The 2016 Billboard Music Awards delivered a soulful, action packed, star-studded and powerful show. As touted by both Billboard and Rolling Stone, P!NK flew away (literally!) with one of the best performances. Consistent with her now infamous previous live performances, P!NK took flight and soared acrobatically above the Billboard Music Award audience, for her world television debut of her latest single “Just Like Fire,” a song from the Alice Through the Looking Glass soundtrack. To accomplish this seemingly dare-devil like feat, TAIT Towers provided P!NK’s performer flying elements and proprietary automation software platform, TAIT Navigator, which guaranteed her safety by controlling the speed and movements.
Despite previous performances where P!NK typically uses a harness for her flight expeditions, this time, she performed without a harness–LIVE ON TV!
“Every project we do for P!NK is always unique. Given her acrobatic background, there is always a desire to do something more thrilling and more extravagant each time she performs. This performance was particularly unique because P!NK flies through the air without using a harness. Obviously, safety and reliability are key, and we were able to utilize our TAIT Navigator to control her speed and execution,” Ben Gasper, Project Manager, TAIT.
TAIT provided a performing flying package that included five single line performer flying T-winches and a 50 foot 2D trolley system. At the opening of “Just Like Fire,” P!NK wrapped herself in a golden rope trapeze and took flight above the audience while applying her silk acrobatic technique. The golden rope trapeze hung from a pocket watch prop that was attached to TAIT’s single line performer flying winch. After approximately thirty seconds, P!NK returned to the stage and she strutted the runway to the opposite end. At that time, TAIT’s performer flying winches lifted P!NK’s two backup dancers into the air to perform synchronized acrobatic moves. To end her epic performance, P!NK boarded a giant scenic clock hand that ascended into the air to meet a massive, fire-lit clock above the stage.
“Being that the Billboard Music Awards are performed on live TV, we only had one shot to pull of safe automation for P!NK’s courageous performance. Being in the live entertainment and automation business for so long, we are used to working in “first time right” constraints. It takes a special breed to work under that amount of pressure, provide the safest gear, and adapt to any changing needs at a moment’s notice. TAIT was very pleased to have the opportunity to be involved in one of the best performances of the evening,” Ben Gasper.
Naturally these productions require a team. For this performance, P!NK’s team consisted of Joe Sanchez, Production Manager, and Baz Halpin, Show Director from Silent House Productions, as well as Scenic Route, Dreya Weber, Kish Rigging, and Dick Clark Productions. For P!NK’s performance of “Just Like Fire” at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, TAIT provided a performance flying package that raised the bar for flying performances in the music industry.
The 2016 Billboard Music Awards were held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV on Sunday, May 22nd, 2016 at 8:00 pm EST and 5:00 pm PST to celebrate and honor the hottest names in the music today.
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