IR TV in HD: that’s the basic premise of Kasabian’s headline festival appearances, “The band wanted to present something special for T in the Park and the V festivals,” explained Alex Leinster from Video Design, the preferred suppliers for Kasabian’s eclectic performance style. “This is a big undertaking for a festival performance, the screen positioned upstage centre is a full eighteen metres wide by nine tall but it’s what goes on it that stands out.”
The function of the screen is three-fold, director Luke Collins cuts some straightforward IMAG from two cameras in the pit and runs some distinct content. “The band adopted a written motif for the latest album 48:13,” he said, “And continue that theme in the content on screen with key words associated with the lyrics. Then there is the interactive module, which is really dynamic.”
Developed as an add-on for D3 media servers, the Demolition interactive module allows for custom programming to be written. “This is the core effect of the show,” explained Collins. “Written by Matts Swoboda for the band’s most recent arena tour, it takes images from Infra Red cameras, determines shapes, then renders them as real-time wire frame 3D. Visually it’s akin to animation and unbelievably potent.”
Video Design has invested in the Demolition add-on, as well as four IR cameras for the stage, “They have to be IR to overcome the overwhelming video feedback you’d encounter if you used regular cameras,” said Leinster. “Using IR allows the software to isolate the image of the band members on stage from the screen in the background. It’s a beautiful thing to behold and really emphasises that ‘otherworldliness’ that makes Kasabian such a stand out band.”
Kasabian’s tour manager Pete Gunn singled out why Video Design was such an easy choice for him, “It’s good to deal with real people; call Video Design and you don’t feel like you’re talking to a call centre in Bangalore. Kasabian are very much a band of the people and such things really matter. That and the ability to deliver, this is a big screen system to slip in and out of tight festival timetables, so properly assembled touring systems are everything. But having worked with Alex and his entire team before, I had no doubts on that score. Their investment in kit is on a par with their people.”
