Renovated for the 2004 Olympic Games, Athens’ OAKA Stadium has played host to several landmark cultural events. The latest chapter saw Greek singer-songwriter Anna Vissi take centre stage for a production that brought together international specialists and local technical talent on an ambitious scale, as TPi discovered.
Created by a team of acclaimed production professionals, the spectacle showcased the capabilities of Greece’s live events industry, setting a new benchmark for large-scale stadium shows and demonstrating what can be achieved when touring expertise and local knowledge work in tandem.
With an extensive technical infrastructure, complex staging and a production design built to engage fans throughout the venue, the show presented a logistical challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate the depth of technical expertise behind one of Athens’ biggest live music events in recent memory.
The technical partners included Galaxias Live Productions (production); 369 Audiovisual (IMAG); AgorA (sound); BigRig (rigging pre-planning); BIZMONKEYS (load-out management); Charco (communications); eps (track protection and barriers); ER Productions (special effects and lasers); LED CREATIVE (LED tape); Live Productions (cameras); LS Construction (carpentry); Metron Stages Group (main stage and catwalk scaffolding); Neg Earth Lights (lighting and rigging); Power Generators (power); Stageco (steel); STUFISH Entertainment Architects (set design); Tempo (stadium lighting); WICREATIONS (automation and satellite stages); The Wire Rig Company (performer flying); Universal Pixels (main drum video); Luke Halls Studio (video design); and Tim Routledge Design (lighting design).
The wider creative and technical team included familiar names to readers in Creative Director, Kim Gavin; Technical Designer, Malcolm Birkett; Camera Director, Matt Askem; Lighting Designer, Tim Routledge; Associate Lighting Designer, Morgan Evans; Lighting Programmer, James Scott; Technical Producer, Luke Mills and Showcaller Maddie Cupples, among others.
A 360° LED CENTREPIECE
Universal Pixels supplied the LED infrastructure for the show’s striking video drum. At the heart of the visual design was a 64m-wide by 20m-high LED cylinder, comprising 1,300m² of ROE Visual V8T LED. Encircling the stage, the 360° structure created an immersive visual backdrop, ensuring the content could be experienced across the stadium.
The LED installation was completed over two days, with the Universal Pixels team carefully managing different batches of panels throughout the build. With the highest panels reaching a trim height of approximately 30m, servicing was carried out from trusses within the cylinder, adding another layer of complexity to the installation.
“Powered by Brompton Technology processing and Disguise GX 3 media servers, the system delivered a seamless canvas for the show’s content, becoming an integral part of the striking stage design,” Universal Pixels Project Manager Ben Annibal said. “Seeing the completed structure in action in front of more than 95,000 people was a great moment for everyone involved, bringing together an ambitious design and a huge technical delivery for one of Athens’ biggest live music events.”
The visual spectacle was complemented by an extensive effects package from ER Productions, who supplied lasers, flames, pyrotechnics, cryogenic effects and confetti. The inventory comprised 32 AT-30 and 24 BB4 lasers, 26 Eco2Jets, 20 Stadium Blasters, 20 Stadium Shot MKIIIs, 12 Flameblazers and six Hellfires. “A massive amount of equipment, planning and teamwork went into bringing this together,” ER Productions’ Marc Webber added. “Credit to the entire crew involved in the preparation, logistics, installation and operation of such a large-scale show.”
With the production designed to bring Vissi closer to the audience, the B– and C–stages played a key role in the show’s choreography. WICREATIONS supplied the automated lifting systems and bespoke stage elements that enabled the performers to move between different performance areas, creating additional vantage points and moments of connection with the crowd.
The package included an SP12 lift with 5m of travel on the B-stage, alongside four PC02 push-chain lifts configured to raise a circular platform. The lifts measured 4.9m in diameter, with bespoke circular decking extending to 11m in diameter. “It was a fun and complex project which required collaboration, and we were proud to make it happen within a short on-site timeline, despite the protracted build-up to the show,” WICREATIONS Key Account Manager Raf Peeters revealed.
The venue was booked for just 10 days, including the installation of infrastructure such as steel ground-protection plates. The compressed schedule left limited time for the full production to come together, with two rehearsals taking place on stage and the remaining rehearsals conducted in an adjacent car park before show day.
Stageco supplied the steel for the main stage, while Greek supplier Metron provided the catwalk structures connecting the A-, B- and C-stages, using Layher equipment. WICREATIONS delivered the B- and C-stage elements, incorporating the complex automated systems. The lifts enabled the production to create distinct staging moments and bring performers closer to different sections of the audience.
During Vissi’s introduction to a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, guest performer Orienthi appeared on stage, while Vissi performed from the main stage. “The production used the systems to bring the performers closer to the audience and provide different vantage points and viewpoints on the B- and C-stages,” Peeters stated, proudly.
The tight on-site schedule demanded close cooperation between departments, with responsibilities extending beyond the original scope of individual suppliers. WICREATIONS’ carpentry team helped install black masking, supporting the wider production.
“Everybody was collaborating to make the creative vision a reality,” Peeters said, praising the work of the production design team. “Kim Gavin is an expert at ensuring every fan, regardless of where they are within the stadium, can enjoy the show.”
ENGINEERING PROWESS
The project began with the challenge of coordinating the equipment, resources, measurements and manufacturing schedules needed to deliver the systems on time. The stage elements required bespoke engineering, with both the lift platforms and the surrounding decking designed and manufactured in-house.
This process involved close coordination between production, design and fabrication teams, with WICREATIONS Project Manager Jasper Rosiers among those tasked with overseeing the project. “We had to draw up custom decks. Both the lift and the decking around it were bespoke and had to be designed and created in-house,” Rosiers explained. “That required coordination between the production, design and fabrication departments,” Rosiers said.
The custom fabrication extended across the entire process, from welding and CNC machining to painting. The team further conducted a full test build at its warehouse, allowing the equipment and its internal mechanisms to be checked before dispatch.
With six crew members travelling to site, the preparation was designed to ensure that as much as possible had been verified before the equipment left the workshop. Around 20 people contributed to the project at different stages, with the core design and engineering work delivered by a compact team.
Despite the extensive preparation, the project encountered a significant logistical setback during load-in, when a forklift driver accidentally dropped a case containing critical machinery, damaging half of the available drives. Rosiers subsequently had to arrange the urgent delivery of replacement equipment and spares over 3,500km to Athens. “If you want to operate at this level, you need to be prepared for problem-solving and able to pivot to address and fix issues,” Peeters acknowledged. “There will always inherently be minor issues with custom equipment, but being able to stage a spectacle like this is what sets you apart from the rest.”
PRECISION UNDER PRESSURE
WICREATION’s contribution extended beyond the catwalks linking the three stages. The company also supplied the circular decking for the satellite stages, with the bespoke structures designed to accommodate the automated systems and associated lighting infrastructure. “We provided the B- and C-stage circles, using round decking made to a custom size for this project, with shelves for lighting headers,” Rosiers explained. “On the B-stage, there was an SP12 lift with a round platform approximately 5m in diameter.”
The C-stage incorporated static decking, while the B-stage platform was raised using a combination of four lifts. The systems were operated locally, with a spotter and an operator assigned to each stage to execute the cues.
“With very little room for adjustments during installation, ensuring that the individual curved deck sections aligned to create a perfect circular shape was a key challenge,” Rosiers explained. “By fully assembling and testing the circular decking in-house beforehand, our installation team was able to resolve any potential issues in advance and ensure a smooth, efficient installation on site.”
Although not everyone involved was present in Athens, the response following the event was positive. Rosiers said the team was “proud” to have contributed to the production and grateful to the wider network of suppliers whose collaboration “made the result possible”.
A GREEK MILESTONE
The significance of the show extended beyond its scale and technical complexity. For the local industry, it provided an opportunity to work alongside international production specialists and experience the demands of a stadium show delivered to a global touring standard. “Communication with production was a breeze, and it was a great project to collaborate with the team on,” Rosiers said.
Peeters believes the production offered a valuable learning experience for the wider technical community. “There hasn’t been another show this complex on this scale, bringing the Greek music industry to this level with a Greek artist. From the video content and lighting through to the set, production and staging design,” Peeters stated. “It was a high-level show by global standards.”
He added that the experience demonstrated the value of combining international production expertise with local crews and suppliers, creating opportunities to share knowledge and raise expectations across the sector. “These are shows we pride ourselves on,” Peeters said, earnestly. “The Greek production scene has learned from this project.”
The wider WICREATIONS crew included Structural Engineer (Calculations), Mustafa Abbas; Project Designer, Ward van Hassel; Crew Chief, Chris Sabelleck; Operators, Bart Defau and Miro Kusik; Automation Technician, Sten Sarapson and Ciprian Ignat (Load-in); Carpenters, Stephan ‘Xumi’ Schumacher and Darryl-Alan Potthoff, underlining the importance of detailed preparation, bespoke engineering and flexibility when delivering complex automation on this scale with a demanding schedule.
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Raf Peeters
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