The Netherlands - CLF Lighting has launched CLF Poseidon, a powerful outdoor beam fixture that has been developed for smooth CMY colour mixing.
Based on the successful CLF Aorun, Poseidon comes with a fast and accurate feature set including a double prism, gobo wheel, animation section and frost. The 190mm wide lens and optics allow big mid-air effects with a bright and punchy beam, delivered by a 400W light source. Colours can be mixed smoothly by using the CMY wheels and a fixed colour wheel is also available.
The IP65-rated housing is equipped with specially designed motors enabling fast pan and tilt movements. A bright O-LED screen offers easy access to on-board settings, even in bright environments.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Fans, who turned out for Anthony Hamilton’s three-date Florida swing in late December, finished 2019 with a bang. In addition to seeing the Grammy-winning R&B artist perform his hits, they got to enjoy a stellar cast of supporting artists, featuring Ja Rule, K Michelle and Joe.
Each act was supported by a punchy Josh Lawson lightshow that delivered its searing visuals with help from six Chauvet Professional Maverick MK2 Profile fixtures supplied by Apogee Productions of Longwood, Florida.
“I approached each act differently as Ja Rule is classic hard-hitting rap, Joe is a more laid-back version of R&B, and K Michelle is an artist who tells a lot of stories of her past relationships,” says Lawson. “Since the three stops made in Florida were at arenas, it gave me more stage space to play with than I have at my normal club shows. I took advantage of this, by working with different light angles, backlighting and colour combinations to reflect the individual style of each artist on stage.
“Early in the show, I used a solid colour wash with a follow spot, and then transitioned to more colour as the night progressed,” continues Lawson. “When I do multiple acts I like to build on them and make the looks more complex as the night progresses.”
Flown at evenly spaced intervals on upstage truss, the Maverick MK2 Profile fixtures filled a variety of roles in the flexible design, serving as general stage washes, in addition to being used for spot lighting, specials, backlighting, and audience washing.
“The shutter blad

UK - Lighting designer James Scott specified 96 impression X4 Bar 20 battens from GLP when London-based rapper / producer AJ Tracey played two shows at Alexandra Palace recently.
The gigs were the culmination of a long year in which Scott, director of multi-disciplinary creative design studio Suluko, had been an essential part of the artist’s creative team, headed by Tawbox. AJ Tracey toured first the UK Academy circuit followed by the festival season, with a simple floor package.
Lighting inventory for the tour had been supplied by Siyan but when it came to the Ally Pally shows production manager Joel Stanley awarded the project to Neg Earth.
The creative for the show was devised by Tawbox, who designed the screen layout and the concept of AJ performing in the round. “This was a specific show design for Ally Pally,” explains Scott. “The concept of the show was in connection with the historical broadcast nature of Alexandra Palace, which ties in with AJ Tracey’s iconic tag line of ‘AJ Tracey . . . Live & Direct’.”
The X4 Bars had formed an essential part of his rig and were specified to fulfil a specific purpose. “I needed a batten fixture that was capable of multi cell control and that was also zoomable,” he says.
“They had a very noticeable role in this design; they were positioned in a square layout to delineate the edge of the 350mm deep square stage and then mirrored in the air to echo the shape of the video box.” Scott adds that he always runs the X4 Bars in Single Pixel High Resolution Mode (89-channel)

UK - White Light has supplied the lighting for You Stupid Darkness!, which recently opened at the Southwark Playhouse in London.
Presented by Paines Plough and Theatre Royal Plymouth, You Stupid Darkness! is a new play set within the Brightline Call Centre. It focusses on four colleagues who try to keep their lives together whilst the outside world falls apart.
The lighting designer on the show is Peter Small, who comments: “My brief for this production was that it shouldn’t feel ‘lit’; meaning I wanted it to feel as natural as possible to the audience. The concept was that you had sort of peeled the wall off this strange office and were peering in from a dark place, somewhat ‘fly on the wall’. This concept meant working closely with set designer Amy Jane Cook and adding in masking which would allow me to drop the rig very low and hide it away from the audience. As this was a dystopian piece, I also had to have a rig that would allow for bursts of surrealism, alongside the hyperrealism.”
And whilst the show is dealing with large issues, the production itself was all about the smaller details. Peter explains: “The set is the same location throughout and also very naturalistic. Therefore a lot of my lighting had to showcase a passage in time, as this was often the only indication in between scenes. I did this by varying the background from return to return; sometimes the computer was on, sometimes the lamps were on and off, sometimes someone left the main light off but forgot to turn the kitchen light off etc. The show al

UK - Sound Technology, the distributor of Martin by Harman in the UK, is holding a Martin ERA Performance showcase event at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden on 17 February.
The event will run from 11am to 4pm and will see the complete ERA Performance range on demo.
Sound Technology has also announced the immediate shipping of the Martin ERA 400 Performance CLD. The ERA 400 is the first of the ERA Performance series, announced at LDI in November, to become available, with the remainder of range which consists of the warm white version of the ERA 400, the ERA 600 Performance and ERA 800 Performance - the brightest moving profile fixture in Martin's history - arriving in February.
The 10,000lm ERA 400 Performance CLD features a 300W 6,500K LED light engine, and in common with the entire ERA Performance range, has crisp optics with a flat field, CMY colour mixing, a full curtain framing system, fixed and rotating gobo wheels loaded with user-favourite gobos from the renowned MAC range, iris, prism and frost filter. Weighing just 20kg, the ERA 400 Performance is lightweight, compact and easy to rig.
Whether being used for small and mid-sized concert and touring, live TV productions, corporate shows, cruise line or houses of worship, the Martin ERA 400 Performance CLD is suitable for a long list of scenarios, requiring a versatile LED profile.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Obsidian Control Systems’ complete line-up of Netron data distribution products is now in stock and ready to ship from the company’s US and European warehouses.
Netron is a comprehensive range of DMX splitters and ethernet to DMX gateways, supporting applications from live production and venue installations to architectural environments. All Netron products can be configured through either the internal OLED screen and encoder, or the integrated web menu system, which works from PC, Mac and any mobile device.
The Netron range offers three Ethernet to DMX gateways and three RDM splitters.
The EN12 is a powerful, high-density Ethernet to DMX gateway with 12 RDM compatible ports. The EN4 is a powerful Ethernet to DMX gateway with four RDM-compatible ports. Designed for live production and installations with a rugged housing and high-performance processing, it offers flexible rack, truss, wall or DIN-Rail mounting options to cover any situation.
The EP4 is a compact Ethernet to DMX gateway with four RDM compatible ports. It is configurable via its internal web remote and powered over ethernet or via the USB-C connection.
Three variants of RDM splitter round out the range: RDM 6XL, RDM 645 and RDM 10.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Chauvet Professional has released the Ovation CYC 1 FC.
Debuted at LDI 2019, the fixture can be positioned unobtrusively on the stage and in the broadcast studio. With an illuminance of 173lx at 5m, the CYC 1 FC ensures a wide, smooth coverage area, often allowing larger backdrops to be fully illuminated only from the ground, without the need for downlighting. Since its light source is so near the ground, it can wash backdrops without dark dead areas at the lower end.
The CYC 1 FC can also a foot light, fill light and side light in a wide variety of applications. When the fixture serves as a foot light, its in built shutter can serve as a glare shield, in addition to being used to adjust the light’s throw. An integrated kick stand adds to the fixture’s versatility.
Drawing on Ovation’s award-winning RGBAL colour-mixing technology, the CYC 1 FC produces virtually any hue with the utmost realism and saturation. A virtual colour wheel in the unit matches popular gel colours and colour temperature pre-sets. The fixture also features 16-bit dimming of the master dimmer and individual colours.
The adjustable Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) feature in the fixture ensures that its flat, even field of light is never disturbed by flickering on camera. This attribute, together with its silent, convection-cooled operation, makes the CYC 1 FC suited for broadcast applications.
“We have always pushed the envelope with new concepts in our Ovation products,”comments Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “With the CYC 1 FC, we feel we have done

France - Creative lighting artist / designer LeRoy Bennett utilised 91 Robe BMFL WashBeam high powered moving lights - nine working in conjunction with RoboSpot remote operation systems - to help deliver the opening ceremony (OC) complete with holographic projection effects, for the of the Riot Games’ 2019 League of Legends World Championship Finals, staged at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Roy collaborated closely with the creative team from Riot Games and Possible Productions who briefed him on the look and style of lighting that they wanted to achieve for the in-the-round OC show. It energised an arena packed with eSports fans ready for a thrilling seat-edge final.
Drawing on his previous experience of working with Kaleida Holonet screens, projection and multi-layered imagery shows, Roy knew he needed mega-bright moving lights with super-accurate shutters - and the BMFL WashBeam was his fixture of choice.
The lights for the OC and the overall LOL World Championship Final events, were supplied by UK based rental company TSL working for production company ConCom Inc.
The OC choreography covered a wide area, so precise key lighting was essential to delivering the show’s aesthetic and narrative which involved creating a series of game-related environments and effects that interacted with the artists and dancers onstage.
A number of pre-set positions had to be lit and artists had to be lit as they moved between these.
Roy described lighting the event as “a bit like performing surgery – critical base timing, acute attention to det

UK - The International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) is a joint venture partnership between the Welsh Government and Celtic Manor Resort. The centre provides 26,000sq.m of floor space for up to 5,000 delegates, which includes an auditorium with tiered seating for 1,500, a 4,000sq.m pillar-free space that can be divided into six sections creating up to 25 different configurations, and an additional 15 flexible meeting rooms.
Architecturally, it is a refreshing departure from standard conference centre fare, with a triple height atrium at its entrance and a light and airy feel throughout. It has been designed to engender a feeling of well-being, and many of its spaces have impressive views out across the adjoining woodland.
This open, progressive approach has also been applied to the centre’s AV design integration, and installation processes, which gave technical contractor Stage Electrics a level of freedom and collaborative input that has paid dividends for the resulting infrastructure and has made best use of an exacting budget.
Stage Electrics was responsible for installing integrated lighting control throughout the venue, plus PA, voice alarm, production lighting and associated infrastructure - including a Dante AoIP network - for all meeting rooms and public spaces. The company also worked with the client to manage stage engineering and equipment suppliers, technical budgets, and eventually helping to hire technical staff for the venue.
The Stage Electrics team included chief engineer Simon Cooper, who held principal responsibili

Australia - The Australasian Lighting Industry Association (ALIA) has abandoned plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary, opting instead to raise money for the Australian people and wildlife affected by the recent bushfires.
ALIA has set up the ALIA FireAid Auction, an online auction where gear donated by lighting solutions manufacturers from across the globe will be auctioned online. All money raised will benefit the Australian Red Cross and the RSPCA’s National Bushfire Appeal. Bidding is only open to Australian residents due to shipping costs.
“A big thanks must also go to the Australian distributors who are tasked with getting the gear to the buyer. It couldn’t have been done without them,” says ALIA.
The association is still accepting equipment donations to add to the auction - manufacturers who wish to contribute should contact ALIA directly.
Companies who have donated so far include ACME, ADJ, ArKaos, Artistic Licence, Avolites, Capture, Chauvet DJ, Clearlight Shows, Creative Lighting, Design Quintessence, Elation Professional, Event Lighting, FireFly Lighting, GLP, Griven, High End Systems, LightShark, LSC Lighting, LumenRadio, Martin, Phantos, Pharos, Robe, Show Technology, Smoke Factory, Theatre Safe Australia, TMB, Touring Industries, Wireless Solutions and Zero 88.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Illumination Dynamics (ID) has announced the transition of its Los Angeles headquarter from San Fernando to a new location in Santa Clarita. The new, 67,639sq.ft facility is located at 21335 Needham Ranch Parkway, within sight of the 14 Freeway and just a few miles from Interstates 5, 405, and 210. As such, it allows easier access to the film industry in the Santa Clarita Valley, while still remaining just a short distance from Hollywood.
The new facility is the first building to be completed in a new industrial park, surrounded by extensive landscaping, walking trails, and bike paths. Key features of the building include 30ft ceilings, a large demo room, centralized loading docks, ample staff and customer parking, a large canopied work area, and an exclusive private parking lot for trucks and generators.
“We are excited about moving to our new facility in Santa Clarita; it is a beautiful building, custom-designed to meet our specific needs and offering a clean new environment for our clients and employees,” says Carly Barber, president and CEO of Illumination Dynamics. “This move is energising all of us, motivating us to reinvent our operations and better positioning ID for the future trends of our business. The city continues to embrace our industry and we look forward to future opportunities within the local entertainment community, while still actively servicing our customers in the Los Angeles area.”
(Jim Evans)

UK - White Light has supplied the lighting for Magic Goes Wrong, which recently opened at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End.
Created by Penn & Teller, Magic Goes Wrong focuses on a hapless gang of magicians trying to host a charity fundraiser – with entertaining results. It features a lighting design by David Howe, who is lighting several of Mischief Theatre’s other shows. He comments: “The basis of the show is that it’s very much a slick variety show where everything should technically run smooth. However, the magicians and acts who perform aren’t the most skilful which results in everything going wrong.”
Set designer Will Bowen created a ‘variety-looking’ stage, complete with glossy floor, big theatrical tabs and glitter-drapes. There is also a large video wall at the back of the space which is used to introduce the acts as well as add texture, with a video design by Duncan McLean.
Bowen continues: “Taking all of this into consideration, my design has three goals. The first was to support the ‘variety show’ feel, with strong washes of colour, lots of comedy face light yet still be suitable for camera work. The second was ensuring that the portals and flown drapes received lots of lighting in order to make them ‘zing’ and ensure we maintain that light entertainment feel we’re used to seeing on TV. Thirdly, there was the wider brief of lighting the various tricks and keeping them ‘magical’ whilst still allowing the comedy to shine.”
David approached WL who is also supplying the M

Italy - Jo Campana is with Francesco Renga on his L’altra metà (The Other Half) tour. The name refers to the hidden part of every one of us which can only be seen by looking into the mirror.
On the basis of this idea, lighting designer Jo Campana came up with his Uno Nessuno Centomila (One, No One and One Hundred Thousand) concept. The set features several panels with reflective surfaces and columns with concealed video elements, which can only be seen when reflected in the back wall, also covered with mirrors.
“The tour is remarkable for its rather small number of lights. So I decided to create a concept with mirrors to make the stage look visually wider and increase the number of light rays," Jo Campana said.
The impact is surprising. With only 13 Claypaky Mythos units for the effects, we came up with a varied, engrossing light show. Jo Campana went on to say why he wanted to try something different.
“In our work, creativity and the constant desire to try new experiments are fundamental. They are the added value we can really give to the look of a tour. In this case, the idea developed into a play of reflections, refractions and replications, which really impressed the production team and the fans.”
Francesco Renga's Italian tour concluded on 23 December in Cagliari, resuming in Europe in May in major cities.
(Jim Evans)

France - On 8 December, 1852, the city of Lyon’s large Catholic population had planned a spectacular firework display to mark the installation of a statue of the Virgin Mary on the bell tower of Fourvière.
A violent thunderstorm intervened, forcing a cancelation of the outdoor celebration. Undeterred, the Lyonnais lit candles in their windows, endowing their city with a radiant, hopeful glow, and giving rise to an annual celebration that today attracts some two million visitors from across the world.
The light displays that enthrall Fêtes des Lumières visitors today, could scarcely have been imagined in the pre-Edison era of the original celebration. Contributing to the rich tapestry of vibrantly coloured LED lights at this year’s four-day festival were panoramas at the Place des Célestins and Grand Hotel Dieu that featured Chauvet Professional COLORado Panel Q40 fixtures.
Tech & Live, a subsidiary of the Eurosono Group, created the light plots in addition to supplying and installing the IP65 rated fixtures at the two historic sites. A collection of 25 COLORado Panel Q40 units was used as part of a sound and light show with mapping at the Place des Célestins, and eight of the RGBW panel-fixtures were deployed at the Grand Hotel Dieu.
Positioned on scaffolding towers at the four corners of the spacious Place des Célestins square, as well as on two bridge structures, the COLORado Panel Q40s showered the UNESCO World Heritage Site in bold, realistic colours that contributed to the festive atmosphere, without detracting from the sq

The Netherlands - When Dutch rock band Krezip reunited after a 10-year hiatus they wanted to make a big impact, so their management Friendly Fire asked Andre Beekmans of The Art of Light to create a signature lighting and video production design for three epic shows at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome.
Assisting him in the task were over 150 Robe moving lights - a mix of Spiiders, BMFL Spots and BMFL Blades.
The stage design, including a thrust connecting main and B stages, was already decided on when Andre joined the team, but he had an open brief for lighting and video.
Six 9m high by 2.5mwide upstage video columns defined the upstage area, and these moved sideways on a tracking system making up multiple configurations. While the show narrative was evolved from the band’s music and history, another wish was to move the whole production up several levels from where they left off on 2009.
Andre collaborated closely with the artists and their technical producer Marcel Buurman and the band’s manager Robert Swarts, who both had some requests, but they were keen for Andre to further develop his creative ideas, so there was a healthy bi-directional dialogue and communication as well as a complete trust of each other’s vision and talent. “It almost felt like I was another band member at times,” Andre stated.
The show started with all the screen elements butted together in a solid block with a lot of IMAG on it for the first part of the show so audiences could clearly see everyone. When the screen divided it revealed nine columns of six Rob

UK – AV equipment hire company Expression Events has made a major investment in Luxibel’s B PAR180RGBW fixtures for its range of projects, including festivals, corporate and architectural.
The team, headed up by Lewis Richardson, arranged a shootout to source a bright, IP-rated, multifunctional PAR fixture for its expanding outdoor architectural and entertainment portfolio.
“We trialled most of the other brand fixtures during the shootout and Luxibel came out on top for each element we were looking at: build quality, brightness, size, weight, functionality and of course price point,” says Richardson. “It was an easy choice.”
The B PAR180RGBW is made up of 12x 15W LEDs in a 25° angle, offering high saturated colours and smooth dimming. It is one of the most powerful RGBW LED pars on the AV market.
“Our clients can rely on the fact they will be getting what we consider to be the best IP-rated par fixture available, with brilliant colours,” Richardson continues. “Being backed up by AED Rent, we can get large numbers to support any size of project.”
Over the winter months, Expression Events has seen the new fixtures go out on three different ice rink seasonal installations, with 50 of the units going out at once. “The B PAR180RGBW were key for continuing with our contracts with these attractions in the run up to Christmas,” he says. “We are also doing much more architectural jobs alongside our live music clients.”
The entire Luxibel range, including the B PAR180RGBW, is available from AED.
(Jim Evans

USA - High End Systems has announced that the 2020 Hog Factor USA competition is open, with teams now able to register to participate in Phase One. First held in 2015, High End Systems’ Hog Factor Collegiate Lighting Programming Competition has become a premier lighting programming contest in the United States and across the globe.
Hog Factor USA Phase One is an open competition and consists of each team providing a performance lighting piece, programmed on a Hog or on Hog 4 PC, which can be downloaded free of charge with a special demo version of Capture visualization. Once performance piece submission closes on 15 June, 2020, the top three teams will be selected by 15 July, and Phase Two will see these teams in programming a performance lighting piece based on High End Systems’ 2020 LDI booth design. These teams will then be invited to perform their shows live at LDI on the High End Systems booth, where the winners will be judged.
Senior product manager Sarah Clausen comments, “We are looking forward to this year’s Hog Factor Competition. Just like our parent company, High End Systems is committed to supporting students and cultivating the next generation of Hog Programmers. The popularity of this competition has grown exponentially each year, and the quality of work is constantly improving. I cannot wait to see what the students achieve this year.”
For more information on the Hog Factor competition and to register your team, visit www.highend.com/hogfactor.
(Jim Evans)

USA - ETC is now shipping a full family of white light LED luminaires for the 230V market. With an impressive lumen-per-watt output, Source 4WRD 230V is available in both warm and cool white arrays.
The warm white 80CRI and 90CRI (Gallery) arrays are designed for theatres and other venues where tungsten fixtures have been the favourite for years. While the cool white 90CRI (Daylight Gallery) array is suitable for industrial trade shows and other live events where “the coolest and brightest white light is desired”.
Both arrays are available in four different form factors including Source 4WRD Spot, PAR, PARNel, and a non-destructive LED retrofit for your existing Source Four fixtures.
ETC’s PAR and PARNel fixtures get a modern upgrade with the added benefits of LEDs and more than 1000 lumens of output. All existing Source Four PAR lenses and accessories are compatible with these LED fixtures. Featuring a patented wave-lens design and easy focusing knob, the Source 4WRD PARNel lets you quickly access a range of 25º-45º - a smooth, soft, symmetrical field that you can spot or flood as needed.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Victory World Outreach has been ministering in Colorado Springs and around the world for 40 years. A ministry with churches in the US and in 10 different countries, Victory World Outreach has resided in their current building - a remodelled grocery store - for 27 years and in that time has made no significant changes to their main sanctuary. That all changed in 2019 however when they decided to modernise their AVL set-up and chose integrator and Elation Professional dealer Second Opinion Audio (SOA) for the audio, lighting and video upgrade.
With an enduring focus on helping others and after years investing in their satellite churches, the time was right to renew their local house of worship. “With fluorescent lights an eyesore and our main worship space feeling dated, it was time to make some big improvements,” says Paul Jones, lead pastor at Victory World Outreach.
With the knowledge that AV and dynamic lighting systems can positively impact the overall worship experience, the church chose a flexible Elation lighting system to raise its profile and help grow its ministry. “Part of our decision behind doing a complete upgrade to the main auditorium was our desire to reach younger families,” Pastor Jones says. “Bob Langlois and Daryl Porter from SOA put together an AVL package and we loved what they came up with.”
SOA specified, designed and installed an all-LED Elation lighting system made up of Artiste DaVinci moving heads, DTW Par 300 variable white Par lights, WW Profile HP warm-white ellipsoidal spots, SixPar 300 LED Par ligh

USA - Proline Entertainment LLC, which provides lighting production for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks in the Fiserv Forum, has installed 16 Ayrton Khamsin-S LED profile luminaires for the team’s current season.
The Khamsin-S fixtures mark Proline’s first Ayrton acquisition products. “We were in the market for LED-driven fixtures that had the capability for multipurpose functions and the ability to outperform the standard lamp fixture,” explains Proline’s owner and lead lighting designer, Aaron Zimmermann. “Our long-time ACT Lighting representative, Aaron Hubbard, brought almost the entire Ayrton product line to our shop. We did a shoot-out with the Khamsins and some other brands, and the Khamsins outperformed them all. We fell in love with them.”
Zimmermann notes that the fixture proved to be “plenty bright with a lot of punch, which is important when you’re competing with the sports arena house lights. We liked the framing effects for performances on the court, too. It’s a well-rounded light with so many features - you can’t go wrong with it.”
Proline mounted the Khamsin profiles in the grid in the catwalk throughout the arena. They are utilised for player intros, half-time performances and time out performances featuring dance teams, drum corps and a giant T-shirt cannon. “The fixtures’ framing effects enable us to create a runway when the Red Bull Rim Rockers daredevil basketball team appears: the players run down the runway, hit the trampoline and slam the ball,” Zimmermann explains.
“We’ve been using every

USA - There’s more to the NAMM Show than expansive product displays and informative educational sessions. The annual winter gathering at the Anaheim Convention Centre also serves as a showcase for musical talent.
This was clearly evident last week as recording artists from a wide range of genres like Animals As Leaders and country music’s Josh Gallagher took to the Grand Plaza Stage in the pavilion at the convention centre entrance for a series of day and night performances sponsored by Yamaha.
Endowing the stage with brightness and colour to give it a tour-like feel for the 100,000 or so show attendees was a powerful rig supplied by 4Wall Entertainment that featured a collection of 58 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK3 Wash fixtures.
The wide zoom range (7° to 45°) and colour rendering capabilities of the RGBW moving LED fixtures were critical to keeping looks on the stage varied throughout the four-day long NAMM show, while their output ensured that it glittered even during daylight hours, as well as for the night concerts, which were designed by Rob Koenig.
Jonathan Daroca of 4Wall Entertainment, who served as assistant production manager/lighting designer and Thomas Pendergrass of NAMM, who worked as the programmer & assistant programmer also contributed to the success of the Grand Plaza Stage shows.
“It was an honour to have our Maverick MK3 Wash fixtures selected to light the stage at a convention that draws so many music industry professionals,” says Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “We’re happy that we were able

Belgium - An ArKaos Stage Server Pro and Kling-Net protocol were used to save thousands of DMX channels and provide a realtime harmony between lighting and video effects onstage for a massive Viva for Life concert fundraiser event organised by Belgian national TV channel RTBF.
The visual design for the stage that ran for multiple days in Tournai city square, featuring a diverse line up of top Belgian artists, was created by RTBF’s Didier Piron.
Selected highlights of the event were broadcast live on TV and it attracted massive crowds into the heart of the city each night to enjoy the entertainment. Also integral to the fundraising efforts was a 144-hour non-stop RTBF radio broadcast with the presenters locked into a glass-fronted studio adjacent to the stage!
Didier’s production design for the stage involved several strips of LED video screen surface arranged in columns along the back, with horizontal strips around the sides of the stage. His lighting rig included a total of 18 Claypaky HY B-EYE K15 and K25 LED wash luminaires which were mapped with Kling-Net.
This allowed the same video content to be run through both elements - the screen and the wash lights - producing beautifully matched movements, effects, and colours.
Running lights like these in ‘extended’ mode to enable the full range of pixel effects is hungry on DMX channels on the lighting console, but running them through Kling-Net and the Stage Server freed up 2,664 desk channels that could be used for other fixtures on the rig.
It also simplified the ge

USA - At the 2020 Parnelli Awards, Bandit Lites founder Michael T. Strickland was presented with the Visionary Lifetime Achievement Award for his pioneering work in the entertainment lighting business. The awards ceremony was held during the NAMM Show at the Anaheim Hilton’s Pacific Ballroom on 17 January.
In a touching tribute to Strickland’s lifetime achievements in founding and growing Bandit Lites, clients and friends Alice Cooper and Shinedown offered video tributes. Later, Shinedown lead vocalist, Brent Smith, stepped on stage to present the award to him, extoling the virtues of Michael as a person above all else. Smith then stated there was one more person who wanted to say a few words.
Singer-songwriter Garth Brooks then shared how he came to be a part of the Bandit Lites family, with Strickland believing in his dream of a concert that would rival the biggest rock shows. Thirty-two years later and several world records broken, the two remain close friends and Bandit remains Brooks’ lighting vendor. Brooks sang the praises of Strickland and his commitment and friendship with him. Kinder words could not have been spoken.
“Garth is just that kind of guy,” said Strickland. “He travelled 2,500 miles just to be here for me - what else can you say about him? It means the world to me. I love you Garth and thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
In accepting the award, a moved Strickland noted how this honour was one that was not only his, but belonged to the entire Bandit Lites team, calling several to join him on stage.

Europe - Antonio Parise has joined the Prolights team as international area manager. Parise (pictured, centre) brings 20 years of international experience in the professional lighting industry and will play a strategic role in developing business and representing the brand internationally in several countries.
Paolo Albani, Prolights’ international sales manager, says: “Adding Antonio to our team will be an added value to strengthen our international presence. I had already had the pleasure to work with him, and I have high confidence this will be a successful move for both his career and our company goals”.
Fabio Sorabella, managing director for Prolights comments: “Antonio’s professionalism and work culture had immediately a good match with the values and vision of the Company; during his career he has always demonstrated a genuine attitude to customer service and we are very convinced he will be a natural asset for Prolights and the international sales network.”
Parise adds: “I have been working in the professional lighting industry since 2000 and I have been impressed by the achievements that Prolights has reached in the last decade.”
(Jim Evans)