It is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, witnessed by millions of people from every corner of the globe – but whilst the Superbowl was something of a one-sided washout with the Denver Broncos embarrassed by the Seattle Seahawks, LED lighting provided a beautiful spectacle during the stunning half time show.

The actual sporting action has become somewhat secondary to the ceremony of the half time show and the pre-match build up. Whilst the stop-start nature of the sport does not seem to appeal to audiences outside of the USA, the big-name performances at half time continue to draw big crowds.

This year's spectacular included performances from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruno Mars and was backed by the 80,000 strong crowd wearing LED-powered hats. As the sun set and the lights within the stadium dimmed, the LEDs atop the heads of the supporters inside the stadium lit up the whole affair with a resplendent and eerie beauty.

Every member of the crowd became an important pixel in which was effectively the largest LED screen in history. The LED lights twinkled and flickered in time with the music that was played by the Superbowl’s star musical attractions, creating a unique ambience.


Ricky Kirshner of Touchdown Entertainment, the company charged with organising the halftime show explained: "Everyone will get a wool hat with a built in LED screen in their warming package under their seat cushion. We're asking for audience participation. Please, don’t leave your seat. It will take up the entire stadium. It's the first time we’ve done anything like this. If you were to look at the Grammy's where there’s a backdrop, this extends that backdrop to the entire stadium."

All of the hats were controlled by infrared lights that were situated around the stadium which utilising transmitters, helped create a series of multi-coloured effects. These were controlled in real time in the same way that a DJ would control music and lighting at a concert. This allowed the musicians and the lighting artists to work in tandem to create a truly unique spectacle.

All of the lights possessed a number of different of functions to create a wide selection of different visionary tricks. Every bulb could pulse, fade and shimmer, leading to a wide selection of different combinations to play through the stadium.

The act was inspired by ancient fire rituals and modern gatherings such as the Burning Man festival. Allowing the audience to participate in the immersive and interactive performance gives the thousands of people present a sense of community and involvement in the whole spectacle.

The show has been in the plans since September and leaves very little room for error. Every detail of the show has been meticulously planned to ensure that there are no mistakes as the world looks on.

Astute Lighting Director, Anwar Adam, believes that LED lighting provide an excellent opportunity for the arts: "LED lights are incredibly vibrant and capable of producing a fantastic range of colours and tones. I think as the technology continues to improve, we will see LED lights involved more and more in the entertainment spectrum. There are almost limitless possibilities when incorporating LED technology."

This is far from the first time that thousands of LED lights have been used in tandem to create an extravagant showcase. Way back in the winter of 2008-2009, the Japan Winter Gardens were lit by 4.5 million LED lights cascading over a walkway in stunning fashion. The Winter Gardens, situated in the popular Nabana no Sato theme park illuminated in 64 billion different colours.

(CD/MH)