Providing the technical infrastructure and support for Belfast City Council’s Halloween Monster Mash concurrently with that for the Samhain Live Halloween TV special provided an insight into the depth of the resources held by Production Services Ireland (PSI) – in terms of its stock, expertise and network.
With headquarters in both Belfast and Dublin, PSI specialises in lighting, rigging, audio and video for sale and hire. In the build-up to Halloween, the company also supplied riggers for the visiting U2 and ELO productions at Belfast’s SSE Arena, and full technical production for Harlem Gospel Choir at the Ulster Hall and a major public event in Lisburn.
Monster Mash afforded PSI an opportunity to deploy its Adamson Systems Engineering PA inventory, which the company acquired in April when it became a certified reseller and rental partner. It also supplied lighting, video, rigging and staging for the themed event that welcomed thousands of people to the Titanic Slipways. Sound reinforcement for Monster Mash featured 24 Adamson S10 full-range cabinets and 12 S119 subwoofers, powered by Lab.gruppen PLM20K44 amplification. PSI supplied a mix of Robe, CLF Lighting and Showtec fixtures with an Avolites Tiger Touch II for control, as well as four Litec Flyintower 13-2000 towers and a 10m by 7m stage.
In Derry/Londonderry, the brief for Samhain Live demanded production support across a number of locations, as well as feeds for local TV channel TG4, BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC Foyle live broadcasts. PSI provided sound, lighting, video, rigging and staging for two stages at the Craft Village (a reconstruction of an 18th Century Street and 19th Century Square), a stage at Echo Echo Dance Theatre and a popup stage at Guildhall Square.
The company designed and supplied lighting for the Craft Village, which transformed into a set for the outside broadcasts. It featured around 100 Robe, Philips, Martin by Harman and CLF Lighting fixtures, together with Avolites lighting consoles. L-Acoustics, d&b audiotechnik and Turbosound PA systems were deployed for the live audiences, along with Midas, Roland and Allen & Heath mixing desks. PSI also supplied 3m x 2.5m of 4.9mm LED screen for the Craft Village Black Stage.
Samhain Live is produced by Gifted Empire Productions. ‘It’s always a pleasure working with the PSI team,’ says company MD, Paul McKay. ‘Their professionalism is second to none and they always deliver to the highest standard. PSI have made a massive contribution to all our shows this year including FleadhTV and Samhain Live and we look forward to working with them again to great success in the near future.’
‘Having multiple full production shows on the same day presents certain challenges, but PSI has leaders with years of experience across the various departments of the business and very capable teams to back them up,’ adds PSI Director, Sean Pagel. ‘We’re very happy with what the Adamson system gives us in terms of performance, and it was pleasing to see the Samhain Sessions run so smoothly – especially with the added pressure of the live broadcasts.’
