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Excitement Technologies Group News Releases
ETG BRINGS F/X TO PARADISE FOR 311 DAY
DALLAS, TEXAS (May 6, 2008) - As one might imagine, March 11th is a very special day for the musicians in 311 – and their fans. Traditionally, the group performs a lengthy concert in an arena setting, and this year 311 and their production team cut no corners in adding a blazing special effects package to the show, held at the New Orleans Arena. While working with familiar 311 vendors Upstaging and Eighth Day Sound, Production Manager John Markovich and lighting designer Joe Paradise turned to Excitement Technologies Group (ETG) to provide a wide range of special effects for the performance. Because the group performed three 21-song sets, the lasers, chilled fog, confetti and more provided by ETG were perfect tools to help keep the visual excitement riding high throughout the marathon gig.
Paradise designed and operated 311's last two summer tours, and has also worked with Incubus, System of a Down, and The Deftones. He says that the 2008 directive from 311 was for a completely different show from their touring runs, a feat he attacked initially by rearranging the touring truss structure. "I had used trusses that were curved," Joe explains, "and I basically just added more and straightened them out. I decided to go for more of a grid vibe, so we positioned them parallel with the stage. I also had several candy cane towers on the tour, and subsequently added two more for the show in New Orleans. The band decided to film the concert for DVD, so we added a 60' audience truss with twelve Martin MAC 2K washes."
Joe's only conventional fixtures on the mammoth show were five 8-lite moles. The balance (and meat) of the gear supplied by Upstaging included 16 Martin MAC2K washes, 30 MAC700 Profiles, 10 MAC 700 washes, 8 Atomic strobes with color and 36 Coemar ParLEDs, with four 2K Profiles used as spotlights, a typical Joe Paradise sleight-of-hand. "I disable the pan/tilts and put handles on them. They work great provided you can get them far enough downstage," he says. The LD employed a Martin Maxyyz for lighting control, and a Maxedia was used to run approximately 220 meters of hi-definition Element Labs Versatubes placed upon three ovals upstage, nested in between the towers. The venue’s two-tiered stage was augmented by 311’s hydraulic scissor-lift drum riser, built by Accurate Staging. Upstaging Crew Chief was Steve Schumi; he was joined on the gig by Ron Schilling, A.J. Paterson, Brian Kasten, and Jeff Hubbel.
When the green light was given to the production team for special effects, budget, time and 'wow' were the three most critical factors, and with 63 songs, there was a lot of visual canvas to cover. Paradise contacted ETG, who ultimately provided serious bang for the buck, and without the luxury of production rehearsal. "The band wanted to make this show even more special," says Joe, "and adding the lasers was certainly their idea. When I first spoke with ETG's Kelly Sticksel, I asked what they had available, and we went through the list. I think I got everything but the pyro … it was a challenge because 311 have so many songs, but I ordered effects along songs I had in mind, and it came off flawlessly. For example, with the CO2 cannons, I just let Dani (ETG Production Manager Danielle Sawtell) run with it; she listened to all the songs, we talked about it before and agreed 'if you have a good spot then go for it, as long as its not a ballad' – and she did a great job." Joining Dani at the gig for CO2, Coldfog and confetti duties was right hand man Matthew Roelfs, ETG's Shop Manager. Kyle Garner handled laser programming and show operation.
As ETG's founder and CEO, Kelly Sticksel puts creative direction into the company's wide range of shows, and has introduced a substantial number of proprietary special effects into ETG's arsenal along the way. Sticksel recalls the gig from their perspective; "This was a fairly typical show for us in the touring sense," he says, "a basic laser package with a special effects kicker, which includes some cold fog, cryogenics and confetti. There was no technical planning time or rehearsal stage; it was 'show up on site and make it work'. Their main concern was obviously budgetary; they were incorporating all this as a trial, and they hadn't used lasers before. We needed to bring in lasers capable of being seen with the existing lighting plot, so we steered clear of full color and went with traditional green YAG lasers – very high power but in small boxes, so it would fit with their stage. And going with that same thought, we pulled out the 5 watt solid state YAGs, knowing they'd be more than visible with the stage lighting."
The lasers were run live by Garner through a Pangolin.net network system, and were placed across the back of the stage, incorporated into the four vertical scenic trusses at various heights. Proprietary ETG effects included eight cryoJET III CO2 jet systems and six cryoBLAST continuous confetti blower units, as well as a host of single shot streamer and confetti cannons, and four LSG Coldfog machines introduced onto the stage via ETG's pop-up heads."
Sticksel says they're proud of the contribution ETG's effects brought to 311's annual concert, "It was a matter of incorporating what we could very quickly, and making it as big a show as possible. Given the time we had, the system we brought in was very effective, and brought a giant scale to the stage; it was a really good show."
In closing, Joe Paradise says, "The laser programming was all so appropriate, and the output was incredible - almost too bright! I wasn’t really putting that much atmosphere out there with my four DF50s and two foggers, and those lasers were just screaming … they looked like you could reach out and touch them! The band loved everything about it; they were apprehensive through the planning process and even rehearsals – there was a lot going on. But when the show was over, they were just ecstatic. Working with ETG was easy. Everyone was smart … you tell them the general idea and they could run with it. The effects came out exactly the way I wanted, and basically it was a flawless show."
ETG is a global supplier and producer of a wide range of stunning special effects. For more information on the ETG’s products and services, visit the company online at www.excitementtechnologies.com.
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