UK - Bristol-based specialist LED lighting manufacturer GDS has added two new staff members. Following a recent management restructure and the ongoing establishment of important new areas of business, the company has appointed Charlotte Fenwick to the position of marketing manager and Katie Dyer to the role of business development executive. Charlotte brings wide experience of growth-marketing from the property development and engineering sector, whilst Katie has a strong sales background, developed across the IT industry. Managing director Richard Cuthbert comments: “These are very exciting times at GDS. We’re moving forward on a number of new fronts, so it’s essential that we keep pace with progress as we continue to expand the business. Charlotte’s appreciation of engineering and technology and her previous work in taking forward projects in the architectur
Canada - Since its inception in 2013, the Glowfair Festival in Ottawa has grown substantially with the two-day event attracting roughly 60,000 people this past June. The name itself is an indication that lighting is an integral part of the event hosted along 10 full blocks of Bank St. in Ottawa. As it has for the past five years, Ottawa Special Events (OSE) provided a substantial package of Elation lighting fixtures for Glowfair - some drawn from their own inventory and others rented from Christie Lights. In all, nearly 100 Elation fixtures were deployed, a combination of Platinum HFX hybrid moving heads, ZW19 LED moving head beam/wash effects, compact ACL 360i beam effects and SixPar 200 LED Par lights. This year the festival featured performances by EDM act Cash Cash, Virginia to Vegas, Iskwé, Ria Mae and others on the main stage, as well as DJs and street artists
Germany - The television programme Let’s Dance has been a perennial fan favourite throughout Germany. Now in its 11th year, the show, which features 14 celebrities and their professional dance partners competing for a coveted trophy, has added even more colour and glamour to its presentation by expanding its lighting rig to include 12 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK1 Hybrid fixtures. Lighting designer David Kreileman explained why he specified the 440W moving fixtures for the programme: “For one thing, the price-performance ratio is remarkable, and that's no exaggeration. A further factor is that the Maverick MK1 Hybrid that we are using on this set is unique and unbelievably versatile. Above all, I would single out the CMY colour mixing system, which is superior to fixed colour images.” As a hybrid fixture with advanced optics, overlapping 8-facet and 4-
USA - Created to bring the high-energy of Lucha Libre professional wrestling to the United States, the sports and entertainment media firm Aro Lucha produces a number of live events and television productions. Led by founders who have already achieved success in the professional wrestling industry, the production team understands they must create a dynamic environment that can match both the passion of the fans and the wrestlers taking the ring. Working with their partners at UNO Branding, Aro Lucha decided to enhance the impact of their design even further with the addition of a high-resolution video wall using a FLEXCurtain HD 6.25mm LED video solution from PixelFLEX. “This is a relatively new production design as we only started the company in late 2017,” says Jason Brown, chief executive officer, Aro Lucha. “When we decided to launch the promotion, we wanted
Europe - Nebula, the popular LED pixel tape driver from Madrix, has received two major new upgrades. The improved hardware now features two separate Ethernet network ports. Both are fully functionally for data input and output and can be used for the data connection without using a separate network switch or router. More importantly, these ports enable daisy-chain support to linearly connecting several devices together with ease. On top, firmware 2.0 has been released. The new update adds numerous features to all Nebula devices. They include support for Streaming ACN as well as ArtSync, and settings for start channel, channel order, and output in case of connection loss. New types of LEDs are also regularly added, and the list currently boasts over 35 SPI protocols for different ICs. (Jim Evans)
USA/Europe - ADJ has announced the immediate availability of the latest addition to the company’s Entour range of professional effect generation equipment. The Entour Faze is a robust and affordable portable faze machine, with patent pending rapid heater technology, that creates a thin mist of atmospheric haze using regular water-based fog fluid. It is suitable installation in a wide variety of venues, including bars, lounges, clubs, entertainment centres, community theatres and churches, and is also suitable for mobile use by entertainers and production companies. The new Entour Faze builds on the success of the popular Entourage professional touring faze machine and Entour Venue installation model, offering a more affordable and compact solution that still generates an impressive output. Combining the latest heating technology with a high-powered fan, the unit uses
USA - Bandit Lites has added a complement of Claypaky A.leda B-EYE K20 high-performance wash and beam fixtures to its inventory. “We invested in the B-EYE K20s for their output and versatility,” says Jake Tickle at Bandit Lites. “Claypaky is a tried-and-tested industry standard.” The B-EYE K20s have already been deployed on a number of shows and tours. Bandit provided the lighting package, including K20s, to Rascal Flatts’ Back to Us Tour and the K-LOVE Fan Awards show in Nashville’s famed Opry House. Bandit also furnished K20s for Logic’s set at the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama and for Chris Young’s Losing Sleep 2018 World Tour whose lighting designer Mike Stanley specifically requested the fixtures for their kaleidoscopic effects. The B-EYE K20s have also been used by Garth Brooks, Steven Wilson, Ha
Singapore - Every evening visitors flock to the Singapore Zoo. They aren’t coming to see the facility’s animals, who by then have been safely tucked away in their sleeping quarters. The attraction that draws them is a winding 1km magical path that immerses the senses with the sights and sounds of simulated rainforest landscapes, complete with a shimmering island, cavernous hills and virtual animals, including an orangutan, a flying fox and hornbills. Created by Moment Factory, a multimedia studio based in Montreal, Canada, Rainforest Lumina is a triumph of technology and imagination. Lighting plays a key role in crafting Rainforest Lumina’s mesmerizing spell. Not only does it add greater depth to the exhibit’s scenery and video projection effects, it also evokes powerful emotions along pathways and creates a surreal impression, standing out against the night sky.
Switzerland - Signify reports that the prestigious Béjart Ballet Lausanne has invested in its next generation Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profile luminaires. The company, which tours internationally each year, chose the new lighting fixtures to take advantage of the many benefits of the latest LED technology, while maintaining the highest quality of stage lighting for its exquisite and renowned choreography. Having used the VLZ Profiles at their home, the Beaulieu Theater in Lausanne, and on tour, Béjart Ballet Lausanne is satisfied that their investment was “the right choice”. Among many improvements over conventional fixtures, the team notes especially the VLZ Profile’s silent operation. For lighting designer Dominique Roman, the silence is golden. “We work with classical music, with quiet moments, and the fan noise from the old machines complicated things. It w
UK - Eaton’s Zero 88 series continues its enthusiastic support for professional lighting, audio and AV distributor Leisuretec’s Introduction to Lighting Basics course, an innovative one-day fly-through of some of the fundamentals of stage, event and venue lighting, devised and presented by their lighting specialist, Andy Friedli. This is the third of four Lighting Basics sessions being run by Leisuretec throughout 2018. Over 30 customers and interested parties attended over these latest three one-day courses, and Leisuretec has now trained over 170 people via this straightforward, hands-on process, with great results. Friedli devised and developed the course - initially for Leisuretec staff - three years ago, having joined the Leighton Buzzard based company five years ago. With a background in theatre and a 25-year career that includes working for
Germany - Hamburg-based theatre producer, Stage Entertainment brings nearly four million visitors a year to its musical theatres and is recognised as a market leader for live entertainment in Germany. The company is well-known for showcasing productions such as Mary Poppins, The Lion King and Aladdin. The celebrated musicals, run by the Dutch Stage Entertainment group are typically programmed by an Eos console from ETC. Andy Peistrup, lighting coordinator at Stage Entertainment confirmed that the Eos consoles are regularly in use at the establishment in Hamburg. Shows on New York's Broadway or London's West End are frequently produced by ETC consoles. Peistrup comments: “When the production changes, the console moves with the show. We are very satisfied with Eos desks; it makes our work easy and straight forward as there is already a show file a
UK - Built in 1855 as a corn exchange, Loughborough Town Hall has morphed into a diverse performance venue with a 522-seat theatre and space for meetings and receptions. Keeping pace with the eclectic procession of shows and events is a versatile lighting system that was recently made more robust by the addition of Chauvet Professional Maverick and Ovation fixtures supplied by Stage Electrics. Funding for the new LED fixtures was obtained through a government programme that incentivised energy savings. “The new fixtures are far more efficient than the incandescent units they replaced,” says James Cladingboel, technical director of Loughborough Town Hall. “However, their benefits extend way beyond energy savings. They’ve greatly expanded the things we can do with our lighting system.” A total of seven Maverick MK2 Spots, eight Ovation E-260WW warm white
USA - Four documents have been posted for public review on the ESTA website. BSR E1.29 - 2009 (R2014), Product Safety Standard for Theatrical Fog Generators that Create Aerosols of Water, Aqueous Solutions of Glycol or Glycerin, or Aerosols of Highly Refined Alkane Mineral Oil This standard is being considered for reaffirmation. It's intended to help guide product safety testing laboratories in evaluating fog-making equipment for design or construction defects that might create unacceptable hazards. It is based on UL 998 - 2006, Humidifiers, with modifications. Products covered are theatrical fog generators intended for use in professional theatrical entertainment, film and video production, theme parks, and fire safety training. BSR E1.62, Minimum specifications for mass-produced portable platforms, ramps, stairs, and choral risers for live performance
UK - Adlib has had a busy summer after making substantial investments in touring and rental video in the first half of 2018. The major purchase has been the addition of Unilumin’s UpadIII H5 5mm indoor/outdoor LED screen, which has been designed for quick and safe assembly with the demands of touring and concert style events in mind. Other new purchases include new broadcast quality camera channels, PPUs and Green Hippo KARST media servers, allowing Adlib to offer large scale video production options to all its clients, as well as versatile single solution technical packages for those wanting to source video lighting and sound equipment and expertise from one supplier. BBC Music's Biggest Weekend, the event which generally kicks off the UK festival season was expanded to multiple sites this year, Adlib supplied sound and lighting to both stages at Scone Palace
The Netherlands - Defqon.1, one of the biggest outdoor dance festivals, takes place in Biddinghuizen and is organised by Q-Dance. Its 2018 edition featured 236 of the new CLF LEDbar PRO linear LED battens. CLF LEDbar PRO fixtures were located all over the impressive mainstage, produced by Q-Dance. Hans Bokkinga, owner of Habo, comments: ‘We were looking for a powerful linear fixture to outline the shape of the stage. When looking for a linear fixture we found the CLF LEDbar PRO, which immediately caught our attention because of the big reflectors. Because of these, the fixtures are very usable for large scale shows like this.” Next to the LEDbar PRO, other CLF fixtures were deployed during the festival. CLF Ares LEDwashes were responsible for illuminating the impressive decoration and 136 CLF Aorun beams were also included in the impressive design. “We really lik
UK - LSi is sad to report the passing of Australian lighting designer Richard Pacholski – perhaps better known to many in the industry as R2 – on 19 August after a brief and intense battle with cancer. Fellow lighting designer, and LSi journalist Rob Halliday remembers his friend and colleague: “For many people taking shows, particularly musicals, down under, R2 was the friendly face that welcomed you to Australia. You immediately knew, from the ‘Hey mate’ said in that calm Aussie voice, the big open smile and that sparkly twinkle in his eye, that everything was going to be alright. “Richard began his career at the Adelaide Festival Centre, then joined the Australian Ballet. He wasn’t the first Richard there and so soon became R2, a name that just stuck. In the late 1980s, when Cameron Mackintosh set up an Australian office, R2 joined as lighting manager
Germany - Adam Hall Group has announced further expansion to its international sales team. Markus Jahnel, COO and managing director, will assume responsibility for the Group’s global business development with immediate effect. Bodo Falkenried, who has headed that department since 2013, is retiring and will complete the handover to Jahnel by the end of September. Jahnel comments: “The long-term development of new business areas and partnerships and the development and personal maintenance of our global networks are important priorities for the immediate future. I am looking forward to being even closer to our marketplace expansion.” He adds: “We would like to thank Bodo for his great work and wish him all the best for the new chapter in his life. He was a valued employee who was greatly appreciated by the entire team.” Marcel Mieger will be Adam
UAE - Dubai-based producer, organiser and promoter Envie Events connected more than 400,000 music lovers on 28 July, as revellers in du Forum, Yas Island were linked up via a live satellite connection to Belgium and beyond when the global EDM festival UNITE With Tomorrowland returned to the UAE. Six other locations across the globe were also connected to the Tomorrowland main stage in Belgium, with Italy, Malta, Spain, Taiwan, Mexico and Lebanon also enjoying dance extravaganza. The Abu Dhabi event featured live local and international DJs including the duo Lucas & Steve, SmokinGroove, Marcus Santoro, Regi, Barry Fore, Omar Basaad, D.O.D and Ummet Ozcan. Protec were called on by Envie Events to deliver audio, lighting, video, scenic, staging and rigging solutions. Having successfully delivered the technical production for the festival held in Dubai
USA - Megan Alksninis, lighting designer and technician for JDI Productions, had to design 21 Savage’s Numb The Pain tour in two weeks – a task for which the LD looked closely into the rapper’s ‘red-hot’ style. This ultimately led her to select the Chauvet Professional Rogue RH1 Hybrid as her main fixture for the mostly sold out 22-city tour. “Looking at Savage’s style and stage presence, I decided I needed something versatile for this tour, which is why I selected the Rogue RH1,” says Alksninis. “The RH1 is a hybrid, which gave me the flexibility to switch from a beam to wash look seamlessly.” As an artist, 21 Savage is known for his ‘realistic rap’, with intense lyrics and hard-driving music that reflect his coming of age on the streets of Atlanta. “My overall look can be summed up as ‘the brighter the better,’” she adds.
Canada - Numerous fixtures from PR Lighting were on duty when Mexican group Banda MS recently played the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario over three nights. In order to create maximum dynamics for this award-winning band, Heriberto Montalvo (Hammer) and his team, alongside First Born Productions, turned to Mega Systems, PR Lighting’s North American distributor, to provide inventory. From PR Lighting, they deployed the popular new Phantom, rigging several of these fixtures on the truss - over the band and on the sides. Housing an Osram 440W discharge source, the Phantom is an astounding Beam, Wash and Spot hybrid moving head. With three different modes, the fixture comprises a 0°-2.8° beam (in Beam mode), 2.8°-60° (in Spot mode) and 10°-60° (in Wash mode), which allowed the unit to create multiple effects onto the crowd and stage. They also specifie
South Africa - OppiKoppi music festival offers a lively mix of genres embracing rock, electronic, jazz, world and acoustic sounds. Pretoria based rental company Stage Effects, run by Theo Papenfus, has been involved in OppoKoppi for several years. Papenfus first worked as a tech on the event, and since 1999 Stage Effects has been a supplier. This year they provided site-wide lighting and visuals for five production stages. Production lighting for the main stage (James Phillips Stage) was designed by Erik de Bruin, who this year used Stage Effects’ new Robe MegaPointes. He also used 12 x standard Pointes, plus some other fixtures including LED washes, LED battens and 4-cell blinders. OppiKoppi 2018 was only the second time Erik had used MegaPointes – supplied to Stage Effects earlier in the year by Robe’s South African distributor DWR. The first was
USA - LumenRadio has announced an OEM partnership with Hive Lighting, with LA-based Hive set to utilise LumenRadio’s wireless technologies. Hive Lighting provides lighting solutions for the film, photography and broadcast industries as well as science and sports, and also has an architectural fixture line, ArcHIVE. Robert Rutherford, Hive Lighting founder, comments: “LumenRadio is the entertainment industry standard for adding reliable wireless DMX control for production lighting. We chose LumenRadio to allow our fixture to be compatible with all of the control systems in place throughout the film, TV and digital production industry.” Robert Larsson, sales director at LumenRadio, adds: “We are very happy to have Hive Lighting onboard as an OEM partner. Hive is an innovative company with great people and great products and we are delighted they have decid
UK - The Chroma-Q Space Force LED fixture has expanded its applications from the illumination of large studio environments to also include more subtle performances on the stage, having recently provided atmospheric lighting for a classic opera production at the Arcola Theatre. Written by Benjamin Britten and first performed in 1946, The Rape of Lucretia is the first of several operas to be performed at the Arcola Theatre’s Grimeborn Opera Festival. In its 11th year, the festival celebrates bold new versions of classic operas and new pieces from up-and-coming composers, musicians and companies. Robert Price, lighting director for the production, was visiting Chroma-Q’s UK distributor, A.C. Entertainment Technologies for a demo of the new Vista 3 by Chroma-Q lighting & media control software when he spotted the Space Force. He comments: “
UK - Broken Wings is a new musical that recently premiered in the West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Based on Lebanese-born poet Kahlil Gibran’s autobiographical tale of the same name, the show is written by Nadim Naaman (The Phantom of the Opera) and composer Dana Al Fardan. As a leading supplier to West End productions, White Light was called upon to supply the lighting equipment. The show was lit by lighting designer Nic Farman, whose previous West End credits include The Toxic Avenger and 3Women. He comments: “For this particular production, the director Bronagh Lagan and I decided that light would be extremely helpful in conveying a sense of both location and time. The show features the older Gibran reflecting back on his life so the narrative switches to the past frequently. “I worked closely with Bronagh to develop the pa
