Radiohead’s European Tour Pushes Boundaries of Live Visuals with Cutting-Edge LED Technology
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A groundbreaking visual experience powered by advanced LED technology and real-time content generation defined Radiohead’s recent 20-date European tour, showcasing a new level of dynamic performance.
Universal Pixels, a leading video systems provider, delivered a complex and innovative setup for the tour, centered around a 12-sided cylindrical LED system. The system utilized ROE Visual Vanish V8T screens, coupled with Brompton Tessera SX40 processing and Disguise GX 3 servers, to create a truly immersive and responsive environment for audiences.
A Departure from Traditional Concert Visuals
The tour distinguished itself by eschewing pre-rendered content, timecode, and fixed structural elements. Instead, setlists were drawn from a repertoire of over 70 songs and finalized just minutes before each performance. This commitment to spontaneity demanded a highly adaptable visual system. The innovative “in-the-round” stage design further enhanced the connection between the band and the audience, eliminating traditional camera platforms to maintain unobstructed sightlines.
Transparency and Real-Time Processing Key to Success
According to a company release, Universal Pixels selected the ROE Visual Vanish V8T and ROE Strip products specifically for their exceptional transparency. This allowed for a seamless integration of live visuals without compromising the band’s presence. The Brompton Tessera SX40 processing, utilizing fibre-based Tessera XD distribution, proved crucial in handling the demands of live-generated content.
Extensive Camera System Drives Dynamic Content
To capture the energy of each performance and feed it back into the visual system, a comprehensive camera setup was deployed. This included two Panasonic AW-UE150 units operating on 16-meter curved tracks, six additional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, and 20 Blackmagic G2 cameras positioned across static, gimbal, and pedestal systems. The feeds from these cameras were used to drive live Notch content displayed on the moving screens, while also providing monitoring for backstage personnel.
Robust Network Infrastructure Ensures Reliability
The entire system was underpinned by a robust network architecture built around 12 Netgear AV Line M4250 switches, running multiple VLANs to manage camera control, Notch processing, tracking data, and LED distribution. A key priority was redundancy, with the system designed to prevent cascading failures and ensure uninterrupted performance.
Manual Control Enables Unpredictable Performances
The Disguise GX 3 servers provided the necessary processing power for the Notch load and dynamic mapping requirements. Notably, all visual cues were triggered manually using Sockpuppet, allowing the content to react directly to the band’s performance, rather than adhering to predetermined sequences.
“The ‘in the round’ screen set-up with 20-plus camera inputs on screen at the same time was a challenging vision to bring to life,” stated a video director involved in the project. “All the screens moved as well, coming together for certain looks or moving further apart for others, which added another layer of complexity.”
Hamanshu Patel, project manager at Universal Pixels, emphasized the collaborative nature of the project. “From the first conversations, it was clear this would be technically complex. The brief was about removing the usual frameworks and building a system that could respond live. Our role was to support the band and production team’s creative freedom with stable, reliable systems that could adapt to the twists and turns of each performance.”
This tour represents a significant step forward in live concert visuals, demonstrating the power of real-time content generation and adaptable technology to create truly unique and engaging experiences.
