Accompanied by a hot backing band and a dozen dancers, Miley starts her show with a set as Hanna Montana, her TV alter ego from the wildly successful Disney Channel show, then returns after a quick costume change to do another full set as herself, recording artist Miley Cyrus.
An outrageous production design by the veteran team of Kenny Ortega and Michael Cotten gives Miley fans a show to remember. The video intensive set design includes five flying Barco MiTrix cubes and four Nocturne high resolution V9 LED video walls surrounding the stage. Nocturne partnered with equipment supplier VER to accomplish the vision of Cotten's design, an interactive mobile kaleidoscope of flash and style.
"The lightweight and adaptability of the V9 screens enabled the designers to add more lighting elements than with any other high resolution LED product out there today," says Paul Becher, co-CEO of Nocturne Productions. "Thanks to these talented designers a show commensurate with Hanna's popularity has been created."
Director George Elizando and engineer Steven Davis control the 19 individual video surfaces using a Pinnacle i9000 switcher and an expanded Vista Systems Spyder system. During the show Miley interacts with graphics on the LED walls, which are fed from a custom playback system incorporating three Green Hippo media servers. The IMAG component of the show is captured using Ikegami HL-45 cameras and several strategically placed POV cams to cover the fast paced show from every angle.
Outstanding teamwork is necessary to get the complex show up and running in a new venue every day, especially for the weekend matinee performances that begin at 4pm. Mark Woody, Steve "Bone" Gray, Justin McLean, and Dane Mustola take care of the daily set up of the V9 walls and MiTrix cubes, while Evan Huff and crew chief Eric Geiger build the video thrust into the audience and install the live cameras.
"The phenomenon of Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana is like nothing we’ve ever experienced before," notes Becher. "Her audience is the loudest I’ve ever heard in over 30 years in this business. From the time she hits the stage until she leaves, her fans are on their feet screaming the entire time."
As Miley herself told Oprah Winfrey during a recent interview in front of 2,500 wildly appreciative fans, "I recommend earplugs."
If crowd reaction is any indication, Miley will be rocking on the road for years to come. Unprecedented demand for tickets has made national news since the tour was announced.
“Can you get tickets to the Hannah Montana show?” Becher continues. "This question is what seems to be asked of me every other phone call."