UK - PLASA, the lead association for the events and entertainment technology industry, has announced PLASA Online 2020, a programme of free online content running from 12 to 16 October. Designed to provide industry professionals with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the COVID-crisis and prepare for what’s next in live events and entertainment, the week-long online event will consist of a curated selection of keynote talks, panel discussions, product presentations and technical sessions. Thought-leaders and business experts will address the most pertinent issues such as the COVID crisis, Brexit, technological innovations, and safety regulations. Additionally, leading brands from audio, lighting and AV will present their latest products and solutions, including: Adam Hall, DiGiCo, ETC, Highlite, Signify, Sound Technology and Vectorworks. “These sessio
Canada - TMB’s Solaris Flare Q+ and Flare Q+ Linear lighting fixtures are playing a leading role in the National Hockey League’s 2020 Stanley Cup. The clashes on ice began 1 August, with a champion to be crowned this week. When production designer Gary Wichansky and lighting designer Tom Kenny got the call to collaborate on the event - on live TV with an empty audience - they knew their design must pump up excitement for the estimated 5million+ hockey fans watching at home. The NHL Conference teams were quarantined and divided into two ‘bubble’ cities: Toronto, with its Scotiabank Arena, and Edmonton, with Rogers Place. With near-identical set-ups planned in both arenas, they needed lighting equipment that could light large spaces, and in double the quantities. The design called for powerfully bright LED fixtures, with flicker-free performance for the cam
Germany - Covid-19 has challenged creative minds to reimagine old ways of doing things. The results have often been transformative. This was the case recently when the backyard of an open-air cinema took on the air of an intimate club for the Craftwork Café in Oldenberg. An open stage show featuring independent artists, the ‘café’ traditionally took place in a crowded, cosy bar not far from the shores of the Baltic. That was before the pandemic. With lockdown restrictions in place the popular event had to find a new home in more spacious quarters. That’s when kreativ:LABOR, a local creative collective, and Christian Hansen, owner of Hi-Fi Science Fiction, stepped in. They arranged to have the show moved to a space on the grounds of the outdoor cinema Cine-K. To give the open-air venue a more intimate look, the team contacted Daniel Bremer from Heinrich Vi
USA - Verge Aero recently took to the skies together with partner Strictly FX for a celebratory light show marking the launch of the 2020 NFL season for the Philadelphia Eagles. The company, which is based in Philadelphia, deployed a fleet of 200 drones to deliver the large-scale aerial performance, which played out above Philadelphia’s Mann Centre for the Performing Arts. As Eagles fans across the city looked on, Verge Aero’s sophisticated, GPS-guided drones delivered dynamic images, logos, animations and messages of support across Philadelphia’s night sky. Imagery included the screaming eagle’s head of the team’s logo, animated football players, and messages including the Eagles’ Let’s Fly slogan and fans’ familiar refrain, Go Birds. The Verge Aero team collaborated closely with the Eagles to develop new graphic concepts while optimizin
Germany - The nearly 40m high water tower in Alsdorf is a well-known local landmark that serves as an unmistakable beacon to anyone in the area. Visible for miles in every direction, its prominence has great benefits for the retail establishments nearby, none more so than the Cineplex Cinetower Kinopark that sits at the base of the historic structure. Cineplex Cinetower offers more than 1,600 seats across nine theatres as well as the Zwei Brüder restaurant, a new kind of cinema and leisure experience all at the same location. The water tower recently received a dynamic night time illumination courtesy of Elation Professional luminaires specified and installed by APA Showtechnik of Belgium. “A tower is a unique architectural structure that is something special and presents a unique opportunity for illumination,” comments Daniel Huppermans of APA Showtechnik. He says the
Croatia - Robe moving lights were at the core of a spectacular lighting scheme designed to illuminate the Pula Arena in Croatia in red for the evening of 1 September. This was in solidarity with the #RedAlertRESTART action in the USA which saw over 2000 buildings lit in red all over North America on the same date, to highlight the critical stage of the live events and entertainment industry globally during the Coronavirus pandemic and the need for support and roadmap to re-starting. Pula’s world-famous arena is the only remaining Roman amphitheatre in the world to have four side towers and all three Roman architectural orders – Doric, Ionic and Corinthian – intact. It was constructed between 27 BCE and 68AD, is among the largest six surviving Roman arenas worldwide and is also the best-preserved ancient monument in Croatia. The lighting scheme was designed
USA - Chauvet Professional has made an addition to its popular line of Ovation house lights. The new, compact Ovation H-55FC offers theatres, recital halls, houses of worship, and other venues greater versatility by fitting seamlessly into smaller spaces. The RGBAL fixture works with the larger H-605FC, as well as other Ovation house lights, to provide a smooth even field of light throughout a room. Its removable fixture yoke, sconce mounting kit, and recess mounting simplifies the installation process, even in tight quarters. Adding to its versatility, the new house light features interchangeable lens plates to adapt to different mounting heights. Suited for applications that need to eliminate distractive background noise, the convection cooled Ovation H-55FC is operates in complete silence. The fixture’s RDM and W-DMX control offers greater flexibility. Weigh
UK - Since opening its doors 17 years ago, Suffolk creative entertainment, education and enterprise hub, the New Cuts Art Centre (The Cut), has gone from strength to strength, becoming a centre for arts in the community, and now offers a full programme of activities, including a weekly cinema, theatre, music, regular art exhibitions and an educational programme. Looking to the future, the venue decided it was time to upgrade their existing lighting rig in the theatre to LED. As the space is used for a variety of performances and events, they needed fixtures that were versatile, easy to use and that could work for a range of styles - Prolights fixtures proved to be the answer. Callum Macdonald of CM Lighting oversaw the specification and install of the lighting fixtures. He commented: “The theatre is a small community theatre that doubles up as a cinema. The programm
UK - After almost a decade of operation it was decided that the Sky Studios reception area needed to more contemporary, brighter and have a more inviting feel. The Sky creative team approached David Atkinson Lighting Design (DALD) who had been involved with the various specialist lighting projects for Sky. General lighting of the space was quite a challenge as the existing metal tile ceiling is finished in dark grey with a charcoal floor, which limited the amount of ambient reflection. It was decided to introduce a fragmented linear lighting approach which would create a bold feature in the overall design of the space Linear extrusion strips in varying lengths with opal diffusers were suspended below the ceiling and fitted with cool white 4000-kelvin LED with Dali gear. The grey granite reception wall was fitted with a full length floor to ceiling graphic light box whi
Mexico - A full complement of Elation luminaires gave a spectacular closing to Colombian singer Sebastián Yatra's tour earlier this year in Mexico City, where he shared the stage with several artists, including Mexican singer Carlos Rivera. Chris Penso, an experienced lighting designer who has worked with Latin stars such as Franco de Vita, Carlos Vives, Chayanne and Marc Anthony, was responsible for lighting Yatra's tour. For two special performances at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, the amount of lighting gear was enhanced and to spectacular effect. At Penso’s disposal were 66 Chorus Line 16 LED pixel bars, 36 Rayzor 760 LED wash/beam lights, 34 Smarty Hybrid and 28 Smarty Max moving heads, 10 Fuze Wash Z350 single source par moving heads, 24 ACL 360 Matrix LED moving head panels, 20 Protron 3K Color strobes and 12 DTW Blinder 700 IP. Yatra worked with video en
Ireland - Fiach is a new work by Philip Doherty that unites the disciplines of theatre, cinema and comedy in a live onstage and in-car drama, accompanied by large format video visuals, powerful sound system and theatrical lighting all in a Covid-safe drive-in viewing environment. It is also an example of how a kit of eight Astera Titan Tubes, used with thought and invention by lighting designer Mick Murray can go a long way. The Irish-language work was presented (with English surtitles) by Fíbín in association with An Taibhdhearc in a car park at Baile na hAbhann, Connemara, County Galway, starring award-winning actors Fionnuala Flaherty and Dara Devaney. Producers Fíbín asked Mick Murray to create the lighting, video and staging designs. With an impressive array of idiosyncratic mixed media projects to his credit, Mick jumped at the chance and reached
USA - Earlier this month, Essential Church in Huntsville, Alabama, upgraded their stage lighting to improve the production quality of both in-person services and the footage they capture for online broadcast. Conventional fixtures were replaced by energy efficient LED lighting from ADJ and sister company Elation Professional, improving the aesthetic appeal of the stage and at the same time reducing the church’s energy bill. Like most religious congregations around the world, Essential Church have made online services a major priority this year. However, as they experimented with filming their worship and teaching in their auditorium, they realized that the lighting setup, while adequate for those attending in person, was limiting the quality of their video recordings. They brought in Christopher Watts of Watts Technology to advise on a cost effective, efficient and effecti
Italy - GLP’s new KNV series has been used for the first time in Italy, on two high profile broadcast TV shows. The first of these was Radionorba Vodafone Battiti Live, where DoP Massimo Pascucci featured a large selection of KNV Cube, KNV Dot and KNV Line in the scenography, working alongside set designer Luigi Maresca and show director, Luigi Antonini. This popular musical show is produced by Radionorba and broadcast by TeleNorba and Mediaset on the Italia 1 channel. Hosted by Alan Palmieri and Elisabetta Gregoraci, it features leading artists and their hits of the summer. Generally, the traditional five episodes are recorded during the months of June and July in five different locations that represent the main cities of Puglia. However, this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the show would have been cancelled were it not for a supreme production eff
UK - Shaun Pearce, MD of Pearce Hire, is actively lobbying the government, as are many throughout the sector. He is asking for urgent government intervention. Specifically the continuation of SEISS (self-employment income support scheme) for those individuals working in the industry, continuing furlough support for employees and extending rates relief to event hire businesses (most of which are SMEs and owner-operated like Pearce Hire). Pearce and his management team were looking forward to a record year in 2020, recruiting another four permanent members of staff with typically, over 70 seasonal freelance technicians being employed. Pearce Hire was on the cusp of rolling out its busiest summer season ever when the government shut down the economy and everything came to a grinding halt. “The impact was immediate and disastrous for us,” says the MD. As an event pro
South Africa - For those who refuse to give up on life, events and making memorable occasions, DKSS has announced Pop-Up Events and their in-house virtual live studio. Midrand based technical supplier, DKSS, has surrounded itself with upbeat clients and suppliers to create unusual events during these unusual COVID-19 times. The company's in-house studio, more like a television broadcast space, consists of a 12m x 4m stage with a 13m x 13m (12.5m x 3m) curved Absen PL 3.9 Lite screen, while lighting includes 18 Robe LEDBeam 150s for fast beam work and a quality wash and 12 MiniPointes, particularly useful when hosting a band or music production on stage. "Our saving grace has been the relationships built with our suppliers over the years," say CJ de Klerk and Warwick Lawson of DKSS. "Changing the look and feel of the studio is as easy as picking up the phone and reques
Belgium - Social distancing protocol has kept many of Volvo Van Kasteren’s customers from visiting the dealership’s new showroom on Grembergen Stone Road in Sint-Niklass, but those who were fortunate to attended the facility’s grand opening celebration, held just weeks before the lockdown went into effect, still have vivid images of a memorable evening. Taking place in mid-February, the two-day event, which introduced Volvo Personalized Service (VPS) concept to its market, featured the latest hybrid and electric vehicles, such as the XC40 and XC90, set against the background of a sleek glass and metal showroom. Accenting the sights of the celebration was a lighting rig, brought in for the occasion by Solico Event & Expo Technics, that featured Chauvet Professional WELL Fit and Rogue fixtures. In keeping with the engineering tradition of Volvo, the temp
USA - The long, hot summer of COVID-19 saw live music safely come back to Chicago’s lakefront with the new Lakeshore Drive-In venue. Artist management company AudisBliss spearheaded the project working with LEC Event Technology, (LEC) to transform a parking lot just west of the Adler Planetarium into an in-person concert venue that keeps the safety of the attendees, artists and employees in mind. LEC provided Ayrton Perseo-S fixtures for the stage, the first compact, multi-function luminaire with an IP65 enclosure rating developed for intensive outdoor use. “The Lakeshore Drive-In is one of the most respected drive-in operations in the country and the only sustainable drive-in model in Chicago, which is operating very successfully within COVID guidelines,” says Matt Brotz, owner and director of Operations at LEC. “LEC took on the role of hardware provider prod
Czech Republic - Škoda world premiered its new Enyak iV all-electric SUV in the main hall of the O2 Universum event and conference complex in Prague. This event generated a buzz of excitement, not just because of this landmark vehicle, but also as one of the first properly ‘live’ events delivered safely and spectacularly in a post COVID-19 world. Germany-based creative producers Schachzug collaborated with event planners Pure Perfection, technical specialists MacomNIYU and technical supplier Ambion, with the latter delivering the lighting, audio, video, SFX, staging, etc. The MacomNIYU team had started speaking to lighting designer Chris Moylan from Berlin-based design company Optikalusion about the event back in in January, well before anyone realized how changed the world would be by showtime! Chris created a highly flexible lighting scheme for the
USA - ADJ is offering lighting pros the chance to win one of three prizes simply by using their ADJ fixtures as part of a Halloween display and tagging the photos or video on social media. With the Coronavirus pandemic disrupting live events and large social gatherings all over the world in 2020, it’s ADJ's aim with this contest to spread cheer and evoke a creative spark in lighting designers and haunt enthusiasts as we all celebrate Halloween in the ‘great outdoors'. With outdoor events becoming more prevalent, such as: pumpkin patches productions, drive-thru haunted houses and live music events, this is a an opportunity for lighting designers to share their creation and win prizes. Entries could be a Halloween project you’re creating for a client or you could simply use your ADJ lighting, video or effects equipment to decorate your own yard, front porch or home
Europe - CLF Lighting has announced the appointment of Licht Produktiv as second distribution partner in Germany. Licht Produktiv is an all-round distributor that serves its customers with quality brands and high service in all disciplines in the entertainment industry. Licht Produktiv has a 15 year history of being a truss and stage products distributor. Later on, audio products were added. Director Nico Bruder says: “We received a lot of requests for high quality lighting products.” Director René Haarseim continues: “Too many times we had to say no to our customers. From now on we can fulfil our customers’ needs to buy quality lighting products at Licht Produktiv, with the service they are used to." "From the first moment that we talked, it was clear that CLF and Licht Produktiv have a strategic fit and the strong ambition to grow", says Martijn Gerard
UK - The #WeMakeEvents campaign aims to raise awareness around the current plight of the live entertainments sector and its urgent need for financial support if it is to support the COVID-19 crisis. Last month, it was announced that it would be steered by a collective of industry trade bodies, businesses and freelancers; all working in collaboration with each other. Over the past few weeks, the team has continued to build momentum around the campaign, working endlessly to rally the government for much needed support. Following last month’s Day of Action which saw buildings across the UK lit up in red as a show of support, the #WeMakeEvents team has been busy capitalising on the extensive media coverage and attention this received. One of those involved is White Light’s managing director Bryan Raven, who comments: “The Day of Action was vitally important for our
USA - Located in Westfield, Indiana, the mission of Westfield High School is to provide rigorous and engaging experiences for all students with a performing arts programme dedicated to creating a lifelong appreciation for the arts. With a busy annual event schedule which keeps their 868-seat auditorium in regular use, the antiquated house lighting design was often struggling to provide the illumination desired. Working with long-time partner Associated Controls + Design, the school decided it was time to renovate the aging house system for a brighter and more visually engaging environment using Altman Lighting Chalice LED downlights installed by Huston Electric. “Westfield High School has been a long-time client of ours and we even sold them the first lighting control system when they originally built the auditorium,” began Mike Brubaker, Associated Controls + Desi
UK - Peachy Playhouse, a new socially-distanced entertainment concept developed to deliver safe live performances during the coronavirus pandemic, closed its summer season at Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey, on a high note. That didn’t just include a spirit-rousing performance and from the Ambassadors Band, the ground-breaking season, a big leap of faith and some serious planning and investment by Philip French from Peachy Productions, was a resounding success. Philip and his team supplied 95% of the technical production infrastructure for the six-week period including staging, lighting, video, and audio. The Playhouse show schedule ran for two two-week sessions with a two-week break in-between, working alongside some carefully selected locally-based partners to provide the other elements including catering, generators, marquees, and toilets. Robe moving lights
UK - Last month, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre reopened with a concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar, making it the first major London venue to do so post lockdown (a full technical report will be featured in LSi October). Having supplied the Open Air Season for many years now, as well as working on a host of outdoor productions over the past few months, WL was called upon to supply the lighting for this much anticipated concert. Created by the team behind the Olivier and Evening Standard Award-winning production, Jesus Christ Superstar: The Concert is a special staging of the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber classic. Complying with government regulations, this version is being performed in front of a socially distanced audience in order to ensure the complete safety of everyone in attendance. While there has been a lot of changes to
