Mexico - PRO3 was started as an innovative lighting and visual design studio full of fresh ideas and approaches sparked by the imaginative synergy between three partners and lighting enthusiasts based in Mexico City. The company is still growing and is now also a significant lighting rental equipment supplier for the numerous shows, tours and events in which they are creatively involved. PRO3 first invested in Robe moving light products around seven years ago, starting with Pointes, then expanding to MegaPointes and Spiiders. Their most recent purchases are 50 Fortes, 30 of which have been delivered by Mexican distributor ShowCo, with 20 more on their way. ‘Chicho’ as he’s universally known throughout the industry (‘real’ name Osvaldo Giuliano) comments: “As soon as the industry restarted after the pandemic, Forte fixtures started being frequently requested
South Africa - Ross Learmonth, well known as frontman of popular South African rock band Prime Circle, recently delighted fans with his Wild Summer solo tour, his first as a solo artist, complete with a new solo album, Carousel. Both tour and album campaigns have been a great success and were assisted by Astera Titan Tube wireless LED lighting products. When all the planning for the tour started to fall into place, Ross knew he would be playing a mix of own headliner shows and festival slots, so he wanted a specials package that could be used for both scenarios that would make his set unique and stand out. The conversation started with his producer, Denholm Harding, referencing the new songs and how to communicate these to the world, creating a show to match the feeling of the music and lyrics and how to find an aesthetic that was crafted especially for this project. I
USA - SGM Light has announced that Nicolas Champion has joined the company as managing director of North America. With over 25 years of experience in both architectural and entertainment lighting, Nicolas is a trusted and well-known lighting professional. As managing director, Nicolas will work closely with North American key accounts and distribution partners as well as the SGM Light sales and customer support teams to develop and coordinate business in both rental and fixed installation markets. Nicolas has a strong background through progressive roles in lighting and sales management, most recently as the vice president of sales for Altman Lighting. Nicolas also has prior experience as regional sales manager for Strand Lighting. Both roles included a respected track record of business development as well as project and sales support. Champion comments: “I
UK - The triumphs of Wrexham Town FC and the kudos of Hollywood glamour bestowed upon them by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are well known. That Kings of Leon should bring some added grandeur to the end of the season celebrations with two nights playing to sell-out crowds of 20k+ was however, a case of opportunism. “In terms of a stadium that’s never hosted a big rock show before, it was comfortable,” said production manager, Bill Leabody. “Going forward, staging shows there in the future will not be impossible, but a lot more difficult than what we experienced. “We were lucky, the main stand had been demolished at the end of season to make way for a new bigger one. What we got was a large open area to build an outdoor stage. The local authority worked really hard and are to be congratulated. That, and the huge efforts of SJM (Promoters) to get the
Australia - Prolights, through Show Technology design team, illuminated SeaWorld theme park's latest attraction: the Leviathan roller coaster. This thrilling ride is the centrepiece of the New Atlantis-themed area, an “impressive tower of timber taking guests on a thundering quest where they reach speeds of up to 80 km/h, experiencing exhilarating turns, crossovers, drops and dips” as stated by the park. However, Leviathan is not only garnering praise for the actual rollercoaster ride itself but also for the immersive experience that envelops those queuing for a ride in the underwater utopia. Audiovisual installation specialists Run By Media spent two years planning the AV integration, over a year on-site building and countless long hours working closely with their design team Show Technology's Clint Dulieu and lighting designer Toby Sewell to bring this next-level proje
UK - The Royal College of Music (RCM) in London was ranked the leading global institution for performing arts in the 2023 QS World University Rankings by Subject and has prepared performers, conductors and composers for international careers for over 140 years. Since 1901, the College’s many musical groups have performed in Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, a space that in 2009 received an extensive refurbishment that brought the listed building up to modern concert hall standards. More recently, a sustainable LED lighting rig of 48 Elation Fuze Pendant luminaires has been installed in the Concert Hall. The Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall is the RCM’s most versatile space, accommodating up to 370 audience members and up to 120 performers on stage. Primarily used for performances by the College’s orchestras, jazz bands and RCM International Opera School, the perform
UK - 3LR Lighting has announced the addition of Germany-based film and television lighting brand Sumolight to its portfolio of lighting brands. Designed and built at its headquarters in Berlin, Sumolight’s range of robust, high-output LED and laser-sourced luminaires are virtual production-ready - available to integrate with the latest techniques in film and television content creation. Its broad range of products have seen use on many recent high-profile productions, including Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Midnight Sky, House of the Dragon, The Matrix Resurrections and many more. Interest from other sectors is steadily on the rise. Simon Evans, CEO of Sumolight UK, says: “As we see the UK film market sector grow, along with multiple other uses of our products, expansion is a natural step for the UK business. But with so many enquiries from
South Africa - KKNK (Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees) is a festival to which families travel from all over the country to enjoy the music, drama, works of art and food and a place where the crew work hard and ‘kuier lekker’ (socialise). While part of the magic is the spectacular setting - the blue-skied town of Oudtshoorn located in the Klein Karoo between the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains - a drawing card is the camaraderie amongst the technical team who work under the helm of Pieter Jan-Kapp. The festival is also a welcome injection to the economy of Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world and home to the Cango Caves. This year’s festival took place at the start of April with Blond Productions once again appointed as the main technical supplier for most of the theatre venues, Multi-Media taking care of the main theatre (The Burgersentrum), and Nation
Liechtenstein - The Neutrik Group has introduced a range of products, from its Contrik brand of portable power distribution systems, especially designed for deployment in harsh all-weather application environments. The range of Xtreme Outdoor (XO) / Active designated products includes Power Container, Power Rack and Power Turtle systems. Designed and precision manufactured, using high quality electrical and electronic components, in the EU, they are intended for mobile entertainment production applications, including video walls, stage lighting and audio installations. The XO designation denotes the extensive environmental protection features, additional to Contrik’s usual certification standards, guaranteeing high levels of mechanical (IK) and environmental (IP) protection. These include enhanced protective housings and self-closing caps. Protection up to the IP65
France - The Séries Mania Festival in Lille created a global buzz a few years ago when it hosted the world premiere of the Netflix series The Rain. None of the 32 premieres showcased at the four-day festival this year had rain in their titles, but there was plenty of precipitation outside. The inclement weather did nothing, however, to dampen the excitement at an event that Variety magazine has hailed as ‘Europe’s Premier TV Festival’. Nor did it interfere with the bright and colourful lighting that enhanced the upbeat mood at the gala and conference, which drew TV executives from 64 different countries. Valentin Lemarquier and Freddy Ledieu, who lit the Tapis Mauve (mauve carpet) area in front of the Nouveau Siècle auditorium, where the official ceremonies and screenings took place, credits an all-weather lighting kit supplied by Public Address/S
Jordan - HoverUp, the first Drone Show Company in Jordan, in partnership with SPH Engineering, entertained audiences with drone displays during the Jordan's Royal Wedding and Independence Day celebration. Utilising a fleet of 400 drones, HoverUp set the record for the highest number of drone light shows conducted per day, captivating audiences with 2-3 shows each day. The Abdali Drone Show, held in celebration of Jordan's Royal Wedding and Independence Day, showcased a display of synchronised movements and intricate formations. Expert drone pilots choreographed the performances using the advanced Drone Show Technology from SPH Engineering. One of the show's standout moments was a mid-air formation representing Jordan's 77th Independence Day, the Royal Crown, Flag of Jordan, and the initials of the Crown Prince and Princess Rajwa. "The Abdali Drone Show surpasse
Greece - ETC’s automated luminaires and entertainment fixtures have been selected by rental company Papadimas AVL S.M.P.C for TV shows The Voice and Just the 2 of Us, as well as a recent production of the hit musical Phantom of the Opera in Athens, and Thessaloniki. Almost 200 High End Systems moving lights feature across the productions, including Lonestar, SolaPix, SolaFrame and SolaSpot automated luminaires. ETC’s affordable Lonestar fixtures took their Greek TV debut on talent show Just the 2 of Us, bringing their professional feature set, and quality output all wrapped up in a small package. They joined over a hundred other High End Systems moving lights as well as 50 Source Four LED Series 3 Daylight HDR profiles, all controlled by a mix of Hog 4 and Eos consoles. Series 3 continues to wow on-camera around the world, with its pat
Spain - Maxi Gilbert says that he draws inspiration for his designs from opera sets. At first that may seem a bit surprising, since the Madrid-based designer has created lightshows for stars like multi-Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz, and chart-topping Manuel Carrasco. But anyone who sees his work on Carrasco’s current Corazón y Flecha tour will readily appreciate the connection. Like opera itself, Gilbert’s design for the 30-city Spanish tour is bold, ambitious, and full of life. With its massive centre stage video wall and giant inflatable heart pierced by an arrow (16m wide for most of the tour), and 272 custom-made neon flex lights, the design, which was done with visual director Susana Martinez Allende, creates an immediate, and dramatic impression. This sensation is accentuated by the light from 282 other lighting fixtures, projecting a vivid array of colours,
USA - The live finals of American Idol 2023 moved to a new venue - Red Studios Hollywood - giving lighting designer Tom Sutherland of DX7 design and production designer Florian Wieder the chance to create a fresh and new look in this special space, which has embraced history and innovation in film and TV production since the early 20th century. Tom included plenty of Robe moving lights on his lighting plot, including 137 MegaPointes, about which he states, “I would not do a show without MegaPointes.” These were joined by 104 Robe Tetra2 moving LED battens. He also used 49 Spiider LED wash beams, together with BMFL Blade Follow Spots. The new set was one starting point for his lighting design concept. Elegant and modern, the performance area was a distinctive diamond shape, and the overall set incorporated a host of LED sources: screens, panelling, an
USA - LEDtronics has announced its latest series of compact and lightweight LED floodlights. High efficacy, multiple-angle mounting options, and sleek design make these light fixtures an ideal and easy installation in various applications, says the company. The area and spot luminaires come with an adjustable U-bracket that offers a multitude of choices for angle of inclination for outdoor area lighting needs that require adjustable-angle uniform illumination, such as architectural wall washing and accents, walkways, pathways, garden or landscape lighting, amusement parks, recreation areas, illuminated signs, and emergency exit way lighting, among many others. The LEDtronics GDL002 series flood lights are offered in a choice of two input voltages: 24VDC with 12 watts and 5000K pure white emitted colour, and a wide 100~277VAC range with either 8W/4000K natural white com
USA - City Theatrical has launched its newest addition to the QolorFLEX brand of professional LED tape, dimming control and accessories with QolorFLEX 25x3A Dimmer, which is a low voltage, constant voltage, dimmer that is designed for large installations of LED tape. The QolorFLEX 25x3A Dimmer is the five-channel version of City Theatrical’s QolorFLEX 24x3A Dimmer for users who seek high-capacity dimmers to use for installations of 5-in-1 LED tapes, including QolorFLEX 5-in-1 LED Tape, HiQ High CRI for film and video, rather than LED tapes with four or fewer channels. The QolorFLEX 25x3A Dimmer features 25 channels of control and can accommodate five-channel LED tapes easily, creating efficiencies when it comes to installation time and wiring. The QolorFLEX 25x3A Dimmer is fully DMX and RDM compatible and offers standalone functions. The QolorFLEX 25x3A Dimme
Europe - Metallica launched their M72 World Tour on 27 April in Amsterdam with Rob Koenig again at the helm as lighting designer, an outing that has the thrash rockers playing a two-night, no-repeat schedule in cities across Europe and North America. Koenig crafts customised lighting looks using 600+ automated lights, a rig that includes Proteus Excalibur sky beams from Elation Professional. Lighting supply is by Premier Global Production. Koenig has been part of the Metallica family since 2008. He started as lighting director under John Broderick, eventually moved into the lighting designer role and is now on his fourth record cycle with the band. Metallica is touring in support of its eleventh studio album, 72 Seasons, which released in April. The number 72, which refers to the number of seasons in a person’s formative first 18 years of life, is a th
Egypt - Robe has appointed a new Egyptian distributor - Impact Egypte Solutions - which is headed by Jean William, a prolific lighting and show designer in his own right. The company is based in Cairo and is one of the longer established entertainment technology enterprises in the country. Jean founded Impact Egypte 33 years ago initially as a rental and a sales business. Sales were then halted for a while as they focussed on installation projects and rentals, but recently sales have restarted to capitalise on a strong and developing market with a demand for quality equipment. Impact Egypte Solutions also engages in a wide selection of lighting, visual and multimedia projects taking on multiple aspects including show design, installation, and operation, keeping its 40 or so full-time staff busy. Jean has always had an eye for Robe products and has wanted to work
UK - The Robe UK team report a busy, successful, and very positive ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians) expo staged at Alexandra Palace in London. The company had two exhibition areas, with a stand upstairs in the main hall and a large demo area downstairs in the Palace suite - both showcasing a range of its latest lighting technologies for theatre, performance, TV, and broadcast scenarios. The stylish booth in the main exhibition hall featured a selection of the newest Robe, Anolis and MDG products. A video wall at the back offered four separate brand windows / digital messaging boards snapshotting information, with two dedicated to Robe, one for Robe’s architectural lighting brand Anolis, and one for atmosphere and haze specialist MDG, which is distributed in the UK by Robe. Selected products were also showcased on raised displays aroun
USA - By calling their facility The Venue, the United Auburn Indian Community and Thunder Valley Casino Resort left no doubt about the goal they set for this 4,500-seat indoor theatre located outside Sacramento. Their new attraction was designed to stand-out from the pack and define its own category. Featuring shows by artists like The Eagles, Bruno Mars, Santana with Bryan Adams, The Black Crowes, and Ringo Starr, The Venue, which was built to replace the casino’s outdoor amphitheatre, offers top-flight entertainment in an engaging and supportive setting. Contributing to the fan experience at the facility are three massive video walls made with over 550 Chauvet Professional F3X LED tiles supplied and installed by CTM Sound of Sacramento, which has worked with the casino since 2010. CTM used 255 of the 3.9mm high-res panels to create an impressive 50ft wide cen
USA - Matt Dean has rejoined Bandit Lites as its newest project manager. As a member of the Nashville production office, Dean will oversee the planning, directing and coordination of his designated tours and events. Dean got his start in the lighting industry in 2007 at Bandit Lites and has since worked in various roles across the lighting industry for the last 15 years, gathering experience in concert touring, integration, architectural lighting and houses of worship. “Sometimes when people leave, you always know you’ll cross paths again,” shared Jake Tickle, Bandit Lites vice president of business and innovation. “Matt never really left our family; in fact, he and I had kept in touch during nearly every phase of his career.”
USA - Lorna Shore doesn’t hesitate to bend or break rules in order to expand their musical horizons, readily adding techno and symphonic elements to their signature metalcore sound. But when it comes to lighting, the band and their LD, Nate Haber, do have one edict that they’re pretty strict about: limit the use of front light. “The band and I have come up with a few guidelines regarding front light,” said Haber. “In no particular order it goes something like this: the default is that they have no front light. Also, we try to keep Austin and his drum set as lit as possible. When Adam has a guitar solo he always needs light; and when Will is talking to the crowd, he needs light too. There are a few other parts in songs where I light the band because it feels right. In those cases, typically, if you can see one member of the band you can see them all, but at this poi
UK - A 500 drone show was experienced nightly by 50,000 music lovers at the Isle of Wight Festival last weekend. US-based Skyworx Drone Shows, producer for The Global Drone Network (GDN), presented a 12-minute show at the close of each night for revellers to enjoy. References to Jimi Hendrix, the island’s heritage and the world-famous festival filled the sky on all four nights with an attention-grabbing animated display. Skyworx and GDN were supported by UK company AeroAVA, who handled all UK regulatory permissions and flight crew for the project. Skyworx founder and CEO, Taylor Woodall, comments: "It has been a great pleasure to create and deliver our first UK drone show at the iconic Isle of Wight Festival. We believe this is the largest drone show presented at any UK festival to date." Reflecting on the sustainability aspects of the project, Tom Rees,
Singapore - Cinewav is looking to expand its presence in the live events, sports and broadcast sector. The platform has already been successfully enjoyed by thousands of guests at outdoor cinema events and at festivals including Vivid Sydney 2023 where Cinewav enriched dozens of immersive, super-sized light, drone shows and animations with personalised soundtracks. At the Danang International Fireworks Festival 2023 (DIFF2023), Cinewav synchronised the audio soundtrack with fireworks displays via mobile phones to locals and tourists across Da Nang, Vietnam’s fifth most populated city. Upcoming global projects include Drive-ins and cinematic screenings at cultural attractions, hotels and resorts. Cinewav is a platform and mobile app that allows users to watch visuals on a big public screen and listen to the audio in perfect synchronicity on their own mobile pho
