Bristol UK based lighting and video rental specialist Fineline is very proud to have been the LED screen supplier for the 2018 Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) shows at the Royal Albert Hall, which has seen another series of show-stopping performances and unique collaborations which help raise awareness and funds for the charity.

This year’s line-up included Kasabian, The Courteeners, Def Leppard, Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue from legendary reggae band UB40 who appeared as a trio, Nile Rogers and Chic, side-splitting comedy from Russell Howard as well as The Who’s Roger Daltry, who has been instrumental in driving the annual RAH concert week since it started in 2000. This year he curated an evening of special guests including Muse frontman Matt Bellamy leading a super group including Graham Coxon who performed some of the Beatles’ greatest hits.

Says Fineline’s Rob Sangwell, “It has been a fantastic experience all round being part of these incredible shows. The atmosphere has been very inspirational! TCT is a great cause and the organization is dedicated to providing a top quality production and an equally impressive array of talent and entertainment for everyone to enjoy!”

Fineline supplied 153 panels of their Martin VDO Face 5, a 5.2 mm pitch LED screen surface which was configured throughout the week as a flown upstage surface measuring 8.5 meters wide with a drop of 5.1 meters.

It was used to deliver the crucially important Teenage Cancer Trust films and messages as well as by all the artists who played.

Fineline was asked to supply the screen as part of Harman Professional Solutions’decision to support the Teenage Cancer Trust shows.

The event’s lighting and video was designed by Gordon Torrington of PRG who has been involved in TCT at the RAH for many years.Video content was co-ordinated by Chris Farrants who was located in ‘video world’ under the stage, and he managed all the various sources via his Grass Valley Karrera PPU, including cutting the 3-camera mix and receiving feeds of all the playback and ambient footage from a Catalyst media server.

Some individual artists also brought their own content which was integrated into the ‘house’ system and output to the screen.

Fineline were the first UK rental company to invest in Martin’s VDO Face 5 last year, chosen because they were looking for a “flexible and good quality LED product” explains Rob. From a myriad of options, it ticked all the boxes for their video work.

The numerous ways to rig the Face 5 panels was a big bonus, giving scope to be really creative with shapes and objects, while the IP65 rating means they can happily use it outdoors and indoors … so it fitted their workflow perfectly. The 5 mm pitch is ideal for use in both smaller clubby spaces and larger arenas and festivals.

Rob, who is also a bit of a health and safety guru and consultant, was impressed with the product’s Beaufort wind force scale rating of 8 which is “quite breezy” and applies whether it’s flown or ground supported.

It has proved to be a solid investment for Fineline. The screen has been constantly busy on a wide range of shows and events including Bristol’s Love Saves the Day festival, the high profile Eden Sessions, the Outlook and Dimension festivals in Pula, Croatia, the Resistance dance event in Motion, Bristol, The Downs Festival, a special DJ performance by Orbital at The Marble Factory and a host of corporate and experiential marketing projects among many others.