Concurrent with its hosting of the Southeast Asian Games, Singapore celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence with its annual National Day Parade.
Occupying most of the old Padang cricket ground, site of the first National Day Parade, a stage was surrounded by a grandstand with seating for 26,000 people. Covered in white-painted asphalt, the whole stage area doubled as a projection surface. Behind and above the seating, a massive LED wall featured graphic animations and films. Control rooms, editing areas, and several follow spot positions were located atop the National Gallery, adjacent to the Padang. Six additional follow spot positions were located on towers around the former cricket grounds.
Riedel Communications equipment supported all communications for the technical and production-oriented coordination of the event. Supplied and implemented as an integrated system, an Artist digital matrix intercom system, Performer digital partyline intercom system, RockNet real-time audio network, and a variety of keypanels, beltpacks, and radios supported cueing of the cast members, as well as the light, sound, pyrotechnics, and other departments contributing to the celebration. The entire installation was controlled from a central control room area.
Three Riedel Artist intercom systems, connected via a redundant ring of fibre-optic cables, supported audio communications via 30 intercom panels, 22 beltpacks, and 40 four-wire connections. The beltpacks were used primarily by staff operating the follow spots and by staff situated at the 14 gates to the event grounds. The set-up also supported 300 handheld radios via eight radio base stations spread across the front-of-house area, the control room area, a spot under the grand stand, and the OB van compound. RockNet connected the OB van compound with event-related intercom positions over standard 4-wire connections, and it also supported the transport of program, playback, and other signals during the event.
Staff from Riedel were on-site throughout the event to ensure smooth operation of the communications.
‘In coordinating a live show of such complexity, it is essential to have clear, reliable, and flexible communications across all key participants,’ says Riedel Communications Director of Global Events, Marc Schneider. ‘Proven time and time again in demanding live production environments, our Artist, Performer, and RockNet systems offer all of these benefits so that everyone involved in the production were able to focus on putting on a great show.’
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