Motor Stage Automation (MSA) supplied a complete automation system — comprising Moveket VMK-S 500 variable-speed hoists, Moveket V-Motion 40 E drives, a specially modified Alfasystem M-1020L stage lift and Moveket control — for Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour.
This system enabled the implementation of various scenic, creative and technical solutions tailored to the production’s visual and operational demands.
Among the moving elements were two large LED rings measuring 8 and 5 metres in diameter, six lighting pods and a “puck” on which the artist was elevated and flown above the stage, while the rings created kaleidoscopic effects overhead. A stage lift positioned upstage was also integrated and used extensively for stage access during Dua Lipa’s acclaimed and highly visual live performance.
The production design was a collaboration between tour and creative director Pete Abbott and show designer Matt Pitman, who also created the lighting design. Sam Jackson served as head of automation and Ross Maynard as production manager, coordinating the technical departments.
Sam and Ross brought MSA on board to develop a tour-ready solution capable of supporting this elaborate and highly effective staging. Together with MSA project manager Jimmy Johnson, they designed a transportable automation system suitable for touring.
The system complied with EU safety regulations and was optimised to be as practical and portable as possible, enabling fast and efficient load-ins and load-outs.
The rings were custom-built circular scenic structures with integrated LED lighting, capable of lifting, tilting and rotating smoothly and in sync with each other. Combined with dynamic LED pixel chase sequences, they generated a striking three-dimensional visual effect that appeared to float in mid-air. Meanwhile, Dua Lipa performed on the B stage, located at the end of an approximately 12-metre thrust extending from the main stage. She was then elevated on the puck to position herself at the centre of the two moving LED rings. These key show moments took place during Love Again and Anything for Love, after which the artist descended to the stage floor and the puck returned to the roof.
Each LED ring was suspended by four Moveket VMK-S 500 variable-speed hoists, allowing precise control of lift, tilt and rotation. The aerial platform, meanwhile, was supported by three hoists of the same model. As for the six lighting pods — positioned downstage left and right — each was driven by two dedicated motors. The pods were equipped with 8 moving heads, 8 strobes and one laser per unit. Altogether, the system totalled 23 active hoists distributed across the performance area.
The pod motors were synchronised to operate at the same time and speed, all controlled by George Davies from FOH using a Moveket Expert-T III console and the Moveket KES operating system.
PosiStageNet (PSN) positional data was sent from the Expert III to the SFX department’s grandMA3 console. For safety, the SFX team set system limits to prevent laser cues from running unless the pod was stopped in predefined positions — calculated with the necessary tolerance. If the position fell outside these parameters, the emergency stop (ES) system was automatically triggered and the lasers did not activate.
One of the main challenges for the automation department, according to Sam, was integrating all technical systems — lighting, video and lasers — distributed throughout the venue into a single control infrastructure. This required centralising signals and data and routing everything back to FOH, where George operated the system alongside lighting director Aaron Veness, while ensuring clean, organised and efficient cable management.
The stage lift was located centre upstage and was designed, manufactured and commissioned by MSA based on an Alfasystem model modified to meet the specific technical and scenic requirements of the production.
The lifting system incorporated a SERAPID motorised chain mechanism rather than a hydraulic system, providing enhanced precision and control. It operated on a 32A power supply and complied with the European EN 17206 standard for “machinery for stages”. The lift was controlled via a Moveket Basic controller, independent from the other moving elements, with a vertical travel of 2.5 metres. The console allowed different user access levels to be configured for load-in and show operation, ensuring that stage carpenters could only execute cues programmed by the automation team. By simply pushing the joystick up or down, the lift moved accurately to its programmed position. “It’s very robust”, commented Sam, “it worked flawlessly from show to show”.
During load-ins and load-outs, the automation system was installed sequentially to optimise timing and logistics. The B stage was rigged first, followed by the overhead structures above the main stage, and finally the suspended elements across the rest of the venue.
The MSA system was conceived to streamline this process. Power supplies and key components were integrated into racks and dollies ready to roll directly into position, reducing handling and connection times. In addition, its modular design — with no components exceeding 1.5 metres in height — facilitated air transport and palletisation, ensuring efficient logistics throughout the tour.
It was a highly collaborative effort across the technical departments, with very close coordination between lighting, effects, video and automation to ensure all systems operated in an integrated and synchronised manner, stated Sam.
In addition to Sam and George, the automation team included technicians Alex Hughes and Joseph Rapson.
This tour also marked Sam’s first time working with MSA: “I had heard about them for some time and their reputation kept growing, so we were keen to involve them in this production — and the service exceeded that of any other automation supplier I’ve worked with before”.
It was very rewarding to be able to supply a broad range of largely standard products and adapt them with practical solutions that met the stringent functional safety requirements defined by the production team. Working with the entire team was an excellent experience. The key to the tour’s success was the ongoing communication with Dua Lipa’s production team from the design phase, as well as MSA’s ability to develop efficient and safe integration solutions tailored to the tour’s needs, concluded Jimmy Johnson.
