Lighting

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31 May 2024

Sweden - Under the experienced hand of veteran Eurovision technical show director, Ola Melzig, the production designer, Florian Wieder, and lighting and screen content designer Fredrik Stormby of Green Wall Designs, worked closely with associate lighting designers Mike Smith and Michael Straun to ensure the 68th Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in the Malmö Arena was an impressive event.

“As this was the third time Sweden had hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 10 years, we set ourselves the challenge of doing something new and brave that would respectfully challenge the traditional Eurovision concept a little and introduce a more large-scale concert tour feel to the familiar ‘studio show’ concept,” explains Stormby.

Taking inspiration from Swedish music, songwriting and local architecture, and a tricky request from the producers to put the au

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31 May 2024

USA/Europe - ETC has announced two software releases for the Hog 4 console’s operating system. Hog 4 OS v3.21 and v4.1 are the bridging releases with export/import features to get old show files into Hog desks running v4.x software.

Senior product manager Sarah Clausen comments, “We recognise the value of our users’ hard work overtime and the cost of having to recreate shows to move forward with Hog into the future. These two releases create the bridge needed to bring older show data into the v4 world and beyond.”

Hog OS v3.21 is required for users that wish to import / export existing show files. Show files can now be exported to an XML format which allows for easier transitions between software versions where show file compatibility may be limited. Section 4.12 of the Hog OS v3.21 help manual offers details on how to use the Show Import/Exp

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31 May 2024

Sweden - The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) was staged in Malmo Arena, and was memorable for many elements including the technical presentation. Under the show technical direction of Ola Melzig, the team of creatives, programmers, engineers, network architects and technicians collaborated to stage the first ever in-the-round ESC.

Lighting designer Fredrik Stormby of Stockholm-based creative studio Greenwall Design and his team took care of all things lighting as well as co-ordinating the screens content, working in close conjunction with production designer Florian Wieder, and included on the lighting plot were 52 x Robe Fortes, 57 x T1 Profiles and 14 x T2 Profiles.

These Robe moving lights were used to cover all the stage and Green Room key lighting requirements.

Rigged on multiple roof and side trusses flown above and around both these

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30 May 2024

India - Proel has confirmed announces its entry into the Indian market. Headquartered in Sant'Omero, Italy, Proel offers a diverse portfolio of 10 brands encompassing professional audio, commercial audio, conferencing systems, lighting, stage equipment, musical instruments, and associated accessories. The company has strategically positioned itself globally, with offices in the USA, UK, Tunisia, South Korea, and now, India.  

The decision to invest in India is a testament to Proel's commitment to expansion and growth in emerging markets.

The Indian operations are based in Bangalore led by Nagaraj Mallikarjun and the sales team in Delhi, which is led by Shantanu Banerjee. There are plans underway to establish a presence in Mumbai shortly. “This strategic move has been in development for three years, culminating in a state-of-the-art warehousing an

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30 May 2024

UK - The 26th annual MOBO Awards took place at Newcastle’s 11,000-capacity Utilita Arena, celebrating black music and culture.

Enhancing this mood and supporting the dynamic music on stage was a bold and versatile lighting design by SJ Grevett and operated by Liam Griffiths and Kris Goodman that featured 98 Chauvet Professional fixtures.

Drawn from the company’s own inventory, the kit included 24 Maverick Storm 4 Profiles, 30 Maverick Storm 3 BeamWashes, 32 STRIKE 1 units and 12 COLORado PXL16 motorised tilting battens. “We went for the big and bold look with brightest fixtures, so we could really punch through against so much LED screen space on camera,” said SJ.

Utilising the wide zoom range and colour rendering capabilities of his Maverick and COLORado fixtures, as well as the intense output of his STRIKE units, Liam created the lo

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30 May 2024

Sweden - The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) featured an innovative set design at the Malmö Arena where Claypaky Tambora Linear 100 high-power LEDs and Skylos white-laser source searchlights supported the dynamic look of the event’s first 360º stage.

Fredrik Stormby from Stockholm-based Green Wall Designs, the lighting and screen content designer for this year's event, selected the Claypaky fixtures. Stormby is best known as part of the creative team behind Beyonce's 2023 Renaissance tour, Loreen's winning 2023 ESC performance and ABBA Voyage in London. He joined production designer Florian Wieder and the senior production team to help create, design and deliver the large-scale, spectacular show to a global audience of more than 160m people.

The set was a 360-degree experience placed in the middle of the audience and shaped like an eq

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29 May 2024

New Zealand - TES (Technical Event Solutions) is a full production service and rental company based in Christchurch and they were the first such enterprise to invest in Robe Esprite moving lights.

TES prides itself on delivering quality streamlined event solutions and technical services including broadcast, all from one proactive and busy facility in Woolston.

The company was started in 2017 by Alex Wilson, initially working from a 12 x 6m storage unit, and now occupies a 1000sq,m warehouse with 15 full time staff.

Alex’s background is in stage lighting while his business partner Brett Armstrong comes from the world of broadcast AV and IT.

TES grew throughout the covid period partly by being open minded and pivoting to embrace new technologies and services including streaming. “I have a brilliant team here, and we can all multitas

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29 May 2024

Germany - Cameo has introduced the ORON H2, billed as the world’s first IP65 hybrid moving head with a phosphor-laser engine. With its combination of beam, spotlight, and wash and an ‘unrivalled zoom range’ for laser moving heads, the ORON H2 is suitable for flexible use on medium and large stages – both indoors and outdoors. Thanks to its laser technology, the ORON H2 also acts as a future-proof and sustainable alternative for the upcoming EU ban on discharge lamps from 2027, says the company.

The Cameo ORON H2 is based on a 260-watt phosphor laser engine, which acts as an energy-efficient, long-lasting replacement for discharge lamps in the 480-watt class. The laser engine of the ORON H2 has a light output of 330,000 lux at a distance of 20m and a narrow minimum beam angle of 0.6°, which is achieved without the use of a beam reducer. For flexible

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29 May 2024

Denmark - Aarhus-based LED lighting manufacturer DVT Light has appointed Theis Wermuth as its new commercial director. Well-known as an international lighting and show designer via his design studio Create This, Wermuth also has a background working with leading professional lighting manufacturers.

DVT Light was founded in 2021 by Mikkel Bandholm and Peter Johansen who has been inventing products for entertainment since the 1970s.

As commercial director, Theis will be focussing on sales, marketing, and building a distribution network to assist in helping to establish the brand globally. Theis will also energise an extensive network of contacts of lighting professionals.

He states, “I am thrilled to join DVT Light. It is a fantastic opportunity to work with such an innovative and dynamic team. I look forward to contributing to the company's

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29 May 2024

Greece - The Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort in Chersónisos, Crete, has had its Blue Lounge - pool bar, pool area, lobby and exterior revamped. Highlite's exclusive distributor Sivko Electronics and their regional partner George Solakis were entrusted with the design, supply and implementation.

When Sivko Electronics' partner in the Chersónisos region, George Solakis, contacted them to supply the appropriate equipment for a refurbishment of the Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort, they immediately switched into high gear to get the project off the ground. George Solakis and crew member Pantelis Nathenas designed the concept, while Kostas Poulis and Sivko Electronics supplied the equipment. Programming was entrusted to Lefteris Katakis.

The redesign also included the external appearance of the hotel, for which they added architectural lighti

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28 May 2024

UK - The Profile Awards theatre category shortlist in association with the ABTT and the ALPD and sponsored by Chauvet, Elation, ETC, Fix8group, GLP, SLX, TSL and Vari-Lite, has been confirmed.

The shortlisted lighting designers for theatre are:

Robbie Butler for Death in Venice, Welsh National Opera and tour

Emma Chapman for The Third Man, Menier Chocolate Factory

Jon Clark for Dear England, and The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre & West End; The Effect, National Theatre; Stranger Things – The First Shadow, West End

Paule Constable for Guys and Dolls, The Bridge

Lee Curran for Romeo and Juliet, The Almeida and King Lear, The Almeida

Jon Driscoll for Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, English National Opera

Oli

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28 May 2024

USA - Robe has announced the passing of Craig Burross, chief sales officer at Robe Lighting Inc. A statement posted on the company’s social media channels reads: “It is with complete devastation and with very heavy hearts that we announce the passing of beloved industry veteran Craig Burross.

“From his early career at High End Systems, to his work with Vari-Lite, Craig most recently served as the Chief Sales Officer for Robe Lighting, Inc. where his passion for the entertainment production industry made him one of the most recognized and respected members of our industry.

“Away from the office, Craig was a husband, father, and grandfather to a family whom he loved dearly. His wife Kat was often by his side at industry events, and his son Chase is also a member of the Robe North America team.

“When speaking about Craig, one can hones

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28 May 2024

USA - Brown Note Productions, the Denver-area company specialising in 360º full-service production for concerts, tours, music festivals and special events, has invested in 150 Ayrton Rivale Profiles. The new fixtures were quickly dispatched for two back-to-back dates at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison for dance music star Black Coffee and artist Illenium.

The IP65-rated Ayrton Rivale Profile projector delivers creativity, subtlety and power – the most versatile fixture created by Ayrton to date. It offers ‘unprecedented’ performance for its size and weight and features continuous rotation of the pan and tilt movement.

“We already have Ayrton Diablos, MagicPanel FX and Perseos in our inventory and were looking for additional fixtures in a smaller form factor than Perseo,” says Brown Note president Ryan Knutson. “I spend a lot of ti

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28 May 2024

The Netherlands - In late April, CAS Exhibition Partners took delivery of 250 KL PAR FC LED PAR lights from Elation for use in the leading exhibition contractor’s many stand builds across Europe.

Useful in setting the ambiance of an exhibition stand, reinforcing a theme, and adding depth and dimension to enhance the overall visual appeal of a space, the new full-colour-spectrum lights can also play more functional roles like highlighting products, signage and displays. Either way, the KL PAR FC’s high colour quality and adaptability will serve to captivate visitors and reinforce brand imaging for CAS customers.

CAS Exhibition Partners offers full-service exhibition build services and takes pride in their commitment to innovation and improvement. That dedication includes ensuring the overall quality of stand lighting by maintaining their own high-

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28 May 2024

UK - LSI Projects has announced the passing of its business development manager, Richard Bunting. A statement from the company reads: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Richard Bunting, our esteemed business development manager. Richard's unexpected departure has left us all in shock and mourning, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of working with him.”

Richard joined LSI Projects in 2005, bringing a wealth of industry experience and a passion for the industry in which he had been involved in for more than 30 years.

The statement continues: “Richard was a respected colleague and an inspiration to many. His ability to build strong relationships, both within the team and with our clients, supply chain and the consultant community, was unparalleled, helping LSI solidify its reputation as a truste

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28 May 2024

UK - The Production Futures mission to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production, was brought into focus recently when Peter Bird, last year’s winner of its Breakthrough Award for Lighting Newcomer, took charge of designing the lighting for the organisation’s PF Talks stage at its Manchester On Tour event.

Peter, who is studying theatre and performance technology at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, collaborated by invitation with supplier Lights Control Rigging (LCR) to deliver lights for the focal point of the event which took place at the AO Arena. Steve Bliss led the LCR project team and takes up the story:

“We were approached by Production Futures to provide the main stage lighting package for their biggest show yet at the AO Arena in Manchester. We had an initial video

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24 May 2024

Sweden - The Eurovision Song Contest, a broadcast seen by over 160m people worldwide, relies on wireless DMX. When Creative Technology, official event supplier, reached out to discuss the challenges of this year’s production, the LumenRadio team along with its OEM partners jumped into action.

Eurovision deployed seven Steadicams and shoulder cams to capture the performance for the broadcast. Each camera was equipped with Aputure MC Pro battery powered pocket lights that featured LumenRadio’s TimoTwo OEM modules for their DMX data reception.

With the concert-style lighting constantly changing, the cameras needed to have an adjustable light source to maintain the video quality being captured. Controlling them wirelessly allowed for full movement of the Steadicam Ops, freeing them to focus on getting the best shot. Using cables was never an option

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24 May 2024

Australia - The 2024 PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival celebrated some of the best of Australian fashion design with a main show space at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne – recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a prime example of 19th century international exhibition architecture.

All Lighting and AV equipment for the week-long festival was supplied by full production services provider, Harry the Hirer Productions led by technical producer Marcus Pugh.

He worked closely with lighting designer Hugh Taranto who used 28 x Robe Esprites to craft a flexible lighting aesthetic for the space that would deliver great looking shows for all the diverse and different collections.

The event also featured numerous associated off-site shows, business-related seminars, workshops, entertainment, and music performances across the c

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24 May 2024

Côte d'Ivoire - Located in Port-Bouet on the Atlantic coast of West Africa's Côte d'Ivoire, the Abidjan Exhibition Centre is the largest exhibition centre in West Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, with a capacity of 6,000-seated and 10,000 standing.

Designed by architect, Pierre Fakhoury, it first opened its doors in July 2023 to host trade shows, fairs and major events in the region. Its elegant sweeping exterior is matched by its advanced technology within. Its halls are equipped with a consignment of Ayrton Zonda 9 FX, Eurus and Huracán LED fixtures, specified by G.S.L lighting designer, Guillaume Sarrouy and supplied by PFO Construction and the State of Ivory Coast for installation by G.S.L of Avignon, France.

G.S.L. explains the reasons for its choice of Ayrton fixtures: “G.S.L. has worked with Ayrton products on several occasions and we find

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24 May 2024

Austria - Prolights Arena Cob4FC lit Christina Stürmer's MTV Unplugged concert, an event celebrating the 20-year career of the Austrian pop-rock singer. The live broadcast from the Volkstheater in Vienna was produced by Das Rund, set in an environment evoking the intimate atmosphere of a rehearsal room, creating a welcoming and relaxed ambiance.

Under the artistic direction of Thomas W. Kiennast from Das Rund, Manfred Nikister designed a lighting setup that included 29 Arena Cob4FC units from Prolights, strategically positioned to maximize visual impact both on stage and in the surrounding scenery.

These LED blinders, supplied by Prolights distributor Lightpower, stood out for their ability to visually define the stage space and provide quality lighting - essential qualities for television filming.

"When designing for an unplugged s

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23 May 2024

USA - Elation lighting has long been a staple of Coachella shows, and this year’s edition of Southern California’s premier music festival was no exception, with the event awash in Elation lighting technology. The newly revamped Sahara Tent, an anchor of the festival’s electrifying atmosphere, was adorned with over 950 Elation lights, while Elation gear also graced the Main Stage, Quasar Stage, and Outdoor Theatre.

Coachella delivered yet another diverse and eclectic experience across two weekends in April, featuring 147 acts across eight stages. Todd Roberts, of Production Design Works, spearheaded the production and lighting design for the Sahara Tent, incorporating a myriad of Elation lighting fixtures supplied by Aspect Lighting.

Roberts is a Coachella production original, having worked the festival since its inception. Shifting from the Out

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23 May 2024

USA - Empowered by X-Laser fixtures and Mercury Laser Control firmware, Ben Jarrett of Squeek Lights in Sayreville, N.J. designed the lighting for metalcore band Beartooth on their 2024 North American tour.

“In our early design meetings, Caleb [Shomo, lead singer for Beartooth] talked about bringing an arena-style show to smaller and mid-sized venues,” Jarrett said. “Whether that night’s stop was at a 3,000-capacity theatre or a 900-capacity club, he wanted every show to come at you and feel like it was taking place in a much larger setting.”

To accomplish this, Jarrett and the Squeek Lights team knew the Beartooth stage had to generate immense lighting output to provide that big arena feel from a smaller footprint. The band wanted numerous special effects as part of the design, and lasers played a major part in creating those big, impactfu

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23 May 2024

Europe - Showtec has added four new models to its ACT series that now includes a number of fresnel, ellipsoidal, par and flood lights. Like the existing models, the new Par 200 W RGBAL, Par 200 W CW/WW, Par 200 W UV and Flood 200 RGBAL are designed for use in theatres, on stages and even at business events.

The new models strengthen the ACT series by adding three new pars and one flood light to the range. Each one is equipped with a powerful 200 W LED designed for a specific purpose. In keeping with rest of the ACT series, accurate colour rendering, manual control options, optimised beam angles and silent operation are features of the new models.

The Par 200 W RGBAL is a versatile indoor spotlight with an RGBAL LED light source that is capable of producing a wide range of colours. In addition to control via DMX, manual control is possible using the o

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23 May 2024

USA - The Detroit Lions held a reveal event for their new uniforms at their Ford Field home, drawing thousands of fans. The same stage was also used for the Detroit Lions NFL Draft Party. Both events were executed flawlessly, thanks to the dedicated effort and teamwork of 4Wall Entertainment’s Detroit crew.

Led by VP of live events Joe Leahy, the 4Wall team of Kareem Harris, Gary McGarity, Ross Zhang, Xavier Williamson, Jason Dunk, Robert McGoldrick, Jon Sogoian, Johnny Pike, Michael Gallacher, Brian Lavender, Tommy Minkowski, Joshua Ruhlman, and Rahul Samuel set a stylish, upbeat tone for the reveal event.

Helping them in this effort were 113 Chauvet Professional fixtures, including 14 Maverick MK3 Washes, 48 COLORado PXL Bar 16 motorized battens, 14 Color STRIKE M strobe-washes, 14 STRIKE Array 4 blinders, 20 EPIX Strip IP one-meter linear units,