Robe makes Colossal impact at Balaton Sound
- Details
Robe moving lights had a big presence on the main stage with over 200 fixtures in a high impact production design created by LD Mark Kontra and delivered by Budapest-based rental company, Colossal LTD.
Apart from the Main Stage, there was even more of a Robe buzz on site this year as the brand’s own Show Truck rocked up – fresh from a four-date tour in Switzerland – and became an integral part of the backstage village. The Show Truck’s tent extension provided a hub for the media and press, while VIP guests of Robe’s Hungarian distributor AVL Trade could chill out in the lounge area or enjoy a unique view of the extensive festival site from the sun deck above.
The starting point of Mark’s Main Stage lighting design was to incorporate the general wishes of all the headliners and with that in mind, to be as flexible as possible to ensure that all appearing on the main stage looked spectacular.
While Colossal does have plenty of Robe in the inventory, he chose “the best lights for the job” and this included 42 x BMFL Spots, 52 x MegaPointes, 40 x ColorStrobe Lites, 12 x ColorStrobe IPs and 52 x Spiiders plus some other luminaires.
These were all installed in trusses flown from the StageCo roof / stage system, having been picked for their “brightness, features and adaptability” reported Mark. Only the headliners on the Main Stage enjoyed full darkness, so the most intense and highest impact lights were needed for effect. BMFLs and MegaPointes were chosen.
His mission was to give all the guest LDs / operators sufficient latitude and multiple options as well as ensure that Colossal’s operators – who lit any artists not touring with an LD / operator – could create great looking lighting.
“We know these Robe fixtures are robust and rock solid,” he commented. This is a major consideration for EDM events where the kit routinely gets a good hammering due to the lightning quick nature and style of the lighting.
The Spiiders and ColorStrobe Lites were rigged in three shrinking perspective arch shapes made up from overhead and side trusses, with the BMFL and MegaPointes also deployed overhead and along the side trusses.
The ColorStrobe IPs were along the front of the stage in more exposed positions, although rain was not an issue this year.
Some fixtures were retained for use on the floor, and several artists also brought in their own floor packages that were used in conjunction with the ‘house’ top rig.
The production lighting control desks were two grandMA3s and a Network Processing Unit.
Joining Mark on the Colossal lighting team were Aron Kovacs and Attila Lenzser who shared most of the Main Stage operating duties, working alongside lighting technicians Gabor Balint, Gabor Fitos and David Kovacs.
Balaton Sound was the first full music festival for Robe’s Show Truck which will be steaming around Europe this summer following its reveal at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt. The truck is currently fully booked this year through October, with its next festival stop being the 2022 Colours of Ostrava in the Czech Republic at the old Dolní Vítkovice steelworks heritage site in Ostrava.
