{"id":88401,"date":"2023-03-24T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T13:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/?post_type=achievement&#038;p=88401"},"modified":"2023-05-31T11:19:45","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T15:19:45","slug":"the-weeknd-after-hours-til-dawn","status":"publish","type":"achievement","link":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/our-work\/the-weeknd-after-hours-til-dawn\/","title":{"rendered":"The Weeknd \u2013 After Hours Til Dawn Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Solotech has a lengthy history with The Weeknd, having worked with the artist leading up t<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">o and during <\/mark><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/our-work\/the-weeknd-starboy-legend-of-the-fall-tour\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">2017\u2019s Starboy \u2013 Legend of the Fall Tour<\/mark><\/a><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">.<\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">One of the world\u2019s most popular and best-selling artists, The Weeknd counts six No.1 hits and 16 Top-10 songs on Billboard\u2019s Hot 100 charts. For the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theweeknd.com\/tour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">tour supporting his 2022 record, Dawn FM<\/mark><\/a><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">,<\/mark> fans \u2013 deprived of live concerts during the pandemic \u2013 expected something spectacular.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">They weren\u2019t disappointed. Originally conceived as an arena tour and scheduled for 2020, the show&#8217;s scope grew dramatically as the pandemic dragged on, becoming a stadium production requiring almost unprecedented amounts of technology, including a massive<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\"> <\/mark><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/solutions\/live-productions\/lighting\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">lighting<\/mark><\/a><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\"> <\/mark>and<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\"> <\/mark><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/solutions\/live-productions\/video\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">video<\/mark><\/a><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\"> <\/mark>rig supplied by Solotech.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-style-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"is-style-large is-style-default has-normal-font-size\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">It&#8217;s one of the largest tours Solotech\u2019s ever put on the road; likely one of the largest ever toured in terms of counts of LED tiles and fixtures.<\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div><cite><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">\u2013 Robert Kennedy, Solotech Account Executive<\/mark><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block\">\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Delve into industry best practices<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<!-- Begin Mailchimp Signup Form -->\n<link href=\"\/\/cdn-images.mailchimp.com\/embedcode\/classic-071822.css\" rel=\"stylesheet\" type=\"text\/css\">\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;  width:450px;}\n\t\/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.\n\t   We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. *\/\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"mc_embed_signup\">\n    <form action=\"https:\/\/solotech.us18.list-manage.com\/subscribe\/post?u=60e7fd343b56a91444f41b89d&amp;id=82d8ebb461&amp;f_id=00399de1f0\" method=\"post\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" name=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" class=\"validate\" target=\"_blank\" novalidate>\n        <div id=\"mc_embed_signup_scroll\">\n        \n        <div class=\"indicates-required\"><span class=\"asterisk\">*<\/span> indicates required<\/div>\n<div class=\"mc-field-group\">\n\t<label for=\"mce-EMAIL\">Email  <span class=\"asterisk\">*<\/span>\n<\/label>\n\t<input type=\"email\" value=\"\" name=\"EMAIL\" class=\"required email\" id=\"mce-EMAIL\" required>\n\t<span id=\"mce-EMAIL-HELPERTEXT\" class=\"helper_text\"><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div hidden=\"true\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"tags\" value=\"63006,62866\"><\/div>\n\t<div id=\"mce-responses\" class=\"clear\">\n\t\t<div class=\"response\" id=\"mce-error-response\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"response\" id=\"mce-success-response\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>    <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->\n    <div style=\"position: absolute; left: -5000px;\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"b_60e7fd343b56a91444f41b89d_82d8ebb461\" tabindex=\"-1\" value=\"\"><\/div>\n    <div class=\"clear\"><input type=\"submit\" value=\"Subscribe\" name=\"subscribe\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe\" class=\"button\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<script type='text\/javascript' src='\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/downloads.mailchimp.com\/js\/mc-validate.js'><\/script><script type='text\/javascript'>(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[3]='LANGUE';ftypes[3]='dropdown';fnames[4]='OFFICE';ftypes[4]='dropdown';fnames[5]='SOURCE';ftypes[5]='text';fnames[6]='COUNTRY';ftypes[6]='text';fnames[7]='STATE';ftypes[7]='text';fnames[8]='MMERGE8';ftypes[8]='dropdown';fnames[9]='MMERGE9';ftypes[9]='date';fnames[10]='MMERGE10';ftypes[10]='imageurl';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);<\/script>\n<!--End mc_embed_signup-->\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-normal-font-size\">Getting on the board early in the game<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">For a tour as massive as After Hours Til Dawn, it was critical that everyone worked closely from the outset to achieve The Weeknd and his team\u2019s vision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Solotech began demoing technology in 2019 in Los Angeles and discussed options with Lighting Designer Jason Baeri, Screens Producer Loren Barton, and the core creative team, including Production Designer Es Devlin, Creative Director La Mar Taylor, and The Weeknd himself.<em> \u201cWe were invited to work with them early in the design process, as we often are,\u201d<\/em> Kennedy explains.<em> \u201cIt was highly collaborative, and they were very open to suggestions on leveraging new technology to realize their ambition.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-style-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"is-style-large is-style-default has-normal-font-size\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">I can\u2019t say enough good things about Solotech\u2019s team. This tour was a monster for scale and infrastructure. Solotech was there with us every step of the way; gear shootouts, additions, changes; they made everything happen without skipping a beat.<\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div><cite><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">\u2013 Jason Baeri, Lighting Designer<\/mark><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-normal-font-size\">A challenging environment<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Ongoing supply chain issues and the outdoor setting presented challenges: the LED elements had to be IP-rated and possess the physical integrity to withstand wind, and all the technology had to be well suited to wide-ranging, often extreme, environmental factors.<em> \u201cIn Arizona and the southwest, it can reach 110 degrees. But they were moving between wet and cold to very hot areas, further narrowing down the products that could be utilized,<\/em>\u201d Kennedy notes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">The size of Solotech\u2019s team and their wealth of experience working with artists like<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\"> <\/mark><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/nouvelles\/coachella-harry-styles\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">Harry Styles<\/mark><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/our-work\/pink-beautiful-trauma-tour\/\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">P!NK<\/mark><\/a>, and others allowed them to surmount those challenges handily, as did their global reach, which was crucial to sourcing\/supplying gear, ensuring it could be integrated seamlessly and arrived well ahead the tour\u2019s July 2022 start date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Those benefits were evident before and during After Hours Til Dawn:<em> \u201cAs this morphed from an ambitious arena design through different iterations of the stadium format, having Solotech to bounce ideas off and fine-tune our system\/camera needs streamlined the design process,\u201d<\/em> Barton says.<em> \u201cThe vendor relationship is key to getting ahead of inevitable curve balls. Solotech anticipated and planned for those, so by getting them involved from the start, we could present options to the rest of the design team and make decisions that saved time down the road.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-style-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"is-style-large is-style-default has-normal-font-size\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">Solotech was fantastic; one of the best crews I\u2019ve ever had. Rob was always on top of everything and made sure we had all the gear we needed without any hitches. <\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div><cite><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">\u2013 Jason Baeri, Lighting Designer<\/mark><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-normal-font-size\">Nimble, responsive, and cutting edge<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Given the amount of equipment and scope of the show, Solotech went to where the technicians and gear were &#8211; prepping servers, cameras, and lighting in Montreal, the LED package in Nashville, and doing additional preparation in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><em>\u201cThe core creative group always makes final decisions. And we\u2019re always ready to assist. But we have to let the \u2018creatives\u2019 be creative,\u201d<\/em> Kennedy says.<em> \u201cPart of that is refining and finessing the show. You have to be nimble enough to deal with that as a supplier, or you\u2019re not fully supporting the project&#8217;s creative vision.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-style-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"is-style-large is-style-default has-normal-font-size\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">You can\u2019t design a tour in a vacuum. You\u2019re designing with intent and intention, and you achieve that with the equipment you use to tell stories. Having a supplier that provides and discovers what gear is right for you is the greatest gift you could ask for. Solotech really took time with us to find the right equipment while we were figuring out what the show was. It was something else.<\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div><cite><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">\u2013 Jason Baeri, Lighting Designer<\/mark><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Ultimately, it was a perfect match. <em>\u201cThe Weeknd\u2019s team focuses on what\u2019s cutting edge and how they can break the mold, and we\u2019re a company that invests in leading-edge technology,\u201d<\/em> Kennedy says. At the core, however, the success of a partnership like this is built on human resources, something Solotech invests in as heavily as technology &#8211; enabling the company to provide support well beyond the provision of advice and equipment. <em>\u201cOur technical advisors worldwide, our logistics people who deal with customs, border crossings and importation\/exportation of equipment, our warehouse staff who package the equipment,\u201d<\/em> Kennedy concludes. <em>\u201cEveryone at Solotech contributes to getting and keeping a tour moving.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-style-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-paragraph wp-block\">\n<p class=\"is-style-large is-style-default has-normal-font-size\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-fushia-color\">\u201cTours like this don\u2019t happen without a dedicated team, and Solotech has one of the best in the business.\u201d<\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div><cite><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-violet-color\">\u2013 Loren Barton, Screens Producer<\/mark><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Solotech has a lengthy history with The Weeknd, having worked with the artist leading up to and during 2017\u2019s Starboy \u2013 Legend of the Fall Tour. One of the world\u2019s most popular and best-selling artists, The Weeknd counts six No.1 hits and 16 Top-10 songs on Billboard\u2019s Hot 100 charts. For the tour supporting his [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":88409,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"single-achievement-new.php","categories":[436],"tags":[],"companies":[236],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/achievement\/88401"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/achievement"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/achievement"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88401"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/achievement\/88401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94315,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/achievement\/88401\/revisions\/94315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88401"},{"taxonomy":"companies","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solotech.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/companies?post=88401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}