The tour is using 12 K10 and 36 K5 fixtures as part of its "big, powerful rock 'n roll rig," says lighting designer Justin Kitchenman of Fadeup Design Group. He was introduced to the A.LEDA Series at LDI 2012 where he was "looking for the next generation moving light." After seeing the A.LEDA fixtures, "We feel we found the best the industry has to offer," he says.
The A.LEDA Series is the first professional Clay Paky product line to use LEDs as light sources. An alternative to discharge lamp wash lights, it offers all the benefits of LED technology: low energy consumption, long light-source life, small size, light weight and a robust build.
Kitchenman is deploying the K10s as floor fixtures on the corners of the thrust as well as around the center of the thrust, which serves as Bryan's B stage. "The K10s work as a fantastic floor wash fixture," he says. "When zoomed all the way out they provide great coverage, but they are also soft enough that it doesn't hurt to have them shining directly in your eyes. This is important since the thrust is surrounded by the audience and the K10s are essentially at audience head height. They give us the ability to cross- wash the stage without blinding the people closest to the action."
He also uses the fixtures in a narrow zoom to create powerful aerial beam patterns. "With their positions out in front of the stage it almost appears that beams are coming out of the crowd," he notes.
The K5s occupy two positions. Four groups of four fixtures are mounted above the stage as part of the main lighting rig. "Their purpose is pretty basic: They act as fast-moving ACL-type beams. This placement also gives me another option to wash specific band positions during the show," Kitchenman explains.
The second location is surrounding the side-hung IMAG screens. "We wanted to have the ability to expand our lighting looks as widely as possible. We were able to achieve this by modifying an already existing, but usually pretty bland, element of the show," he points out. Kitchenman is flying two 24ft long sections of 12-inch truss with the IMAG screens hung between them. "By adding 10 K5s to each side - four on the top truss and six on the bottom - we now have an element that adds plenty of eye candy and tons of audience light, gives us the width we desired and looks great on camera."
The A.LEDAs on the tour are controlled by grandMA2 consoles.
Francesco Romagnoli, Clay Paky area manager for North and Latin America, adds, "We're very proud of the A.LEDA and pleased to have such a superior LED in the market. It sounds like Justin is really getting the most out of them."
(Jim Evans)
