The Netherlands - Prolights' Jet Wash7 illuminated the Urban Garden room of the Vibes complex in Eindhoven. From a sports centre to a location for corporate and private events, Vibes is a concept location based on technology, innovation, knowledge and design and unfolds in various multifunctional rooms designed to host any type of event. The Vibes team turned to Hoevenaars for the lighting of the Urban Garden room, a modern space based on the aesthetics of the urban jungle, with a surface area of 360m2 the room can accommodate up to 700 people, meeting the needs of events other than corporate ones, including live music. For the lighting setup, the room was fully equipped with a selection of 16 Prolights Jet Wash7s, supplied by Full AVL, Prolights distributor in the Netherlands. “We chose the Prolights Jet Wash7 for their versatility and adaptability" explained
Denmark - The Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen has invested in 80 Robe Forte luminaires in a package featuring 32 x Forte Profiles, 34 x Forte Fresnels, four Forte FollowSpots and 10 x iForte (IP rated) moving lights, as part of a technical upgrade. Chief LX Sune Schou has worked at the Copenhagen Opera House for five years. The venue is one of the most modern such facilities in the world and is located on the island of Holmen in central Copenhagen. Sune is one of three chief LXs based there and is involved with all aspects of lighting production across all the Opera House’s performance spaces. Designed by Henning Larsen and opened amid an international fanfare in 2005, an average of 12 world-class productions are staged annually, a mix of new and revival works all running in repertoire. The quest for new moving lights started two years ago. There were moving
Germany - With the addition of experienced industry professional Giulia Calani, GLP is strengthening its resources on two fronts. Giulia has been recruited in the dual role of sales & partner relationship manager for the manufacturer of professional lighting solutions. Bringing 17 years of industry experience and an extensive network through her previous time at Lightpower, where she managed international projects, she will operate from her home in Paderborn. Here she will deploy her skills as a networker and look after the needs of GLP’s customers, designers and distributors. However, in her role as a sales representative, she will primarily serve customers in Germany’s north-west region. After many years of working for one employer, Giulia says it was time for a change. After attending her first trade fair on behalf of GLP at LEaT con in Hamburg, she said:
Europe - Ayrton has announced the official launch of its new IP65-rated Rivale Profile, the next in its Classical IP65 3 Series, and the first ultra-equipped luminaire in Ayrton’s Ultimate series. It has been developed for mixed use indoors and outdoors, and in all conditions. Weight determines performance, and Rivale Profile weighs only 28kg, yet is capable of outstanding performance. And with continuous rotation of the pan and tilt movement, Rivale Profile allows you more creativity and freedom in your lighting design. Rivale Profile is fitted with a new high-efficiency 450W sealed mono-block LED module, calibrated at 6500K, that offers a luminous flux of 30,000 lumens with optimal positioning on a black body to obtain perfect light neutrality. The proprietary optical system has 13 lenses, delivering a 13-to-1 zoom ratio and zoom range of 4 to 52°. Equippe
The Netherlands - On 9 September 2023 the Smeerboel Festival took place at the Grasweide Papendorp in Utrecht. Around 18,000 house and dance fans and other festival goers enjoyed the tunes of numerous DJs and acts. On different stages, equipment supplier Stagelight provided Infinity and Showtec fixtures to bring the performances to their peak. The Smeerboel Festival entertained the crowds on a hot Saturday in early September with famous acts and DJs on six stages. For the Joy' and 'Basis stages, Stagelight supplied a whopping 178 Infinity iB-2R moving heads, 13 Furion S401 Spot moving heads and 59 Showtec Helix S5000 Q4 wash lights, which were also used as strobes. Tom van den Burg from T.Y.S Productions was responsible for operating the Joy stage. Seventy iB-2R moving heads acted as a ceiling of light, accentuating the distinctive look of the transparent tent covering
Europe - GPA and Lightware Visual Engineering have announced that Lightware has joined the GPA Global Partner Programme. Partnering with GPA will “expand Lightware’s global efficiency and scale allowing Lightware an unrivalled presence to deploy, deliver and support customers in over 50 countries”. The partnership will allow GPA teams to “leverage Lightware's engineering and solutions expertise to address evolving customer requirements and co-create solutions for the modern workplace”. GPA director of global partnerships Mike Stead comments: “Bring Your Own Codec meetings are more popular than ever, and enterprise customers demand seamless, friction-free meeting experiences to earn their staff’s return to work. “GPA’s technical leaders have consistently praised Lightware’s solutions for their reliability, features and performance, making USB-C
South Africa - The 2023 Brixton Light Festival in Johannesburg delivered its third – and largest to date – event filled with the magic, mystery and imagination evoked by light. It started during the covid lockdowns as a community-led and driven art-based lighting experience to unite the already tight-knit, lively and diverse neighbourhood of Brixton. The goal is to celebrate the spirit and importance of community, and the power of art and empathy. Sound designer and Brixton resident Fried Wilsenach from Working Dog helped implement several lighting installations this year, including one illuminating the impressive Sentech Tower, a landmark that dominates the Brixton skyline and that of the surrounding Auckland Park suburb. The Tower is part of SABC’s (South African Broadcasting Corporation) broadcasting HQ which is also located there. Fried in turn asked lightin
Canada - Matthieu Larivée and the team at Lüz Studio have been relentlessly pushing the envelope of late, driving technology in new directions to transform stages in ways that would have been unimaginable not long ago. So, it should come as no surprise that following their widely acclaimed work on last year’s Jason Aldean tour, when they turned the entire upstage wall into a stunning 3D video screen, these creatives dramatically changed their plans for 2023. Unlike its predecessor, this year’s just concluded Highway Desperado Tour had a production design that was dominated by a single vertical, centre stage video screen. Measuring 24’ high by 18’ wide by 6’ deep and angled at 20-degrees, the 8mm blow-through wall displayed captivating IMAG images and dynamic patterns accentuated by pixel mapped light from Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm2 BeamWash fixtures, wh
Italy - Prolights products illuminated the Marrageddon festival, a celebration of Italian hip-hop, conceived and hosted by hip-hop artist Marracash. With two dates between Milan and Naples, the festival hosted a line-up that included Fabri Fibra, Salmo, Guè Pequeno, Lazza and Madame, attracting more than 130,000 tspectators. To support such a large entourage of guests it was necessary to design a lighting setup that was up to par with the live performances of the festival; the lighting design was entrusted to Giorgio De Cassan, alongside Lorenzo De Pascalis, who oversaw the entire artistic direction of the festival. For the lighting setup, the team relied on rental company Mister X Service, selecting a wide range of equipment, including 130 Prolights projectors: 40 Sunblast 3000FC, 50 Astra Wash19Pix, and 40 VersaPar.
USA - ADJ is preparing to showcase its newly evolved range of professional lighting products designed for concert tours, festivals and special events at the 2023 LDI tradeshow in Las Vegas. Alongside new products that will launch exclusively at the show, ADJ’s booth (#1443) will feature a lightshow designed by experienced concert LD, Steve Kosiba. This will showcase select fixtures from the brand’s existing range of fixtures. A partner at Squeek Lights, the concert lighting specialist based in New Jersey, Steve Kosiba has extensive experience in the lighting industry. He joined Squeek Lights after six years at Starlite Productions, where he was head of the automated lighting department, and, before that, spent years working as a house LD at many venues in and around Philadelphia. “My first experience with the ‘new’ ADJ gear was, as with many people in
Germany - Robe Deutschland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Robe Lighting s.r.o., has taken over exclusive responsibility for the sales and service of all Avolites products on the German market as of 1 November 2023. Dieter Gross, CEO of Robe Germany, commented, "Following the acquisition of Avolites by Robe it was a logical step to hand over sales in the region to Robe’s German subsidiary. We respect Trendco's excellent work over the decades and thank them for their harmonious cooperation during the handover period." Tillmann Schulz has been appointed sales and business development manager for Avolites at Robe Deutschland. He notes, "Robe has been using Avolites control products internally for a long time and I am delighted to be representing these new, user-friendly solutions in the German market." In collaboration with Robe Germany’s product specialist
USA - At this year's Live Design International (LDI) from 3-5 December, Cameo - the lighting technology brand of the Adam Hall Group - will be presenting various innovations and product highlights that will significantly expand the range of professional lighting designers, operators and rental service providers. In addition to the OTOS IP65 models SP6 (Spot Profile) and B5 (Beam) and the PIXBAR G2 IP65 LED bars, the focus will be on the new products of the AZOR series, which will be presented to the public for the first time at LDI. Cameo will be showcasing its product portfolio at LDI 2023 together with its North American partner Theatrixx at booth 1145. Cameo can look back on more than 10 years of experience in the professional lighting industry and impresses professionals all over the world with lighting technology for live, event, theatre and architectural lightin
UK - Whitecroft Lighting has secured the contract to supply the internal lighting to Everton Football Club for its new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium in Liverpool. The deal will see the commercial lighting specialist manufacture around 14,000 luminaires for the stadium's main areas, including the concourse, concession areas, press areas, stairwells, corridors, player and staff areas and corporate hospitality. Whitecroft Lighting was awarded the contract due to its experience in successfully delivering complex and high value prestigious projects across the UK, as well as its commitment to supporting the Everton project from initial design to project handover. Due for completion in late 2024, the 52,000-capacity stadium is currently under construction, with the lighting installation set to start in autumn 2023. Whitecroft will be working with main contractor Laing O’
USA - Right from the start, Papa Roach fans at Newark’s Prudential Centre knew that the trailblazing metal masters were going to be coming at them in full force. Walking onto a dark stage, the band started to play Between Angels and Insects as the background behind them suddenly erupted with strobing images from a massive video wall that ran almost the entire width of the stage. The menacingly raw and powerful images on the wall were repeated on the extended riser, making the band members on it look as if they were being absorbed into the foreboding video. It was exactly the kind of evocative narrative that German lighting designer Mathias Kuhn and the band from northern California envisioned when they sat down to plan the production for the Revolution Live tour in support of Shinedown. “Video is by far the biggest part of the show,” said Kuhn. “The band
UK/USA - Three leading West End/Broadway theatre lighting designers are using GLP’s new impression X5 Wash - all supplied by Paul Anderson at Sparks Theatrical Hire - to light current or upcoming shows. Leading the charge was Paule Constable, who originally requested them for Guys and Dolls at London’s Bridge Theatre. This has been followed by Tim Lutkin, who is responsible for lighting The Crucible at the Gielgud Theatre, and Paul Pyant, who is in production for Noises Off at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. “These are three highly respected designers,” observes Anderson, himself a premier theatre lighting design specialist. “Early on in the [Guys and Dolls] process we approached Paule to see what equipment she would desire. As she had just lit a show on Broadway where she used the impression X5s, she requested them.” Sparks o
UK - Lighting design studio Michael Grubb Studio is celebrating a decade in business, having been set up by founder and managing director Michael Grubb in 2013. Like most fledgling enterprises, Michael Grubb Studio began with just one solitary employee – Michael Grubb – working from a desk in a back bedroom. Now, 10 years on, the studio has grown to become an international winning lighting consultancy. From the outset, Michael set out to assemble a team of creative and ambitious designers. His current team of 12 experts in their field demonstrate these skills and capabilities. “I sought a team that possessed self-motivation, audacity, a willingness to take calculated risks, and a commitment to educating our clients about the possibilities that light could offer,” says Michael. “Our DNA and ethos remain at the core of everything we do, creativity, educat
France - The CHAUVET Professional team has built its spaces at JTSE (29-30 November) around the theme ‘Frame your scene: immersion in the frame’. Visitors to Stand #85 and Boîte Noire (Black Box) #14 will find a wide range of new Chauvet Professional projectors designed to help them create striking visuals, enabling them to ‘frame their productions impeccably’. Among them are new additions to the Maverick Storm and COLORado families, all IP65-rated to suit all conditions. The COLORado range is enhanced by the COLORado PXL Curve 12, an innovative new spotlight with 12 zooms and 12 individual tilts. This fixture is also to be presented at the JTSE Awards. Lighting designers will appreciate how this groundbreaking projector offers them new ways of creating a moving frame and conveying emotion through all their pictures. The controllability of each of the 12 fully
France - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced the opening of its new Experience Centre in France, located near Paris. The new facility, situated in Vélizy-Villacoublay, serves as both the new office for the Lightware France team and a central hub for partners and customers throughout France, offering sales, customer, and technical support for all of Lightware's products. Customers enjoy direct access to Lightware's comprehensive product range, which includes Vinx, MX2M, TPX, LARA, as well as their award-winning technologies such as Taurus UCX and UBEX. A training room, equipped with the latest Lightware devices, provides customers with a platform for product testing, roadmap discussions, and the exploration of emerging technologies. The opening of this new facility in France marks a significant strategic move in Lightware's global expansion, says the co
UK - Hugh Vanstone, acclaimed lighting designer and supporter of The Vanstone Scholarship for Production Arts at Guildhall School, was made an Honorary Fellow in graduation ceremonies on Friday 3 November. Others awarded fellowships were Geoff Harniess (Head of Centre for Young Musicians London between 2013 and 2023), Ashley Zhangazha (Acting, 2010) and Roger Wilson (co-founder and director of operations of Black Lives in Music, an initiative dedicated to addressing better representation in music) The graduation ceremony was held in the City of London’s Guildhall, and was attended by graduands, honorands, prize-winners, guests and staff. The School’s special prizes were also awarded over the course of the two ceremonies including; Gold Medal (Music) Alexandra Pouta, Sheriffs’ Prize Camille Daya Lucie Said, Gold Medal (Acting) Abdul Rahman Tariro Sessay, Go
UK - Celestial delivered a spectacular drone show on 4 November in partnership with Frome Town Council for a fundraiser event in the place of a more traditional fireworks display. The ticketed event saw over 7,500 people gather to see the drone show. Close Encounters of the Frome Kind was an extra-terrestrial extravaganza that celebrated the colourful character and quirk of Frome with its blend of innovative drone light show technology, UFO intrigue and touch of celestial magic. The show was designed and delivered by Celestial who, since their last Frome display (the first with a live audience), has gone from strength to strength delivering shows all over the world for some of the biggest brands, including Eurovision, London New Year’s Eve and many more. The company, based in Frome, specialises in aerial storytelling, performed by hundreds of brightly colour
USA - The annual Billboard Latin Music Awards is the biggest night of the year for Latin American music and this year lighting designer John Daniels employed a selection of Elation lights to create captivating effects and aesthetic looks on the show. Aired live on 5 October from the Watsco Centre in Coral Gables, Florida, Daniels creatively incorporated Elation Proteus Rayzor Blade, Proteus Excalibur and Smarty MAX luminaires as some of the most impactful lights on the event. Daniels, in his fifth year working the show, designed lighting looks for 16 performances from top talent like Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma and many others, as well as numerous award presentations. The Elation luminaires played key visual roles in his lighting design and were instrumental in the dynamic camera looks created throughout the show. Lighting supply for the event was from 4Wall. Opting f
USA - Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) is a popular contemporary blues band, known for musicianship and gripping live performances, so Nashville-based lighting designer Tony Caporale of design studio InfinitusVox was delighted to be asked to design a new lighting scheme for their live shows. Tony has enjoyed an action packed 2023 schedule and TTB is a new client. They reached out to him after seeing some of his other work, particularly the Goose tour earlier in the year, for which he was lighting programmer, working closely with LD Andrew Goedde. A long-term Robe advocate, when Tony started drawing up the plot, he looked to some of his most trusted moving lights - Fortes, Spiiders and MegaPointes - to help add that special magic and sparkle for TTB’s stage presentation. It started as a summer shed and theatre tour and crossed over to arenas towards the later US dates
Croatia - A feature of this year’s Špancirfest, a Croatian street festival held every August since 1999 in Varaždin, was the appearance of the tribute band, The Croatian Pink Floyd Show. An array of Claypaky Sharpy X Frame/FD and Midi-B fixtures illuminated the dynamic live show. Špancirfest took place throughout Varaždin’s city centre and featured various street performers, theatre shows, stand-up comedy, concerts and more. The Croatian Pink Floyd Show is a project led by producer and sound engineer Johnny Grudić who founded the band in 2016 and launched performances two years later with the mission to give the audience the most authentic Pink Floyd experience possible. That's where Dino Petrina stepped in as a lighting designer. Production manager Denis Fulir was responsible for the show on the main stage with production by Croatian rental company IVAS Grou
UK - The team behind Optikinetics - a leading innovator of specialist lighting projection effects - has launched a Kickstarter project to help introduce [OPTI] Kino, a limited-edition ‘70s-inspired psychedelic light projector. Created in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary, the Kino projector takes inspiration from the past whilst utilising modern manufacturing materials and techniques. “Imagine you are in the ‘70s and not afraid to let your imagination flow,” say Kino’s creators. “Opti's newest projector is here to take you back in time on a vibrant and mesmerising journey. It's all about love: love for the past, love for creativity, love for colours and above all, love for your imagination.” Offering a retro-modern style, the limited-edition effects projector is designed to work with Optikinetics’ range of analogue lighting effects, such
