Lighting

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20 May 2025

USA - The 67th annual Grammy Awards, honouring the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the year, returned recently to its traditional home: the Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Centre) in Los Angeles.

It also returned to its long-term show lighting designer, Full Flood, whose founder, Bob Dickinson, has been designing the Grammys since 1994, bringing in Noah Mitz as co-designer in 2017. In 2021 the latter took over design responsibilities entirely.

GLP’s product portfolio has also built up a reputation at the event over a long period – and 2025 continued that evolution. Adapting a rig that was originally devised in 2023, Mitz deployed quantities of JDC Line 500 and 1000, impression X5 Compact and impression X4 S. “We continually adjust and revise the lighting design each year even when the set doesn’t change,” he explains.

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20 May 2025

USA - ETC has announced the launch of ETC SiteLink, a powerful, new always-on monitoring solution designed to give facilities complete visibility of their lighting and rigging systems - anytime, anywhere.

SiteLink is engineered for professionals who demand reliability, flexibility, and peace of mind. Whether you're managing an entertainment space, building complex, or touring, SiteLink ensures your systems are always within reach. With real-time alerts and user-specific access controls, SiteLink empowers technical teams to stay ahead of issues and maintain peak performance across all ETC-connected devices.

“ETC SiteLink is more than just a monitoring tool - it’s an active partner in system management,” says Kirk Starks, networking product manager at ETC. “From electrical closets to rigging lines, ETC SiteLink brings your entire infrastructure

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20 May 2025

Europe - tarm, one of the pioneers in the show laser industry, is entering the world of professional lighting technology with the tarm Blaze, its first beam moving head with laser light source. The company, which has been known for many years as an expert in high-quality laser systems and laser technology, is now applying all its knowledge and experience to moving heads with laser light sources.

The first product, the tarm Blaze, is a beam moving head with a 100W laser source. It is characterized by an extremely narrow beam, which achieves an expansion of only 0.7°. This low angle ensures that the light output is maintained even over a very long distance, making the beam visible over long distances.

The tarm Blaze is a beam moving head for special effect accents and was specially designed for outdoor use with its IP66 rating. Its metal housing makes

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20 May 2025

UK - Penn Elcom has launched Case Designer 2, a new version of its software platform for the streamlined all-in-one design, costing and production of high-quality flightcases. v2 features a completely rebuilt software stack and is subscription-based.

Case Designer 2 builds on the success of global manufacturer Penn Elcom’s original v1 Case Designer flightcase design software. It offers an agile, fast, and user-friendly build-and-order programme that optimises flightcase construction utilising Penn Elcom’s extensive range of robust and reliable hardware components.

The programme offers improved performance from v1, an intuitive interface, and expanded hardware compatibility with real-time 3D rendering, STP file support, and links to Penn Elcom’s continuously updated component database.

New Case Designer 2 features include the support of

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19 May 2025

USA - When the world’s biggest names in electronic music came together in Miami to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ultra Music Festival, expectations were naturally high. Fortunately, The Activity, along with trusted lighting partner TAG and cutting-edge gear from Elation, came fully prepared to deliver a Main Stage experience worthy of its celebrated legacy.

Held at Bayfront Park March 28-30, Ultra Miami’s 2025 Main Stage performers read like a who’s who of DJ names – Dom Dolla and John Summit, Alesso, Afrojack, Tiesto, Hardwell, Skrillex, Armin van Buuren, Zedd, Martin Garrix, and others. Tasked with managing the technical design of Ultra’s Main Stage, Patrick Dierson and the team at The Activity juggled artistry, technology, and logistics to deliver a flawless production.

“We knew going into it that this show had to

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19 May 2025

South Africa - Founded and headed by the charismatic Kagiso Moima Wa Masimini – KG to those who find the pronunciation a little complex – Blackmotion is a busy, innovative, and well-respected technical production and rental company based in Kew, Johannesburg.

KG’s passion for lighting has driven the company’s successful path since 2005 and there are now over 100 Robe moving lights in its inventory, which has been part of the success, and these fixtures are constantly busy servicing a range of high-end corporate, business, and social events.

Backmotion invested in Robe right from the start. In 2005, and for the next four years, KG was initially focused on lighting design work. The trajectory shifted around 2009 when he started purchasing kit, and the first moving lights – six Robe ColorSpot 250E ATs – joined the company.

KG continu

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19 May 2025

USA - Elation invites lighting professionals to ‘break the rules and blaze their own path’ with the new Rebel Series. Elation has introduced the first in the series, the Rebel Profile, a powerful, compact LED profile fixture with IP65 rating engineered for attention-grabbing visuals in both indoor and outdoor applications.

“Rebel is all about breaking free from traditional norms and embracing bold innovation," said Matthias Hinrichs, product manager at Elation. “The Rebel Profile was created to answer the demand for a versatile, rugged fixture that offers both high intensity and adaptability. Built for rental houses and designers who need fixtures that can do it all in indoor or outdoor settings, Rebel brings top-tier results and long-lasting value without the premium price."

The Rebel profile is highly adaptable, utilising a high-output LED

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19 May 2025

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the immediate availability of Martin P3 System Controller Software 6.2.0, featuring the powerful P3 Visualizer Protocol. Designed to integrate seamlessly into the Martin P3 ecosystem, this new update significantly enhances the visualisation capabilities.

The all-new P3 Visualizer Protocol enables lighting designers, programmers, and system technicians to integrate third-party 3D visualisation software with the Martin P3 System Controller, creating an end-to-end solution. By enabling real-time sharing of comprehensive fixture data – including video pixels, patch details, and more – visualisers are now able to flawlessly replicate real-world fixtures, whether driven by lighting consoles, P3 controllers, or both simultaneously.

Designed for ultimate ease-of-use, the software’s plug-and-play functio

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16 May 2025

Spain - A football final is always a moment of high emotion – but when light joins the game, the experience becomes unforgettable. That’s exactly what happened at the 2025 Copa del Rey Final, where more than 60,000 fans at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville and 8m viewers around the world were treated to a jaw-dropping lighting show that set the tone for a night to remember.

The creative force behind this spectacle was Juanjo Llorens, one of Spain’s most respected lighting designers, whose recent book on lighting as an evolving craft sparked wide acclaim. His approach to the opening show was clear: use light not just as illumination, but as narrative. And to achieve that, he relied on a powerful combination of 60 Ayrton Cobra and 50 Ayrton Perseo Beam fixtures.

Llorens’ design concept was rooted in movement, emotion and impact, as it built

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16 May 2025

USA - On Sunday 13 April, Chase & Status brought their musical kingdom to California, transforming Coachella’s massive Sahara Stage into a giant dance club with their signature sound and guest appearances by stars like Stormzy. Enhancing the vibe and energizing the entire stage was a production designed by High Scream, with management by NTRP, programming by Olly Walker, and onsite lighting by Elliott Mountford of Ti²² Design.

The lighting element of this dynamic stage panorama drew on the intense output of 172 Chauvet Professional fixtures. Of these units, 104 were Color Strike M motorised strobe washes, part of the Sahara’s house rig, supplied by Volt. The remaining fixtures, part of the Colour Sound Experiment supplied floor package, featured 48 Color Strike M and 20 Maverick Storm 4 Profile fixtures. The impressive collection of Color Strike M

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16 May 2025

UK - The Theatre nominations for The Profile Awards 2025 have now been published on the TPA website. The Theatre section is judged by eight of the UK’s leading theatre, dance and opera critics chaired by David Benedict (Variety). Every single new production seen is automatically eligible for consideration and, as each judge may see around two hundred shows over the year, that is a significant amount of work that gets covered. (https://profileawards.com/theatre-nominations-2025/)

The Profile Awards Theatre Sponsors are:

@chauvet_pro  - Outstanding Achievement in Theatre Award

@elationlighting - Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award

@elctronictheatrecontrols - Outstanding Achievement in Opera Award

@fix8group - Outstandi

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16 May 2025

The Netherlands - The three-night Ladies of Soul show landed at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome in April, backed by a series of LED screens and LED strips with Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Media Servers belting out live camera feed and pre-made content.

Dutch singers and musicians Edsilia Rombley, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Berget Lewis and Candy Dulfer starred in the productions, with a host of international guests including Sister Sledge, Robin S and Rose Royce celebrating the Ladies of Soul.

“We deployed our Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers because they were the models that could handle the multiple layers, three mixes, main screen content and masks, and much more,” explains Kevin Buysse from Tenfeet, which has delivered video for Ladies of Soul for more than a decade. “The show was built around the four main Dutch performers

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16 May 2025

Switzerland - For Stagelight, a Swiss event design company, Vectorworks Spotlight is the central tool for overcoming the increasingly complex requirements in the event industry. The firm relies on the software from the first sketch to detailed specialist planning to the final execution.

With consistent 3D planning, customer-oriented visualizations, and modern exchange formats such as MVR and GDTF, the company relies on efficiency and precision. In the shadow of the spotlight, the company ensures that despite hectic last-minute changes, everything runs smoothly, and the stars can offer their fans an unforgettable experience.

Head of light Stefan Rüttimann, who has been working at Stagelight for 17 years, described Vectorworks as the ultimate "all-in-one" tool. “From the first draft to the final execution – we do everything in Vectorworks: stage,

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16 May 2025

Australia - Clearlight Shows, a long-standing name in Australia’s entertainment lighting industry, has delivered a major lighting upgrade at the Marriner Theatre Plaza Ballroom. The installation combines Infinity and Showtec fixtures from Highlite International to provide a robust, modern rig optimised for live performance, broadcast, and high-end event lighting.

The Plaza Ballroom, part of the Marriner Group, is a richly decorated venue with no natural light – making colour accuracy and flicker-free performance essential. Having worked closely with the theatre group on many occasions, Clearlight was invited to propose a system based on Highlite products, which the venue had successfully hired in the past.

John McKissock, founder of Clearlight Shows, explained: “The venue team had been trialling LED replacements for some time. When they saw the

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16 May 2025

France - Christie projection is powering screenings at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, which is running until 24 May.

RGB pure laser, laser, and Xenon illuminated projection technologies from Christie are deployed across 24 spaces at the globally renowned festival, including the flagship Grand Théâtre Lumière room and striking outdoor Cinéma de la Plage screen. More than 40,000 festivalgoers will attend the global event, with a host of A-list stars poised to grace the red carpet.

“Festival de Cannes remains among the most prestigious and iconic events on the cinema calendar, and it’s a real honour to once again play our part as the official projection partner,” says Adil Zerouali, vice-president, sales EMEA, Christie. “We are pleased to continue our work with the Festival and the Commission Supérieure Technique de l'Imag

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15 May 2025

Spain - At the recent Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024 (JESC) in Madrid, the lighting design by Raphaël Demonthy (Sunrise Studios) was based around finely tuned technology from GLP, which created enormous impact under demanding conditions.

In the Caja Mágica, a well-known tennis arena in Madrid with a capacity of 12,000 seats, more than 250 GLP fixtures ensured that the performances of each of the 17 participating countries could be staged in a special way. With the right balance of creative versatility and technical precision, the various fixtures in the X5 Series supported the visual implementation of the show, which thrilled millions of viewers worldwide.

Raphaël Demonthy had to integrate into his design a 20m-high LED wall and a gigantic flower decoration – the so-called ‘hanging gardens’ – which extended from the stage int

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15 May 2025

USA - Martin Professional collaborated with Verity Studios, provider of indoor drone show systems for live events, for a dynamic three-day customer showcase at the Harman Experience Centre in Northridge, California. Held in April, the event revealed how autonomous drones and advanced lighting can operate as a single, unified show experience.

The centrepiece was a choreographed performance of Verity’s Lucie micro drones, equipped with powerful LEDs, flying in sync with Martin’s newest lighting fixture releases, including the MAC Aura Raven XIP. With its high-resolution aura effects and bold beam presence, the MAC Aura Raven XIP provided a rich visual counterpart to the drones’ motion and light patterns.

“We built the show with the MAC Aura Raven XIP as the lead performer,” said Brandon Robbins, regional sales manager for North America, Marti

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15 May 2025

USA - For rapidly rising (No. 1 on Billboard Airplay Charts) country star Russell Dickerson’s 2025 tour, the production and lighting design came from Scott Cunningham, production/lighting designer at Cut2Black Designs, with support from IPS (Integrated Production Solutions).

Cunningham reflected on the collaboration behind the Russell Mania tour; “The teamwork behind the entire tour has been an inspiring collective, with many thanks to LD Nate Augustyn, tour PM Chris Lee, associate programmer Luke Elrod, video programmer Alex Talbot, and especially Nick Brown and his team at IPS. They made sure we had a rig that could travel well, handle all the different demands placed on it, and deliver powerful looks.”

“From day one, our goal was to provide a flexible, tour-ready rig that could support Scott’s creative vision without co

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15 May 2025

USA - RZI Lighting, a provider of professional lighting rentals in the greater New Orleans area, supplied Elation’s powerful Proteus Maximus IP65-rated LED profile light for Our Moon Shines, For All the World to See, a light-based installation by multidisciplinary artist Jeffrey Meris that featured in the recent Prospect contemporary art exhibition.

Founded after Hurricane Katrina to revitalise New Orleans’ culture and economy, Prospect is a triennial exhibition that invites artists from around the world to create citywide projects that are often rooted in social justice and inspired by the city itself. The latest iteration, Prospect.6, prompted reflection on themes of climate vulnerability, colonialism, belonging, and home.

Commissioned as part of Prospect.6, which ran from November 2024 through Febru

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15 May 2025

USA - Pharos Architectural Controls has confirmed its attendance at InfoComm and announced its plans for the conference next month.

The Pharos team will be on stand 7575, meeting with visitors and highlighting key updates to their lighting control product ranges – Pharos Designer and Pharos Expert. Product demonstrations will be running with a focus on their integration capabilities and how these can help meet the specific needs of the AV industry.

Pharos Designer is the company’s flagship range, centred around scalable, highly configurable lighting controllers for any DMX, eDMX, and DALI lighting project. Programming with Pharos Designer 2 software offers a versatile, comprehensive feature set, powerful show control solutions and ultimate flexibility.

The team will also be demonstrating what's new in Expert, the company’s easy-to-progr

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15 May 2025

UK - Architectural LED lighting brand Anolis – a Robe business – has appointed Eloise Reed as its international specification manager.

Eloise is based in the UK and will be travelling extensively both nationally and internationally in her role for the Czech Republic-based manufacturer, which will include streamlining the design support and tender processes for clients and boosting the Anolis profile within the architectural lighting community, and as an essential element of the wider ‘Robe Group’ of premium brands.

Australian-born Eloise’s journey into the lighting industry started at WAAPA (Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts) in Perth, a well-known melting pot for creativity and independent thinking, where she graduated with a Performing Arts degree equivalent, majoring in lighting.

Simultaneously, Eloise was also working

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14 May 2025

Europe - ARRI has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its subsidiary Claypaky to new strategic owner, EK Inc, headquartered in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Operating one of the most advanced lighting production and development facilities in the industry, EK Inc. offers a strong foundation for Claypaky, which is a world-renowned brand recognised globally as a leading provider in the high-end professional entertainment lighting market.

“This decision is part of our strategic realignment as we focus more strongly on our core business,” says Chris Richter, managing director of ARRI. “Clearly recognising Claypaky’s potential, it was important to us to find a new owner who pursues next level growth based on a deep understanding of the market and a long-term strategic vision - for both Claypaky and its customers.

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14 May 2025

South Africa - When lighting designer Simon King took on DreamScapes, the latest production by Joburg Ballet, he was presented with the opportunity to integrate Robe T1 Profiles and T11 fixtures into his creative vision.

Staged at the Roodepoort Theatre, DreamScapes marks Joburg Ballet’s first production of the 2025 season. A dynamic triple bill, the show highlights the company’s dedication to artistic innovation, cultural celebration, and technical excellence. It also marked a homecoming, as this was Joburg Ballet’s first performance at the Roodepoort Theatre in a decade - a return made even more memorable by a beautiful and precise lighting design.

To help bring the production to life, Simon deployed two Robe T1 Profiles and six T11, supplied by DWR Distribution. “Simon had worked with the T11s before, and I knew they’d

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13 May 2025

UK - It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Russell Dunsire, founder and chairman of LSI Projects. Creating the company over 30 years ago, Russell was the initial driving force behind LSI.

Having previously served as international sales and marketing director at Rank Strand Lighting for almost two decades, Russell left Strand to create Lighting Systems International in 1991. Appointed as the UK distributor for ADB Lighting and based out of the Siemens office complex in Sunbury-on-Thames, Russell helped build ADB Lighting into one of the strongest theatre and television lighting brands in the country.

With his global experience in overseas markets, ADB entrusted more regions to LSI with the developing Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions creating opportunities that allowed LSI to open offices in Kuala Lumpur and Dubai.

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