In the summer of 2024, Peter Maffay, one of the defining figures of German rock music, bid farewell to the stage. After a musical career spanning more than 50 years and a multitude of hits, the “We Love Rock’n’Roll – Farewell” tour was not only an emotional farewell, but also a technical spectacle. For a tour of this magnitude, it was crucial to integrate state-of-the-art technology to make Maffay’s farewell unforgettable. We take a closer look at the event technology used and the challenges that the team led by lighting designer Günter Jäckle and production manager Bernie Haefner had to overcome.
Stage set and design: the visual identity of the tour
The stage set, which was developed jointly by lighting designer Günter Jäckle, production manager Bernie Haefner and set designer Fritze Krauch, focussed on clear, symbolic shapes. Particularly striking was the “M” integrated into the stage, which was emphasised both by the musicians’ risers and by a video-equipped set construction element. This element gave the stage a striking visual identity and was the central stylistic element in an otherwise heavily video-dominated show.
Image: Ralph Larmann
With around 600 square metres of video space, the tour was heavily geared towards video content, which dominated the stage action. This large-scale integration of video technology placed specific demands on the lighting, which had to be optimised not only for the audience but also for live camera images. This posed particular challenges for the lighting design team, which were solved using state-of-the-art technology.
Focus on flexibility and brightness
Günter Jäckle relied on tried-and-tested, state-of-the-art equipment from GLP to light the tour. At the centre of this were 80 impression X5 Wash and 20 impression X5 IP Bars, which were distributed across the entire stage. The washlights were positioned on four trusses in the stage roof and on the front truss frames. The weatherproof IP bars were used specifically on the floor to recreate the M-shape of the stage for the spectators in the stadium stands.
One of the main criteria for using the X5 series was the enormous brightness of the devices,
but an LED washlight also has its own characteristics as a physical object in the room, which I wanted to utilise. The devices are also a stylistic element in the stage roof. In fact, I used them less to illuminate the stage, but more like blinders directed into the audience, with which I could effortlessly immerse at least the first 50 metres of the audience area in colour. And the impression X5s with their high output and rich colours were perfect for this. Light designer Günter Jäckle
The impression X5 IP Bars also impressed with their brightness and versatility. It was particularly impressive that Jäckle completely dispensed with fog during the tour, which posed an additional challenge for the lighting technology. Nevertheless, the IP bars produced visible beams even without fog and were used for atmospheric design rather than pure effect lighting.
The close co-operation with GLP played a central role in the preparation of the tour. Jäckle and his lighting manager Oliver Horn received intensive support from GLP to familiarise themselves with the X5 series equipment. Special adjustments were made to the lamps for the tour in order to meet the high requirements. Jäckle emphasised the professionalism and commitment of the GLP team, who developed customised solutions for the tour, helping to ensure that the shows ran smoothly.
Daylight and capricious weather: Reliable lighting under difficult conditions
One particular aspect of the tour was that many of the concerts took place in summer and therefore under daylight conditions. This meant that the first few hours of the shows were played in daylight or in residual daylight. This presented the lighting team with the challenge of ensuring optimum lighting quality for the live cameras despite the natural light. It was therefore crucial for Jäckle not only to design a light show, but also to perfectly harmonise the so-called “television light” in order to ensure high image quality on the video walls.
In addition, the weather always plays a decisive role in open-air tours. Rain, wind and changeable conditions can put a lot of strain on the technology. However, the equipment used, especially the weatherproof impression X5 IP bars, met the high expectations of Jäckle and his team. Despite the capricious weather conditions, there was not a single technical failure during the tour, which impressively demonstrated the reliability of the technology used.
FOLLOW-ME 3D SIX: Innovative tracking for a dynamic show
Another highlight of the technical equipment was the FOLLOW-ME 3D SIX system, which was used by Günter Jäckle for the first time on this tour. This highly flexible tracking system made it possible to precisely follow Peter Maffay, guest artists and other musicians on stage without having to resort to traditional followspots. An important advantage of this system is that it operates with moving lights in the rig, allowing for more dynamic and flexible lighting.
The FOLLOW-ME 3D SIX system was operated with a licence and a backup server and could control up to ten moving lights simultaneously. Six of these spotlights came from the front, four from the rear. Two operators were responsible, one for Maffay and one for the guest artists and solos. Communication between the FOLLOW-ME system and the lighting console took place via the sACN protocol, and network integration was realised using ELC nodes.
The follow-me system was provided by Christian “Rocketchris” Glatthor.
Technical partners – a strong collaboration
The technical realisation of Peter Maffay’s farewell tour would not have been possible without the close collaboration with experienced partners. PRG Germany supplied the lighting system, while satis&fy was responsible for the sound system. The video work was supervised by epicto GmbH, which ensured that the extensive video content was perfectly staged on the large screens.
A technical masterpiece for the farewell
Peter Maffay’s farewell tour was not only a musical highlight, but also a technical masterpiece. The combination of state-of-the-art lighting and video technology, the innovative FOLLOW-ME tracking system and the close collaboration with experienced partners ensured that the tour was an unforgettable visual and technical experience. It was particularly impressive how Günter Jäckle’s team mastered the challenges of an open-air tour in summer and delivered a perfect show despite the various challenges.
With the “We Love Rock’n’Roll – Farewell” tour, Peter Maffay not only set an exclamation mark musically, but also technically – a worthy conclusion to a career spanning over 50 years.
Title image: Ralph Larmann
