Seamless Touring Tech: Breaking Boundaries Without Breaking a Sweat
In the high-stakes world of concert touring, where creativity and technology intersect, Rogue Productions has carved a niche by delivering cutting-edge media solutions. Recently, the company showcased the capabilities of its Rogue Servers, powered by PIXERA (a media server software made by AV Stumpfl), during the co-headlining "Sweat Tour" featuring artists Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. 

COUR Design, a Nashville-based creative content house spearheaded the tour's design. The production called for seamless integration of live camera feeds with dynamic visuals, precise synchronization with music and lighting, and the ability to make real-time adjustments. These demands required a media server solution capable of balancing technical sophistication with user-friendly workflows.

Joe Vaughn from Rogue Productions explained, "COUR Design approached us with a clear vision for the tour. They wanted to push beyond the limits of traditional playback systems. While other platforms are fine for pre-rendered content, most lack flexibility. PIXERA offered the next step up in quality and capability without the excessive costs of other high-end systems."

Rogue Productions used two Rogue Servers in a multi-user session, driving both LED screens as well as the tour’s projection system. The team devised a unique approach to achieve the tour's cinematic "film look." Live camera feeds were captured at 24 frames per second for natural motion blur, while pre-rendered content was output at 48 frames per second to ensure smooth playback. Joe noted, "We ran the cameras at 24 fps but rendered the outputs at 48 fps, which gave us the best of both worlds—smooth playback for video and the film look for live shots. It worked beautifully."

Pre-production for the tour involved a week of intensive programming in Peoria, Illinois, where the entire show was built on-site with the actual set. This hands-on approach allowed the team to leverage PIXERA's real-time capabilities, making adjustments to align perfectly with COUR Design's creative vision. Johnny Kingsbury, the tour's creative production designer, worked closely with Joe and his team to integrate video, lighting, and music into a cohesive experience.

"PIXERA's timeline editing was a game-changer for this project," Joe explained. "Unlike other systems where you drop in content, hit play and hope for the best, PIXERA allowed us to tweak everything during rehersals: effects, color correction, and timing. That level of flexibility made all the difference."

Joe noted that during the tour, the overall system latency was measured at just seven frames from camera to screen, with three frames attributed to the LED processor, demonstrating the almost-frictionless efficiency of PIXERA's architecture.

The success of PIXERA's integration impressed even the skeptics. "At first, the creative designer was hesitant and wanted to use a more established platform like Disguise," Joe shared. "But this project was a test for PIXERA, and it exceeded expectations. By the end, she loved it so much that she wants to use PIXERA on all her future tours."

This success is already paving the way for future projects. Rogue is set to program Troye Sivan's Australian tour and Charli XCX's UK tour, both leveraging PIXERA. "It's spreading," Joe joked. "We're becoming part of the PIXERA virus in the best way possible."

Rogue Productions and PIXERA have redefined the possibilities of live concert visuals, offering a no-sweat solution to complex production challenges. Their collaboration not only delivered an unforgettable experience for audiences but also set a new standard for creativity and adaptability in the touring industry.