Serving the themed entertainment community

Latest News

  • disguise 4x4pros power projection mapping at Luc Petit’s Qing Show
  • Orlando’s ICON Park to host college football bowl parties
  • Cirque du Soleil and Disney announce first details for Walt Disney World’s “Drawn to Life” show
  • Miral announces 2021 opening of Warner Bros. hotel on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island
  • Cedar Point announces additions for 150th anniversary celebration
  • Mad Systems awarded patent for LookingGlass Concierge facial recognition media delivery system
  • Efteling opens “Fabula” 4D experience in conjunction with Aardman
  • AdventureLAB introduces MBA-level coursework in Integrated Storytelling
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Online Issues
    • 2019
      • #80 – IAAPA 2019
      • #79.5 – IAAPA Expo 2019 Preview
      • #79 Europe and Waterparks
      • #78 – Asia/Tech
      • #77 – The Best in Themed Entertainment
    • 2018
      • #76 – Year End/Trade Show Round-up
      • #75 – IAAPA 2018
      • #74 – EME/Waterparks
      • #73 – Asia and Technology
      • #72 – Dubai/Museums
      • #71 – MENA/Entertainment
    • 2017
      • #70 – IAAPA 2017
      • #69 – Game Changers
      • #68 Going Global: Technology on the International Stage
      • #67 – Experience Design: Many Faces Many Places
      • #66 Theatrical Influence and Convergence
    • 2016
      • #65 IAAPA 2016
      • #64 Waterpark, Zoo & Aquarium 2016
      • #63 Technology 2016
      • #62 International
      • #61 Museums and Expanding Markets
    • 2015
      • #60 – IAAPA 2015
      • #59 – Zoos/Aquaria and Waterparks 2015
      • #58 – Technology 2015
      • #57 – International 2015
      • #56 – Museums 2015
    • 2014
      • #55 – IAAPA 2014 / Tenth Anniversary
      • #54 – Waterparks, Zoos and Aquariums 2014
      • #53 – Technology 2014
      • #52 – International 2014
      • #51 – Museums 2014
    • 2013
      • #46 – Museums 2013
      • #47 – International 2013
      • #48 – Technology 2013
      • #49 – Waterparks 2013
      • #50 – IAAPA 2013
      • 2013 Wrap-Up
    • 2012
      • #45 – IAAPA & WWA Wrap-Up
      • #44 – IAAPA
      • #43 – Waterparks
      • #42 – Technology
      • #41 – International
      • #40 – Museums
  • World markets
    • Asia
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • North America
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
    • About InPark
    • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Protec Provides Sound and Lighting Reinforcement for Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival

Feb 15, 2017 Joe Kleiman Attractions, Business, Europe & Middle East, News, Technology & Media, World markets Comments Off on Protec Provides Sound and Lighting Reinforcement for Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival


Protec Provides Sound and Lighting Reinforcement for Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival

Protec has successfully pulled off one of its most demanding production support challenges ever, at the annual Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival in Abu Dhabi.

The event, which was held at the Al Wathba race track, celebrates UAE’s cultural inheritance as well as the diversity of other cultures around the world. The festival offered a variety of educational platforms, interactive performances, fountain shows, a tribal parade and a dazzling fireworks display each night.

Protec were engaged for the fourth consecutive year to provide state of the art sound and lighting reinforcement for the 30,000 sq.m site.

Not only was the scale unprecedented, but the event was so successful that a late decision was taken to extend the duration to two months, from early December to January 21st.

Protec provided site wide inventory, deploying an elaborate Optocore dual redundant fiber network to transmit pristine audio to all the locations. Requiring some 2.6km of cable, this was all managed from a central control hub. The deployment enabled them to carry out a range of tasks, from servicing 40 live interactive shows daily in dedicated traditional souks and time-coded fountain and firework displays, to providing an emergency announcement system and programmed call to prayer across the entire festival site.

Immersed in their own unique cuisine and culture (including traditional dress), each of the souks presented four shows a day, making over 2,000 live performances over the 52-day duration of the festival alone. And with additional sound coverage required for the kids area, horses and Union Circle, Protec’s audio department had no fewer than 14 separate sites to manage over the vast festival grounds.

In addition, the company dipped further into its large inventory to provide a separate sound system for an independent one-day event, Union March, in which tribes from across the Emirates marched to signify unity as part of the National Day celebrations.

To oversee the deployment and operation of the massive technical infrastructure Protec fielded an experienced crew under the project management of Simon Travis. Daniel Dignan and John Francis took charge of the audio for the Heritage Festival with Tim Allison looking after the Union March, while lighting was in the capable hands of Geronimo Abad, Nelson Noche and Ferdie Caloy.

Speaking of the challenges faced by his team, Simon Travis stated that in order to convert the site plan provided by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs into reality heavy investment in equipment had been required, notably the acquisition of 76 Electro-Voice SX300 loudspeakers.

PHOTOS: Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival

Main Entrance

In addition to the audio, Protec specified a number of industry standard lighting fixtures from its cutting edge fleet. This included 24 Clay Paky Prima Super Sharpys, which were placed on the lighting towers to produce aerial effects, while no fewer than 100 Studio Due CityColor fixtures washed the outside walls. Once inside, the lighting magic further reverberated around the personalized souks.

Union Circle

The Union Circle was the main hub of the event where the firework display and fountain show — which had been added for the first time — took place. Many people used this area to set up blankets and picnics on the grass surrounding the water.

Ten towers were set up around the grass area in the Union Circle, each supporting 12 Cans facing out towards the festival, along with four Molefays, (two each side of the tower to provide a wash) and six Clay Paky fixtures (three Sharpys and three K20’s) facing into the center circle of the fountain to add both beam and general color effects, and highlight the UAE flag. All lighting was controlled from an Avolites platform.

In a perfectly choreographed feature, the audio was triggered by timecode. Coverage for the Union Circle was via 32 x JBL VerTec 4889 line array elements, powered by Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers — again fed from the Optocore X6R network converters. A Soundcraft Si Compact digital mixing desk took inputs from a wireless Shure Beta 87 and a single channel from a Pioneer DJM900 Nexus mixer and CDJ2000 digital DJ deck, used for fountain music; the remaining channel provided the timecode.

All channels, including two further firework inputs, were taken individually back to the DiGiCo SD9 for local playout in the center circle area.

Protec were also tasked with lighting the rear pathways and areas around the mosques with LED floods and LED pars, while Pixelline 1044 LED battens and Molefays were used in the kids area.

In this massive deployment of industry standard spots, profiles and washes, including 1000 conventional Pars, all fixtures had been detailed mission critical tasks.

How did they stand up to the conditions, since the location was a race track the terrain was fairly uneven? “With more than 75 truss lighting towers it was necessary to ship in prefabricated concrete blocks,” explained Protec’s project manager. ”We made steel plates so we could mount the truss on top. As a result, everything was rock solid.”

Heritage Souks

The biggest challenge had been equipping 10 of the 11 souks with concert grade lighting and sound.

Each souk represented a specific country and their purpose was to showcase their heritage and culture by selling traditional clothes and authentic food as well putting on performances four times a day to show case traditional dancing and singing.

Lighting in the souks was largely derived from Par Cans, boosted by 4-light Molefays, which gave a wider color wash to the surrounding pathways.

“Our task was to ensure that each of the souks’ performance stages was lit perfectly,” emphasized Simon Travis. “There were more parcans than I have ever used split between the main Union Circle main site and various souks. We used 144 par cans in one souk alone and 126 in another.”

For these center stages, Protec supplied 10 small Mackie ProFX12 desks as well as a number of mics stands, DI boxes and aux cables.

Six small SX300’s were attached to the truss towers and Protec maintained master control so they could monitor the levels and insert the pre-programmed prayer times and emergency announcements. All limiting and compression took place within the SD9 to ensure no sound bleed between souks.

In addition to the stages, Protec also lit the surrounding grass area.

It had been Daniel Dignan’s task to maintain audio consistency across the 14 or so zones, including the general site-wide announcements, with all signals running back to the master control room via the elaborate fibre network.

To accomplish this Protec deployed 76 of their new EV SX300’s, powered by L-Acoustics LA48 amplifiers, distributed around the souks and various event areas, and mounted on Total Fabrications XO lighting towers.

“In total we took 29 lines from the site out of the LX4B and into an DiGiCo SD Rack and a Digico SD9, and sent 15 lines back out to the individual systems around the site,” explained Dignan. Other inputs into the SD9 came from QLab cue-based software, connected to the internet — which triggered the announcements.

A further 16 outputs were supplied over the Dante platform by two Four Audio DBO1 Dante breakout boxes (for the souks), and allowed an extra channel to deliver important site wide announcements (and prayer), cutting all other inputs by 15dB as it did so.

The fiber network comprised five Optocore X6R-FX interfaces, linked to the master control room where the signals ran into an Optocore LX4B FOH unit.

Outputs to the Optocore X6R’s would automatically cut the QLab play back via a ducking gate on the SD9, and return to the pre-existing state at the end of the set.

Union March

Union March was a one-off event attended by a host of dignitaries including the leaders of each of the Emirates and the King of Saudi Arabia and was broadcast on several channels throughout the Middle East.

Tim Allison took charge of the PA and playback, as well as the microphones for the main grandstand. With a large parade ground to be covered, his PA included 40 x L-Acoustics K2 elements, with LA racks, again running over an Optocore fiber network and DiGiCo SD21 digital desk with D-Rack. Eight towers consisting of four L-Acoustics K2 were used to cover the grandstand, while a VIP area in the middle was served by a pair of K2, carefully positioned to preserve sightlines.

In terms of sources, shotgun and lectern mics were chosen to pick up the speeches and tribal chanting. “We had Shure VP89L mics behind the stacks of K2 to ensure what the tribes were actually singing was audible,” said Allison. “We also had some Schoeps Mk4 lectern mics down there for any speeches.”

Expressing his satisfaction with the show, Tim Allison stated, “I have done many types of similar show — the difference with this show, as in the case with any show that involves animals, is that it makes it more challenging for the show cues.”

Summing up the event as a whole, Simon Travis paid tribute to his team — and the sophisticated design they had managed to execute. “This gave us full control over the entire site from a central position, and by using a lot more automation, it made the event less engineer heavy. The new EV speakers we purchased for the occasion were perfect for the conditions and the audio distributed clearly and evenly over such a large site by the Optocore system provided a logical solution.”

As for Dan Dignan, he reveled in the unconventional nature of the sound design, stating that this was the first time he had experienced such a large fiber system. “This has to have been one of the most cable heavy jobs our audio department has ever done and we made it as efficient as possible; there were a ton of speakers, often a million miles away from the amps.

“It may not have been rock and roll but I’m certainly proud of this one.”

RELATED STORY:

Protec Designs Creative Presentations for Trade Shows to Showcase Services

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Pinterest

  • Abu dhabi, AV integration, cultural festivals, festivals, lighting, protec, Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival, sound, UAE
  • tweet
Related articles
  • Miral announces 2021 opening of Warner Bros. hotel on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island
    Miral announces 2021 opening of Warner...

    Comments Off on Miral announces 2021 opening of Warner Bros. hotel on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island

  • Mood Media expands Technomedia through merger of three divisions
    Mood Media expands Technomedia through...

    Comments Off on Mood Media expands Technomedia through merger of three divisions

  • Dollywood announces inaugural Flower & Food Festival for 2020
    Dollywood announces inaugural Flower...

    Comments Off on Dollywood announces inaugural Flower & Food Festival for 2020

  • ISE 2020
    ISE 2020

    Comments Off on ISE 2020

More in this category
  • disguise 4x4pros power projection mapping at Luc Petit’s Qing Show
    disguise 4x4pros power projection...

    Dec 13, 2019 Comments Off on disguise 4x4pros power projection mapping at Luc Petit’s Qing Show

  • Orlando’s ICON Park to host college football bowl parties
    Orlando’s ICON Park to host...

    Dec 12, 2019 Comments Off on Orlando’s ICON Park to host college football bowl parties

  • Cirque du Soleil and Disney announce first details for Walt Disney World’s “Drawn to Life” show
    Cirque du Soleil and Disney announce...

    Dec 12, 2019 Comments Off on Cirque du Soleil and Disney announce first details for Walt Disney World’s “Drawn to Life” show

  • Cedar Point announces additions for 150th anniversary celebration
    Cedar Point announces additions for...

    Dec 12, 2019 Comments Off on Cedar Point announces additions for 150th anniversary celebration






Current Issue

  • #80 – IAAPA 2019
    #80 – IAAPA 2019

    Nov 16, 2019 Comments Off on #80 – IAAPA 2019

  • EDITORIAL: Looking back from 2019: 15 years of InPark
    EDITORIAL: Looking back from 2019: 15 years of InPark

    Nov 16, 2019 Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Looking back from 2019: 15 years of InPark

  • Editorial: Cross platforming and cross pollination
    Editorial: Cross platforming and cross pollination

    Nov 16, 2019 Comments Off on Editorial: Cross platforming and cross pollination

  • Christie: Museum makeovers
    Christie: Museum makeovers

    Nov 16, 2019 Comments Off on Christie: Museum makeovers

  • Movers and shakers
    Movers and shakers

    Nov 16, 2019 Comments Off on Movers and shakers

  • Meet Amanda Thompson
    Meet Amanda Thompson

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Meet Amanda Thompson

  • Grupo Xcaret: Xavage Gardens
    Grupo Xcaret: Xavage Gardens

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Grupo Xcaret: Xavage Gardens

  • IAAPA Expo Europe 2019
    IAAPA Expo Europe 2019

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on IAAPA Expo Europe 2019

  • The Hettema Group: Elevator Pitch
    The Hettema Group: Elevator Pitch

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on The Hettema Group: Elevator Pitch

  • Garner Holt Productions: Growing the legend
    Garner Holt Productions: Growing the legend

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Garner Holt Productions: Growing the legend

  • JRA: “The One with the Pop-Up”
    JRA: “The One with the Pop-Up”

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on JRA: “The One with the Pop-Up”

  • Raven Sun Creative: Unwrapping the new Hersheypark
    Raven Sun Creative: Unwrapping the new Hersheypark

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Raven Sun Creative: Unwrapping the new Hersheypark

  • TEA 2020
    TEA 2020

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on TEA 2020

  • ECA2: Showtime in Lanzhou
    ECA2: Showtime in Lanzhou

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on ECA2: Showtime in Lanzhou

  • Lesson plan
    Lesson plan

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Lesson plan

  • Technifex: FauxFire® and real people
    Technifex: FauxFire® and real people

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Technifex: FauxFire® and real people

  • Super 78: Geppetto Grows
    Super 78: Geppetto Grows

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Super 78: Geppetto Grows

  • Smart Monkeys: Visualization vectors
    Smart Monkeys: Visualization vectors

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Smart Monkeys: Visualization vectors

IPM Interviews

  • #80 – IAAPA 2019
    #80 – IAAPA 2019

    Nov 16, 2019 Comments Off on #80 – IAAPA 2019

    Table of contents
  • Meet Amanda Thompson
    Meet Amanda Thompson

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on Meet Amanda Thompson

    IAAPA’s incoming chair has deep roots in the attractions...
  • TEA 2020
    TEA 2020

    Nov 15, 2019 Comments Off on TEA 2020

    A chat with Michael Blau - incoming TEA International Board...
  • IAAPA 2019 Chair David Rosenberg: The aqua-man
    IAAPA 2019 Chair David Rosenberg: The aqua-man

    Nov 14, 2019 Comments Off on IAAPA 2019 Chair David Rosenberg: The aqua-man

    Rosenberg serves as the 2019 Chair of the IAAPA Board of...
  • CircusTrix CEO Fernando Eiroa: Leaps and bounds
    CircusTrix CEO Fernando Eiroa: Leaps and bounds

    Nov 14, 2019 Comments Off on CircusTrix CEO Fernando Eiroa: Leaps and bounds

    InPark spoke with Eiroa about the unique business of...
  • InPark exclusive:  Interviews with Jeremy Railton  and Scott Ault on the launch of their new company, Railton Entertainment Design (RED)
    InPark exclusive: Interviews with Jeremy Railton and...

    Nov 09, 2019 Comments Off on InPark exclusive: Interviews with Jeremy Railton and Scott Ault on the launch of their new company, Railton Entertainment Design (RED)

    Themed entertainment design veterans Jeremy Railton and...
  • ISE 2020
    ISE 2020

    Oct 22, 2019 Comments Off on ISE 2020

    The annual Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) trade show for...
  • IAAPA: “Wear comfortable shoes!”
    IAAPA: “Wear comfortable shoes!”

    Oct 21, 2019 Comments Off on IAAPA: “Wear comfortable shoes!”

    "If this is your first Expo, attend the First Time...
  • Netflix and thrill: Greg Lombardo joins the content streaming powerhouse as Head of Experiences
    Netflix and thrill: Greg Lombardo joins the content...

    Sep 11, 2019 Comments Off on Netflix and thrill: Greg Lombardo joins the content streaming powerhouse as Head of Experiences

    Lombardo brings with him more than a decade experience in...
  • Transitions: Leaps and bounds
    Transitions: Leaps and bounds

    Sep 10, 2019 Comments Off on Transitions: Leaps and bounds

    Industry professionals are making moves and creating waves
  • Exploring IAAPA Europe
    Exploring IAAPA Europe

    Sep 09, 2019 Comments Off on Exploring IAAPA Europe

    Meet recent additions to IAAPA’s European team
  • IPM Interview: Jennifer Lee Hackett, Sinking Ship Entertainment
    IPM Interview: Jennifer Lee Hackett, Sinking Ship...

    Aug 08, 2019 Comments Off on IPM Interview: Jennifer Lee Hackett, Sinking Ship Entertainment

    Giant screen veteran Jennifer Lee Hackett has joined...
  • John Miceli and the new DE-ŹYN Studios
    John Miceli and the new DE-ŹYN Studios

    Jun 28, 2019 Comments Off on John Miceli and the new DE-ŹYN Studios

    Throughout his career, John Miceli has worked in feature...
  • Meet Lionsgate Entertainment World’s new general manager: Selena Magill
    Meet Lionsgate Entertainment World’s new general...

    Jun 26, 2019 Comments Off on Meet Lionsgate Entertainment World’s new general manager: Selena Magill

    Meet the new GM of Lionsgate Entertainment World, scheduled...
  • ECA2: All eyes on Lanzhou
    ECA2: All eyes on Lanzhou

    May 08, 2019 Comments Off on ECA2: All eyes on Lanzhou

    ECA2's latest spectacle, a permanent installation in a...
  • IAAPA Expo Asia
    IAAPA Expo Asia

    May 06, 2019 Comments Off on IAAPA Expo Asia

    "Establishing a presence in both Hong Kong and Shanghai...
  • Vekoma: Coasting around Asia
    Vekoma: Coasting around Asia

    Apr 29, 2019 Comments Off on Vekoma: Coasting around Asia

    InPark spoke to Jason Pan, Vekoma’s regional director of...
  • Lisa Passamonte Green
    Lisa Passamonte Green

    Mar 21, 2019 Comments Off on Lisa Passamonte Green

    The Thea Awards Nominating Committee annually reviews and...
  • Infinite Kingdoms: Planet playology
    Infinite Kingdoms: Planet playology

    Mar 21, 2019 Comments Off on Infinite Kingdoms: Planet playology

    We recently connected with founder Denise Chapman Weston...
  • The French connection: Meet Michel Linet-Frion
    The French connection: Meet Michel Linet-Frion

    Mar 21, 2019 Comments Off on The French connection: Meet Michel Linet-Frion

    "Since I typically rely on contracted expertise and talent...
  • Andrew O’Rourke: Google THIS
    Andrew O’Rourke: Google THIS

    Mar 21, 2019 Comments Off on Andrew O’Rourke: Google THIS

    In late 2018, Andrew became an employee of Adecco working...
  • Mad Systems: The future is now
    Mad Systems: The future is now

    Dec 18, 2018 Comments Off on Mad Systems: The future is now

    InPark reported on the launch and revisited with Ensing for...
  • Time for a change
    Time for a change

    Dec 18, 2018 Comments Off on Time for a change

    InPark checks in with industry leaders who are heading back...
  • Michael Mercadante: Giving back
    Michael Mercadante: Giving back

    Nov 05, 2018 Comments Off on Michael Mercadante: Giving back

    Michael Mercadante, President of Main Street Design, Inc....
  • JCO: Theming beyond the theme park
    JCO: Theming beyond the theme park

    Nov 05, 2018 Comments Off on JCO: Theming beyond the theme park

    JCO, based in St. Louis, MO, specializes in master planning...
PLN5165_IAAPA_ORLANDO_BANNERS_INPARK_160X600

Categories

  • IPM Interviews
  • Theme Parks
  • Museums
  • Water Parks
  • Attractions
    • Haunts
    • Zoos & Aquariums
  • World markets
    • Asia
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • North America
  • Technology & Media
  • Business
    • Events
    • People
  • World Expos

InPark Magazine

2349 E Ohio Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207 USA
262.412.7107
mpalicki@inparkmagazine.com

View our Privacy Policy

Copyright 2018 InPark Magazine / All rights reserved