When show director Michel Laprise visited the childhood home of Soda Stereo frontman Gustavo Cerati and spoke with his mother, he learned that young Gustavo was an avid fan of science fiction. When he later told Zeta and Charly about this revelation, they told him that sci-fi was one of the many passions that united all three of them in the first place. Inspired by this discovery, Michel imagined an entire world that thrived on the energy of Soda Stereo’s music and the deep connection that existed between the band and its fans.

The SEP7IMO DIA creative team decided to challenge the notion of a “normal” stage to express the story of the show, therefore, the idea of creating a spherical body in the shape of a planet became the core of the show’s set design – a first at Cirque du Soleil. Revolving around this new world that echoes Soda Stereo’s love for sci-fi, are satellites that move into the “standing room” area of the audience to create a feeling of proximity and total engagement in the constantly changing multimedia-intensive environment.

The SEP7IMO DIA set contains acrobatic and décor elements inspired by Soda Stereo’s music videos and the lyrics of the songs, which die-hard fans will recognize. In a collaboration that spanned over a year, Vita Motus Design Studio designed the set and props for Séptimo Día-No Descansaré. NORMAL, a studio that specializes in video content and scenography, created the video environments.

• THE WHEELS OF CHILDHOOD — The three futuristic looking rings “orbiting” the planet are vessels symbolizing each of the band members’ boyhood days. These rings are equipped with LED screens along the outer side that tell the story of the three musicians. Early in the show, three umbrellas appear at the center of the large wheels. They are a direct evocation of the three luminous umbrellas on the “Me Veras Volver” album cover, which were also the core set element of the 2007 comeback tour. Through this evocation, it is implied that SEP7IMO DIA picks up where the band left off in 2007. The Childhood Wheels are more than 4 meters tall while the Signos Wheels, which are made of aluminum with a steel cradle, are 5 meters tall.
  
  
• THE INNER CORE — Using automated systems powered by four motors on a moving track, the planet also opens up to reveal its inner core. Artists perform on the circular stage, on the floor among the audience, and on the flat surface inside the planet’s core. The portion of the planet that opens up serves as a giant projection surface that becomes a sun or a moon depending on the storyline.
  
  
• GIANT MUSHROOMS — The vegetation on the Soda Stereo planet, which feeds on the vibrations of the music, comes in the form of giant mushrooms. The sculptures are skinned with a translucent drop that reveals the interior structure; the scrim doubles up as a projection surface. Translucent atmospheric cloud sculptures above the stage are also used for projections, combined with a giant, semicircle scrim.

To echo Soda Stereo’s perpetual rejection of conformity, no “standard” screens are used in the show. All video-projections are delivered on unconventionally shaped and often whimsical surfaces that meld with the décor, whether they are circular, curved or translucent. Most video-projections that evoke the world of SEP7IMO DIA are based on a pictorial and abstract approach, replete with geometrical shapes and “optical art” effects. A great deal of the projected content is created using simple DIY techniques – a style that Soda Stereo was fond of – such as hand-painted images and effects.