Kinetic custom builds for Wincent Weiss Arena Tour
THE WHOLE TOUR: A FAMILY AFFAIR!
In the spring, Wincent Weiss set off on a major tour across Germany – but first he headed to Düsseldorf.
The extraordinary show, including kinetic elements, was rehearsed in THE FRAME, the convertible, exceptional location from the spaces portfolio. satis&fy accompanied rehearsals and the tour in the areas of lighting, kinetics, custom builds, staging, and audio.
As part of the Live Matters Group’s sister companies, satis&fy and spaces supported the artist and his vision from the first setup to the final dismantling. Service from A to Z and from Düsseldorf to Hanover.
THE FRAME – THE PERFECT SETTING FOR EVENTS AND REHEARSALS
Open architecture, high ceilings, large roof load, industrial charm, plenty of space, and yet still in the vibrant heart of the Rhine metropolis—that’s THE FRAME. A frame—THE FRAME, in fact—and otherwise plenty of space for development and individuality. This is where visions come to life, often in the form of employee events, roadshows, or in-house exhibitions for renowned industrial customers. But it’s also perfect for tour rehearsals. The Wincent Weiss tour required not only a hall with a large roof load, but also with the appropriate ceiling height. A large part of the show involved kinetics. And not just technical elements that were moved around on stage; the artist himself was to float above the stage in a flying harness. This had to be rehearsed intensively in advance.
THE FRAME was the ideal venue for the 12-day rehearsals. Here’s why:
- 500 square meters of floor space provide room for a full-size setup plus preparation area.
- Fully blackout side windows ensure that rehearsals can take place during the day as if in an arena.
- Almost 15 meters of ceiling height are unmatched in the rehearsal location sector.
- As is the load-bearing capacity of the hall roof and crane tracks. For Wincent Weiss, 50 tons were brought in for the kinetic elements in the stage area. Stable, safe, problem-free.
- THE FRAME also offers convenient parking and maneuvering space for trucks and nightliners directly at the hall.
- Production office, artists’ dressing rooms, catering area? The modern adjoining rooms of the hall provide comfortable space for all trades involved.
Or, in the words of Wincent Weiss: “It worked fantastically.”
A TOUR IN WHITE
Anyone who has ever been to a Wincent Weiss concert knows that emotions run high. The artist’s songs are relatable and simply sweep you away. But this time, it wasn’t just the music that was moving, it was also the technology used.
The guiding principle for the tour design was: clean and uncluttered. Unlike many other concert setups, there were few visible trusses for holding lamps and other technology framing the stage. Instead, there were two LED walls on the right and left that served as stage backdrops and left a passageway in the middle. The special feature? The LED walls were transparent, with lamps placed behind them shining through the walls and the atmospheric content displayed, creating a subtle 3D effect. All structural elements – including the stage itself – were white.
KINETICS THAT MOVES
In front of the LED walls, stage left and right, two pods floated, which could accommodate JDC2 lamps as well as integrated fog pipes – and were scenically movable. This solution came from the custom build department at satis&fy. The newly developed steel “load truss” was designed specifically for this application and, thanks to its particularly high rigidity, allows large dynamic loads to be applied at as few attachment points as possible. Thanks to the two suspension points, the audience’s view of the LED walls behind was hardly obstructed by chains, and the clean overall appearance of the setup was not disturbed. The additional lighting technology in front of and next to the LED walls was mounted on “load beams” ready for touring, significantly slimmer and cleaner than on a conventional truss.
Another 4×3-meter pod made of grid platform dominated the setup in the middle of the stage. Completely powder-coated in white and also equipped with fog machines including pipes and built-in lamps, it served not only as a floating light element, but also as a floating stage for the artist.
Four C1 motors installed on a tracking rail ensured that the pod – along with the singer – could be moved not only vertically but also 25 meters horizontally above the stage catwalk. Keyword: custom build down to the last detail. A microphone stand with a truss mount was attached to the pod so that it could be quickly assembled and disassembled.
From lofty heights back down to earth: The rolling stage made of Litedeck was powder-coated in a special white color and fitted with suspended stair modules so as not to detract from the show’s design. All custom builds were delivered ready for tour so that setup and dismantling could be carried out as quickly as possible.
The whole world of live entertainment: We joined forces with the Live Matters Group to accompany Wincent Weiss and Budde Talent Agency on their tour from start to finish. The end of the tour saw a happy artist and an enchanted audience at every stop. That’s why we love our job. That’s why we love live entertainment.
Your audience is our challenge!
We provide professional event technology, e.g. lighting and sound technology, video technology, stage kinetics, rigging, LED and stage construction for concerts and tours.
We know how to thrill crowds.
Try us!
Contact: Jörn Busch
Our services
- Technical and artistic planning and implementation of tours, concerts, festivals, live events
- State-of-the-art technology
- Custom builds and constructions
- Comprehensive touring support
- Seamless supply chains
- Excellent networking in Europe and the USA
- Unique one-stop solution concept
- Rehearsal rooms and venues (Studio 20/20, VILCO, THE FRAME)
- Decades of experience in live entertainment
Photos: Christoph Köstlin