Greece - Prolights illuminated the captivating cultural event Sky Above Elefsina held at the ship cemetery of the port of Fixia in Eleusis. This event marked the culmination of a series of events organised to celebrate Eleusis as the European Capital of Culture 2023. Eleusis, a significant industrial centre in the mid-20th century, focused its entire programming on the city's cultural revival, envisioning 130 projects and 436 events spread across more than 30 locations, incorporating the remnants of ancient industrialization. Sky Above Elefsina is an ambitious project that aimed to shed light on one of Eleusis' most debated sites from a social and environmental standpoint: the ship cemetery, known for the multitude of wrecks abandoned by shipowners over the years. The organisers requested a lighting installation capable of rejuvenating and transforming the naval cemete
USA - Ayrton Domino fixtures have hit the road with country music royalty accompanying Shania Twain on her Queen of Me global tour. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America. “The show is themed around Shania’s new album, which also features a handful of her classic hits. Waking Up Dreaming is the opening song and best describes the theme of the show,” says Nashville-based André Petrus, the tour’s lighting director and console programmer. “It’s a journey through space on a rocket ship which crashes into Twain Town. The show is packed with 3D animations, including an LED floor that really gives every seat a good perspective.” The Queen of Me Tour will play some 80 dates throughout North America, the UK and Ireland this year. The best-selling female artist in country music history kicked off the tour in Spoka
UK - SLX has announced its partnership with Wilderkind, an organisation that is dedicated to accelerating nature recovery in Great Britain through rewilding. The collaboration aligns with SLX’s commitment to sustainability and to having a positive impact on the environment and local community. Founded in April 2023 Wilderkind collaborates with businesses in South West England to combat biodiversity loss, prevent ecosystem collapse, and foster climate resilience. SLX has been on a journey to evolve its business to become more sustainable and reduce its carbon footprint. Following the release of its Impact Report earlier this year, and the announcement of attaining a B-Corporation status, this new partnership exemplifies SLX's commitment to making a visible environmental impact and aligning with the core values of its B-Corp certification. Under the leadership of
Israel - Elad Cohen is a lighting designer based in Tel Aviv who has a zest for music, lights, and creative activities. Since the early days of his career as a club lighting operator, he has always been a big user and fan of Robe moving lights, and when one of his regular clients – renowned DJ Offer Nissim – recently headlined the Tel Aviv Pride Festival, he specified a large Robe rig including MegaPointes, Spiiders and Esprites. The festival, which celebrated all aspects of LGBTQ culture and life, was staged in Ganei Yehoshua Park in north Tel Aviv, and was the culmination of two days of one of the biggest events of the year in Israel. “We wanted to make a massive impact with the show and the whole performance,” explained Elad. The 72m-wide stage and set which featured substantial LED surfaces was designed by a creative team comprising the Rubi & Gal
Puerto Rico – Two Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers powered the visuals for multiple wraparound LED screens which formed the backdrop for this year’s televised Premios Tu Música Urbano. The Awards, which celebrate Latin Urban music, were broadcast live from Puerto Rico capital San Juan’s 18,000-capacity Choliseo and streamed live to fans worldwide on YouTube. Florida-based production house JMT Show Concepts was commissioned by Sora & Company, producer Soraya Sanchez, and the Telemundo TV network to create and provide all of the content visuals for the event. “Awards shows are very intense because you have to do content, show looks and programming in such a short time – for this project, it was just six days,” says Jorge Toro from JMT. “The magic of the new Boreal+ MK2 model is how fast that it is, with the 10G network connection to upl
USA - Country music artist Kelsea Ballerini’s popular Heartfirst tour moved outside in June and July with a lighting design by Nick Chang that featured Elation Professional’s versatile Artiste Monet LED profile moving head, along with Smarty MAX luminaires. The tour, extended to a third leg due to overwhelming demand, travelled all over the country. Lighting and video vendor for the tour was 4Wall Nashville. Nick initially served as lighting director for the tour’s first leg last fall and continued in the same role for the second leg in February/March, when Ballerini served as direct support on Kenny Chesney’s tour. Nick moved into the role of creative designer and programmer for the tour’s third leg this summer and took the opportunity to redesign the visual aesthetic. After a short two-week turnaround to get the new rig together, reprogramme, etc., they se
New Zealand - Basement Theatre in Auckland is living proof of how the ‘small is beautiful’ concept can become a hub of creative endeavour, a hot bed of ideas, experimental art, and the instigator of lively political and social discourse as well as an inclusive place for talented live performance imagineers to hone their craft. In 2022, Basement Theatre purchased its first Robe LED fixtures – two CycBar15s – a sale in proportion to its production needs that has made a big difference to how shows can be lit. Squeezed into an old industrial building, once part of a large grain silo development, the charismatic theatre has been on the site for 15 years, making the most out of a challenging layout with some out-of-the-box reimagining that has ensured it has everything needed for a busy and thriving venue. A busy and diverse programme of shows run Tuesday to S
UK - The Royal Shakespeare Company with its permanent home in Stratford-upon-Avon needs little introduction. Its main house, the 1018-seat Royal Shakespeare Theatre underwent a major rebuild and refurbishment between 2007-2010, and its smaller Swan Theatre (469 capacity) has recently reopened in April 2023 after a year-long post-pandemic refurbishment. Both houses have had Ayrton fixtures installed for the first time, replacing failing lighting stock with Ayrton Diablo and Eurus fixtures specified by the RSC head of lighting, Kevin Sleep. “Those most urgently in need of replacement were some of the moving heads in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) which we replaced with Ayrton Eurus S in May 2022,” explains Sleep. “We needed a bright LED replacement so chose 9 Eurus S for their extra punch. The S models have slightly paler shades but we wanted their extra power
India - Mumbai-based Light Craft & Sound Pvt provided a large complement of Claypaky fixtures to light three music videos showcasing songs from the hit Bollywood film, Satyaprem Ki Katha (Tale of True Love). Released in June 2023, the film is a Hindi language romantic drama about a troubled marriage. It has already become the sixth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Claypaky Sharpy X Frames, Tambora Batten Squares, HY B-EYE K25s and Mythos 2 fixtures were selected by lighting designers Imran Shaikh and Rohan Tambe to light the production of the three videos. Light Craft undertook the responsibility of creating lighting designs for the three songs working closely with the director of photography and choreographer to achieve specific atmospheres and moods. “These four fixtures were the perfect choice for the camera applications and the the
UK - The ABTT’s International Theatre, Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC) has announced its most ambitious schedule yet, including over 50 sessions from around the world for its 2023 edition at the IET, London on 19-20 September 2023. With contributors from Australia, America, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Japan, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea and Wales – ITEAC 2023 brings more variety to the table than ever before. A full timetable has now been released. The programme includes a variety of live seminars and discussions informed by short films and pre-recorded presentations from prestigious projects and commentators. Delegates can expect discussion, debate and sharing of best practice, with those attending the IET London event able to create new connections and forge lasting collaborative relationshi
Australia - Tucked within the laneways of Sydney's Angel Place, the City Recital Hall is a purpose-built live performance venue with world-class acoustics located in the heart of Sydney's CBD. After 22 years and as part of a major revamp, the venue has upgraded its lighting and audio systems, transitioning from old conventional lighting fixtures to a modern, LED-based rig supply. To make this choice, the restaurant contacted Show Technology, the official distributor of Prolights in Australia. The new lighting setup includes the following Prolights fixtures: 22 LED Cyc EclCyclorama 50, eight LED Fresnel EclFresnel 2KVW and 20 LED Profile EclProfile CT+. This choice has impressed the technical production manager of the City Hall, Richard Fenton. In particular, the 14 EclCyclorama 50 projectors were used to illuminate the structure of the sound-reflecting panels po
USA - An estimated 250,000 people turned up for Nashville’s Let Freedom Sing! 4th of July celebration. Bandit Lites worked with Chris Lisle of Chris Lisle Lighting Design to provide the lighting for both The Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage as well as the Ascend Amphitheatre. This year’s featured headliner was country music superstar Brad Paisley with additional live performances from The War And Treaty, singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim, rising country artist, Tiera Kennedy, Nashville pop singer-songwriter Ben Recto and more. “More than ever, we want to deliver a world-class concert and fireworks show to commemorate July 4th and give back to our community,” said Butch Spyridon, president and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “As well, our visitors have always supported us through challenges, and this is the perfect way to welcome them back and we
Australia - Following record-breaking attendance in 2023, Australia's largest festival, Vivid Sydney, is inviting expressions of interest (EOI) for its 2024 event programme. In 2023 Vivid Sydney attracted more than 3.28m attendees who experienced the 300+ light, music, ideas and food events of the programme. Now, artists, musicians, thought leaders and food creatives are invited to submit an EOI to be part of the 2024 programme under the unified, creative vision – Vivid Sydney, Humanity. Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said Vivid Sydney presented an opportunity for those in the creative sector to showcase their talents to a large and far-reaching audience as part of an event that exemplifies Sydney’s standing as the major events capital of the Asia Pacific. “Vivid Sydney is a globally recognised event that brings together creativity, innovation and technolog
UK – Consultancy 3LR Lighting has announced another addition to its portfolio of leading lighting brands, with the inclusion of LED manufacturer, Schnick-Schnack-Systems. From its manufacturing base in Germany, Schnick-Schnack-Systems produces individual, ready-to-use lighting solutions with associated controls for a broad range of applications, especially television and film studios, architectural projects, system integrations, cruise ships and events. Its range of LED components includes strips, tiles and dots designed for decorative use in all types of environment, for indoor or outdoor use. “With 3LR we merge two excellent teams,” says Solveig Busler, speaking on behalf of Schnick-Schnack-Systems. “With the expertise of 3LR we have a brand representative that understands our product range and will make it easier for the customers to explore our products. 3
Canada - A new production of Richard II adapted by Canadian playwright and provocateur Brad Fraser is playing in the Tom Patterson Theatre as part of the 2023 Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario. Conceived and directed by Jillian Keiley, the work is choreographed by Cameron Carver and lit by Leigh Ann Vardy who is utilising 12 x Astera Titan Tubes and four Helios Tubes as inventive lighting and visual props to assist the ambience and narrative flow. Jillian Keiley wanted a minimalist stage setup, and as the creative team started to evolve the aesthetic – with the action set in a Studio 54-inspired disco steeped in the glamour, grit, and glitz of 1970s / 80s New York – it became essential to involve lighting elements that could take on the roles of both physical props … and metaphysical suggestion. Leigh Ann, Jillian, and Stratford Festival’
UK - The UK premier of the much-publicised movie, Barbie, took place 12 July at Cineworld Leicester Square. Limited Edition Event Design with support from IPS (Impact Production Services) produced the event. Helping to create the colourful scene was a collection of 272 IP65 rated Chauvet Professional video tiles and lighting fixtures from IPS’ own extensive inventory. “As most of the action at a premiere event takes place outside, IP rated equipment is the most suitable, since it allows everything to keep operating whatever happens with the weather,” Tom Warden of IPS said of the event’s kit. “There is only one chance to get things right on these shows and Limited Edition Event Design does an excellent job as the technical production designer. Film premieres are a tough gig in the best of times, especially when they take place in very busy centra
USA - Gateway Productions in Newburyport, Massachusetts has purchased 28 Ayrton Domino Profile fixtures for use on productions and installations and to add to its rental inventory. Domino is an IP65 multi-function luminaire with extraordinary light power and a full feature set that’s designed for intensive outdoor use. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America. Gateway Productions services all special events and provides a wide range of AV equipment rentals. The company produces more than 1,000 events annually helping with every step of the process from initial ideas to planning, logistics and execution. The Domino purchase marked the first Ayrton acquisition for Gateway, which immediately installed them for an eight-month run at The Brooklyn Mirage, an open-air music venue at the heart of Avant Gardner. Avant Gardner is an 80
Italy - Teatri di Siena is leading the way in sustainable theatre practices by upgrading to the latest and most efficient LED systems from ETC. With support from Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the venue is embracing an eco-friendly option that not only benefits the planet but also enhances the audience's theatrical experience. In an effort to promote technological advancement and energy conservation, PNRR is extending aid to the theatre industry as it recovers from the pandemic. Teatri di Siena is seizing this opportunity by upgrading its lighting system. Seasoned electrician and lighting aficionado Andrea Garbini is leading the venue's ongoing renewal efforts, along with colleague Michele Pisano. Together, they are making significant strides towards a sustainable and eco-friendly future for the theatre industry through the PNRR initiative. Acco
UK - GLX Productions has announced their continued investment in Chauvet Professional fixtures and Chamsys control systems. This is a major move for GLX Productions on its mission to offer high standards of equipment at affordable price points for all productions across the country. GLX has bought a large quantity of Chauvet Professional Outcast 1L Beam, Color Strike-M, Outcast 1 Beam Wash, Strike 1, Strike Array 2, COLORado PXL 16, RDMX8 Splitters and NET-X II. Their investment in control has expanded exponentially, now stocking Chamsys Compact consoles including MQ50, MQ70 and MQ80 as well as their full Stadium Series of MQ250M, MQ500M including wings. “We’re incredibly happy with our investment in Chauvet and Chamsys, already they’ve proved popular with all our clients across many different sectors. Both Chauvet fixtures and Chamsys control have a very
The Netherlands - Salesforce’s World Tour Amsterdam business event took place at the Taets Art & Event Park in Zaandamon 23 May. Smile Licht en Geluid Utrecht, Showtec and Infinity illuminated the event. Salesforce is a company that creates cloud-based software to help companies connect with their customers in an innovative way. Their World Tour Amsterdam event included more than 40 sessions from industry leaders designed to improve business practices. Several areas in the Taets Art & Event Park were created to host different topics and the setup was ideal for information sharing and networking. In addition to customised decor, this included a large number of lights by Showtec and Infinity. The lights were provided by Smile Licht en Geluid Utrecht, a company that specialises in light, video and sound technology as well as rigging and power distributio
France - Prolights illuminated the Gouffre de Poudrey, a site in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. It is a well-known underground cave system which attracts a considerable number of visitors every year. The cave formation is a result of water erosion from the River Loue, which over millions of years cut through the karstic limestone rock layers, creating stunning underground formations. The design and installation of the new luminous scenography were entrusted to the company TSE; a project full of technical challenges: the main underground chamber of the Poudrey abyss measures 130m in width, 100m in length and 40m in height, moreover it is accessed through a 27m long channel and its walls are adorned of stalactites and stalagmites that reach 7m in height. Joannès Poète, development manager of the integration, museography and architectural lighting de
USA - With stars like Zeds Dead, STS9, Louis The Child, Subronics, Liquid Stranger, Walker & Royce, and Alesso, The Other Stage at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival served up plenty of EDM firepower. A high-intensity lighting rig was the order of the day and that’s precisely what Chris Lisle provided with help from 325 Chauvet Professional fixtures, which like the rest of the rig were supplied by 4Wall Entertainment. Lisle, the owner of Nashville-based CLLD, LLC gave the visiting LDs for these artists all the punchy output they could ever ask for, but he didn’t stop there. The fixtures in his rig on The Other Stage were also very versatile, supporting a variety of looks, while also possessing the strength to stand up to large, multi-surface video walls and a video ribbon that ran across the roof of the stage. Much of the lighting excitement was generated b
USA - VIP Production Northwest of Spokane, Washington, recently added Elation Professional’s Smarty MAX hybrid moving head to inventory and see the multifunctional light as an essential tool in what is shaping up to be a busy summer rental season. The Smarty MAX is an extreme-output version of Elation’s 3-in-1 Smarty Hybrid with the same ‘smart’ lamp technology but nearly twice as bright and with more design features. Triston Ward, live production department manager at VIP, expresses their rationale for selecting the Smarty MAX: “We chose the Smarty MAX because of its broad feature set and wide range of applications. When we saw them last year at LDI we were impressed with the brightness and what they had to offer. We do all types of events from large concert stages to smaller venues so fixture flexibility is very important to us.” VIP Production Nor
USA - Lighting designer Mike Swinford of UpLate Design loves new tech as much as he loves the chance to be the first to use it, so he was delighted when everything aligned for rental company Fuse to invest in the first Robe Footsie luminaires to arrive in the USA - which he utilised as a key lighting element for the 2023 CMA Fest. The four-day festival is hosted by the Country Music Association (CMA) and recorded at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, in front of live audiences and broadcast on ABC a couple of months later, but this year the popular airing date was brought forward from its traditional August slot to 19 July. Mike has lit the star-studded multi-camera event for the last 21 years. Being a massive televisual event as well as four days of live music for fans there in the venue, key lighting is critical to everything. Thirty Footsie luminai
