South Africa - DWR Distribution, the Signify distributor in Africa, reports that Philips Showline SL Punchlite 220 luminaires and a Philips Strand 200 Plus console have been installed in the Conservatory Hall at the North-West University School of Music and Conservatory in Potchefstroom. The new equipment will compliment all the concerts and music productions, such as the cabaret and annual pantomime. Dr. Yvonne-Marié Brand, acting director of the NWU School of Music & Conservatory, comments: “The new equipment is a huge upgrade and has greatly improved the lighting in the hall. More light, no noise! We are really impressed with it.” Headed by Andi Rodgers, DWR Distribution installed three lighting bars on which 12 Philips SL Punchlite 200s were hung, with a Philips Strand 200 Plus console for control. Brand adds: “The feedback from the technical crew
South Africa - Dry hire company Guquko Technical Rider has launched a new website, www.guqukotech.co.za. The company was established by Phumzile Sibanyoni at the end of 2017 and holds stock of 12 Robe Spiiders, 24 Longman 4 Ups, Prolyte stage decks and other accessories such as cabling. Sibanyoni comments: “The equipment has been working very hard for us. We were very pleased that our Robe Spiiders and Longman units were used at the Nelson Mandela Annual lecture hosted at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 17 July. The gear is out most of the weeks and is not gathering dust. That said, it would be great for larger companies to recognize and rent from us to help give us the necessary exposure.” All gear is also frequently serviced by the local dist
UK - TSL Lighting has invested in a large number of Chroma-Q LED fixtures and Luminex DMX hubs, supplied by the brands' UK & Eire dealer A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET). The investment comes less than a month after TSL announced it had finalised the acquisition of corporate and event lighting specialist Blinding Light. TSL has added to its inventory a large quantity of Chroma-Q Color Force II 72 and Chroma-Q Space Force LED fixtures. AC-ET also supplied TSL with 50 Luminex LumiSplit 2.10 DMX hubs. Sam Tamplin, managing director of TSL Lighting, comments: “With the recent acquisition of Blinding Light, we needed to make sure we had the right inventory to meet the needs of our customers. The addition of these industry leading fixtures and
The Netherlands - After theatre De Blauwe Kei decided to move to a new purpose-built 650-capacity facility in the CHV Noordkade venue in Veghel, the theatre’s owners decided to be the first 100% LED theatre in the country. Central to achieving this goal was an exclusively Chauvet Professional Ovation rig consisting of 20x Ovation E-260WW, 36x Ovation E-910FC, 4x Ovation F-265WW and 40x Ovation F-915FC fixtures supplied and installed by Stagelight. “For the new location, the theatre was questioning whether it was still necessary to invest in traditional incandescent ellipsoidal and Fresnel fixtures,” says Robert Frijns from Stagelight. “We tried looking at what other theatres in the region had installed, but it turned out there were no 100% LED theatres yet in The Netherlands. De Blauwe Kei decided to go all in, and the results have been quite astonishing.”
Croatia - Ultra Europe 2018 was staged in Split, Croatia, offering three dynamic performance areas – Main Stage, Resistance and Arcadia – in and around the Poljud Stadium. Zagreb-based Promo Logistika was the site-wide technical provider for sound, lighting, video, rigging, logistics, crew and – via carefully selected partner companies – staging. It’s the sixth year the massive event has been presented in Europe, and the fourth year that Promo Logistika has ensured that the many layers of demanding international creative and technical standards have been met and exceeded. Over 300 Robe moving lights featured prominently on the Main Stage this year explained Miro Hrg, Promo Logistika’s production lighting co-ordinator for that area. The overall production lighting design for the Main Stage was created by Patrick Dierson who works on all Ultra events wo
UK - SGM Light has named Matrix as its new distributor for Denmark. The news follows the recent appointment of Architainment Lighting as the brand’s architectural distributor in the UK. Peter Johansen, CEO, SGM Light comments: “With Matrix as our new distributor here in Denmark, our customers will experience easier access to SGM’s products, and in general get all the benefits of Matrix’s service package. Our day-to-day focus is definitely targeted the big export markets. However, we also want to accommodate our home market, which will now be able to enjoy SGM demonstrations on several occasions.” Thomas Christensen, CEO of Matrix, adds: “With the water and dust-resistant products, SGM has a unique market placement, and we are thri
Italy - GLP has appointed Mods Art as its new Italian distributor. The move has been announced by GLP sales executive Sven Heindl and the Italian company’s chairman Dr. Giacomo Laria. Mods Art’s Alessandro Righi will be a technical representative for the German brand. Heindl comments: “Mods Art is a dynamic and positive young company and I could see the mood and ambition from the number of visitors attending the booth at MIR. “We look forward to a long and successful future working together with them.” Laria adds: “We are working to introduce GLP at the top level, which is quite a challenge with so many high-profile lighting manufacturers in Italy.” Initial reaction, following open days and a presence Music Inside Rimini has been 100% positive, he adds: “The feedback has been excellent and we are highly optimistic.” Mods Art recently
UK - Event design and technical production company Maestra London has expanded its team in readiness for a busy autumn season. Joining MD Justin Hammond and the London team are Matt Spark (senior project manager), Euan MacLeod (business development manager) and Cameron Pullar (warehouse assistant). Spark started working at festivals and events like SW4 and the Isle of Wight and other international events, as well as becoming a freelance production assistant for a succession of artists. This experience took him to Australia for three years where he worked with a raft of brands including Star Wars, Quantas and Disney. MacLeod worked in New York and Woodstock before relocating to Scotland to take a degree in Events & Entertainment Management at Glasgow Caledonian University. Pullar worked at a Scottish LED company whist still at school and then studied M
The Netherlands - CLF has extended its line of lighting essentials with the introduction of the LEDbar PRO and Hera. The CLF LEDbar PRO is a multifunctional linear RGBW LED batten. The IP65-rated fixture has 10 individually controllable RGBW LEDs and can be used as a cyc and a pixel-controlled effect machine thanks to its 24° beam angle. Dynamic effects are easily configured by DMX, and the fixture is also Art-Net and sACN ready. Multiple rigging options are offered by the easily adaptable bracket positioning system and the side lock system offers matrix possibilities. Power can be connected through PowerCON TRUE1 connectors. The CLF Hera is an IP65 rated RGBWAUV LED par has 12 high power dimmable LEDs that deliver “rich colours, subtle pastel tones and a very homogenous 30° beam angle”. A single bracket design provides both standing and hanging opportunities, al
UK - Cardiff City Council contacted 11th Hour requesting a turnkey solution for the presentation event as the city welcomed back Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas. The council contacted 11th Hour with the brief just three days before the homecoming was due to take place. Outside Cardiff Castle, 11th Hour erected a 6m x 5m Trilite stage, complete with cycle ramp and PA system by ABacoustics. As well as power to the stage and temporary media centre, the company supplied two confetti cannons and 58m of Prolyte truss to create 2 x 13m high archways over St Mary’s Street. With much of 11th Hour’s own truss out on festival duty, the company was able to source its requirements at short notice from trusted partner AED. Every aspect of the event proceeded smoothly, from the build, managed by a highly experienced team operating in what are familiar, busy city centre
USA - Lighting designer Nathan Brittain from LD Systems chose to work nearly 250 Robe moving lights on his rig for the 2018 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (HLSR) live entertainment stage which ran for the 20-day duration of the event. This, the largest such rodeo event in the world, attracted over 2.5m people and a glittering line-up of artists who performed on the concert stage in the NRG Stadium in Houston. LD Systems, also based in Houston, delivered technical design, live sound, concert lighting, HD video screens, custom truss structures, rigging equipment, production crew and logistics support throughout NRG Park for the entire month surrounding the event. This year saw the debut of the new Star Stage commissioned by HLSR, and a collaboration between LD Systems and staging specialist TAIT, a project that was two and a half years in the making. The stage
USA - Federal Hill Commons, a 6.5-acre multi-use site just north of Indianapolis in Noblesville, Indiana, recently opened a community amphitheatre designed to hold any and every type of outdoor event. Professional production company and Elation dealer Stage Tech, Inc. of Indianapolis was commissioned to handle everything lighting on the project from concept and design to installation and programming and turned to Elation’s leading line of IP65-rated luminaires to realise the task. “The nature of this installation demanded weatherproof fixtures so the IP rating was the first and most important criterion when compiling a list of options,” says Mike Trotta, owner of Stage Tech, Inc. “Elation has a wide range of IP-rated fixtures, so we were able to weigh the benefits of various fixture types and feature sets, knowing that any of them would be appropriate for the outdoo
UK - At this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival visitors are not only enjoying comedian Abandoman’s freewheeling performance, but also got an inside look at the lighting that supports his on-stage magic. On Monday evening, 13 August, Chauvet Professional sponsored a behind the scenes tour of the popular entertainer’s FOH and lighting rig, which includes Maverick MK Pyxis and Rogue R1 FX-B fixtures supplied by SLX. Taking place at the Fringe Festival’s Underbelly at George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD, the ‘Open Day’ event featured a lively chat with Abandoman’s lighting designer Robbie Butler, ALD’s Tom Wilkes, Underbelly’s head of lighting Cat Neufeld, and a special guest on the inspiration and techniques behind successful improvisational lighting. After the interview and subsequent tour, Wilkes donned his Chauvet hat (he is the company’s UK South pr
UK - SGM Light has bolstered its relationship with Architainment Lighting by making the High Wycombe company the official architectural distributor for the Danish brand in the UK. The deal means Architeinment Lighting will represent SGM Light's IP66-rated POI (Permanent Outdoor Installations) luminaires. Ian Kirby, MD at SGM UK, comments: “SGM is a forerunner in launching new technology in Entertainment lighting and is focused on high-quality IP65/66-rated LED luminaires. SGM have also been developing an Architectural version of its luminaire range and we have been in discussion with Architainment for some time with a view to Nic and his team including the architectural range in their portfolio.” Peter Johansen, CEO, SGM Light, adds: “I am pleased to announce that our discussions have been successful and Architainment have now been appointed our exclusive di
UK - The Hay Festival, an annual festival of literature and the arts, held in Hay-on-Wye in Powys, Wales, has expanded to encompass a broad spectrum of cultural activities. This year’s 10-day event welcomed more than a quarter of a million visitors. The festival site comprises temporary marquee structures of varying size (capacities vary from a few thousand to less than a hundred) connected by covered walkways and is located in a field on the edge of the town. The infrastructure required to meet the needs of the festival audience and the 800 or so events that take place is significant. From lectures, readings, concerts and screenings, to discussions, sales, children’s activities, catering, media centre and more besides, Hay Festival presents logistical challenges that might bring a frown to even the most seasoned events professional. This year, Cardiff-based events
Spain - GLP fixtures have been hard at work in Barcelona, providing DJs with visual dynamics for the annual Wet Deck Summer Series 2018 in W Hotel. The fixtures were provided by rental company, PI Sound having been initially supplied by Monacor Iberia, GLP’s Spanish distributor. Taking part every Sunday between 10 June and 19 August, the season kicked off in style with Erick Morillo, and also features the likes of Roger Sanchez, Sam Divine, Claptone and many more. It was back in March that the partners of PI Sound decided to acquire their GLP lighting equipment from Monacor Iberia since they were continually carrying out events of all types, where lighting played a leading role. With the support of Monacor Iberia, the GLP fixtures have taken centre stage at this famous pool party, where the GT-1, impression X4 L and X4 lit the Barcelona sunset to the rhythm of
USA - Lynyrd Skynyrd’s compelling history and influence on music were never far from the mind of their lighting designer and director, Jonny ‘Tosar’ Tosarello. Designing for the group’s Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour, which runs from May through December, Tosarello wanted to create a look that was as big and bold as the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd itself. He succeeded in doing just that with help from a collection of 28 Chauvet Professional Rogue R2 Wash fixtures, supplied by Premier Global Productions. “When you think of who Lynyrd Skynyrd is and what all the band has done over the years, you want to have a ‘big look,’ especially for their ‘farewell tour,’” says Tosarello. “We wanted something that stood out and was unique, but was also clean and simple. We have 180’ of silver truss spread out into six fingers that run up to dow
Czech Republic - Architectural LED lighting manufacturer Anolis has appointed Peer Oestergaard as sales director. Based in Denmark, Peer will be managing and co-ordinating Anolis sales teams globally and travelling extensively in his new role. He has most recently worked at SGM Light (sales manager) and has also held a business development role at Alfred Priess and international sales management roles at Thorn Lighting and Martin Professional. Anolis director Tim Van den Eede comments: “We are delighted to have someone of Peer’s calibre and talent on-board. His personality, approach to business and smart outlook is the perfect match for us, and we share the same core visions for taking Anolis to the next level of operation. This is the first of several important upcoming announcements for Anolis over the coming months.” Peer adds: “I am lucky enough to ha
France - Airstar has launched NEO, the latest addition to the French manufacturer's inflatable lighting range dedicated to event staging. The tube-shaped product measures 5m x 20cm and offers 8,500 lumens of brightness. The tubes can be either installed on the ground or mounted and are suitable for events and music festivals or as a part of a creative set. Jean-Pierre David, an industrial designer at Airstar, who designed the product, explains: "It may sound odd, but the NEO concept could be described as a genesis of the Jedi lightsaber and my grandmother's kitchen neon. Although relatively simple, it is truly unique in the marketplace: it creates extravagant and creative lighting effects. Event professionals can let their imaginations run free with the help of this fun and easy to use solution." NEO was trialled at this year’s Solidays festival, a major music
Germany - On 11 May, TUI Cruises celebrated the launch of the new cruise ship Mein Schiff 1 during Hamburg Port’s 829th Anniversary festivities and adorned the christening party with an impressive fireworks and light show featuring effects from over 200 Elation Professional Proteus Hybrid moving heads. Lighting designer Martin Kuhn developed a spectacular lighting design for the ship's christening show on behalf of insglück, the Berlin agency that staged the party in front of the industrial backdrop of the HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai. The up to 70m-high container bridges of the Burchardkai - the symbol of Hamburg as a gateway to the world - were integrated into the staging and equipped with lighting equipment and pyrotechnics. For the widely visible light show, the designer relied on a total of 206 weatherproof Proteus Hybrid moving lights, Elation’s mult
Belgium - To the ancient Greeks and Romans, the owl was a symbol of the goddess Athena, and as such the nocturnal bird became associated with wisdom. For fans attending the 2018 Fantasia Festival however, the avian sage took on a whole new meaning - one centred around EDM, trance and house music from the likes of DVBBS and Henri PFR. Commanding instant attention from the main stage of the festival was a 30m tall by 70m wide representation of a spread-winged owl. The distinctive scenic element was made even more impactful by a bold and vivid lighting display designed by Creative Rental Solutions (CRS) that featured a collection of Chauvet Professional STRIKE, Rogue, COLORado and COLORdash fixtures. Thomas Vandekerkhove and his team at CRS used an artfully blended mix of STRIKE P38, COLORdash Par H12IP, Rogue RH1 Hybrid and COLORado Panel Q40 fixtures to lend a vibrant
France - Chauvet has named Alain Minet marketing manager of Chauvet Europe. Based in Chauvet's Paris office, Minet will helm the European marketing of the entire family of Chauvet brands and will report directly to John Castelino, global vice-president of marketing. CEO Albert Chauvet comments: “We have enjoyed exponential growth in Europe. Our French and German offices, which opened in January, have both been off to incredibly fast starts, while our UK and Belgium facilities have been growing at a rapid pace. Given this growth, we needed someone who could oversee our expanding marketing efforts. Alain fits this need perfectly.” Michael Brooksbank, European general manager at Chauvet, adds: “Alain brings a wealth of experience to his position. His knowledge, experience and passion for excellence will make him a valuable addition to the Chauvet team.”
UK - The new Vista 3 by Chroma-Q lighting & media control range is adding a touch of visual magic to Sounds and Sorcery celebrating Disney Fantasia, a new immersive theatre experience at The Vaults. Visitors put on headphones and then embark on a multi-sensory interactive journey which reveals a fantastical environment using a combination of cutting edge binaural sound, elaborate set designs and dazzling lighting. Lighting designer Jake Wiltshire selected the Vista by Chroma-Q control system to bring his creative vision to life for the different lighting needs of each set design. For The Rite of Spring, LED strip effects are smoothly blended together to create a natural 'churning' look for the smooth-flowing volcanic hot magma; for The Sorcerer's Apprentice, moving lights are precision controlled to create an organic feel in sync with the
UK - Event specialists, Light Fantastic Production Services Limited partnered with L'Atelier Five agency on the recent Hublot FIFA World Cup installation and product launch event at Harrods, Knightsbridge. L’Atelier Five turned to LFPS to handle rigging and technical installation on their installation for Hublot watches in the store’s Hans Crescent entrance atrium. At its centre, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia themed project featured three large open frame ‘footballs’ constructed from aluminium with integrated LED lighting and video displays. Finished in red, white and blue to reflect the Russian national colours, the trio of footballs needed to appear to float effortlessly within the atrium. Limited by extreme load restrictions on the rigging points and severe weight limitations on the sloping floor below which precluded the use of traditional lifting methods
