American music superstar Post Malone became the first entertainer to perform at TSX Broadway’s game-changing venue during a surprise pop-up concert in the heart of Times Square last month. On an otherwise ordinary afternoon, thousands of spectators converged in the Crossroads of the World to watch the musical artist hype his upcoming album Austin from a stage 30 feet above 47th Street—embedded in a massive LED video wall.
It made for a first-of-its-kind grand entrance as the giant 86,000-lb doors swung open to reveal Malone, guitar in hand, high above the crowds in Times Square.
Real estate investment firms L&L Holding Company, Fortress Investment Group and Maefield Development, alongside professional audio-video consultant Sensory Interactive, selected SNA Displays to provide all of the development’s video display technology and supporting system. “We are thrilled to unveil the TSX stage with an exceptional artist like Post Malone, “ TSX Entertainment co-CEO Nick Holmstén stated. “This iconic moment not only marks the beginning of a new era for live performance in Times Square but also showcases our commitment to providing unique and unforgettable experiences for fans around the world.”
TSX Broadway’s 18,000-square-foot main screen wraps around the skyscraper at the southeast corner of 7th Avenue and 47th Street directly across from Times Square’s iconic Red Steps. At nine stories tall, the mega-spectacular display system, built from SNA Displays’ EMPIRE Exterior LED display technology, employs an 8 mm pixel pitch with a resolution of 3,480 x 7,440 pixels. Processing approximately 25 million pixels, the main screen is the highest-resolution display in the history of Times Square. In February, it hosted a jumbo-sized end-to-end live broadcast of the NFL’s biggest game and halftime show of the year (yes, that game and that Rihanna) for the LIVE Big Game Times Square Watch Party; in a technical twist, each member of the crowd was sharing the giant screen using their own phone as a personal speaker via the TSX entertainment app.
Now TSX goes next level with the embedded stage. The suspended, 4,000-square-foot stage is cantilevered 30 feet above grade and complemented by custom-engineered and fabricated LED doors by Show Canada Industries that swing inward on hydraulic hinges. This setup allows entertainers to perform from “within” the video wall. With 8K Ultra-HD processing, the video display system was built to accommodate the next generation of video and broadcast media content.
