UK - Adlib helped bring all the drama, excitement and glamour of the massively popular CMT TV series Nashville to the stage as Nashville in Concert returned to the UK for a second run of sold out arena shows following the success of last year’s tour. The Liverpool based production specialist was asked to provide full production - lighting, audio and video. Adlib this year provided the key disciplines of lighting and sound plus the IMAG video package. The format was as before, a tight house band supporting a selection of cast from the series including Jonathan Jackson, Chris Carmack, Clare Bowen, Charles Esten and Sam Palladio. Adlib’s Dave Eldridge co-ordinated all the lighting and video elements. This year, Adlib was also asked to create a production lighting design after receiving a brief from the production team led by Betsega and Mike
UK - Hire and events company SLX has announced the successful applicants for its 2018 bursary scheme, which sees the company supporting five students enrolled on production courses with £3000 of hire equipment as well as networking and development opportunities. Spanning the UK, the students attend different institutions and are enrolled on a variety of technical production focussed courses. Third year students and graduating this year are Ashley Holdom (Rose Bruford) and Ryan Searle (Bristol Old Vic) and the 2nd year students receiving the bursary are Alex Silvester (University of Bolton – Backstage Academy), Georgia Wren - LIPA and Ben Linwood (Guildford School of Acting). As well as receiving the £3000 bursary to support a project of the student’s choosing, the five applicants were also welcomed into SLX Avonmouth, spending two full days in May with the SLX
USA - Effective immediately, ADJ Products is taking over the development, support and sales for the Compu Show lighting control software previously offered by Elation Professional for the past 10 years. ADJ USA’s national sales manager, Alfred Gonzales, explains: “As ADJ’s fixtures have evolved, we felt it was important to grow our DMX software line as well. Our existing myDMX control software has been a very successful product worldwide for ten years, but we felt we needed to offer something with more power and possibilities. Compu Show is a proven system that offers lighting designers powerful features and flexible control options to allow them to make the most of their lighting rigs and fully realize their creative vision.” Compu Show is an advanced DMX control software application for PC, that is designed for programming and controlling large rigs of moving
USA - Chauvet Professional has introduced the Ovation H-605FC, a convection-cooled fixture powered by an RGBA-Lime LED engine, enabling it to accurately reproduce nearly any colour and virtually any colour temperature of white. This feature allows the fixture to excel not only when functioning as a traditional house light, but also when used to colourise a room as part of a theatrical production or worship service. “We developed the Ovation H-605FC in response to the demand from customers who wanted full colour-mixing in a house light,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “The RGBA-Lime LEDs give this light excellent colour-rendering capabilities. At the same time, it also has a virtual colour wheel to match popular gel colours.” Colour Temperature Presets from 2800K to 6500K with high CRI and CQS ensure that the fixture’s output is of the highest quality. A
USA - City Theatrical has announced the expansion of its QolorFLEX brand of professional, flexible linear LED lighting to include QolorFLEX 5-in-1 LED Tape, a new LED tape lighting that offers lighting and scenic design professionals more colour mixing options and flexibility of white light to help maximise creative potential for performances and installations. Now available in full five-metre reels and sample strips, QolorFLEX 5-in-1 LED Tape is an interior-grade RGBWWCW LED Tape with high output brightness and the ability to create a wide spectrum of colours when used with a DMX colour control system. ETL-listed, QolorFLEX 5in-1 LED Tape includes a tunable white that pairs an RGB diode with 2,500 K and 6,500 K white diodes so designers can fine-tune colors. Each tape also comes with wiring leads on both ends and durable 3M adhesive backing. QolorFLEX 5-in-1 LED Tap
USA - Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic is an off-Broadway show playing at New World Stages beneath an all-LED Elation lighting rig. The play portrays a certain famous wizard school from the perspective of the slightly nerdy and not-so-famous house called Puffs. Described as ‘a play for anyone who has never been destined to save the world’, Puffs are the outsiders of the magic school who disheartenedly observe as a certain boy wizard repeatedly saves the day. Written by Matt Cox and produced by Tilted Windmills Theatricals, the play is directed by Kristin McCarthy Parker with lighting design by Herrick Goldman. The third iteration of the show opened at New World Stages in Manhattan last summer, where it’s still running. Puffs came to New World Stages from the Elektra Theatre but was originally staged
USA - The term “president’s gala” may conjure up images of staid speeches and a formal dance, but nothing could be further from reality at Anderson University’s South Carolina School of the Arts. The culmination of the academic year at the art institution, the President’s Gala, is a rousing evening of musical diversity that moves seamlessly from West African drumming and dancing, to orchestral and choir compositions, to show tunes. Providing a visual backdrop for this far-ranging event, which took place at the school’s Rainey Fine Arts Centre on 21 April, was a richly textured and flexible lighting/video design by ACS Sound and Lighting that featured a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures and LED video tiles. “Jay Pitts, the new producer of the President’s Gala, brought our company on board to help enhance this event with extra arti
China - Top One Design Engineering in Hong Kong and Macau has invested in Robe MegaPointes and LEDBeam 150s. It’s the first Robe purchase for the company founded in 2012 by Kurt So to further the cause of bringing world class lighting and event design - with an emphasis on creativity and innovation - to a diversity of sectors in the region including live and corporate events. Top One is also the first Hong Kong rental company to have these latest Robe luminaires in stock - 24 x MegaPointes and 60 x LEDBeam 150s. Kurt and technical director Sam Hui had been keeping an eye on both of these Robe products for some time, they explained, and were “blown away” with the first demonstration which was organised by Raymond Wong from Robe‘s HK distributors, Arc Source. “The MegaPointe has far superior functions in both quantity and quality when compared to ot
Portugal - The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), hosted at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, saw the latest range of Claypaky and ADB lighting fixtures feature prominently in the multi-dimensional lighting design by Jerry Appelt. Appelt's design is one of the biggest lighting set-ups in Eurovision history. Appelt employed over 2,000 lighting fixtures - 750 of which were Claypaky Arc and LED moving heads and 100 of which were the ADB asymmetric cyc LED fixture, ADB Klemantis. All lighting was supplied to ESC by Ampco Flashlight and Pixellight. Appelt, lighting his fourth ESC, worked in close creative collaboration with set designer Florian Wieder to deliver a stunning, multi-faceted stage canvas that beautifully echoed Portugal's nautical heritage, while offering a remarkable level of visual versatility. In addition, the design directly addressed the comments from last year
Europe - A group of professionals from across member organisations, manufacturers and designers in the live entertainment industry had 'a very productive meeting' in Brussels on 17 May on the issue of Stage Lighting with the European Commission, a statement says. The meeting was between representatives of the EU’s Energy & Culture departments, and PEARLE representing its members in all EU states including SOLT/UK Theatre, the trade associations PLASA, VLPT and OETHG, the ALD, IALD and the Association of Swedish Lighting Designers. As a result, the organisations have agreed "to channel our work into seeking to draft a specific, technically based, exemption for lighting uses in the stage and entertainment industries in the new proposed Eco Regulations planned for 2020. This work needs to happen quickly with all collective comments being channelled thro
World - Philips Lighting completed its rebrand to Signify following the company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on 15 May. The name change is set to be implemented in all 70 countries where the company is active by the beginning of 2019. Signify will continue to use the Philips brand for its products under the existing license agreement. Eric Rondolat, CEO of Signify, comments: “The choice of our new company name originates from the way light has become an intelligent language, which connects and conveys meaning. It is a clear expression of our strategic vision and purpose to unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world.” Philips Lighting separated from Royal Philips in 2016 and announced it would change its name in March 2018. The new name satisfies the company’s contractual requirements under the C
World - QolorPIX Pixel Controlled LED Tape and QolorPIX Tape Controller products by City Theatrical are now available to lighting and scenic design professionals around the world. As part of City Theatrical’s QolorFLEX brand of flexible linear LED lighting, QolorPIX was created to help design professionals maximize their creative vision with customizable dynamic lighting effects that add distinction to theatrical, television, film, and architectural projects. While many products on the market offer control of addressable LED tape and fixtures, the process of set up and operation can be challenging. Each QolorPIX Tape Controller is preconfigured with personality profiles that can be combined and adjusted quickly and easily to produce thousands of effects using QolorPIX Pixel Controlled LED Tape products, including chases, fades, scrolls, bursts, and more. QolorP
UK - Lighting designer Nathan Wan created a high impact design for the Live Action Arena at the 2018 Autosports International show, staged at the NEC, Birmingham, where a one-hour special presentation was staged six times a day for the duration of the expo. Nathan has worked on the show previously, and this year wanted to introduce some new visual dimensions to the mix utilising pixel mappable fixtures, which he drove using ArKaos’s powerful MediaMaster 5 control solution with Kling-Net protocol. The quick and easy implementation of Kling-Net enabled Nathan to drive the 36 x Spiiders on the rig, plus 70 metres of Chauvet COLORband Pix LED battens with assorted video content that he had compiled and selected for the event. The Spiiders were rigged on top of six 5m high scenic L-shaped Singapore F1 night-race style gantries that reached 9m over the track. These w
Japan - One of Japan’s most popular singer songwriters, Koji Kikkawa, added real dynamics to his recent Live Is Life arena show at the 8,000-capacity Musashino Forest Sport Plaza with the aid of 23 JDC1 hybrid strobes from GLP. Specified by lighting and set designer, Makoto Shimizu - who was also performance director - these were programmed in full 68-DMX channel mode to achieve full impact. The entire stage concept was put together between himself and Koji Kikkawa. “He likes stereo architecture so we assembled mainly curved trusses,” explained Shimizu. “Also, using the lights we designed the back-lighting truss to resemble a weapon attack by the Mazinger Z [from the Japanese animé super robot manga series], with the JDC1 featuring prominently.” Makoto said he had been aware of the power of GLP products for some time. “We had a tour last year,
Australia - The first in Australia and one of the most spectacular border lighting shows in the southern hemisphere has been launched by Twin Towns as they unveil their new dynamic digital media facade. The exterior of the Twin Towns Club’s main building in Wharf Street, Tweed Heads, has been transformed into a huge digital canvas, creating a dazzling attraction for both locals and tourists crossing the Queensland and New South Wales border. The ULA Group was engaged in this project from the early concepts, working close together with the team at Twin Towns, managed by CEO Rob Smith. Smith has said he and the Board are extremely excited to see the project come to fruition. “It’s been over five years in the planning and we believe the end result is truly spectacular, not just for Twin Towns, but for the entire community.” “We’re thrilled, we’
USA - After 15 seasons on FOX, American Idol moved to ABC this year where the show’s long-time lighting designer Kieran Healy added to the rig 50 Ghibli fixtures, Ayrton’s first LED spot luminaire with a factory-equipped framing system. “This year’s design for the American Idol studio shows has a moving ceiling with eight different panels,” says Healy. “I don’t have fixed lighting positions to key the judges since the ceiling can be in many different positions. I was looking for a new moving head spot fixture with an even field to put in the rig so I could take any pair of lights and key the judges from any angle.” Healy opted for 50 Ghibli fixtures, five of which are dedicated to keying and backlighting the judges while the balance serves as performance lighting. The fixtures were provided by PRG. ACT Lighting arranged a demo of t
USA - QolorPoint Wireless LED Uplighters by City Theatrical were recently used to illuminate The Spheres on Amazon’s campus in Seattle, Washington with a purple lighting display to celebrate 100 days until Seattle hosts the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games. Twenty four QolorPoint Wireless LED Uplighters were set up within the 4,000sq.ft grounds of The Spheres to create high intensity coloured lighting effects that could be seen citywide through 2,643 panes of glass. In addition to the intensity of light provided by the uplighters, the fixtures were selected to light The Spheres for their high level of portability and IP65 rating to protect against water and humidity used to nurture over 40,000 plants in the three massive domes. The uplighters will also be used for future events in The Spheres. The QolorPoint Wireless LED Uplighters were controlled by plug and pl
USA - GLP US has strengthened its team with two new members. Brandon Jeffrey takes on the role of central regional sales manager and Brad Haynes joins in the newly created position of SceneX Lighting brand manager. GLP US president Mark Ravenhill comments: “Brandon has a fantastic combination of skills and energy that will really support our customers and their projects in a very solid way. We can’t wait to get him fully embedded into his new position.” Jeffrey adds: “I am excited to begin work with the great team that GLP is putting together, I can’t wait to hit the ground running and help the company grow within the central territory.” Haynes joins GLP in a newly created position to promote and strengthen the company’s SceneX brand of LED solutions that it promotes in the North American markets. A 20+ year industry veteran, Brad will add his
UK - Flashlight has appointed David Manister to a directorship role within the company. Manister joined Flashlight in 2013 and had since spearheaded its business development. He comments: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to play my part in the continued growth of Flashlight. I’m lucky to work with a great team of highly motivated, industry professionals who help us to make sure we continue to deliver the highest level of service expected by ourselves and our customers." Flashlight founding directors Andy Dodd and Rob Williamson comment: "We're delighted with David’s progress within the company. His enthusiasm allows us to continue to be in front of end users and support new business with a strong presence." Flashlight supplies lighting equipment to the broadcast, motion picture and theatre industries from its Manchester and London bases. The comp
USA - ETC’s ColorSource family line of products has become a known staple for affordable theatrical systems. Showing up in venues around the world including schools, houses of worship, and restaurants, these products offer a full system of lighting, control, and power for a variety of installations. Today, ETC adds the ColorSource Pearl to the ColorSource family of fixtures. ColorSource Pearl is a variable white light LED array for ColorSource Spot, Linear, and PAR fixtures. This array utilises a mix of two different white LEDs that enable a user to set the colour temperature anywhere between 2700 and 6500 K. The Pearl array includes the same feature set and quality construction as its full colour siblings including an impressively bright output, a simple user interface, and a price point that is tough to beat. Designed for installations that depend heavily on
USA - With the launch of Elation Professional’s new line of SEVEN PAR IP colour changers, lighting designers have access to a wider spectrum of colour options to paint stages, sets, scrims and scenery in high-impact coloured or high-quality white light. Building on the success of the SixPar series of colour-changing LED PAR lights, the Elation Seven PAR IP uses the latest seven-colour multi-chip LED technology to give a more flexible colour wash solution. Available is the Seven PAR 7IP and Seven PAR 19IP with seven and 19 LEDs respectively. Seven PAR IP fixtures spread light at a 25-degree angle and produce nearly 80% more lumens versus comparably sized SixPar series fixtures. Useful for production applications or installations as a wash light, uplight, wall wash, truss warmer and more, Seven PAR IP fixtures are wrapped in a newly designed IP65-rated dust and waterp
USA - After 18 years of touring and a fistful of Top Ten hits, the Puerto Rican duo Zion & Lennox still exhibit the raw hungry power that has made them a defining force in their musical genre. This fervour was on full display in their recent hit music video Mi Tesoro, recorded with Nicky Jam. It was also very much in evidence on a cloudy Sunday night, 22 April, when they rocked the sold-out 4,400-seat Rosemont Theatre outside Chicago. Supporting the duo’s high-energy performance was a plethora of aerial effects, stage sweeps, blinders and intense audience lighting created by Juan Ocampo of High Frequency Productions (Gurnee, IL). Using a collection of Rogue and STRIKE fixtures from Chauvet Professional, Ocampo’s rig featured 28 Rogue R2 Wash fixtures, 16 Rogue RH1 Hybrids and four STRIKE 4 multi-formatted blinders, along with 16 Chauvet DJ Intimidator Hybrid 140SR u
USA - Grammy-Award winning Halestorm is back on the road with a new lighting package from Bandit Lites and launching into summer with their epic, hard rock sound, featuring the vocals of Lzzy Hale, drummer and percussionist Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith. Bandit Lites supplied nearly 150 fixtures included Ayrton MagicDot R, GLP impression X4s, Robe Halos, Clay Paky B-Eye K20, Chauvet Nexus 4x4, Chauvet FX-B, Martin MAC Viper Profiles, Sun Strips, Martin Atomic 3000 LED, Elation Color Chorus 48 with Base Haze, a GrandMA2 full-size for control along with a MA Lighting 8port node. When lighting designer Craig Richter began the planning this year’s tour cycle with the band, they communicated their desire to step up the production. To bring about this escalation, Richter opted for custom carts that hold nearly all the fixtures and raise up to
Zambia - Entrepreneur Siddharth Patel wanted his new Fire & Ice Night Club in the heart of Ndola, Zambia’s third largest city, to be truly cutting-edge in technology and aesthetics, so he approached Johannesburg-based lighting sales and installation specialist DWR for ideas and solutions. DWR project manager JP Vernon conducted a site visit, chatted extensively with the client and produced some concepts which they discussed, including the installation of Anolis Arc Source 4 MC luminaires to provide mood lighting. The 28 x ArcSource 4 MCs are installed above the bar, DJ booth and VIP area at the back of the space. They function as striking down-lighters and greatly enhance the ambience of the lively 200 capacity venue. The bar is geared to attract a dynamic community of guests living and working in the city which is also Zambia’s commercial capital and is
