Metallica’s only gig in Germany in 2022 took place at the Download Festival in Hockenheim. Metallic heated up the fans once again at the finale of the festival with an impressive stage show. The highlight of the show was not only the band but also the new video modules by the LED experts Screen Visions from Stuttgart.
Live in Germany again after 3 years
With the best-known hits from four decades of the band’s history, Metallica brought the almost 70,000 spectators at the Hockenheim Motodrom to the boil. Even the rain couldn’t slow down the audience’s enthusiasm during the impressive two-hour show.
Besides the fire and cannon show, the video screens that made the stage shine were particularly convincing.
Black-face technology for even better picture quality
On a total of three video screens, each 8 metres wide x 14 metres high, Metallica could be seen very well from all seats, even from further back and despite different lighting conditions.
The new AR 4.6 Black Face from LED manufacturer INFiLED was used, which produces a very high contrast thanks to its integrated Black Face SMD technology. The new system from INFiLED is a further development of the already well-known ER series.
“The LED wall with the 4.6 mm Black Face SMD is currently the best system in the touring and corporate events sector,”
says Oliver Hahn, Account Director Events at Screen Visions.
In contrast to other LED systems with standard SMDs, this module is particularly convincing in daylight and sunlight, thus ensuring very good image quality. Because the screens can be used both indoors and outdoors, rain during the show was not a problem at all.
Another advantage of the screen is that it can be “curved” up to +/- 10 degrees, making it a flexible module for different areas of use.
Quick assembly and disassembly of the system
The easy set-up and dismantling of the system also speaks for this system. A small core team of five technicians can integrate the system elements into the new open-air stage within a few hours.
Safe and quick assembly is made possible by the reinforced base frame of the modules as well as improved holding magnets and positioning pins. The quick-lock system also enabled one-handed assembly without tools.
Handholds attached to the left and right of the modules’ frames enable safe manual transport of the modules, which weigh only 12 kilograms.
Additional cross beams between the module frames allow safe climbing on the video wall when it is hanging.
“It was a challenge for us and our team to find a suitable technical solution for this highlight at short notice – but we succeeded with AR Black Face – and since this system can be transported in cases as well as in a dolly system, we were able to reduce the transport volume for the 336 square metres to one complete truck”,
says Daniel Teufel, technical director at Screen Visions.