concert stage
Robbie Williams

SCOPE

TAIT's involvement in the Take the Crown tour of Robbie Williams included the creation of an impressive back wall measuring 40.8 meters by 23.1 meters. The wall featured screen-printed, gold polycarbonate panels and consisted of 700 panels, each incorporating one of 20 custom shapes. Additionally, the wall integrated 18,000 TAIT pixel tablets. Our team was entrusted with verifying the structural integrity of this complex and intricate wall.

APPROACH

The 3D scenic head of Robbie Williams for his tour was a remarkable feat of engineering. To create the head, 50 custom-cut panels were modeled from a scan of the singer's face, housing a staggering 50,000 Barco FLX24 pixels. The custom panels came in 2D and 3D variants, with different sizes for the latter. To simplify the workload, only the largest and most heavily loaded 3D panel was subjected to testing. All other shapes had identical thicknesses, material alloys, and connection elements. The primary concern was wind loading.

To create the face, curved wooden plates covered with polyester glass fiber panels were used. Additionally, gates were dimensioned for the concert stages. In such projects, connecting the different components is always a challenge because the stage has to be assembled, disassembled, and transported numerous times. As a result, the connections are not permanent and must be easy to use, leading to the frequent use of click and smart connections.

Another challenge in such projects is the load-carrying structure itself, which must be lightweight for transportation and easy installation by workers while being able to withstand significant pressures from storm winds and, in some locations, seismic events. Additionally, the often unpredictable loading by artists and the public must be taken into account.

RESULT

The tour was a resounding success, with videos of the performances available for viewing on YouTube.