Gawler needed a colour changing wash light offering an even spread of high quality light, not too beamy and that was a less energy-hungry alternative to conventional 4-lite fixtures. He looked at several options before deciding to go with the i-Pix products, which are used for a general stage wash.
The BB7s are all on a front truss doing a stage wash. Gawler says they are ideal for this because the band dislike follow spots and the BB7 can be used like a beam light to produce a much subtler effect. He also uses them between songs so everyone can see what they're doing.
"They are reliable, efficient and make good colours. I also really like the homogeneity of the light sources and the smooth and even output," he states. This feature eliminates the visibility of the individual different coloured LEDs, so they all appear as one unified point-source.
The BBs, along with all the other lights on the rig including 80 Martin Professional moving lights - are controlled from a WholeHog 3 console, which is also driving a Catalyst digital media server running the video (supplied by XL Video).
The Oasis tour started in the US and has just kicked off its first UK leg. It is currently scheduled to run for at least a year. For more on the tour see Lighting&Sound magazine's November 2008 issue.
(Jim Evans)
