usher: the ur experience

PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
USHER: THE UR EXPERIENCE
WHEN PHENOMENALLY SUCCESSFUL R&B STAR, USHER, EMBARKED ON HIS LATEST TOUR - THE UR
EXPERIENCE - HE RELIED ON THE CREAM OF PRODUCTION PROVIDERS. KICKING OFF IN MONTREAL,
CANADA, IN NOVEMBER 2014 AND ENDING AT THE 02, LONDON, IN MARCH, IT SPANNED THE GLOBE,
VISITING VARIOUS CONTINENTS AND THRILLING FANS THE WORLD OVER. DURING ITS FINAL LEG IN EUROPE,
TPi’S KELLY MURRAY VISITED THE CREW TO TALK TECH TALENT AND CREATIVE VISION.
The UR Experience’s touring team is led by
industry veteran and Production Manager,
Harold Jones [Beyonce, Destiny’s Child] and
new addition, Tour Manager, Vizion Jones.
Facilitated by an abundance of top service
providers and promoted by Live Nation,
the show itself is another stunning visual
creation from the Silent House crew, namely
Baz Halpin and Chris Nyfield. The design
is brought to life by Lighting Designer Eric
Wade, who has toured with Usher for 15
years now. At the helm of the tour’s lighting
operations as it travels across the world,
Wade is still very excited by the tour, five
months after it began.
This is due in part to his penchant for
incorporating the latest lighting technology
available. Sat on a rather luxurious Beat
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The Street tour bus post soundcheck in the
UK, Wade told TPi: “Usher wanted The UR
Experience to be able to change every day,
he wanted people to feel every part of it as it
evolves.”
This is certainly the impression the singer’s
fans get, as the daily technical rehearsals
are not abandoned until every aspect meets
Usher’s specific criteria. The set changes daily
too, so if you were to visit the show in more
than one city, chances are you’d get your
money’s worth from the performer. Prior to the
tour’s first outing, the show was programmed
during rehearsals at Rock Lititz Studios in
Pennsylvania, followed by full production
rehearsal at the Liacouras Center of Temple
University in Philadelphia. “We had a good
amount of programming time, thanks largely to
the experience of Production Manager Harold
Jones, who really knows what it takes to make a
good show. We couldn’t have done half of what
we did without Harold making sure we had the
time to do it,” said Wade.
LIGHTING AND SHOW DESIGN
Wade’s lighting rig, supplied by VER, comprised
an array of fixtures, some of which Wade
described as his ‘new toys’. The rider includes
56 Martin Professional Viper AirFX, 55 Martin
Professional MAC 2000 XB washes, 15 Martin
Professional Quantum washes, seven Martin
MAC 700’s, 16 Clay Paky Sharpy beams, 10
Clay Paky sharpy washes, 90 TMB Solaris LED
Mozarts, 43 TMB Solaris LED Flares, 216 GLP
X4’s, 25 Aryton Magic blades, 64 Aryton Magic
panel R’s and 12 Elation Professional Sniper 2Rs.
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Opposite: R&B star Usher has sold over 65 million albums worldwide, and embarked on the UR Experience to showcase his songs live. Below: Tait, VER and Control Freaks Systems provided the visual
look of the show, which was designed by the team at Silent House.
Working from upstage-automated ladders,
one of the reasons LD and Show Director Wade
turned to the high-energy hybrid Sniper was for
its intensity and brightness when compared to
the overall rig. Associate LD Eric Marchwinski and Assistant
LD Jason Winfree both worked extensively to
incorporate the Snipers into the UR Experience.
“Eric Marchwinski made these lights do
everything possible for me and Jason found
places in the system for them and relentlessly
made sure they were in position each day and
looked right. My team is amazing!” stated
Wade.
With the ability to produce beam looks,
spread scanner and laser-like effects at dizzying
speeds, and with 14 dichroic colours and 17
static gobos to choose from, the Sniper gives
designers a lot of options. But for Wade it is
the support he has received that has been
the determining factor. “It is like haveing the
support I used to get back in the day when
everyone jumped on a problem as soon as it
happened, or helped make changes to things
when we threw out an idea or improvement.”
For Wade, getting quick and timely support
from manufacturers is a major reason to specify
their lights. “If I put a pile of lights on a show
and know I have the support from the lighting
vendor and manufacturer, it makes a difference
when designing a system,” he said.
A staggering total of 216 GLP X4 S LED spots
are mainly deployed on the upstage wall. Wade
commented: “I wanted a wall of light from the
very beginning and Baz and Chris made the
space. The lighting system is a combination
of asymmetrical and symmetrical. However,
the GLP ladders are symmetrical and run on
automation up / down / stage left / stage right
and we got many different looks out of them as
a result.”
Wade, who has been working with Usher
since 2001 (initially alongside Peter Morse), can
trace his own history with the GLP X4 S back a
long way. “It was one of the first LED fixtures to
feature in my designs back at the beginning of
the LED craze. They were a great fixture then,
but over the years it has developed into a fixture
that is highly dependable, very bright and has
many bells and whistles.”
He added that having Silent House creative
directors Baz Halpin and Chris Nyfield on the
team has been a huge bonus. “They are great to
work with, but being lighting guys as well really
makes a difference, as they left me all kinds
of places to put lights within the set. When
everyone starts throwing out ideas it evolves
into something we can all be really proud of.”
Despite the large quantity deployed, the
X4 is introduced very gradually into the show.
“I didn’t want to turn on all 216 units on the
upstage wall in the first song and lose that
element of surprise, because when they come
on at once, you can’t help but look on in awe.
“So instead, we started introducing them
behind twin wall covers, which look like frosted
glass, that Baz and Chris designed. In this way
they start as a scenic element and end up
uncovered with a giant rock ‘n’ roll look of tight
beams and colour. In fact they are one of the
main focal points of the system.”
Wade is also the first US-based LD to
put Ayrton’s Radical new MagicPanel R out
on a major tour. His rig includes 64 active
MagicPanel-R units in the air, plus 25 Ayrton
MagicBlade R fixtures under a transparent
forestage. The common component of the
entire Radical line is an individually-controllable,
15W RGBW multi-chip LED source coupled
with a 67mm diameter 4.5° collimator optic. MagicPanel-R puts these emitters into a five by
five matrix, while MagicBlade-R mounts them in
a unique, seven-in-a-row, in-line configuration.
Both fixtures feature a fast moving yoke with
continuous, unlimited rotation on the pan and
tilt axes. It is not the first time Wade has used
Ayrton lighting products. “I first used Ayrton’s
MagicPanel 602 on Maroon 5’s Overexposed
European tour in January 2014. During the
three-week run the MagicPanel 602 fixtures
were the only ones we had absolutely no
problems with. We didn’t have to change a
single one! I liked them so much I decided to
incorporate 64 of the new MagicPanel-R into
my design for Usher’s international tour.”
Wade has made MagicPanel-R the main
feature of four automated, diamond-shaped
lighting pods, custom-made for the tour, each
hosting 16 MagicPanel-R units. The pods are
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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: Baz Halpin created a set deisgn which involved moving set pieces, clear sight lines and various lift gags; Usher sang on a Shure UHFR microphone with a Telefunken M80 capsule.
suspended above the stage and can be raised,
lowered and tilted to any angle above the
performers to create different shapes and looks
throughout the show.
“I used Control Freak Systems and Earlybird
Visual to pixel-map all of the MagicPanel units
which enables us to send video into them
as well. Control Freak Systems is the control
backbone of my show while Earlybird Visual did
all of the MA 3D files for the Ayrton products to
give us beautiful 3D renderings of the fixtures,
along with great pre-programming.”
The stage incorporates a number of lifts that
are raised and lowered to deliver performers
and create scenic elements. The combined
movement of lifts and pods with that of the
Ayrton fixtures above and below stage creates
a very dynamic show. “At one point - during
a breakdown in OMG - the pods are flown in
so low as to wrap around Usher in a shape I
created as reminiscent of the ‘Beamer’ space
ship from Falling Skies (the post-apocalyptic
sci-fi television series). Usher dances within
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the ‘spaceship’ while the MagicPanel-R
configuration sprinkles light all around him
before all are returned back up to the grid,
flattening out as Usher raises his arms to send
it away. It makes for a great opening song
look!” Cueing of the pods and all automation
is handled by assistant lighting designer, Jason
Winfree.
Wade also took the very first shipment of
TMB Solaris LED Mozarts. “They’re really cool
to work with - you can separate TMB pixels and
have lots of fun with them. We have almost 100
of them, and they’ve been working out great for
the show,” he said.
Wade runs the entire show from an MA
Lighting grandMA2 console, a desk which
he describes as “the Cadillac - why would I
want to use anything else?” This sentiment is
echoed by the rest of the visuals team, who also
incorporate the consoles; a total of four desks
are used during the show; two grandMA2 full
size and two grandMA Lights.
Wade concluded: “The team VER put
together sorted me out in every way. There are
many great lighting companies these days so at
the end of the day it’s all about the service and
support you will get. VER has absolutely done
this for me on this tour.”
VIDEO
Award winning Video Director Chris Keating had
worked with Wade previously, on a US tour with
LA rock pop outfit Maroon 5, and has known
PM Harold Jones since 2003. Combined with
Usher, Keating views working with this calibre
of touring personnel as a dream scenario.
“During rehearsals, Usher was often one
of the first people in and the last out - I really
admire his work ethic,” said Keating. “He’d
go through sound, choreography, and other
elements, and then when those departments
were leaving, he’d stay with the lighting
programmers during the night. I think in that
respect it’s fair to say he’s a creative director
alongside the tour’s creative team.” The tour’s
Video Programmer is Kirk J. Miller.
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: The dancing crew was choreographed by Jamaica Craft.
Keating cuts IMAG, including a wide shot
for recording use, which the singer watches
back each night. “He critiques himself and
the production as a whole - we’ve not done
a show yet that he’s not watched. That’s the
sort of professionalism we’re working at here,”
explained Keating. True to form, when TPi are
on site, Usher can be found roaming around the
arena floor on a gold wheeled segway, ensuring
every part of the arena looks and sounds as he
envisaged. “Eric lights for a live audience primarily,
but his work is great for the cameras as well.
His lighting really makes Usher stand out on
camera, which is great for me directing IMAG.
I came from the TV world so my first passion
will always be camera work. People can dispute
it, but I think it’s an art form in itself. I read
Usher’s body language all the time and I have to
be able to translate that for the big TVs.” I do a
lot of cinematic shots too; one of my favourites
songs in the set is the track Climax, which
basically shows Usher stood on the risers with
an LED screen behind him. It’s very minimalistic
in a lot of ways, and Eric never lights him from
the front, so on this song it’s almost like a half
silhouette.”
“I’m pretty purist about the side screens.
Steven Foster and I have a great rapport when it
comes to that. He adds texture but never to the
point where we lose the focus, which is Usher,”
said Keating. The video package, from Control
Freaks Systems comprises six cameras; two at
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FOH, a tracking dolly in the pit, stage left, and
hand held stage right with some additional
stage cameras for the musicians. For control,
Keating utilises a Ross Synergy Digital Switcher
3ME and content is run through PRG Mbox
media servers.
VISUAL CONTENT
The shows features just under 50% IMAG on
the onstage LED screens, with the rest being
video content created by Geodezik [Katy Perry,
Justin Timberlake], a company which has
worked with Halpin on many high profile tours
before. “I’ve known Baz for many years, and
I think this show is by far the best thing he’s
ever done. I’m so happy to be involved with it,”
enthused Keating. Wade said: “Olivier Goulet from Geodezik
has been brilliant, we’ve known him a long time
and I’m really impressed with the 3D visuals they
have provided.”
“It breaks away from the stereotypical,”
agreed Keating. “It’s a very rounded show and
I love the set design. It’s still a big deal for me
that I get to do this everyday; I’d never take the
best job in the world for granted,” concluded
Keating.
STAGING AND AUTOMATION
Once Tait received a brief from Silent House,
the staging elements could begin to shape
the physical structure of the design package.
Tait’s Project Manager for The UR Experience,
Matt Hales, explained: “We immediately began
separating the show into elements that we
know will be custom fabricated and those that
can be pulled from our rental inventory. There
is always a period of back and forth with the
artistic design team and the production team to
find an ideal resolution of form and function. It
was an eight-week process from development
to design, manufacturing and integration.”
Everything in the show was designed to be
clean and minimalist, without sight lines being
obstructed. “We implemented a lot of atypical
construction methods in order to keep the
obtrusive nature of structure to a minimum,”
said Hales. “For example we built a significant
amount of the scenic elements that all had
integrated LED by utilising clear polycarbonate
laser cut and bent into structural shapes. This
kept everything light weight and compact, as
well as virtually transparent. The only time you
really visually caught the structures was when
lights hit them, and because they were clear
polycarb it just ended up refracting the light for
some really diverse looks,” he continued.
The show design called for various staging
elements including a rolling main stage with
integrated piano and prop lifts and eight matrix
video lifts - custom Tait lifts with integrated
10mm video on three sides which could be
used in numerous configurations, while giving
positional feedback to the video crew so that
the image can be correctly translated and
masked onto the display surfaces. The stage
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: Head of Automation, Chris Davis used a Fisher Navigator system from Tait.
also featured video track truss (for the
automation of the video wall), the
custom-built lighting ladder that hung
from Tait’s NAV hoists and track trolleys
allowing each ladder independent
horizontal and vertical automated axis.
A static blade wall was made up of a
scenic polycarbonate panelled wall with
integrated video strips. “This gave a very
slender forced perspective video lattice
work that added a lot of dimension to
the depth of the show,” added Hales.
The blade wall close down was another
custom element of integrating video
blades for a similar lattice look to the
blade wall itself but this piece boasted
an opaque appearance. It was also
hung on Tait’s NAV Hoists. Assistant
LD Jason Winfree helped to design the
bespoke lighting pods, which VER then
manufactured. “They’re designed so
that you can leave them loaded up with
fixtures during transportation, making
our lives a lot easier,” explained Winfree.
Once all of the components were
approved, Tait ventured into rehearsal
space, Rock Lititz, which Hales described
as a “fantastic resource.” Based within
very close proximity to the Tait HQ,
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it proved an invaluable part of the
pre-production process. “One of the
largest hurdles we try to overcome on
nearly every show is making sure that
the system in its entirety has been fully
assembled integrated and tested,” stated
Hales. “With tours such as Usher’s that
have so many components converging
into one massive production, you rarely
get the opportunity to fully integrate a
show prior to it hitting the road; you do
the best you can, but there is always a
piece that is too tall to hang in the shop,
or too large to be set up in one piece.
This results in a lot of freighting things
back and forth as the show often evolves
and undergoes changes. Yet all of these
things are more easily addressed when
the rehearsal space is right next door!”
Operating the automation for Tait
is Chris Davis, whose name was put
forward by the company following his
work with Cirque du Soleil’s Michael
Jackson: The Immortal World Tour.
From the outset, it was clear that this
tour required some serious skill. “The
production rehearsals were a very hard
time for us in the automation team; there
were only two of us touring the system.
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: FOH Engineer, Horace Ward used a DiGiCo SD5 console with Focusrite’s RedNet system; Lighting Designer, Eric Wade
utilised no less than four MA Lighting grandMA2’s on the rider.
We did have a Tait integrator with us for the
four-week rehearsal period but still the demands
were quite high,” explained Davis, who worked
very closely with his automation assistant, LC.
“LC, my Number Two for this project, looked
after the system during the day to facilitate
lighting swap outs and video demands, then
I would come in to programme during the
afternoon for the stage lifts and work with the
dancers, then facilitate the lighting department’s
requirements during the overnight programming
sessions.”
Once the technical rehearsals were complete,
Davis was handling 55 axes, 53 of which are
controlled by a Fisher Navigator automation
system. They are broken down into manageable
sections; 12 NAV hoists lifting and moving
four lighting pods over the stage, seven NAV
hoists moving a set LED piece known as the
‘snowplough’, that covers the front of the stage.
Eight tracking light ladders at the back of the
stage each utilised two NAV hoists and a DC
trolley for the tracking side. There is a video
wall which splits in half and tracks on and off
stage, eight matrix lifts on the stage, a prop lift
and a ribbon lift (controlled by a set carpenter
under the stage). The lifts played a big part in
communications between the crew and cast.
“One of my major concerns during rehearsals
was that we approach the subject of health and
safety early. It goes without saying that nothing
moves on the stage, in the air, or on the floor,
unless there is always someone on the stage
watching,” said Davis. “Choreography started
to throw other challenges our way, as there is
a lot of interaction between the lifts, dancers
and musicians. Therefore, during the show LC
is always on stage just behind the keyboard
riser with views of all the lifts. I do not operate
unless I get the go-ahead from him. It’s a simple
method, but it’s proven to work time and time
again. We also have another spotter on stage
right.”
Wade added: “We take data from the Fisher
Navigator rack which allows us to track content
in whatever positions the lifts are in. Then we
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PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: Clair Global supplied its i5 and i3 system to achieve outstanding audio zoning.
drive it all through the Control Freaks system
rack via PRG Mbox media servers. Between the
show design, the artist and dancers, it looks
great every night.”
“The main challenges have been moving the
show around the unique venues in Europe,”
continued Davis. “It has been a lot of fun thanks
to our great production and automation team
but without the help of LC, some things would
not have been possible. With the lighting
ladder moving truss, video wall tracking truss,
video blade truss, lighting back truss and the
points on the mother grid, we’re not exactly a
lightweight show either, so credit has to go to
the talented rigging team we have with us,” he
concluded. All motors and rigging equipment
was supplied by VER, headed up by Chief
Rigger, Art Mcconnell.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
John Arrowsmith, the tour’s Pyrotechnic
Shooter, alongside his assistant, Amanda Pindus
is responsible for all of the special effects
seen throughout the 90-minute performance.
Supplied by Las Vegas-based Pyrotek Special
Effects, the show’s effects comprised gold flitter
mines, 11 red mines, 11 purple mines, 11 yellow
mines and 11 blue and lime mines from NextFX.
Arrowsmith also integrated various effects
from Le Maitre including 13 silver gerbs and
12 Salamander canisters along with six Pyrotek
Salamander units and 16 cryo jet heads.
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“The show consisted of 12 one second silver
gerbs for the opening pyrotechnic sequence of
the show, the final song, Without U had five
cues of various coloured mines. For U Make
Me Wanna we deployed six Salamander Quad
Pro flame units and DJ Got Us Falling in Love
and Without U used 16 Cryo Jets (CO2), adding
a visual spectacular to the production which
was designed in part by myself, alongside Baz
Halpin,” explained Arrowsmith. “The effects
themselves are flush mounted into the stage
for a clean look along with the Salamander
flame units. The flush mounted items were
manufactured by TAIT Towers. All of our
pyrotechnics were manufactured by NextFX
USA and LeMaitre Special Effects UK. Control
systems were a Pyrodigital Firing System for the
pyro effects and a Jands Vista console for the
CO2 Cryo Jets.”
With so much going on in terms of visuals,
and with a frenzy of dancers to contend with,
the special effects team had their work cut
out. “The greatest challenge was coordinating
with the dancers during the show, especially
during the track U Make Me Wanna, while we
utilised the flame units,” continued Arrowsmith.
“We had to make sure that they knew where
the flames were - although it’s not difficult
to remember once they go off! - but the
choreography between what they needed
to do and what I needed to do was a serious
concern.” The tour’s choreographer Jamaica
Craft ensured the dancers were on top of their
game throughout the tour.
“Thankfully the entire tour went without a
hitch,” he confirmed. For the audience’s safety,
the usual restrictions applied, meaning the
effects needed to be a minimum of five-metres
or 15ft from the closest audience member. “We
had ample room for that and the experience
was great. Usher is a really nice guy who knows
what he wants in his shows. He’s great to talk to
about making the production happen. We also
have a great crew starting from Harold Jones,
our Production Manager and Libby Dostart,
Production Coordinator. They, along with the
rest of the crew have made for a very enjoyable
tour,” he smiled.
AUDIO CLARITY
Usher’s audio requirements came from
Pennsylvania-based Clair Global. The sound
supplier was tasked with designing a system
that would cover a show of this scale, within
budget. For Systems Engineer Mike Alison, this is
his first tour with Usher, yet he has worked with
some of the crew before hand. The relationship
Usher has with Clair goes back many years, with
the company delivering optimal coverage for the
singer’s full throttle performances.
To satisfy the big club banger sound of
the R&B star’s shows, Clair provided 16 i5
enclosures to handle the main left and right
arrays and 14 boxes of i-3’s flown around the
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: Video Director, Chris Keating, sees IMAG direction as an artform in itself, allowing the fans to see the very best of Usher’s performance; Systems Engineer, Mike Alison at FOH; The monitor
crew: Tim Joyce, Ryan Cecil and Jeremy Bolton; Steven Foster on a grandMA2 Light.
stage to achieve optimum coverage. Said Alison:
“We are using Clair’s i5 system for the main
PA along with the New CP 218 powered subs
flown for side fill. The i5 is the main stay of the
Clair’s arena and stadium tours, and the new CP
218 sub is - in a word - wow! It’s so powerful,
musical and in your face if you want it to be.
There is no need for front fill and there are no
ground subs; our PA design covers these venues
very well.”
The system is run with Lake controller
software. “We are running eight Lake LM44
processors for system EQ, steering on the subs
and signal distribution. For amplification, we
are running the Lab.gruppen PLM 20000Qs. It
has two channels of DSP per amplifier, along
with Dante networking. We have two amplifier
racks per side with nine PLMs on each. The
Clair CP 218 subs are powered with a custom
Clair amplifier built into each cabinet. Alison
concluded: “The tour has sold well, sounds
great and had a very smooth transition from the
US to Europe - what more could we ask for?”
FOH SOUND
At FOH is Horace Ward, an engineer who has
been associated with Clair for over 25 years
thanks to his high calibre of touring cliental.
The expert engineer began working with Usher
almost 20 years ago, all the way back to his
support slot for Janet Jackson’s Velvet Rope
tour. Working with the world’s biggest artists
takes a certain kind of mentality and to stay
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ahead of the game, each tour has to be bigger
and better than the last in every respect, from
visuals and stage performance to sound, so a
constant re-upping of technology is necessary
to wow the audience. For Horace, Usher’s UR
Experience tour was the perfect chance to take
his already headline-grabbing game to a new
league and, working with Clair and a top class
mixing system; a DiGiCo SD5 console and a
brand new Focusrite RedNet networked audio
system.
The RedNet System consists of 96 channels
of RedNet4 microphone pre amps delivering
the stage inputs to FOH via Dante at 96k and
distributing them to the SD5 through three
RedNet6 MADI bridges. An Avid ProTools
HDX2 system is also connected to the RedNet
Dante Network via three RedNet5s allowing for
recording and playback to and from the RedNet
system. A RedNet PCIe card in a Thunderbolt
Magma chassis coupled with a Macbook Pro
running Reaper provided a redundant playback
and record system.
The project started in summer 2014 when
Ward, alongside the team from Clair Global,
put together plans for a 96-channel Dantebased digital audio system based around a
DiGiCo SD5 console feeding a gargantuan PA
system. “DiGiCo make great consoles, it’s a very
powerful system we have out here. The only
thing I’m limited on this desk, is the amount of
waves plugins I can use, and I do use a lot of
plugins to colour,” said Horace.
To accompany this power pair, the teams
assembled what can only be described as a
great wall of Focusrite RedNet devices, to
interface between the stage, FOH and two
recording systems. A total of 12 Focusrite
RedNet 4 mic pre amps formed the front end
to the system, taking 96 inputs from the stage
at 96kHz and distributing them to FOH, where
three RedNet 6 MADI bridges interfaced to the
DiGiCo digital audio infrastructure. RedNet 1
and RedNet 2 A-D / D-A converters provided
analog connectivity for Ward’s array of
outboard processors, while the main Pro Tools
HD recording system relied on three RedNet 5
HD bridges, to provide 96 channels of recording
and playback between the Pro Tools HDX cards
and the Dante network. A redundant recording
rig powered by Reaper running on a MacBook
Pro with Thunderbolt Magma Chassis was
equipped with a RedNet PCIe Card, providing
it with direct access to any and all Dante audio
streams.
It was Ward who pushed for RedNet, having
demoed a system at Clair Global’s HQ, and
following positive prior experiences using RME
preamp front-end on the road with Lady Gaga.
“We tried the RedNet 4 microphone preamp
units and were thrilled with the powerful
sound that we heard coming through the
Clair PA during a full system test. The actual
sound of the preamp is phenomenal. I was
immediately impressed and decided on the spot
to incorporate the RedNet system for Usher.”
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: VER and Tait custom built various bits of the set, including lighitng pods and an LED screen.
MONITORS
Monitors are primarily Shure PSM 1000 IEMs,
Clair CM 22 floor monitors, and Clair CP 118
sub bass enclosures for Usher and the band /
dancers. Monitoring side fill consist of CP-218s
and CO-8 micro line array enclosures for overall
stage coverage. Shure UR4D / Axient belt packs
and handhelds cover the wireless inputs. To
accomplish all of this, Monitor Engineer Ryan
Cecil uses a DiGiCo SD7 console. “I’ve been
working with Usher for four years now, but this
is the first full tour I’ve done with him. It’s going
great, it’s a lot of fun working with this crew
and Clair is a really organised service provider,”
he told TPi.
Cecil was using Avid Profile desk previously,
but as the band grew, he needed to move onto
a DiGiCo console in order to better handle all
the necessary inputs. The SD7 sounds good and
it looks really cool too.” Usher and the entire
stage crew all wear in-ears from Shure, another
popular choice of Cecil’s who is also the tour’s
RF Tech. “Usher wears Sensaphonics in ears, so
we try to keep the whole band on those. There’s
just one guitar player who wears Ultimate Ears.
All of the transmitters are Shure PSM1000’s,
and the wireless system we’re using is Shure’s
Anxient wireless UHFR with the new Axient
spectrum manger. I just love Shure!” he said.
Usher’s microphone package is a hand held
Shure UHFR with a Telefunken M80 capsule,
and for the headset model - for the heavily
choreographed songs - the star uses a Crown
CM311. “Shure’s Axient Spectrum Manager
really takes any headache away on a job this
big,” continued Cecil. “Two years ago touring
this size channel count would have taken me 90
minutes to programme, but with Shure, it’s so
much faster.” The audio crew was completed by
Monitor Tech, Jeremy Bolton and PA flyers Tim
Joyce and Tim Peeling.
CATERING
Keeping all of the crew fuelled on this
demanding touring schedule is Sean Stone of
Eat Your Hearts Out, Head Caterer for the UR
Experience. With a load in at 8am, Stone and his
crew prepare breakfast for 80 people, a service
number which is replicated at lunch time. For
the dinner sitting, EYHO caters for 150 people
on average. Stone and the EYHO team are
feeding the entire tour personnel, from Usher
himself to the production crew and visiting
friends and family members.
“The tour has been lovely for us, and
everyone is enjoying the food. Well, I suppose
I have to say that!” said Stone. “But I think it’s
true! Everyone seems very happy to be here,
which makes a difference. If the crew are easy
going and laid back, it makes meal times a fun
part of the day.
On the whole, the menu is varied, lending
itself nicely to the popularity of Asian food.
When TPi visited, Katsu chicken curry was a
main dish gaining approval from the crew,
alongside some traditional British Fayre. “A lot
of the crew also like typical English cuisine,
which means there’s a few stew and dumpling
requests too,” said Stone.
“Usher has a varied diet, he doesn’t eat
wheat but does like game, so lots of dark meat.
In contrast, we have a few vegans on the tour,
so our pastry chef creates a lot of beautiful
vegan desserts. We make sure everyone is taken
care of,” he concluded.
AIR, SEA AND ROAD LOGISTICS
Paul Jones of Sound Moves UK planned the
import of Usher’s production into the UK in late
2014. The key to this was finding a site large
enough to be able to handle the magnitude
of trucks. After liaising with EST, an airfield in
Suffolk was chosen as the transfer hot spot and
31
PRODUCTION PROFILE: Usher
Below: The catering crew from Eat Your Hearts Out, headed by Sean Stone; Beat The Street provided tour buses for the entire production; Inside a tour bus, the touring crew traveled with home
comforts; EST supplied 17 trucks for the tour in the UK and Europe.
in January 2015 the cross-load of 15 40ft sea
containers onto the 17 awaiting tour trucks was
implemented.
Following this, trucking company EST
provided production logistics for some of the
world’s biggest names. EST Sales & Operations
Managers, Ollie Kite and Del Roll both have a
colourful history with Usher’s PM, Harold Jones.
“We actually go way back with Harold,” said
Kite. “All the way back to the early 1980s in
fact, during his days on the road with Michael
Jackson.”
Kite describes Usher’s latest tour as “pretty
straight forward” having worked with his touring
crew before. “It’s always a pleasure to deal with
Harold. He is very laid back and takes everything
in his stride, so there’s no drama on his tours. As
a result, this tour was problem and stress free.”
In total, EST provided 17 trucks in the UK and
Europe, handled by Lead Driver, Mick Levene.
For ensuring the crew got to each venue
safely, it was down to Austria’s Beat The Street,
which has been the transportation of choice for
Usher’s tours during his last few trips to Europe.
“We have a great relationship with Usher’s
touring party,” stated Beat The Street’s Joerg
Philip. “They’re lovely people to work with.” For
the UK and European leg of the UR Experience,
Beat The Street provided a Van Hool super high
decker T918 Altano, six berth complete with
double bed for Usher plus a Viano Mercedes van
from its ground transport department which
followed the tour in order to take the singer
32
around each city he visited.
The company also provided four Van Hool
super high decker T918 Altano (12 berth) for
the band, dancers and part of the crew parties.
Additionally, two Setra double decker S431DT 14
berths and two 16 berths were utilised for the
remaining members of the production crew.
“It was fun to work with Usher’s new Tour
Manager, Vizion Jones and Production Manager
Harold Jones, who we already knew from our
work with Destiny´s Child and Beyonce. We were
very happy to be back with him as a part of the
UR Experience,” concluded Philip.
CROWD SAFETY
When the R&B sensation hit the road for this
world tour, Mojo Barriers was called upon to
ensure crowd safety at the US and European
tour dates. Mojo Barriers was entrusted with
supplying the safety barriers to span and protect
all aspects of the stage, including the catwalks.
Working to CAD drawings, Mojo provided 32
Mojo straight barrier sections, two 1.5-metre
Mojo doorsets, two Mojo snake gates, eight
45 degree corner sections and two vario corner
sections. This varied equipment list allowed
production to create a complex configuration,
which followed the contours of the stage
perfectly.
The US leg of the tour was seated, with the
barrier set up adjusted accordingly with Mojo’s
US office supplying an additional six heavy duty
cable ramps, which can be quickly and easily
positioned to prevent damage to cables.
Stanley Jilesen of Mojo Barriers, commented:
“Safety barriers are the only part of your set the
fans can touch and are the front-line between
a performer and the screaming crowd. Artists
are placing an increasing level of importance on
ensuring their safety barriers are of the highest
standard, and are now carrying these with them
to every leg of their tour. This way integrity and
trust of equipment can be ensured across every
event date.”
To date, Usher is one of the best-selling
artists in American music history, having sold
over 65 million records worldwide and thanks
to help from a great team of suppliers, this tour
was yet another huge success. Who knows what
the multi-talented performer will deliver on
stage next.
TPi
Photos: Todd Kaplan and Kelly Murray
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