GLP GT-1 and X4 Bars Make Massive Statement at Super Bowl 51 posted: 03/03/2017
Bob Barnhart lights Lady Gaga stage and aerial acrobatics in top Halftime Show
Lady Gaga gave a scintillating, high-flying performance at the Pepsi Super Bowl 51 Halftime Show at the NRG Stadium in Houston. Opening with God Bless America on the roof of the stadium she leapt to the stage before cramming seven of her greatest hits into the 12-minute show. Gaga then threw the microphone down to the field while simultaneously catching a football. The acrobatics throughout were stunning.
Everything, from Shooting Star' drones flying in unison above the stadium to create the American flag to the stage surrounded by fire and Glow Motion torches, was top drawer.
The fact that this was universally acclaimed as one of the greatest Halftime Shows ever, is due to the inventive production design orchestrated jointly by Bruce Rodgers of Tribe Inc. and Roy Bennett of Seven Design Works, as well as Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producer, Touchdown Entertainment. Adding the lighting dimension, using fixtures from the GLP portfolio in mission-critical roles, was Bob Barnhart of 22 Degrees, working on his 19th Halftime Show.
Sourcing inventory again from PRG's LA-based Tony Ward (who was also event Gaffer), he incorporated 60 of GLP's powerful GT-1 hybrid fixtures, placing them on the speaker carts located around the stage and field of play, as well as on the two Tower Carts' either side of the main stage, where Gaga landed after her flight from the roof.
He then used a combination of 170 X4 Bar 20 and 14 X4 Bar 10 - the innovative and award-winning battens he had deployed so successfully on their launch at the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show (with Katy Perry). This time they were located within the stage floor and were vividly brought to life by special effects company Strictly FX who seeped haze up through the stage floor, animating the beams in spectacular fashion. The eye-catching effects, creating multiple (and often simultaneous) looks between the core and the perimeter were a testament to the programming. This was entrusted to Halftime Show regulars, Jason Rudolph, who was responsible for the floor, piano ball and glow motion sticks, and Pete Radice, who took charge of all the other fixtures.
The extravaganza marked the end of a long process that began in April when the team from production company, Touchdown Entertainment site surveyed the venue and general spot / lighting positions were suggested even before it was decided whether the show would take place on the 50-yard line or end zone.
Other decisions, such as broadcaster camera positions and whether the roof was to be open or closed (this year it was open) informed the creative process.
According to Barnhart, the function of the lighting was to enhance the more asymmetrical elements of the design theme created by Rodgers and Bennett.
Placing lights on the rails of the stadium to show scale and height was essential while GLP's GT-1's, which the designer had first used on the American Music Awards, were employed on all speaker carts wheeled out for half time. This gave us a large oval of light on the wide shots, which in turn provided another dimension of scale, he said.
The Halftime Show always has the unique challenge in that you have seven and half minutes to load the show onto the field. Lighting directors, Pete Radice, Jason Rudolph and David Grill do an amazing job of making sure whatever crazy idea Bruce Rodgers and I come up with, will happen. The lighting crew is also an integral part of pulling this off - they have to tell us if this can happen or not.
Bob Barnhart had wanted two types of fixture on the tower - including a hot beam' effect. The GLP GT-1 served this purpose well, as it is lighter than its cousins and a bit smaller. Since the tower had a weight capacity this allowed me to use a few more pieces - and these offset the other fixture that I selected.
As for the wide-scale use of GLP's award-winning X4 Bars, Bruce Rodgers, Roy Bennett and Lady Gaga had been looking to avoid an LED floor this year, and having developed a stage instead, gave Bob Barnhart carte blanche in his fixture selection.
After discussing with Roy we decided that the GLP X4 Bars would give us a range of features that would get us safely through the 12-minute show - from being able to control each pixel to the ability to tilt back and forth.
He confirmed that the Strictly FX smoke pockets, distributing smoke evenly throughout the floor, had become a signature moment. It was the perfect accent to the overall theme and fully justified the concept.
Consequently the Pepsi Super Bowl 51 Halftime Show will occupy a special place for the lighting designer. It was incredibly challenging this year, he stated. Introducing the Shooting Star drone to the event, which had never been done in this environment, It created a three-month series of hurdles for me, each one getting higher than the previous. Top that off with the scale of this year's show and I think it makes it #1 in my book, with Katy Perry being a very close second.
From the GLP GT-1, adding a new layer from the speaker carts, to the X4 Bars giving true life to the floor, it was a year that will be hard to forget.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
06/05/2024
It's almost go-time for the Holly Springs Salamanders! The season opener is ...
05/05/2024
A special evening performance by multiplatinum singer Becky G will provide a memorable conclusion to TeievisaUnivision's Casa Cultura upfront event on May 1...
05/05/2024
Giant media buyer Publicis is telling network sales executives that it does not think Nielsen's new panel-plus-big-data currency is ready for this upfront....
05/05/2024
WASHINGTON Glenn Kirschner, legal analyst at NBC News, blasted the media for referring to the New York trial of former President Donald Trump as a hush-money ...
05/05/2024
Catchy Comedy's weekend marathon sees The Beverly Hillbillies on the weekend of May 4-5. The event kicks off Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m. ET, and runs through...
05/05/2024
NBC Sports has the 150th Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 4. The coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock and the feature race at Churchill Downs in Louis...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
GLP GT-1 and X4 Bars Make Massive Statement at Super Bowl 51 posted: 03/03/2017 
