History of application of LED video technology in live performance

Figure 1 Visual effects of the 1960s

Back in the 1970s, avant-garde rock replaced psychedelic music, such as Genesis, The Tubes, and Power Station bands, adding multimedia elements to film projectors and TV monitors to the tour. Pre-programmed slide projectors can display content during the program as scheduled, which is a great improvement for visually random material in the 1960s. The US stadium and stage began to install the IMAG (Image Magnification) system, which allows viewers sitting at the farthest point of the stadium or performance venue to watch the game or performance at close range. These techniques are also used in touring concerts and witnessed "singing The birth of the video director.

In the first performance of "The Wall" by Pink Floyd in 1979, the elaborate video projection was applied, which is a key element in the performance (see Figure 2).

Figure 2 Live performance in the 1970s

In the early 1980s, several bands purchased their own tour video equipment and set up a company to manage and sell equipment without a tour. Nocturne Productions (now part of PRG), Tasco and Delicate Productions are just a few pioneer companies.

Industrial video projectors such as Talaria and Eidophor can be used to combine live cameras with pre-recorded images and project them across a large screen. Screen walls based on modular picture tubes such as Jumbtron and Astrovision are also in use. In 1983, David Bowie first used the screen wall. In 1987, Texas Instruments used digital micromirror chips, and later digital optical processing projectors replaced Talaria and Eidophor. In the late 1980s, large video screens and camera systems became an integral part of large stadiums (see Figure 3).

Figure 3 Performance video equipment in the 1980s

In the early 1990s, Roger Waters performed "The Wall" in Berlin, and the progress made in projection was very obvious. In 1994, Japan Nichia Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. demonstrated a commercially viable high-brightness blue LED. In 1995, Chris Tieb used a computer-based media server on a tour, and Catalyst was a pioneer. By 1997, the popular style tour market represented by the U2 band used the rotatable LED screen for the first time (the recently introduced blue LED became a key component). In 1998, the second generation LED screen was used for the babes' world tour. In the same year, high-definition players came out (see Figure 4).

Figure 4 LED screen in the 1990s

In the 21st century, video technology has finally become easy to operate and user-friendly, meeting the creative requirements of program designers and the use of complex touring/activity projects. SDI broadcast cameras and switchers are also integrated into the touring flight segment camera system, a major advancement that has made all components and analog systems a thing of the past. With the latest Mac computer image processing capabilities, media servers such as Catalyst and Mbox are widely used (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 Video equipment of the 21st century

In 2006, the live performance of the fool punk has great influence. The performance combines multiple different LED originals into one custom device and opens up the competition between DJ and EDM artists. In 2009, U2 began a 360 tour, reaching new heights in scale and complexity.

Figure 6 "The Wall" concert in different eras