The Star Events Group installed a Vertech stage and supplied the rigging used by the Stereophonics to rock Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium this December, for the final date of their European Tour, with support acts Ocean Colour Scene and Feeder.

The band’s European tour began in Lyon, France on the 2nd October and has included 28 dates leading up to it’s curtain down in Cardiff, with a total of 18 sell out gigs in the UK. Having played a range of Arena’s on the tour, the shift up to a stadium sized show for their ‘home crowd’ of 52,000, meant a significant increase in the scale of the show for production Manager Neil Macdonald. Neil stuck with the main tour suppliers where possible for this finalé show (for example sound by Capital Sound, lighting by VLPS, catering by Eat to the Beat), but to create a visually spectacular setting for the band a specialist large scale stage was required, so he turned to trusted suppliers Pete Holdich and Eric Porter at the Star Events Group.

Star Vertech “The stage was a key visual feature of this show so it made sense to turn to some-one I knew could deliver what I needed,” Neil explained. “Pete Holdich has assisted throughout the design of the stage and the set. On-site the whole of their crew have got a ‘can do’ attitude, so, for example, it’s been no problem to make last minute changes to the design of the front of house tower.”

The Star Vertech division of the Star Events Group modified its outdoor stage system to suit the indoor environment of the Millennium Stadium for the world famous band to perform upon. The aluminium roof, minus the covering skins, was incorporated in the stage set up. This gave a 21m-apex height, which worked visually in the high venue, and also presented the band with a suitable branding area at the front of the roof. Banners by Acre Jean covered the stage nose whilst the stage walls were blacked out, creating an atmospheric rock’n’roll environment on-stage.

The Star Vertech team arrived on site on 15th December, with Pete Holdich and a crew of 14 comfortably completing the three-day build ready for production build and a rehearsal day before the show. Having been previously proven to be highly effective, the proprietary Star Vertech stage flooring was incorporated in the 25m by 15m stage, saving time on load in and load out, (as well as being environmentally friendly than other traditional stage floor systems).