HSL Rocks with Prodigy at the Download Festival

	Prodigy at the Download Festival with HSL on the special package

Blackburn, UK-based lighting and visuals rental company HSL, supplied a substantial specials package -- including 170 moving lights, custom metal ribs inset with LEDs, and a Kinesys automation system -- for The Prodigy's headliner performance at the 2012 Download Festival, staged at Donnington Race Track near Derby.

The band's show visuals were designed by Andy Hurst. As it was also the band's only UK festival appearance this summer, Hurst wanted to do something on an epic and grand scale.

HSL's Mike Oates project managed with HSL's Tim Fawkes working as system and console tech on-site, and also assisting Hurst with the wysiwyg pre-programming, completed in HSL's dedicated visualization facility at their new warehouse in Blackburn.

The backbone of the rig was 16 custom eight-meter high curved ribs which were all individually outlined with LEDs, flown across the full stage width on three staggered upstage trusses. These trusses were flown on Kinesys beam trolleys so they could be tracked upstage during the day and folded-together, saving as much space as possible. During the changeover, just before Prodigy, they were tracked downstage and into place with 2.5m separation between each truss.

Hurst specified 96 of Robe's new ROBIN LEDBeam 100s which were dotted all over the ribs and used for fast, tight beam effects. He also utilized 63 Clay Paky Sharpies. Forty eight Atomic strobes were spread all over the ribs, and 16 Robe LEDWash 600s positioned on the downstage edge of the deck for front lighting.

Downstage, five triangular pods made from 30cm trussing and hinges were flown on ten Kinesys 20m/minute Liftket motors. A JTE PixelLine picked out the edge of each triangle and they were also loaded with three Sharpies each. In addition, Hurst also used the lights available on the festival house rig.

For control, HSL supplied two Road Hog Full Boars run in full tracking backup in combination with six DP 8000 processors.

The initial lighting design was completed in wysiwyg, and pre-programmed in the two weeks immediately before the show. On site, they had one full night of programming, accompanied by torrential rain and cold winds.

Says Hurst, "The design was created as a one-off for Download Festival. I wanted to fill the stage top to bottom, as well as give the space a distinctive set architecture. The ribs gave an industrial look and created a great deal of depth -- due to the fact the band performance area is only 17' deep from the down stage edge of the stage."

"Everyone at HSL and my lighting crew worked really hard to get this show in, up, and running with no rehearsals, which was a great achievement in itself," concluded Hurst.