USA - When it comes to the lights in his rig, Dominic Lopenzo doesn’t hesitate to say that he is completely partial to beam fixtures, or more specifically the beam function in Chauvet Professional’s Rogue RH1 Hybrid. “Beams have become my favourite, because they add so much energy to a room,” he said. “I find myself going to them often.” Partiality to beams might not be unusual in a concert/touring designer, but Lopenzo is speaking as technical director of Grace City Church, a 750-seat house of worship with a distinctly modern touch located in Lakeland, Florida.. “Many people have described our services as being like a concert, and to our worship team and me that’s a huge compliment,” said Lopenzo, who comes from a concert background and still works at the House of Blues in Orlando in addition to doing his lighting duties at the church. “We
Ukraine - For Olya Polyakova’s The Queen of the Night show, staged at Kiev’s Palace of Sports in October 2021, a large array of Claypaky lighting fixtures gave a high-energy look to the concert and accented the royal design motif employed by the popular performer. Yuriy Andrushchenko, drector of Feyeria, supplied lighting designer Vlad Cherepin with 62 Claypaky Sharpys, 54 Sharpy Plus, 32 Mini-B LED moving lights, 32 Tambora Battens and eight Scenius Unico spots for the concert. “The central element of the set was a star-shaped crown suspended from trusses on moving motors, where we put the Sharpy fixtures,” says Dmytro Andrushchenko, stage designer of Feyeria. “Sharpys were very well suited to this application because they are small and easy to install and have a great effect in a large hall.” Vlad Cherepin chose Sharpys, he says, “because
UK - A lot of music history has reverberated off the walls of The Brook in Southampton, a former Victorian pub turned live performance venue. Bill Wyman has jammed on its tidy stage, so too have Billy Bragg and other UK stars. Now a bit of the future is shining of its storied walls too, as GLS lighting has given the club an LED lighting upgrade with some 30 Chauvet Professional fixtures. The change began during the COVID lockdown when The Brook’s director Nick Lewis saw an opportunity to define a new vision that would take the venue, which began hosting live music in 1994, to new levels whilst also committing to reducing its environmental impact. Having worked with The Brook for over 20 years, local install specialists GLS were brought on board to transform the club’s outdated lighting system with a modern, flexible LED installation with the idea of enhancing its
Norway - For the second straight year Nobel Week Lights Stockholm was presented as part of the city’s Nobel Prize celebrations from 4-12 December 2021. Dialog, the installation by lighting designer Fredrik Jönsson, utilised 30 Xtylos Aquas, the IP66-rated fixtures powered by Claypaky’s proprietary RGB laser source. Xtylos Aqua offers the same effects and features of the original Xtylos in a small and robust form factor designed for use outdoors. Nobel Week Lights Stockholm was organised by The Nobel Prize Museum and featured some 20 artistic installations inspired by the Nobel Prize and its winners’ achievements. Jönsson’s Dialog was located on Strömparterren, a small island in the centre of Stockholm near the royal palace and parliament, and visible across the city. It was inspired by the Nobel Prize in Physics that Charles K. Kao won in 2009
UK - With government advice putting the decision-making onto the shoulders of the public and consumer confidence eroding as a consequence, the live events sector is stressed to the limit, says industry organisation #WeMakeEvents (WME). Despite a devastating 2020 and a challenging 2021, businesses in the industry have worked hard to exceed revenues last recorded in November 2019 by the same month in 2021. But, says WME, the current climate has already eroded this by 80% during December 2021 and is forecast to continue through January. From the UK’s first lockdown in Spring 2020 until summer 2021, companies in this sector only received around 12% of the Cultural Recovery Fund (CRF) awards whilst many of the freelance technical specialists who work in the industry are still catching-up on their finances, having had no work for over a year. WME says in a statement:
Czech Republic - Debuting in fall 2021 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Martin Hruška’s Queen Relived tQueen tribute show uses automated platforms, cubic structures and an array of ingeniously configured geometric structures to immerse audiences and bring them closer to the Freddy Mercury experience as performed by the band Queenie CZ. “The show revolves around the concept of depth,” said Hruška, who designed the stage, lighting rig, and video graphics for the show, in addition to writing its storyline. “I wanted the automation platform to change perspectives, I had a long catwalk dive deep into the audience. The idea was to break down barriers and connect the people to the band and to the music of Freddy Mercury.” A total of 16 trucks were used to transport the show’s gear into the arena. Accentuating the intricate web of shapes and forms was an inten
USA - The Proteus Excalibur from Elation Professional is a powerful IP65 beam moving head fixture. The newest member in Elation’s Proteus range of IP65 automated fixtures, Excalibur’s power, long throw beam and wide front aperture make it suitable for creating aerial light columns, sweeping beams, throws of CMY colour, and prismatic/air FX rivaling existing Xenon searchlights, says Elation. “Capable of creating effects as magical as its legendary namesake, the Proteus Excalibur is ideally suited for theme parks, cruise ships, outdoor special events, large-scale shows and concerts, or any situation where a massive beam or very powerful prism and flower effects are required.” Excalibur is billed as ‘the brightest IP65 full-featured beam fixture ever created’, producing up to 200,000 lux at 20m (7,500 lux at 100m). Rivaling existing Xenon searchlights a
Mauritius - Located in the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius, Lakaz derives its name from the locale Creole language term for home or house. It’s an apt description of the prevailing atmosphere at this well-known venue, where locals and tourists (over a million visit the island every year), feel right at home. During the pandemic lockdown, the normally busy club, took advantage of the lull in traffic to make its atmosphere” even more inviting for guests by replacing its old fixtures with LED units from Chauvet Professional. Designed and installed by One Touch Domotics, the upgrade did more than make the club more inviting, it also provided Lakaz with an entirely new way to weave lighting into its entertainment offerings. “Lakaz has been around for many years and is one of the most popular party spots in Mauritius, but it was time for a change with lighting,
UK - Leeds-based rental company Production Light & Sound was founded in 2000 by the late Jason Salvin and is now headed by Sarah Buckmaster who has been working for the company for the last 16 years and a director since 2018. The scope of the company’s work includes draping and staging in addition to lighting and sound production and embraces all areas of technical production - live music, concerts, festivals through to slick corporate and business events. At the start of 2020, Production Light & Sound made a large purchase of Robe RoboSpots - four systems, complete with motion cameras - and were, like so many enterprises, looking forward to a bumper year ahead. Then came COVID. “With theatres, venues now opening up, shows restarting and gigs, tours and events being scheduled and re-scheduled post COVID, we hope there’s going to be plenty of work a
UK - Lighting, sound and video specialists, Colour Sound Experiment, supplied 48 Ayrton Karif LT LED beam spot fixtures to lighting designer Samuel Tozer of Vision Factory when he lit the drum and bass DJ duo, Hybrid Minds, for a one-off performance, produced by NTRP, at Brixton Academy in London in October. The recently-released Ayrton Karif LT was the main lighting fixture in Tozer’s rig which was almost exclusively composed of Ayrton Karif LT and Ayrton Eurus. Tozer specified Karif LT because he needed a multi-use hybrid fixture in a compact body, with the capacity for the narrow beam looks traditional to D&B music, but also able to deliver wide textured prism looks. “The Karif could give me all of these things and is small enough to use in large quantities to give me plenty of creative scope,” says Tozer. Twenty-four Karif LTs were rigged evenly on
USA - To provide indie-dance duo Sylvan Esso with lighting as dynamic, expressive and riveting as their music for their 2021 Shaking Out the Numb Tour, lighting designer Zach Sternberg designed a rig featuring Martin Professional lighting solutions. Founded in 2013 in Durham, North Carolina, Sylvan Esso is made up of singer-songwriter Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. By combining elements of folk, indie rock and electronic music, Meath and Sanborn developed a sound that toes the line between digital, upbeat music and earnest, vulnerable lyricism, earning them a devoted fan base in the process. This past fall, the Grammy-nominated duo embarked on their Shaking Out the Numb Tour in support of their third studio album Free Love, which they released in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the tour, lighting designer Zach Sternberg created a streamli
UK - Hull-based rental and production company HPSS invested in more Robe MegaPointes to provide spectacular results for the city’s 2021-22 festive illuminations, which feature 16 of these multifunctional fixtures. These were distributed on the rooftops of three landmark city centre buildings in a concept and system design by HPSS’s Graham Roberts. Graham and HPSS have delivered this project for the past few years, working alongside Jonathon Black from Hull City Council. Each time the challenge is to create something new, fresh, and different, but based on the same principle of energising the heart of the city, and bringing it alive with vibrance, colour and movement in a visual scheme that can be enjoyed by all. The festive lighting system was also integrated with some of the city centre’s existing lighting and AV control infrastructure which was installed
USA - Main Light, LLC has hired Patrick Bellino as an inside sales representative. His responsibilities will include working with both rental and sales clients as well as interfacing with the shop to ensure the smooth fulfilment of client’s orders. Bellino will work from Main Light East in Wilmington, DE and will report directly to Main Light rental manager Rick McKinney. Bellino previously worked as a rental representative with the Christie Lites office in New York where he focused on the Broadway theatre market and as an account executive with 4Wall Entertainment. Main Light’s business model as the leading industry source for dry hire equipment is something that is excited to be part of, as he explains. “Dry hire is a really great model,” says Bellino. “It lets us help everyone. We're not directly competing on jobs against other companies instead we get to
The Netherlands - SLF Group and Black Out Lighting used Showtec and Infinity lighting solutions to create a spectacle at Medammecour Draait Door. Over 100 Infinity, Showtec, and Showgear products were used throughout the week of performances. As the carnival season rolls around each year, the province of Limburg readies itself for some entertaining, festive, and spectacular performances. One such recent tradition is the Medammecour, a travelling tour of Carnivalesque musical performances. In a typical year, the Medammecour tours from town to town, putting on performances across Limburg. On 14-21 October, Medammecour Draait Door was held in the Rodahal in Kerkrade, allowing social distancing restrictions to be observed while accommodating up to 300-spectators per evening. The event featured many of the regular cast and performances that have contributed to the success o
Bulgaria - The new International Congress Centre Burgas (ICCB) on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria has installed an Elation lighting system in its largest event space designed and delivered by Elation Professional’s Bulgarian distributor, ProAudio. The city of Burgas is an industrial, transport, cultural and tourist centre, and a natural location for an international conference centre. ICCB with its variety of event spaces, transportation access and nearby first-class hotels, fulfills that role. The modernly equipped complex houses six different spaces including three main event halls used for conferences, exhibitions, concerts, television broadcasts, gala dinners and more. Building designers ATM Architects chose distributor, ProAudio to develop audio, video and stage lighting solutions for the venue. In the centre’s largest space, the 500-capacity Chernomorie Hall
France - Dushow recently helped deliver the world’s biggest concert, Global Citizen Live, as lead technical partner for the Global Citizen Live event in Paris. Serving as the main official service provider for the broadcast event which featured Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Black Eyed Peas, Christine and the Queens, Doja Cat and Måneskin, as well as special guest performances by Angélique Kidjo, Charlie Puth and Fatma Said, and raised more than US$1bn to fight climate change, famine and vaccine inequity. Dushow partnered with its video-specialist subsidiary, Alabama, and sister company Magnum to deliver a complete technical solution encompassing audio, LED, lighting, video, cabling and power. This tour de force was made possible thanks to the wider Novelty Magnum Dushow group offering organisers a single point of contact for the complex 20,000-person show. T
The Netherlands - Oktoberfest Sittard held an open-air Wiesnfest in October to the delight of 18,000 visitors. This annual folk festival welcomed lederhosen-wearing punters who enjoyed mugs of beers, ate bratwursts and saw live performances by Dutch and German artists like Rowwen Hèze, Beppie Kraft and Wir Sind Spitze. Reflexion Evenemententechniek provided the technical equipment at open-air Wiesnfest, and T.Y.S Entertainment Architects was responsible for the light design throughout the festival, including the installation of an extensive arsenal of Infinity effect lighting and Showtec stage lighting. Six Infinity Furion S-601 Profile moving heads were used as stage front light. They were an ideal fit with the back effect lighting, consisting of 11 Infinity Furion S-401 Spot and 15 Infinity iW-1941 RDM moving heads. the fixtures share the same CMY+CTO colour mix sys
Europe - Astera’s Titan Tube has won a Pro Moviemaker Gear of The Year award in the lighting innovation category. The annual accolade from the international publication for professional film makers is the third major industry award won by Astera’s Titan Tube, following a PLASA Award for Innovation and the PLSN Gold Star Award, both in 2019. Gear of The Year recognises 'the best, most interesting and useful products and technical innovations and the companies behind them’. The TitanTube is designed to be a portable lighting solution for TV, film / video / broadcast cinema and photography as well as for shows and live events. Brent Sauls of Magic Arm Lighting is a freelance gaffer and cinematographer from Cape Town, South Africa and a regular user of Titan Tubes who commented, “They are extremely user-friendly products, and once familiar with what
Canada - Released in November 2021, supernatural comedy Ghostbusters: Afterlife continues the spooky story line of the first two movies. Directed by Jason Reitman and set in Oklahoma, the film was shot in various locations and sound stages across the Province of Alberta, Canada in the months before the pandemic from July to October 2019. The crew travelled to Calgary and neighbouring communities, also working in Crossfield, Beiseker, and Drumheller over several months of principal photography. To handle the fast-paced needs of the production, set lighting programmer Benoit Richard used an extensive Hog 4 control system to network the production. As a Ghostbusters fan, Benoit is quick to thank Gaffer Michael Ambrose for getting him this gig. “Nothing would have been possible without Michael calling and offering one of the jobs of a lifetime. I was a tee
Belgium - The Big Fire That Never Happened drew much attention and widespread praise at Ghent’s internationally acclaimed Lichtfestival in November. Conceived by Belgium-based Austrian artist, Michael Langeder, the exhibit set the tower of St. Nicholas Church in the city centre ablaze in simulated flames, a conflagration that looked so authentic, it prompted calls to the fire brigade. Creating this realistic scene was no simple task. Aside from having to hoist gear up the church’s 40m high tower (a 15 minute journey each time), the design team had to do extensive trial and error tweaking to get make their fire frighteningly believable. Helping them in this undertaking was the extensive colour-rendering prowess of their IP65 rated Chauvet Professional COLORado and COLORdash fixtures, supplied by John & Jane Premium Technical Event Support. Liam van Tornho
USA - Miami-based lighting and creative director Yamil Charif who heads up design company YC3 delivered a high impact stage production for Pitbull’s recent I Feel Good tour, with 32 shows across the US and 100 Robe moving lights - MegaPointes and BMFL WashBeams - as the backbone of the lighting rig. Yamil has worked with the artist for the last four years as lighting and video director and for this one, he was offered the chance to work on the full production design, together with a talented team whose collaborative effort embraced all technical disciplines plus associated areas like wardrobe and choreography. The result was a live performance experience delighting fans nationwide, and a tight logistical operation under the production management of Victor Martinez. The tour’s lighting, video and rigging vendor, LPS Production, had Robe fixtures in stock whi
USA - No one is quite sure, where or when the custom of wearing ugly Christmas sweaters started. Some say it began in the 1950s when TV singers tried to set a cozy tone on their holiday specials by wearing corny cardigans. Others trace its origins to the ‘80s when it became a staple of TV sitcoms every December. Either way, one thing is certain, ugly sweater parties and events pop up everywhere across North America this time of year. Among the most popular is the annual Ugly Holiday Sweater Concert at the Mesa Amphitheatre sponsored every December by radio station 99.3 FM. Except for a 2020 hiatus due to COVID, the concert has been held every year since 2015, featuring national acts like Silversun Pickups and Kings of Leon. On Saturday 11 December, the magic returned to Mesa with an Ugly Sweater concert by Grammy winning headliners Weezer, supported by up-and-coming
USA - Elation Professional’s LightJockey is one of the longest available lighting control software solutions on the market. Now, after over two decades of service and with tens of thousands of systems in the market, the time has come for LightJockey to gracefully retire, says Elation. “As ongoing security changes to Windows prevent LightJockey from functioning reliably, the decision was made to phase out the lighting control software with the release of Windows 11 in October,” says Elation. The last LightJockey kit has been sold and this iconic software - the starting point for many professionals in the business - will no longer evolve.” The transition to a new and modern software solution, however, is simple. LightJockey USB DMX hardware is recognised by Onyx, the lighting control platform by Obsidian Control Systems. Plug-and-play drivers unlock any of
USA - Technical Arts Group (TAG) has invested in Ayrton Perseo Beam and Ayrton Domino fixtures, both IP65-rated, for its inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America. TAG was formed earlier this year and specialises in lighting, audio, video, staging, special effects and event management. The company has offices in Secaucus, New Jersey and Miami, Florida. “We were getting more post-COVID event work than we had equipment for, so we needed to increase our overall fixture count and quickly,” says Kevin Mignone, CRO at TAG. “We are also seeing more outdoor festivals happening than ever before, where IP-rated fixtures are a necessity. Doug Mekanik at ACT arranged an Ayrton demo and we liked what we saw. The gear was in stock and we placed our order, increasing our inventory by a hundred fixtures nearly overnight.”
