Bristol UK based technical solutions company Fineline provided lighting for four
main music performance areas at the 2015 Somersault festival, a five day
extravaganza of music, fun, food, discussion, debate and outdoor adventure located
amidst the heart of South West England, in the picturesque environs of Castle Hill
country estate near the north Devon coastline.

It was the second year that Fineline has been involved as a production supplier and
this year, the scope of their work was lighting the Main Stage, The Communion
Stage, the Forrest Party non-stop dance experience and the Bandstand.

The Main Stage was 15 metres wide and housed in a tensile structure with no room
to build a ground support system, so a grid had to be constructed between a
triangular structure upstage and a big steel arch at the front.

The production lighting rig was designed by Fineline’s Stu England, and based
around the requirements of the various headliners, an eclectic and interesting line
up of Bombay Bicycle Club, Laura Marlin, The Staves, Imelda May, The Shires,
Passenger, Chrystal Fighters, Jimmy Cliff … plus others, as well as being able to
provide dynamic and different looking shows for all the other acts.

The moving lights included 12 x Robe 600E Spots, 12 x LEDWash 600s and 12
Pointes, which provided all the main washes, specials and effects, together with
base lighting from eight 4-lamp PAR bars, ACLs, 4 and 8-lites, strobes and key
lighting via ETC Source Fours.

The “house’ lighting desk was an Avolites Sapphire Touch, all the dimming was Avo
and the data and power distribution was a mix of Avo and ChamSys, looked after by
programmer / operator Tim Williams, rigger / crew chief Ruben Pinkney and tech
Chris Randall.

Fineline also provided the two 12 metre PA towers – their own design – to facilitate
flying the sound system.

On the Communion Stage James Box and Sam Kenyon, James Harrington and Rob
Sangwell created a great visual picture focusing on the oak framed marquee
structure, emphasising the intimate nature and energy of the space.

The idea was to retain the integrity of the carefully crafted oak features. Truss use
was minimal, instead lights were rigged directly off the structure, reducing the
presence of the technology and highlighting all the oak work.

“We were really pleased to be involved with Somersault again and in an expanded
role this year’ says Rob, “It was good to be able to design both traditional stage
lighting as well as work in a variety of other areas which needed a different
approach’.