USA - Despite the pandemic, and all the restrictions it has created, Gerry Dintelman has been in a groove of late, firing up hard-hitting livestream looks for metallic heavyweights like Fister, Dead Pilgrim and Chaos Collective. Recently, he had to change gears and focus his creative vision in a softer, more romantic direction, when he lit a Valentine’s Day ‘love-stream’ for indie/rocker Le’Ponds.
He welcomed the opportunity. “It’s always fun to mix things up a bit,” said Dintelman. “Our last livestream was designed around hard angles and industrial looks. To reflect the mood Le’Ponds was after, we had to do things differently so we could arrive at a more intimate place.”
That “place” was a captivating romantic dream come to life, with sharp edges replaced by smooth flowing natural forms that seemed to spring organically out of the stage, and j

Finland - Design and production house Sun Effects offers out-of-the-box visual designs and full-service concept-to-execution solutions from offices in Helsinki and Tokyo. When the company sought a line of outdoor-rated moving head luminaires that could withstand Finland’s brutal weather conditions but also be an effective tool for creative expression, they turned to Elation’s award-winning Proteus line.
“There aren't many companies that take their gear into the types of environments we do,” said company founder and artistic director at Sun Effects, Matti Jykylä. “We’re a good benchmark and only go for top quality gear. We needed a reliable outdoor automated moving light with good design options and came to the conclusion that the Proteus is the best out there.”
Sun Effects has enjoyed consistent growth over its 25-year history, covering projects from sp

Croatia - Popular duo 2Cellos released a new music video together with a hi-energy rendition of Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer this month which was recorded in an abandoned military warehouse near the Croatian city of Pula.
Lighting was created by the band’s long-term LD Crt Birsa of Blackout using an all-Robe moving light rig. Lighting was the critical and only visual technical element for the dramatically stark, moody noir-style video directed by Kristijan Burlovic and as such it became almost a fourth band member joining Stjepan Hauser, Luka Šulić and drummer Dušan Kranjc.
Crt chose 38 x Robe MegaPointes as the key lighting fixtures, creating a tunnel effect down the length of the 33m tube like space which was pitch black inside. His design also used 16 x Robe BMFL Spots, three LEDBeam 150s and 10 x LEDWash 600+s, all supplied by Pula-based rental co

USA - New York quintet Lousy Sloughter delivered their Couch Tour from High Peaks Event Productions’ livestream studio in early April.
For 50 minutes, the band wove its way through a blend of blues, funk and jazz. With them every step of the way was a fluid, artfully crafted lighting design by Christine Sharp that drew on the colour and gobo rendering prowess of over 30 Chauvet Professional fixtures.
“The looks I create are pretty varied depending on the genre of music, even and down to the song being played,” said Sharp, who runs High Peaks with her husband Roger. “For a low-keyed show, or an acoustic performance, I try to create an aesthetic frame around the musicians on stage. If I know the vibe of the song, I saturated the stage with colours that reflect the feelings, at least as I interpret them.”
Following this design approach, Sharp kept the area

UK - Rental production company, Neg Earth has added the new Prolights EclPanel TWC LED softlight to its rental fleet.
On recommendation from a number of top lighting designers, Neg Earth decided to demo the new EclPanel TWC and was impressed with its performance and notable list of features.
Neg Earth’s Sam Ridgway commented; “After several recommendations for the EclPanel TWC, I had high expectations and I am pleased to say the fixture certainly lived up to them. The fixture’s output is brighter than a number of competitors products at only a fraction of the cost. The performance and features of the EclPanel TWC really set it apart. Its quality whites and rich colour capabilities make it a truly versatile product.”
The EclPanel TWC has individual pixel control enabling the colour and output to be varied per section. In addition, the EclPanel TWC comes wi

USA - Chroma-Q has been pre-production testing in collaboration with Green Voltage zero emission generator units.
Working with a selection of Brute Force lampheads, the crew, plus Green Voltage director and experienced operator Adam Baker (Wonder Woman 2, No Time to Die) tested the LED Wendylight alternative, together with Green Voltage’s 5kW VOLTstack E-Gen remote power systems.
The Chroma-Q product range has become a regular feature on lighting lists the world over, delivering low energy illumination to all manner of productions. Deceptive in both stature and output, the Brute Force draws just 15 amps @ 240V making them suitable for use in conjunction with the GV power units.
With the Brute Force running at full power, the generators provided over 2.5 hours operation. The fully dimmable LED fixture, with its extended CCT range between 2,000K an

Czech Republic - Robe Lighting has unveiled its new T2 Profile luminaire, offering “an array of innovative technologies and the sought-after colour finesse of Robe’s successful Multi-Spectral LED (MSLTM) light engines”.
Crafted for multiple applications - theatre, television, auditoriums, stages, concert environments - the T2 Profile produces over 17,500 lumens measured at the front lens - via its 850W MSL source, to throw high-quality light over long distances.
The fixture’s quietness is suitable for scenarios where noise is crucial including classical concerts or recitals and dramas.
It has also been designed as a throw partner used in conjunction with Robe’s smaller T1 series fixtures, as both feature the MSLTM LED engines and therefore produce an identical multi-spectral colour mixing consistency.
The T2 Profile technologies linclude adjustab

USA - LED lighting solutions specialist BriteShot has shifted its manufacturing strategy amidst the global pandemic and now specialises in COVID-19 decontamination products. BriteShot’s decontamination solutions include its AirAffair air filtration system and BriteShot decontamination tent.
“To help venues re-open safely amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, we have dedicated our R&D resources to design groundbreaking innovation in air filtration and air purification,” says Roy McDonald, co-founder at BriteShot. “With more than a decade of knowledge and experience working in the entertainment space, we aim to have our decontamination technology be a factor in helping entertainment venues, restaurants, schools, houses of worship and more, reopen their doors in a safe and effective way.”
BriteShot’s AirAffair system uses scientifically backed technologies to effe

UK - Version 2, which specialises in lighting hire specifically for the television industry, has expanded its stock of MDG products with the addition of two ATMe haze generators. “Our clients trust us to specify the right products and we know that MDG produces the best haze for the television market,” says Nick Edwards, managing director of Version 2.
Edwards has 25 years of dedicated television lighting experience, having held technical, commercial and management positions at PRG, Panalux and Aurora, after his training at the flagship training facility in BBC Wood Norton, prior to founding Version 2 in 2016. This experience puts him in a strong position when it comes to choosing the best products for his clients, many of whom have worked with him for years and trust his technical know-how.
“All our equipment investments have been rigorously researched and teste

USA - SPH Engineering, a multiproduct drone software company, has released a Drone Show software update which allows users to run a drone swarm show with up to 1,000 UVify IFO light show drones. The technology was upgraded in partnership with UVify and is only available with UVify IFO swarm light show drones.
The software was developed from managing from 500 to 1,000 UVify IFO swarm light show drones, with performance being upgraded to improve the ability to control large scale fleets. While scaling a fleet, the software allows preflight checks to guarantee safety during the show based on a dual geofence principle.
“2020 was a turning point in outdoor entertainment history as drone light shows were almost the only activity that could be safely enjoyed by the public from a distance,” says Alexey Dobrovolskiy, CTO at SPH Engineering. “Options varied from small 20-

UK - When the COVID-19 pandemic forced UK theatres to close in December 2020, the National Theatre’s pantomime, Dick Whittington, at the Olivier Theatre had only previewed four times. The performance on the 15 December was filmed and shared on YouTube over the Christmas holiday period with the National Theatre looking to reach as wide an audience as possible despite the closure.
“It was a stunning production and great fun to work on, but a shame people couldn’t experience that magic first-hand,” says its multiple award-winning lighting designer, Jessica Hung Han Yun. “But at least the streaming made it accessible to more people.”
The Olivier Theatre had already been re-configured in-the-round before the pantomime took place, reducing its capacity to approximately 500. A new temporary lighting rig, designed by lighting designer and NT lighting associa

Germany - The Staatsschauspiel Dresden joins a long and growing number of high-profile performing arts venues that are investing in Robe’s T1 series of moving lights, a product line tailored to meet the exacting demands of this sector.
The 52 T1s – 20 x T1 Profiles and 32 x T1 Fresnels – were specified by Staatsschauspiel’s head of lighting and video, Andreas Barkleit, after careful consideration.
The Staatsschauspiel Dresden runs two venues – The Schauspielhaus in the old town with 788 seats and the Kleines Haus in the Neustadt area which offers three halls with 400, 150 and 99 capacities respectively plus the Kleines Haus Mitte which can accommodate up to 60 people. The main focus is on theatrical performance, but the vibrant programme – in a standard year – will also feature music, dance, concerts and spoken word performances.
Andreas has been

UK - David Howard appreciated the flowing quality of cellist Jo Quail’s music when he was called upon to light a virtual concert by the London-based artist.
“Jo’s music is truly a joy to bring to life with light,” he said. “The pieces are very strongly connected and rooted to their respective inspiration. This provides a brilliant foundation to draw upon. Using looping and layering techniques, the music itself has a quality and structure that encourage lighting elements to reflect and visualize the sounds Jo produces with her cello. The visual experience builds with the music.”
Featuring six individual compositions taken from a variety of Quail’s discography, the concert took place in an improvised demo space, since the production team did not have access to a livestream studio. Helping Howard create a variety of looks within this space was an extensive c

Cyprus - On Friday 2 April, World Autism Awareness Day, the Dreaming Hearts livestream event was broadcast from the historic Kourion Ancient Theatre on the island of Cyprus. Organised by local event and production company Sound & Vision by DJ Nick, the hour-long broadcast featured short, high-impact sets from four local DJs performed in front of an epic backdrop.
More than 70 high-tech ADJ lighting and atmospheric fixtures were positioned around the theatre, which has stood on the site for more than 2000 years, creating a juxtaposition between the old and the new.
Based in the city of Limassol, Sound & Vision by DJ Nick has over 30 years of experience in the AV industry, having served customers on Cyprus since 1989. It provides technical production, as well as organisation and entertainment services, for events of all sizes. The company has relied on ADJ

World - Registration for Virtual Showlight is now open. Tickets for the unique online event can be secured via Hubilo, here. Tickets are free of charge but delegates are encouraged to make voluntary donations when registering, as all proceeds will go to support industry charities Backup and Behind the Scenes.
The event will be hosted on behalf of Showlight by MaxLive Events and takes place on 25 May between 15.00 BST and 23.00 BST.
“We have an exciting programme of speakers lined up for your entertainment and education,” say the organisers. “These will be interspersed by a number of ‘Video Shorts’ - short stand-alone papers, some of which will be forerunners to the full Showlight event that we hope will resume next year. A discussion panel of international speakers will focus o

Germany - Wireless LED lighting specialist Astera has launched a new AX2 PixelBar product - a linear wash fixture with wireless control, onboard battery, individually addressable LEDs, ultra-high colour rendering, fabulous digital colour calibration and a 21-degree beam.
The AX2 is fully wirelessly controlled, robustly engineered, stylish and comes complete with a range of rigging tools to provide solutions for multiple lighting applications and sectors - from concert touring to live events to TV productions and architectural and installations.
The AX2 PixelBar is an extension of the Astera AX range which includes LightDrops and LED PARs. It is currently available in two versions, a 1m fixture with 16 x 10W LEDs and 50cm fixture with eight 10W LEDs.
It was developed to meet demand for wall, backdrop or surface washing luminaires offering the same highly practica

Australia - Working as the creative directors and producers of the 2021 Parrtjima Festival, AGB Events, produced and delivered a travelling installation on The Ghan for NT Tourism.
The official opening night was on 9 April, but the celebrations actually began earlier that week, with the famed locomotive The Ghan - a 900m luxury train that travels the 2,797km (1,846 miles) stretch between Darwin and Adelaide.
Three of the train's carriages were wrapped in Aboriginal artist Chantelle Mulladad’s work Crossroads. The artwork was used in the external and internal dressing of The Ghan carriages, and features in the Merging Kultcha installation at Parrtjima.
Turning a whole carriage into a travelling Parrtjima light installation, AGB Events utilised digital imagery from the 2019 Ranges Show, a light and sound spectacular projected onto 2km of the MacDonnell

USA - An artist whose career has been fuelled by his tight connection to fans, Josh Turner creates his own brand of magic when performing before audiences, something he’s rarely been able to do since the pandemic struck. But recently, the Grammy-nominated, chart-topping country star got to savour the live concert experience, as he played socially distant shows in Florida and Georgia.
Helping him feed off the crowd at both stops was an engaging, upbeat Mason Felps lighting design that featured warm white audience light created with a collection of Chauvet Professional STRIKE 4 fixtures that were flown across the upstage truss.
“Josh really likes to see fans at his shows,” says Felps. “It’s part of the bond he has with them. So, of course we wanted to include audience lighting in the rig, especially during these times when the fans have to be separated. The STR

Sweden - Melodifestivalen - ‘Mello’ for short - the annual competition to select the Swedish Eurovision entry is organised by Sveriges Television and is a phenomenon in itself. In recent years, it has been a touring show visiting six key cities, but due to COVID restrictions, this year the six rounds - four heats, the ‘second chance’ and the final - were staged in one place, the Annexet arena in Stockholm, part of the Globe complex, and broadcast live on STV1.
It was lit - for the 20th time - by Fredrik Jonsson who utilised 200 Robe moving lights and four RoboSpot systems among other fixtures on the rig.
Taking this fund of experience into account, Fredrik always relishes the challenge of making Mello look fresh, exciting and fun each year and 2021 was no exception,
offering the rare opportunity to work in what was effectively a very large studio space

World - When show producers welcome throngs of enthusiastic Harry Potter fans to the live stage production of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, they want to immerse the audience in a show experience like no other. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage.
With demanding production requirements, show producers turned to multi-award-winning sound designer Gareth Fry, and his experience with technologies from d&b audiotechnik, to cast a spell over the audience.
“There's a big responsibility when you're working with such iconic characters and stories; the audience has a strong, emotional attachment to what's happening on stage,” explains Gareth Fry. “With such an invest

Italy - Prolights has launched its new flagship - Astra Beam260IP, an IP-rated moving beam light, designed for any outdoor or indoor application.
The Astra Beam260IP includes a new lamp, made by Osram. The Sirius HRI 260W PRO lamp has a long-life span of 6,000 hours that, combined with a completely sealed enclosure, brings a near-zero maintenance cycle, reducing operating costs like cleaning and re-lamping. The Astra Beam260IP produces a parallel 2°, high-contrast, pure beam of light with an extraordinary output of half a million lux at 10 meters.
The fixture has a rugged and completely sealed chassis made of alluminium alloy, with internal components treated with an IP coating, providing real IP65 water and dust-tight design for lasting outdoor applications. Since it is completely sealed, the fixture doesn't require regular internal cleaning or service.
A wid

USA - Last month, Obsidian Control Systems made available a comprehensive training video series covering its full-featured NX4 lighting console and Onyx lighting control platform. Now the lighting control brand has launched a corresponding training video series covering the smaller yet fully capable NX2 lighting controller.
The NX2 training series is an opportunity for any lighting enthusiast to get behind the desk and add to their craft. Hosted by David Henry of Learn Stage Lighting, nearly two hours of content is condensed into short, segmented videos to watch at your own pace.
The NX2 training series is available at obsidiancontrol.com/nx2-video-training.
All Obsidian lighting controllers run the uncomplicated lighting control software Onyx, available for f

Germany - Rapper Apache 207 holds nothing back in Angst, a song of alienation, isolation and fractured relationships. This is reflected in the recently completed video for the song.
Drawing on the brooding aura of its physical setting, Babenhausen Kasserne, an abandoned and desolate former military base that was built 120 years ago, the video evokes a haunting air of mystery. This quality is accentuated by Adrian Schmidt’s lighting design that he powered with his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500 console.
Throughout the video, Schmidt creates wave after wave of lighting intensity that includes towering aerial effects, brilliant white flashes, and cascading ‘waterfalls’ of light. Helping him navigate his way through this vortex of looks was his trusty console.
“I have worked with ChamSys for over 10 years now,” he said. “It’s a very stable desk that I kno

USA - Much has been written about how the trend toward online and virtual options that was already taking place before the pandemic accelerated mightily in 2020. Church of the King, a dynamic house of worship outside New Orleans, provides proof of this phenomenum in action.
Prior to the coronavirus, well over 7,000 people were attending services every weekend at Church of the King, as they had been for years. But recently, a growing number of additional worshippers were also connecting to the multi-campus house of worship via livestreams.
As a growing number of its congregants turned to the internet during the lockdown, the church decided to make its services more camera-friendly without detracting from the in-person experience. This March, Church of the King achieved this goal when it completed a lighting upgrade that featured Chauvet Professional LED fixtures.

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