Australia - An array of stars gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Michael Gudinski at Mushroom 50 Live! In Melbourne at the end of November. Gudinski founded Mushroom Records in 1972. Over the years, he recorded, promoted and nurtured a generation of transformative Australian stars like MacKenzie Theory, the Skyhooks, The Choirboys and Kylie Minogue, among many others. Along the way, he became a legend, earning the title ‘father of Australian music’. Honouring his legacy, the Mushroom Group recognised Gudinski’s half-century of achievements by holding Mushroom 50 Live!, a live and broadcast show that featured 50 songs from 50 years of the record label Gudinski founded. Although the programme covered a wide range of eras, genres and onstage styles, the personality and passion of each performer was beautifully reflected in a versatile lighting des
UK - At the annual Lighting Lunch held last Monday, the ALPD took the opportunity to make an award to Kelli Zezulka, outgoing editor of the association’s magazine Focus. Alongside teaching and design work, Kelli took over the magazine at very short notice, after the sad passing of the then editor Andy Collier. Kelli volunteered to do a few issues whilst studying for her MA. ‘A few issues’ turned into 10 years: Kelli steered Focus to its 100th edition in July this year Now a full-time teacher of lighting, Kelli has recently written a book on the history of the Association of Lighting Designers (now ALPD) which is soon to be published. She is co-editor of Contemporary Performance Lighting, published by Bloomsbury in February this year. Kelli was presented with a special gobo and a gobo encased in glass as well as life membership of the ALPD. Th
USA - Toby Keith recently returned to the Las Vegas stage with three sold out shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM this December. The two-hour performance featured a lighting system designed by The Darkroom Creative and provided in part by Bandit Lites. Keith was recently honoured with the Country Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards and released his 100% Songwriter album in November to critical acclaim. Lighting designer Seth Jackson of The Darkroom Creative shared the news of the performances was unveiled on a call with just 45 days to prepare, as well as instructions that load in would be the day of the show, with no rehearsal and no tech. None of this phased anyone, as all parties were ready to make this show happen. “At the end of the day, the inspiration was Toby,” said Jackson. “He is fiercely loyal to all of us, and nobody hesitated for a moment to drop
USA - There are strong evocative feelings tied to time and place in Jane Chambers 1980 landmark play, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. That’s often the case with cultural milestones, a category this play certainly fits into, being the first major lesbian drama. Lighting designer R.S. Buck and the rest of the production team appreciated the significance of this when they worked on a recent production of the 43-year-old classic at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, but their vision extended beyond the play’s historical context to focus on the stories of the eight women portrayed in this drama. "As we worked on the play, we were less interested in highlighting it as a period piece, and more in showing the authenticity and relevance of these women’s stories,” said Buck. “So, all of us on the design team worked hard to create a world that didn’t distract
Australia - While visitors to the BBC Earth Experience in Melbourne are being transported on a journey through the natural world, a new video explains the technical magic behind the scenes. The BBC Earth Experience is an immersive exhibition narrated by Sir David Attenborough which has recently opened at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Produced in collaboration with Moon Eye Productions, Live Nation, BBC Studio and Tinker Imagineers, the multi-room digital art experience guides visitors through Earth's diverse ecosystems across seven continents. What sets Melbourne’s BBC Earth Experience apart is the playback technology used for this installation Australian video technology and production supplier, TDC, harnessed the innovative BeeBlade media server from HIVE to power the entire project. Michael Hassett, managing director, TDC begins the b
Belgium - VRT, the public broadcaster of the Flemish Community in Belgium, is paving the way for a new era of media production with its latest cutting-edge studio. The new multifunctional studio of VRT represents a pivotal leap into the future of media production. Equipped with an immense U-shaped LED wall, measuring an impressive 33m in width and 4m in height, crafted from Leyard Europe's VEM Series LED solution, the studio promises to ‘usher in a wave of creativity, efficiency, and accessibility in the production proces’s. It will also allow VRT to stay relevant in a rapidly changing media landscape and fully explore the potential of virtual technologies for broadcasting. Stijn Lehaen, general director of technology & infrastructure at VRT NWS, explains, “This multifunctional studio is a logical continuation of the innovation work VRT has been doing in rec
USA - An accomplished painter when she isn’t busy as a LD, Denise Simpson says that she often likes to play with colours to do things a little differently when designing shows. This was evident this December when she lit The Christmas Experience, a well-orchestrated one-hour musical programme at the Lexington Baptist Church. “Often one of the unique ways that I create looks is by slightly offsetting colours in some of my big monochromatic looks,” remarked Simpson. “I generally lean towards monochromatic looks as I am building up the end of a song, and also for those big high energy numbers. I love building bright saturated colour scenes. “In this case, I chose my colour palettes based on how the music felt to me and how the performers and musicians presented the piece. Also, very important to this event, my palettes were chosen by working closely with
Germany - The upper Franconian town of Wunsiedel is not only home to the largest rock labyrinth in Europe, but also the oldest open-air stage in Germany, which is used by the Luisenburg Festival every year during the summer months. The performance area of the main stage extends over several levels amidst rocks and forest. In this natural setting, the technical team at the Luisenburg Festival once again used weatherproof spotlights from Fusion by GLP this year. Twenty-four X-PAR 12Z, 24 Fusion Stick FS20, 12 Fusion SuperNova SN70 and four GLP impression X5 washlights formed part of the lighting design for the 2023 season, with the Sticks FS20 having been specified for the third year in a row. The lighting of the rock stage is redefined year after year based on the performance plan, with the position of the material defining the requirements, as Michael Lindner, assistan
Germany - Harmonic Sound has chosen to expand its inventory by investing in Prolights' Astra Hybrid330. Matthias Führer, head of the lighting technology team at Harmonic Sound, had clear ideas about the projector: "We were looking for a compact and lightweight moving light that still offered high brightness and precise optics; of course, it also had to be silent," he explains. "Furthermore, the projector was not only intended for illuminating performances but also for projections. Additionally, the quality of craftsmanship and ergonomics are important aspects that should always be considered." The specifications set by Harmonic Sound were met by the Astra Hybrid330 from Prolights. After delivery, the company immediately put the projectors into action during the Allgäuer Festival 2023 in Kempten. "The Astra Hybrid330 impressed us from the start," Matthias stated
Slovenia - GR-Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre (GR) is a bustling 23-hall venue operating in the middle of the Slovenian capital, hosting a variety of national and international expos and trade fairs. It is also used for television productions, special live events, and some music concerts. Recently, the venue has boosted its Robe moving light stock with the purchase of Esprites, LEDBeam 350s and LEDBeam 150s which have been added to their existing ParFects, Spiider LED wash beams, MegaPointes and LEDBeam 150s. All this equipment has been delivered by Robe’s Slovenian distributor, MK Light Sound. “We own a quantity of equipment which is available site-wide for different events as needed, and if more is required, we cross rent,” explained Boris Kutin, the venue’s head of AV and part of a technical team ensuring all GR productions are delivered smoothly
USA - Alec Morris from Anthrolight Productions in the UK embarked on a North American tour this autumn with guitarist and ex-Genesis member Steve Hackett, illuminating the performances using an NX1 lighting console from Obsidian Control Systems. The 31-show tour, Foxtrot at 50, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Genesis's Foxtrot album, kicked off on 3 October in Montreal and concluded on 18 November in Los Angeles. It marked Morris' first time designing and operating lighting for the guitarist, with tour manager Adrian Holmes overseeing the logistics. Alec began designing lighting on a Martin LightJockey and M-Series consoles years ago, transitioning to Obsidian after Elation took over the console line. “The software kept developing and improving,” he says. “I saw improvements in functionality and the support was excellent, so I continued to use it.
UK - The close of Entec’s 30th anniversary year as the first-call production supplier to The Bootleg Beatles has coincided with the Fab Four themselves returning to the top of the singles chart. The Bootlegs are currently traversing the UK on another successful Christmas tour as they wrap up 2023 - a year that witnessed the passing of co-founder and partner, and original ‘George Harrison’, Andre Barreau. “It’s hit us all hard and I miss Andre so much, as we all do,” says management partner Neil Harrison who, as ‘John Lennon’, founded the band with Andre in 1980 after co-starring in the hit West End musical Beatlemania. “He knew The Beatles’ history with forensic detail, and was able to direct the authenticity of the costumes, the video content and the music with absolute precision. He instinctively knew what was right or wrong.” At a
Denmark - Forty Astera NYX Bulbs were central to a kinetic light sculpture that was created for London-based creative agency Audience’s design for a recent Deloitte Shared Services Conference (SSC) staged at the Bella Centre, Copenhagen. Audience’s project director for the event, Neil Scrivener, working on it for the third year, explained that the Deloitte team wanted the SSC’s plenary sessions to be staged in the round, which presented challenges for both set and scenic designs as nice clean 360-degree sightlines are vital. Audience’s creative team, led by client and strategy director Stephen McIntosh, proposed a scheme for a contemporary plenary space incorporating two large 20m-wide x 4-metre-deep LED screens with a special ‘light feature’ above the stage. They then worked with Neil and lighting designer Paul van dan Heijkant - working on the eve
France - On 12 November in Paris, 163 Robert Juliat Dalis 862 footlights took part in the Chiroptera show, a collaborative project by JR, Damien Jalet and Thomas Bangalter. The public gathered at the Place de l'Opéra watched an impressive 20-minute ballet in front of the façade of the Palais Garnier, which was dressed in a huge trompe-l'œil fresco revealing the entrance to a cave, that masked the scaffolding currently covering the façade of the building as it is being restored. "We worked closely with the three artists behind the project, and came up with a very specific lighting concept," says Antoine D'Halluin, associate director of Concept K, a French company specialising in artistic creation. "We had to use lighting to serve the show while ensuring all the technology required for such a creation remained invisible to the audience. We therefore deliberately deci
Malaysia - Architectural lighting control manufacturer Visual Productions has announced a distribution agreement with Acoustic & Lighting Systems, a solution provider with headquarters in Malaysia and local offices in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. This collaboration marks a significant step forward for both companies in delivering lighting control solutions to the system integration market in South East Asia. "We are thrilled to partner with Acoustic & Lighting Systems, a company with a rich presence in the system integration market in South East Asia. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our vision of providing advanced lighting control solutions to architects, designers, and system integrators in the region," says Maarten Engels, managing director at Visual Productions. Eugene Yeo, general manager at Acoustic & Lighting says: "Acoustic &
UAE - The Laserworld Group and Pro Lab Trading, one of the region’s largest distribution companies for entertainment technology, have announced a new partnership to distribute laser systems in the Middle East. Pro Lab has a well-established distribution structure all over the region, matching the broad portfolio of laser systems manufactured by the Laserworld Group - from entry-level effects to high-end quality lasers. “It is great that we found such a strong, well-respected partner in the Middle East region, with offices in many countries with highly trained staff”, states Denis Phoenix, sales director of Laserworld. “It will be a great benefit to have a good stock holding in the region for quicker delivery and support for our customers. Pro Lab has a proven track record in the region, and our products perfectly complement their range of distributed products.”
USA - Jackson Browne recently wrapped up another successful tour, including four back-to-back performances at New York’s Beacon Theatre with long time lighting provider, Bandit Lites. Bandit supplied lighting designer Chris Stuba with a package consisting of Ayrton Ghibli, Chauvet Rogue R2X Washes, Elation Seven Batten 72, Martin MAC Viper Profiles, Robe Robin LEDWash 600 and VL 3600 Spots. Browne’s long-time production manager Dennis Scrimo gave Stuba carte blanche with the lighting (“as long as it didn’t suck,” Stuba noted.) “I try to set a mood and stay out of the way,” he explained. “It is an old school show with very little movement: there is nothing symmetrical in the rig and I use no gobos on the band.” With Browne forgoing follow spots, Stuba relies on the VL 3600 Spots for key lighting saying: “They have a nice colour for an LED fix
Italy - Sondrio has been transformed into an enchanting Christmas landscape with a mesmerizing light show, made possible by the Prolights Mosaico range image projectors. The project, managed by communication agency Sviluppo Creativo and rental company Liteo Tech, turned Campello Square into a captivating snowy setting with projections of the Enchanted Forest, created using the Prolights Mosaico and Mosaico L projectors. In total, 13 units of projectors were utilised, customised with gobos and animation wheels, also crafted by Prolights. These versatile projectors designed for outdoor installations played a crucial role in establishing an immersive Christmas atmosphere in the main square of Sondrio. The decision to opt for Prolights Mosaico projectors was driven by the pursuit of flexibility and quality. Daniele Licchetta, the lighting designer of the Liteo Tech team, e
South Africa - The Globe is a 2,200sq.m multipurpose event venue at the heart of Durban’s Suncoast entertainment and leisure complex. It’s one of KZN’s and the country’s most popular event spaces and recently took delivery of new Robe Painte and LEDWash 600+ moving lights. The new fixtures are part of an ongoing upgrade programme that ensures the venue systems stay abreast of the latest and most appropriate production technologies to offer their clients and guests, and were delivered by Robe’s South African distributor, DWR. At the centre of the drive to get the new kit was Thabo Ntsala, audio visual specialist / manager for Suncoast Casino, Hotels & Entertainment. As head of the technical department in Durban, Thabo is responsible for the technical teams looking after all the audio and visual infrastructure in the complex, its ongoing technical r
USA - Country-bluegrass band The Turnpike Troubadours are continuing their hit US A Cat in the Rain Tour with Ayrton Zonda 9 FX and Zonda 3 FX LED moving head washes, Bora LED beams and washes, and Khamsin LED profiles dominating the rig. The tour, which kicked off last summer, follows the August release of the band’s album of the same name. It wraps at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, Texas just before New Year’s Eve. Nashville-based independent lighting designer and programmer Joshua Schultz has been working with The Turnpike Troubadours for the last two years. In designing the tour, he wanted to “keep the focus on the band and not go over the top with a gigantic rig. We have to be able to scale to the size of the venue, which ranges from 5,000-seat theatres to 14,000-seat arenas.” Schultz also wanted “an entire rig of Ayrton fixtures”, a goal he achie
UK - London’s Royal Albert Hall has continued its progressive upgrade to LED with the installation of 80 Martin Professional ELP PAR fixtures. The fixtures were supplied by White Light, via Martin’s UK distributor Sound Technology. Jon Vivash, lighting operations manager, Royal Albert Hall, confirmed the new fixtures have been installed in six groups of six in the gallery, a further six groups of six in the circle, and an additional four either side of the organ for the choirs. All are predominantly used for the lighting of audience seating areas. “The Martin ELP PARs have opened up a huge range of looks in the house for both spoken word, when soft audience glows are required, to rock’n’roll ACL looks and strong saturated colours immersing the audience,” Jon explained. The initial decision to upgrade the existing tungsten fixtures was partly influence
USA - Four hours and twenty-two minutes is a long time; about an hour longer than it takes to fly from New York to Miami, almost twice as long as the average NBA game, and even longer than Bruce Springsteen’s longest show, a four-hour-and-six-minute performance that took place in Helsinki in 2012. Yet this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony ran that long without a dull moment. There was plenty to captivate the live audience at Barclays Centre, as well as those who watched the livestream on Disney+, from the touching (Adam Levine singing Faith to honour the late inductee George Michael), to the electrifying, when no one remained seated as Missy Elliot, decked out in a glittering gold suit and backed up by an abundance of dancers, rattled the arena with a fiery medley of her hits. Supporting the diverse marathon (there were 14 inductees, p
Slovenia - Joker Out have enjoyed a busy year with touring shows, representing Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK, and recently playing a sold-out performance at Ljubljana’s biggest arena venue, Stožice - which was lit by Klemen Krajnc, part of the Blackout design studio. This was an all-Robe moving light rig – with 100 Robe luminaires breaking down as 32 x MegaPointes, 64 x Spiiders, 19 x LEDBeam 150s and 13 x Fortes plus a quantity of strobes and LED floods. Klemen has worked with the band since 2021 when he was asked to light the launch of their first album, Umazane misli. Robe is his go-to moving light brand, and it’s a popular choice for his Blackout LD colleagues including Crt Birsa. Robe’s success in this region is also in part due to the proactive approach by Slovenian distributor, MK Light Sound in getting Robe out there in so ma
Saudi Arabia - ETC dealer, Oasis Enterprises has supplied ETC control, networking and fixtures for Al Hadath’s new broadcast studios in Riyadh. The Al Hadath news channel – which specialises in both regional and global current affairs – has launched its new studio as part of an ongoing expansion of the channel’s operations in the region. Oasis Enterprises worked with Al Hadath to achieve its requirements of a creating a modern, dynamic space that is equipped with the latest advancements in LED technology. Their fixtures of choice were ETC’s versatile ColorSource Spot jr’s – these were controlled by Eos Apex; selected for its powerful colour tools and award-winning software. They also chose Response Mk2 DMX Gateways for networking and powerful data distribution in the studios. These were installed following a year of planning for the modern space.