On September 6, 2003, JSA presented a grandiose light and music mega show on Red Square in Moscow. The event was organized as part of the City Day celebration. The number of spectators who came with tickets was about 30,000. However, approximately 100,000 people could watch the show for free on the streets in the city center.
The organizer and promoter of the project was JSA in partnership with Light Monument (Germany) and Multimedia International (Hungary) with the assistance of Mikhail Shurygin (NCA). Administrative support was provided by the Government of Moscow and the Committee for Culture of the City of Moscow. At the initiative of the JSA company, this event was included in the official list of the city’s festive events and agreed with the Kremlin commandant.
The production team of the whole project:
Producer and project manager – Alexander Strizhak; director, concept and set design – Gert Hof*; general manager of the show – Asteris Koutoulas; Booking Artists – Tim Dowdall; project production management – JSA team; technical manager – Gerd Helinski; event promoter – concert agency JSA: Yana Appazova (Gugunava), Valery Feofanov, Alexey Kotelnikov, Anastasia Osnas, Konstantin Krasnopyora.
Technical team:
Sky Spotlights – Procon (today – PRG Germany); fireworks – Pyro Show; sound equipment – Live Sound Agency; lighting equipment – A&O Lights and local Laser Kinetics; video screens – Big Screen Show; generator – PRO-1; energy supply – Nikita & Power Co; seats for spectators – Agency of Festival Programs; safety and security – Karat Ts; stage and other structures, safety barriers and temporary fencing – JSA Stage Company.
Performers of the musical program of the show: rock band Scorpions, singer Thomas Anders (ex-soloist – Modern Talking) and the Presidential Orchestra of the Russian Federation, conductor – Pavel Ovsyannikov.
In the first part of the concert, the Scorpions performed on the JSA stage, accompanied by the Orchestra with classical ballads. Then Thomas Anders played his part, where he sang for the first time the hit of Modern Talking – “You my Heart, You My Soul” in a slow version accompanied by the Orchestra. In the third part, the Scorpions again took the stage to accompany the light and pyrotechnic show and performed their energetic rock hits.
In this show, rock musicians Scorpions and pop singer Thomas Anders, accompanied by the Orchestra, sang several songs together for the first time. At the end, all participants performed the powerful song of the Scorpions – Rock You Like A Hurricane, to which a big fireworks display was arranged in the center of Moscow with pyrotechnic effects on Red Square.
As PollStar magazine wrote in the article “Hof set fire to the Kremlin”: It is quite possible that if Lenin had found out how much pyrotechnic equipment the Germans would bring to the Kremlin walls, he would have turned over in his mausoleum, but Gert Hof brought trucks loaded with pyrotechnics and other equipment to put on a show on Red Square in honor of Moscow City Day (September 6).
Below is the cover of PollStar magazine (back side) with a promo advertisement for the light and pyrotechnic mega show and a concert in Moscow on City Day from JSA – RED SQUARE IN FLAME
Music News Portal ZVUKI.RU: SCORPIONS HAPPY NEW YEAR! (MOSCOW)
Magazine SHOW MASTER № 34 / 2003: PER ASPERA AD ASTRA (THROUGH HARDSHIP TO THE STARS)
Newspaper “Kommersant” No. 161 from 09/08/2003: THE CHECKED SKY ON THE RED SQUARE Designer Gert Hof, singer Thomas Anders and the Presidential Orchestra have worked hard to achieve this.
An example of a neutral review of the show in the Newspaper “MK” 09/09/2003: Three light bulbs on the square.
Despite many obstacles from some people from the Russian show business, representatives of the city administration, unfriendly journalists, colleagues from the technical sector and internal sabotage by some company managers, the JSA team was able to make a big and significant event. The project was implemented successfully and a lot of work was done by all participants of the event.
We thank all the participants in the production of this project for their work, cooperation and support. Special thanks to the project manager from the Geert Hof team – Asteris Koutoulas.
Below are some photos taken at a party at the Baltschug Kempinski Hotel after the end of the show. Gert Hof, Asteris Koutoulas, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker of Scorpions, band manager Peter Amend, Valery Feofanov and Alexander Strizhak
Версия статьи на русском языке: СВЕТОВОЕ МУЗЫКАЛЬНОЕ МЕГА ШОУ НА КРАСНОЙ ПЛОЩАДИ В ДЕНЬ МОСКВЫ
See the first part of information and photos about the preparation of the Gert Hof Mega Show on Red Square in Moscow on September 6, 2003 here: JSA AND GERT HOF – MEGA SHOW ON THE MAIN SQUARE OF RUSSIA
A huge light and pyrotechnic show took place in the center of the Russian capital and went down in the history of Moscow’s festive events. It had a great impact on the further development of mass event production not only in Russia, but also on the European live music industry, especially in the technical sector.
UNFORTUNATELY, GERT HOF LEFT US ON JANUARY 24, 2012 BECAUSE OF ILLNESS.
WE CHERISH THE MEMORY OF HIM…. TOGETHER WE MADE A BIG EVENT.
© All photos and promo stuff are the copyright of JSA Stage Company.