Whether it’s an international stadium tour or a small-scale performance, a lot can go wrong without a quick, clear connection”
Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour was an operational
success thanks to its excellent intercoms
up, combining his artistic dexterity with technological spectacle. Each night sees him on a circular stage surrounded by four separate platforms, with a 42-ton, 360° screen rigged up above him. To top it all off, each show features pyrotechnics, while the finale is an explosive fireworks display of immense magnitude. In other words, the Mathematics Tour is no easy feat from an operational perspective. Enter Clear-Com. To pull off 115 shows across four legs, each department must be in constant contact – not only to ensure efficiency, but also to address the obstacles that accompany an event of this scope. Lighting, audio and video operators, security guards and other employees implement a Clear-Com solution. This includes the FreeSpeak II Wireless Intercom System, HelixNet Digital Network Partyline remote stations and LQ Series IP Interfaces. Designed by David White, Sheeran’s appointed looper and RF technician, and Adam Wells, audio systems engineer, the intercom system is essential to the whole Mathematics team. With five stages and six cameras, crew members are spread throughout the various stadiums, with some backstage, some out front and others outside the venue entirely. To ensure a smooth operation, the Mathematics Tour needs to be carefully rehearsed – of course by Sheeran himself – but also by the entire production team. Sheeran’s production manager Chris Marsh borrows from his background in live theatre, providing cues for lighting, audio, video, pyrotechnics as well as the massive halo-shaped screen. In order to orchestrate all this, the crew employs HelixNet beltpacks. “It’s the first time we’ve had a show with this many bells and whistles and moving parts; it’s an absolute necessity to have a level of clear communication,” states Wells, particularly when dealing with fire and other natural elements at outdoor arenas. For example, Sheeran’s show in Denver, Colorado began with a thunderstorm, which caused an evacuation before he even made it onstage. “Clear-Com was essential in helping us get back up and running,”
C ommunication is the key ingredient to a successful relationship. This applies both professionally and personally, with information exchange between the key departments allowing businesses to work effectively. Our means of communication have improved over time; from the written letter to the telegram, then from phone call to text message. There is now a rising expectation for instantaneous connection. In the exciting world of live entertainment, this immediacy has become essential. Most live productions use an intercom system to synchronise cues, maintain safety and address issues in real time. Whether it’s an international stadium tour or a small-scale performance, a lot
can go wrong without a quick, clear connection established. PERFECT PRODUCTION Covid-19 briefly sparked the remote concert, an at-home experience that brought the stage to our screens. Though we once believed live music would be changed forever, it quickly bounced back in full, surpassing itself in scale and scope. Pop superstar Ed Sheeran is among those whose return broke records, with his Mathematics Tour representing the culmination of a musical era – and sometimes bringing in over 89,000 attendees. Sheeran, who had humble beginnings performing pub gigs and one-man shows, swapped a once simple approach for an ambitious five-stage set-
Powered by FlippingBook