USA - Bandit Lites is lighting platinum selling hitmaker Cody Johnson. With his recent sold-out appearance at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Cody broke records as the most tickets sold by a male country artist in their Bridgestone debut. Johnson performed a nearly two-hour set before a crowd that never sat. One of the most poignant statements from the superstar during the night: “God put me on this earth to make country music country music again.”
“Richard ‘Wookie’ Whitley designed The Leather Tour floor package and the full 360 rig used in Bridgestone,” said Bandit Lites client representative Allen Deneau. “Both are dynamic in their capabilities, but easy to transport and deploy. Project manager Don Lockridge was extremely instrumental in helping Wookie and Clint shape the rig into what we used for the show. Months of discussions, drawing updates, gear discussions all went into this rig.”
Bandit Lites provided more than 175 fixtures including Ayrton Khamsin S, Chauvet Strike 4 Array Blinders, GLP JDC1 LED Strobes, HES SolaPix 19 and a grandMA3 Full console for control as well as more than 420ft of Tyler truss.
“The washes are my go-to for flooding the stage with colour, but also using for colour effects,” Wookie said. “I have them zoomed in for a few of the upbeat songs for that added punch and tight beam look. Strobes are meant just for that. Those build up moments or those big hits where you need that little extra oomph. Having them for colour effects and bumps helps a lot too. The crowd lights were perfect for the big hi
Belgium - The rides in Circus Bumba never leave the ground, at least not literally. But when seen through the eyes of a child, they soar high, up to the rarified, faraway space where colour meets imagination.
Based on the popular Flemish television show of the same name, the recently opened 3,000m2 themed attraction captivates guests with its bright, cheerful panoramas complete with whimsical characters and fairytale-like scenery.
Enhancing the magical effect of this transformative venue is a collection of over 300 Chauvet Professional fixtures. These units are positioned throughout the main ride, Op Reis met Bumba (Dark Ride), as well as other rides and the park’s theatre.
Drawing on the colour-rendering capabilities of these fixtures, Pieter Dewaegeneere, technical investment manager, and rest of the Circus Bumba team have created a wide array of enchanting looks, from bold primaries and soft pastels to mysterious deeply saturated shadows, throughout the space.
Describing the design process, Dewaegeneere said: “Because of the constant changes in the design phase of the venue, we decided to do the lighting design ourselves. The installation itself and delivery of products was done by Decat. Everything is being controlled via ArtNet, with cables in the roof, but never more than 10 units in a row, so we can easily turn off a group of fixtures.”
Looking to create a dreamy aura throughout Circus Bumba, the design team positioned 43 COLORdash Par H7 IP RGBWA-UV wash lights on the road leading through the venue. Carrying the colour thre
UK - Edinburgh's Hogmanay (Scottish New Year’s Eve) celebrations always draw big festive crowds with myriad activities and programmes for all ages. For the 2023/24 event, Claypaky Skylos and Xtylos Aqua fixtures played key roles in the midnight moment where all eyes turned to Edinburgh Castle.
Unique Assembly produced Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2023/24 for Edinburgh Council and Event Scotland. The four-day programme ushering in the New Year included Björn Again, headlining the Night Afore Disco Party and an all-night cèilidh and live band party. Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens hosted some 50,000 party-goers at the Street Party and Concert in the Gardens, where everyone looked to the hilltop Castle as midnight approached.
Lighting designer Ben Terry was tasked with enhancing the crucial moment and showcasing Edinburgh Castle as the centrepiece of Hogmanay. To achieve this, he aligned 10 Claypaky Skylos laser-source searchlights and 16 Xtylos Aqua IP66-rated laser-source moving heads along the Argyll Battery, the main artillery defence on the north side of the Castle in days gone by.
“I hoped the Skylos would have the punch to fill the sky and be seen through the firework smoke. They definitely delivered and were incredibly eye-catching,” Terry reports. “The Xtylos Aqua were tried and tested from their use in last year’s Hogmanay, and once again, they proved to be bright, colourful, and versatile.”
Terry found that the complement of Skylos and Xtylos Aquas fixtures “were visible from all over the city in both white and col
UK - Based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray - adapted and directed by multi award-winning Kip Williams, artistic director of the acclaimed Sydney Theatre Company - tells this classic story through an explosive interplay of live performance and video.
It recently opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and stars Sarah Snook, who plays 26 roles. It features a lighting design by Nick Schlieper who approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, to provide the lighting equipment.
Whilst there have been several stage adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Gray over the years, it’s the first time that this version, which premiered four years ago at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney, has played overseas. Nick, who also lit the original Australian production, explains: “Although I’ve always been familiar with the novel, I haven’t actually seen another stage adaptation, or even any of the film versions of Dorian Gray, so was able to enter our production with a fresh pair of eyes as it were. What I would say though, is that this production is highly unusual in that it’s a real amalgamation of forms.
“It’s neither a piece of theatre which incorporates some video, nor is it a film where you get to simultaneously see the “making of”. What we set out to do was find a true melding of the two forms, where each one serves to heighten and amplify one’s experience of the other. We shift the focus throughout the evening, but the two always exist in a symbiotic balance. Some have described it as ‘Cine-t
Europe - FLEXibility takes centre stage with the new Showtec Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze. With its original design and versatile features, this lighting fixture promises to bring innovative possibilities to lighting professionals and enthusiasts.
The Showtec Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze features a design comprising eight pods, each equipped with 100-watt, 3000 K COB LEDs. But that’s not all; these pods are also enriched with amber and RGB LEDs, enabling a wide range of creative lighting applications. Unlike many LEDs that often fall short in replicating this effect, the Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze’s amber LEDs are specifically designed to perfectly mimic the dimming of traditional tungsten blinders, providing a nostalgic and warm ambiance.
The RGB LEDs in each pod can be mixed to create a blaze effect with a captivating array of colours. With each pod working independently, the Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze enables you to craft one-of-a-kind light shows that are vibrant, dynamic, and visually stunning.
To provide optimal performance, the Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze boasts RDM (Remote Device Management) capability. This means that the temperature and humidity sensors that are integrated into both the controller and each pod can be monitored, allowing you to adjust settings remotely for precise control and peace of mind.
Built to brave the elements, one of the standout features of the Stage Blinder FLEX Blaze is its IP65-rated aluminium housing. This makes it not only suitable for indoor use, but also for outdoor events. To mount the pods, each pod features
Australia - Creative Technology Australia and New Zealand opted for Data Strategy’s QC-Check to address three main needs in terms of product inspection: socapex cable testing, the safe inspection of twin-frame distribution boards, and the ability to set up the specific testing processes needed to be carried out by anyone in the warehouse.
Maintenance manager, Myles Barlow, explained that the company’s highest priority was to be able to test multipin connectors such as Socapex three-phase cables, as “there’s just no safe way to test them”.
In addition, he found that “standard PAT testers fail products that have lots of internal relay, control voltages and several limit points. They see it as a dead short when there’s actually not a problem”. So without, QC-Check there was no effective way of PAT testing products like twin-frame distribution boards or other items with ‘smarts’ in them.
Custom engineered by SES Entertainment services in the UK, Creative Technology’s QC-Check workstation was custom designed to test the various types of connectors used by the Australian production house on a day-to-day basis. The main body of QC-Check housed the larger connectors, whilst the smaller and more regularly tested connectors were situated on the workstation bridge.
Alongside industry standard connectors like tru-con, neutrik and powercon connections, Creative Technology’s two-bay QC-Check featured standard Australian 240volt sockets, and 32 amp three-phase test connections specific to Australia, known as ‘Wilco’s’.
QC-
Denmark - Aarhus Musikhuset has recently invested in Robe Painte moving lights and TX1 PosiProfiles for three of its halls. The Rhythmic Hall (Rytmisk Sal) also known as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall has eight Paintes, the Small Hall (Lille Sal) has seven TX1, with another eight TX1s - four with gobos - for the 1,172-capacity Symphonic Hall (Symfonisk Sal).
The lights were specified by the Musikhuset’s head of lighting Henrik Hambro and his crew, and delivered by Robe’s Danish distributor, Light Partner.
The venue is a cultural and entertainment beacon at the heart of Denmark’s lively second city and stages over 1400 shows and productions annually. Originally opened in 1982, it was substantially expanded in 2007 to over 40,000sq.m of facilities offering seven differently sized and styled performance spaces including the three mentioned above.
A diverse and action-packed programme embraces music, dance, comedy, and all forms of live performance from the experimental to the classical and areas of the Musikhuset are also hired for business and private events.
Henrik has been working there for the last 15 years and runs the lighting department comprising six full time staff, who were all involved in the final decision about which lights to purchase.
The eight Paintes in Rhythmic Hall are providing front light, so high CRI was top of the features wish-list for this, and this space is frequently used for chamber music concerts, so low noise was also important. Henrik likes the punch of the Paintes, the size fits with the lower trim heigh
USA - Visual design group Lightswitch has overseen lighting design and creative direction for Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens in Southern California since 2016. This year, the popular one-mile nighttime walk through colourful and dazzling lighting displays shined brighter than ever with an expanded IP-rated lighting package from Elation that included the company’s new Proteus Hybrid MAX.
Enchanted is an immersive visual experience tailor-made to highlight the historic botanical garden’s beauty and flora. Each year, Lightswitch reimagines portions of the experience, enhancing areas and repositioning luminaires. This season’s show ran from 19 November through 7 January and included a new area as a result of refurbishment elsewhere in the gardens.
Lightswitch creates and produces the entire “Enchanted Forest of Light” experience, designing lighting, media, and interactives, as well as overseeing music selection, sound design, and technical and logistical production. Under the leadership of Lightswitch principal Chris Medvitz, the visual design has consistently relied on Elation lighting for the past seven years. This year, Elation IP65 lighting was expanded to all areas of the display, further enhancing the enchanting atmosphere.
Collaboration with outside artists is an integral part of the Enchanted experience. On the main lawn, a series of magical stained-glass-inspired houses by sculptor Tom Fruin are internally lit with SixBar 1000 IP LED battens while in the rose garden geometric sculptures by artists Hybycozo glow from w
USA - Ayrton has announced the appointment of Scott Kinnebrew to the role of global install manager as part of Ayrton’s Global Installs team, with immediate effect. Kinnebrew, who is based in the US, has extensive experience, working with industry-leading brands.
“In my new role I’ll be helping others find the right products for environments such as amusement parks, arenas, cruise ships, theatres, stadiums, and other locations and venues,” says Kinnebrew. “Illuminating such locations brings a different challenge from the rental and staging world. Shows can run 24 hours a day, have very limited time for support, and be a challenge from a design standpoint, be it fixture access or placement. Ayrton brings a level of product offering second to none which meets those challenges, and I'm proud to represent the company and the innovation that the brand brings to the global marketplace.”
“We are very excited to welcome Scott to the Ayrton team,” says Paul (PJ) Johnson, Ayrton’s global install director. “His magnetic personality and wealth of skills and experience will be a great addition to the team.”
USA - Low trim heights, limited hang points, the lack of house lights - these challenges seem to be present when lighting an event at any big ballroom. They certainly were at the Gatlinburg Convention centre when Andrew Dingman set out to light the Clayton King Ministries’ Crossroad Winter Conference this January.
Dingman comments, “The room and rigging will always be the biggest challenge when designing a show like this in a venue like this. But as is true in every case, there are always ways to overcome challenges.”
In this three-day conference, Dingman met the challenge presented by the relative lack of overhead space by modifying his plans. “Originally, I wanted to do another LED Banner above my mid stage LX truss, but was unavailable due to trim,” he explained. “Flying my MS LX truss to max trim allowed me to get bigger looks and more beam throw. A lot of those position were over the heads of the audience which helped create depth and height.”
Dingman also created a deeper sense of immersion on the ballroom’s stage by artfully blending ‘IMAG Torms’ with a collection of 24 Chauvet Professional Color STRIKE M fixtures, which like the rest of his rig, was supplied by StageWorx AV.
“Part of my design was to have video content on three vertical structures we call ‘IMAG Torms,’” he said. “All the content had to be custom made to fit, but it was well worth the trouble, compared to what we would have had if we did a typical 16:9 wall.”
Dingman blended this video backdrop with his Color STRIKE M fixtures. “T
USA - The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular returned for its bi-coastal celebration of positivity and spreading the Gospel with a lighting system provided by Bandit Lites. This year’s line-up included Crowder, two-time 2024 Grammy-award winner Lecrae, CAIN, Katy Nichole, Seventh Day Slumber, Newsong and more.
“Each year I lean towards putting most of my budget into the flown rig,” said longtime production manager Jerry Holcomb. “The tour usually has artists that bring some sort of ground package, so I leave room for that. Additionally, I have to be conscience of truck space and set up time. Winter Jam doors are early compared to most tours considering we have up to 10 artists and speakers each night; so, a rig that is efficient enough to fit into a truck and a half yet still look big enough for an arena is my goal.”
Holcomb sought Bandit client rep Allen Deneau’s recommendation on fixtures to compete with the large LED surface that takes up the entirety of the upstage. His answer? HES SolaPix 37.
“I’ve been real happy with their output and performance so far,” said Holcomb. “They also suggested using the BMFL Wash Beam for its output.”
Winter Jam also required a large quantity of fixtures to line out the thrust and B Stage area. Bandit supplied Elation CuePix WW2 blinders, which connected the looks of the WW2s that are flown in each truss section.
In total, Bandit Lites provided 240ft of Tyler Truss and eight Ladder Towers as well as nearly 200 fixtures including Chauvet Color STRIKE M, Elation CuePix WW2, HES SolaPix a
Qatar - On 12 January 2024, Qatar hosted the opening ceremony of the AFC Asian Cup at the 88,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, the largest stadium in the Middle East. The ceremony comprised a full-size stage in midfield with a set featuring sand dunes, colourful costumes, and visuals around a central motif of giant mirrored petals.
Simultaneously broadcast internationally across the Middle East, Asia and Australasia, the 21-minute visual extravaganza, Mirrors, The Lost Chapter from the Book of Kelileh Wa Demneh, was ‘a triumph of theatrical story-telling’. It was struck in just 27 minutes by 700 stage hands, in choreography as coordinated as the performers who preceded them, before the first match of the tournament kicked off.
“It was like Superbowl on steroids,” says lighting designer, Roland Greil who, brought in by design and production agency, Sila Sveta, used over 450 Ayrton fixtures as the majority - and main key lighting workhorses - of his design.
“Our aim from the beginning was to create a very theatrical theme and lighting design in keeping with the cinematic approach taken by producers, Katara Studios,” explains Greil. “The show was a hugely complex, spectacular, yet very theatrical piece with a detailed story line and glorious costumes. We needed a rig that could support the beautiful story on stage and create magical looks for 80% of the time, but also to have additional fire power to create some big looks for the remaining 20% for the live broadcast, and to reflect the joy and enthusiasm for the game of football within
UK - PLASA is running an industry-wide survey on sustainability. The association aims to understand how and if companies across the entertainment technology sector are tackling the important issue of sustainability and carbon reduction.
The survey was launched during the Member Business Forum on Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, which took place in London on 18 January 2024. However, the survey is now open to the wider industry until 29 March, in partnership with #WeMakeEvents, LSi, LIVE and PEARLE.
Even though there are no current legal requirements in the UK to implement such plans, PLASA recognises the importance of sustainability across the industry and the need for support. Therefore, the association is now conducting research to understand the current position of the industry. The data will help to inform the activities of the association, as well as future industry collaborative initiatives and membership support.
Bryan Raven, director of strategic projects for d&b Solutions and joint vice-chair for the PLASA Carbon Reduction to Net Zero steering group, says: “Sustainability is not something any company can deal with alone – suppliers, customers, freelancers and audiences need to work together. It’s not about competitive advantages; it’s about doing what is right. As an industry we need to lead the way and work together to minimise the carbon impact of ‘making events’.”
Nicky Greet, director of membership, skills and technical for PLASA, adds: “The drive for carbon reduction will impact everyone in our industry. W
UK - Specialist lighting controls manufacturer, Pharos Architectural Controls, has joined the Q-SYS Technology Partner Programme. This programme enables software and hardware technology partners to create market-ready solutions that integrate seamlessly with Q-SYS, a cloud-manageable audio, video and control platform.
As part of the programme, key products from the Pharos range have been verified and endorsed by Q-SYS, following plugin integration with a Q-SYS Ready badge.
Pharos Designer and Pharos Expert will integrate with Q-SYS to provide integration with its ‘architainment’ and show control system for advanced installation through Q-SYS and Expert’s DMX control.
Pharos Designer is the company’s original, award-winning range, which now boasts a wide range of controllers to suit any DMX, eDMX and DALI lighting project, as well as comprehensive show control capabilities and free software that enables users to design and build installations as they wish. Pharos Expert enables the ultimate in dynamic architectural lighting with its practical, straightforward control solution, centred around a single, reliable controller.
Bas Hoksbergen, commercial director at Pharos, says: “Our inclusion in the Q-SYS Ecosystem is the next stage in the development of our products to ensure customers have the best possible experience in their integration capabilities. We are excited to announce this partnership and look forward to seeing our customers make amazing projects.”
“We are proud to have Pharos join our program and work collaborativ
USA - Just before Christmas, Two Cities Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina moved into a new worship centre where modern production equipment enhances the in-person and broadcast experience for a congregation of some 2,500 people who attend three Sunday services.
SES Integration in Mocksville, North Carolina consulted on the design of the new building and, with the support of its SES Production division, suggested a complement of Ayrton Levante, Diablo and Zonda 9 wash lights for the rig. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
Seven-year-old Two Cities Church has undergone rapid growth, quickly expanding beyond the capacity of its previous locations. The move to a purpose-built worship centre on 13 acres in downtown Winston-Salem afforded the opportunity to create an all-new production environment to engage congregants attending services in person and those watching livestreamed broadcasts on YouTube.
“SES designed and implemented the complete production system: full AV and lighting, the acoustic treatment and house lighting for the worship centre,” says Michael Brammer, a partner in Special Event Services (SES) and a member of Two Cities Church himself. “The goal was to serve the church well as a tool to expand the ministry and to create a space that the city of Winston-Salem would be proud to have to host other events.”
During the past two years SES has made a substantial investment in Ayrton fixtures for its inventory. “We have just about all of the Ayrton product line,” Brammer
USA - Eastern Lighting Design has completed the lighting design and installation for the new Chicago-based studio of the sports podcast Numbers on the Board, hosted by Kenny Beecham and produced by Omaha Productions.
The project involved 11 Prolights ArcShine M18FC fixtures, transforming a standard office space into a dynamic, visually engaging broadcast studio. Numbers on the Board combines in-depth NBA analysis with lively discussions, creating an accessible and engaging atmosphere for its audience. The design aim was to cultivate a studio environment that supports high-quality broadcast requirements while ensuring the space is optimally lit for video production.
The Eastern Lighting Design team addressed this challenge by integrating Prolights ArcShine M18FC fixtures, renowned for their versatility and high-quality output. "The ArcShine M18FCs enabled us to realise a studio environment that is both visually compelling and conducive to the engaging discussions characteristic of Numbers on the Board,” remarked the design team.
The fixtures' placement was optimised to enhance the set's aesthetic elements and ensure that focus remains on the hosts and their dialogues. The Prolights ArcShine M18FC fixtures provided the necessary luminance to accentuate the studio's features with white light, maintaining the visual integrity of the broadcast and contributing to the podcast's warm, inviting atmosphere.
This implementation not only aligns with the podcast's content strategy but also elevates the visual experience for view
USA - Although a procession of major stars like Fall Out Boy, 30 Seconds To Mars, The Last Dinner Party, Bush, The 1975, and Sum41 graced the Honda Centre stage, the lighting rig for this year’s iHeartRadio ALTer EGO concert, which is traditionally held at the Kia Forum in LA, was smaller than it was in recent years.
The size of the rig, notwithstanding, the design team was given the mission of making the overall production for the nationally televised event, look bigger than previous shows.
“We wanted to make the show seem larger this year,” said Dierson of The Activity. “Yet, there’s no bravado when I tell you that this was literally the smallest lighting rig that I’ve been a part of in the past 20 or so years.”
Describing this challenge as “a blessed reality”, Dierson explained how it sharpened his creative visions. “It’s good to be forced to get more out of less,” he said. “That may be sort of an age old saying, but it’s also the truth. There’s certainly an ease that comes with a challenge where you can throw more gear at something. However, when you’re forced to accomplish more without that ability, your design talents are truly challenged - and that’s a nice thing to be forced to hone every now and then.”
Among the fixtures that helped Dierson accomplish this goal at iHeart ALTer EGO were 20 Maverick MK3 Washes, 16 Color Strike M strobe-washes in 30-channel mode, and 18 COLORado 2 Solos in SSP mode 9-channel. These Chauvet Professional fixtures, like the rest of the lighting rig in this Diversified Pr
France - Broadcasting 24/7, the international news channel France 24 reaches an audience of almost 500m households around the world in French, Arabic, Spanish and English. However, as is the case all over Paris, space is quite limited, so France 24 has to make the best of its available capacities, with its largest studios being just under 100sq.m with a grille height of 3.5m.
Given the varied programming broadcast by France 24, cameras on this set are arranged very differently, depending on the show. Indeed, sometimes camera axes are reversed by 180-degrees. Also, since various news and editorial teams require their own looks during broadcasts, the studios have not one, but five different sets, all of which are rolled on wheels.
Working within this set of circumstances, Jean-Louis Rousseaux, director of photography for France 24, was seeking a compact and very versatile projector, with a relatively wide focal length, as well as the ability to illuminate several subjects at very short distances. Additionally, he wanted a projector that delivered the precise control necessary for isolating a subject on the set, an essential requirement for any TV broadcast light.
Looking for a lighting solution that could meet these requirements and modernise the studios, Rousseaux turn to his trusted advisor, Alain Lheriteau from Dushow. Lheriteau provided him with the answer, a fixture that offers the performance features he was looking for in a compact size: the Ovation E-2 FC ellipsoidal from Chauvet Professional. A collection of 168 of these RGBA-Lime colour-mixi
France - Elation and French distributor Best Audio & Lighting provided lighting for the final of this year’s CQLP (C'est Qui Le Patron) lighting design competition in France. A demanding competition that showcases lighting designer talent, this was the first time the competition was held outdoors, this year at the Collégiale Notre-Dame de Mantes-la-Jolie outside of Paris.
Using the grandeur of the medieval church’ s architecture as a centrepiece, lighting design teams produced light shows that combined quality, creativity and technique. Following an elimination tournament round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, two teams advanced to the grand finale 20 January. There, the two teams had 40 Proteus Maximus LED profile moving heads, 24 Proteus Excalibur sky beam moving heads, and 40 Paladin Panel floodlights at their disposal to awe judges as well as an enthusiastic crowd of onlookers.
As CQLP is a non-profit organisation, the Elation lighting fixtures were generously provided for the final by Best Audio & Lighting.
Thomas Béra and Adrien Alibert of the winning Blue Cicada team expressed their enthusiasm for the lighting rig. “The kit offered by Best Audio & Lighting and Elation during the CQLP 2024 championship was just crazy! The Proteus Maximus, which were used to light the facade and the central stained-glass window, are superb machines with many graphic possibilities. The Paladins are sufficiently powerful for lighting a facade. And the highlight of the show is the machine that we really loved: the Proteus Excalibur. The
UK - Located in the heart of Chelsea, Cadogan Hall is an historic 950-seater concert hall, presenting a wide range of events and performances, from classical music to jazz to musical theatre. Its acoustics and luxurious surroundings make it the first choice for some of the UK’s top orchestras, including the Hall’s resident orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, as well as a favourite London destination for international touring orchestras.
It recently decided to upgrade its lighting set-up, in order to become more energy efficient as well as offer performances more options and flexibility. As such, they approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, who oversaw this significant investment.
The upgrade of the existing rig was driven by the venue’s head of production, James Tapping. He explains: “Previously we had a ‘concert rig’ of ETC Source Four Pars and Source Four Profiles to provide an open white wash for classical concerts. Also in need of replacing were six legacy Stage Profile SVs which had been in place since the opening of the Hall nearly 20 years ago! (The other 12 Stage Profile SVs we had had previously been replaced with 11 Robe DL7S and 9 JB A12s a few years ago).
“For us, whilst the Source Four Pars and Profiles were bright, they also used a lot of energy and produced a lot of heat. Similarly, the Stage Profiles were simply approaching end-of-life and needed replacing. Alongside the energy efficient gains from LED fixtures, these new units would significantly reduce the number of times the rig had to be flown in t
UK - Reading & Leeds Festival is to debut a new outdoor stage, The Chevron, at this year’s events. The festival attracts 240,000 visitors combined across both sites over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Reading & Leeds will now feature an additional 40,000-capacity open-air venue, including the world’s first floating video canopy made up of hundreds of thousands of programmable LED lights that appear to be hovering in the air. The mesh is 90% transparent so festival-goers can dance under the open sky into the night.
“The bespoke structure, exclusive to Reading & Leeds, promises an immersive atmosphere and incredible programming, raising the bar for dance music and hip-hop fans and artists alike, raising the bar for dance music and hip-hop fans and artists alike,” said a statement.
Positioned in the main arena of both festival sites, The Chevron also signals the return of the single main stage. Since 2021, Reading & Leeds has featured two main stages instead of one to allow for six rotating headline acts. The set-up with six headliners will continue in 2024 but on one main stage across each of the sites.
“The stage's construction represents a feat of engineering, as the LEDs will appear to be hovering in the air. The canopy will bathe the audience dynamic light and the mesh is 90% transparent, so fans can dance under the open sky into the early hours. Featuring the biggest acts, bespoke creative visuals, cutting-edge tech and a world-class sound system, the Chevron is a must-visit festival experience you can’t have a
UK - As lighting controls specialist Pharos Architectural Controls moves into its 20th year in 2024, the manufacturer is launching a campaign in recognition of key people and projects that have played a significant part on its journey.
The 20 Years of Pharos campaign will spotlight 10 lighting professionals and 10 projects that have shaped the success of the company over the two decades since its establishment.
Pharos Architectural Controls was founded in 2004 as part of the Carallon group, as an independently owned specialist in dynamic lighting control systems.
All Pharos products are designed and manufactured in-house, including each product’s industrial design, the electronics, and the final assembly. By keeping control of the entire design and manufacturing process, Pharos prides itself on maintaining the highest possible standards in quality assurance. All Pharos products are backed by a five-year warranty and supported by an experienced technical team.
The most prevalent solution provided by Pharos is its flagship LPC (Lighting Playback Controller), a compact solid-state lighting controller originally designed for theme parks - bringing together the ideal blend of lighting control and show control in a neat package, while being rugged enough to be bolted onto a rollercoaster.
However, what really makes Pharos products special is the bespoke software that runs on them. For many, the software is the beating heart of any Pharos solution, providing users with a vast array of possibilities when designing their lighting projects.
South Korea - Soyoun Lee’s is currently working for Lite Factory in Korea, designing and programming shows for several high-profile K-Pop music artists in Singapore and Korea. One of these is Korean record producer and singer-songwriter, Crush, who recently played several Wonderego concerts - in support of his i third album - at Seoul’s Jamsil Arena, for which Soyoun designed, programmed and operated the lighting.
For the first time, she chose to run the lighting control on a full grandMA3 system. Soyoun had used the grandMA3 console / hardware many times already (running in mode 2) and felt that this was a great time to ‘make the switch’, for which she prepared herself via online training videos and in-person training arranged via MA Lighting’s Asia Pacific base in Singapore.
Through the training, her grandMA3 knowledge increased exponentially and she realised that the platform’s many effective programming techniques were also triggering more creative ideas. The grandMA3 lighting set up on the Wonderego concerts comprised one grandMA3 full-size, one grandMA3 light, one grandMA3 processing unit XLone grandMA3 processing unit L and three grandMA3 8Port Nodes, controlling a total of 329 lighting fixtures that was a mixture of moving and static lights and LED fixtures and panels, all adding up to 17,685 parameters. Soyoun found herself using three main grandMA3 features - Recipes, Selection Grid and Phasers - as the backbone of her workflow, all of which enabled her to programme a complex and detailed show quicker, more efficiently and with grea
Argentina - Rock and pop musician Fito Páez continued his El amor 30 años después del amor tour last year with a 16 December concert at the Estadio UNO - Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi in Buenos Aires where 54 Claypaky Sharpy Plus fixtures enhanced the energy on stage.
The tour marked the 30th anniversary of Páez’s breakout album, El amor despues del amor, the pinnacle of his commercial success. In 1992 the artist sold more than 750,000 copies of the album and played sold-out concert dates. Thirty years later he drew sell-out crowds to a commemorative tour from Gonna Go! Producciones that began in 2022. In the tour’s first year Páez played shows in South America and the US; last year he expanded the tour to include additional South American countries as well as Canada and Europe.
Lighting designer Gaspar Potocnik selected a large complement of Claypaky Sharpy Plus fixtures from rental house Técnica Vidal to enhance the dynamic shows that thrilled fans.
“The Sharpy Plus stands out for its versatility, colorimetry, motorisation and aperture range. It produces a beam or spot that facilitates multiple uses, making them a very interesting tool to operate,” says Agustín ‘Coqui’ Poblete, lighting technician at Técnica Vidal. The company also supplied the local lighting crew, which included Poblete, Gustavo Porollan, Daniel Toledo, José Gutiérrez and Darío Gil.