It took 12 weeks, and more than 90 truckloads of construction materials, but what was a dusty, forlorn corner of the Las Vegas Strip was transformed into the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll playground by Brown United. The company’s largest undertaking to date, Rock in Rio USA took outdoor festivals to a new level, incorporating not just multiple stages, but an elaborate VIP area, “Rock Streets” filled with shops and eateries and even a Ferris wheel and zip line.
The Staging
Brown United’s decades of experience proved valuable in devising efficient, cost-effective solutions for the festival, which has been putting an emphasis on reusable components that will be able to be redeployed for Rock in Rio USA festivals planned for 2017 and 2019.
In total, Brown United utilized 3.5 million pounds of steel to erect everything on site. At one end of the fairgrounds was built a mini city with a storefront design, areas dubbed “Rock Streets.” This area housed various vendors, and the client initially proposed using 400 shipping containers to construct the area.
After assessing the cost and logistics of that approach, Brown instead proposed using scaffolding skinned in sheet metal to construct the individual booths. The existing facades from previous festivals were then attached to the scaffolding and the interiors finished with lighting fixtures, drywall, carpeting and the like.
The Rock Streets’ three different themed streets — Brazil, U.K. and USA — had 52 individual booths, each 20 feet by 20 feet. That added up to 40 truckloads of scaffolding and a major investment for Brown United.
“The scaffold was put to good use,” explains John Brown, CEO of Brown United. “They wanted to have the structures totally weatherproof. We bought all the sheet metal to make it so —there’s no vinyl or anything. And it is reusable, because the event is scheduled to do three shows over a five-year period. Material costs could be amortized over that period. There was a lot of investment made, because we have the contract for the 2017 and 2019 festivals as well.
“I don’t manufacture things to use once, ever,” Brown continues. “I’m not a scenic company that just makes art for one time. We build structural art. Our stuff lasts for 20 years or more.” Brown also took a different approach to the design of the main stage, incorporating a double supergrid to support both the fascia and the lighting.
Measuring in at 90 feet tall with a 22-foot proscenium, the main stage is the largest Brown has ever built. Described as “Frank Gehry-ish,” it sported 140 curved metal panels and three massive video screens, all connected to a separate grid. In addition to being easier to build, the double grid system also added reinforcement and stability in high winds. In contrast, the main stage at the last festival in Brazil was composed entirely of scaffolding and took 17 days to construct.
“That was a game-changer for them, because the skin that was used there leaked water. The scaffold came up through the skin as opposed to our grid, which goes over the skin, allowing it to float free with nothing sticking up to puncture it. Our roof is free and clear of any obstructions, so it’s completely weatherproof,” Brown adds. The double grid system was also used on the second stage, a 60 feet wide by 70 feet tall dome sheathed in white metal, again reminiscent of a Frank Gehry design. While visually eye catching, the fascia’s unique geometric shape “presented rigging challenges where we actually had to punch beams through the scenic elements to attach the audio, but it looks really cool,” Brown says.
While tropical downpours aren’t typically an issue in Las Vegas, strong springtime winds are. “We had winds of up to 67 m.p.h., [close to] hurricane conditions. It did blow our skin apart a little bit early in the build. We lost a couple of skins. We lowered our side walls and skins, but it took us about a week to recover,” explains Brown. “The wind was a factor when the guys were building, especially when it was dirt. Some became sick from breathing in whatever was in the dirt.”
Tackling these logistics with an international crew also presented challenges. “This one’s very much a design/build situation,” notes Simon Franklyn of International Rigging. “Normally, we do a festival or a show that we’ve done before, or if it’s a tour, it’s the same in every city. This one was a little bit different, with an international cast of characters that have a different way of doing things. There was a little bit of confusion going from metric to imperial, for example. If you’re a couple of inches off in your conversion factor, it’s a few feet by the time you’re hundreds of feet in the air.”
In the 12 weeks it took to complete the site build, Brown United’s crew grew from eight people to 50, along with teams of laborers from California and Nevada. Brown credits David Vujicik, Roy Bickel and Simon Franklyn with keeping everything running smoothly. “We were able to get Simon Franklyn, who is the top guy at this position. I don’t know anyone better than he is. He was the site manager, basically doing the biggest stages, the rigging and all that. He is known very well for his rigging; International Rigging is one of his companies. And I got Roy Bickel to work for me. That’s a great thing,” says Brown.
As Rock in Rio USA was wrapping up, Brown was already looking forward to return trips in 2017 and 2019. “Brown United is very fortunate to be able to do all of these events. I’d like to thank Nuno [Sousa Pinto] from Rock in Rio for hiring us, and for saying such nice things about us through the build. I think it’s a really great Rock in Rio family we’ve created here.”
