The Philadelphia Eagles recently held an extravagant house party Sept. 8 to herald their new home at Lincoln Financial Field. Lighting Systems Design, Inc. (LSDI) produced a spectacular stadium opening show combining lasers, lighting, pyrotechnics and huge fireballs to provide what spectators claimed is one of the most spectacular shows ever witnessed in the City of Brotherly Love.

The event was part of a half-hour Monday Night Football pre-game show which featured Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan singing "God Bless America," a stirring video of Eagles history, Teddy Pendergrass singing the National Anthem, an F-16 flyover, and a surprise appearance by actor Sylvester Stallone. The show was designed to inaugurate the new stadium and kick-off the Eagles' 2003 NFL season with an unforgettable experience for more than 67,000 fans in attendance and the 2 million plus fans watching the local ABC affiliates broadcast.

Although the Eagles lost their opening game to the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the highlight of the evening by all accounts was LSDI’s opening show.

Three 50 watt Nd:YAG laser systems shot precisely timed beams throughout the stadium and projected huge graphics onto the entire football field. Graphics highlights were the Eagles logos, an eagle animation flying around the field, and an animation of #5 Donovan McNabb dropping back and throwing a pass across the field.

Ten SX7K Syncrolites pierced the stadium sky with colorful shafts of moving light. PRG/Fourth Phase supplied the Flying Pig Systems Wholehog® II lighting console and High End Systems lighting including 30 x.Spot® Xtreme automated luminaires, which colorfully washed the stadium fans with gobos of the Eagles logos and footballs. Twenty-four High End Systems Dataflash® AF1000 strobe flashed from the field building the excitement. More than 3,000 pieces of pyrotechnic product were shot from the field and the stadium’s rooftop wings, fired by Pyrotecnico of New Castle, PA. In addition, Sigma Services, Inc. of Plant City, Fla, provided two huge fireball "blasts" that emanated from the field for a momentous crescendo.

The creative team at LSDI choreographed all of the show elements to a very loud, pumped-up version of AC/DC’s "For Those About To Rock, We Salute You." The five and a half minute show ran flawlessly synchronized with SMPTE time code.

"Running the show was great," says LSDI's Greg Makhov, show producer/president. "As each of the elements was introduced into the show, you could hear the audience response. We had everyone on their feet halfway through the show. It was great!"

Agreeing is LSDI's Robert DiAddezio. "This show was a tremendous experience all the way around," says DiAddezio, the event's creative producer/show director. "From the thunderous crowd response to the great production team, it was a show I will never forget. We rocked the house!"

Says Joe Banner, President/CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles, "I had very high expectations for the opening show. This show exceeded all my expectations."

Production Information:
Production Company: Lighting Systems Design, Inc. (www.lsdi.com)
Lasers: Lighting Systems Design, Inc.
Wysiwyg Systems: PreLite, Okamoto Designs
Lighting Contractors: PRG / Fourth Phase, Syncrolite
Pyrotechnics: Pyrotecnico
Flame Effects: Sigma Services
Video: Eagles Television Network
Communication: CP Communications
Local Labor Management: Stealth Production Services
Safety Consultants: Rockwell Laser Industries

Production Crew:
Show Producer / Laser Technician: Greg Makhov
Creative Producer / Show Director / Music Editor: Robert W. DiAddezio
Lighting Designer / WYSIWYG Programming: Michael J. Okamoto
Technical Director: John Birchman
Business Manager: Phyllis Monahan
Stage Manager: Todd Murphy
Stage Manager: Jeff de Quevedo
Stage Manager: Doug McCullough
Safety Consultant: Tony Zmorenski
Laser Programming / Digitizing: David Gaskins
Pyrotechnic Producer: Chris Mele
Pyrotechnic Choreography / Programming: Ralph Piacquadio
Pyrotechnic Pre Show Site Coordinator: Ken Furstoss
Pyrotechnic Site Coordinator: Michael J. Fox Video
Producer / Editor: Ron Schindlinger
Production Electrician: Erica Collins
Lighting Programmer / Operator: Ian Forbes
Rigging Supervisor: Ken Rose
Laser Technician: Philip Rohrhoff
Laser Technician: Ryan Callahan
Flame Effects Technician: Russell Clark
Flame Effects Technician: Travis Weir
Syncrolite Technician: Eric Braudaway
Local Crew Manager: John Keating

Production Gear:
2 – Lee Laser 8100MQG/L 50 watt Nd:YAG lasers
1 – Lee Laser LDP100MQG 50 watt Nd:YAG laser
2 – LSDI PM3500 laser projector
1 – LSDI Excalibur laser projector
3 – Pangolin Laser Systems QM2000 laser control system
30 – High End Systems x.Spot Xtreme (4:1)
2 – Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II console
24 – High End Systems Dataflash® AF1000 xenon strobes
10 – Syncrolite SX7K
3 – Pyrodigital Consultants pyrotechnic control system
4 – Lycian 1290 Followspot
4 – Lycian 1294 Followspot
4 – 1/2 ton CM chain motor
2 – Brainstorm Electronics Time Code distribution amplifiers

Photos and story courtesy of LSDI.

Media Contact: Debi Moen, HES Marketing Communications Specialist, phone 512-836-2242 x 1204.