Lee Evans Big Tour

UK – 22 October 08 - 59 sold out dates and a total audience figure estimated at 400,000 makes the Lee Evans Big Tour the UK’s largest stand up comedy tour of 2008. Taking in arenas the length and breadth of the UK, visual appeal was an important factor right from the very start and Lighthouse’s R7-ER LED screen, supplied by leading audiovisual services company Creative Technology (CT), proved the ideal solution.

An impressive total of 150m2 of R7-ER configured as a large 16:9 aspect screen formed the centre piece for the stage set, plus two IMAG side screens in portrait format ensured that Evans’ visual comedic style reaches each and every audience member.

The average size for the central touring screen is 10.16m x 6.1m (10 panels wide by 8 panels high), which closely approximates the 16:9 format initially specified. The look of the show was transformed at London’s O2 Arena - the largest venue on the tour - to accommodate the re-set for Evan’s DVD shoot. Spanning an impressive 60ft, the central screen was extended to the width of the stage and complemented by a 60ft x 14ft projected image set between the LED screen and the stage.

“We provided additional kit for the O2 DVD record,” explains CT’s project manager for the tour, Steve Purkess. “As well as the larger central LED screen, the additional video requirement was a water effect visual to reflect the theme of the tour, projected behind Evans and the full width of the stage to provide a backdrop to the camera shots.”

Purkess continues: “The R7-ER’s virtual resolution means we’ve been able to drive it using a Vista Systems Spyder switcher, which allows us to ‘pixel match’ to the Lighthouse LIP processor’s native resolution, getting pixel for pixel representation of the HD cameras and playback. The picture quality achieved is fantastic.”
“For the projection, we had four double stacks of Panasonic 10K projectors back projecting the image on to the screen. This was fed by Watchout, which allowed us to maintain the resolution of the original image across the whole screen surface.”

Tour production manager, Mark Harris had some very definite requirements. “One of the reasons video is such a critical element of this show is the nature of Lee’s comedy,” he says. “When you put a stand up comedian into a large venue where a number of people are going to be a long way away from the stage, it’s very important that you see what he’s doing.

“With Lee, this is even more important because so much of his comedy is physical. So to have close ups of this face, or the way his legs are moving in the head to toe shots, in good definition is absolutely critical.”
Harris and his team took a significant amount of time at the design stage of the production, looking at alternative ideas. “Our video screens aren’t just wing IMAG screens, they’re a part of the stage set,” he continues. “CT was very helpful in demonstrating the available alternatives, what the parameters of them were, what they could achieve. We spent quite a bit of time in CT’s warehouse looking at different ideas, screen sizes, positions, shapes, different types of screen that we might use and ultimately, once we had decided what we wanted, I was confident they could deliver and at a competitive price.”

As well as superb picture quality, another requirement of the screen was that it needed to be quick and easy to rig and de-rig. “We have a number of overnights on this tour and we also have a lot of screen,” says Harris. “Our wing screens are LED, which is unusual – most are projection solutions – and sometimes we’re in a position where we have no choice but to build the LED in pretty awkward positions. So we wanted a screen product that is relatively easy to rig and de-rig. I have been out with product in the past that, even if it’s been OK, has had some issues about how quick it is to put together and take apart.

“Lighthouse is an industry standard and I’ve seen it put up and taken down pretty fast on other events. It ticked all the boxes and I was convinced that we should use it.”
CT screen technician, Giles Conte, concurs: “It’s speedy to rig and de-rig and, because it’s light, we can easily double stack the panels, which makes it simple to transport as we can get quite a lot on a truck. Add to that CT’s bespoke dolly system and it’s a good product to tour with.”

Both Purkess and Harris have been impressed with the results they have achieved with the R7-ER.

“I love the screen,” enthuses Purkess. “It’s very much in demand at the moment. It’s really versatile and, because of its high resolution, small or large screen formats all look fantastic. CT bought the R7 earlier this year, and it’s been working hard ever since.”

Harris adds: “When the entire compliment of screen went up in The O2, it exceeded my expectations. I’m really chuffed. It does exactly what we hoped it would and probably more.

“We couldn’t do this show without the screens giving off this quality image. However good the artist is, when you’ve got 14,500 people in a venue looking at one man, it wouldn’t work without them.”