Waldbühne Rügen enchants visitors before a performance even begins on its stage. Nestled in the thickly wooded rolling hills on the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, it creates a magical setting for fans to enjoy a diverse range of acts, from electronic music’s Thomas Lizzara and Pretty Pink, and rockers like Torfrock, not to mention an array of other shows that even includes musicals.
The venue itself also presents an impressive sight, with its semi-circle of ascending seats cupped around a rectangular covered stage, an arrangement that helps create a cozy feeling for artists and fans alike. This sense of intimacy is strengthened even more by the open area in front of the stage, where fans can gather to dance or simply get a better look at their favorite performers.
Contributing to the atmosphere at Waldbühne Rügen is a truss-mounted LED video wall that runs across the central part of the upstage deck. Installed in 2021 by
Hellcon Veranstaltungstechnik Stralsund and made with 64 CHAUVET Professional F5 IP panels, the wall helps connect fans to the stage, regardless of where they are in the venue.
“Our focus was on enhancing the visibility of the artists on stage and creating different options to display projections or other media relevant material,” said Andre Hellmich of Hellcon Veranstaltungstechnik Stralsund, who notes that the panels are controlled via the VIP Drive 43Nova 2 and various video processing consoles such as Atem Mini / Studio.“We wanted to integrate a square wall into a round arched stage, so that there was good visibility in the tiers for everyone.”
The F5 IP’s 6,000 NITS maximum illuminance and 160ﹾ/155ﹾ viewing angle help ensure that fans see crisp clear images regardless of where they are seated. For those fans who enter the empty space in front of the stage, the panels’ 5.9mm pixel pitch enhances their visual experience as well.
“It was essential to us that the panels have small pixel spacing, because some of the audience is standing very close in front of this LED wall,” said Hellmich. “No pixel spacing should be visible from close by.”
Given that Waldbühne Rügen is an outdoor venue located on an island (Germany’s largest) in the Baltic, the IP 65 rating of the F5-IP panels was also critical to the decision by Hellcon Veranstaltungstechnik Stralsund to specify this product for the venue’s video wall.
“First and foremost was the outdoor capability of the Chauvet panels, as the LED wall is located outside all summer,” said Hellmich. “The weather can get very rough on an island.”
Rough? Indeed, but regardless of the weather, the island of Rügen offers ample delights with its chalk cliffs, deep woods, long sandy beaches and a welcoming live music venue that’s become even more immersive now thanks to its new video wall.
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