLAYING WITH FIRE With the setlist featuring a myriad of Adele’s deeply emotional anthems, it was crucial for the special effects department to understand the tone, since they were grappling with a venue of such scale. “On 2 November 2023, Paul English, Adele’s production manager, contacted our CEO Nicolai Sabottka with the subject line: ‘ADELE LIKES FIRE’,” says Matt Varley, creative director at FFP Effects. Founded by Sabottka, FFP is the creative force behind the world’s most captivating flames and SFX. His mastery of pyrotechnics has ignited the imaginations of audiences worldwide and has fuelled 25+ years of innovation within the entertainment industry. “It’s always possible to put SFX on top of an existing stage, but when we’re given the opportunity to be behind the scenes from the beginning, it always leads to something extra special,” he says. Tailored performances that push the boundaries of live entertainment are FFP’s speciality, with its proprietary flame systems offering unmatched spectacles. “We initially took Liquid Flame Giga, our signature, proprietary large-flame systems, which produce a 16m-high
WATCH ME See the effects and screens in action during the concert
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