Live music with Roland at NAMM
USA - Creating a concert-like atmosphere for Roland Corporation's NAMM stands was a Justin Preston lighting design that featured Chauvet Professional Rogue, Nexus and COLORado fixtures.
In addition to supporting a diverse mix of live performances, the flexible lighting design accented the display of electronic music and software products at the company’s two massive exhibit spaces. “I’ve worked on the Roland Corp. NAMM exhibit for the past three years, and it’s always rewarding because of the scope of the project,” says Preston of Preston Productions. “We have to incorporate elements of entertainment and retail lighting.”
The versatility of the Chauvet Professional fixtures in his NAMM rig helped Preston accomplish these goals. For example, at the BOSS Both, he relied on his Rogue and COLORado fixtures for stage lighting, while using his Nexus 4x4 units for the general display area.
“I used six COLORado 1 Solos as front light for the stage and four Rogue R2 Washes as backlights,” he says. “The Solos were great because of their size; they allowed me to sneak them into the corners of the stage without being too noticeable, while the R2 Washes are just tried-and-true workhorses. As far as the Nexus 4x4 goes, it worked brilliantly for downlighting the area. I got great coverage of the exhibit space from the 12 Nexus units due to their wide lens, and their output never disappoints.”
Preston also used 27 Nexus 4x4 panels for downlighting at the larger Roland booth. An additional 10 Nexus units were hung vertically, five stage left and five stage right, to add impact to the performances on the Roland booth’s stage. Front lighting on that stage was taken care of by six Rogue R2 Wash fixtures, while four Chauvet DJ Shocker Panel 180s were used for blinders. Added mood setting was provided by an Amhaze Whisper atmospheric effect.
“We wanted to create a concert-like atmosphere, while also being able to change up our looks for different artists,” says Preston. “Our client brought in some great musical talent, and we wanted to help people at the exhibit experience that to the fullest.”
(Jim Evans)

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