"We have worked with Utopium on a number of installations at AMG venues and as a group we invest heavily in both our PA and lighting equipment. We set high production values so that all AMG sites can offer the same high quality, in-house production as standard to not only international touring acts, but also talent on the way up," says Group property & development manager, Archie McIntosh.
It was integral that the lighting for Newcastle was designed to cover the needs of the venue's stage and club activity, so Chinn selected from Robe's wide range of moving fixtures. The largest ones used here are the ColorSpor 575 AT and ColorWash 575 ATs, intended to be used as the main over-stage lighting workhorses.
Utopium and AMG have also opted for Robe's compact ColorSpot 250 ATs for both stage and dancefloor beam-work plus their ColorMix 150 AT static wash units - a PC washlight with an 11 dichroic slot colour wheel plus open, dimmer and shutter - over the dancefloor.
There are also strobes, Source Four Junior profiles for band key lighting and eight bars of six Pars in the main room for general illumination, positioned along the front of the balcony and in the tier levels below the balcony to bring out the shape of the space. All fixtures are controlled by a Pearl 2004.
Carling Academy Newcastle opened to a sell-out crowd on 14 October with an exclusive show by The Futureheads, whose LD Dave Byars was also the first into Glasgow when that opened in late 2003.
(Jim Evans)
